The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-10-28

Lincoln, Neb.. Oct. s, 19O6.-In for
mE letters I have mentioned the mis-
sionary work being done by Ameri-
cans in the orient, and deem the sub
ject important enough for an article,
In view of the conflicting reports
which have been brought back by
tourists
We had an opportunity to investigate
the work done by American missionar-
les in Hawaii, Japan, China, the Phil
ippines, Singapore, India, Egypt. Pales-
tine and Turkey. We met representa-
tives of nearly all the churches in the
various departments of missionary
work, and as a result of our observa-
tions our interest in foreign missions
has been qufckened In Hawaii the mis-
sionaries laid the foundation for the
present civilization in the islands and
exerted most beneficial influence up-
on the natives
In Japan the missionary work has
spread rapidly, and is carried on under
four heads. The religious teacher pre-
SentS the gospel and establishes
churches: the school teacher arouses
an interest in education and esta blishes
schools: the medical missionary, by un-
SelfShly rendering an obvious service
opens the way for both the preacher
and the school teacher, while the
Young Mems Christian association and
its accompanying organization. the
Young Womens Christian association
weld the church membership into a re-
ligiOuS, but unsectarian working body
The rapid growth in public instruction
has somewhat dwarfed the relative i'm
portance of the mission schools in Jap
an, and the spread of the science of
medicine has made the work of the
medical missionary less conspicuous
but the religious teacher in Japan has
a field which is not surpassed any
where. The Japanese people are rapidly
drifting away, from Buddhism which
until recently was the national faith
Shintoism, which has become the state
religion, is not a religion at all, but a
reverence for. ancestors. Japan must
have a religion, for no nation is likely
to avoid decay unless it's morals are
REINFORCED by religion. If had the au-
thority to decide the question, I would
send some Of the leading men of each
denomination TO Japan to present
Christianity to the educated japanese.
English is taught in the schools of
Japan, and one can speak TO the Jap
anese without the aid of an Interpreter
This proposition I tested several times.
While it would be an advantage to
have preachers who could speak the
Japanese language, still, it is more i'm
portant that we should send our ablest
divines there-men who can meet the
most intelligent Of the Japanese upon
an equal footing and defend before
them the Christian philosophy of life.
Japan is the gateway of the orient.
and today is exerting an influence upon
China greater than the combined in
duence of all the European nations.
Western civilization is likely to enter
China through Japan. In fact, l believe
that the Christian religion, presented
10 the Chinese by the Japanese, would
spread more rapidly than if presented
in any other way, for China has come
10 regard Japan as a leader of thought.
More than 5000 Chinese students are
now at school in Japan, and Japanese
teachers are being more and more en-
ployed in China. Some of the most ear
nest Christians whom we met are ma
tives of Japan. At Toxic. at F<i"'o. I'D
ut Kagashima I was especially i'm
perssed with the sincerity ana ent.4
siasn of the Japanese Christians
could not but recall the lines, Blessed
he the tie that binds our hearts In
Christian love-" as / saw how much
stronger this heart tie is than the ties
of blood or race or language.
Tn Seoul. Korea, we found very sue
cessful medical mission and flourish
ing Young Mems Christian Association
we also learned of several Christian
congregations
In China mission work has made
Great progress, although it has haC
"a hear the brunt of the fight now be-
ing made against foreign influence
nuring the Boxer trouble there were
avamnles of heroism among the Chi
,ase christians which recalled the early
DAVIS of martyrdom. There were thos'
,,bo suffered death because of their de
,,otion TO the Christian faith, and thou
sands more who did not hesitate TO take
the mart of the white Christians agalns
,,aambers of their own race. 1t takes
+;,ne 70 educate a race or make an I'M
preston upon a great population IKE
The nopulation of China. but the mex
e,,arter of a century is likely TO see tn
christian religion spread more rapldl.
arnorg the Inhabitants of the tioWer!
kingdom than it has during the las
century. II
Tbat our missionaries often MAKE
mistakes need not be denied. They arr
h,,noan. and TO err is the lot of all.
missionary among strangers must ex
ercise more sagacity and discretion