St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-01-03
Letter from Japan.

The following letter from Miss Kid
der, missionary in Japan, will be read
with double interest as the writer is Il
daughter of Mr.. Benjamin Kidder of
Peacham:
TOXIC, Japan, 1873.
| am very thankful that you have
thoughts of sending helper this year.
| am praying continually that some one
meet for the work may be sent. The
larger part of our church are growing
in grace far beyond my expectations.
We have had four baptisms since Feb
Iuary, two OF these Il young husband
and wife. | have been working hard
for months to induce the Christians to
give something toward the support OF il
native pastor. The church were near
ly us determined that | should get it
appropriated from home, us | was that
they should help; but at last they have
succeeded in promising nearly four dol
lars Il month, which | have no doubt
will be faithfully paid.
We also take Il collection for the
Lords Supper and the poor, which has
amounted to about ten d0llms this year.
This seem very little to one who hasn't
known the hidden work it has taken to
bring it about but Pm 50 thankful to
say we've begun to give!
Our church this year has prospered,
not so much by additions as by the
growth i'll grace Of members. find
it hard to realize that less than three
years ago they were carried away by
their dumb idols. We see over and
over again how wonderfully God keeps
this little flock in the midst of dangers
and temptations.
Besides keeping up our Sunday ser
vices and two weekly meetings here,
we have been permitted to open two
places where we go every week to teach
women and children. We have had
another place far out in the suburbs
which we have visited every two weeks,
and where | hope to go weekly when
the heat is past. One of these places
Is at the home of one of my scholars,
who has become a Christian this year.
She goes out and gathers in us many
as will come from the neighborhood. |
often think if our band workers could
see this girl saved from heathenism,
and watch her as she goes from house
to house, trying to persuade others to
come and hear about the true God,
they would feel repaid for all the help
they have given this school aye, and
for every penny they have sent to help
support IA Christian school in IL heather
land. We often have thirty persons
come into the house, and many mothers
and nurses, with their babies on their
backs, stand at the door to listen, while
we sit on the mats and tell them of
their lost state and the way of salvation
through Christ. Whatever else we
teach them from week to week, this one
story is always told.
At the other place, three sisters, with
their children, come together to be
taught, and nowhere have we such
earnest listeners as these three women.
occasionally one of the husbands will
come in and be polite to us, but in no
other way notice us much when we
talk to them, ways replying, 81 don't
well understand it,"
In our own neighbOrhood we are be-
ginning to see that our influence is felt,
three families following some of their
members regularly to attend our sell
vices fol- many months. We are seeing
some of the results of the Bible-woman',
work, in that she was permitted to la,
Dor for four, who have given good evi
dence of conversion and have been bap.
tlzed. She and are going tonight tc
see mother whose daughter came tt
me yesterday, saying, evil you com,
and tell my mother about the tru,
Vod !" Our opportunities for labor cal
not be told in one letter, nor vet i,
h..
when P' ""'