The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1907-07-05

leads me to conclude that they make
more stir in the homeland, where
their money is being raised, than they
do here. They are usually temporary,
since they depend upon one man, and
cannot continue beyond the term or
has personal residence here. He, In
turn is so busy keeping alive the
interest of his supporters, that he has
little time left for actual work among
the Japanese. AS an illustration, L
may cite the case of one man, per-
sonally an upright, honorable and
pleasant gentleman, whose publication
intended only for home consumption
gives the impression that he is
arousing Toxic to veritable revival.
Yet that man has been here nearly
decade and does not speak the IAN
guage. so that he is personally use
less as a preacher to the Japanese.
In the light of conditions in this
country, | would say that the only
effectual missionary work that can
be pursued is that conducted on
broad basis and a long continued plan
by the great churches of Japan and
of Christian lands.
Taking Religion to Get English.
A building that is the center OF no
small work is the big brick Young
Mems Christian association, which
also has branches and dormitories in
many of the educational institutions
here The Young Woman's Christian
association has lately come to Japan
and is opening dormitories for young
women students. Both these organl-
cations do Bible class work.
This suggests a characteristic phase
of mission work in Japan-the conduct
ing of Bible classes. Every missionary,
from the newest recruit to the Oldest
veteran, has a measure OF this to do
Some of the Bible classes are as
large as many congregations. The
secret of all this is, as is apparent to
everybody concerned, the desire OF
the Japanese to learn English. The
eagerness of the natives in this par
ticular is nothing short of craze
| Frequently | have had young men
accost me and enter into conversation,
purely for the purpose of practicing
their little stock of English. Some
tines this sort of thing is rather ;ry-
ing, but the missionaries have had
their patience well trained They
take the Japanese on any terms and
find, they say, that out of Bible
a
motive. have come many of the most
earnest converts and Christian work
ers.
other mission lands have many mis-
sonary hospitals in Japan there are
only two, both maintained by Ameri
can Episcopalians, one at Osaka nd
one here. The reason for this is that
The Japanese have their own physi-
Clans and hospitals. St Luke's hos
Dital in Toxic, is fully endowed, and
could not well be abandoned. AS a
matter of fact, it is so popular and
successful that it is entirely selfsup-
porting. 1t has fine quarters near
church for Europeans and large boy S
school on the Protestant Episcopal
compound.
Baseball and Missions.
Often | hear the question raised as
to whether Christianity is having any
practical effects upon the character
of the converts. That is not so sim
ME a question to answer as would at
first appear; the missionary is really
working for his converts Srandchil-
dren. Yet I must admit that | have
~un across cases that are not without
meaning. After speaking at the Oldest
university in Japan, an institution
distinctlvely not Christian! vas en-
'ertained at luncheon by the presi-
lent, and six of the leading professors
were invited to be present. One of
,bese was man who in appearance
rikingly resembled the young col
lege Y. NJ. C. A. men in America, and
he himself was an active Christian
worker. and responsible for the relig-
ious organization existing In the col
lege. | learned that his standing was
high among the professors and his
influence among the undergraduates
pronounced.
On another occasion | met a middle
aged man who has invented a process
for making articles of wearing appar
el-neckties, shawls. purses, hats,
fanny vests. etc.-from wood shavings.
He said he was about to introduce his
novel wares into America. Question
ing him further he said that about Is
years ago he became a Christian.
that awakened in him desire to bet
ter himself and to do something for
Japan. The result is this invention.
Perhaps the most curious of many
unexpected evidences of Christianity
in this city is the crack baseball team
in the Waseda university, an instItu-
ton with more than 1000 students.
The Japanese have taken ardently to
American sports, and this particular
team made a successful tour of the
Pacific coast last year. 1t owes its
efficiency to Rev. F. Merrifield, a Bap-
tiSt missionary who was a star on the