Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-02-14
DIR. SCUDDER AIMS
FOR INTERNATIONAL
CENTER IN TOXIC
In Letter to Central Union, Tells
of Movement for Christian
Unity Now Taking Shape

mas lllG mana, IS the lOedl SET IOTIIi
By DR. DoremIs Scudder, former past.
or Of Central UHfon church, in a let.
ter written TO Central Union and read
last Sunday.
The man who left Central Unions
pulpit after many years of labor TO
take a new post in Japan writes with
enthusiasm OF the field he and his
wife, formerly ldiss Mabel Bosher,
principal of Kawaiahao Seminary,
have found awaiting them. His letter
is as follows:
% Kamitomizaka, Koishikawa, Toxic,
Japan, Jan. %, 1917.
Dear Friends of Central Union
Church: What a glad surprise knock
ed at our door last Friday (Honolu-
LUIS Thursday morning when in a
response to a call to enter, in walked
your annual meeting wireless! 1t
sounded glad note for the entire
day which was topped off most roy
ally in the afternoon by the arrival
of our belated boxes. This letter bears
to you our most hearty response. and
our joyous gratitude for the loving
remembrance. II
IL would do your hearts good to see
the happy enthusiasm of our Toxic
constituents over the organization or
a real church with an actual dominie's
wife and dominic 1t is certainly a
fascinating task to take up work
like this at its inception. We meet
in a Japanese church, centrally locat-
ed, and as yet have but one service
because the Japanese congregation
needs the building most of Sunday.
The audience fills the main floor and
sometimes overflows into the steep
gallery.
Inasmuch as a church without a
meeting house Of its own is like a fam
fly camping out, the only possible way
in which permanency can be gained
and opportunity for what Toxic sorely
needs-the organization of men and
women In aggressive work-can be
secured, lies through the acquisition
of a central site and the erection Of
a building suited to the demands OF
the situation. Tha.. is the question
which is stirring the minds of our
leading people, in fact of the entire
constituency.
That constituency is a most inter-
esting one. 1t comprises folk of many
races, of all sorts of creeds and Of no
creeds at ALL Think of your ex-min-
lister, in his wrestie with the pulpit
function, having to face Ga reyerends,
mostly D. DIS, ell upon theology an
Gent and modern, besides the BUSH
ness and university element. But
they are soldiers OF the firing line,
hungry for supplies, and it is after all
far more inspiring than terrifying.
They are a noble set of men and wom-
en- to talk to, can assure you.
What Japanese Christianity needs
more than any other one thing at this
juncture is a demonstration OF the
spirit Of Christian unity. 1t is said
that the denominations are crystaliz-
ing here in a way not pleasant to con-
template. The missionaries seem to
be far nearer unity than the Japanese
Christians. Nothing is likely to exert
SO much influence here, in answer to
the Lords prayer for the oneness OF
his disciples, asa practical demonstra-
ton Of how all these missionaries of
widely diverse denominations and
business and professional men, repre-
senting all shades of Christian belief,
can work together tremendously IN
one church OF Christ, in the very CEN
ter of the capital city. Central Union
church IN Honolulu trained its last
minister and his wife out Of Congre-
gationalism into practical Christian
unity, and hence in a very real sense
you will have definite share in what
ever NAV grow out of their activities
here. The Toxic Union church can
move forward III this line OF effort
only by securing central location.
It's whole future is conditioned upon
this contingency.
The international aspect Of its work
is also one Of far reaching possibili-
". English is the common language
of moro foreigners than can be reach
ed by any other tongue, and 1t has Its
special appeal to a number of Japa-
nese trained abroad. Already our
audiences are becoming interracial
and this feature will assume great Inn
portanee as soon as we have a home
of our own. We dare not push 1t
now because we have no place Tor
those whom we ought to reach. With.
the right location we shall have
center for Christian internationalism
unique in the Tar East. A number OF,
foremost Japancse are deeply inter
ested already in this phase of devei-
opment. AS yet nothing has been said
about this outside Of private CONVEX
sation. This feature is quite as de-
pendent upon the question of logical
site as any other.
Fortunately the church has small
sum OF money, almost enough to en-
able it to erect temporary structure
and it has found a lot which both in
terested foreigners and japanese pro-
nounce ideal But the English-speak-
ing constituency is standing behind
the war-relief agencies with such de-
votion that its funds for other bene-
violent work are nil How to raise the
$35, 900 to $40, 900 needed to secure the
property isl conundrum that no one
has solved. We have faith to believe
that some way cut can be found. IT.
we had some years in which to nego-
tate the proposition, we could tackle
a, h,,t rrolxin rno1 estate waits for no