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Show IpsIoTfIF war with ii s. " i People Feel Best Interests Depend De-pend Upon Preservation of Friendship. ASK FAIR TREATMENT Christian Missionaries Doing Much to Ameliorate Social Conditions in Orient St Louis, Mo., Oct 18. Japanese people feel that tho best Interests of their country depend upon their I preservation of friendly relations with the United States, tho Rt Rev. H. H. St. George Tucker, bishop of Kyoto, told delegates to tho general convention conven-tion of the Protestant Episcopal church today. Bishop Tucker spoko at a joint session ses-sion of the two houses, reviewing the scope and methods of tho church's foreign mission work. "I have had large opportunities for meeting Japanese of all classes," he said, "and I have never heard the opinion that there is any essential conflict between tho interests of Japan Ja-pan and America exprossed. "Tho only possible cause of trouble trou-ble would bo in a conviction on the part of the Japanese that they were being unjustly discriminated against and their national honor was involved. involv-ed. Even In regard to the question of emigration of the Japanese in this country, tho Japanese government has shown willingness to meet the wishes of America by the so-called 'gentleman's agreement' Japs Want Fair Treatment. "It has undertaken to prevent further fur-ther emigration of Japanese to America Am-erica and statistics show in the nast two or three years they have carried out this agreement All they ask is fair, undiscriminating treatment of the Japanese, at present residents of America." Bishop Tucker asserted that Occidental Occi-dental thought and lifo is penetrating the countries in the Orient in an ever increasing volume and said that the purpose of Christianity there is to receive not only tho intellectual life but the idealistic side. "While tho Japanese, whose thinkers think-ers realize that some form of religion relig-ion is essential to safeguard the moral mor-al life of tho peoplo," ho said, "aro not yet persuaded that Christianity is best fitted to meet their need, our progress in Japan gives every reason that in the future the peoplo will recognize rec-ognize its value." Missionaries In China. In speaking of China, Bishop Tucker Tuck-er declared that Christian missionaries missionar-ies in that country have done much to ameliorate social conditions, building build-ing hospitals, establishing medical schools and encouraging the Chinese to study modern medical methods. Similar work has been accomplished in Japan, particularly in establishing a leper colony. "One large effect of Christian missionary mis-sionary work lies in avoiding misunderstandings, misun-derstandings, promoting a better appreciation ap-preciation on tho part of eastern people peo-ple of the attitude of the western nations," na-tions," he continued. "There seems to be in this country a feeling that the development of Japanese interests in China constitute a peril to tho people peo-ple of tho United States. I do not believe that all of Japan can ever bo Christianized, but there seems to be no peril in Japanese development of China." Today's joint session over which the Rt Rev. R. Graves, bishop of Shanghai presided, will be devoted to conference on "what the church is trying to do in her work abroad." Joint Business Session. At a business session which preceded pre-ceded the joint meeting, announcement announce-ment was made that a resolution had been adopted by the House of Bishops Bish-ops and concurred in by the House of Deputies, providing for tho appointment ap-pointment of a commission "to promote pro-mote the spread for tho desire for peace in the world and international friendship and to relate their operations opera-tions to the world alliance for promoting pro-moting international friendship through the churches. The commission commis-sion will be composed of ten bishops, ten clergymen and ten laymen. Announcement was mado in the house of bishops that it had received a request from Huyso Wolcott Yeat-man-BIggs, bishop of Worcester, England, Eng-land, asking for an expression of opinion opin-ion as to when the next Lambeth conference could be held and that they had fixed 1919 as a possible year. The Lambeth conference is a decennial conference of leaders of the Church of England and has been postponed because of tho war. It was explained that tho request of tho Bishop of Worcester was merely for an expression of opinion from the American church which does not participate par-ticipate in the gathering. |
