Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-03
Entrance OF Protestant Chris
tianity in Japan's New Ter
ritory-Entire Peninsula
a Strategic Point in
Mission Crusade.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
Copyright, 1907, by Joseph B. Bowles.)
nanr AnTIIIIR Manch1lria

Copyright, 1907, by Joseph b. boWles)
PORT ARTHUR, Manchuria,
Port Arthur. Dalny Cor Dairen, or Tairen,
az the Japanese Unfortunately call it) ana
the entire Liaotung peninsula are center
OF interest to those who watch the struggle
for supremacy between antagonlstlc re-
ligions that is one Of the important phases
of the complex far eastern question. Here
on Japan's newly acquired territory II Is
to be demonstrated whether or not her
Christianity is to expand along WIN tne
borders of the empire, or Whether the oio
faiths. Buddhism and Shintoism, are to
follow the sun flag. AS this great promon-
tory represents, geographically, greater
Janan. its strategic Importance as field OF
religious conflict is apparent at once.
An investigator of religious conditions
NAV find Japanese Christianity here. OF
snec,ally significant type. And he will also
notice the lack of idols, shrines and tenn
pies that confront one at every turn on the
island which the Japanese now call the
mainland" Chinese shrines remain, put
these. as in China, are comparatively Few.
or interest to the western world is the fact
that the only new missionary agency tnat
has come in since the war Is a veteran
American missionary. Rev. 7. z. Wnn.
one of the leaders of the Presbyterian force
in Japan.
A creepy feeling possesses the visitor
upon his entrance into the edict-made city
of Dalny, upon which the car had Gen.
tered such great hopes and lavished such
vast expenditure. It seems like deserted
city; yet it is full of people A sense of per-
version haunts one; for here is big, sub
stantial European city, with rows Of at
tractiye brick houses, and all the outward
tokens of a prosperous western community;
and vet there are less than a dozen white
men in all Dalny. One may live here for
DAYS without seeing g. Caucasian face
White hands built these houses and streets
and q white brain designed 1t all. But
now the squat Chinese town or toward the
hills is no more oriental than the popula-
ton of Dalny, although externally the city
appears to be the antipodes of any Japanese
settlement.
hand are depressing. Some OF the finer
buildings were burned by the Russian forces
before they evacuated, and no attempt has
been made to tear down or reconstruct
these. Others are in sad disrepair, simply
because the Japanese, who are camping in
them, do not know the use Of the buildings.
which are so unlike their own. The win
Bricks are falling and decomposing. The
very metal storks that stand guard on the
caves of the houses are tumbling I'M
needed to the ground The dwellings are
comfortable; thus nobody Is satisfied. So
numerous however, Is the Japanese popu-
lation that 1t is impossible to rent house.
The American consul asked to be trans
ferred because he could not get a home Cor
his family.
Good order is preserved in this strange
city The Japanese are entirely masters of
the situation. There are no Russians, and
more Chinese than japanese. The former
are the coolies, the jinrickisha men, the
drivers Of the low Russian carriages, or
droskas and the workmen generally. While
it is plain that the japanese are In COM
mand, there is none of the overbearing at
titude, browbeating and oppression that are
so apparent in Korea Toward the country
which it has really conquered Japan Is
gentler than toward its friendly neighbor,
Korea.
Soon after the war was over-indeed be-
fore the Portsmouth treaty had been sign
ed-the Japanese Christians in Dalny be-
gan to get together. Their leader was the
man in charge of the entire commissary
department of the army. The same en-
ergy and efficiency displayed In keeping the
widely separated host Of soldiers fed has
always characterized this mans religious
activities. When he had organized the
Christians, who were mostly army officers,
into a church, the question of securing a
pastor arose.
Thereupon unique dlsuncCon was con-
ferred upon one of the veteran mission
aries of Japan, Rev. T. c. Winn, q Pres
byterian of Osaka Mr.. Winn had always
been engaged in pioneer work. Before GO
ing to Osaka he had been the first mis-
sionary at Kanazawa, on the east coast,
and many times he had been mobbed. Once
he found a mob. armed with knives, stones
and sharpened bamboo poles (which make
the wickedest Of spears), waiting outside his
meeting and even tearing down the walls to
get at him. He calmly went ont faced
them for a moment and then walked
through q fo. M,