JAPAN AND SOxME OF ITS PROBLEMS, RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL. 41 



which they had given him. He must admit that his knowledge of 

 Japan was largely second-hand ; he had stayed there for four months 

 in 1912, and had then enjoyed exceptional facilities for getting to 

 know the country and people. His daughter had resided there for 

 •eighteen years and knew the language thoroughly, l)ut most of his 

 information he had derived from others. In reply to the questions 

 that had been asked him : it was the fact that English business 

 men, whom he had asked, trusted Chinamen rather than Japanese. 

 With regard to education in Japan, he did not know of the New 

 Testament being used as a text-book in any Japanese Government 

 school, and English was not usually taught there. But at Osaka, 

 And in other Church Missionary schools, English was taught, and the 

 knowledge of English is spreading. In most of the shops at Tokyo, 

 English is spoken. The similarity between Buddhist and Eoman 

 Catholic rites might possibly have been derived from the Jesuit 

 missions, images and books being preserved in secret from the time 

 of the persecution. He knew that this had happened in some 

 places, but, in view of the fierceness of that persecution, it was not 

 likely that much of the resemblance had been brought about in 

 that way. What Japan needed was the pure Christianity of the 

 Bible, not deteriorated by ecclesiasticism or rationalism. An English 

 bishop had told him that it was quite possible that the whole of 

 Japan might at some time rapidly adopt Christianity. This would 

 come about if a great leader arose, like the religious reformers that 

 Japan had had in the past, who should commend Christianity to 

 them. But, in that case, it would be a national adoption of 

 Christianity, not a personal acceptance of Christ. As to the 

 meaning of Nirvana, that was a very difficult question to answer. 

 The nearest way by which one could express it was to say that 

 Nirvana meant " nothingness." In conclusion, he would say that 

 it took a very long time for the European to learn and understand 

 the Asiatic. They ought, therefore, to take care not to judge the 

 Japanese too hastily and too harshly. 



The Lecturer subsequently added the following remarks in 

 reply to Mr. Schwartz : 



The writer of the paper is not aware that he made any disparag- 

 ing remarks on " broad views." If he did so, he much regrets it ; 

 for he always avoids the term " broad " in the sense that 

 Mr. Schwartz seems to attach to it ; just as much as he also avoids 



