The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-11-20
THE PROBLEM OF
MISSION FUNDS
Adopt the Good and Reject
the Bad.
A MISSIONARY ADDRESS
Bishop Partridge of Kyoto, Japan,
Spoke at Good Shepherd Church.
PATRIOTISM BEFORE RELIGION IN JAPAN
They Attempt 10 Divorce Religion and Morality
and as a Result There is a Loss of
Both. The Missionary
Japan's Hope.

one or the most instructive missionary
lectures ever heard in the State was de-
livered at the Church OF the Good Shep-
herd last night by Ri. Rev. l.. c.. Part
ridge, Bishop Of Kyoto. Japan, Bishop
Partridge's opportunities for knowing the
conditions of the missions in the East are
OF the best, as he in early manhoOd ledi-
Gated himself to this work, and almost at
the beginning Of his ministry he resolved
70 labor in heather lands. Before he was
cOnsecrated as bishop he worked at
Shanghai and Wuchang in China.
The lecture was splendid throughout.
Swift and at times pathetic in speech. yet
with a directness and force that made his
meaning clear. he was eloquent at all
times and his picture of the distant land
where a huddled population are strug-
Cling in the right of error and superstitu-
ton, was realistic. He held the congre-
CATION spell bound until the last sen
tence.
The Bishop did not preach a formal ser
mon, but commenced by saying that he
had come to bring tidings of the battle
that is being fought against the forces
of heathendom in the sunny islands of the
East.
VII tSli you VI WHdt 10 Cii doIiC
in those beautiful islands, three thou
sand miles across our continent, and
three thousand miles more across the
broad Pacific
He said that Japan was the l~oveliest
country of the earth and possessed every
attraction sought by tourist and traveller.
1t is interesting because it is superbly
beautiful in appearance, for what it's peo-
pie have done in the past. and for what
they may accomplish in the future. He
| spoke of it's glorious appearance in spring.
when the blossoms of the cherry made Il
look like falkland; of it's palaces and
treasures.
He spoke of the New Japan with it's
| schools, army, navy, telegraphs and rail
ways, of the wonderful advances they
have made and the even more striking
changes ~inaugurated.
w are their friends but we must not
tell them they are what they are not.
We should tell them that the ~1atterer is
their deadliest enemy We should show
them their weaknesses. There is so
much that is absolutely false involved in
the economy of their government and
their ideas. I will show you some of the
| problems the missionary has to face.
They have attempted to devorce morality
and religion. And anyone who can look
beneath the surface can see they are on
a smouldering Volcano
He said that the rope of straw hung
from the pagan temples was typical of
these people and their belief. We find a
lack of religion and no morality.
"They think they can take all the bene-
fit of religion and not inculcate it's prin-
ciples. They try to substitute patriotism
for religion. In their education they
c1,1 a. ~ ia
For instance, in teaching geography they
give their pupils a correct geography, but
at the same time teach the old supersti-
ton Of the creation Of Japan as true.
In history they teach the essential facts
of history, but insist upon the belief in
the legend of the crystal bridge. They
teach orthodox science, they believe in
and utilize the telegraph, railway and
telephone, but also believe in Lord
Thunder and Lady Lightning"
Count Ito. the man who reconstructed
Japan and made it respected by the Wes-
tern nations, says that belief in a per-
sonal God IS not necessary. The Japan
csc are making a new morality. They
have gone to Greece and Rome and Egypt,
and all the nations of the earth. aud
putting together such portions of each
as suits and then say to the people, BE
good. ana the people are just dS pdd
as they ever were.
"How do you suppose the church met
the situation? We met their materialism
with the dispensary and hospital. We
showed them there was something about
man that the probe and scalpel cannot
touch. and that man is greater ana
grander than clay. We showed them
that Christianity makes them a better
citizen, and a better patriot, and that II
fits them for the duties Of life. We take
the best there is in their religion and
make it an entering wedge for Christi
anity. In India, where the doctrine OF
reincarnation obtains the story of Christs
incarnation appeals with irresistible
force, in China where every cause is set
tied by arbitration, Christ is shown to be
the Great Mediator. We eliminate what
is bad in their ideas. and We raise up
and elevate the good. The evil passes
out of sight