38 



THE REV. PREBENDARY H. E. FOX, M.A., ON 



between the two religions, and I think there is no doubt whatever 

 that Buddhist missionaries visited Western Asia, Greece and Egypt, 

 before the Christian Era. The Japanese do not admit their moral 

 inferiority ; they came over to Europe to learn and adopt western 

 methods, and have assimilated our arts and sciences, but our 

 religious, moral and social practices do not appeal to them. Our 

 author alludes to the fanaticism displayed in the persecutions and 

 atrocities inflicted on the first Christian missionaries in Japan. 

 These persecutions were political, for these first missionaries were 

 Jesuits, who fomented revolution and national disintegration. 

 Teyasu realised the danger and put them down with a strong hand. 

 I am sorry to learn that our author has so poor an opinion of the 

 value of broad views, for they alone have any chance of success in 

 heathen countries possessing any culture, except among the moral 

 and intellectual dregs and children."^ Thus Dr. Nitobe says : " I 

 trust my attitude towards Christianity itself will not be questioned. 

 It is with ecclesiastical methods and with the forms that obscure the 

 teaching of Christ that I have little sympathy." At the World's 

 Parliament of Religions, Mr. Kishimite said : " Christianity will 

 ultimately become the religion of the land ; it is so pliable that it 

 can adapt itself to any environment. We do not want Catholic or 

 Protestant, but the Christianity of the Bible, nay of Christ. Indeed 

 the time is coming when God shall be worshipped, not by rites and 

 ceremonies, but in spirit and in truth ! " 



Capt. McNeile asked if the similarity between the Japanese and 

 mediaeval forms of worship may not have arisen from the influence 

 of the Jesuit missions of bygone centuries. About 35 years ago the 

 Church Missionary Society in Hong Kong were debating what 

 Chinese word to take to represent the idea, "the Almighty," -there 

 being no equivalent expression in Chinese ; and difficulties arose 



* But are such " broad views " Christianity ? Christianity, like 

 Christ, comes to save the lost. He came not to call the righteous, but 

 sinners to repentence, and was accused of being the Friend of publicans 

 and sinners, i.e., of " the moral and intellectual dregs." The people of 

 " culture ^' said, " Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on 

 Him ? " But the sinners and the little children came to Him and He 

 received them, and said, " Except ye be converted and become as little 

 children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." While the 

 men of " culture," — the scribes and Pharisees, the chief priests and rulers 

 of the Jews, — rejected Him and crucified Him. — Editor. 



