# The Lutheran Pioneer_St. Louis_1925_S103
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

THE LUTHERAN PIONEER.

103

Some of these boards are still to be seen; how-
ever, they are no longer on the streets, but they are
exhibited as curiosities in museums and missionary
establishments.

Up to the time that Commodore Perry visited
Japan in 1853, the attempts made by Protestant
and Roman Catholic missionaries to enter the coun-
try were unsuccessful. But only a few years after
Perry's visit the first missionaries were permitted
to enter. Remembrance of the political troubles

during this second period that Dr. Joseph Hardy
Neesima did his wonderful work at the Doshisha,
a higher Christian school which he had founded in
Kyoto, in 1875, to educate Christian workers for
his native country. While the Buddhist priests did
much to arouse the people against the new religion,
all their annoyances as well as other trials of the
period fade away while these years are remembered
as one of great opportunities, rapid growth, and
high hopes. It was in these years that such well-

A Japanese Landscape.

that had attended the former entrance of Chris-
tianity caused the government to fear Christianity.
Every movement of the missionaries was watched,
and publie preaching was prohibited. Progress was
very slow. By 1872 only ten converts had been
baptized by the Protestant missionaries. In 1873
the edicts against Christianity were broken down,
and the government, while not repealing the laws
itself, made it plain that it no longer intended to
enforce them. Soon great interest was manifested
by the people in the religion of Jesus Christ.
Christian schools were attended by large numbers
of young people. Bibles had a ready sale. It was

known Christian workers as Bishop Williams, Dr.
Hepburn, Rev. Guido F. Verbeck, and Dr. Brown
laid the foundations of Christian missions in the
Land of Nippon.

A Reaction.

This movement in favor of Christianity reached
its height in 1888 and was followed by a sudden
reaction. This reaction was due to several causes.
The failure of Japan to obtain more favorable
treaties -from Western countries was used by
nationalists to arouse the people against the re-
ligion of the Occidentals. The growth of the