The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-11-04
.IHt NORNONS IN JAPAN
what tbe Deser0l N.vs llas to Say ot
Apostle H,ber Grants Manifesto and
Declared Purpose.

Declared Purpose
Tine following taken from the Descrct
Ntus. considered an organ ut the Lat
Ger DAY saints. has been sent To the
star by "a member of the local organ
izatiou of that church with the request
that DO be- published.
The Mormon" mission To Japan is
attracting some attention outside the
DOMINION of the Mikado. IL viii
douutess make "a stir In that empire,
and DO % does not achieve what is COM
monty called success, that is extensive
piUselytism, Do will accomplish its pur~
pose, which is the publication of the
fact that "A new dispensation from God
to man has been opened, for the benefit
of AN nations. and the warning of that
part of the world of the approaching
advent of the Son of God
The following editorial on The Ad-
vent of Mormonism in Japan" Is taxi
en- from the Springfield Republican.
by His authority We turn the divine
key which opens the kingdom of heaven
Co the inhabitants of Japan. We say TO
them AN, come to the light which has
been shed forth from the sun or righte-
BUSINESS, We offer you blessings that
are beyond price We bring to
you the truth in all its efulgence,
direct from the greet Luwi0""v ~ the
day."-FrOm ... .... to
the Japanese.
"'Auostle' Heber J. c.. ., Nor
mon Church Of Utah began nrs field OPP
pratious i'm Japan late in August with a
manifesto to the lOng-benighted inhabi-
tants Of that country. He told them
what be had come for. and the Japanese
heard him with that exquisite polteness
for which they are distinguished The
missionary activities of the Mormon
Church are well known, and il must be
admitted that they are not without
tangible results. But this is their first
invasion Of the oriental field and how
they will succeed with the Japanese
must be a question that will interest US
all.
Missionary Grant and his associates
. from Salt Lake City will find most am
pie liberation for all religions in that
pagan land, although the other Christ
ian missionaries refused to permit
them 10 live i'm the same boarding house
with themselves i'm Yokohama. The
japanese viii give them a respectful
hearing, If only because Of their in
satiable curiosity as the Japan Week
~ Advertiser expresses ii. OF the out
come. however. what may be expected?
In this connection the editor Of the Adj
vertser, who is evidently an English
man Of somewhat extended residence in
Japan, prOnOUnces the opinion that the
japanese people will care just about as
much for the theological doctrines of
the new sect as they do for those of the
old ones whose teachers have already
invaded the land. The people will
closely watch the personal character OF
the newest missionaries and the new
faith will be judged entirely by its
practical fruits. But, apart from this,
when the question is raised whether
Mormonism Is to brin~ about a revO-
luton in the religious thought of Japan
the means for accomplishing such an
object are perhaps more ludCrously in
adequate than any which have ever
been tried by foreign propagandists.' A
people which has failed thus far to be
much impressed with the dignified SUI
pernatural substructure of Christianity
will be likely to be interested, yet at
the same time immensely amused by
the supernatural claims of a religion
that rests upon the curious adventures,
of Joseph Smith with hole in the
ground, in the State of New York
4 early in the last century.
THE view taken by the Advertiser
seems sound. Among the As 900, 900
japanese it would be strange if a few
converts to Mormonism could not be
Melted. Almost anything can find con-
/ verts somewhere, provided the preacher
7
But Mormonism, one may be sure will
never make appreciable rheadway in
Japan. The complete liberation the
Japanese viii give to it is likely to be
terrible handicap. On the other hand
it Is only fair to say that pure and self
sacrificing lives on the part of the Nor
mon missionaries themselves would ex-
ercise some effect, while their charac-
teriStic financial and executive abilities
would aid still more, in giving to the
propaganda a sort Of foothold Any
degree of success in Japan for the
/ Mormons must mean an extension of
their missionary zeal to China and 9TH
er parts of the Orient"
! The fippant manner in which many
writers for the press approach the sub
! Ject of "MOrmonism" and its mission
work in the world, indicates their lack
of appreciation of its Importance, and
their imperfect understanding of it's
principles and spirit. The Republican
is mistaken in its assertion that this il
the first invasion of the oriental field"
by Mormon" missionaries In 1853 a
number Of Elders were sent to India,
China and Siam, and while they were
not successful in accomplishing much
in Siam or China, many converts were
made in India and some of the fruits
/ of that mission are seen in Utah today.
The Republican is equally mistaken in
its notion that the claims of our re-
ligion rest upon the curious adven-
/ lures of Joseph Smith with a hole in
] the ground"
If the Japanese fulfill the prediction
! of the Republican, and give the mis-
sionaries IA respectful hearing" re-
/ ceiVing them with Exquisite polite
ness 1t will be very different treat
ment to that usually accorded them by
! Christian ministers and most of
their immediate followers, in the more
advanced nations of the earth. And it
VIII at least give an opportunity to
demonstrate that MOrmonism" en-
bodies principles of rational theology
| and practical religion, so much
above the contradictory theories of
the sects with whose preachers and
their ways the japanese are familiar,
as to not only excite their Unsuitable
curiosity but command their admira-
ton and respect. 1t may not meet with
| any great degree of success guaged by