CHRISTIAN BY PROCLAMATION.
IN the Dark Ages nations were made “Christian” by law, by proclamation, by decree of the Papacy, by profession; but in practise they were often worse than the pagans. The pagan nations of Europe became “Christian” in name (they knew no other way), because they believed that it would be of advantage politically; it would tell for future aggrandizement. Are we to see the same thing enacted on a larger scale in the great world?—Truly, it seems so. The early nations of Europe embraced “Christianity” at first because the nations already “Christian” seemed to be stronger, more intelligent, and have greater influence. Later, it became not only profitable but fashionable to become “Christian.” Conditions are parallel in these days. The greatest nations in the world are professedly Christian, Great Britain, Germany, France, United States, and others. Is not their religion the cause of their pre-eminence? So it seems to the heathen mind, who knows nothing of the nature of true Christianity, but who measures it by its ethics, and effects as compared with the worn-out historic religions of his own land. It is thus that Japan, the leading, aggressive nation of the Orient, is looking upon the “Christian” nation to-day. Some of her great men, it is true, losing faith in the religions of their country, reject all religions. An example of this is Marquis Ito, “the real ruler of Japan,” whom a Russian staff writer, of the Novoye Vremya, quotes as saying:— I look upon religion as a thing wholly unnecessary to the life of a people. Science is better than superstition, and what is religion—Christian or Buddhist—but mere credulity and blind faith? And is not superstition necessarily a source of weakness? I do not deplore the fact that rationalism is becoming wide-spread in Japan, for I do not regard it as a danger to society. Some so-called Christian-nation statesmen regard it in about the same way. Yet there are other prominent Japanese who feel that “Christianity” is necessary to put Japan in the front rank as a nation. Admirals Togo and Uriu are both professed Christians. About the middle of May, from Tokyo, Japan, the following cablegram was sent to the London Daily Telegraph:— A great religious meeting, promoted by influential men, was held in the park to-day to determine the question of founding in Japan a church pro-Christian in character, but on independent lines. Leading men consider that the time has arrived to adopt the elements approved by the majority of civilized nations. An edict establishing a national church is not improbable. The New York Evening Mail remarks:— The new day for Japan means readjustment all around. The country is irrevocably committed to modern progress. Some form of Christianity which is elastic enough to serve as a sure stepping-stone between the old and the new is altogether likely to make its way. And through Japan the lump of Christian philosophy may be expected to leaven the loaf of Chinese life more surely and expeditiously than it could through direct missionary effort in China itself. This meeting at Tokyo, the Mail adds, may prove an epoch-marking event in the history of Japan, even more important than the beginning of the war with Russia.—Literary Digest, June 18. But what gain would this mean to real Christianity?—In itself none at all. What it might mean would depend on the way true missionaries of the cross would improve the opportunity to tell Japan that Christianity was not a national religion, was not a military religion, was not a religion of compromise, was not a mere system of ethics; but that it was the life and power of God for the salvation of the individual man, for character transformation and building through a personal Saviour, Jesus Christ; that progress, civilization, greatness, were incidental to Christianity, were resultants of her forces, but were not objective. The true seekers of personal righteousness and a personal Saviour would believe, and this would be a real gain. But the Japanese nation, satisfied with a dead formalism, would join the other nations in their dead formalisms, in their march to a world-religion proclaimed by law, a worship of the sacerdotalism and ritualism and imperialism in religion, of which the Church of Rome is the dominant center. In the union of church and state which would follow, in the exaltation of “the wild solar-holiday of all pagan times,” the Sunday, the mark in a legalized way of apostasy, this pseudo Christianity of the world would fulfil the prophecy of Rev. 13:3 and 18:3. Drunken with the wine of Babylon’s fornication, the whole world will worship the beast power. Against this is directed the awful and solemn warning of Rev. 14:9-12:— “And another angel, a third, followed them, saying, with a great voice, If any man worshipeth the beast and his image, and receiveth a mark on his forehead, or upon his hand, he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of His anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and the smoke of their torment goeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, they that worship the beast and his image, and whoso receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints, they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”