The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-12-04
From the Orient.
ToTTORI, JAPAN, Nov. 3

SIR:-You are to be congratulated even
from 1.-THE Orient" for the excellent
issue accompanying the centennial cele-
bration. Many others have expressed
their approval of your enlarged sheet,
and "better late than not at ALL" it
gives me pleasure to add my word OF
felicitation.
To-day there is a National celebration
in Japan. The emperor's birthday shuts
places of business. Powder is bursting
forth the goodwill of a loyal people.
Professions of civilized beings are at
tempting to do honor to him whom they
count descendant of the gods. Flags
are flying, drums and bells are being
beaten (the Japanese bell is of differ
ent make from that Americans know.
There is universal festlvity. But surely
to me this seems of small Importance
compared with the celebration which en-
gagged the interest of those thousands at
Bennington recently. 1 shall join the
Christians here to-day in religious SER
vice in behalf of the Mikado. But how
much more gladly would l have been
one of those assembled to COM
memOrate the sacrifice and achievements
of the Green Mountain Boys and their
brave compatriOts at Bennington. Not
that love Japan less, but my country
more!
The burst of enthusiasm from thous-
ands of children, seems to cast aside the
impressions of last week, and yet it is
those impressions which l desire to
recc rd in this letter.
When one reads of the earthquake in
A. d. 10, in the time of Tiberius, which
killed 10000 people, again of that one
in A. D. 526, by which 100000 persons
were destroyed, it seems so remote in
time as to be of little concern to us of to-
day, Again, when we read of the i'm
mense loss of life in Sicily in 1893, in
Spain in 1856, and in South America in
1868, it seems thing of the past and re-
mote from our habitation. Even as /
have read from month to month of earth
quakes in Tokyo, there has come no
serious impression upon my mind. On
the 10th of October, however, while we
were at morning prayers, the house was
shaken so much as to ring the door-bell
and make us almost dizzy in our chairs
right here in Tottori. 1t was slight
earthquake of the undulating kind
which none standing felt at all. We
were not long disturbed by it, and were
going on with work in our usual manner
when last Wednesday morning, October
2Sth, at about $40 a. M, the whole
house was shaken again, the dOor-bell
ringing violently and the beams creak-
ing. We all went out doors at once and
words cannot describe the sensation ex-
perienced. The earth under our feet
was moving in waves. How deep down
to liquid interior we could not con-
lecture, but it was enough of move
ment to drive Christian Immediately
to commend his soul to the Father of
Souls. One could see houses in the
neighborhood moving. At intervals
through the day there were short and
slight earthquakes, but our houses stood
firm, despite the strains on them. The
following night we were awakened three
times by shocks of short duration.
Through Thursday following, there were
several small waves. Again Friday
morning early shocks were felt. All
have been slight compared with the first,
however, You may only imagine how a
family feel who go to bed expecting they
may be reused at any time of the night
to fly from the house. 1t is something
of strain on the firmest of nerves.
This is one of the tests that are given
missionaries to Japan. Ones faith is
called out, you and your readers may be
assured. This movement in undulations
is the orthodox movement. There is a
movement up and down called the verti-
cal movement, which is very danger
Gus, and a rarer and yet more destruc-
tive motion is the whirling. Even the
slight earthquakes we have had, which
leave few traces in Tottori of destruc-
tive power, were sufficient to stir our
bodies so thoroughly that even now,
several days later, we feel at times as if
our house was moving and we were
about to fall. The Japanese of Tottori
say this was the most severe shaking
they can remember. The majority it
may be said, were afraid and fled to the
streets. We are as yet safe and thank
full and without fear. After men do all
they can for their own safety, if they
will put their trust in God, the future
cannot be black. Even if bodies are de-
stroyed and the souls, their occupants,
go to other habitations, surely prepared
by Almight God, the change cannot be
lamentable. God demands perfect con
fdence in Himself. Happy all such as
can believe as the little child! We who
have left our native land, our parents,
our brothers and sisters, our many
friends, to come to Japan, have not done