The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-09
People Are Wild to Fight, But
Are Held in Check by the
Government.
HON. JOSHUA LEvERlNG HERE
Has Just Returned From the Far al /
East and Tells Of Con
ditions There,

In the words OF distinguished ger-
tleman who has Just returned from the
Far East. uttered last night In a public
address and subsequently, emphasized in
a personal conversation with the writer,
the little empire ofEJapan is wild for wal r
with Russia. and Is with difficulty held
in restraint by tho Imperial government
Tho speaker was the Hon. Joshua
ALevering. of Baltimore. one Of the hest
known ana most beloved Baptists In tho
South. and man who has won proitll-t
nence through his championship OF the
prohibition cause, under the banner sof
which he was at ono time a candidate
for the presidency Of the United Stutes.,
In May last Mr.. Lcverlng left Balti-5
more. Travelled across the United States
and froia San francisco sailed for the
Orient, In China his daughter Is at work
as missionary under the Baptist
Foreign Mission Board located here. OF,
which board Mr.. lowering Is vlce-presl-
dent He went primarily to SEQ her, but
while way visited Japan and many other
countries. NJ 5.sis s. 55 i$
In Richmond Yesterday.
a. little over two weeks ago Mr.. Lever:
Ing and his family after encountering the
dreaded fever Of the East. arrived safe,
at home. ID Yesterday the distinguished
Baltimorean was I'm Richm ond to confer
with the Foreign Board concerning the
cond itions K he observed In the mission
fields. Last night ,fle spoke at the Grace
Street Baptist Church.f When seen later
b!f a representative OF q The Times Dis
patch, Mr.. Levering npli fled the stats,
ments he made in the address, and cn1-
iphaslzed some OF them. 3a Y. a n
Japan n necds our 9pra yers m ost at this
stim., he oaid to, his aud lence ans he res e
Sserred to tile wonderful 3 F'loHery5l King
dom Of the East and TO its more wonder-5
sulf people. He stouc he'd ligh tly upon the
cause being con tend ca FOR by ti1eses 7eu-
pie, and declared that n 9 man could
seek the truth and not believe tha It
was the right cause. TO Japan fell BY
~Ikht OF conquest certain spoli-Aorea.
Mapchuria, Port Arthur-and they were
hers, IT. they were anybody's. When
Russia spoke japan gracefully stepped
as!de, but the Russian Bear has fastened
its claws upon the land and wishes to
call 1t It's own. 1t is essential to the
uttle empire that this atura barrier
DO kept between. her and the greedy Rus-
sian, and for this she will fight.
People Want War.
when left Japan" was in effect
what Mr.. Levering said. in the. inter-
view. "the war talk was strong Japan
has Il population of 10000 a standing
army Of leo 900, and a reserve army OF
a,UNOo. All are thoroughly and Splendid
Ely. equipped Tho Japanese navy Is pow
erful. Tho admiral Of tho navy Is
Christian, and strong and able man.
g"It is a wonderful thing to me that the
government has carried It's conservatism
into effect Tho Rpeopla themselves are
wild for war. They have perfect conf
dence III themselves and believe they can
whip. tho world, Everybody was talking
war and crying for 1t. They want 70
fight the Russian bear! They pelleFe
they can whip him. Only the STRONG
hand of the government holds the peopns
In restraint. and 1t Is remarkable that. y
Ehns beon able to- do so. so strong Is the
feeling against Russia. Recently q num-
her OF eminent Japanese college protes-
surs gathered together and prepared
lengthy paper 1t argued that war sholilo
aa declared and that there was no re.t-
son against 1t. This paper was sens
to the Emperor
ut is hard to predict, If they fight
have no doubt that Japan from the l!rst
K will be successful. But the country II
crippled financially. 1t could not stand
the strain OF n great war. and Russia u
it could hold out would eventually win.
Would It not be another case OF what
happened here between the North and the
South. or In Africa between Britain and
Boer?
'The Japanese are an enlightened peo-
pIe ana are accepting Christianity. be'
lieve the cause OF Christ Is at stake IN
tho struggle II It comes, Therefore, say
Japan needs our prayers, Ley us psay
hat whnteyer happens the Almighty God
viii overrule It to his own honor and
glory"