The Church in Japan

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 19, 7 May 1903, Page 6

The Church in Japan

When the mail left Japan on March 14 the Right Rev. Ur. Gallagher (Bishop of Goulburn), the Right Rev. Dr. Higgins (Bishop of Uockhampton), and the Very Rev. Dean Slattery (Newtown) were within a few days of their departure, which was fixed for the 18th. The following interesting remarks (says tho Sydney ' Freeman's Journal ') form part of a letter from Dr. Gallagher, dated Nikko, March 13 :—: —

' I must say that Japan is well worth a visit. In truth, it is an all-important matter for Australians to realise what is being done here. I hrn c hardly any hesitation in saying that, so far as a passing visitor can judge from what comes before him externally, Japan is fast becoming one of the most advanced nations on earth. The railway extension, the telegiaph and telephone systems, electric lighting, both in streets and private houses, the hotel accommodation, the schools, primary, technical, and university — are all, I certainly believe, in advance of Australia, more like the United States. But they are all on purely secular lines. The immense number of temples, their wealth of adornment, and the care even still bestowed upon them, show that formeily the Japanese must have been, in their own way, a religious people. But, with the exception perhaps of remote districts, all that is now changed The educational system is altogether based on secularism and materialism T am told that the university students are intimately acquainted with such writers as Huxley and Spencer, and Kant and Hornack. It is to be feared even that those who attend the schools of the missionaries — Catholic included — come to learn the English and French languages, and to become acquainted with European habits and knowledge of business ; but not many genuine and sinceie conversions to Christianity. Japan is, in a word, a wonderful — probably the most surprising • — illustration the world has e\er seen of progress and ciMlisation m the purely material order From all we can learn, the moral tone in prnnte and social lite is at a \ cry low ebb But extein.illv. and so lav as any casual -visitor can see, there is nothinc to offend the most sensitive E\ cry thing is orderly, becoming and decoi oiis

' r J he Catholic missionaries are doing a noble work In Tokio alone theie are some J5 or 2O piieMs, with on Archbishop, Monsignor Osouf, at their head — all learned, laborious, de\oted, and zealous men The Sistci.s also ha-\e fine schools — -the one we visited in Tokio ha^ in? over 800 childien in attendance. Among these Sisters wo met an Irish lady, a cousin of Mr i\PSweeney, of' Chiltern. Victoria strong, bright, cheerful, and happy In all there are some 60,000 Catholics under one archbishop and thiee suffragans — not so very many, when we consider that Japan has a population of o\or 45,00(1 000 Some of the clergy seem to me to be depressed and to regard the future as gloomy , othei s are more sanguine and hopeful, and think that in the disruption of nil indigenous religion and disappe.n anco of Buddahism and Shintoism, there is a grand field for missiorwny enterpuse. The missionaries ?-ecei\ed us everywhere with extreme kindness, speak English wonderfully well, and are as conversant with the outer world and trend of modem thought as we are in Australia The great disunion and quarrelling among the innumerable sects that are here e\ erv where and from e\ cry country, are a gieat obstacle to the spread of Christianity. In Tok\o alone there must be moie than 20 religiors sects, well provided with resources — each in its own way working yealouslv for the conversion of the heathen." The Russian Cathedral is by far the finest building But probably the American missionary bodies have mast money at their backs The Catholics are poorest, but have moie Japanese Christians than all tho others combined On the whole, and from e\erv point of view, this is a most interesting country lo visit

'We have hardly seen the word " Australia " mentioned in any paper or in any iorm since we left Both China and '.Japan dislike Australia on account of the "Exclusion Act. T bclie\e the day will come when they ■will force its repeal — and then Australians must look out for" the supremacy of the white race '