Missionary alliance 1888.pdf - DSpace

66 INTER'SEYINAR\ MISSIONARY ALLIANCE.Tbus tbrougb tbe centuries Japan slumbered on. Tbe dawn of theChristlan era, the darkness of the middle ages, the Reformation andawakening of \Vestern Europe, the discovery and development of theNew World, were alike unknown. But now, in the closing years ofthe nineteenth century, Japan bas awakened to life and action. Sheperceives that other nations, long despised, have left her far behind jbut with aD energy remarkable in an Oriental people sbe is startlingthe world with her rapid strides toward the civilization of the west.On the wonderful progress of Japan during the last quarter of acentury I do Dot need to dwell. A brief mention of the successivesteps of advancement will be sufficient. The strongest feudal systemt~e world bas known has been destroyed. Caste distinction has lar gelydIsappeared. The government has been strengtbened by tbe abolitionof the Sbogunate, and restoration of the Mikado to his rigbtful placeas the active head of the nation. A still further improvement willprobably take place in 1890, in the establisbment of a P arliament oftwo. houses .. A ~ational army and navy have been organized. Thepolice force IS said to be the best in the world. n er educational systemsurpasses our own, after which it has been modeled. The postalservice combin~s the best features of the American and the Europeansystems. The public press, unknown twenty years ago, is now representedby five hundred daily, weflkly and monthly periodicals. T head~ption of the Roman alphabet, to replace the difUcult c h aracte r ~ inwhIch the language is now written, is now earnestly advocated Thesteambo.at, railroad, telegraph and telephone are operated by 'nativecom~aDles. I~ fine, all t~e achievements of modern science are calledto Iud Japan 10 her rapidly developing civilization. Change is constant.Every day brings fresh surprises. E very steamer that crossesthe Pacific brings tidings of further advancement on the part of thenew Japan.The question naturally arises,- IIow is it that a nation so long dormant,a people so long in the darkness of a self-imposed isolatiwhen . suddenly brought into the light of the nineteenth c en t ury, can on, soreadily adapt itself to the new civilization? " Perbaps th e answer . ISfound tn the - inherent . d character of the people themselves - 'rh e J apaneseI D h erlt miD s well trained by an exacting syste moe f d ucatlOn. .T he upper classes can boast of 1I. longer line of ed uca t e d ancestorsthan we. 'Vhen OUT . fathers . . . were barbarians in N or tb ern E urope th e. J apaneae were . a semi-CIVIlIzed . . race ' and arno n g th em were scholars 'we II vened lD Onental .' literature the Analects of C on f nClUS . and theThousand-character . . ClasSICS of China . An Imp erla . I U' lllversity . andnumerous . prOVinCial schools existed in Japan fou r h un d re d years beareWUham the Conqueror led the Norman hosts I' n t 0 B' ntalD. .fWhatever effect . this ancient learning may have h a d on t h e people ofto·day, certain it 18 that the average J apanes6 possesses a min . d capable of• •TIlE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CRISIS IN JAPAN.67grappling witb and mastering tbe problems wbicb modern scienceoffers. One of our college presidents bas stated that tbe finest mindwith which it has ever been his privilege to come in contact was that ofa young student from .Japan. Sucb testimony is suggestive of thepossibilities in store for a nation whose youth possess such minds.It is the intention of Japan speedily to place berself among tbeforemost nations of the earth. Her young men are filled witb this progressivespirit. E agerly and intensely in earnest, they hesitate not toenter any field of investigation which may aid them in ctlrrying outtheir purpose. Kno wledge they crave, knowledge tlley wiJl have, allthat the world can gi ve. 1' bis activity of thoughf, this restless spirit ofinq uiry, this persistency o f iD\'estigation, this eagerness for knowledgewill not cease, until .J s pan is counted as one of the most enlightenednations of the earth, and her scholars the peers of any in Europe orAmerica.The wide· spread intellectual activity permeating all classes, createsa. demand for education never before paralleled in the world's history.Tbey fully understand tbata knowledge of ~;nglish givesready access tothe storehouses of western science. This fact presents to the Christianmissionary a wonderful field of opportunity. Its importance is fullyrealized by those already on the ground, and they are seeking to impressupon the Christians at home the imperative need of reinforcementsto meet this d",mand for English teachers.From all parts of J apan comes the same testimony on this point.Mr. Eby, of 'rokyo, says: "There is a perfect furore for the acqui€itionof English, and the Deed for teachers puts into the hands of Christiansthe most potent factor to reach and mould the youth of the land."A missionary, of K umamoto, in southern Japan writes: "The Christianschools are the most potent means of evangelization Rnd enable themissionary to do effective work while engaged in acquiring the language."Another writing from Sendai, orth Japan, says : "The grandopportunity noW is in connection with the schools. Japan is bound tolearn English. If the missionaries will teach it, they are welcome toteach Christhmity at the same time, but if they do not, En~lish will betaught largely by those who will give nO Chri::.tian and no moral instructionin conoection with it."To meet t his demand for teachers a new departure in missionarywork has boeu undertaken, 1Jiz: The co-operation of the Young Men'sChr istian Association with the American Board in sending young mento teach E nglish in the Government schools of Japan. Th.is was tirstsuggested by Mr. DeForest, and was wa~'mIY secon.ded b! hiS associatesat Sendai where the wonderful results III {'onnectIOn With that !;choolshowed the advisibility of some general effort in the same direction.In urging its necessity they said: . II T~e needs of t~e hour seem to beimpelling all the missions in the dIrectIon of educatlonal work, and it