Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1907-08-07

| oeSoine, III the lives OF her people
and. consequently in ner government
Christian natioa. This confidence
on the part of the Christians is rathe,
| inspiring; they have the faith OF theii
| creed.
Missionaries are quick to point on,
the weakness OF the official predict
| ions. 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 e
monetary system, or naval code
Christianity may not be considered
thus. say the missionaries II Ioes
not thrive by the approval of cabinets
| or succeed by imperial edicts. They
| do not want official ssuction or en-
| dorsement; that would be as danger
Gus to the church as IL was in Con
sAntine's day. Christianity is slowly
but steadily growing IT Japan. and IL
VIII continue TO grow increasingly, BY
being accepted as the personal belief
of individuals. Its appeal is not &c
men in the mass, but TO men one by
one. AS personal. vital experience
taking first place in the individuals
mt ~ VIII SNeiI us power anu Huu
its place.
Thus all the plans of the govern
ment may be upset by the change in
belief and life of the people; and,
since the missionaries rely on the
supernatural aspect. which off cial.
dom ignores. 1t 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 its inherent vitality and growth,
Christianity in Japan will overthrow
| alike the devices of statesmen and
the 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 perpleNity over moral and social
conditions in the country. Japan
needs badly new set of moral ideals !:
| how badly the west cannot possibly
understand PROFESSIONALLY, Chris.
tianity is erecting these in a large
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 even the Buddhist
! priests. The place of women must
be radically changed IL Japan is to
rank with the civilized nations; ad.
mittedly the most potent force in
effecting the alterations already &C.
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, tho
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, IL Ia
undoubtedly true that the Christian
or, say, the American conception OF
home is only now being learned, and
|
righteousness and subterranean ma
ture of the Japanese character, which
has brought shame upon the nation
in its business dealings with the
world, is being replaced by straight
forwardness and integrity on the part
I OF the thousands who are accepting
the bible standard of conduct.
The Situation az 1t Stands.
So far as figures may do so. the
missionary situation in Japan may be
set forth very briefly There are 80
denominations, or organized religious
| bodies, doing work in Japan. These
maintain a force OF $50 white mis-.
sionaries and still greater number
of native workers. They possess
/ property, in the way of churches
schools. residences, etc. to the value
of 81 ,379 ,902. or native Christians
enrolled in the Protestant churches
there are 60.S62. including catachu
mems; In the Roman Catholic church
| 59,437 and in the Greek church, 29,115
Roughly speaking. this means a Chris.
tan force of 10000 persons, who
| look forward TO the evangeli2ation OF a
nation OF 45.00O.OO0 people. While
Japan is not going TO become Chris
tian in a day. she has made a sub.
stantial beginning I'm that direction
The japanese Protestant churches
display certain characteristics which
require mentioning I'm this resume
First is the tendency toward union
/ All Presbyterian bodies are one I'm
Japan All Methodist bodies formally
unite next May. The Episcopalians
\ and the Church Of England are one.
/ The Congreeationalists United Breth
rem and Methodist Protestants are
/ uniting, as I'm America Left TO them.
/ selves. the japanese Christians viii,
undoubtedly form one church, since
/ deuomfnatiOnaI and dOctrinal distinc.