El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-02
First Convention of Laymen
in Ell Paso Is Brought to
Close-Workers to Speak
at Prayer Srvices.


With Representatives of the various
churches in the city promising that
they would contribute their share to-
ward the support OF foreign missionary
work and would endeavor TO raise
! $1,000 during the coming year. the lay
mems missionary movement closed its
convention at the First Presbyterian
church Tuesday night.
There were three addresses made,
one by Rev J. l. bearing. missionary to
! Japan, who spoke on Japan in Transi-
ton; Rev Ola Hanson. missionary TO
| Burmah. whose address was Miracles
o. Grace in Burmah,' and Rev. II. F.
Williams, the editor of the Missionary,
publication of the Southern Methodist
church, who has travelled through the
missionary countries in recent years
and knows conditions there.
Religion Spreads I'm Japan.
Rev Mr.. bearing said, Less than so
years ago there was not single
Protestant Christian in Japan and yet
today there are more than there were
in the whole world during the first
century. Only 43 years ago a man in
Japan was imprisoned because he was
found with a copy of the new testament
in his possession.
Japan then. would not permit the
introduction Of opium or Christianity
still in force and it is impossible TO pass
certain patent medicines which ara
freely sold in the United States be-
cause they contain too much opium
The latter law is ne longer in effect
and in no country on the globe is there
greater religious freedom except in our
own country.
f'But few years ago there was no
commerce, only a few Dutch ships
stopping at Nagasaki Now the com
merce runs into the millions and Japan
sells more goods to the United States
than To any other country. but America
does not sell more TO Japan. but that
is the fault of the American merchants.
/ Work for Americans
IF the Americans would Christianize
Japan they would find il a paying prop
osition 1t is said the Japanese are
tricky but they would not be so if they
were Christians.
China from which Japan learned in
the years 500 and 800. is now thinking
OF copying Japan. A leading news
paper of Toxic has declared in a recent
editorial that the development of Japan
is due TO a great extent TO the teach
ings of missionaries and the fact that
the people are embracing Christianity,
which improves their morals
Count Okama said that while he was
not a Christian he had received great
influence from Christianity.
The bible and the hymn book are the
two best sellers in Japan.
Japan was the first eastern nation
TO conquer one Of the west and 5000
Chinese and number OF Burmese are
in Toxic learning how Japan did it,"
Conditions In Burmah.
Rev. Ola Hanson. speaking Of Bur
nah said. when a bright boy in Burmah
was asked what were the principal i'm
ports of the country he said: Cotton
goods and missionaries
An Englishman. whose knowledge
OF geography was somewhat limited,
asked another NJ. p. where Burmah was
and he said: I do nor know but my
brother is there, though he writes 1t
Bermuda. Continuing the speaker said:
The last king of Burmah is still liv-
ing on an island near Bombay spend
ing the English governments money
and enjoying himself. His last official
act was the execution of So of his rela-
tives in order TO insure his right to the
crown:
Today Burmah is the richest prov
ince in the Indian empire The Baptists I
were the first 10 send missionaries |
there and now it is the most Christian |
part OF India.
"A few years ago the Burmese would !
not permit the Koreans 70 enter their I
country and even the Christian Burmese |
said to a missionary: The Koreans are !
just like our women, they have no
souls
Koreans Accept God.
However, the Koreans had tradi-
ton that ages ago some one took
book away from them and when they |
saw a band of missionaries entering the |
country with the Bible they accepted it
as that book.
The name of God in their dialect /
sounds similar to the Hebrew word in |
the old testament. There are now TO- !
600 communicates in the Christian !
church among the Koreans All prom /
Use to abstain from opium and whisky |
and 10 observe the Sabbath and send |
their children 10 school
They support their own churches