Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-06-03
The Wonderful Japanese.


proving a constant revelation to the
western world. These latter day
Greeks, veritable Spartans in their
bravery, their self sacrifice. their love
of country ana their mastery tactics
In making war, are enacting a new and
brilliant chapter in human history.
The most remarkable trait they are re-
yealing In the present contest is their
scientific accuracy. There is no sloppi-
ness, no ELUSIVE sendmentality, no
Boosting and no gush. The character
isties popularity believed to be asso-
ciated with the oriental character seem
TO be lacking in the Japs. Their armies
and fleets move like clockwork. Their
military reports are models of preci-
sion and modesty. Their soldiers SEEM
ingly commit no excesses. They OBJ
serve the amenities OF war, are polite,
quiet and apparently actuated by the
most honorable principles. But. above
all, they do things. They are effective.
They seem to have planned their cam
paigns to cover all contingencies. They
know the value of secrecy. So far
they have made no false steps. They
move rapidly. And. above everything
else, they are very much in earnest.
The spirit of self sacrifice they dis
play is especially worthy of note. At
home there seems TO be national
mania for giving. One rich man do
mated a priceless art collection. An
other put into the public treasury over
$4,000. All ranks of life are econ
omizing to contribute their mites. Poor
people take little each week from the
pittance of their wage. Women give
their jewels. Doctors donate their
services. Even the messenger boys
have banded together to raise $50 or
$40 a month for the fund. People
deny themselves luxuries in order TO
help along. The sailors who clamored
to be permitted to die in the sinking
of the fire ships at Port Arthur only
showed the spirit of sacrifice felt by
the entire nation. One japanese mer-
chant at Hardin gave practically his
entire fortune TO enable his country
men to leave Russian territory. One
banking house contributed $4,000.
AS an illustration of this spirit the
country people are bringing their
horses by the hundreds into town as
their contributions TO the welfare of
the nation. Before parting with their
animals they industriously comb their
names, lovingly caress them. call
them multitude of pet names and bid
them goodby at length. And the
horses" says the Jill Shimbum, seem
to appreciate the words of their mas
ters and droop their heads in sorrow"
Is it at all wonderful that people
showing this first of the Christian vir-
tues, self sacrifice, are moving to make
Japan a Christian nation in fact as
well as name?
According to perfectly credible dis
patch from Tokyo to the London Daily
Telegraph, a great religious meeting
was held in the Japanese capital re-
Gently ''to determine the question OF
founding in Japan a church pro-Chris-
tian In character but on independent
lines" 1t is added that leading Japa-
nese men consider that 1.-The time has
arrived to adopt the elements approved
by the majority of civilized nations"
There is religious and philosophical
ferment now in progress in the minds
of Japanese thinkers, and leading men
among them take this moment, when
they believe their nation is on the
threshold of a great triumph on the
continent of Asia, to favor a new de-
parture in the direction of Christian
ity for their country's religious life
and thought.
In commenting on this movement the
New York Mail well says:
Nothing could be more foolish and shall
low than to suppose that triumph Of
Japan over Russia would set the wheels
Of Christian progress in Asia backward.
The new day for Japan means readjust-
ment all around. The country is irrevoca-
bly, committed to modern progress. Some
form of Christianity which Is elastic
enough to serve as a sure stepping stone
between the old and the new is Alto
gether likely to make its way. And
through Japan the lump of Christian phi
losophy may be expected to leaven the
loaf Of Chinese life more surely and ex-
peditiously than 1t could through direct
missionary effort in China itself
epoch in the history of Japan even more
important than the date of the beginning
of the war with Russia.
1t Is well for America to study this
new star arising in the east and to un-
derstand the sources from which it
draws it's light 1t was Commodore
Perry, an American, who started the
awakening of the Flowery Kingdom.
No nation has contributed more than
the United States to the transforma-
ton that has since taken place in the
islanu empire. Apparently we have no
need to feel ashamed of these people
that have been named 1.-The Yankees of
the Orient"