The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-31
EASTERN BELIEFS
PROVE INADEQUATE
Speakers Say Non-Christian Re
ligions Fail to Do Their Part
in Uplifting Mankind.
GREAT MAss-MEETlNG HELD
Japanese Compares Results,
While Head OF Laymen's Move
ment Tells Experiences.

Graphic relations OF the differing eff
fects OH humankind OF Christian and
lnon-Christian religions were made at
! the missionary mass-rneeting held at
! the City Auditorium yesterday after
noon by j. Campbell White, of New
York, and Yutaka Minakuchi, of ia
pan. Both speakers went in detail into
this phase OF the general subject of
foreign missions. with the evident de-
sire OF correcting misconceptions as TO
the attitude OF the heather mind to-
ward Christianity ana as to the re-
suits of other religions operating on
the struggle of mankind toward civil
ization.
| The extent 10 which missionary
endeavor has takei, hold of the peo-
5000 people made All inconvenent
journey to attend the mass meeting.
In the absence OF Governor Mann,
who was on the program, Lieutenant
Governor J. Taylor Ellyson presided.
Scripture reading and prayer were by
Rev. George W. Mcdaniel d. D., pas
tor OF the First Baptist Church, while
the bcnediction was by Rev. w i.
Young, ID. d.. OF Centenary Methodist
Church. a detachment of Boy Scouts
acted as ushers.
Music by bible Cluss.
Music was a feature Of the occa sion
and was led by the orchestra OF the
Joseph b. Montgomery Biblc Glass or
the Second Baptist Church. The fact
that one class can furnish an orches-
J ira of its size and excellence was much
commented on. II was led by J. Her
bert Mercer. while Walter G. Mercer
conducted the singing. Missionary
hymns were used
The Inadequacy OF Non Christian
Religions" WAS the subject OF the adj
dress by MIR. Minakuchi. lie displayed
an extraordinarily effective delivery
his enunciation being almost perfect
| Those who listened were impressed
with What is perhaps the secret or his
superiority over nearly all those who
cidcavor to speak in Il language other
than that In which they wcre bred
he not only studies the language but,
IL is very evident actually does his
thinking in English. lie could be
heard all over the hall.
Admitting the moral teachings of all
non Christian religions. MIR. Minakuchi
proclaimed their insunicicncy Tho
Buddhist idea Of contcmplative passiv-
ity, with all emotion and feeling elimi-
mated, has left with the people the
power 10 endure and to witness dyna-
mic changes without losing their
heads. But the religion of Buddha
like that Of Confucius. has failed to
elevate the great body OF men and wo-
men, and 10 prove that vitalizirg force
and that power for the advancement
OF civilization that has attended the
spread of the religion OF Christ Mo-
hammedanisn has had no better re-
suits as witness tho enslavemeut OF
women. In word, the Japanese
speaker declared that these three great
religions Of fica ti,cnioin nave failed to
do their part in the uplift of the hu-
man race.
Hy comparison. he showed that
Christianity furnishes abounding life
here and hereafter, instead OF present.
ing the gloom OF eternal death. This
life is such that il must spread every
where. so that Christianity. following
tile natural law, must either die or
grow unttl il is before all nations.
'Christianity," he said, must 10 every
where. or IL will be nowhere"
Hindu theology and practice received
vivid arraiCnmcnt at the hands OF
Mr.. White. general secretary OF the
Laymcn's Missionary Movement. Ills
ten years OF residence in India has Civ
en- him intimate acquaintance with the
workings OF the belief that embraces
so many millions. An educated Hindu
told him that In India there are 800
100000 gods, which is one god apiece
for every man and woman and child In
the country, with "Gc00,00Q gods left
over Many OF these deities have lives
80 indecent that they cannot be trans
lated into English, and the British gov
ernmcnt in enactlnS laws for India
forbiddine obscenity, was Obliged to
except religious worship. Little can
be expected Of a nation, he said, whose
religion is such that the people are
kept busy apologizing for the personal
characters of their gods.
Mr.. White exhibited a prayer wheel
used by Hindus In their worship They
have the idea that mere repetition of
prayers. whether in the mind or under
stood by them or not, is of efficacy. SO
the prayers are written or printed on
wheels, which are attached TO handles,
so that they revolve many times The
specimen shown WAS purchased by him
on the streets of Darjiling from
Hindu, who was walking about,
smoking pipe, talking to his friends
and constantly grinding out prayers
at the rate of 100 to the minute
Mohammedanism was condemned for
It's treatment OF women. who are but
chattels. and must submit to plural
marriages or starve. Child MARRIAGES
In India were denounced by Mr.. White
as one of the great abuses of tho world
to day.
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