The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-01-16

TEDIOUS OoRuh -
mission work have been rather meag-
er in recent months, and suggests
that it may be due to the rise OF new
problems calling for solution on our
part. We are dimly conscious OF
our remissness in making such re-
ports. but the meagerness would not
have been so striking had it not been
that two letters from the pen of the
present writer, sent during the last
wear. have failed to appear in the col
umns of the UNCONVENTIONAL papers
This is doubtless due to mail irreg-
ularities rather than to editorial CEN
sorship. for we have not the slightest
recollection of having written any
thing inimical to the welfare either
of the mission or the denomination
at large.
Every Letter Printed.
I'm answer to the above we have 10
say that everything that has come 10 US
from Japan has been put IN type anu
pr nted in THE UNIvERsAL1sT, anu siips
duly mailed from this office to the Dali
nor and Christian Leader. There mas
been no suppression and we nave nao NO
raason IN exercise editorial censorship
We are only too glad to print tne news
from our distant Mission, and are always
pleased to have that opportunity. "e
have sometimes, however. been obliged
to divide letters into two parts OUT tne
second has always followed, in regular
order the first. In regard to the MISS
ing letters of Rev. Mr.. Cate, we incline
to the opinion that there has oeen
miscarriage of the Japan mail. How
ever this may be, we are positive that
there has been no failure on this SIDE OF
the Pacific.-EDIToR UNIvERsALIsT'l
As to problems, there is never
dearth in connection with our
work and if we wrote only when
there were none to solve the silence
would never be broken. we nope
however, to keep the friends OF the
mission better posted in the future
On Wednesday, November 4, L
started in company with Rev. L. w.
Atwood on trip to Kiushlu' the
southermost of the larger islands
which make up the Empire of Japan
Those who have read previous letters
will remember that in the city of
Fukuoka, situated on that island,
station was opened about two and
one-half years ago, and placed IN
charge of one of our most promising
workers, Mr.. 10. This was our OBJ
jective point.
The Journey by Sea.
The greater part of the journey is
best made by sea, and part OF IL
must be made by sea, since the rail
way does not yet extend so far. Ii
one is fortunate in making steamer
the journey can be made
in about two days. In our case,
however, owing to the elements and
certain irregularities not uncommon
to Japanese steamship service, it was
prolonged to nearly double that time.
1t is not the main purpose of this
letter to describe the journey, and
yet it is part of our missionary ex-
perience and may not be uninterest-
ing. According to the handbook
issued by the Nippon Yusen Kaisha
Steamship Co., the distance from Yo-
kohama, our port of embarkation, to
Shimonoseki, our port of debarkation,
Is $50 miles. Adding to this Is miles
from Tokyo to Yokohama and 30
miles at the other end of the journey,
L makes total of ga miles. The
passage from Yokohama to Kobe has
the reputation of being exceedingly
rough and we are sorry to add our
testimony in confirmation of the re-
port. Bro. L. W. Atwood just land
ed from long voyage on the broad |
Pacific, and pluming himself not
little on his freedom from sea sick
ness, felt an unwonted heaviness of |
snirit on this occasion. | myself, |
not unused to sea voyages, suffered |
more or less. 1t was not downright |
seasickness, but general feeling of |
uneasiness and longing for some
thing different.
After leaving Kobe we sailed for
a day and a night among the islands
Of the Inland Sea. The beauties of |
this cannot be fittingly portrayed in
words. 1t is on all sides a continu-
Gus panorama of islands, large and |
small, wooded and rocky, now reveal
ing a fishing village, now a large
,own with houses rising in pictur-
esque tiers on the slopes. Terraced
green with grain, tell how
the patient farmer subdues the rough |
earth and makes it yield him food. |
Miniature steamers trail their
smoke and the quaint square sails of |
& ahin0 boats fash in the sunlight.