Christian Progress in Japan
ONLY thirteen years ago the following official bulletin was publicly posted up in the capital of Japan : "The evil sect called Christian is strictly prohibited. Suspicious persons should be reported to the proper officers, and rewards will be given." Now there are eighteen Protestant missionary societies at work in Japan, besides three Bible societies ; 176 missionaries and missionaries' wives; 182 native preachers and helpers ; 2,912 communicants, and 31 Christian schools with 1,525 scholars. In many of the public schools the Bible is the prescribed text-book on morals, and the students often say to the teacher : "Sir, these are golden truths, and we thank you for them;" or, "Sir, please teach us to pray by ourselves." A young man saw in a native paper the advertisement of a mission school, and walked 150 miles to join the school. Some of the Japanese Christians have organized a foreign missionary society, and have set apart two men of their own number as missionaries to Corea.—Ex.