Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-31

that the missionaries are having quite as
much success in the United States as the
Christian missionaries had in Japan during
the first months after their advent anu that
tho prospects are very hopeful In Boston.
he said a highly educa TED and influential
gentleman was taking the lead and had
gathered seventeen Buddhist believers
around him with large number OF stu
cents, who were anxious to see 1.-THE Light
of Asia" They want settled pastor ana
teacher and a competent man VIII be sent
from Japan. professor OF the university
of Pennsy lvania, he said had organized a
church in Philadelphia and Is interesting
the young men of that city. particularly the
students of the university and other tnstl-
tutions in Buddhism. Archbishop Otani
has arranged to send priest there also
In the other places named groups OF De-
levers have been gathered together ana or
ganized and are inviting their TRENDS 10
study the blessings of Buddhism. In sew
eral of them there Is a considerable Japa-
nese population who have furnished q
nucleus for the organizations.
Mr. watanabe told me of the reforms that
have been inaugurated in the Buddhist
church of Japan during the past Few years.
Examinations are now necessary Tor aa-
mission to the priesthood and are SO se-
we're that none but highly educated men
can pass them The priests OF the Shin
sect are now all educated. ana ne"
Buddhist university at kyoto, which Is eH
cusively for the training Of priests. is over
flowing with students. Modern methoos OF
study and investigation have been intro
duced into IT, and Its faculty are quite as
.nl%aient and competent from i1felsn
standpoint as that of any coiese ~ japan.
Young mems Buddhist association was
organized five or six years ago TO coun
teract the influence of the Young Men
Christian Association and Is now nourAsh
ing Its members are not exclusively "
the Shin sect but represent nearly All VI
the several sects and are mostly educateo,
ambitious young men. The reformels are
also publishing newspaper at iohSo
called the New Buddhist, winch mas
wide circulation and Is exerciSihS coh-
siderable influence.
Aim Of the Leaders.
1t is the desire and ambition of the lead
ers of the Shin-Bukkye sect to unite
Christianity and Buddhism using the
Unitarian organization as a connecting
link. They believe such thing Is pos
sible. They argue that true Buddhism
and true Christianity are practically the
same thing; that they are inspired by the
same motives. governed by the same love
of truth and charity toward mankind,
and are working for the same end. The
only differences are theological and can
be harmonized by making generous con-
oessions on both sides. They argue that
the souls of men cannot be saved by the
ology; that the world was never bene-
flied by dogmatic controversies and that
all true Christians and all true Buddhists
following the teachings of Buddha and
Christ, which they say in all their essen
tials are identical, should unite their eff
forts and work in harmony. Mr.. Wata-
nabe says that nothing official in this di-
rectior has taken place. but there have
been frequent private conferences at
which an encouraging spirit has been de-
yelOped
The orthodox Christian missionaries and
teachers in Japan. however have taken
no part in this movement. and, while they
have great respect for many of the Bud
dhiSt reformers they cannot regard the
proposed union as practical or possible.
The CnitarianS alone find no difficulty in
harmonlzing with the advanced Bud
dhiStS.
A Unitarian Mission.
The Rev. Clay Macauley of Boston
started Unitarian mission here in 1898
and organized a church and q school. He
remained seven or eight years. and by
his teachings and personal attractions,
brought around him colony of earnest.
intellectual natives, who have kept I'D
the work The church is still f1ourishing
under the pastOrate of Mr. Sagi a former
BUDDHIST priest. The congregation is en-
tlrely Japanese. and has become a sort
OF ethlcaI culture society, teaching more
philosophy than religion
They recognize God as the s,Ipreme ba
ing, but reject the Biblical story of the
creation; they regard the Bible as a his
torlcal document of great value in parts
-; 49, iiutIi vi II as BASED upon tradi-
tons preserved among the Jews who baa
a genius for religion, as the Greeks had a
genius for art. They do not believe in in
SEPARATION. in miracles or in special proyi
dences. they admit the Immortality of
the soul and believe in rewards and nm
lshments after DEATH but reject the doc
Urine OF the atonement of Christ, the i'm
inaccurate conception of Christ and regard
t . not as redeemer. but merely as a
imitation of men 1'- 'Iie
mere is only one organization of this
KIND in Japan. 1t is located in Tokyo and
- limited IN numbers. There seems to be
no other church ready or willing to he
merged into RuddbiSr, io ~ NC