The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-04-12
FAMOUS SPUBLICIST
Rev. J. D. GuliCk, a Noted Mis-
siOnary, Arrives.
A BROAD MINDED THE0L0GIkh
Notices Numerous Changes-The
Religious Work IN Japan-fiiS
Belief In Evolution.

Among the passengers that arrived
by the Coptic was Rev. John D. Gulick,
brother of Rev. o. H. Gulick of this
|city
Rev. Gulick has been a missionary in
China and Japan for the past thirty
six years. The last time he was in Ho-
nolulu was in 1873 when he made q
short visit here. He came then to
make arrangements for his aged faith
|er and mother and to decide whether
one of the brothers would not have to
give up the missionary work. This was
not necessary, however, as the parents
decided to live in Kobe, Japan, with
the Rev. 0. H. Gulick. The famous
thinker continued on to San Francisco
and from there went back to China,
where he remained for about two years.
He then had to leave China, as the CHI
mate was too severe, he being stationed
in Northern China. Since then he has
been continuously in Japan.
The changes are very great said
the celebratedl exponent of broader
theology, "since was here last. 1 first
left Honolulu in 1852, going to the
States to get an education. | touched
here again while on a voyage. arrcsz=
the Pacific. However my first real
visit to this city after the time first
left was in 1873.
The changes that had occurred be-
tween 1852 and 1873 were very great,
greater in many ways than the
changes between 1878 and today
Around 1852 irrigation had not even
started, and there was nothing but
dust in places where, in 1873, gardens
were in full bloom But the increase
since then in wealth and growth of the
city is very great:
THE missionary work in Japan, TAX
en- all in all, is a remarkable move
ment It has been full of ups and
downs, but when one looks backward
upon the last twenty-five years the
progress is astonishing. The Japanese
are anxious to grasp new ideas. They
are ambitious to hold their own in the
world of thought and action. They
may slip at times, but they are UP and
at it again Immediately.
I'm the missionary work the same
experience of ups and downs have been
met with. Although the people some
times seem to miss the mark entirely
in their ideas of civilization, in the end
they Will come out all right.
Yes, it is a fact that the japanese
meet with opposition in the various
places to which they migrate. They
will get along in some way, however.
They have gained FOrmosa, now, and
what to do with it is the present prob
lem which they are considering. The
southern part of Japan is crowded
pretty closely with population, while
the northern part is not at all thickly
inhabited. The Japs are averse to cold,
as their whole habit of life does not
shut out the cold sufficiently
What about evolution? Well, in
Japan the whole Of evolutionary
thought in philosophy and religion is
but an echo of European thought One
=
work has been the fact that ancient
Buddhism and COnfucianism, which
they have learned to put aside, are
closely allied with some modern vein
of evolution, which they are anxious
to seize upon.
I'm regard to evolution, l believe
that Gods creation Of man has been
along certain lines which we can and
ought to investigate. 1t is and should
be an open discussion. OF course, there
are certain schools of orthodoxy which
endeavOr to close the door, but it will
not stay closed. The very breath of re-
ligious life depends upon the investiga-
ton and upbuilding of truth
Some day, L believe, a definite con-
clusion will be reached. Many have
already built up systems and arrived
at conclusions seemingly definite to
themselves, but there has always been
something lacking. But the right con-
clusion will be reached some day.
"Forty-seyen years ago, when, as
schoolboy at Punahou 1 wandered over
these hills and through these valleys,
the beginning Of new thought