The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-22
A VISITOR FROM JAPAN.
Rev. Naomi Tamura, Of Toxic, 0c-
cupiss the Pulpit At the Il
Presbyterian Church.
-- N
He IL on Els Way East In tho
interests OF Missionary
Students.
At Eighteen Hs Was Ordained an Elder
In tho Presbyterian Church
ut Toxic.


An INDEPENDENT reporter Ind 4 very
pleasant interview with Rev. Naomi Tam
ura. a Japanese Presbyterian clergyman, In
Rev. =. v. Moore's study last evening.
Rev. Tamura, like all Of his race, IL small
in stature. He was dressed in the conven-
tional black of m American clergyman.
He has an interesting history. Rev. Tam
urn 10 a graduate OF Auburn seminary and
spent one year At Princeton and WAS OF
dained an elder in the Presbyterian church
At Toxic whom he was 10 years Of age. He
10 now "a years old. After receiving his
English education In this country he went
to Japan as a missionary among his coun
trymen, where he has been for the past
seven years. During this time his
field of work did not bring
him in contact with many English speaking
people and as n result he lost to some ex-
tent his proficiency in English. Yesterday
was his second Sunday in the United
StAtes. He landed at San Francisco and
spoke At Tacoma the sunday previous,
preaching in English, and found it some
what difficult. Yesterday morning he oo-
cupied the pulpit OF the Presbyterian
church. His sermon was in the nature OF q
general talk upon the difficulties surround
ing missionary work among the Japanese.
Al an illustration be related his own ex-
p~erience in a district whore she Buddhists
were in an overwhelming majority. Rev.
Tamura mounted the pulpit and began his
discourse. As soon as the first sentence is-'
sued from his lips a muscular member of
the Buddhist faith who was stationed IN
one corner of the building commenced a
vigorous humping of a drum. In another
corner stood q non-believer who accom-
panisdithe noise made on the drum by the
ringing OF bells. The preaching stopped
suddenly and the preacher had to give up.
In the early daysit was a frequent occur
renee to break up these missionary meet
ings by resorting to violence. but PERSISTENT
effort has overcome the opposition of the
Buddhists and a preacher can now secure a
respectful hearing.
He sketched the history OF foreign mls-
sions in Japan from the time of the driving
out Of the Roman Catholics down to events
which happened in his own career % . mis-
~sionaty. One of the main difficulties is to
convey to the Japanese in their own Ian
! guage the ideas Of christianity. The trans
lation of the Bible into Japanese gives the
native about seven volumes, where the
English speaking Christian has it all in
one book. Then, again, it is very difficult
W IuIuleu tuoIu WILL VIC ~ Auos 1AOShO l
Ages in Japanese has not the same tune as
III English, and has a different Japanese
one in each locality visited, it all depending
upon the whim of the natives. Rev.
Tamura told of one foreign missionary who
could speak the language fairly we'll, but
never ven before Il congregation without
his English and Japanese dictionary. This
gentlemen would be expounding the Chris
tian religion to his hea ers in good Japan
ese, when suddenly he would come to a full!
stop, consult the dictionary, and then &c
on Until he had to refer to the book again.
thirty or forty suoh interruptions in the
course of a sermon detracted from its value
to some extent. but the Japanese are patien1
and polite.
In Toxic Rev. Tamura has a church
which is attended by 400 of his WI PEG
plo. and has charge of an industrial school
attended by twenty young Japanese. They
arc destined for the ministry. 1t is the OBJ
iect of Rev. Tamura's trip to the Unitet
States to secure funds for the maintsnanc
of this school,. He will visit all the large
eastern stiles and expects TO return t.
Japnn next May. Within the past twent.
years 5000 native churches have been built
in Japan n the Christiauized Japanese
are estimated at $4,000.
Last evening Rev. Tamura spoke to tn
membeis Of tho Presbyterian congregation
and many visitors at the church upon tn
manners n customs of the Japanese. To
day Rev. Z. V. Moore will take him to thu
Broadwater and other points of interest
He will leave to-night for White Sulphu
Springs for q two days visit.