Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27
ON THE TRAIL OF THE
AMERICAN MISSIONARY

, will become in the lives OF her people. and,
consequently in her government, a Chris
tian nation. This confidence on the part
of the Christians is rather inspiring; they
have the faith of their creed.
Missionaries are quick to point out the
weakness of the official predictions. The
latter are all based on the assumption that
,, Christianity may be treated as an entity
and dealt with as the government would
deal with a monetary system or a naval
code. Christianity may not be considered
thus, say the missionaries. 1t does not
thrive by the approval Of cabinets, or sue
coed by imperial edicts. They do not want
official sanction or Endorsement; that would
be as dangerous to the church as it Was
in Constantine's day. Christianity is slow
ly but steadily growing in Japan and It
Will continue to grow increasingly, by
being accepted as the personal belief of in
dlViduals. Its appeal is not to men in the
mass but to men one by one. AS per-
sonal. vital experience, taking first place
In the individuals life, it will exert its
power and find its place
Thus all the plans of the government may
be upset by the change in belief and life
OF the people; and since the missionaries
rely on the supernatural aspect which Of
fciaidom ignores, it may come to pass that
even the next emperor will be a Christian
Jtst as many persons in all branches Of
government service have become believers
In the gospe! of Christ. AS the seed In the
crack becomes a tree that splits the rock
SO by its inherent vitality and growth
the devices of statesmen and the old creeds
of the nations.
In the next breath, after telling YOU that
Christianity will never conquer Japan, the
statesmen will confess to their perplexitv
over moral and social conditions in the
country. Japan needs badly q new set OF
moral ideals; how badly the west cannot
nd
lahity IS erecting these in :: large body
of the people. 1 have been at pains % as
sure myself that the 'Ang.o-Sax)r stand
ARDS c! virtue prevail among the Jananas,
Christians, as they certainly do iot among
tle people gene ally, or even thc Buddhist
priests. he place of women must he rad
lcaiiy changed if Japan is to rank with
1Et uF1!iZrd nations; admittedly the most
potent to:c &c III effect.rg tn. alterations
already accomplished are the mission
schools and the q urches.
win respect to eleemosynary institu-
t1ons-the care of the insane of lepers and
other 1ncurables, the reform of incinient
CRIMINALS, the provision for orphans and
destitute, the display of kindness to dumb
eeIeatufes, etc-Japan has scarcely emerged
from paroarlsn Practically every advance
In these particulars has been made by the
missionaries. Despite endless twaddIe that
i mas peen written about the Japanese home
ne, IL is undoubtedly true that the Chris
tlan, or, say, the American conception of a
nome is only now being learned and that
from the missionaries. The disingenuous-
ness ana subterranean nature of the Japa-
nese character, which has brought shame
upon the nation in it's business dealings
with the world, is being replaced by straight
Iorwardness and integrity on the part of
the thousands who are accepting the RibIe
standard of conduct.
All these achievements which are surely
by no means inconsiderabIe, have been ac-
conlpilshed In land pockmarked with
heather temples and shrines, and in the an
Gent atmosphere which is utterly hostile
to them. There is no Christian Sabbath
mere to buttress religious work; Sunday is a
day OF business and labor, the same as
other days. The festivities of heathendom
are bound up with neighborhood and ma
tional life. From servants and associate
little child, even of Christian parents, learns
to worship at some one of the shrines which
are on every hand and in almost every
house. Scarcely a funeral is held except by
the ancient Buddhist rites, and the burial
is in Buddhist cemetery. There is an ut
ter absence of the Christian background of
association tradition and education. which
so potently aids the religious worker in
Anglo-SaXon lands. A consideration of the
obstacles encountered makes more remark
able the results effected by the mission
aries.
The agencies employed in the Christian
movement in Japan are nearly as various as
those used in the United tSates and Can
ada. First Of all. comes the personal In
fluence Of the missionary. The fact that he
has studied the language (and there are
very few other foreigners Of Whom this
may be said. brings him close to the peo-
pie. have repeatedly noticed that the
highest class of Japanese In a community
are friends Of the missionary only yes
terday the Leading Japanese ladies of Hiro-
shima were guests in the home Of a south
ern Methodist missionary. The teaching
of English is one of the most effective
means of reaching the people. Preaching
of course, is the principal agency employed
Stereopticons. house-to- house visitation.
correspondence, tracts. newspapers and
books, hospital visitation. Sunday schools
Bible classes cooking classes. sewing
classes, music classes and educational
work, are all commonly employed agencies
The mission schools, ranging from kin
dergartens to theological seminaries. have
exerted tremendous power and have been
the media for the exertion of the influence
of hundreds of noble men and women.
X
So far as figures may do so. the mission
airy situation in Japan may be set forth
very briefly. There are thirty-two denom-
nations, organized religious bodies, do
ing work in Japan. These maintain a force
of $50 white missionaries and still great
err number of native workers. They pos
sess property, In the way OF churches,
schools. residences. etc. to the value Of