Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-15
| BACK FROM THE ORIENT
Messrs. S. w. Woodward and
John B. SIeman, Jr., Home.
were AWAY FUR MONTHS
Attended Christian Conferences in
Toxic and Shanghai.
REMARKABLE GATHERINGS
Denial Of Reported Bad Treatment Of
American Travellers in Japan.
No Resentment.
were AWAY FUR MONTHS
REMARKABLE GATHERINGS

Sleman, Jr., returned to this city today from
trip of four months to the orient. AS
representatives of the Y. NJ. c. A. they at
tended the conference of the worlds Chris
tan student federation at Toxic and the
centenary of Protestant missions at Shang-
hal.
I'VE have had the privilege of attending
two very remarkable religious gatherings
in the orient this spring. Mr.. Woodward
explained. lat Toxic we We're present at
the conference of the worlds Christian stu
dent federation, where were gathered rep
resentatives of tn Christian students and
professors of twenty-five different nations.
No demonstration could have more effec-
lively proved to our minds the adaptability
of the Christian religion to all the peoples
of the world than this representative gath
ering of the scholarship of all lands. The
second gathering was at Shanghai several
weeks later, when the centenary Of Profess
tant missions in China was celebrated. The
thousand and more missionaries from all
Christian lands and from every denomina-
ton meeting together with the utmost
unity of purpose and action was significant
in every way of the attitude of the mis-
sionary propaganda in non-ChriStian lands.
We have observed throughout our entire
journey the utmost spirit of cooperation
and unity and the results accomplished are
eloquent testimony to the value OF such
cooperation. Perhaps the most remark
able action of this conference was the de-
cision that the Chinese church should be
organized without UNCONVENTIONAL division
Through Japan, China and Korea.
Prior to the Toxic conference, during the
period between it and the Shanghai con-
ference and for a month subsequent to the
Shanghai conference, were travelling
throughout Japan, China and Korea, visit
iv,or Of ~, nrino oft md q ca
going to other places not on the beaten
path of travel Perhaps one of the most
interesting of all our experiences, apart
from places usually seen by travellers, was
the two days visit on the Fukuin Maru
gospel ship in the inland sea of Japan
This is the only missionary work done
on behalf Of the nearly three million
jewellers upon the islands and shores Of the
inland sea. Capt. Luke Bickel, assisted by
a number of Japanese preachers and evan
geists, visits nearly three hundred differ
ent points and has succeeded in the estab-
lishment of Christian work in many cities
and villages where few II any other for
eignerS have ever gone.
I'VE have been away little more than
four months, and during that time have
not had any accidents or delay of conse-
quence and have been received with the
utmost cordially wherever we have gone
The receptions and functions during these
conferences given by Japanese. Korean
and Chinese officials and business men have
proved at least their open-mindedness to-
ward Christianity, and in many cases have
demonstrated their most cordial sympathy
with it,
Mr. Sleman's Impressions.
When as-.ed regarding the trip Mr.. Sic
man said:
"One of the strongest impressions that
has come to us in the past four months has
been the knowledge that we have gained
of the contributions which America is max
&c.
In China the educational ideals are largely
now in the hands of Americans, and If this
country rises to its full opportunity through
its missionary agencies there is no reason
why this condition should not continue.
China is reaching out for western learning
and has abolished absolutely her old edu-
cational system. The graduates of mission
schools are in great demand for the most
important governmental assignments and
in this way the influence of Christianity is
reaching the very heart of the nation. AL
most all the modern medical science In
China and Korea has been contributed by
missionary agencies and the medical educa-
ton in these countries comes largely from
these sources While these are in the sense
subordinate to the main purpose of mission
airy activity, yet 1t is very clear that they
form the channel through which the Chris
tian religion is reaching thousands of Chi
nese and Koreans.
The presence of a number of American
business men in the far east this spring
led to a careful discussion of various meth
was unanimously the opinion of these men
that the educational opportunity in China
today was strategic and that If the field
were fully occupied Christian thought
would dominate in new China.
Treatment of Americans.
I'VE are unable to understand references
made in recent newspaper articles to the
bad treatment of American travellers in
Japan. We have come as directly from
To- and troi inc hrn
us and we have come into touch with sew
eral hundred travellers and tourists without
hearing so much as suggestion from
any one that any discourtesy was shown
them. We believe that the feeling of the
Japanese regarding the San Francisco in
cidents has been greatly exaggerated. We
learned shortly after our arrival in Japan
in March that the anti-American demon
STATIONS, so much enlarged upon by Amer-
can newspapers just before we went out,
were of no consequence whatever. In meet
ing a large number of officials and business
men the only expressions we have heard
were those of regret for San Francisco's
attitude hnt not thing of resentment against