New-York tribune., 1901-11-10
RELIGION IN JAPAN.

The annual missionary conference of the
American Board of Missions In Japan decided
recently that more American missionaries were
needed in Japan. and the native press at once
began again the discussion of the old question
whether Christianity in japan ought to be
"Japanned''-that is TO say made purely ma
tive religion. The Toxic Maishu Shnshi''
takes strong ground I'm favor of making II na-
tive by Withdrawing the foreign missionaries
as soon az practicable and replacing them by
native ministers. who. after ALL can best under
stand the religious aspirations of the people.
Among all the missionaries in Japan at the
present time" 1t declares. the men who can
speak the Japanese language sufficiently well
ito make an effective speech in Japanese are
very few. For urgent evangelistic or pastoral
work, what then is the use Of new arrivals !?
1T takes years for them to be ready TO COM
'menCc effective work. 1t seems TO that al
ready there are quite enough foreign Protes-
'taDt missionaries in the field. Last years re-
port showed that the number I57- 1t is
true that among these there are only 90 men,
But when see the Greek Church accom-
"plshinC about half the amount Of work done
"by Protestants with only four foreign mission
"aries. assert without hesitation that, in
"stead of increasing the number of foreign
workers. they might profitably be reduced by
40 per cent. We do not say this out of any
"ant-foreign spirit, but give 1t as our honest
opinion. considering the permanent interests
"of the Church of Christ in this country
1t is often said that the Japanese unre
ligfous though not an rreligious people, but in
point of fact religious questions discussed
with great fulness and intelligence by the secu-
lar press The "Fukuin Shimpo" of recent
date declared that however great personal in
fuence may he in enforcing religion, 1t needs to
be supplemented by doctrnal teaching. More
over, every teacher Of religion should recog-
nize the fact that no man is altogether good or
altogether bad and that the worst men may be
reached by appealing to the good in them. The
"Tokio Maishu Shinshi' already quoted, in re-
viewing the great work accomplished by Chris
tianity in Japan emphasizes the danger of
purely emotional preaching, which it compares
TO pouring water into a sieve. ITO go and seek
wandering sheep is not enough II declares
''They must be shepherded after being found"
In commenting on recent revival in Toxic the
"Taiyo" takes the same view, blaming the
vivalists for dwelling on doctrines which many
Christians doubt. instead of expounding the
new convictions held by all enlightened Chris
tians Faith that is allied to ignorance" it
saws land dependent it for its very exist
ence cannot last long" This journal also con
demns certain react!onary tendencies of the
Buddhist movement promoted by Toa Bukkyo-
kai.
Under the title, "Christian Ideas About the
Lower Animals" the "Rgugo Zasshi'' lectures
Christian pastors and missionaries in Japan
who offend native sentiment by shooting game.
That men who the commissioned teachers
of the gentle Jesus should. out of mere wanton
snort take the lives of harmless birds and ami
mails is according to the editor, shocking
crime against religion. The "Taiyo" approves
this view, but cynically adds that Christians
who slay hundreds of noffensive Chinese men
and women because they belong to an inferior
race would naturally see no harm In killing
birds Neither Buddhists nor Christians. 1t
saws have lifted hand to prevent cruelty to
animals That work has been done by the secu-
lar government The "Rgugo Zasshi'' protests
against the attempted establishment Of Nor
mon mission in Japan just at the time when
the nation is giving up the practice Of concubi-
mage Mormonism it regards as the least desir-
oble of all Christian sects, as it is founded on
childish legends and counter to the trend
of modern civilization
II will be seen from these extracts from the
native press of Japan that there is at least an
intelligent conception Of some Of the great ques-
tions underlying religion, and that Christian