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PUBLISBED WITB TBE APPROVALof theBOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS,REFORMED PRESBTTERIAN CBURCB,U. S. A.mx Wxm^ d §imm mxhTHE RELIGIOUS OUTLOOK IN JAPAN. One of the most remarkable indications of whatBeo F. N; Zabriskie, D.D,, Princeton, N, J. might be styled a European (or rather. Occidental)"craze " is the adoption of our style of dressJapan began its career of civilization underthe conquerors from Corea about the beginning by the women, at the recommendation of the Empressherself,—so that it is already not only fash­of our Christian era, and carried it forward withbrilliant progress, interrupted by a period of inti'inalfaction and foreign war from the eighth to bihty, for women to wear foreign attire and toionable, but is getting to be a mark of respecta-the seventeenth century, since which time the clothe their children in foreign style. Surely aEmphe has enjoyed profound peace. The sixteenthcentury was distinguished by efforts on thepart of the Portuguese and Dutch to introduceChristianity and commerce. . . But it wasreserved for our young Republic io eftect thefirst treaty of re-admission to foreigners, and tointroduce a pure and Protestant religion.Tben all at once Japan reahzed that, howeveralways proved to be the very citadel of Asiaticheathenism has in Japan yielded at a touch,—highly civilized in her own way and in her own the isolation and immobihty of woman. Bettereyes, she had stood still as respects the great even than this, Japanese manhood has ceased toworld-movement in science, politics aud ideas, wbich despise womanhood, and is eager to raise her to ahad been sweeping over the nations that make history.social and intellectual standard corresponding toThe foreigner who had anything to teach, thai of Europe and America.or any improvement in living to offer, was now The demand for schools, especially ihose taughta« welcomed as he had a little while before been by missionaries, is such that it cannot be supplied.The I aac Ferris Seminary ot our Church*repulsed, 'l'he knowledge possessed by othernations was eagerly sought ior, both that which with 105 pupils has to turn away applicants constantlyfor want of accommodations, and couldrelates to the philosophy and to the arts of life,—so much so that they could not wait for tbese to easily double its numbers ; and the same is truebe brought to them, but sent their choicest young of all the mission schools. Prominent men aremen to acquire them abroad. The d'siinctive enlisted in the movement. A meeting was recentlyfeatures of nineteenth century civilization are beingheld at the house of the Prime Minister,rapidly adopted—railroads, telegraphs, steam-aera, which two Japanese gentlemen pledged them­banks, hospitals, daily papers, and a complete selves for $50,000 to establish a girls' school ofschool system, a code of laws, a military andnaval organization, all based on the most advancedmodels of Christian lands.typical act! For is not Japan therein, as by afigure, casting off 'vsold clothes ? And the sageTeufelsdrockh, you know, has demonstrated thatclothes are character. It is to my mind significantof more than any other incident ofthis revolution.For it means that the thing which hasthe highest grade. What is especially encouragingis the fact thai ii is Christian schools which' EeforBied Churcli in America.