Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-13

chicago
KYOTO. July 13. 1904.
The long struggle over the control Of the
Doshisha College at kyoto. between the
American board of foreign missions ana the
liberal faction of the native Congrega tional
Church of Japan, which attracted much at
tention seven or eight years ago. because
of certain sensational events, was at last
settled in favor of the missionaries. and
that institution is now being conducted I'M
der orthodox Christian auspices although
its constitution. it's catalogues and all OF
its official publications declare that instruc-
ton is entirely non-sectarian. This was the
first the most prominent and the most
promising of all the missionary institutions
in Japan 1t represented an investment of
S462,OOO of American gold contributed by
pious people in New England. And yet in
1896 its president declared: 'kirsuto kyo
no kamban"-that the Christian sign has
been taken down.
The history of this institution is very in
tereStiDg. The pioneer of modern education
in Japan was Joseph Neeshima, a native of
Tokyo. who was ten years old when Com
modOre Perry entered the Bay of Yedo,
and sixteen years old when he slowed him
self away on board the American schooner
Widfiower in order to escape from the
country and see something of the great
world of which he had heard Fortunately for
him and for Japan, the skipper was good
man, who took an interest in the young
ster. trained him a cabin boy and when
he reached Boston, told his story in a SYM
pathetic way to Alpheus Hardy a famous
merchant of those days. Mr.. Hardy OPEN
ed his heart to the lad educated him at
PHILIPS Academy. Amherst College (where
he was graduated with the class of 1870
ana Andover Theological Seminary where
he fitted himself for missionary work Mr..
Hardy's son. Arthur Sherburne HARDY now
IL o. ~ Sr,ni
~ published Mr.. Neeshma's biography
" ME NeeShIma was In the theological
seminary the first famous japanese en-
bassy visited the United States and ann
ployed him as an interpreter He ner
formed his duties so well and won the
admiration and respect of the ambassa doris
so completely that before they returned to
Japan they secured for him a full pardon
for the offense of leaving the empire with
out passport and permission to return to
Japan to teach English and Christianity
Mr. Neeshima was the first person to whom
such permission was ever granted and the
Marquis Ito, recently prime minister who
was secretary of the embassy, made out
the documents with his own hands
Founding the College.
When Neeshima had completed his stud
les he returned to his own country and
established the first school for modern
higher education in Japan. 1t was located
at Kyoto, it was called Do-shi-sha College
and the funds amounting to something
over 100000, We're contributed by the late
Mr.. Hardy, Peter Parker William E.
Dodge. Gov. Page of Vermont, j. NJ Har-
ris of New London. Mr.. Sears of Boston
and other wealthy philanthropists. who
made the \ merican boa rd of foreign mis-
sions the custodian and trustee of the
funds. Ito. Inouye. Okuma and other pro-
gressive Japanese gentlemen in Tokyo and
Kyoto raised $4,000. The board of trustees
was composed exclusively of natiNes, who
had power to fill vacancies among their
own number. Originally the members of
the faculty We're all Americans, but Japa-
ncSe professors We're added and substituted
as rapidly as possible. for obvious reasons.
In 1890. when DR.. Neeshima died and was
buried with higher honors than have ever
been paid to any other private citizen Of
Japan before since, the institution was
at the height of it's influence and prosperi
ty and more than POO students were en-
rolled in the various departments. DR.. 10
Zaki. of the earliest graduates and
member of the faculty, was elected presi-
dent to succeed DIR. Neeshima, but did not
prove to be capable or Influential as his
predecessor.
About this time wave of prejudice
against foreigners. foreign education and
foreign influences began to sweep over
Japan 1t was felt in every part of the
country and in every branch of society;
The government was compelled to get rid
of the foreigners in its employ as fast as
possible to satisfy public clamor. Foreign
dress and manners and customs ana mer-
chandise became very unpopular. The anti
foreign sentiment was accompanied by
revival of Shintoism, which, as | have de-
scribed in a previous letter. is sometimes
called a religion. but is really nothing more
than a manifestation of PATRIOTISM ana
national spirit The influence Of the Bud
dhist and Shinto priests was naturally eX-
erted to the greatest degree possible to
stimulate the anti-foreign crusade, because
they were indirectly enabled to resist the
encroachments of Christianity upon their
Japanese who have abandoned Buddhism
have not found the consolation they desire
in Christianity and have drlfted into IN
fidelity and materialism, including several
of the former faculty and board OF trustees
of Doshisha College.
Anti-Foreign Prejudice.
All Christian institutions suffered from
the anti-foreign prejudice, and Doshisha
College as much as any. The number of
students fell off rapidly and the officials
became frightened. BY order of the trus-
tees the faculty yielded to popular clamor
by changing the system of organiZa ton,
instruction and discipline. They dropped
foreign customs, revived old ashioncd Jap
anese methods. adopted native furniture
and food aba ndoned religious exercises and
announced in a most conspicuous manner
that religious instruction would not be
| given to any of the students except at the
| written request of their parents.
The revolution created serious apprehen-
| sion among the missionaries and other
! friends and supporters of Doshisha College
! both here and in the United States and
| at the meeting of the American board in
| 1875 deputation consisting of DR.. Barton,
! the secretary: Rev. Arthur Little of Chi
| cago DR. Bradford of Boston and Mr.. Ellis
| Of New London was sent to Japan to make
| an investigation. At the next meeting of
| the board they reported that the purpose
| of the Institution was being perverted
| that the endowment bestowed expressly
| for the education of young men for the
| Christian ministry was being misused, and
| that the trustees in charge had betrayed
| their trust. Immediately afterward all of
! the missionary members of the board and
| faculty resigned and their places were filled
| with japanese who We're opposed to foreign
| influences and religious instruction and did
not conceal their intention to convert the
! college into d non-Christian Shinto insti-
| tuition.
Forced to Resign.
| President KoZaki. however. was not in
| sympathy with the trustees He had done
! everything in his power to resist the revo-