The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-27
JAPAN IS PLAYING POLITICS WITH CHRISTIANITY

It will exert its power and find it's place.
Thus all the plans OF the government
may be upset by the change in belief and
life of the people; and since the mission
uries rely on tho supernatural aspect.
which officinldom ignores. 1t may come to
mass that even the next emperor VIII be II
Christian, Just as many persons In all
branches OF government service have be-
come believers In the gospel of Christ. AS
tho seed in the crack becomes tree that
splits the rock, so by It's Inherent vitality
and growth, Christianity in japan Will
overthrow alike the devices OF statesmen
and the old creeds OF the nations.
How the Movement Works.
In the next breath. after telling you
that Christianity will never conquer japan
the statesmen will confess to their per-
plexlty over moral and social conditions
in thu country. Japan needs badly new
set OF moral ideals; how badly the west
cannot possibly understand Unfuestioh-
ably, Christianity Is erecting these III IL
large body OF the people. have been at
pains to assure myself that the Angles
Saxon standards of virtue prevail among
the Japanese Christians as they certainly
do not among the people generally OF
even the Buddhist priests. Inc place. oi
women must be radically changed II Jap
an is to rank with the civilized nations
admittedly the most potent force In et-
fecting the alterations already accom-
plished are the mission schools and the
churches.
With respect TO eleemosynsry institu-
tions.-the care of tho insane. of lepers ana
other incurables. the reform OF incipient
criminals, the provision for orphans ana
destitute, the display of kindness to DUMP
creatures etc.-Japan has scarcely e'nerg-
cd from barbnrism. Practically every adj
vance in these particulars has been made
by the missionaries. Despite endiess
twadGle that has been written about the
Japanese nome life, It is undoubtedly true
that the Christian. or. say. the American
conception OF II home, is only no" Deing
learned. and that from the missionaries.
The disingcnuoGsness and suoterralcaii
nature of the Japanese character when
hus brought shame upon the nation IN It's
business dealings with the world, Is beiilg
replaced by NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and m
tegrity on the part of the thousands WHO
arc accepting the Bible standard OF con-
duct.
All these achievements. which are sure
ly by no means inconsiderable, have been
| accomplished in land pockmarked with
ancient atmosphere which is utterly nos
tile to them. There Is no Christian Sab
bath here to buttress religious WORK
Sunday is a day OF business and labor, the
snma rs other days. The festivities OF
heathendom are bound up with neishpor-
hood and national life. From servants
and associate, n little child even of christ
ian parents. learns to worship at some one
of the shrines which are on every mama
and in almost every house.
Scarcely a funeral is held except py
the ancient Buddhist rites, and the burhl
is in a Buddhist cemetery. There Is an
utter absence of the Christian back
ground OF association. tradition and edu-
cation. which so potently aids the re-
ligious worker in Anglo-Saxon lands.
consideration OF the obstacles encountered
makes more remarkable the results eff
fected by the missionaries.
The agencies employed in the Chris
tian movement in Japan are nearly as
various as those used in the United
States and Canada. First OF all. come: