The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1907-07-18

belief and life of the people; and,
since the missionaries rely on the
supernatural aspect, which Official
dom ignores, it may come to pass that
even the next emperor will be a
Christian, just as many persons in all
branches of government service have
become believers in the gospel of
Christ. AS the seed in the crack be-
comes a tree that splits the rock, so
by it's inherent vitality and growth,
Christianity in Japan will overthrow
alike the devices of statesmen and
tie 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 perplexity over moral and social
conditions in the country. Japan
needs badly a new set of moral ideals;
how badly the west cannot possibly
understand. Unquestionably, Chris
tianity is erecting these in a large
body of the people. l have been at
pains to assure myself that the Anglo
Saxon standards of virtue prevail
among the Japanese Christians as
they certainly do not among the peo-
pie generally, or ev2l the Buddhist
priests. The place of women must
be radically changed if Japan is tc
rank with the civilized nations; ad'
mittedly tho most potent force in
effecting the alterations already ac-
complished are the mission schools
and the churches.
With respect to eleemosynary insti'
tutions-the care of the insane, OF
lepers and other incurables, the re.
form of incipient criminals, the pro
vision for orphans and destitute, the
display of kindness to dumb crea
lures, etc.-Japan has scarcely emerg
ed from barbarism. Practically every
advance in these particulars has been
made by the missionaries. Despite
endless twaddle that has been written
about the Japanese home life, 1t is
undoubtedly true that the Christian
or, say, the American conception o.
home is only now being learned, anc
that from the missionaries. The dis
ingenuousness and subterranean ma
ture of the Japanese character, which
has brought shame upon the natior
in it's business dealings with tht
world, is being replaced by straight
forwardness and integrity on the par
of the thousands who are accepting
the bible standard of conduct.
The Situation as 1t Stands.
So far as figures ma, do so, thu
missionary situation in Japan may x
set forth very briefly. There are 8:
denominations, or organized religion!
bodies, doing work in Japan. These
maintain a force of SS9 white mis-
sionaries and a still greater number
of native workers. They posses!
property, in the way of churches
schools, residences, ETC., to the value
of $1,379,902. Of native Christians
enrolled in the Protestant churche!
there are 6O,S62, is-cluding catachu
mems; in the Roman Catholic church
50, ,437 and in the Greek church, 29,115
Roughly speaking, this means Chris
tian force of 100000 persons, who
look forward to the evangelization of {
nation of 45,0O0,0O0 people. While
Japan is not going to become Chris
tian in a day, she has made sub
stantial beginning in that direction
The Japanese Protestant churche:
display certain characteristics which
require mentioning in this resume
First is the tendency toward union
All Presbyterian bodies are one II
Japan. All Methodist bodies formally
unite next May. The Episcopalian!
and the Church of England are one
The Congregationalists, United Breth
rem and Methodist Protestants are
uniting, as in America. Left to them
selves, the Japanese Christians will
undoubtedly form one church, since
denominational and doctrinal distinc
tions of ecclesiastical government
mean little to them. The missionaries
in this country also are ahead O.
America in respect to united religion!
Efforts.
Copyright, 1907, by Joseph B. Bowles.)