The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-08-17
PROF. FUkUSHIMA.
Japanese Minister Delivers an Able,
Instructive and ReverentiaI Address
in the Methodist Church.
Contributed


Sunday morning in the Abbevillc Metho
dist church.
He is travelling this country to inform
himself as to our educational institution!
and our methods in many other ways.
Being q regularly licensed minister
OF the Methodist church in Japan ht
breaches, giving us information Of Japan
while seeking for himself information O
America and the American people
While we would not attempt to reproduce
his style or his manner Of speech, it may
not be amiss to try to reproduce a few
OF the facts which he stated. For reasons
this scribe failed to hear as well as he
would have liked, and many of his re-
marks We're entirely lost on our ears, but
We caught enough to recognize both his
ability and his rcvercntial manner OF
speech. Like DR.. Ncill E. Prcssy as cor
respondent of the Associate Reformed
Presbyterian, the Japanese orator was as
reverential, even in the pulpit, as is the
most exemplary Christian laymen Oh the
street. From the first of his remarks we
were impressed with his lack of profanity
and it was not long until we had placed
him among that able cl lss of ministers
who do not deem it necessary to profane
the holy Name, and who recognize the
fact there is such thing as pronoun, and
who realize that somet tn ms may be under.
stood by their hearers. And it is pleas
ure to know that some Methodists, like
some A. r. Presbyterians, dislike to have
their pulpit profaned by that coarseness
of language that is not permissible
out in polite society.
The Japanese Professor said, in Japan
there is but one Methodist church-there
are no divisions among them. They pre-
senta solid and united front and are not
divided among themselves as they are in
America.
In Japan Methodism is all one-under
one jurisdiction. For this reason Metho-
dism flourishes more in japan than does
any other Christian denomination. The
empire is being rapidly Christianized, and
he thought that country to he good field
for evangelistic work. The speaker went
so far as to attribute, in part, Japans sue
cess against Russia to the growth of
Christianity in the empire.
In the empire of Japan there is popu-
lation of fifty million. OF this number
there are only one hundred and fifty-five
thousand protesting Christians, but the
spirit OF Christianity pervades the whole
empire.
In Japan there is much intelligence.
Ninety-threc per cent of the children of
school age are at school.
In Toxic, the capital of Japan, there, is Il
population of two million, and this two
million support sixteen daily newspapers.
To show that there is a strong christian
sentiment pervading the city, he said
that Christian editor with five other can
didates were in the race for a seat in the
Parliament. This Christian editor was
warned by friend to say nothing of his
religious convictions. Upon reflection he
next morning announced in his paper that
he was Christian, and was ready to win
or lose on his convictions; he wanted no.
body to vote for or against him on account
OF any ymisapprehension. He was triumph
antly elected.
Having made such rapid strides in cdu-
cation and the liberal arts within the last
thirty-flve years, Japan is now one of the
great empires Of the world
The Japanese are,a patriotic and val
orous people, and he recited some facts
as to the recent historic struggle at Port
Arthur.
He recited circumstance
where the parents of a fallen SOL
der were seen to be weeping. When
spoken to in sympathetic words on the
loss oftheir son, they said theyare weeping
not for the dead son but because they had
not another to take his place in the army
The speaker said Japan loved every
inch of American soil. 1t loved Ameri-
cans, and it loved and admired America
progress along all the higher lines OF
human endeavor.
Japan has five thousand miles of railroads
1t has complete network of telephone
lines, and number of wireless stations
In Japan there is an open door for both
the religions and the commerce of the
world. All religions are tolerated.
The devotion OF children to their parents
beautiful.
'Girls are taught to hold their tongues
and, impressed withithe truth by so doing
they suppress gossip.
Rev, Mr.. Stokes spoke most enthusiastic
oally OF the merits OF the discourse. II
was, he thought not inferior to any address
that he ever heard
The Japanese orator-if missionary
in the accepted use Of the term is the
first that did not hand around the hat
He stopped at the Eureka and paid his
own bills.
AS rule, missionary speeches. are large
ly made up Of unbelievable stories of con
versions and deaths. Not so with Pro
fessor Fukushima. He spoke plain truths
just as any gentleman might lie expected
to do before he enters upon missionary
work
The Abbevllc Baptist Association adopt
Ell resolution cofldemning the Columbia
State for its unfair treatment of Hon. G.. G.
FeatherstOne, one of the candidates fol
governor. 1t is to be presumed that every
member OF the ASSOCIATION who voted fol
the resolution had been reading The State