The Washington herald., 1908-05-03

Tokyo. March 2O.-christian churches
OF all denominations in Japan have a to
tai membership Of 10000, Besides these
there are a great many Japanese who are
familiar with the Bible and Ia part in
cline to the Christian faith. although not
openly, processing 1t. These are estimat-
ed to number about 1.o00,o00 Many Of
the most prominent men OF Japan are
Christians and the influence Of the Ra-
tive churches Is widespread. OF 10000
church members there are 5000 Protes-
tants, $1,000 Roman Catholics. and $1,000
Greek Orthodox Christians
Japan occupies peculiar relation to-
t'la Christian religion With the excep-
tion Of Northwestern Africa, il is the
only part of the world where Christian
ity, once frmly established, was uproot-
ed and destroyed. It is also the first
country ia the history Of modern mis-
sions in which native Christians are i'm
patient Of any connection with foreign
church bodies and desire an independent
ecclesiastical organization.
This spirit Of independence has led TO
movement, headed by enemies of Chris
tianity, for the creation Of a modern
eclectic religion 70 be thoroughly a Jap
anese national religion. This proposal
was to take the best from Shintoism.
Confucianism. Buddhism, and Christian
ity and create an absolutely new religion
on scientific grounds, the whole thing
then to be declared to the people as a
governmental decree. Insuperable diff
culties have blocked the progress OF this
movement and It Is extremely unlikely
that It viii ever bear fruit.
The movement for ecclesiastical inde-
pendenee among the japanese Protes-
tsnts is already successful, there being
independent japanese churches Of the
Presbyterian. Congregational. Episcopal,
and Methodist denominations. These
churches still sustain connections with
the missions which founded them, the de-
gree OF independence varying in the case
Of each denomination
The japanese Congregationalists or
Kumi-ai churches, were the first to as
sumo independence, the nature Of the
parent organization fostering the spirit.
The American missionaries remain in
Japan as assistants and advisers, and
financial help from abroad Is still abso-
lutely necessary The Presbyterian and
Reformed church bodies having missions
in Japan have ~1ited their Japanese
churches into an orgsnization' known as
the Nibon KiTisEO hyokwai. OF the
Church Of Christ IN Japan. This church
also has ecclesiastical independence and
IS striving 70 get 10 a point where for
eign financial help Is no longer necessary.
The various Anglican or Episcopal
churhes have united under the name of
NihOn seiko Kwai The two Baptist
bodies are practically united. the line Of
division being even fainter than in the
United States. The three principal Meth
odist churches, that is. the Northern and
Southern branches of the Methodist
Episcopal church In the United States
and the Methodist church Of Canada,
caused a union Of all their churches in
Japan. This was cOnsummated last May
and the Methodist church Of Japan is
now an independent and autonomous
body under the guidance Of Bishop Hon
da, the first japanese Methodist bishop.
All these movements toward church
union have had & very encourag aging ef-
feet. and many japanese Christians look
forward 10 the early union Of al leading
Protestant bodies under the name Of the
Protestant Church Of Japan While the
Protestant churches show 40 more mem
bers than does the Roman Catholic, and
but tw.ce as many as the Greek Catho-
lie, the Protestant influence is regarded
as being predominant in Japan. This is
largely due TO the fact that the Amer
lean Protestants were the first mission
aries 10 come into the country after it
was opened, and to the fact that the
American missions have large influence
among non-Christian Japanese people on
account of the great amount Of eduea-
tionaI and medical work which has been
done without regard TO profession of the
Christian faith by the recipients Of the
benefits.
The Roman Cstholc propaganda has
been carried on largely by French mis-
sionaries and has been wonderfully sue
cessful, the real work not being begun
until lS72. or fifteen years after the
opening Of the American Protestant mis-
sions. OF course, the Japanese Catholics
have no notion Of an independent church
such as is proposed by their Protestant
brethren, as they must recognize the
power Of the Vatican.
The Russo-Greek Catholic Church was
really the first Christian church to come
into japan after the secluSion. CommO-
dore Perry's expedition in 1853 brought
with il a preacher who endeavored to
reach the japanese. but without success.