Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-05-24
JAPAN BECOMING
A Great NATION
REV. D. A. MURRAY AIDS IN MAX
ING ORIENT MORE
RELIGIOUS.
FAMILY TO VISIT HERE

Former Ottumwa Pastor VIII ATTEND
! World Conference at Edinburgh,
scotIand-TeIIs Of Far East
Country. .
Eight years residence and labors
among the little men Of the orien
has made quite loyal Jap" out o
Rev. D. A. Murray, former Presby
terrain pastor in Ottumwa. En- route
to the World Conference at Edin
burgh, Scotland, where he represents
the Presbyterian church of Japan as
delegate, Mr.. Murray, his wife, Wht
was formerly Miss Anna Foster, an6
their two children, are visiting at the
T. D. Foster home on Fifth and Mar
ket streets. He will leave tomorrow
evening for Philadelphia and sail or
the Merton line from that city May
% for Edinburg, to attend the World
Conference which convenes there June
IA to %. The Rev. Mr.. Murray will re
turn to Ottumwa after two months alb
sence. Mrs. Murray and the children
will visit relatives here for year.
Pastor Here Until 1902.
Rev. D. A. Murray was pastor OF the
East End Presbyterian church from
1896 until 1902. In August of the year
1902 he left for the missionary fields
of Japan and has since remained in
the orient teaching the heather Jap
anese. Mrs. Murray, then Anna Eos
ter, left at the same time, going
into the work of the girls school at
Yamaguchi. After year in the west
ern part of Japan, Mr. Murray went to
Osaka, where he has been engaged
during the past seven years Although
he has done some touring throughout
his residence there, his chief work has
been in the theological seminary at
Osaka, where the Presbyterian church
conducts a school for the training OF
the young Japanese for the work OF
the ministry and religious activities
generally.
An Important City.
osaka is /. city of 1,25O,000 popula-
ton and is perhaps the largest COM
mercial center of the orient" said Mr.
Murray in speaking Of his place of
residence. while Toxic is the capital,
Osaka is the great manufacturing and
shipping center. Boats from there ply
along the coast of China, both up and
down: 90 to Korea and as far as Siam,
as we'll as along the coast points or
Japan. Some of it's factories employ as
many as 5000 to 1000 persons, princ1-
pally in the cotton spinning industry.
The majority of it's manufactures are
carried on in smaller scale and an
immense amount of it's manufacture is
done at the homes Of the people and
IS rapidly increasing. Japan has three
large steamship lines going to foreign
ports, including America, Australia
and England. Two of the finest Of the
Pacific boats are the Ten 70 Maru'
and the Chi 70 Maru' of the Japanese
line"
Rev. Mr. Murray was in Osaka dur
ing the Russian-Japanese war, and
said he was impressed by the modera-
ton of the people, displayed in speak
ing of their fighting forces in the face
of successive victories. Three OF the
students being taught in the school
where Mr. Murray was engaged, went
to the war One of them was killed
and another was wounded. He stated
that while the war was an enormous
undertaking by the country, still the
business went on as usual during its
progress. .,--.,
Feels She is Great.
"It is fair to say that Japan has en-.
tered a new era since the war; he
continued, "and feels that 1t is on a
plane equal in all things with the 9TH
er great nations of the world. IN
doubtedly this has much to do with
the changed feeling and coldness that
obtains in America in recent years.
Jealousy for new rival may account
for this to a degree. and perhaps
Japan is not prepared in all respects
to live up to the standard Of other ma
tons with which she claims equality.
A few years, however, will enable her
to qualify for full recognition.
Have Christian Ideals
"The religious work in the country
dates back to fifty years ago, and last
year at Yokahoma an interesting pro-
gram was rendered celebrating the
semi-centennial. 1t was once thought
that japan would eventually become
Christian nation. Then came a reac-
ton when some feared the Christian
cause would be defeated. 1t is III a
healthy condition at present. however,
and there are now about 100000 Chris
tians in Japan. What Is more signifi-
cant is the hold that the Christian
ideas and ideals have obtained on the
minds Of the people Of the country.
The Red Cross and kindred humane
institutions were enthusiastically pro-
NOTED during the war.
Native Religion Failed.
"Many Of the prominent educators
bf Japan until recently said that the
country did not need a religion, but
that more scientific education was
what was necessary. But re-
cent revelations Of the moral
conditions in the schools, per-
haps not worse than in previous
times, but brought NOR noticeably to
attention, owing to the consciences
being more enlightened, have caused
these educators to be convinced of the
value of the Christian religitn because
the native religions have failed to ele-
vate the morals. In the opinions OF
educated Japanese Christianity is look
ed up with great favor. There is no
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