Unitarian Teachings (ユニテリアン之教義) as stated by Arthur May Knapp in Tokyo, May 1889

Arthur May Knapp (1841-1921)

The Rev. Arthur May Knapp (1841-1921), the first representative of the American Unitarians to go to Japan, went as a fieldworker, not as a missionary. As George M. Williams writes in his important book “Cosmic Sage: Imaoka Shin’ichirō, Prophet of Free Religion”, in 1887, Knapp: 

“. . . went to work with Japanese liberals, the progressives who were inclusive in religion, culture and society. He was anti-missionary and worked with an almost indefinable movement of thinkers, visionaries, reformers and activists who were not afraid of innovation and change. They sought new knowledge not only in science, business, industry, education but also in religion, politics and social structure. Knapp served as the Japan Unitarian Mission’s fieldworker-director from 1887-1890. All the later Unitarian ministers who came to Japan, including Clay MacCauley (1843-1925), were conflicted about their role. They spoke of being fieldworkers (‘not in Japan to convert, but to confer, to assist’), but [instead] they formed churches, converted leaders of other Christian missions to Unitarianism, and generally measured their success by church membership. They made Japanese into Unitarians. The tension between fieldworker and missionary would set in motion a fundamental contradiction that would lead to the mission’s eventual demise.” 

As Williams’ book goes on to show, the failure to follow Knapp’s wise and respectful way of working, was a disaster, eventually leading to the near total collapse and disappearance of the Japanese Unitarian movement after 1922 following yet another series of catastrophic missteps by the American Unitarians. It was only in 1948 when Imaoka Shin'ichirō (今岡信一良) was able to found his own small community in Tokyo, the Kiitsu Kyōkai, that the Japanese Unitarian movement began to emerge, once more, into the light, but now transformed into something beyond Unitarianism, namely a genuinely free-religion.

If you want to learn more about these major missteps, and Imaoka Shin'ichirō’s revival of what should now be called the Yuniterian (sic) movement between 1948 and 1988 (a distinct take on, and creative development of the Unitarian tradition), then I highly recommend people to read Williams’ excellently informative book, and that by Michel Mohr. 

Anyway. One extremely important text from that early period has remained wholly inaccessible to English readers since it was written in 1889, and then transcribed (by Kanda Saichirō 神田佐一郞), namely Arthur May Knapp’s “Unitarian Teachings.” This was an introductory talk he gave to the Kōjunsha (交詢社), which was established in Meiji 13 (1880) by Fukuzawa Yukichi (福澤諭吉) and was Japan’s first social club for business people. 

Now, despite Williams’ best efforts over many decades, no one has ever been found who was willing to have a go at translating the whole text so we can at least catch a glimpse of Knapp’s fieldworker approach when he was introducing the basic outlook and principles of the Unitarian movement to the Japanese. So, in desperation to find out what was in the text, I’ve decided to risk giving it a go. I have to say it’s been a real nightmare to extract from the pdf available to me a text that I, as a non-Japanese reader, can then work with using the powerful language tools now available to us. Well, I’ve done the best I can and, with the greatest trepidation imaginable, I offer the following translation. My primary hope is that someone reading this with good Japanese (and easily able to read Meiji-era texts) will now be interested enough go back to the original Japanese and produce a truly accurate translation. Any volunteers? Please feel free to contact me via the contact form on this blog if you’d like to give it a go yourself, or if you simply have a shed-load of corrections to send my way. As someone once said, when we don’t mind who takes the credit, there is no end to what we can achieve . . . The point is to get a well-translated text out into the world.

As someone who has come to value highly the kind of other-power (他力 tariki) philosophy as it has been presented in the Shinshū Ōtani-ha tradition through Kiyozawa Manshi and, as I am discovering, Itō Shōshin, I’d have had to sit down in conversation with Knapp and try to persaude him of it’s value and try to show him that, actually, it doesn’t cut against his eighth Unitarian principle in the way it appears he thinks it does. But, it may be that Knapp, coming from a liberal, Unitarian Christian background, was simply trying to say we mustn’t rely on a doctrine of external salvation which insists faith always trumps works, and that he wasn’t actually directing his remarks at the Jōdo Shinshū idea about tariki. However, the confusion may exist in the text below because it is possible that it was the transcriber of Knapp’s talk, Kanda Saichirō, who chose to translate this general (Christian) point about not letting faith trump works into Japanese by using the term tariki (other-power) turning Knapp’s words into an apparent polemic against tariki (other-power). Anyway, because this doubt exists I have chosen to translate this sentence to indicate both possible readings: “The doctrine of reliance on external salvation/other-power (他力滿度の法) is absolutely not to be accepted (決して取らるべきにあらず).” But, in the end, it’s simply beyond my competance truly to judge which reading is more likely to be true. 

And so now, with this technical point made, as well as my earlier massive general caveat, here’s my undoubtedly very flawed, translation of Knapp’s talk . . .   

Unitarian Teachings (ユニテリアン之教義) 

As stated by Arthur May Knapp (アーザーメーナップ述)

Preface (緒言)

The original Japanese text can be accessed at this link

This piece (此篇) concerning the teachings of Unitarianism (ユニテリアンの教義) is something I delivered (述べたる) in response (應じて) to the earnest request (霑む霑む) of fellow members (社員) at the meeti    ng (大會) of the Kōjunsha (交詢社) held on the 15th of April past. I now compile (編成して) and publish (著く) this stenographic transcript (反訳筆記) of the speech (演説), and distribute (頒つ) it to friends of like mind (同好の士).

          16 May, Meiji 22 (1889)

          Arthur May Knapp

To the officials (幹事, kanji) and fellow members (社員諸君) of the Kōjunsha (交詢社):

Gentlemen, that at this gathering (此席) today you have requested from me a speech concerning the teachings of Unitarianism (ユニテリアンの教義), is for me the highest honour (最も榮譽とする所). And, in particular — what I am unable fully to express the joy of — is that, on this occasion, I have for the first time, a very special opportunity to declare publicly (公然に告ぐる) the purpose (主意) that caused me to come over (渡らしめたる) to your honourable country (貴國).

Although I have come from afar as a representative (名代) of a denomination (宗旨) whose principles (主義) of the Christian religion (耶蘇宗教) have from ancient to modern times (古今に亘り), and throughout East and West (東西に通じ), exerted a powerful influence (有力なる) on methods of teaching (教法) and history (歴史), I am no ordinary, so-called missionary (所謂宣教師). Indeed, [I, myself,] Mr Knapp (ナップ氏), ought not rightly be called a missionary (宣教師), for in the English language there is in fact no particularly appropriate word (別段妥當の語) that corresponds [to my role].

What is a missionary (宣教師)? It is a person who sets out to propagate (頒傳) their own denomination (自己の宗旨) throughout the world (天下), saying that unless one follows this path (斯道) from the outset, a person cannot obtain a commission to preach (講度を得べからざるもの). They are sent (派遣せらるゝもの) with the aim of inducing (引て) people of other denominations (他門の人) to convert (歸依せしめん) to their own. In the case of the Unitarian religion (ユニテリアン教), such a thing is fundamentally incompatible [with our teachings] (出来難き事), and the single phrase “fundamentally incompatible” is sufficient (足れり) to clarify (言明する) the nature of our faith (我教の主義如何). Unitarianism (ユニテリアン教) believes (信じ) all religions (有ると有ゆる宗教) that exist in the world to be valid (普是); it believes they are phenomena (現象), the naturally arising (自から發生したる) result (結果) of the religious sensibility (宗教に於ける情性) of humanity (人類). Therefore, no matter what the teaching (如何なる法), if it be something that suits (適ふ) the religious sensibility (情性) of the people (人民) who uphold it (其宗教を奉ずる), it is never to be looked down upon (蔑視することなく). As you gentlemen (諸君) know, although I am myself (身は仮令へ) a devout believer (熱心の信者) in Christianity (耶蘇教), I do not use the common word (毎慣の語) “heathen” (ヒーゼン), with its connotation of ignorance (無知の 意), to insult those of other faiths (他宗異教の人). The people of every nation (各國の人民) have their own ethnic distinctions (人種の別), national circumstances (國土の境遇), and customs (習慣). If religion differs according to such national circumstances and customs, it is like how food (食物) differs according to region (國土に應じて). Food nourishes the body (肉體を養ふ), religion nourishes the spirit (精神を養ふ). That which nourishes (養ふ) is not all the same (同一ならざる), but this does not make it unworthy (輕ひに足らず). Thus, in regard to the religions of the various countries of the world (世界の各國の宗敎), the Unitarian (ユニテリアン) seeks to understand whether the religion upheld by the people (其人民の奉ずる宗教) truly preserves (保つ) their soundness of spirit (精神を健全に), whether it has power to advance their intellectual and moral faculties (其智能性を推進するの力), and whether it can purify the heart (其心を清淨にして) and enable them to be good men and women (善男善女たらしむべきや). If, indeed, such effects are found (果して以上の如き効力あらば), then after investigating (探究したる後に) where intellectual and moral excellence (智能徳性) truly resides (何れに在るか), we take from that teaching (其教承を) something into our own (我敎に取り), or likewise offer something from ourselves (我より幾分を興へ), comparing self and other (自他相比較して), hoping (企望する) that both sides will benefit (雙方益を得んこと).

In following the so-called enterprise of proselytising (所謂傳道宣敎の事業), the Unitarian (ユニテリアン) does not forcibly bring adherents of other faiths into our fold (他宗の人を強て我門に入り), but rather treats all with mutual respect and affection (互に敬愛して), with neither side needing to yield ground (彼此相換ふることなくして) in the realm of spirit (精神の上に), and only seeking fellowship through religion (宗教を以て親睦ある可し). If there are things in my faith (余の教義) which you gentlemen wish to examine (探るべきもの), I would be most gratified if you would study them (之を硏究せられんこと) — this would fulfil my deepest wish (余の懇望に堪へざる所).

All religions (凡そ宗教) have known their season of superstitious falsehood (妄誕の時期あるもの)—some, with the advance of enlightenment (世の開明に従ひ), have already outgrown this phase (既に此時期を過ぎたるもの), while others now strive to leave it behind (斯に過去とするけんとするもの). Yet I come to your honorable nation (貴國) not as successor to those [earlier] purveyors of dogma (此類の人に代り來て), nor to proselytize (改宗を薦むる), but solely to declare our principles (主意を述べたるのみ). 

Now, in accordance with your request, I shall begin to explain the teachings of Unitarianism (ユニテリアンの教義), and I particularly ask for your attention, gentlemen, to the following points.

The first matter is none other than this: namely, that Unitarianism (ユニテリアン) is not a single denomination (一箇の宗派), but rather it should be called (稱すべし) a kind of movement of the human spirit (一種人心の運動). A “denomination” (宗派) is that which, within the religious world (宗教界中), separates from others (他と分離して) and forms a specific school or sect (一業派を成すもの). But Unitarianism is in fact (實に) a great movement (一大運動) for the reform (改進) of all Christianity (耶蘇教の全部). As human intellect advances unbroken in our era (近時人智の永続に進歩するに従ひ), all adherents of Christianity (耶蘇教全部の人々) are now casting off their faith’s baseless dogmas (浮かしれる妄證の信仰を脫し), and are at last joining (漸く...に至れり) the rising tide of reformist thought (改進の思想に波及せんとする). Unitarianism is precisely (即ち) the vanguard (先鋒) of reform (改進). 

Unitarianism first emerged in early 19th-century America through a principled resistance (抗抵せんとする) to the liturgical dogmatism (僧誦) of established Christian orthodoxy (政耶蘇教一派). Since then (爾来), talented and brilliant individuals (人傑俊才) have embraced these teachings (此説に歸依し), until ultimately (終に), and with unparalleled influence (無上の勢力), they shaped not only religious thought (米國の宗敎) but also America’s very destiny (米國の運命).

Now, to cite some evidence (今試みに之を證せん) [for this]:

[NOTE: The transliterations, and my own completion of names in the following list are, in many cases, tentative and, perhaps sometimes wrong. This is because there seem to have been mistakes made, either during the transcription from the English to Japanese by the original stenographer, or when transliterating back into English using the help of ChatGPT and DeepSeek.]

Among the presidents of the United States (米國大統領), those who believed (信奉し) this view include Millard Fillmore [???] (??? ブレッセルモーア). In addition, the three renowned men (三賢) — the famous (有名なる) George Washington (ワシントン), Thomas Jefferson (ジェファーソン), and Abraham Lincoln (リンカーン) — also actually (實際) supported this movement (此運動に左袒せり). If we further list (列擧すれば) other famous people (他の有名なる人々) who embraced this view: Among statesmen (政事家) were Benjamin Franklin (ベンヂャミン・フランクリン), Daniel Webster (ダニエル・ウェブスター), Edward Everett (エヴェレット), Chief Justice John Marshall (典士マーシャル), Theophilus Parsons (パーソンズ), and William Speer (スパーカー). Among supreme court justices (大法官) were Lemuel Shaw (マーチャント), Joseph Story (トレブスコット), and Theodore Parker (セオドル・パーカー). Among historians (史家) were George Bancroft (バンクロフ ト), John Lothrop Motley (モトレー), Jared Sparks (スパークマン), and Oliver Wendell Holmes (ホームズ). Among poets (詩家) were William Cullen Bryant (ブライアント), Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (ロングフェロウ), Walt Whitman (ホイットマン), Ralph Waldo Emerson (エマーソン), Francis Bowen (バウツ). Among philanthropists (博愛家) were Frederic Henry Channing (フレヂリックス・チャンニング), Henry Bellows (ベレット), and Horace Mann (ヘーユル). Among scientists (科學者) were Alvan Clarke (クラーク), Charles Augustus Briggs (ブ リッグス), and William Pepper (ペッパー). Moreover, of the seven recent presidents (近代の總長七名) of Harvard University (ハーバード大學校), the foremost university in America (米國第一等の大學校), all were men of this view (此説の人). From this list, one may infer (推知するに足るべし) how widely this reform movement has spread (改進の運動の大に普及せる).

Now, at present (現今に至りて), its power (勢力) lies in the American press (米國の新聞紙), and those publications with the greatest popular trust (最も人望あるもの) are those whose words and actions (言行) naturally conform (自からして...に適ふもの) to the spirit of reform (改進の精神). Even if outwardly (外面) they maintain traditional forms (古格を守て) and frame these ideas (この説を飾する) in conventional religious terms (宗教の謂), their discussions (言論) always reflect (顧み) concern for the future (將來). American newspapers are bravely heroic, veiling no truth (米國の新聞紙は其他に隱れなき勇士なり).

To sum up (之を概言すれば), the Unitarian movement (ユニテリアンの運動) is the foundation (根基) of recent faith and reform (近時の信義及び改革). Its orientation (方針の嚮くところ) is not to abandon religion (宗教を去るに非ず), but rather to repair and purify it (宗教を薬繕する).

To illustrate this (右の事を示さんに): The path forward (共進路) rejects superstition (妄誕を去るに在り). Through scientific inquiry (理學の探究に依て), we discover cosmic truths (宇宙萬有の事實を眞理發見). Using our God-given reason (吾人は附與されたる智能の力を基として), we interpret all phenomena (萬事を説き寫す)—this is humanity’s noblest faculty (最も貴重の能力と云ふ可し). The movement’s current flourishing (この運動の隆盛) shows it has attained this ideal (只今申述たるに達するものなり). Ancient religions (古來宗敎) crumble when science (理學) dismantles their myths (其宗敎の思想を釋かんとして之を壞す). Unitarians declare (ユニテリアンは云ふが如き): We judge no conduct (行爲を裁する) by archaic cosmologies (宇宙に關する古人の想像に據りて)—this is not our way (我黨に非ざる). We reject (云ふ) rigid creeds (一定の信條) that denounce dissenters (之を信ぜざるものは異敎にして之を罵る). Even today’s articles of faith (今日假りに定めたる信仰の箇條) may change tomorrow (明日には之を變更する)—for ours is a movement to repair religion (宗敎を薬繕するの運動なり). As such (運動なるが故に), it cannot be reduced to fixed doctrines (勿論一論一行にして盡るべきものに非ず). Unitarianism casts off superstition (妄誕を去て) to reveal true religion (眞誠なる宗敎を啓くの運動). Though it can be disruptive (右の如く運動は安穏を去るものなれども), we hold one core principle (誰も亦大基條たる一個の觀念を従て生する): Religion and reason cannot contradict each other (宗敎と道理とは互に相違せず). Religion is reason perfected (宗敎とは即ち道理の極至なり). To discover religious truth (宗敎の眞理を發見する), we must employ reason (推理の力によらざる可からざる事是なり).

[Ten Unitarian Principles]

[First] 



One supreme Power (唯一の勢力（power）), One Life (唯一の生命), permeating all existence (磅礴として宇宙の間に充滿し), present in all things and souls (萬物の上に靈魂の中に到る處とせしむべき). Though God’s nature surpasses human comprehension (人力の及ぶ所にあらざる), we conceive Him as perfect Wisdom, Purity, and Goodness (神靈は大智なり、純正なり、又至善なり). We call Him “Heavenly Father” (吾人の神靈を稱して天父), not as a literal creator (徃昔この世界を創造し給へるが如き思ありて), but as manifest in natural law (臨んで其事實法則の上に神靈を表すが如き). None of us are atheists (誰も豐敬して無神の説を持するものには非ざる).

[Second]

In studying (硏究し) the natural principles (事實と法則) of heaven and earth (天地の間に存する), we soul-endowed humans (靈魂ある人) must employ our given faculties (力) to recognize the divine manifestation (神靈の顯現) and revere it (之を敬むべし)—never thereafter abandoning (放擲して) these truths to neglect (顧みざる). Religion (宗敎) is ultimately (畢竟) the eternal origin (未來永劫常に...根原) of the production of all things (萬物生成), and in uniting all beings (八類の手を繋り) it has, from time immemorial until today (今日に至るまで萬古經て), radiated a sublime and luminous radiance (玄妙美麗の光明) which illumines all universes (三千世界), all to save this imperfect and disorderly society (不完全にして不整齊なる社會).

[Third]

The universe (世界) must ever more evolve (益〻進化すべし); it is not something stagnant and unmoving (停滯不流のものにあらず). Now that developmental laws (進化の順序) have brought us thus far (出來る限りは進化しし), we must unite our power with God’s (神と共に力を協せて) to further cosmic evolution (世界の進化を續けざる可らず).

[Fourth]

Human potential (人類の能力) transcends sectarian allegiance (會職我黨に歸り) or blind adherence to falsehoods (事實に違ふものとして之を信ずる). By evolutionary law (進化の原則に從て), we rose from humble origins (劣等の地位に起り) to attain reason, liberty, and ethical discernment (智識自由及び德義の境)—a trajectory both logically sound (理に適ひ) and empirically verifiable (事實に合ふ). The past’s arc (過去を以て) assures us (察するに足る): progress (後世進步) shall forever be humanity’s birthright (賴る可きもの).

[Fifth]

We revere Jesus (吾人は敬服して耶蘇を信ずるものなり) for revealing (教へたれば) humanity’s capacity to ascend to divine holiness (吾人の性質は其神聖なると神の如き域に達し得べき). Not as God incarnate (耶蘇を以て神を信ずるにあらず), but as first among the sanctified (唯一の神聖の子の中に在て最も神に近きもの)—that supreme teacher (大教師) who modeled sacred living (神聖の行爲を教えしめし) and illumined life’s true way (生路を示したる). Jesus, like us, was mortal (耶蘇も人なり、吾人も人なり); we share one flesh and spirit (同類同機の人種). This is the wellspring of his power (其能力).

[Sixth]

We honour the Bible (聖書を貴重する) as the most profound and exalted text (最も有力最も高尚なる經典) among religious scriptures (世界の宗敎に關する)—yet we never idolize it (之を崇拜せず) as some perfect revelation (無上の經典として貴ぶのみにて). Though we neither discard (敢て之を棄てず) nor fetishize its words (妄信するにあらず), its value lies (注目の價あり) in preserving humanity’s spiritual strivings (一理の過去人類の思想)—not as literal history (事實の記錄として尊信せざるべからず), but as sacred witness.

[Seventh]

As previously affirmed (上段に連べたるが如く), we regard this world (現在の世界を以て) as evolution’s unfolding work (既に進化の—).

[Eighth]

Both in this world (現世にても) and the next (來世にても), people will not escape reward and punishment (賞罰の遁にあらん). The doctrine of reliance on external salvation/other-power (他力滿度の法) is absolutely not to be accepted (決して取らるべきにあらず). If one does evil (惡をなさ ば), then one enters the path of ruin (墮落の道); if one does good (善を為さば), then one reaches the path of sacred ascent (昇天の道). Even if one errs (如何に誤るも), it is according to one’s conduct (吾人の品行如何にあるに依りて); if but one good deed be done (一業を爲さば), then one walks the path of sacred ascent. The doctrine of reliance on external salvation/other-power (他力滿度の法) is absolutely not to be accepted.

[Ninth]

We believe in the law of cause and effect (因果の理): Those who do good (善く者) shall surely receive good (必ず善を得), and those who do evil (惡む者), thought they seek for external deliverance (他に救濟を顧むる), must still submit to the supreme law of cause and effect (原因結果の大法を遵ふの方策あるとなり).

[Tenth]

We affirm Heaven (天堂) and Hell (陰府): Heaven is not a condition of discord, insecurity, or gloom (不和安しん曇明の狀態に非ず), but if our conduct (行ひ) is in accord with principles and fitting with truth, then we may attain it (原理に適ひ原則に従ふの行ひあれば則ち之に達すべし). Hell is a condition of darkness, ignorance, and sorrow (晦黑無智悲哀の狀), and if our conduct violates the law and leads to sin (法に背き罪を犯す), then we shall reach it. 

As stated above (以上陳述したるが如く), Unitarian teaching (ユニテリアンの教義) is a simple matter (簡單なるもの), arising naturally from the human heart (人の心の自然に出で), casting off blind faith and superstition (妄信虛誕を脫して). Indeed, these are elements (元素) that can be found as the foundation (基礎) of all the world’s great religions (世界の總て大なる宗教), and no true religion lacks them (何れの宗教れの教とも善此元素を缺くものはなし). That the Unitarian (ユニテリアン) holds other religions with a spirit of reverent affection (異敎他宗を懷擁せし敬情), and trusts that the world continues to evolve (世界は益々進化して) toward a perfect, boundless higher realm (圓滿無量の上界)—such a simple and clear faith (簡單明白なる教義) sees no sect (宗派を見ず), sees no religious enemies (敎敵を見ず),and within one gaze (眼中一眸), perceives no distinction or separation (異同の別あるなし). Surely, this shall lead to the opening (選を開くに至らん) of religious unification (宗教統一). No rival teaching shares our foundations (我宗敎とはユニテリアン以外に異理なし); without this path (此道に由らずんば), there can be no true method of universal salvation (衆生滿度の法なからん). Unitarianism roots itself in nature’s logic (人事自然の道理), binding humankind as siblings (兄弟の繋を繋ぎ) under one cosmic Father (神を宇宙唯一の父として). This, I would say, is the true character (本色) of Unitarianism.

I, now, having received such a singular divine mandate (冥加此上なき天命), have come to meet with members of other religions (異敎他宗の兄弟に會し) and to express a shared religion of humanity (人間共同の宗教を述ぶる). I offer gratitude to God (神に對して) for His great protection (加護の厚きを謝し), and it is truly joyful (誠に愉快なる事共なり) to meet you, gentlemen, in reverent respect (諸君と共に孝敬を以て相見ん).