Omaha daily bee., 1906-11-04


an admirable example of what
fSsSsgZJ the consecrated lives of two
Ne gifted cultured enterprislng
women may accomplish rur Christianity
even under adversity. These two women
are associated in the management OF
q publishing house in Toxic and the
publishing Of the only Christian
woman's paper in the kingdom-The
Tokiwa Their methods are among the most
unique and successful of any missionaries
Eent out by the Methodist women's
Foreign Missionary society. 1t is through
the japanese love Of the beautiful and
eagerness for knowledge that they have
worked and they have not only built up a
valuable property but have accomplished
splendid missionary work as well. Miss
Baucus is a regular missionary, but Miss
Dickinson is self supporting and has given
freely Of her own ample means and artistic
ability to the work In Japan. when 1
first went to japan sixteen years ago."
said Miss Baucus, 'I was not kindly re-
ceived and the children called names and
threw stones after me as I passed along the
streets, but that is all changed now. We
are couTteOusly received, our publications
are eagerly read our christian religion is
accepted on the same basis as the religion
Of the country and our church property
is exempt from taxation Just as theirs is.
Literature is one Of the most important
mediums Of reaching the japanese; they
are such an intelligent people. They are
passionately fond Of anything that Is beau
tiful and a pretty card or an attractively
gotten up booklet they will treasure and
read and reread. Discovering this trait.
Miss Dickinson and I saw an opportunity
OF reaching them with our tracts and bible
verses and we set to work devising all sorts
OF little things that would attract them
and be the messengers Of the truth we had
come to bring among them.
The cherry blossoms that they love 80
well we have initiated, and among the
petals are hidden the Bible texts and
verses. A chrysanthemum calendar the
screen and even the homlier objects, such
as boards upon which they dry their
clothes we have initiated and made the
conVeyance Of the Bible verses Today
they viii take anything we have to offer
In the way OF tracts or leaflets and for a
missionary TO appear on the street with a
bundle OF them is the signal for a crowd
to gather
But the wonderful progress of the Jana
nese people Is misleading many to the be-
lief that they have about attained a high
standard OF civilization. This is not the
case for much Of the evidence that people
are accepting is superficial In the extreme.
~ - his deference to foreign opinion that
mas made the Japanese adopt foreign Gus
toms. This Is Illustrated in his Observance
OF Sunday. While Sunday is accepted as
holiday 1t is in no sense holy day to the
Jap, 1t is made the occasion of his field
FportB and oelebrations, and while the
schools are dismissed on Sunday, II any
thing IN the way OF extras or special eN-
amlnations come up they are always set for
sunday The same thing was illustrated
recently In the poor house at Yokoboma
Foreign cities had institutions for the care
OF their poor, and YokohOma Instituted one
but 1t was the most wretched, miserable
place imaginable. II sufflced, however
until a party OF tourists came one day and
asked TO be shown through the place. The
oihcers endeavored to persuade them that
there was nothing Of interest there, but
they insisted upon going through and were
ouly shocked. Learning that their moor
house might be considered In the Hsht ~
show place by the tourist. a meeting OF the
city officials was called Immediately. and a
Well equipped institution resulted IN short
order.
lmneasurable benefit has resulted to our
work in Japan, MaRehuria, Corea China
ana even India by the emperors gift OF
800 to the Young Mems Christian associa-
ton IN Manchuria. This accomplished more
than ten years Of preaching could have
done for II Indicated the favor OF the er-
peror' and native prejudice cannot prevail
against that II has increased their respect
Tor the Christians and their work iTnmeas-
urably. The japanese victory over Russia
has won for them a wonderful influence IN
the east and so their respect for us in
oreases our influence with others. There
were T.oo0 Chinese students IN Toxic when
We left few months ago, and they. too.
are absorbing our influence through the
japanese.
There seems 20 be little resentment