The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-01-06
UNION THANKSGIVING SERVICE.
Interesting Story of Life in Japan,
Told by Rev. o. C. Greene.

The union service at The High Street
Church last evening of the Congregational
churches Of the city was highly interesting.
1t was the annual thank offering meeting of
the Woman's Auxiliary of the Maine
branch of the Woman's Board for Foreign
Missions, this year for the first time held on
Sunday evening. The attendance was large
and would undoubtedly have been much
greater but for the uncommonly slippery
walking. The brief remaks of the various
pastors all led up to the chief address of the
evening by Rev. DR.. Greene, whose mission
airy experiences among the japanese were
vividly related. The congregation listened
intently to his instructive words.
The programme as previously published in
the PRESS was fully carried out Reading
of the scriptures by Rev. s. X. Perkins fol-
lowed the excellent singing of the choir.
Rev. A. FL. Wright touchngly prayed for the
missionaries in far off lands.
Rev. +. T. Bayley briefly spoke of 'eWhat
God is accomplishing by the women of the
churches in our day."
He thought it no wonder that Christ had
so won the hearts of the women, because
under the influence of the gospel their con-
dti0n had so improved. Women are prOmi-
nent in philanthropy and missions, though
indeed it may be said that mission work is
the highest reach of the broadest philan-
thropy. The first impulse given to human
thought in the direction of foreign missions
was by woman who consecrated her son to
the idea. Women contribute very lberslly
for missions.
Rev. E. p. Wilson spoke also upon the
same subject.
He thought women were doing about all
hat l.us.x "A ~
six different benevolent organizations OF
women, but he didn't know of one exclu-
sively Of men. As women get interested in
the work they will interest others. He was
glad the ladies' were interested, because If
you learn what the mothers are interested in
you will soon know what the sons and
daughters will be interested in.
Rev. j. G. Merrill, ID. D., Jpresented the
claim of the thank offering, and said the be-
nevolenee was eminently scriDtural one, as
in both the Old and New Testaments accounts
of thank offerings are given. A generous
collection was then received, after which
Rev. ID. G. Greene, ID. d., of Japan, was in
troduced. He said:
1t is great pleasure to take part in the ex,
ercises OF this society, not merely because of
the interest: in missions shown by its gener-
Gus contributions, but also because of the
very great interest which the ladies of Port
land have taken in the families of the mis-
sionaries. 1t is also satisfaction To be able
to take part in this offering meeting, in that
| come from country where missionaries
have very little occasion to say anything
with regard to physical hardships. Perhaps
missionary IN almost any other country
would say the same thing, the interest which
he feels In his work leading him to forget
the nardshlpS' but, even without making
an allowance 0i that sort, Japan is beauti.
iul couhtry-a country where nature has
9one almost everything which one could ask
LOT 70 promote the happiness and conve-
nlence OF those who live in the land There
i very ilttle In the way of sacrifice as re-
CARDS the comforts Of living which we are
oonsed TO make, aud our work Is
proceeding in such a way that il re-
moves great many of the cares which op-
press missionaries in other count. les. We
nave no such caste problem as presents it
sell To the wOrker> in India. our relations
10 tne Japanese. beth Christian and DOn-
ChriStlan, are OF such nature that we have
occasion Tor constant thanksgiving. OF
course we have our trials. One of them
grows cut Of the abnormal influence OF
the young men. In Japan the
new regime Is only about 80 years old. dat
ing from about 1859. and progress has been
restricted to those comparatively few years.
The difference in education between the old
er and the younger portion of the cOmmuni-
ty Is very great, and the result of it is that
we fail to fnd In Japanese society that bal
last, that conservative influence, which
comes from the Old men who are able to re-
strain the younger in this country by their
good Judgment aud constant counsel Yet |
regard this tnal rs only incidental to tho