The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-02-18

their converts at 10000 In fact, the
adherents to Christianity became so nu-
merous and SO influential that the sho-
gun, HideyosIli, began to fear for his
temporal power, and, having absolute
authority, he expelled the foreigners,
closed the ports and established the
policy of nOn-intercourse with other ma
tiOns-a policy which was followed TN
til 1853. When the country was again
opened to Christian missionaries ii was
found that some 10000 men and women
were still worshipping according TO the
forms of the Catholic church, although
for two and a half centuries there had
been no communication between them
and the church outside. Even after
the opening Of the country TO foreign
commerce there was some persecution
of Christians and several thousand
were imprisoned But in 1858 the priS-
oneIS were set at liberty and the exiies
allowed to return; since that time there
has been absolute religious freedom
and many men prominent in official life
have been devoted Christians. The
most noted of these native Christians
was Mr.. KataOka, who was four times
chosen speaker of the popular branch
of the Japanese congress or diet. He
was an elder in the Presbyterian
church. and when it was suggested that
it would advance his political chances
to resign his eldership, he replied that
if compelled tc choose between them
he would rather be an elder than
speaker
The Catholic population Of Japan
numbered $4,000 in 1903; at the last re-
port the Protestant communicates
numbered nearly $1,000. There are
among the natives 442 ordained minis
tiers, $50 unOrdained ministers and help
ers and 1S6 theological students. met
a number Of japanese Christians ana
was profoundly impressed by their
earnestness and devotion. There Is a
large Y. NJ. c. A. at Toxic and a small
er one at KyOtO; at KogOshima I found
a WOmen's Chriftian association. While
II have met American missionaries
everywhere, l hsve tried to gather in
| formation from Japanese sources as
well and have been gratif1ed 70 find
such cordial cooperation between for
eigl and native Christians. A physi-
clan in the navy introduced himself and
volunteered the information that one
American woman had undertaken the
| establishment of Christian clubs at the
various naval stations, and within five
years had gathered together more than
| 500 members He said that she met
with opposition from +he authorities at
| first, but now had their hearty support.
The war with Russia, while retarding
! the work of the Greek church among
| the Japanese, has been utilized by other
| denominations to reach a. Large number
of sailors with Bibles and pamphlets.
japan needs the Christian religion; a,
| nation must have some religion and
/ she has outgrown Buddhism. The ideals
! presented by these two systems are in
many respects diametricalIy opposed to
| each other. One looks forward, the
/ other backward; one regards life as a,
blessing to be enjoyed and an oppor-
| tunity to be improved, the other sees in
/ it only evil from which escape should
| be sought; one crowns this life with i'm
mortality, the other adds to a, gloomy
| existence the darker night of annihila-
| ton; one offers faith as the inspiration
to noble deeds, the other presents a
plan for the perfecting of self with no
sense of responsibility to God to prompt
| it or promise of reward to encourage
/ 1t: one enlarges the sympathies and
| links each individual with all other hu-
man beings, the other turns the thought
/ inward in search Of perpetual calm.
| Christianity dominates Europe and
| the western hemisphere, while Budd-
| hism still holds the Orient under it's
| drowsy spell. On the islands of japan
a struggle is now going on between
these two great religious systems. and
the triumph of the gospel of love and
of uonsecrated activity IN the land Of
the Rising Sun viii open the way to a
still larger triumph in Asia
Copyright. 1906, by Joseph 3. Bowles.
Copyright in Great Britain All