New Britain herald., 1915-09-24
ID FOUND CHRISTIAN UN|VERS|TYAT TOXIC
Erroneous Opinion in United
 States Regarding Japan

l
 erican missionaries here are some-
 what disturbed over reports from the
 United States that apprehension exists
 there as to the future of Christianity
 in Japan. This apprehension is said
 to be the outgrowth of the new school
 regulations in Korea about which the
 missionaries think, some misleading l private reports have been sent to the
 United States.
 The situation led the mission of the l Methodist Episcopal church to hold a
 special meeting here under the chair
 manship of Bishop Merriam C. liar ris. At this meeting 1t was voted to 1 draw up and send to the home church | a detailed report of the exact condi- tions. A copy of the report, which was written by Dean Arthur D. Der ry of the theological department of the Aoyama school at Tokio, has been handed to the correspondent of tho Associated Press. It is most optim- istic in tone and contends that con- trary to any idea of restricting the tea ching of Christianity, the Japan csc government contemplates the ex- tension of privileges already granted. Among other things, the statement emphasizes the progress made on a project to found a Christian Univer- sity at Tokio-a project that is en- gazing the attention of all leading American and Japanese Christians.
 Erroneous Opinion.
 As indicating erroneous opinion in some quarters of the United States, the report cites an affirmation in a church paper that the open door" for Protestant missionary endeavor in Japan is fast closing
 In the first place, the reports points out that the new regulations affect schools in Korea only and not those of Japan proper. The essence of the regulations is that tho private schools including the mission schools, are re- quired to conform in grade and cur riculum with the governnen ent schools. The effect of this will be the same as the effect of old-time similar reg- ulations-that is, 1t will lift the mis- sion schools to a higher level and l compel them to stay there, says pr. Berry.
 Apply to Private Schools.
 As to the prohibition of all relig- | ious instruction and worship in the l schools seems serious, but the report emphasizes that the rules apply equal ly to all private schools. They are not directed solely at the Christian schools. Furthermore, Shintoism (an- cestor worship is not to be substi- tuted for Christianity in the schools The regulations do not apply to col \ leges or theological schools, and re- ligious worship and instruction may be carried on outside regular school hours.
 The committee thinks that at the end of the two years allowed for com pliance with the new order of things. the schools of Korea may come under the department of education at Tokio and there obtain the same freedom and privileges enjoyed by the private schools in Japan proper. It recom- mends that the Korean schools com ply with all the other regulations and then wait in patience and pray that the evil day of prohibition of re- ligious instruction may not come"
 Perfect Religious Freedom.
  is perfect religious freedom in Chris tian education work in Japan proper. This is acquired by accepting a spe- cial governmental classification which while signifying loss of certain school rights entails the loss of nothing that it fundamental. But even the diff ference in classification, it is declared has come to be almost entirely nom- inal.
 "Our big prosperous Christian schools" writes Dean Berry, which are crowded with students and in which there is required chapel wor- ship and in which the Bible is text book and which are openly and az gressively Christian in atmosphere and activty-these are the most con- elusive proof of the fact that there is religious freedom in educational work in Japan. And this perfect religious freedom is not threatened from any quarter whatever. The attitude of 1 the government of Japan toward re- , ligion should be judged by the way it treats Christian work itself and not by the exceptional attitude taken un- der exceptional circumstances by the Governor General in Korea.
 Considering New Regulation.
 More than that" the report con- tinues, the department of education and a commission of parliament are considering new regulations which will vitally effect the whole school system of the Empire. The whole tendency of the new movement under consideration is in the direction of ] greater freedom and opportunity for private schools-which of course in clude mission schools. The power to grant degrees, for instance, has