THE 
 
 IMMEDIATE 
 
 CHRISTIANIZATION 
 
 OF 
 
 ; .c : : . 7 ; V : 7 
 
 JAPAN: 
 
 PROSPECTS, PLANS, RESULTS. 
 
 BY C. S. EBY, B.A. 
 
 TOKIO, JAPAN. 
 
 1884. 
 
 Printed at the Office of the “Japan Mail,” 72, Main Street, 
 
 
 ! I: 
 
 i (MO '' 
 
 Yokohama. 
 
THE CHRYSANTHEMUM, 
 
 A MONTHLY MAGAZINE FOR JAPAN AND THE FAR EAST. 
 
 Vol. II. JANUARY to DECEMBER, 1882. 
 
 C. S. EBY, B.A., Editor (for the year 1882). 
 
 Published by R. Meiklejohn & Co., Yokohama, Japan, 
 
 Bound Volume, Royal Octavo, pp. 576. 
 
 Containing Valuable Articles on Japanese Customs, Lan- 
 guage, Literature, Religions, Superstitions, Translations, 
 Reviews of Books about Japan, &c., &c., with numerous 
 illustrations. 
 
 PRICE, $ 4 . 00 . 
 
 R. Meiklejohn & Co., 26, Water Street, Yokohama. 
 TrdBNER & Co., Ludgate Hill, London, England. 
 
 Sent post-paid to any address on receipt of Price or an 
 order from a responsible Book Store. 
 
PREFA CE. 
 
 The following paper was read at a regular meeting of 
 the Tokio Missionary Conference on the 4th °f February. 
 The subjects discussed were by no means new to the audience. 
 Years of earnest effort and prayerful thought were culminat- 
 ing in an almost universal feeling that a crisis had arrived 
 in the history of Christian work in Japan. Remarkable 
 unanimity amongst Missionaries themselves , and betvoeen the 
 Missionaries and their Japanese fellow-workers, together with 
 a general spirit of revival among the churches , and an almost 
 national spirit of inquiry awakened among the people, led to 
 the general feeling that the time was ripe for larger and 
 more united effort. Hence the paper met with a ready re- 
 sponse. Several joint meetings of the Tokio and Yokohama 
 Conferences were held at which ij out of ip societies , with 
 male workers in the field, were represented. For many 
 reasons it was thought best to have a truly representative 
 confederation of missions, for the carrying out of any large 
 work in common. Hence the recommendations contained in 
 appendix A. This settled, the different questions raised in 
 
 i 
 
 the paper were systematically discussed, and with remarkable 
 unanimity the memorial contained in appendix B. was decided 
 upon. It must be borne in mind, that final action still rests 
 with the Council, the different Missions, and finally with the 
 Home Boards. May God give wisdom and guidance. 
 
 C. S. E. 
 
 Tokio, February 22nd, 1884. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2017 with funding from 
 Columbia University Libraries 
 
 https://archive.org/details/christianizationOOebyc 
 
CHRISTIANITY IN JAPAN. 
 
 ♦ 
 
 T HE paper read by the Rev. C. S. Eby 
 at the Tokiyo Missionary Conference 
 on the 5th instant, contains matter of great 
 interest. We shall not comment here 
 upon the earnest eloquence of the language 
 employed, nor yet upon the view of lofty 
 thought that runs through the whole dis- 
 course. These are qualities we might ex- 
 pect to find in workers of Mr. Eby’s stamp. 
 But what seems to us specially noteworthy 
 is the courageous candour of the position 
 assumed by the writer in regard to ques- 
 tions which, as much from the apparent 
 unwillingness o’f missionaries to discuss 
 them as from anything else, are commonly 
 considered unanswerable. The attitude of 
 a considerable section of the lay public 
 towards Christian propagandism is one of 
 hostile criticism. The propagandist, some- 
 times by his own indiscretions, but 
 generally because he works in a field 
 where the strongest passions of the human 
 heart are engaged, is frequently associated, 
 directly or indirectly, with results which 
 conform to no aspect of the creed he 
 preaches. His profession, too, like all 
 others, is not without disfiguring features. 
 Frequently, and with much justice, it is 
 urged against him that the outcome of his 
 teaching can only be perplexity and doubt ; 
 that the people to whom he appeals are 
 confused rather than enlightened by the 
 conflicting clamour of rival sectarians, 
 each of whom offers a different gospel, 
 and each of whom declares that by 
 his particular gospel only can eternal 
 perdition be avoided. This, perhaps the 
 most unsightly, blemish of missionary enter- 
 
prise is constantly derided by certain cavil- 
 lers ; while, upon the other side, li.ttle is 
 said in its defence or extenuation. Mr. 
 Eby, however, meets the issue fairly and 
 unshrinkingly. He acknowledges the whole 
 of the facts ; accounts for the naturalness 
 of their origin, and shows that, so far from 
 being an unmixed evil, the balance of 
 gain is on the side of sectarianism. His 
 argument simply amounts to this — that 
 what has been lost by diversity of doctrine 
 has been more than gained by energy of 
 effort. Missionary work is like every other 
 undertaking : competition is the strongest 
 factor in its development. It is quite cer- 
 tain that the enormous growth of the United 
 States would have entirely distanced any 
 available religious ministration, had not the 
 ardour of rival sects sent out teachers in 
 all directions by the hundred. The result 
 is that probably in no part of the World is 
 society pervaded by a sounder or more 
 firmly rooted religious sentiment. What- 
 ever weight may be attached to this plea, 
 it is evident that the evils of sectarianism, 
 whether great or small, are coming to be re- 
 cognised by the Churches themselves, and 
 that where the advantages of competing en- 
 thusiasm cease to overbalance the dangers 
 of its confusion, non-essential differences 
 will be merged in essential unity. It is 
 not our province to discuss matters of this 
 nature in detail. But from any standpoint, 
 the liberal philosophy advocated by Mr. 
 Eby deserves admiration, as it will certainly 
 command success. We think, too, that he 
 wisely estimated the temper of the Japa- 
 nese public when he elected to place before 
 them so frank and straightforward a state- 
 ment of the case. Such a method is 
 calculated to win the confidence of all 
 whose confidence is worth winning, while 
 the proposed unison of action can scarcely 
 fail to furnish an additional evidence to the 
 Japanese Government of the moral force 
 Christianity has actually acquired in Japan. 
 
And here we may observe that the time 
 cannot be far distant when the rulers of 
 this country will have more seriously to 
 consider their attitude towards Christianity. 
 It is true that all grave impediments have 
 been removed from the path of Christian pro- 
 pagandism, as well as all social or political 
 disabilities from the professors of foreign 
 faiths. But something more is wanted 
 than negative toleration. It cannot have 
 escaped the Japanese, keenly appreciative 
 as they have proved themselves of the bene- 
 fits of Western civilization, that Christianity 
 is the spirit and essence of that civilization. 
 The two cannot possibly be separated, nor 
 can the latter be permanently assimilated 
 without the aid of the former. Whether 
 or no Christianity is the one and only 
 creed suited to all classes and conditions 
 of men, we do not pretend to say. Neither 
 is it the function of a government to deter- 
 mine such a point. But the history of the 
 world furnishes one argumentwhich appeals 
 strongly to human reason. It is that 
 material power and prosperity have never 
 remained with non-Christian countries. 
 The comparative conditions of the Orient 
 and the Occident to-day are a sufficient proof 
 of this. The characteristic of the former is 
 decay ; that of the latter, growth. It may 
 be urged that this difference has nothing to 
 do with religion : that the advantage in 
 point of intelligence and energy is primarily 
 with the people of the West. But even 
 if this be granted, we are still confronted 
 by the fact that the peoples possessing this 
 intellectual and physical superiority have, 
 without exception, chosen Christianity. If 
 their condition be not the result of their 
 choice, the former, at all events, gives the 
 latter a weight not to be gainsaid. Nothing 
 is farther from our purpose than to advocate 
 official interference on behalf of Christianity. 
 Its truths are quite independent of such aid. 
 But what we desire to emphasize is that 
 japan cannot take the material, and leave 
 
the moral, civilization of the West. Neither, 
 perhaps, is suited to her in its entirety, but 
 it is impossible for her to determine how 
 much she can assimilate of the one so long 
 as she excludes the other, for the two are, 
 in many respects, inseparable. This is 
 why we say that the Government will have 
 to reconsider its attitude. When the last 
 vestige of the ban is removed from Chris- 
 tianity in Japan ; when, so far as the laws 
 are concerned, it is placed on an equal 
 footing with Buddhism and Shintoism — - 
 then, but not till then, will the last grounds 
 for mistrusting the stability of the country’s 
 progress be removed. Among the plans 
 proposed by Mr. Eby, there is one for the 
 establishment of a Christian University, 
 competent “ to vie with the best univer- 
 sities in our home lands.” Addressing 
 ourselves to Japanese, we need not com- 
 ment on the benefits such an institution 
 would confer on the country. But no 
 measure of zeal and perseverance could 
 ensure the success of an university without 
 an officially recognised status in Japan. 
 The very liability of the students to con- 
 scription would effectually mar its pro- 
 spects. The same consideration applies, 
 though in a lesser degree, to Christian 
 Ministers of the Japanese Church. So 
 long as they do not share the exemption 
 from military service accorded to Buddhist 
 and Shinto priests, it cannot be said that 
 religious toleration exists fully in Japan. 
 We do not underrate the difficulty of deal- 
 ing with this matter, or the dangers of pre- 
 cipitancy. But knowing the spirit which 
 animates the Japanese Government, and 
 learning from Mr. Eby’s able essay the 
 admirable grooves in which missionary 
 enterprise is working, we hope before long 
 to see Japan take the last step that is 
 needed to convince the world of the sin- 
 cerity of her progress, and to qualify her 
 for the mission that lies before her as the 
 civilizer of the Orient. 
 
THE IMMEDIATE CHRISTIANIZATION OF 
 JAPAN : PROSPECTS, PLANS, RESULTS. 
 
 A Paper read at the Tokio Missionary Conference, Feb. 5, 1884, by C. S. Eby, 
 and published by the request of the Conference. 
 
 I. — Introductory. 
 
 The days in which we live are unique in the world's history. 
 Forces which formerly were confined within narrow limits now burst 
 every barrier, and the wide, wide world opens its gates to the energetic 
 touch of modern enterprise. These are days which inherit all the 
 results of a checquered past, and possess the power and the skill to 
 assimilate the knowledge accumulated by the centuries, to transform 
 it, and with it open up a still wider future. This is an age that will 
 be great in history ; great in invention, in the furtherance of all the 
 arts of peace ; great in the outspread of commerce, on whose ever 
 widening streams there floats a subtle power for weal or woe, for both 
 the trader and his newer customer. Great is the age in science and 
 research, sounding the death-knell of hoary myths and musty super- 
 stitions, but opening a way for low born, newly decked materialism. 
 Great is the century in breaking down barriers between nations, 
 binding by telegraph and steam the uttermost ends of the earth, and 
 making it possible that the brotherhood of man should become, 
 not some indefinite sentiment only partially realized, but a living 
 universal fact. Great the work that lies at the door of the Christian 
 Church, if she will but rise to the majestic possibilities of the hour, 
 cease trifling with her mission, and lay hold in true earnest of her great 
 calling to disciple the world for Christ, the Prince of Peace and Truth. 
 
2 The Immediate Christianization of Japan : 
 
 This is the sublimest work of the hour, to carry forward our 
 Saviour's plans, to advance the loving purposes of God for the human 
 race, purposes the realization of which has been left in human hands, 
 with the accomplished work of redemption in Christ Jesus, and with 
 the promise of the Spirit. It is in the mission field, opening now so 
 grandly in every quarter of the globe, that the gospel is to look for 
 its most striking successes, efforts for which cannot but react in 
 blessing on home lands. Success, if accomplished, will only breed 
 an ardent desire for greater results still. And for plans for the 
 success of mission work, no one can speak so well to the point as 
 missionaries themselves, whose hands and hearts are in the work. 
 Plans and commands from home churches might prove fetters rather 
 than means of success, and our loyalty to our church may sometimes 
 lead us to disobey the letter of her orders so as to carry out the 
 spirit all the better. As in the case of Dr. Duff, who insisted on 
 going out unfettered by minute orders, and went to India with only 
 one injunction from his society. The first thing he did was to cast 
 that injunction to the winds and do the very opposite, and would 
 have deserved blame if he had not. Churches at home have already 
 learned much from mission fields and have much more to learn. 
 Men and women who are sent to mission fields ought to be persons 
 whose sense and judgment are above suspicion, and then they should 
 be trusted. And there is no place in the world where this is more 
 necessary than in Japan, a land in which the light of all the centuries 
 is being focussed, open to every influence— good or ill — of every 
 civilized land, a land whose fundamental character has been formed 
 on the basis of the oldest civilization now existing, with a temperament 
 ready to accept the results of the newest and best. A land which, if 
 really won for Christ, with all the warmth of her first love, with all 
 her inherited advantages in her connection with China and Corea 
 and her knowledge of the religions of the east, might and should 
 become the key to all the lands of the Orient. I think the missionary 
 in Japan ought to feel that he is honoured with an honour which rarely 
 falls to the lot of the human being. We stand here inheritors of all 
 the riches of the ages of thought, of all the benign influences of the 
 
Prospects, Plans, Results. 
 
 3 
 
 beloved lands in which we were born, we live in an age when the 
 Church is feeling her way back to her original head, and beginning 
 to put forth some little evidence of pristine power. A new day is 
 dawning, and we stand here on the very outside edge of the Orient, 
 where clasps the crystal cordon that now girdles the world, as repres- 
 entatives of this mighty awakening force. We stand amazed at the 
 opening and progress of this land, and tremble at the possibilities of a 
 very few years in the future of this mercurial people. Upon us 
 depends much of the future of this land. If we are true to Christ and 
 our calling, Japan will emerge elevated and morally great ; if we fail, 
 Japan now trembles on an abyss of anarchy and decay. There is 
 only one other spot under heaven to be compared with our possibilities 
 and our responsibilities in Japan, and that place is India. India won 
 for Christ and the world might soon be won. Japan won for Christ, 
 and the Orient will soon be won. Hence our subject to-day. 
 
 II. — Course of Christianity until To-day. 
 
 It must require all the infinite patience of God to endure the 
 stubbornness of man to accept the marvellous revelation of his love, 
 the unfaithfulness of recusant man to be true to his high commis- 
 sion, to bring the boon of redemption to his fellow man. One 
 would almost he tempted to think that the trinity of world, the flesh, 
 and the devil, were stronger than the combined powers of the Father, 
 Son, and Holy Ghost. But we have to bear in mind that the former 
 powers of ill are on their native heather ; the latter work through 
 feeble man, and can never stoop to conquer by means that are foul, 
 but work to regain a lost world while not destroying its remnant of 
 freedom. Think of the vastness of the Divine thought as expounded 
 by “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son. 
 God sent not his son into world to judge the world, but that the 
 world might be saved through him.” Long were the ages of prepara- 
 tion before that could be made plain to humanity by the actual 
 appearing of the God-man. And see the divine vastness of the plan of 
 Him who was called the son of the carpenter. See him in the 
 darkest hour of auguish, an hour which to any ordinary human teacher 
 
4 The Immediate Christianization of Japan : 
 
 would have been an hour of despair. He prays, “ Neither for these 
 only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their 
 word, that they may all be one. Even as thou Father art in me and 
 I in thee, that they also may be in us : that the world may believe that 
 thou didst send me.” And then afterwards when surrounded by 
 his fishermen, publican, and kindred followers, all unlearned, un- 
 honored, unsalaried — a mere troop of despised disciples, see the 
 grandeur of his commission. A commission the meaning of which 
 we have yet fully to learn ; “All power is given unto me * * go ye 
 
 therefore and disciple all the nations.” 
 
 See that little band after that the Holy Spirit has descended 
 upon them. How boldy they speak, what triumphs they win. What 
 splendid success in a few years ! Inside of sixty years they have 
 produced a literature which is the soul of all that is noble in the 
 literature of later ages, they have introduced new ideas of God and 
 man ; set sociology and politics on a new track ; have churches from 
 Palestine and Babylon to Egypt and Rome and beyond, with mighty 
 centres of evangelism in between, with believers from the lowest up to 
 Caesar’s household. Then they grow amid persecution-fires and 
 rivers of martyr’s blood, until proud pagan Rome dies at the foot of 
 the cross. And wherein lay this marvellous strength of the primitive 
 church? — and this is a matter of prime importance in our present 
 enquiry. Certainly not in ceremonial and priesthood, for they had 
 none at all. Nothing could be more simple than the visit of an 
 apostolic missionary, preaching the gospel and then before passing 
 on to another place, appointing one of the converts as an overseer 
 to look after the rest and see that they all kept true. He would 
 then leave them, perhaps never see them again, or at least not for a 
 long time, and in the meantime he would comfort them with a letter. 
 That church was the soul of simplicity, and indeed from that day to 
 this, the amount of priestly pretensions and the multiplication of 
 ritual, maybe taken as the measure of a church's distance from Christ 
 and the apostolical idea. Their power lay not in refinements of 
 modern theology, for the doctrinal teaching of Christ and his apostles 
 was very simple. God manifest in the flesh to take away human sin ; 
 
Prospects, Plans, Results. 
 
 5 
 
 man through Christ to become an heir of Heaven, a subject of the 
 kingdom of God on earth ; some simple rules about the kingdom, 
 how to enter, how to act in it, how to extend it, that and little more. 
 And as we extend our Theology into hair-splitting dogmas, into hard 
 and fast lines not laid down in the New Testament, — so far as we 
 make human teachings and theological forms an essential part of our 
 faith, so far do we leave the simplicity of Christ and his apostles, so far 
 do we dim the light, instead of spreading it, and lose hold of one of 
 the secrets of apostolic success. They preached Christ and him 
 crucified, and little more. Moreover, the secret of their success lay 
 not in their ecclesiastical machinery, for they had very little of it for 
 many a long year. But to be short, the grand underlying secret of 
 all, besides the spiritual power of their message as a divine revelation, 
 was the fact of their unifying love, a love which linked them by a 
 living tie to the Saviour who bled for them and for all, a love which 
 bound brother man to brother man the world over, a love which grew 
 boundless as God’s love for humanity, and flamed into a passion to 
 save mankind in every clime, arousing a holy ambition to conquer 
 the world from the devil for Christ, an ambition before which the 
 mistaken fanaticism of the Crusades pales, and beside which Napo- 
 leon’s dreams or Alexander’s plans are child’s play. And when we rise 
 to conquer for Christ it must be on the same line ; with the same 
 glorious gospel, hearts all aglow with unifying love, in . the light of 
 which non-essential differences die forever, and in their place an ab- 
 sorbing passion for the salvation of men, for the unselfish benefit of 
 the world. But a saddening, sickening sight, a hideous half-triumph 
 of hell divides us of these times from those old days of marvels and 
 of poAver, from the trammels of which even we are not yet wholly free. 
 “ But thou shalt bruise his heel ” was sadly true here ; Christ 
 conquered pagan Rome, but the spirit of pagan Rome conquered the 
 Church of Christ. Rome’s idea of empire seized the Church and 
 her passion became, not to save, but to rule, the world. The loving 
 Father was banished and the cross was transformed into a crucifix. 
 “ Love gave place to power. Apostolic simplicity was exchanged for 
 the splendour of baptized heathenism. The spirit that dug up a 
 
6 The Immediate Christianization of Japan : 
 
 statue of Jupiter, dubbed it St. Peter, and put it into St. Peter’s 
 Church that the pious might kiss its toe, imported a thousand other 
 absurdities from the worship of pagan religions.” The wedding of 
 Greek philosophy with gospel truths mystified the teachings of Christ 
 and his Apostles, and for 1,000 years the so-called Church of Christ 
 walked in darkness, with but here and there a meteor light to relieve 
 the gloom. But the hidden seed grew in darkness, and when men 
 could endure it no longer, Christ spoke through Luther and his 
 compeers. A splendid Reformation resulted and paved the way for 
 a still better and broader one. Intellectually men were freed in a 
 measure. The pulpit was freed but not the pew. And amid the 
 wrangling of doctors in dogmatic strife, and the din of war in 
 blades and blood, the spiritual power of Protestantism waned, her new 
 energy turned to apathy when the victory was but half accomplished. 
 And the fact remains that in Europe Protestant and Popish boundaries 
 to-day are essentially as they were at the close of the 30 years war. 
 But the age of the Reformation opened the way for a return to the 
 apostolic ideal. 
 
 The Puritan movement gives us a fine example of stem and sturdy 
 faith, when granite hearts were needed to become the foundation 
 stones of a new nation. And well were they laid by old Plymouth 
 rock. But these stern men had too much of the old covenant, too 
 little of the new ; too much of the old law of the Lord, too little of the 
 gospel of Christ. But they had given birth in old England and in the 
 New to a higher type of freedom of conscience ; individual freedom was 
 born again, and with the more peaceful days of the last century, men 
 awoke as never before to the needs of personal spiritual life. Wesley, 
 Whitfield, Edwards, and others of different dogmatic creeds cried as 
 did John the Baptist, “ Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at 
 hand,” and as after his short ministry the Christ appeared, so in a 
 little while after the “ Holy Club ” of Oxford had been termed 
 Methodists in derision, a new and Christlike spirit came over all the 
 churches, and such a spiritual revival took place as had not been 
 seen since the days of Constantine. A revival proceeding not from 
 ecclesiastical strife and political upheavings as the Reformation of 
 
Prospects, Plans, Results. 
 
 7 
 
 Luther, not from dogmatic contentions as in Puritan days, but 
 from the pressure of souls burdened with a sense of sin, yearning 
 for salvation and conscious purity of heart and life. Luther said that 
 a revival never lasted over 40 years, but that revival is going on yet in 
 every church. It brought us back and up to Christ, and what was 
 the result ? It opened the way for a still grander reformation, a more 
 positive realization of practical Christianity than has been seen since 
 the days of the apostles, and on a wider scale than the world has ever 
 known — a movement that is only just begun, I mean the missionary 
 revival. Bible societies date from that time and have given millions of 
 copies of the word of God to every land. Tract societies followed, 
 flooding every clime with tens of millions of pages of Christian 
 literature. Missionary societies arose, and have sent agents to every 
 quarter, and as a result Christianity has already won more in the 
 last 80 years than in 1800 before. We boast of the conversion of 
 island nations ; of the Sandwich Islands, Fiji, Friendly Islands, and 
 Madagascar ; we count converts in some parts of India by the tens 
 of thousands; in China and Japan by the thousand, and in looking 
 over the record, some of our good lazy churches at home are almost 
 inclined to think the problem solved, and like Alexander in their 
 ignorance almost begin to think about weeping because there are no 
 more pagan worlds to conquer ! 
 
 But hold ! let us look this matter in the face. If I did not look 
 upon the work already done as preparatory and full of promise for 
 greater things, I should scorn the church for her apathy, and despair 
 of her accomplishing her mission. Think of it ! There are more 
 heathens in the world to-day than there were when the apostles 
 preached ! We boast of 6,000 converts in Japan, but heathenism in 
 Japan has increased by more than 600,000 while those 6,000 were 
 being laboriously gathered for Christ. We boast of idols overthrown 
 and religions cast aside, but remember the church has not overcome 
 a single great religion, since the splay-footed paganism of Rome fell 
 (and that had already been riddled by philosophy), and the 
 Scandinavian mythology of northern Europe vanished. We have 
 come to savage tribes who were easily made to see that their ridiculous 
 
8 The Immediate Christianization of Japan : 
 
 fetichism was no religion ; or to places such as the Sandwich Islands, 
 where they had already thrown away their idols as useless lumber, 
 before ever the missionary came. But not a single powerful old re- 
 ligion has fallen or been visibly affected in these later days. Moreover 
 Mohammedanism, which rose 600 years later than Christ, won more 
 followers in the same length of time than Christianity ; Moslem pro- 
 pagandism is spreading more rapidly than Christianity ; and the false 
 prophet supports more missionaries to-day that all the church of 
 Christ. The missions have wrought hard in India and not in vain, 
 but Western infidelity has ten converts to one led to Christ, while 
 Brahminism and Mohammedanism in India are scarcely affected ; 
 only an individual here and there. And here in Japan and China 
 Confucianism and Buddhism are simply untouched, so far as their 
 strength is concerned ; while here the converts to Western materialism 
 are one hundred to our one for the gospel of Christ. Of course 
 the fact of the quality of Christian work and of Christian civilization 
 is a sufficient answer for Christianity as such, but the quantity 
 of the opposite shows the state of the problem before Christian men 
 and missionaries at the present hour. The real problem has not 
 yet been touched, and unless the Church rise into a clearer sense of 
 the stupendous interests at stake ages will be lost again, and the 
 glorious light of the Gospel will go down in gloom. 
 
 III. — Larger Tactics needed. 
 
 But thank God it need not be so. It shall not be so ; the Church 
 now partly aroused shall rise in power, and the partial return to 
 the Apostolic spirit, the partial uplift into the Christ ideal shall 
 be made real; this last topstone of the Reformation shall be brought 
 on with rejoicing, and the world shall yet be won. If we compare 
 the Church and the world of to-day with that of the Apostolic age, 
 we find many points of similarity, but more of difference ; suggesting, 
 indeed, a difference of tactics, but a holding to the same vital 
 principles which gave the secret of their power. They began with 
 the passionate warmth of a new born love, we go forth with the 
 rejuvenescence of the Church kindled anew from the perennial 
 
Prospects, Plans, Results. 
 
 9 
 
 fountain of life. They had miraculous gifts to a certain extent to 
 serve as an evidence of the truth of their message ; we have the 
 teeming evidence of history, of experience, and of a powerful civili- 
 zation. They were mighty men of prayer and were rich in the 
 inheritance of inspiring promises ; to us the way is open to the same 
 throne of grace, upon us falls the benediction of every promise that 
 they could claim. Their world seems to us a very narrow one. 
 Their Africa was but the northern shore, their Asia scarcely extended 
 to India, their Europe reached hardly beyond Rome. Britain was 
 barbarian. France, Germany, Russia were savage lands ; China, 
 Thibet, Korea, Siberia, Japan, America, Australia, and all the myriad 
 islands of the oceans and four-fifths of Africa were to them as 
 non-existent. To us who stand on higher heights, there spreads out 
 a larger humanity ; a bigger world to conquer, a vaster problem to 
 solve. They had a solid Roman world in which one law was 
 supreme, and one Greek culture moulded the people. Paul dealt 
 with people whose language he knew, whose literature was his own. 
 Dr. Crawford says he would have failed if he had come to China. 
 But we of to-day have to go to China, and to a hundred other 
 places, whose language, laws, customs, literature, all differ from 
 ours. And before we can preach the Gospel to effect, these have to 
 be mastered, to some extent at least. All these nations, which until 
 a few years ago were sealed against Christianity, are now opened or 
 rapidly opening. In this respect the prayer of the Christian Church 
 has been answered ; and now the question is, The world is open for 
 you, what are you going to do about it? To the apostles w'ere given 
 extraordinary powers for their work ; to us are given extraordinary 
 means. As divine nature and human nature are still the same, and 
 the underlying principle of our problem is still the same as that of 
 the apostles, to make men partakers of the divine nature, to bring 
 man to God and unite humanity in a divine brotherhood, we must 
 conserve the same underlying principles of evangelism, by which 
 they accomplished their marvels of success, viz., simplicity in teaching, 
 simplicity in form, intensity of unifying love. Our great work is 
 not with hordes of untamed savages, but with peoples whose civili- 
 
io The Immediate Christianization of Japan : 
 
 zation was old before ours was born, a people whose thinkings have 
 run the whole gamut of thought, and need from us but little of the 
 human to perfect their humanity; they need only the message divine 
 to elevate their manhood to nobler things. 
 
 But as the field of operations differs, so must our tactics differ 
 from those of apostolic times. As the fields open before us are 
 immeasurably greater, so much the greater is our responsibility. As 
 our numbers, our wealth, our learning, our means are ten thousand 
 fold greater than theirs, so must the glad outpouring of means and of 
 men be commensurate with the larger responsibility. And as we live 
 in a time when progress is measured, not by the leisurely tread 
 of olden centuries, but by the rush of steam and telegraph and science 
 and commerce and a thousand other forces which combine to make 
 the world advance in a short decade farther than our ancestors did 
 in a century, the triumphs of the loving Evangel must be com- 
 mensurately vast, and rapid. The time has come when “ a nation 
 shall be born in a day.'’ We must lead and mould the progress of 
 the world or be untrue to our mission, untrue to our God who has 
 given such power to man. The Church must change her tactics and 
 move on broader lines. 
 
 IV. — Japan as a Strategic Point. 
 
 (i) But I must not dwell too long on these generalities, important 
 as they are in throwing light on the greatness of the work at each 
 strategic point. As I said before, I look upon India as the grandest 
 vantage ground in the mission field to-day, calling for the greatest 
 efforts, promising the largest results. But next to India in importance 
 as an outpost of other nations, a vantage ground from which to 
 sway the Orient, I place Japan. I consider the problem in Japan to 
 be one of interest, not only to us who are here on the field, not 
 only to the churches that have sent us here as their representatives, 
 but to the whole Christian civilized world. 
 
 The manner in which these principles of enlarged tactics should 
 be practically carried out, must differ of course with the country and 
 the people for whose benefit we plan. I think a great deal of harm 
 
Prospects, Plans, Results. 
 
 1 1 
 
 has been done, or at least a large amount of good has been lost, by 
 attempting to deal with semi-civilized races, as with savage tribes. 
 India will need one kind of tactics, China a very different sort, 
 and Japan must be met in a way peculiarly suited to her temperament 
 and position. To understand, then the plans necessary, we must first 
 look at the circumstances, and find “ the lay of the land.” To do 
 this we need to have such a knowledge of the language and the 
 people and such a sympathy with their heart’s feelings, as to enable us 
 to see with their eyes as well as with our own. I may say just here 
 that the plans I am about to propose are not the mushroom growth 
 of an ephemeral enthusiasm, but the steady growth and outcome of 
 seven years of careful observation and thought, quickened, it is true, 
 by later developments ; developments of the country making it more 
 open to the gospel ; developments in our churches and workers here 
 on the field, rendering it more easy to apply apostolic plans ; develop- 
 ments at home which lead me to think that the churches of 
 Christendom are ripening for united and larger effort. But more 
 of this anon. Let us now try to take in the state of affairs in Japan. 
 
 (2) A little more than three centuries ago the Jesuits brought 
 their message to the Far East. They found in China an Empire, 
 vast, self contented, and philosophic. True to the instincts and 
 ideals of their order, they took the garb of literati, became astronomers 
 royal, taught science, and tried to found their church. As the 
 church they founded came to public notice it was persecuted and 
 almost obliterated, but the scientific astronomical fathers still held on, 
 giving a wonderful example of patience and skill ; and there they are 
 to-day doing good philosophical scientific work. But what have they 
 done for Christianity ? and for Christian civilization and morality, 
 what? About the same time they came to Japan, and they found 
 here a place and a state of affairs, peculiarly suited to their tactics. 
 Japan wanted trade, and the Jesuits gave them trade. Jesuits 
 delight in moving princes and working among the brainless poor: 
 a middle intelligent class they cannot endure. Japan was at that 
 time a land of petty princes and low-lived masses, without a middle 
 class, the Samurai being but appendices of their lords. Trade 
 
12 The Immediate Christianization of Japan : 
 
 gave the Jesuit missionary the friendship and protection of certain 
 daimios, gradually they won the friendship of other little lords, 
 and had then, not only free access to their people, but the positive 
 influence of their chiefs’ example. The central government was 
 powerless to control the movement, for they could not control their 
 nobles, the enmity of some of the daimios was no great harm, for 
 their enemies were sure to become the friends of those whom they 
 hated. Thus it came to pass that in A.D. 1610, 60 years after the 
 arrival of the first missionaries, there were said to be 2,000,000 of 
 Christians in Japan, and 200 foreign missionaries. Charlevoix 
 eulogizes Framjois Civan, “ King of Bungo,” for having overthrown 
 3,000 Buddhist temples and houses. And Father Cuello admitted 
 that the disciples of the missionaries destroyed the temples of 
 the false gods of the Japanese and persecuted the priests. This 
 style of propagandism was not new to Japan, for long before 
 this the Abbots of the Shin sect, driven from Kioto by the monks 
 of Hiyei-san, had made forcible conquest of Kaga, -where they 
 reigned as lords for one hundred years ; and Nobunaga himself for 
 ten years waged unsuccessful war against these warrior priests in 
 Osaka. And Nichiren, too, learned by persecution the tender mercies 
 of Buddhism in the 13th century. But the disciples of Christ should 
 have shown a better spirit. Protestant traders came also in those 
 days, and disgraced the Reformation to an almost equal extent ; their 
 religious zeal found vent only in hatred of Rome and deception ; 
 their lives were a libel to their better light, and they often bartered 
 their conscience for the mere sake of gain. But the orders of the 
 Roman Church had the work of propagandism in hand, the Pro- 
 testants, to the shame of the Reformation be it said, sent no missionaries. 
 But it is, perhaps, just as well that they did not. The Jesuits and 
 Franciscans and other orders quarrelled and betrayed each other, 
 their powerful aristocratic friends had either died or deserted them, 
 the central power of the Government of the Shogun was becoming 
 national ; charges against the Roman missionaries, against the 
 Spaniards and Portuguese were made, and, whether true or not, were 
 believed by the Japanese Court. They had other avenues of trade 
 
Prospects, Plans, Results. 13 
 
 now, and needed the Padres no more, and so in 1614 the decree went 
 forth, that Japan should be freed from every stain, every trace of 
 Christianity. Then came days of flight, days of recantation, days of 
 blood, ceaseless, relentless, unrelieved. Shoguns swore to extirpate 
 Christianity as a staple article in their political creed. Buddhist priests 
 became a ubiquitous inquisition and dragged forth every suspected 
 person ; prices were paid for Christian heads, increasing in rate as the 
 game became scarce ; year after year injunctions went forth and even 
 up to the present century one would almost suppose that the chief 
 calling of the Government was to hunt the accursed Christian and rid 
 the land of the gods from the pestilence of foreign devils. All books 
 were prohibited which contained the word Christian, or the word 
 foreign 1 . Thus the work of hundreds of missionaries and the in- 
 fluence of 2,000,000, believers vanished as a dream, leaving scarcely a 
 trace behind ! 
 
 But Japan was saved for better things. In these days, what a 
 transformation ! If our eyes did not behold the facts we could 
 scarcely credit the story. You all know the facts too well to need a 
 repetition of them here. Just a word or two to bring some of the 
 salient points in review, which will show us how completely the whole 
 nation is changed, so as to become the most suitable ground possible 
 for the propagation of true Christianity, which seeks not to intrigue 
 with the ruler and make him a tool, which aims not at turning the 
 low-lived masses from one idolatry to become the equally ignorant 
 devotees of another, but works in broad daylight, aiming at convincing 
 the intellect and ennobling the heart. 
 
 Scarce 25 years have passed since this land was unwillingly forced 
 to open her ports to foreign intercourse and enter into Treaty relations 
 with the outer world. But what do we see to-day ? The Shogunate 
 with all its anomalies has passed away, mediaeval feudalism with all 
 its glamour and petty tyranny has gone forever, a compact of clans 
 has given place to a consolidated empire under its rightful sovereign, 
 who has been raised to greater power than his forefathers ever 
 
 1 See a fine summary of these facts in a paper by J. H. Gubbins, Esq., in Transactions of 
 Asiatic Society of Japan, Vol. VI. pt. 1. 
 
14 The Immediate Christianization of Japan: 
 
 dreamed of ; he rules an empire which is as truly a unit as the 
 Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or the United States of 
 America, and its subjects are equally amenable to laws emanating 
 from the central throne and administered by one executive. The acts 
 of this present emperor are so finely summarized in the published 
 dispatches sent by the U.S. Minister from Japan to the Cabinet at 
 Washington, that I cannot do better than quote from a letter dated 
 July, 1880 — nearly four years ago — “aided by his enlightened advisors 
 he (the Emperor) has labored effectively for the promotion of the 
 general welfare, and to this end has, within his short reign of 12 years 
 abolished the feudal system, emancipated four-fifths of his subjects 
 from feudal vassalage, and made them possessors of the soil, disarmed 
 a feudal soldiery numbering probably 600,000 men trained to arms ; 
 recognised the order of society ; established and equipped an army 
 40,000 strong, and also a navy equal in number and appointments 
 to our own; assured the freedom of conscience ; introduced the press, 
 the telegraph, the railway, steam navigation, a general postage and 
 savings system, and, above all, ordained a free system of compulsory 
 education for the instruction of all the children of the Empire, thereby 
 in effect declaring the equality of all before the law, and the right of 
 each to the equal protection of the law. It may be said that seldom, 
 if ever, in the history of civil administration, has any other ruler done 
 so much within so brief a period for the reformation and well-being 
 of a people numbering five and thirty millions.” And this list by no 
 means exhausts the whole story. Look at the reform of criminal and 
 civil law, the marvellous reformation of prisons, etc., and particularly 
 within these later years, provincial parliaments elected by the people 
 have been inaugurated as precursors of the promised constitution and 
 parliament which are to be given the people within the next coming 
 five years. Moreover, the whole system of justice has been 
 revolutionized, and instead of an Oriental jurisprudence based 
 on suspicion and amenable to the caprice of an irresponsible 
 bureaucracy, we have the ripened jurisprudence of civilization, 
 administered by jurists who display remarkable tact, and who need 
 only a longer experience to give them necessary ripeness. The whole 
 
Prospects, Plans, Results. 
 
 15 
 
 code of law, the whole mode of criminal procedure, etc., have been 
 completely and effectively revolutionized. In fact in these externals 
 Japan has become a Christian nation. For 20 years she has striven to 
 become worthy of a place side by side with the civilized lands of the 
 west, and so well has she succeeded that when she asks for recogni- 
 tion of that fact by the restoration into her hands of a beginning of the 
 right to a complete control of her native soil, by the gradual removal 
 of exterritoriality under sufficient safeguards, one is astonished that 
 the world does not gladly acquiesce in the response of the President 
 of the United States, whose late message declares a readiness to 
 accede to these proposals of Japan. But the fact is there, and the 
 difficulty is that persons even here, who move in a narrow rut and 
 have but little intercourse with the people beyond a degenerate few, 
 are blind to the real progress of the land. 
 
 All this and much more the Japanese have inherited from the 
 past ages of struggle and advance of Christian lands. But let it be 
 understood that Japan has always had the characteristics of law abiding 
 citizenship, by which all these elements could be appropriated and 
 speedily assimilated. No more law abiding peasantry ever existed 
 than those who toiled all through those ages in paddy fields and 
 under burdens which only oxen should have borne, and in no veins of 
 chivalric age or of modern patriotism ever ran truer blood than that 
 which bound the Samurai to his lord, no philosophic or scientific 
 students ever sought knowledge more eagerly and patiently than those 
 same Samurai who loved letters as they loved their sword. These 
 elements needed but the inspiration of a higher light, the moulding 
 of a broader sympathy to make them honor the name of man and lift 
 their nation into higher things and emulate the best. Let it be also 
 remarked that neither Iyeyasu nor Nobunaga of those olden days, 
 was essentially anti-foreign. They wished for foreign intercourse, 
 and encouraged it, and it was only when they felt that their trust was 
 betrayed and that their country was in danger, that they forbad 
 foreign intercourse and banished Christianity. Moreover if 2,000,000 
 Christians, in those days when the population could not have been so 
 great as now, had not the backbone in them to completely reform this 
 
i6 The Immediate Christianization of Japan : 
 
 nation and forestal persecution and not allow themselves to be rooted 
 out, they were a mighty poor type of Christian, and deserve but little 
 sympathy. 
 
 But now, how about modern Christianity in Japan? I leave out 
 of count Roman Catholic propagandism of these days ; it must be 
 very considerable, though it never courts the light ; so also the Greek 
 Church, whose agents are multiplying and whose numbers are formi- 
 dable. They are doing some good work probably in breaking stones 
 for a purer Christianity, if a purer type grows strong and fills the 
 land before their errors are too hard baked to be removed by light 
 brought to bear on the intelligence of the people. I deal here simply 
 with Protestantism. 
 
 Protestant missionaries began work, or rather came to Japan in 
 1859 ; for a good while they had but little opportunity to work and a 
 good deal of difficulty in acquiring the language. But, little by little, 
 they won the confidence of the people, and the Government ceased 
 to suspect them. One of the early missionaries gave us the only 
 Japanese English Dictionary in existence, an invaluable help to all 
 after-comers. Others, in conjunction with members of the English 
 civil service, have from time to time produced books useful for the 
 acquisition of the language. A piece of work untouched by the Greek, 
 and so far as I know with one small exception, untouched by the 
 R. C. missionaries. Another of our pioneers was for years a trusted 
 adviser of the powers that be, an instructor of many who now rule the 
 Empire, and yet I have never heard it whispered that the slightest 
 effort was ever made to obtain special privileges for Protestants or to 
 influence the rulers in any other way than by simply giving instruction 
 and information when such was asked for. Gradually the people 
 became inclined to hear, and the number of the missionaries increased 
 year by year until we have now 100 (?) missionaries, representing 
 20 (?) societies, and the tabulated results are given in the statistics, 
 published by the Evangelical Alliance. (The latest statistics have not 
 been published, but the following is an approximation. Members of 
 churches, or baptized converts 6,500. Contributions of natives for the 
 year 16,000 yen. Bibles, testaments and portions of scripture now in 
 
Prospects, Plans, Results. 
 
 17 
 
 circulation 200,000; tracts, books, some of them quite large, 500,000. 
 Serials sent to 5,000 subscribers.) In order to appreciate these 
 statistics it must be borne in mind that these members of churches, 
 counted as converts, do not indicate the number of persons who 
 actually believe in Christianity. Each one is supposed to have been 
 carefully examined and found to be morally and spiritually renewed. 
 Those who prove untrue are cut off. The effort is to count only those 
 that are good and true. Each one of these would represent 3 or 4 
 persons who are as much Christian as the average non-church member 
 of Christian lands, and there is a wide spread feeling amongst all 
 classes of people that Christian morality is the best. Several theolo- 
 gical schools are training pastors and teachers, many of whom are now 
 doing efficient work. Seminaries are giving hundreds of boys and 
 young men the elements of an education under Christian influences, 
 fitting them for practical life or for higher institutions of learning. 
 Ladies' schools are preparing hundreds of girls and young women for 
 teaching, who may become, as many of them have already become, 
 wives of Christian men, Christian mothers for a better generation. 
 Common schools gather hundreds of the poor of the children. Hos- 
 pitals reach and ameliorate the bodily ills of thousands, and other 
 modes of operation too numerous to give in detail are preparing the 
 way for the actual and speedy evangelization of Japan on a national 
 scale. Moreover these things are seen by men in power, and appre- 
 ciated by the intelligent everywhere. They know full well the difference 
 between the propagation of the Gospel by protestants and the Jesuit 
 propagandism of Rome. They have learned to discriminate between 
 Christian men, and a race of beings, outside of respectable foreigners 
 at the outports, who disgrace the lands from which they came, and 
 import a new vileness to render indigenous licentiousness still more 
 foul, blighting the moral atmosphere of their surroundings. The 
 government has long ceased all opposition to Christianity, and 
 indifference is actually giving place to a desire to have the land 
 protestantized, for it is beginning to be evident that the fruits of 
 Christian civilization cannot become permanent and pervading 
 without the vitality which produced them, i.e. Christianity itself. 
 
1 8 The Immediate Christianization of Japan : 
 
 Their object in now encouraging Christian work is political, you say. 
 Very well and what if it is ? That is perfectly legitimate. If political 
 aims and struggles for freedom and advance open the way to the 
 free preaching of the Gospel, it is for us to thank God and take 
 courage, and go forward expecting that the political aim shall be 
 reached in the only legitimate way, by the elevation of the spiritual 
 and moral life of the people. In a very short time present dis- 
 abilities will be removed ; in a few years I trust the land will be 
 thrown completely open as England or America. And shall these 
 splendid opportunities be neglected ? Shall we attempt to meet these 
 stupendous possibilities by means which in face thereof are merest 
 child's play, by tactics suited only to other conditions ? Nay, for this 
 new wine, fermenting, seething, we want new bottles — for these new 
 responsibilities enlarged plans and nobler enterprize. 
 
 (3) Now in looking over the past and present with an eye to 
 the future development of Christianity in Japan, one very serious 
 problem arises. And that is what about these manifold and ever 
 multiplying denominationalisms imported from the West, with shades 
 of difference, or with no differences at all that have the slightest 
 meaning for the people in Japan ? I am not going to propose any 
 wild utopian scheme that is at present entirely out of the question, 
 and yet I think I see a solution of a very serious problem. A 
 problem which many of us perhaps have not seriously contemplated. 
 I will state my position and then try to make my meaning clear : then 
 I will try to show the practical and only practicable way out, 
 whereby every apparent disadvantage shall be turned to the greatest 
 advantage, and finally I will give my plans for advance. My first 
 position is that difference of denominationalism has been thus far a 
 great advantage to Japan ; my second position is that if we don't now cry 
 halt, and begin to solidify our phalanxes, it will become a disadvant- 
 age, an intolerable burden for Japan, under which she will groan and 
 pray as did a good man long ago “ O Lord, save me from my friends.” 
 
 I am no friend of uniformity. Men’s minds are cast in various 
 moulds, and various modes of operation must be free for individual 
 choice. Every attempt to force on the church absolute organic unity 
 
Prospects, Plans, Results. 
 
 19 
 
 has thus far wrought evil and only evil. Such concentration without 
 rivalry breeds formality, carelessness, tyranny and internal discord. 
 Look at the wrangles and endles strife within the pale of the old 
 Roman Catholic Church, where order fought with order as no sectarians 
 outside ever did, and to-day their internal differences are as great as 
 in Protestantism. And even to-day within the bounds of one national 
 Church, with all its glorious goodness, we have differences as 
 pronounced as amongst dissenters; low church and high church, broad 
 church, or in other words, as a wag has put it, latitudinarians, platitu- 
 dinarians, and attitudinarians, and so forth. Differences which I 
 mention here not to reprehend by any means, but to show that 
 external oneness cannot render men’s minds uniform or hinder 
 diverse developments of action. Men are born to be free and the 
 grandest security for truth and righteousness is to be sure you are 
 right in your own thinkings, and then agree to think and let others 
 freely think. “ In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all 
 things charity.” The freedom won for the mind of man by the 
 Reformation could not but give rise to diversity, and mistaken were 
 the efforts to prevent it. But you have in Germany, Lutherans, old 
 and new and the Reformed church, besides smaller divisions. Then 
 you have the same or similar divisions in Switzerland, Holland, 
 Sweden, and other countries of the continent besides Mennonites, 
 Moravians, Swedenborgians, &c. Then in Great Britain, where since 
 the Reformation two great religious upheavals have taken place, we 
 have Episcopalianism, Presbyterianism, Scotch, Irish, and English. 
 In Scotland that land of Presbyterianism, we have the Auld Kirk and 
 the Free Kirk and the United Presbyterians and several more I 
 believe. Then we have the Independents and the Baptists, and 
 finally the Methodists, a prolific family — the Wesleyans, Free, Primi- 
 tive, New Connexion, Bible Christian, Calvinistic Methodists, and 
 others too numerous to mention besides the Salvation Army. Now 
 we cross the high seas to Protestant America, peopled from almost 
 every nation under heaven, and you have the sects of Germany, of 
 Switzerland, of Holland, of Sweden, of Great Britain, nearly all 
 reproduced in the United States, besides a few splits in nearly every 
 
20 
 
 The Immediate Christianization of Japan: 
 
 branch and others of indigenous production, until the number baffles 
 all enumeration. And then what do you think of Canada, the land 
 from which I am proud to hail, which was supplied with denomina- 
 tions from the United States, from Britain, and from the continent of 
 Europe, and which has shown itself capable of producing some 
 home-made denominations too. And now we leap across the high 
 seas once more to Japan, and we find Europe pouring in 
 denominations from one side, and the U.S. and Canada from the 
 other, and every year they keep coming. We have now of Episco- 
 palians, two English societies, and one American ; we have Scotch 
 and American Presbyterians, the Reformed Church of Holland as it 
 comes through America, also the Reformed Church of Germany in 
 United States garb, and soon we shall probably have Canadian 
 Presbyterians, and there are Cumberland Presbyterians, and isn’t 
 there already an independant Japanese Presbyterian Church? thus 
 giving five or six Presbyterian bodies. And then there are American 
 and English Baptists ; Methodist Episcopal, Canadian Methodists, 
 Evangelical Association, and Protestant Methodists with more to 
 follow. Then besides the Congregational friends there are still some 
 others. And now the question is, whereunto shall this thing grow ? 
 Several churches that have never had a foreign mission at all have 
 pitched on Japan to begin with; as Japan becomes more widely 
 known others will come, and the serious question arises, what is to 
 be done about it ? Are we going to plant our “ isms ” here or are 
 we going to win the country for Christ? Now the obvious advantage 
 thus far, while the native church is not yet really born, is this, that it 
 has brought to Japan a great number and a great variety of workers ; 
 more work has been done and of a more varied kind than could 
 otherwise have been accomplished. But surely no one is blind 
 enough not to see that to perpetuate these different denominations, 
 divided by home nationality or local ideas, would be a most lament- 
 able thing for the real health of the Church of Christ in Japan. 
 There is a possibility of having too much of a good thing, as old King 
 Solomon found when he carried one of his theories too far. He 
 tells us and tells us truly that he that findeth a wife findeth a good 
 
Prospects, Plans, Results. 
 
 21 
 
 thing, and it is very true that a wife introduces a very useful and 
 pleasant variety into a household, but when he carried the theory 
 so far as to get a thousand wives he found that it was all “ vanity 
 and vexation of spirit.” Too much of a good thing you see. But 
 if this hand were deprived of these five different fingers or all were to 
 be united in one, it would be of no advantage but a loss ; this five-fold 
 division giving manifoldness of use, uniting delicacy with power, 
 produces marvellous perfectness of mechanism. But if each finger 
 were divided and subdivided, and subdivided, the hand might 
 eventually emulate a centipede or a paint brush, but would cease to 
 be a hand, and so with these meaningless divisions in the hand of 
 God in Japan. Thank God the spirit of union is abroad in our 
 home churches, the newest countries leading the way. In Canada, 
 Presbyterianism began by consolidating her ranks, and polyglott 
 Methodism has at last become one in the whole Dominion. And 
 now here in Japan we have an opportunity to teach the whole world 
 a lesson of lofty a faith working by a unifying love, that shall not only 
 save Japanese Christianity from an undeserved burden, but help to 
 lift our home churches to a higher unitedness. 
 
 Outsiders imagine that with all this diversity there are still wars 
 and fightings amongst us, that we spend our strength in mutual 
 denunciation, whereas, as you are all aware, the great guns of 
 controversy have long been silent everywhere ; we have settled down 
 to think and let think, and have long ago found out that we are one 
 in the most essential points and differ only in non-essentials. In 
 Christian countries where the 'field is large, there is ample room for 
 great diversity to live in harmony. More than anywhere else is this 
 spirit of oneness evident in the mission field, and above every other 
 field in the wide world, pre-eminently so in Japan. Our whole history 
 is one of mutual sympathy and growing love, by which our efforts 
 blend in laying the strong unseen foundation of the church of a 
 new nation. It is wonderful how soon the atmosphere of the mission 
 work in Japan modifies old prejudices and widens one's sympathies; 
 in face of this stupendous national problem our little “isms” die. 
 People who come here still capable of growth soon wonderfully 
 
22 The Immediate Christianization of Japan : 
 
 change. There is for instance Bro. who came to this country 
 
 about the same time that I did, fresh from the spheres in which we 
 moved. Whenever his keen eye and emphatic nose appeared, he 
 always seemed to me to be a perfect incarnation of the Synod of 
 Dort, and all my Arminian quills stood porcupine-like on end ready 
 for a fray. Not a word was spoken, only once we approached very 
 near the border land, when his lips suggested knife blades. But that 
 soon passed away, eyes and nose and lips and the whole bearing of 
 the man spoke forth another spirit ; perhaps there is some difference 
 in the eyes with which I see, but he is a totally different man to me ; 
 I could now for years embrace him as a brother beloved ; and I 
 believe that he and I could travel through the length and breadth 
 of this land evangelizing, as did Paul and Barnabas, and then turn 
 round and do it again, without quarrelling over it as did those dear 
 old saints one unfortunately cantankerous day. What we have to 
 do for Japan is to evangelize it, win it for Christ, and I for one care 
 not a rush what church polity is chosen, if only the church be true to 
 her living head, and preserve the soul of charity, the inspiration 
 of loving faith. Ecclesiastical form, philosophical statement of 
 doctrine, etc., differ with every race. Whatever the future church of 
 Japan may be, its Christianity will be a Christianity in Japanese 
 mould, and any effort of ours to put the stamp of a hundred “isms ” 
 upon it, would be childish and futile. Japan Christianity may show 
 a different type from that of any other country, and may be none the 
 worse for it, but only add a new richness to the trophies of Him upon 
 whose head are many crowns. But an unselfish effort on our part 
 to win Japan for Christ speedily on higher lines than local “isms” 
 will do much to hasten on that day of God when we shall all see 
 eye to eye. Our starting point must be an absorbing purpose 
 aiming at the complete evangelization of Japan, looking at it from 
 the standpoint of “ Japan for Christ,” and not for our denomination. 
 If we work for this great aim so far as possible on the lines of our 
 denominationalism, so far as they can serve as a means to an end, 
 well and good ; but so soon as we reverse the thing, and work for the 
 glory of our little branch, so soon do we prove recreant to our higher 
 
Prospects, Plans, Results. 
 
 23 
 
 commission. Let us look upon our commission from each of our 
 boards as sub-commissions simply of that proclaimed by our common 
 King, and join hands in winning Japan for God, and our home 
 churches will haste to applaud, while angels and men will rejoice again 
 in “ Glory to God in the highest, peace on Earth, goodwill to men.” 
 
 IV. — But how is it to be done ? 
 
 I will simply lay down three fundamental lines of work, a trinity 
 of first principles which each individual mission and missionary may 
 apply to the actual circumstances of the case, and carry out as is 
 found best and most practicable, and then will give my plans. 
 
 I. — First of all let us remember our responsibility as the apostles 
 of this land, we are ensamples to the incipient Christianity of Japan. 
 Our spiritual and moral life will set bounds to the endeavors of the 
 native church. They will rise no higher than we show them how. 
 Let us then give them the high-water mark of Christ and his first 
 apostles. Let our teaching be as direct and as pure. 
 
 II. The second axiomatic principle I would lay down, is to 
 aim at organic consolidation within all possible bounds. Our 
 Episcopalian friends have acted together and present themselves as 
 one church assisted by several societies. Presbyterians are leading 
 the way amongst the rest of the churches; the American Presbyterians, 
 the Scotch Presbyterians, and the Reformed Church of America have 
 wrought together for some time and now aim at a consolidation of 
 the native church. I do not see why all churches of Presbyterian 
 theology and of nearly the same polity should not unite in one. Why 
 should not the Reformed Church of the United States (Ger.) also 
 form into line ? The Congregationalists are as much one I presume 
 as elsewhere, and now we Methodists are looking forward to a closer 
 union, which I hope will culminate in uniting all who are Arminian 
 in doctrine and who can agree to a common polity. And my opinion 
 is that we need not break our bones over the polity of the churches ; 
 for the future Japanese Church will by and by put that into shape to 
 suit themselves, perhaps better than we can. And why should not 
 the whole of the Baptists range themselves under one native organiza- 
 tion ? That would give the hand its five fingers, and would not be 
 
24 The Immediate Christianization of Japan : 
 
 too many denominations in a land of 37 millions of people, and 
 the work would be better done than by any single church organization 
 which would consist of heterogeneous and unassimilated elements. 
 If the future church in Japan wished to carry on the work of union 
 further, they could easily do so when the proper time comes, but in 
 the mean time that is as far as it would be wise for us to go. 
 Under one of these five heads every Christian in Japan should 
 enrol himself. Around these five points should gather the sympathies 
 of the Christian world, and into this five fingered hand would come a 
 power and inspiration from God. But you say the churches at home 
 will have no sympathy with that general kind of work, they want 
 something that they can call their own. I believe if the thing were 
 properly represented to the churches at home, they would see the 
 reasonableness of it, the immense saving it would make of men and 
 means, and the immense impulse it would give to the work of God, 
 and every large denomination at least would not only bid the 
 movement God-speed, but their sympathy and their help would be 
 manifolded. 
 
 III.— The third fundamental principle I would lay down is to 
 aim at making our churches speedily self-supporting, and as they 
 become self-supporting, self-controlling, and eventually independent. 
 Let it be distinctly understood that we look upon ourselves as 
 necessarily a proportionately diminishing factor, while our native 
 brethren become an increasing factor, that as they increase we 
 decrease, until we vanish from the field altogether. And this should 
 not be looked at as a something undesirable, to be put off as long as 
 possible, but as an event to be devoutly desired. To this end we 
 should put on Japanese shoulders every responsibility that they 
 become capable of bearing. In my experience I find that as our 
 young men are trusted they show themselves worthy of trust. The 
 more we develop their self-respect, the more they appreciate our 
 presence and deprecate the speedy withdrawal of our counsel and 
 help. We should not look upon the ambition of the native church in 
 this respect with suspicion, should rather stimulate it, but also render 
 it safe by conditioning perfect independence on perfect self-support. 
 
Prospects, Plans, Results. 
 
 25 
 
 Thus far you see I have proposed no radical, no impossible 
 change. The third principle must take time for its culmination, 
 the second cannot be consummated in a day, but if we aim at it 
 honestly, its benefits will at once appear; the first is of course always 
 open to us. None of these proposals need affect the relation of 
 the various home churches to each other or to the work in Japan, 
 they refer merely to the manner in which their agents carry on their 
 work in the mission field, and yet in a short time these principles 
 would work a revolution. And now that I come to some more 
 definite proposals, I wish to say first of all that these will come as 
 no disturbing element in the present mode of operations, nor 
 necessarily entail a very heavy extra outlay on the part of home 
 boards. I would have all schools carried on as now, or more 
 efficiently if possible, and new ones established. I would have each 
 united denomination maintain its own divinity hall, and retain in the 
 pastoral work as a sort of consellor and guide, a selection of our 
 most experienced men to aid the native pastors in organizing 
 and consolidating their several churches. In fact, the whole ma- 
 chinery should be kept running pretty much as now, only preparing 
 to garner in the sheaves by the thousands, and to branch out 
 indefinitely. 
 
 And now for my principles of advance. In the first place I 
 would have every church set apart as many capable men as 
 could be spared from watching by the stuff, .to the work of evange- 
 lists. Let these evangelists take the New Testament in hand, 
 and go through and through this land evangelizing, with nothing to 
 do but to preach the gospel. Let the ingathering of converts be 
 left to the churches under native pastors. The native pastors will 
 have all they can possibly do with ingathering, and very few can be 
 spared for this work. The evangelists for more reasons than I can 
 now stop to enumerate must for a time be largely foreigners. How 
 would it work, if three or four of us, representatives of different de- 
 nominations, should start say in April and visit every church of every 
 denomination between here and Kioto or even on to Nagasaki, 
 leaving the churches to gather the spoils ? Can you conceive of 
 
26 The Immediate Christianization of Japan : 
 
 any but the most blessed results ? I propose that the thing be started 
 at once informally and tested. But to carry out the idea thoroughly 
 we must appeal to the home churches for one hundred evangelists 
 immediately. Young men and young ladies. It is doubtless wise 
 in the inception of a work in a field like this to send out middle 
 aged or elderly men whose experience would keep them from hasty 
 mistakes. But for the army of attack and advance let it be once 
 for all understood that only young men of more than ordinary ability 
 can so learn this language as to become really efficient preachers and 
 evangelists. And I would have these evangelists come from any and 
 every evangelical church that could produce suitable men and would 
 send them and keep them in the sinews of war. We want no ranting 
 swashbucklers of boasted non-denominational freedom, a class of 
 people who generally turn out to be the most sectarian of all sects — 
 we want no men who would contract the whole mind of God into 
 some pet doctrine or who consider the Kingdom of Heaven to consist 
 in some little hobby that they ride to death. We want men loyal to 
 their church, whom their brethren can indorse and trust, men picked 
 from the best and most promising graduates of colleges, who are 
 entering upon or have had a short experience in the work of the 
 ministry. I would have them come out unmarried and on trial for 
 say from three to five years, for not every clever man can be a 
 successful evangelist in Japan. Those who proved unsuccessful in 
 learning the language might find work in some other department more 
 congenial of more suitable to their genius, or they could return home 
 and begin life there while still young, with no opportunity lost and 
 with the advantage of having seep the world. 
 
 And now for the trial and training of these men and women, 
 I would have a mission institute here on the soil, a school of the 
 prophets under the control of one or more of the oldest and wisest 
 missionaries in the field. This institute would aim at giving the new 
 comer thorough and systematic instruction and drill in mission 
 tactics and above all in the Japanese language. I am sure you will 
 all say amen, when I affirm that years and years of wasted lives have 
 been sacrificed to the lack of system, to the unguided flounderings of 
 
Prospects, Plans, Results. 
 
 27 
 
 new comers in efforts to acquire this language, and I have no doubt 
 that some absolute failures might have been avoided by judicious 
 training. With the advantage of such a training school any young 
 man of push ought to preach with ease inside of two years, and as 
 soon as possible he should go out in connection with some older 
 evangelist to learn further by practice, and get into full work as soon 
 as possible. Then take a furlough, bring back a wife and settle 
 down for a second term of work; by the end of which time 
 he might perhaps be no longer needed in Japan. Each evange- 
 list would be amenable to his own denomination and work in 
 common could be fixed by mutual arrangement. But where would 
 you get your 100 evangelists? You say. Well, I reply, we could 
 muster a good beginning of them now in Japan. We could then 
 ask the boards to send out a few more. I expect two or more 
 from our church before a great while and with a little arousement 
 every society might do a little more. Then ask some wealthy men to 
 send out one each at their own expense ; arouse powerful congrega- 
 tions to send out one each as a separate contribution. Ask the 
 churches of a village to unite in sending and supporting a man. Ask 
 the students of colleges to send a picked man. And instead of a 
 hundred we should have before long to exclaim as Macbeth to 
 Macduff, “ hold 'tis enough.” With this army how long will it take 
 to Christianize the masses? A hundred men good and true, who 
 could pour out of their soul’s fire upon the people, who feared nothing 
 but sin, would soon move the nation. 
 
 That brings us partially out of our old groove, but wrenches no 
 staple or bolt in the whole machinery as now existing. I now rise a 
 step higher, where denominational lines vanish, and propose a some- 
 thing in which every evangelical church may have a brick and be 
 proud of it. We want to appeal to the intellectual activity of the 
 land. In all the world a new phase of apologetical struggle is going 
 on, and above all is this true of such a place as Japan, where 
 Christianity is on its trial with no prejudice in its favour, where old 
 philosophies have moulded a ripened phase of civilization, where 
 western materialistic infidelity has the start of western religious 
 
28 The Immediate Christianization of Japan : 
 
 thought, where the university is absolutely agnostic, where the learned 
 believe in Spencer & Co. as we believe in Christ and his apostles, 
 where out into the tiniest hamlet has penetrated the scientific 
 enquiries and the scientific doubts of the day. We must go through 
 a phase of apologetics in Japan. But it is not necessary that each 
 church should expend her energies in such a work as this. It can 
 be done a thousand fold more effectually by concentration in an 
 institute that could be used for other purposes as well. I propose 
 therefore that we have one central Apologetical Institute or Lecture- 
 ship of Christian Philosophy, which should be housed in an imposing 
 building, of solid construction, containing a hall capable of seating 
 from 1,000 to 5,000 people, and a library of choice apologetic and 
 other literature in English, German, Chinese and Japanese. The 
 soul of this institute should be some one man or two men upon 
 whom could fall the mantle of the confidence of the whole church, 
 and around whom the churches could all gather at times for a great 
 demonstration ; a course of lectures, similar to that about to be held 
 in the Meiji Kuaido under the auspices of the Evangelical Alliance, 
 could be an annual fact, and celebrated men of power could 
 occasionally be invited from abroad to make a still larger impression 
 by such efforts as have moved the west. The man in charge 
 should be an outlook upon the intellectual ebb and flow of the land, 
 to meet issues as they arise by a perennial use of pen and platform. 
 In the same institution there should be a printing and publishing 
 establishment, with a magazine of apologetical and exegetical 
 literature, and a Christian newspaper of general news. I would not 
 like to say a word against the useful little publications now issued 
 by our native brethren but they are child's play in comparison with 
 what they ought to be, in face of this national problem. We 
 should have about $100,000 to do this thing properly. And where 
 will you get the money ? “ Ask and it shall be given.” I believe 
 
 the Tract and Bible societies would gladly take over the printing and 
 publishing part and save thousands of dollars now annually spent in 
 giving printing houses great profits, and the rest -would be a bagatelle 
 to some of our men at home in England or America if they only 
 
Prospects, Plans, Results. 
 
 29 
 
 became interested in the question. Two years of work of these 
 evangelistic forces, and of this apologetic cannonade would arouse 
 an element that must be caught and trained and moulded so as to 
 conserve the whole into a permanent success. And that leads me to 
 the last but not least item in my programme. 
 
 For this purpose we must have a national Christian University, 
 which shall not only offer better advantages than the Imperial 
 University of Tokio, but vie with the best universities in our home 
 lands. This university would be fed by all the Christian schools 
 in the country, not of course to the exclusion of others, and teach 
 the whole range of science and philosophy; sending back theological 
 students to their own divinity halls. The instruction should be 
 through the English language, which would become the classic 
 tongue as Latin to the old universities of Europe. Chinese and 
 Japanese literature should be cultivated; the former to raise up an 
 army of attack on China, the latter of course for their own country’s 
 sake. There should be at least 12 or 15 foreign professors, not 
 missionaries if you please, but thoroughly equipped professors, such 
 as would grace any university in the world. Supported not on the 
 precarious salary of a missionary, nor with the fancy prices and 
 uncertain tenure of employees in the Government schools, but with 
 the prospect of a life’s successful career and such a salary as would 
 enable them after an ordinary working life to settle down at a re- 
 spectable distance from poverty's reach. A something that will 
 stimulate to highest endeavour a selection of the best talent that 
 can be obtained, consecrated and elevated by the love of Christ and 
 the love of man. The only stipulation I would make with regard to 
 the professors would be, besides a thorough fitness for the position 
 and enthusiasm in teaching, a spotless moral character and a loyalty 
 to the gospel of Christ. The object of the institution would be, not 
 to teach Christianity, but to impart a thoroughly sound education 
 under Christian influences and from a Christian stand-point. Thus 
 fitting men to be teachers, professors, lawyers, doctors, statesmen, 
 and above all Christian gentlemen. For this purpose I would ask 
 say in round numbers $1,000,000 to start the institution with 
 
30 The Immediate Christianization of Japan : 
 
 grounds, buildings, appliances, residences, and the expenses of im- 
 portation of the foreign faculties. And then another $1,000,000 as an 
 endowment, on the proceeds of which the strength of the institution 
 would be kept up, and be beyond the possibility of collapse from a 
 lack of interest in gathering annual funds or other contingencies. 
 A million dollars in Japanese Government bonds, — as safe as any 
 investment under the sun — would yield from $70,000 to $80,000 
 annually. That with ecomomy would keep a good institution 
 efficient, and then any additional endowment, for special professorial 
 chairs would add to that efficiency. 
 
 But where’s the money? you say. In the treasury of the 
 Lord, entrusted to Christian men, I reply. I need not give reasons 
 why the Christian world ought to give this university to Japan, 
 sufficient surely for the Christian Church and for Christian men, that 
 it is needed in Japan to carry out the Saviour’s command to disciple 
 this nation. We are debtors to Japan in the same sense that Paul 
 was a debtor to Rome, to Greeks and barbarians. And above that 
 we as Christians are debtors to Japan, owing to this people a some- 
 thing that shall counteract the bane of prolific infidelity, of rampant 
 vice, of oppressive treaty provisions. In a word we owe it to Japan 
 to undo all the evil that Western nations have done her, for Japan 
 has never done us any harm. But you say the civilization imported 
 to Japan would more than repay all the evils we have done. I am 
 not so sure about that, and I am sure of the contrary unless the 
 Christian Church import the counteracting moral and spiritual and 
 intellectual correctives. Without these the present rise of Japan will 
 be a rocket flash for a moment and then the good will go out in 
 darkness. Tell me do we not owe it to Japan to do our work 
 thoroughly and on a large scale ? 
 
 I believe it would be easy to raise $2,000,000 for a University 
 in Japan if we unitedly ask for it and give our reasons. Be certain of 
 one thing if we ask for small things, small things will be given, if 
 we ask large things, we may expect some royal giving. “ Open thy 
 mouth wide and I will fill it” says He in whose hand lie the hearts 
 and the gold of Christian lands. “ According to your faith it shall 
 
Prospects, Plans, Results. 
 
 3i 
 
 be done unto you.” Only a little while ago a Christian man gave 
 §1,000,000 to a missionary society. You read constantly of men 
 giving by the hundreds of thousands to local institutions, and now 
 let us but bring before the Christian world a plan that will commend 
 itself to their judgment, while it arouses their heart’s sympathy, and 
 every cent that is needed will be forth-coming. And they may as 
 well begin at once to become familiar with giving by the million, for 
 when the time is ripe they must give by the tens of millions. Old 
 England alone when awakened from her guilty blindness towards 
 the iniquity of the opium traffic, must disgorge those unrighteous 
 scores of millions gained by a national wrong, to carry a commen- 
 surate Evangel to China, or if there is a just God in heaven her 
 national sin will be punished by a national calamity ; better pay back 
 the national debt with treasure and with love than with the other 
 alternatives, with treasure and with blood. 
 
 But to return to Japan, an institution such as I speak of would 
 be sure to obtain special favour from the present Government of 
 Japan, and wealthy Japanese would soon vie with each other in 
 enlarging its endowment, in adding buildings and professorships, and 
 foreigners living in a free and open Japan would hail an institution 
 where their sons could be thoroughly educated without sending them 
 home, and' would also aid in its support. 
 
 And now you have my plans. A central University as a 
 permanent fountain of pure intellectual light, which shall be national 
 in its scope and a credit to the Christian world. A well equipped 
 Institute of Apologetics, armed with the press and the platform, to 
 meet the immediate exigencies of the times. The increase of 
 our missionary force by one hundred or more evangelists who 
 shall have nothing to do but to preach as in apostolic days, 
 (and what are one hundred evangelists to 37,000,000 of people ?) 
 and then thoroughly organized native churches working in harmony 
 to gather in the fruits and build for all time. And all this without 
 a revolution, conserving every advantage thus far gained, obviating 
 difficulties looming up in the near future, adding new elements 
 of operations which will speedily make this conquest of love 
 
32 The Immediate Christianization of Japan. 
 
 complete, and enable us to beat to arms for China and Corea, which 
 by that time will be ripe for larger effort. 
 
 But how is it to be brought about? for I am of a practical bent 
 of mind, and I have no idea of concocting a pleasant scheme and 
 then letting it lie to mould. Let us have action. If these plans 
 should be modified, let us modify them. I have no hard and fast 
 pet scheme to work out ; let us unite our thoughts and experience 
 upon it. And then let us — I mean the whole mission body in Japan 
 or as many as can do so — present it to the Christian world, asking 
 each board to do its best for the work now in hand, not asking them 
 as such to pay for the larger efforts, but leave these to their own 
 merits, to sink or swim as they recommend themselves to the 
 judgment of individual men and churches. 
 
 Brethren, I trust you will believe me, when I assure you that 
 what I am now about to say does not flow from an egotistic 
 confidence in my powers of persuasion or any other personal advant- 
 age, but from my confidence in the influence of a united appeal from 
 the Church of Christ in Japan ; from my faith in these plans as being 
 well adjusted to the time and the demands of the land and the people ; 
 from my faith in the Christianity of our home churches, and above 
 all from my faith in our Triune God, and his royal commission. I 
 believe, if you were to give me (or any man amongst us with 
 enthusiasm for the work) the united indorsement of the mission 
 body in Japan, a letter from each individual mission to its home 
 board, and with the consent of my home society, let me loose 
 on the Christian west, I believe I should be back inside of two 
 years with the whole of their part an accomplished fact, leaving it with 
 wiser heads, to carry out the minutiae to perfectness. And then 
 inside of ten years you could move on to China, while I would 
 start for India, — and our Japanese friends would fall heirs to the 
 institutions here. 
 
 “ There is a tide in the affairs of men 
 Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune ; 
 
 Omitted, all the voyage of their life 
 Is bound in shallows and in miseries. 
 
 On such a full sea are we now afloat ; 
 
 And we must take the current when it serves. 
 
 Or lose our ventures.” 
 
APPENDIX A. 
 
 Paper adopted at a joint meeting of the Tokio and Yokohama 
 Missionary Conferences, February 14th, 1884, to be sub- 
 mitted for approval to the Protestant Christian Missionaries 
 of Japan. 
 
 Whereas, The relations of the Japanese Government to Christianity 
 and to the world are such as make it desirable that Christians — native 
 and foreign— in this country, and especially the Missionary body, shall 
 have a recognized means of utterance for such sentiments and desires 
 as they may have in common, and 
 
 Whereas, It is also desirable that there shall be a recognized 
 means of intercommunication for missionaries in all parts of the coun- 
 try — a recognized and regular channel by which the sentiments of one 
 or more may be made known to all, and the sentiments of all may 
 be ascertained on occasion by those who may so desire, therefore — 
 Resolved, I . — That we hereby form a Christian Union of Protestant 
 Missionaries in Japan. 
 
 II . — The purpose of this Union is to represent authoritatively the 
 Protestant Christians of Japan to the Government and to the Christian 
 world, or to assist the native Christians in so doing ; and to do any 
 other work in which concerted action may be needed, subject to such 
 restrictions as are hereinafter provided. 
 
 Ill — That all Protestant missions now in Japan may register their 
 names with the Secretary of the Union, whose election is hereinafter 
 provided for, and in virtue of such registration the male members of 
 such missions shall be members of this Union. 
 
 IV . — Missions hereafter established in Japan shall be admitted 
 to registry upon a majority vote of the members of the Union, 
 
V. — Any mission or member desiring to withdraw from this Union 
 may do so at any time by expressing a desire to that effect to the - 
 Secretary. Should it appear at any time that two-fifths of the mis- 
 sionaries who have been members of the Union have withdrawn, this 
 Union shall then cease to exist. 
 
 VI. — A Council of the Union shall be formed as follows : — 
 
 1. The Council shall be representative of the great divisions of 
 
 the Protestant Church rather than of the individual missions. 
 
 2. The number of male members of the different missions, as 
 
 nearly as can now be ascertained is as follows : — 
 
 The Presbyterian family: American Presbyterian Church ... 12 
 
 Reformed Church in America 8 
 
 United Presbyterian Church of Scotland 4 
 
 Reformed Church of the United States 2 
 
 Cumberland Presbyterian Church 2 
 
 Agent of the American Bible Society 1 
 
 29 
 
 The Episcopal family: Church Missionary Society 10 
 
 American Episcopal Church 8 
 
 Society for the Propagation of the Gospel 4 
 
 Church of England Special Misson 1 
 
 23 
 
 The Methodist family : Methodist Episcopal Church of the 
 
 United States 15 
 
 Evangelical Association of North America 3 
 
 Methodist Church, Canada 3 
 
 Methodist Protestant Church 1 
 
 22 
 
 The Congregational family: A.B.C.F.M 17 
 
 The Baptist family : American Baptist Church 6 
 
 The Christian Church 2 
 
 English Baptist Church 1 
 
 Agent of the National Bible Society of Scotland 1 
 
 10 
 
 Total number of male missionaries 
 
 101 
 
3. Having regard to this grouping of numbers, and allowing 
 
 one Council member for every eight missionaries, and one 
 for the remainder in each family where such remainder 
 exceeds four, the Presbyterian family shall elect four members 
 of the Council, the Episcopal family three , the Methodist 
 family three, the Congregational family two, and the Baptist 
 family one. Total members of the Council thirteen. 
 
 4. The manner of this election shall be arranged by a temporary 
 
 committee hereinafter provided for. 
 
 5. Subsequent elections shall be arranged by the Council, M’ho 
 
 shall first present a plan for the same to all the members of 
 the Union for their approval. 
 
 VII. — The powers of the Council shall be wholly representative. 
 
 1. It shall take no action not authorized by the Union. 
 
 2. It shall not incur pecuniary liability unless specially authorized 
 
 to do -so by the Union. 
 
 3. No mission shall be bound by the action of the Council except 
 
 as it shall consent thereto. 
 
 4. It shall be the executive in all matters voted by the Union. 
 
 4. It shall call a meeting of the Union whenever in its judg- 
 ment there exists sufficiently grave reason therefor. 
 
 6. It shall receive and promptly communicate to the members 
 
 of the Union any document presented to it for that purpose 
 by a registered mission. 
 
 7. It shall register as completely as possible all native Protestant 
 
 Christian Churches, ordained ministers, licentiates, and 
 theological students, and all schools for males conducted 
 under mission auspices. 
 
 VIII. — No measure which the Council shall submit to the Union 
 shall be considered as adopted unless approved by three-fifths of the 
 members of the Union, except as provided in Resolution IV. 
 
 IX. — There shall be a new election for members of the Council 
 every two years : the members shall always continue in office until 
 their successors are elected : should vacancies occur in the interval of 
 these biennial elections they may be filled by the Council, but the 
 members thus elected shall in every case belong to the same missionary 
 family as those whose places they are to fill. 
 
 X. — This Council shall meet as soon as practicable after its 
 election ; shall elect its own officers, and prepare rules for the transac- 
 
tion of its business. It shall also determine the times and places of 
 its meetings. 
 
 XI. — The Secretary of the Council shall be the Secretary of the 
 Union. 
 
 XII. — It is recommended that a Union and Council of Japanese 
 Christians be formed if practicable, and the two Unions and Councils 
 shall act in concert so far as possible. 
 
 X III. — A temporary committee of three shall be appointed who 
 shall at once bring to the notice of all Protestant Christian missions 
 in Japan the action recommended in this paper. When it shall be 
 advised that eight members of the Council have been elected in the 
 manner herein provided it shall call them together for organization, 
 and the Union shall then be considered established. This Committee 
 shall also endeavor to effect the organization of Japanese Christians 
 referred to in Resolution XII. When the Council shall have been 
 organized the existence of this temporary committee shall cease. 
 
 XIV. — Men who are actively engaged in missionary work, but 
 not connected with any of these registered missions, may be elected 
 by the Council to membership in this Union, and shall hold the same 
 relation to the Union as other members. They shall be classed with 
 the missionary family which naturally includes the churches to which 
 they belong. 
 
 The temporary committee provided for by Resolution XIII. was 
 appointed, as follows : — Rev. Jas. L. Amerman, Rev. C. S. Eby, Rev. 
 C. H. D. Fisher. 
 
APPENDIX B. 
 
 The Members of the Tokio and Yokohama Missionary Con- 
 ferences, respectfully submit to the Christian Union for 
 their consideration and adoption the following Memorial: 
 
 Considering the exceptional position which Protestant Mis- 
 sionaries occupy in the eyes of the Japanese people and the world, we 
 feel the pressing necessity of concentrated and enlarged effort in the 
 speedy evangelization of Japan; and in our endeavors to draw closer 
 together in our advance to win this land for Christ we wish to keep 
 before our minds three fundamental principles : — 
 
 /.—That as we stand as lightbearers for this nation, with the eyes 
 of the rulers and of the people upon us, and since it may be that with 
 us stands or falls a pure growing Christianity for Japan, Therefore, 
 we acknowledge our unworthiness and impotence, and importune the 
 Spirit of Almighty Love to endue us with power, and to this end we 
 beseech all who love our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to plead for 
 us before the Throne of the Majesty on high that we may have wisdom 
 and strength given to us for this our great work. 
 
 II. — The second principle is that while remaining faithful to our 
 creeds and to those churches which have sent us to this land, yet as 
 far as possible we unite in certain branches of our work, so that each of 
 us may cooperate with one of the five great families into which the 
 Christian Protestant Church may be divided, viz., Episcopal, Presby- 
 terian, Methodist, Congregational, and Baptist. 
 
 III. — The third object we wish to strive after is, that the native 
 churches become speedily self-supporting, and in consequence self- 
 controlling, and when this end is fully attained, which is the end of all 
 missionary effort, the native church will be independent, and the 
 reason of our presence here as missionaries will have ceased to be. 
 
(VI) 
 
 In carrying out these principles there are three points toward 
 which our efforts can be directed and which we feel to be of vast im- 
 portance in the immediate future which is opening before us ; they are : — 
 I. — Evangelistic Work. II. — A Christian Institute. III. — A System 
 of Christian Education. 
 
 I. — Evangelistic Work. 
 
 At the Osaka Conference last year the following action was taken: 
 Resolved : That it is the opinion of this Conference that in view of 
 the favorableness of the field for mission work and of the possibility 
 of the conversion of the land to the Gospel of Christ within reasonable 
 limits of time, and of the effect of such conversion upon Christendom 
 and the world in general and upon the neighboring continent of China 
 in particular, there is a strong call upon the Christian Churches in 
 Europe and America to considerably strengthen the missions in Japan 
 with thoroughly devout, earnest, and specially well trained men and 
 women for all departments of missionary labour.” 
 
 Since the passing of this resolution many of the missions have 
 asked for an increase in their force of workers. Calls have come in 
 from different parts of the field for preachers, especially foreigners; we 
 feel that in the face of the thirty-seven millions to be Christianized 
 our present missionary force is all too small ; we have reason, too, to 
 think that at no very distant day the whole country will be fully thrown 
 open to foreign intercourse : and above all else we are persuaded from 
 all the indications of the times, that the next five years, before the 
 promulgation of the new constitution and the inauguration of popular 
 government by a parliament elected by the people, will be the golden 
 opportunity for the evangelizing of Japan. If before that time Chris- 
 tianity become a popular force, its future is secured ; if on the other 
 hand popular sentiment remains as to-day, pagan or agnostic, we may 
 expect the natural outcome of that sentiment in the direct or indirect 
 repression of Christianity. Therefore — - 
 
 Resolved : That we as the body of Protestant Missionaries in Japan 
 unitedly and urgently request our home churches to increase the 
 force of our missions, to at least double the number now in the field, 
 and that the workers sent be especially selected for their qualifications 
 in evangelistic work. 
 
( VII ) 
 
 Resolved : That we recommend that steps be taken at the different 
 missionary centres for the new missionaries to begin a regular course 
 of study of the language, such as that recommended by the Osaka 
 Conference, and that they meet together for mutual help in their 
 studies, if possible under the direction of some of the older missionaries. 
 Resolved: That, we further recommend, in order to- show to the Japa- 
 nese our essential oneness in Christ, as well as for efficiency and economy 
 in our work, that wherever it is practicable and mutually agreeable, 
 evangelists of different denominations go out together on their mis- 
 sionary tours. 
 
 II. — A Christian Institute. 
 
 There is a growing need felt for an apologetic institution which 
 can more effectively cope with the agnosticism and infidelity which are 
 moulding the minds and lives of the people. Lectures have not only 
 become very popular, but have grown to be a power in the land ; the 
 native Christians as well as the foreign missionaries have used them 
 with great success ; especially have the benefits of the course given 
 last year in the Meiji Kuaido been widely felt. No Church building 
 is at all large enough or suitable for lecture purposes, nor is there any 
 public hall which is at all times available. The building of a lecture 
 hall has long been agitated among the native Christians and they are 
 very anxious for it, and will willingly subscribe towards it according to 
 their ability, therefore — 
 
 Resolved : That we consider the erection of such a hall in Tokio an 
 immediate necessity. 
 
 Resolved : That the control and management of this hall be vested in 
 the Council of the Christian Union as trustees who may associate with 
 themselves such members of the Japanese Council as they may select. 
 Resolved : That the legal holding of the property shall be vested in 
 such manner as the Council shall decide with the approval of the 
 Union. 
 
 Resolved : That the Council be empowered to carry out the plans for 
 the establishment of such a Christian Institute as they receive funds 
 for the purpose in the following order of importance. 
 
( VIII ) 
 
 1. The building for the hall. 
 
 That it be substantial and as far as possible fire-proof. That it 
 be capable of seating from one to two thousand persons ; with smaller 
 rooms to seat from one to five hundred persons. 
 
 2. A Library of apologetic and other literature of all languages 
 that can be used with advantage. Also a Reading Room. 
 
 3. Publication. 
 
 Instead of starting a new Magazine in connection with the hall 
 we recommend that there be cooperation with the existing Japanese 
 periodicals as far as practicable, so as to produce a publication com- 
 mensurate with the needs of the times. 
 
 4. Printing Press. 
 
 We recommend that the subject of a printing press in connection, 
 with the hall be left with the Council to decide after consultation with 
 the Bible and Tract Societies. 
 
 Resolved : That in order to the efficient working of this scheme, viz., 
 to keep an outlook on the prevailing thought of the educated classes, 
 particularly the phases of doubt and scepticism that sway the young 
 men of the nation, to meet these doubts and attacks on Christianity in 
 a systematic manner by the use of platform and press, to arrange for 
 courses of lectures by foreigners and Japanese, we deem it necessary 
 that a competent man be employed who shall give his whole time to 
 this work. 
 
 Resolved : That as soon as the means be available for the support of a 
 suitable person, his selection and appointment be left in the hands of 
 the Council, to whom also he shall be amenable. 
 
 III. — A System of Christian Education. 
 
 Ever since the country has been opened and the Government 
 began to foster popular education on lines similar to those followed by 
 the lands of the west, the numbers of youths and young men seeking 
 an education has been enormous, filling not only Government institu- 
 tions to overflowing, but crowding to their utmost capacity, such 
 private and mission schools as offer systematic training. 
 
 The probable emendation of the conscription laws, so that persons 
 who pass certain literary examinations shall be exempt for a longer or 
 a shorter period irrespective of the schools in which they study, will 
 give an immense impetus to this movement, which will drive thousands 
 
to enter all available schools, especially such as belong to a system 
 which takes the student from the lowest to the highest grades, to the 
 detriment of those which do not. 
 
 Again the immense expense attendant thereupon, has made it 
 necessary for Japanese preparatory schools to dispense with many foreign 
 teachers all through the country, their places being supplied by 
 Japanese who but rarely have a thorough knowledge of English, and 
 who lead their scholars through what is known as “ meaning classes," 
 giving instruction in the meaning of English books without teaching 
 the language. The same tendency is seen also in the highest colleges 
 of the land ; the foreign professor is being gradually replaced by Japa- 
 nese, and instruction is being imparted more and more through the 
 Japanese language. The result of the whole system is that the training 
 of men now entering the university classes and the Imperial College 
 of Engineering, etc., is immensely inferior to that which characterized 
 the classes of a few years ago, while many earnest students are growing 
 dissatisfied with a system which seeks to dispense with the English 
 language and foreign professor. 
 
 What is wanted to-day above all else in Japan is a thorough edu- 
 cation as opposed to a superficial one, a Christian education as opposed 
 to a pagan or infidel one, an education which makes the English 
 language the medium of higher grades as opposed to a purely vernacular 
 one. In supplying such a want a most remarkable opportunity is open 
 to Christian philanthropy, such as rarely occurs in the history of nations, 
 for the moulding of the intellectual life of a whole people. 
 
 Hence we would emphasize the many appeals that have been sent 
 to our home churches asking for more help and larger means to meet 
 the educational exigencies of the day. 
 
 In dealing with this question there are three points of importance. 
 I. Preparatory Schools and Academies. II. Theological Seminaries, 
 and III. A Christian University. 
 
 I. — Preparatory Schools and Academies. 
 
 For reasons cited above the schools founded by missions, and at 
 all adequately manned, have more scholars than they can properly train, 
 
and have not ceased to appeal for help, and now in view of the 
 increased demand for educational facilities. 
 
 Resolved : That we would doubly emphasize the necessity for 
 enlarged support and a full equipment of men for all those schools and 
 seminaries that have been or will be founded under the auspices of a 
 denomination or family of denominations. These institutions should 
 aim at giving a thorough training in every branch required for matri- 
 culation in the University, and even in case of persons who do not aim 
 at higher grades, a further training for business or other callings. 
 Such an institution should never have less than four or five foreign 
 teachers whose time would be wholly given to the work, besides Japa- 
 nese teachers for Chinese and vernacular branches. 
 
 II. — Theological Seminaries. 
 
 We need not argue the question of the necessity of a thorough 
 education for ministers of the gospel, even in our home lands where 
 we breathe in Christian ideas from the cradle, and deal with a literature 
 impregnated with Christian thought, but the need of a thorough course 
 of instruction must be more apparent with a class of people who have 
 been born in an unchristian land, nourished under unchristian influences 
 and on a literature in which Christ is unknown. The number of young 
 men seeking a theological training will necessarily rapidly increase 
 with every advance of the Christian Church, and the imperative demand 
 for such workers will be increasingly felt as new avenues open up before 
 Christian enterprize. Hence — 
 
 Resolved: That we urge the speedy and thorough equipment of 
 theological seminaries in connection with denominations or denomi- 
 national families. Such seminaries should each have not less than 
 three or four thoroughly equipped foreign theological professors, who 
 would give their whole time to this work. 
 
 III. — -A Christian University. 
 
 In order to complete the system of Christian education, to bind it 
 together into one compact whole, and supply the great need of the 
 higher grades, we need facilities for giving a thorough university training 
 in Science, Philosophy, Literature, Law, and Medicine. In fact, so 
 keenly has this want been felt, that several of the denominations 
 
have made strong representations to the home churches on the subject, 
 and appealed for large sums of money for the purpose of founding 
 universities. 
 
 We would, however, strongly recommend that all the Protestant 
 missions in Japan unite in the establishment of one central institution 
 which would concentrate upon it the sympathy and the help of the 
 Christian world to ensure its thoroughness and complete success, so 
 that all the Protestant churches of the land might share in its benefits. 
 The reasons for this recommendation are as follows : — 
 
 1. — In educating men in the higher branches of Science, Philo- 
 sophy, Literature, Law, and Medicine, there exists no reason for 
 denominational distinctions, and to carry them into such regions will 
 be a mistake, if a pure Christian influence can be secured by other 
 means. 
 
 2. — While there is ample room for Christian university work 
 in Japan besides the government institution, we do not think the 
 time is ripe for the establishment of four or five such rival institutions. 
 The proportion of graduates, from all the preparatory schools under 
 Christian influences that would enter such universities, would not be 
 more than enough for one well-equipped institution. 
 
 3. — Any establishment of this sort, to meet the exigencies of the 
 time and become a truly national power, must be on such a scale as to 
 command respect and ensure thorough work in every branch, and we 
 feel that no single denomination or family of denominations would be 
 able to provide the funds necessary for such an institution, and efforts 
 to secure the same and inaugurate such work would militate against 
 the efficiency of other work more purely missionary and under deno- 
 minational control. 
 
 4. — While efforts have been made and appeals to this end have 
 been sent home by several missions, and even large contributions have 
 been promised, we deem it providential that no steps have yet been 
 taken by any Board that would necessarily prevent at this juncture a 
 happy combination of strength in this enterprize. 
 
 5. — Such a university would not only unite economy of men and 
 money with increased thoroughness of result, but speedily become a 
 national power, and furnish a standing and striking proof to this 
 nation, of the essential oneness of Evangelical Christianity the world 
 over, thereby increasing the moral influence of our Japanese churches 
 manifold. 
 
 This university should be equipped with thoroughly trained 
 foreign professors and the instruction should be given in the English 
 
language ; Japanese and Chinese being used only where these languages 
 are necessary to the study of the philosophical productions of these 
 nations. Amongst many reasons we cite the following : 
 
 1. As the Greek language and Greek philosophy moulded the 
 intellectual life of the ancient civilization of the Roman world, and as 
 the Latin language and Latin Christianity moulded that of Europe of 
 the middle ages, so the English language and Evangelical Christianity 
 are now moulding the aggressive intellectual developments of the 
 nations, and will give character to the coming civilization of the wider 
 world now opening up before the brotherhood of man. 
 
 2. As Japan is the strategic point for the civilizing and Christi- 
 anizing of all the lands of the Far East, it becomes doubly necessary 
 that this twin force of the English language and a pure Christianity 
 should unite to mould and elevate the highest intellect of this nation, 
 until it becomes in reality “ the Great Britain of the Orient.” 
 
 3. This would not of course change the national language any 
 more than Latin changed the German, or hinder the development of 
 any national phase of culture worth preserving ; these would of course 
 be left to native enterprize and growth. 
 
 4. The above mentioned tendency to diminish and finally do 
 without foreign professors and the English language in the Govern- 
 ment university, takes of course a partial view of the larger problem 
 and narrows the scope to local purposes, yet this very characteristic 
 together with the unchristian and agnostic character of its philosophical 
 and moral teaching exactly meets the sentiments of the majority of the 
 young men of the present generation, making it impossible that a 
 change could take place speedily in the direction of Christianity and 
 the English language in the above institution. 
 
 5. But there is a strong and important element all through the 
 land which demands foreign instruction and that in the English 
 language ; and if such a want could be met by Christian foreigners, 
 the double benefit mentioned above would be secured. 
 
 6. We are also assured that the Government, far from taking 
 umbrage at this enterprize, would look upon it with favor, and in all 
 probability directly or indirectly assist towards its success. Therefore: 
 
 Resolved : That we make a united effort for the establishment of such 
 a Christian University for Japan, in which will centre the sympathy of 
 the Christian world, and in the benefits of which all Christian missions 
 will have a common interest. 
 
 That the location of said university be left to the decision of the 
 Council. 
 
(XII.) 
 
 That, to meet the immediate exigencies of the case in the founding 
 of the university we need four hundred thousand dollars (^80,000) 
 to provide necessary buildings, appliances and other incidental re- 
 quirements. 
 
 That, to meet the annual expenses of salaries of 1 5 foreign pro- 
 fessors, a staff of Japanese assistants and other incidental expenses, an 
 annual income of seventy thousand dollars (^14,000) is necessary, to 
 secure which an endowment fund is needed of say one million two 
 hundred thousand dollars (^240,000). 
 
 Resolved: That the Council of the Christian union be appointed 
 trustees of all the property held in japan, with power to appoint a local 
 treasurer, to associate with themselves members of the Japanese 
 Council, and to carry out all local arrangements. 
 
 Resolved : That the trustees of the endowment fund be appointed with 
 the advice and consent of the donors of the funds. 
 
 Resolved : That the Council have authority to correspond with various 
 bodies and persons in Europe and America in regard to the selection 
 of professors for the university, and that they have the power to appoint 
 them and determine their salaries. 
 
 Resolved : That the Council take no step in this regard until sufficient 
 money shall have' been collected to make a creditable beginning 
 possible, and there shall be a prospect of its successful completion. 
 Resolved : That should the Union at any time dissolve, all the interests 
 and functions, which are hereby, and hereafter will be, vested in the 
 Council of the Union, shall be vested in a council of such missions as 
 shall combine for the furtherance of these enterprizes, said council to 
 be elected as such missions may determine : 
 
 Resolved : That in order to carry out the herein proposed plans, we 
 respectfully ask the Mission Board of the Methodist Church in Canada, 
 to allow the Rev. C. S. Eby to be appointed for the purpose of present- 
 ing them to the Christian public and of raising the funds if possible 
 for this Christian Institute and Christian University. 
 
 Resolved : That in case Mr. Eby is set apart for this work, the missions 
 connected with this union do hereby request their home Boards to 
 
( xiv ) 
 
 correspond with the Board of the Methodist Church in Canada and 
 guarantee a just proportion of his salary and travelling expenses, while 
 engaged therein, until such time as the funds begin to come in, when 
 any amounts thus paid will be refunded and all further expenses will 
 be charged to the enterprize. 
 
 Resolved : That we do hereby each and all as missionaries give our 
 hearty and entire indorsement to our brother Mr. Eby in this work, 
 and that each of the missions be requested to give him an official letter 
 to their home Boards, that they may render him all encouragement 
 and sympathy in the prosecution of the same. 
 
 Resolved : That all missionaries belonging to missions represented in 
 this Union who are now at home on furlough, or who will be at home 
 while the money for these enterprizes is being raised, are hereby re- 
 quested to aid in presenting this scheme to the Christian public, and 
 to correspond with Mr. Eby, so as to ensure harmony of action and to 
 keep him apprised of all contributions. 
 
A COURSE OF LECTURES 
 
 DELIVERED IN MEIJI KUAIDO, TOKIO, JAPAN, 
 
 BY 
 
 CHARLES S. EBY, B.A. 
 
 Including One Lecture each by Prof. J. A. Ewing, 
 B.Sc., F.R.S.E., of the Science Department, Tokio 
 University, and Prof. J. M. Dixon, M.A., of the Im- 
 perial College of Engineering, Tokio. 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 1. — Lecture I. Christianity and Civilization. 
 
 2. — Lecture II. The Relations of the Christian Religion to 
 
 Natural Science, especially to the Theory of Evolution. 
 (Prof. Ewing). 
 
 3. — An Interlude ; Review of Mr. H. Spencer’s “ First 
 
 Principles.” 
 
 4. — Lecture III. A Psychological View : What is Man ? 
 
 5. — An Excursus ; First Principles of a Philosophy of 
 
 Common Sense, Science, and Christianity. 
 
 6. — Lecture IV. Christianity and History (Prof. Dixon). 
 
 7. — Lecture V. Christianity and other Religions. 
 
 8. — Lecture VI. Christianity and Morality. 
 
 9. — Conclusion : Summary and Result. 
 
 Price, $2.00, Postpaid to any part of the world. 
 
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 Tract Society, 77, Main Street, Yokohama, Japan. 
 
CHRISTIANITY AND HUMANITY. 
 
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 scholarly way, and yet with evident adaptation to the pro- 
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