The log cabin Democrat., 1907-06-27

l to, the Protestant Episcopal, Presby- terian and joint Methodist Episcopal schools at Tokio, the German Re formed school at Sendai and the Southern Methodist school at Kobe, may be cited as conspicuous exam ples-is beyond the knowledge of the people of America. That one country should contribute such tremendous influences to the upbuilding of an other is certainly an evidence of the altruistic character of Christian mis- sions. While it is true that by far the larger proportion of the gradu- ates become Christian it is also true that a disinterested philanthropic work is done by those schools in be- half of the Japanese.
 At present there is need for all the schools that can be established. The demand for education is greater than the facilities. But steadily the condi- tions are changing and stude-1S will soon cease to attend mission schools merely for the reason that they can find room elsewhere. What, then, is to be the future of the mission schools, maintained at so great cost? The missionaries make prompt an swer that it is needed to provide the nation with Christian leaders and teachers; if Christian colleges are necessity in America, they say, much more so here.
 But I find educational experts drawing the deadly parallel. They declare that, from an educational standpoint, the mission schools are now generally inferior to those main tained by the government. Even in the study of English a government ex- aminer assured me, the mission schools, despite their high proportion of foreign teachers, are below the level of other schools. Mission work CTS themselves say that all persons who come out to be teachers should be required to possess teachers cer- tificate, as well as a college educa- tion. 1 am told that the Kobe college for young women, maintained by the Congregational Woman's Board of Missions of the Interior, Chicago, and the Presbyterian school for young women, Tokio, still rank among the leading girls schools in Japan; but even these feel the changed cOndi- tions. On all side I hear that the Congregational kindergarten and training school for kindergartners at Kobe, conducted by Miss Howe, cas- fly leads in this form of instruction, and it would rank with the best insti- tutions of similar nature at home.
 What Japan Wants from America.
 In conference with a score of Japa- nese leaders, only two white men be- sides myself being present. I hlUptly asked what Japan thinks of the mis- siOnaries, and what form of mission work now needs doing. By common consent their spokesman was a man whose conspicuous work has won <llim a decoration from the emperor. and as his judgment coincides with the views expressed to me by other candid. Jap anese, I quote his opinion:
 Japan most needs help in educa tion and philanthropy. If mission tschools are to be maintained, let them ! be first-class as schools. But if Amer ica really wants to help us most eff 1 fectually she should send teachers, ! strong, able, Christian teachers. to enter the various middle and higher government schools throughout the empire. Every one of these would welcome such one to teach English 1 Tbap hv hic ip onH hy al work which after all is what counts for most, he could do untold good in shaping Christian character among the students. Japanese re- spect teachers, and especially foreign teachers; and such men would have more weight than those whose busi- ness it is to come out and try to make Christians"
 This man had in mind something even further advanced than the work of the Young Mems Christian Associa- ton teachers. The latter are men se- lected by the international Y. M. c. A., with headquarters in New York These men receive no mission aid whatever; they have an absolutely | lndependent relation With the govern ment and are supported entirely by their salaries. But by means of Bible classes, personal conversation, the in troduction of the students into their | homes to learn foreign ways and the creation of foreign literature, they are doing an immeasurable service for l Christianity. Japan is eager to in i crease the number of these men and, as one of the teachers said to me. There is no better place in the world for a qualified American who wants to do a great educational work than right here.'
 Student Immortality.
 The whole student problem fin Japan must be viewed from a moral side. While morals and ethics have a place 1 NS a1I kI Ich