Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-05-01
OKUMA TELLS Of
ADVANCEMENT OF
christian WORK
Japan Statesman Says It IS
Raising Status of Women and
Solving Morality Problems
(From the Japan Advertiser.l

From the Japan Adyertiser.l
These Christian workers who have
started an evangelistic campaign In
Tokyo during the month of April gave
dinner at the Imperial hotel at
which Count Okuma, Ambassador
Guthrie. Count Bentinck of the Brit.
ish embassy, Barons Goto, Sakatani
and many other public and private
men of prominence were present
There were in all 200 or more per.
sons present including foreign reli.
gious workers to the number OF about
%.
Before the dinner a short meeting
was held at which Mr.. Soroku Ebara
welcomed the guests He was fol.
lowed by DR.. Ibuka, president Of the
Meiji Gakufn, who delivered a short
address in English. telling how the
united gospel movement was organ.
lied
Count Okuma also addressed the
meeting. He said:
Il have other engagements tonight,
but have come in response to the In
vitatien by the committee Fifty years
ago Christian propagandism was
started in Japan. | remember was
invited to Christian meeting at that
time. Now, within the past half cen.
fury, Christian missionaries came
from abroad to Japan and by their
efforts have achieved great success.
Many sacrifices have been made by
the Christians in these fifty years.
and there have been many martyrs.
But in no other country has Chris
tianity had smoother progress than
in Japan. There has been no serious
conflict between Christian workers
and the government authorities. The
constitution adopted 26 years ago pro
vided freedom of religion. No other
country, except America, allows per
feet freedom of religion. Even In
England there is still religious N.
tolerance. Religious workers CON
lime. with. eedneatianis sandla ca0
many troubles ii that country. Jan
should be proud Of the success
recognizing the freedom of reiigfo
''Endeavors of Christian work
in the past half century had dire
and indirect effects in improving I
moral conditions of Japan, especial
IN regard to the position Of woman
society. Prohibition movements and
other charity works have been Of
great benefit to Japan. Then. for
5000 years Japan has been trying to
solve the fundamental problem Of
morality by means of philosophy. But
we needed no philosophy. Christians
ity has taught US how to solve it In.
deed, Confucianism and other Orient
al ideas have prepared us to under
stand Christianity. Here / want to
say that in Japan nd religious differ
ences should cause any trouble, as It
did in Europe. Wrong ideas Of theo-
logy disgraced Christianity in the
West That should not be repeated
in japan. We should have perfect
freedom Of religion here. .
After Count Okumas address was
over. he left to keep other engage
ments. Ambassador Guthrie also left
early
When the dinner was over there
were more addresses by Rev. Dr. Ibu-
ka, Rev. Dr. Uyemura, Rev. DR.. Dear
ing as well as by Mr.. Ebara On the
part of the guests, Baron Sakatani,
Baron Goto, Mr.. Tokonami and Mr..
Sakata delivered short addresses on
the success of the Christian move
ment in Japan. Baron Goto gave his
experiences while he was civil COVER
nor of Formosa, president of s. NJ r,
president OF imperial railways, etc.
with the Christian movement. He
testified that men of strong religious
faith are fit to develop new countries
ike FormoSa