Kaiseki Matsumura

A religious leader and the head of the Dokai (Way of the Way). Born into a samurai family in Akashi, Harima Province (Hyogo Prefecture). At the age of 16, he became a missionary in Kobe, and later converted to Christianity while studying at the school of Reformed Church missionary J.H. Bara in Yokohama. In December 1882 (Meiji 15), he became the pastor of the Takahashi Church of the United Church of Japan (Okayama Prefecture). He later worked as an editor for the Fukuin Shinpo (Evangelical Newspaper) (Osaka) and the Kichiryou Kyo Shimbun (Tokyo), and around this time he became inclined towards new theology. In 1907 (Meiji 40), he founded the Japanese Church, which is based on Christianity, and adopted the four principles of faith in God, virtue, love of neighbor, and eternal life, which are common to Shinto, Confucianism, and Buddhism. The following year, in 1908, he published the journal Michi (Way of the Way). Later, the church was renamed "Do-kai" and, with the support of business leaders such as Magobei Okura (1843-1921) and Ichizaemon Morimura, it carried out missionary activities. In 1915 (Taisho 4), it built a temple called Haitendo in Shibuya, Tokyo, and gathered young intellectuals.

[Masao Takahashi March 19, 2018]

“Fifty Years of Faith” by Kaisei Matsumura (1926, Dokai Office/Reproduction, 1996, Ozorasha)”

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

宗教家、「道会(どうかい)」の主宰者。播磨(はりま)国（兵庫県）明石(あかし)藩士の家に出生。16歳で神戸の宣教師に、さらに横浜で改革派教会宣教師J・H・バラの塾に学ぶうちキリスト教に入信。1882年（明治15）12月、日本組合教会高梁(たかはし)教会（岡山県）の牧師に就任。その後、『福音(ふくいん)新報』（大阪）、『基督(キリスト)教新聞』（東京）の編集に従事、このころ新神学に傾いた。1907年（明治40）キリスト教に基づく「日本教会」を創立、神儒仏基に共通する信神・修徳・愛隣・永生の4綱領を信条とした。翌1908年、機関誌『道(みち)』を刊行。のち教会を「道会」と改称し、大倉孫兵衛（1843―1921）、森村市左衛門ら財界人の援助を受けて宣教活動を進めた。1915年（大正4）東京渋谷に拝天堂を建立、青年知識人を集めた。

［高橋昌郎　2018年3月19日］

『松村介石著『信仰五十年』（1926・道会事務所／複製・1996・大空社）』

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