Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-18
ILLUSTRATED SERMON ON
JAPAN PROVES A TREAT
REV. WILLIAM II. DAY DISCUSSES
RELIGIONS
Says Inhabitants Of the Far East Are
Gradually Accepting Christianity
as the True One, and Light Is Fast
Approaching

At the First Congregational church
last night Rev. William Horace Day
gave an Illustrated sermon on Japan
discussing particularly the religions OF
the people. Pictures Of the beautiful
Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples
In Toxic, Nikko, Magazine and educa.
ttonal work at Kyoto, Kobe and the
Niigata station were thrown on the
screen. The national religion of japan
is Shinto, worship of ancestors as the
children Of the gods and particularly
the mikado as the son of the sun god
dess.
Because the sun, moon and stars and
the forces in nature are also god.
born they are worshiped. In spite OF
the prolific polytheism and it's newt
able superstitions Shinto has had a pro-
found effect on japanese character. II
has developed patriotism surpassed
by no other people. 1t has taught all
people the idea of Immortality and
nearness of the spiritual. 1t has given
that innate reverence which gives the
meanest coolie the bearing of courtesy
The books of China and the ethics OF
Confucius began to enter Japan seven
teen centuries ago.
About the time Charles Martel was
beating back the Moors from the from
tiers of Christendom Confucian ethics
were being completely adopted into
Japanese thought.
Buddhism, with its idea Of mercy,
and yet its goddess universe has been
In Japan for 1900 or more years. They
believe that existence Is evil, that he
who represses desires escapes evil and
that the conquest of all desires leads
men to Nirvana, the cessation of per-
sonality. In the days when the fol-
lowers were coming to America and
were planting missions which were
finally extended to California, six
Franciscans were crucifed at Maya
saki Q59O. While the pilgrims were
fleeing from England the converts of
the Catholic missionaries were being
exterminated in Japan. In 1924 she was
closed to the world. In 1854 Commo-
dore Perry opened the country, and in
1853 Christian missions began afresh.
After the churches were established
and schools founded men like Joseph
Neesima led, and 1t seemed as il
Japan was to become Christian at once
In 1888 the period of popularity closed,
and for dozen years there came an in
tense reaction against the new faith,
but with the war with China and Rus
sia. with the development Of the ma
ton In religious liberty. new era Of
doNdllCc mas COIlS CO1STeRdClOndl
missions have always stood for educa-
ton. The Doshisha in Kyoto, the
ancient capital of the empire, Is doing a
wonderful work for the new Japan
Miss Florence Denton, member of
this church, is at the head of the
Doshisha Woman's college. A well
known English missionary said. mo
wonder you Americans succeed when
you have such women missionaries"
Missionary work includes evangelis-
tic, medical, publication, educational
and sociological. In the Niigata sta
ton, under the direction Of William L.
Curtiss, our foreign pastor, these forms
of effort are used. The call of the
evangelist is heard summoniEc Jap
anese from their evil ways to follow
Jesus the Christ. Work in the hospi-
tails leads the messenger of the cross
into close touch with the sick
With the wounded soldiers of the
late war much effective work was
done. For this city of $4,000 people,
the center of the Echigo province. we
as church have a peculiar respon-
sibility. When Japan has found the
Christ and has become the messenger
OF our Lord to Asia, / hope she will
have occasion to feel gratitude to the
Christians of Los Angeles.
"And other sheep l have which are
not of this fold; them also 1 must
bring and they shall hear my voice.