The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-02-09
E K TAYLOR, Sec'y

cause, the ladies requested that it be
offered for publication
Et EK TAYLOR, Sec'y.
KIYoTo, JAPAN, Nov. 2nd 76.
Dear Sister: We are most grateful that
the dear Lord, who has BY such peculiar
providence brought his needy and most
promising ones under our care, has at
the same time whispered in your hearts
to send us aid
Mrs Taylor has just told me Of your
loving interest in the work for women,
here in Japan; and as We were not long
in deciding where your appropriation
would do most good, let me congratulate
you that you have the privilege of sup
porting one upon whom We look with
most tender and hopeful interest.
And first; you must know that her
name is o Chike San, and her age is
eighteen. She is sister of one of the
boys in the training school here. Mrs.
TAYLOR has doubtless told you of the
noble band of thirty boys and young
men who came all the way from the
province of Kumamoto, three hundred
and fifty miles distant, to attend the
school here and be fitted to tell the "old
cd story" to this perishing people. Many
of them have already suffered great per-
secution for their faith in Jesus-most of
them being disowned by their relatives,
and cast wholly on their own resources
for an education, and i tell you that be-
ing christian here in Japan means far
more of trial and sacrifice, and even di-
rect persecution than we dream of at
home.
One boy of nineteen years Of age was
imprisoned one hundred and twenty
days for believing in Christ. Rese boys
first heard of Jesus in Capt. Jones school,
Kumamoto, and this brother of o Chike
San now fourteen years of age, was the
first to profess faith in him, when only
eleven years of age, and the first to en-
dure the persecution of his school mates
who are now ready to follow their Master
even unto death. His voice is among
those of the fifteen or twenty who com
monty take part in our prayer meetings.
Three or four voices sometimes begin in
different parts of the house at once, un-
til one alone leads the way to the throne
of grace. One brother actually tried
four times before he succeeded in offer
ing prayer, but his petition moved all
hearts. So the evident prevailing spirit
of prayer is present with us.
When there was call for teacher in
Grammar in the school here, all pointed
to this boy of fourteen years saying, "he
must teach Grammar" what, that lit
tie boy teach Grammar? "Oh yes, he
1 was at the head of his class in Capt
Jones' school, both in Grammar and
Rhetoric" So he was taken, and time
has shown the wisdom of the choice. He
speaks English well, and win translate
one of David's Psalms into the most
pure and beautiful English.
A few weeks ago met him at Mr.
Davis'-one of our missionaries-and he
was in trouble. Mr. Davis said to him
Now tell Miss Starkweatner your story
just as you told it to me-" And turning
his earnest, pleasing face toward me, in
the purest English, related sad, sad
| tale of domestic SORROW
My little family of seven sisters" he
began, event down" The reason it went
down was because OF the intemperance
Of my father. Every day and every
night he used to drink great deal Now
my mother and the children lamented
it very much. and my mother would
plead with him not to drink any more.
But he did not listen to the gentle warn
ing voice of my mother, but became
angry with her, and caused her to be di
vorced and sent away from the children
and the little babe which was born un
der these most trying circumstances.
And so at last by his habits, our property
was all consumed, and we became poor,
poor as can be, Then he borrowed a
great deal ofmoney, until to pay it back,
became an utter impossibility to my
father. So he left the family and went
out. During this time l was away at
school, and knew nothing ofmy family S
trouble. On my first hearing Ireturned.
In that night as | was sleeping my faith
er went out. In that day as the sun be-
gan to appear, many creditors came 10
me and threatened to take everything in
the house l could not stay in peace, so
| sold all We had in the house and paid
borrowed money back. Ny father had
been most cruel to my mother and sis
ters. Every time went home every
one of them complained of his cruelty.
Every one of my sisters used to cry be-
fore me-"
Then he told of rich uncle who Of
fered to care for the children, but he de-
deprived them of necessary food, and
they had often come to their brother
crying with hunger, while the uncle was
] found using means to obtain small pen
sion legally belonging to the family.
The children had been taken from his
grasp and the schoolmates of the boy
had. among themselves from their own
scanty allowance with what the brother
had earned by teaching, raised s. 90 to
pay for the support of the children one
month.
| But what was to be done! We shed
our tears of sympathy and quickly said
~some of these girls must come to u.s. .
not for moment doubling the Provi-
dence which had directed them to our
interest, when we had been eagerly
( watching the first opportunity for gath
ering in some girls and beginning di-