The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-15

interest in my movements. The OPP
GRAFTON of shaving is to him never
ending wonder and he always sits
watching giving utterance to many
CALCULATIONS of appreciation and sur
prise and when the operation is over
informs me that henceforth he is go
ing to initiate me.
Physically the foreigner is not
adapted to the requirements of a
Japanese hotel. Sitting on the floor
is not difficult nor painful feat if it
is not long continued, but at the end
of three or four hours, notwithstand-
ing man has assumed every possible
position, except the perpendicular,
compatible with his bodily structure
in the vain attempt to relieve his pro-
testing joints, he will find himself SO
stiff -jointed as scarcely to be able to
walk. Sleeping on the floor is not
so bad, except that on chilly nights
the heavy coverlids not fitting closely
to the sleeper are apt to leave oppor-
tunities for unwelcome ventilation.
Happy is the man who is able to
eat the food of the country. Moth
ing is more dainty, more clearly, nor
in appearance more appetizing than
Japanese food as it is usually served
at good hotel. But to me and to
many others it is vanity. This inabil-
ity to eat the food of the land leads
to various makeshifts to supply the
needs Of the physical man. Some
times the hotel itself pretends to
serve foreign food. Sometimes it is
necessary to seek the so-called foreign
restaurants which are becoming more
numerous yearly. But there is room
here for disappointment. The man
who is fastidious in his tastes, who
must have food served hot and done
to turn, spotless linen, silver forks,
and plates of fine china, need not
apply to these restaurants. But the
man who is determined to make the
best of things and is guided by the
principle that we eat to live, rather
than live to eat, will gradually sift
out the most undesirable dishes and
fix his hopes on the one or two not
unbearable mixtures generally to be
found in bill of fare. Anything like
fitness, taste, or elegance is not to be
looked for in these restaurants. The
attempt on the part of an ignorant
Japanese to compass the proprieties
of western meal results almost in
evitably in the sacrifice of all refine
ment in its preparation and service,
and the preservation of all that is bar
barous. Nothing else can be expected.
Imitation without assimilation is al
most certain to lead to travesty. It
is to be understood that l am now
speaking of the common restaurant.
In the large hotels and in private
families are to be found cooks who
are masters of their profession, but
generally we do not come in contact
with them when on a missionary
tour.
The people of Shidzuoka are said
to bevery Indifferent toward religion.
This indifference is largely attributed
to the general material prosperity
which prevails there. There are said
to be no really poor people in the
city. This tendency to rest upon
material things is the great danger
which threatens Japan today, and it
is the legitimate result of the adop-
ton of the material elements of west
ern civilization in conjunction with
the decay of the native religions.
When at last it is found that material
istic philosophy cannot give all that
a great nation needs, then more
thought will be given to religious
matters. Now and then individuals
awake to the need of something more
enduring than material things. A
case of this kind came to my notice
in connection with our work in Shid-
zuoka. A couple somewhat advanced
in years recently lost their only son
by death. The shock and grief
caused by this loss turned their
thoughts toward religion and they
forthwith set out to find faith which
could give them comfort in their sor-
row. The native religions having al
ready been rejected they sought some
form of Christianity. They met with
no success, however, until they heard
of our faith, and since then they
have been diligent enquirers as to
our beliefs. This incident was told
me with considerable satisfaction by
our workers in Shidzuoka. This sat
isfaction arises from the fact that this
man belongs to the common people
and will therefore give permanency to