2. Religious leaders may assist by constantly emphasizing the human values involved and the necessity of altering the situation in the interests of those values.

3. Religious leaders of all faiths should travel in other countries in an effort to exchange points of view and promote understanding.

4. Joint agreement by religious leaders upon spiritual essentials of all faiths and a united insistence upon these basic principles would do much to combat and transform our materialistic civilization.

5. Joint counsel by religious leaders from countries between which critical issues exist has been shown to be fruitful. Such conferences between spiritually minded Japanese and Chinese in 1922 and 1923 made great progress.

6. A way must be found for furnishing well-intentioned but uninformed religious idealists with the knowledge of facts and method.

7. One of the best ways of promoting the attitudes in the light of which solutions become possible is by familiarity with biography and autobiography of people of other countries.

16. HOW CAN RELIGIOUS IDEALS AND ATTITUDES BE MADE OPERATIVE IN INTERNATIONAL QUESTIONS?

ROUND TABLE (ONE MEETING): MR. COLEMAN, CHAIRMAN

In the course of the discussion the following significant facts and opinions were brought out:

1. International strife goes on in spite of the ideals of peace and universal brotherhood proclaimed by Christianity, Buddhism and Confucianism. Religious leadership is ineffectual to this important extent.

2. Regarding the missionary efforts of Christianity:

a. Some active propaganda movements of Christianity may have been a cause of international ill-will in the past; but not to any noticeable degree at the present time. There is a noticeable spirit of co-operation and appreciation on the part of the younger, more recent missionaries.

b. On the whole the life of the missionaries is worthy of praise and supports their teaching though there is some ground for criticising the economic standards accepted by some of them. A high-caste Brahmin of Christian faith was reported to have said, that there are less than a dozen missionaries in India who stand as real examples of the life of Christ; but a much larger group that are accepted as teachers about the life of Christ.

c. There is ferment going on among missionary societies and leaders as to whether newer and broader ideas and programs shall be included in the missionary's work.

d. Competition between missionaries of different shades of Christian belief is a baneful influence making for ill-will between members of the same community.

e. Missionaries are too anxious about numbers; co-operation, not increase in membership, is the more important.

f. Christian missionaries on the whole are representatives of the best things in the nation from which they come, and they prove their friendly attitude by coming to a foreign country.

3. Regarding the efforts being made by religious bodies within the several countries to bring about a will to peace:

a. In Canada there seems to be a definite growth of feeling against

war.

b. In Japan, Buddhists are showing a disposition to co-operate in international movements. No specific measures are being taken at present; the same may be said of China and Confucianism. c. In China, an influence of growing importance will be exerted by the students returned from the United States. Now many of them are saying that the West has progressed in power by military force and that this is the only method the Occidental nations understand. What America gives to the foreign students is of the greatest importance.

d. In the United States there is uncertainty among Christians as to just how much organized religion should concern itself with international questions. In several denominations, courses in international relations are being promoted and missionary courses have broadened in their outlook. Denominational conferences are stressing these problems and the Federal Council of Churches is active in promoting international education. American Christian missionaries in China desire release from military protection by their Government.

e. The churches in Australia and New Zealand are awakening to their international responsibilities. The student movements are leading the way.

The following specific lines of action were approved:

1. The furtherance of friendly association with foreign students in America.

2. The production and circulation of courses of study in international relations.

3. Bringing pressure to bear upon political representatives at critical times.

4. International organization for the promotion of peace through the churches by means of official, semi-official bodies and informal fellowships,

etc.

5. The international Christian student movement.

6. The efforts to broaden the basis of Christian foreign missionary work.

Additional interesting points were emphasized by Mr. Saito in a public address on "The Spiritual Aspirations of New Japan." (See No. 43 of papers distributed to members.)

17. APPLICATION OF THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS, BUDDHA AND CONFUCIUS TO THE PROBLEMS OF MODERN INTER-RACIAL AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

ROUND TABLE (ONE MEETING): MR. HARADA, CHAIRMAN

The discussion was based on papers by Mr. Fleming, Mr. Anesaki and Mr. Ta Chen. (See Nos. R1, R2, and R3 of papers distributed to Members.)

Mr. Anesaki's paper, read by Mr. Zumoto, made the following points:

1. Modern Buddhism tends to be parochial and is not working for international harmony but it was once an international religion with universal ideals inspiring many nations and races with profound faith in the spiritual unity of all beings and groups and may again be capable of contributing largely to the solidarity of nations and races.

2. Buddhist leaders in several countries are awakening to this original inspiration as well as to the international issues of today, and individual Buddhists are earnestly taking original Buddhist principles as guides for daily social life.

3. Buddhism originated in the spiritual illumination of Gotama, in which he visualized the unity of all beings-gods, men, beasts, devils. In response to this teaching a spiritual community grew up; the congregations embracing men and women, princes and outcastes, learned and ignorant. Works of helpfulness distinguished this Sangha or church.

The reign of King Asoka, the "Constantine of Buddhism" was dedicated to piety, welfare work, administrative improvement and the propagation of Buddhism in all directions, even as far as Hellas and Egypt. Within ten centuries the whole of Asia became a Buddhadom, united in ideals and culture. Arts and literature flourished. Then schisms broke up this unity. The caste spirit reasserted itself, Brahmin reaction set in in India, and Mohammedanism crept in from the West. As the spiritual bond dissolved, civilization fell. Due in part to geographical barriers unity in law and government has never been attained as in the Mediterranean Christian civilization.

4. Certain forces are stimulating a reawakening of Buddhism in its universal aspects:

a. Growth of international intercourse and the exchange of ideas. b. The example of Christian missions.

c. World-wide agitation of social problems.

d. The study of Buddhism in the West. The discovery of many Buddhist texts. Scholastic cooperation especially between Chinese and Japanese Buddhists.

e. The aggressions of the West, religiously and politically, which threaten to arouse a Pan-Asian Buddhism.

f. The rise of an individual piety, mystic but nevertheless practical and which declares that all social reconstruction must start with the individual soul ridding itself of selfishness.

5. A new life is emerging in Buddhism entirely apart from its ecclesiastical organization.

Significant points in the paper by Mr. Ta Chen are:

1. Confucianism permeates the Orient in general, and China in particular.

2. The teachings of Confucius include not only an ethic for the individual in his family and society, but also for international relations.

3. Confucianism emphasizes:

a. Sympathy-the desire to put oneself in the place of another person and to feel as that person does. It is the great social bond between all classes. Village life in China today is sound because of the teachings of Confucius.

b. Justice in its individual, national and international aspects. Justice in a nation depends on just men and in order to have progress and prosperity, must be administered by such men ("the ideal man"; "the aristocratic man").

Justice between nations necessitates the elimination of conflict and the promotion of goodwill. Misunderstanding and hatred are the results of

differences. The interpenetration of culture by imitation and assimilation will overcome differences. Justice is the equilibrium resulting from the free diffusion of cultures of all levels.

c. Brotherhood-"Within the four seas all are brethren." The conditions of that true, universal brotherhood are laid down in one of the Chinese classics.

In his statement on Christianity Mr. Fleming made the following analysis:

I. In particular controversies the ascertainment of facts and the application to them of the scientific method are essential steps. Ethical principles, however clear and complete, are not alone sufficient to solve the problems of the Pacific.

2. Jesus lived in a relatively simple environment and manifestly did not deal explicitly with problems of war, of industrial relations, and with inter-racial and international relations as we now know them. But the principles he enunciated are found to be surprisingly applicable to present world conditions.

3. Five outstanding Christian principles are applicable to Pacific problems:

a. The inestimable worth of each human personality.

b. Devotion to uncalculating positive service to fellow men even to the extent of accepting the cross.

c. The supremacy of moral and spiritual values.

d. The Kingdom of God as the goal for all social living and striving. e. Membership one of another or organic relationship in one body (through the supplementary teaching of Paul).

4. The originality of Jesus does not consist alone in the enunciation of these principles. His second contribution lies in the fact that his ethic is inextricably associated wth his religion.

5. Jesus was seeking something far higher than advocating any set of rules. He set moral autonomy before us as our goal.

6. The fourth distinctive contribution of Jesus to the solution of ethical questions is Himself. He exemplified in Himself the morally autonomous life. He has become for Christians a personalized conscience.

7. Jesus offers leadership in a joyful and unceasing moral endeavor as co-workers with God in establishing a world-wide society of morally autonomous, creative personalities.