Observations in the Orient: The Account of a Journey to Catholic Mission Fields in Japan, Korea, Manchuria, China, Indo-China, and the Philippines is the travel book of James Anthony Walsh on his travels through Asia between fall 1917 and spring 1918. Walsh was a bishop and co-founder of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers. The book was published in 1919 by the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America in Ossining, New York.
Observations in the Orient is originally 323 pages long and contains twenty chapters excluding the preface. It also includes 104 black-and-white photographs.
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Physical aspects The original cover of Observations in the Orient is red with gold highlights and black detailing. It contains an illustration that appears to depict a landscape in East Asia. Half of the cover is taken up by this illustration. The other half has "Observations in the Orient By a Maryknoller" written in gold script. Both the illustrations and text are framed by a gold border. The symbol in the top left corner is the Maryknoll symbol.
The spine of the book is also red. From top to bottom, the spine reads "Observations in the Orient," "Walsh," and "C.F.M.S.A. Maryknoll." It is also adorned with a decorative cross. The back of the book is bare of any embellishment.
The text within the book is printed on plain paper while the photographs are printed on sub-glossy paper. Additionally, the first initial of every chapter is illustrated.
The front matter of the book consists of (in order) a black-and-white picture of Kwangtung, China, an inside front cover with the title, author and publisher, a copyright page, dedication page, preface, a table of contents, and a list of illustrations. The book also originally comes with a "reader's map" that traces Walsh's route.
Dedication Observations in the Orient is dedicated to John Cardinal Farley. Walsh cites Farley as: Prince of the Church, Beloved of his flock, patron of all good works, for God and Country, friend of the missions, and father to Maryknoll.
Preface Walsh's preface gives an explanation and justification for writing Observations in the Orient. Walsh first notes his growing interest in recording the Orient, citing The Field Afar and his own early experiences in China as major sources of inspiration. Walsh writes that publishing letters on the Orient in book form can help fill the gap of English literature on Foreign Missions.
His hope is to enlighten thousands of Catholic Americans on the growing mission to evangelize the heathen world. Walsh pushes for awareness of Catholic foreign missions from "the great Republic," America. The development of missionary zeal and spirit in the church of America is how he believes the Holy Father's Apostolic army can be sustained and strengthened. Walsh ends the preface by expressing his hope for the Maryknoll Society to continue growing in prestige and progress.
Holdings Original copies of the book are rare. Only a select few of universities and libraries around the world hold a copy. European universities and libraries tend to have Observations in the Orient in book form while the United States exclusively has the book in microforms. The University of Toronto and Duke University are the only two universities whose libraries hold multiple copies. +BooksPlaceLocationCopies heldMaastricht University Inner City Library (Jesuit collection)Maastricht, The Netherlands1University of Würzburg LibraryWürzburg, Germany1Berlin State LibraryBerlin, Germany1National and University LibraryStrasbourg, France1International Research Center for Japanese StudiesKyoto, Japan1University of Toronto LibrariesToronto, Canada3 +MircoformsPlaceLocationCopies heldBoston University School of Theology LibraryBoston, MA, US1Yale University Sterling Memorial LibraryNew Haven, CT, US1Cornell University LibraryIthaca, NY, US1Princeton Theological SeminaryPrinceton, NJ, US1Duke University LibrariesDurham, NC, US2Concordia Theological Seminary (CTSFW Library)Fort Wayne, IN, US1University of ManitobaWinnipeg, Canada1Asbury Theological Seminary (B.L. Fisher Library)Wilmore, KY, US1Colombia Theological Seminary (JBC Library)Decatur, GA, US1University of Washington LibrariesSeattle, WA, US1Southwest Baptist Seminary (Roberts Library) Fort Worth, TX, US1San Diego Christian & Southern California Seminary LibraryCalifornia, CA, US1University of Hong Kong LibrariesHong Kong1
Historical context James A. Walsh was the co-founder of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers and a prominent figure for Catholic missions to Asia during the early twentieth century. Walsh was an important missionary for the Church of America. He attended Boston College High School where he garnered recognition and developed his journalism skills. Later, he studied at Boston College, Harvard College, and St. John's seminary. In 1892, Walsh was ordained as a priest. He was then appointed as director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith a few years later in 1903.
The Society was important for it was established in the hopes of generated support for foreign missions. Before, the American Catholic Church was more focused on home missions, more concerned with Native Americans, African-Americans, immigrants, and the rural poor than overseas peoples. In contrast, American Protestants relished in foreign missions. Walsh, as a new director, had to both compete with American Protestant missionaries and garner support for Catholic missions overseas. Walsh did two major things to accomplish this: “launch a campaign to educate clergy” and publish The Field Afar, which would become the official Maryknoll magazine.
The campaign's goal was to "educate future missionaries through closely supervised programs." Missionaries were trained for six years on philosophy and dogmatic and moral theology. They were shown charitable accounts, evangelistic activities, and struggles with "pagan" China. Walsh hoped to foster a deep spiritual commitment through this education. Little was devoted to the study of China's language, history, and political affairs. Walsh "was drawn to China because he judged it to be the mission field in which Maryknoll efforts could rival those of American Protestant missions, arouse the competitive spirit of American Catholics, and generate mission vocations and financial contributions." The ever-increasing number of Catholic missionaries journeying to China combined with their lack of cultural, political, and linguistic knowledge on the nation left them with only missionary zeal and a spirit of self-sacrifice.
The Field Afar was also used to gain support. First published in 1907, The Field Afar was a bimonthly publication detailing the foreign missions of the Catholic Church. The twenty-five to thirty page issue contained information ranging from the Maryknoll's activities in the United States to news on the world missionary movement to even selections from Maryknoll missionaries’ diaries. Its overall purpose was to promote missionary spirit, cement Catholic missionaries’ presences in East Asia, challenge Protestant missions, and attract monetary support. The magazine was also crucial for the emergence of foreign missions for it informed the public about the activities and needs of the Maryknoll missioners. Walsh modeled the magazine after another successful magazine, named Life, in an effort to make it a more interesting read for the public (as opposed to the "dry" Annals). Four main themes circulated by the magazine are highlighted by Jean-Paul Wiest: “China was a ‘great country and a great people,’ China was ‘a country ready for Christianity,’ works of charity would reach and convert non-Christian Chinese, and their faith was a wonder to behold." The magazine increased in popularity over the course of the 1920s.
Walsh's increasing involvement and interest in foreign missions eventually lead to the co-founding of the Maryknolls with Thomas F. Price in 1911, also known as the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America. Prior to its founding, Walsh and Price traveled to Rome to receive the permission and blessing of Pope Pius X to begin their seminary. Their goal was to spread the word of Christ through foreign missions. The society embodied some of the core Progressive Era values of the time. These values included "an optimism about American and its ‘place in the world, ‘activism,’ (situations did not improve on their own), a positive interpretation of the increasing sense of globalness...respect for the individual, adaptability, and an appreciation of democracy." The Maryknolls saw these values as uniquely American. One bishop summarizes the Maryknoll attitude, supposing: “not that we have not the ‘foreigners at our door and within our gate,’ but that we might take advantage of our Country's prestige in foreign lands to spread the Gospel." The Maryknolls also held certain anti-modernist beliefs.
Walsh's response to the tendencies of modernism shaped his "American" approach to missions overseas. He believed that a certain "vital energy" was lost in industrialization and over-civilization; assembly lines and factories separated workers from their products that left little satisfaction. There was a suspicion toward urban luxury and comfort achieved by the middle and upper class. Walsh wanted to avoid the idea of the "teacup" clergyman, who represented all the luxury and daintiness found in American civilization, and aimed to preserve "true substance" in religion. The major symbol of this perspective was the "apostolic martyr, a person who went the ‘whole way into the wilderness,’ even to the point of spilling blood for belief in Christ."
From 1918 until his death in 1936, Walsh served as Superior general of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers. During this time, he traveled the world to observe mission work, attended to the administration of the Maryknolls, and discussed life in mission. By the end of his life, Walsh wrote five books along with numerous The Field Afar issues, one book of which was Observations in the Orient. The book is an account of his travels throughout primarily East Asia, but also Indo-China and the Philippines.
Walsh gives five reasons (which can be found in the preface) for writing Observations in the Orient. Firstly, he has a growing interest in the Orient thanks to his own early experiences in China and The Field Afar. Secondly, it can help fill the gap of English literature on Catholic foreign missions. Thirdly, he wants to enlighten Catholic Americans on the growing missionary work. Fourthly, to raise awareness of Catholic foreign missions from America. Lastly, he wishes to sustain and strengthen Catholic missionaries.
Contents
The account of Walsh's journey through Asia is in chronological order in Observations in the Orient. He begins in New York City and travels across the United States, ending on the West Coast. He then takes a Japanese ship to Japan. From there, he goes briefly to Korea and Manchuria then spends a long while traveling throughout China. He ends in Indo-China after making a quick trip to the Philippines. The last chapter of his book is dedicated to impressions and takeaways he has gathered by the end of his travels. These impressions are both of the people he encounters as well as the accomplishments of the Catholic mission.
United States and Pacific Walsh decided to go on the journey to get a glimpse of Catholic missions in Asia as well as scout out the missions field for the Maryknolls. His journey began in New York city in September 1917. From New York, he travels through the American cities of Scranton, Buffalo, Chicago, Des Moines, Denver, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco. The first chapter of Walsh's book is dedicated to the observations and feelings he had while making his westward journey. Many of the observations are on people, the landscape, and the Catholic faith. There are six photographs in this chapter.