The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-02-17
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS In JAPAN
A Returned Missionary Talks of People
and Customs in the City of Toxic.

| Miss Kate M. Youngman, missionary
of the Presbyterian Church in Japan
since 1878, was visiting friends in town
this week On Monday evening, while
the blizzard of 1899 was working over
time in its endeavors to outdo the biz
zard of 1888, a CHRONICLE reporter
wended his way through discouraging
snowdrifts to the residence of DR.. Albert
Erdman, on South street, where Miss
Youngman was staying, in quest of that
! lady's views on mission work in the land
of the chrysanthemum
Miss Youngman succeeded Miss Parks,
in 1878, as the personal representative OF
the Woman's Missionary Association of
the South Street Presbyterian Church of
this town in the Japanese mission field.
She was born in Kingston, ", and was
graduated from the Twelfth ward New
York city, public school, in which she
| taught until entering upon the work
which called her so far from her native
land. The association which has for q
quarter of century so cheerfully expend-
ed many thousands of dollars in second
| ing the efforts of this earnest worker, is
naturally well pleased with the success
/ which has attended her labors.
Miss Youngman spoke briefly of her
work in the mission field The city of
Toxic was her home in Japan. There,
in the early years of her residence, she
had undertaken the work of organizing
school for girls, teaching the English
language as we'll as the native This
school, at first known as Graham Semi
nary, was subsequently consolidated
with another, and the two are now known
by the japanese name of JOSH Gakuin.
This school is in a hourishing condi-
I ton. Miss Youngman was also instru-
mental in establishing three other schools
in Toxic, as we'll as the Toxic Bible In
stitute-a training school for japanese
Bible women. Native converts were
largely employed in mission work, and
many of them are earnest, consecrated
men and women.
In her household in Toxic, Miss
Youngman is caring for a number of
youthful japanese who lost their parents
in the earthquake of 1891, and are known
also interested in home for lepers called
s'Ihaen." "A Japanese benevolent society,
composed of Christian men and women
that have been long associated with Miss
Youngman in Christian work, carry on
this home, with her assistance. They
contribute toward it, but the mission
to Lepers in India and the East gives
largely towards it, while individual gifts
come from all over the world. 1t was
the first organized effort in Toxic having
for its object the improvement of the
condition of the lepers, of whom about
twenty are under the care of the mission.
They are considered incurable.
A home for the untainted children of
lepers is now under consideration. Three
children are already under the care of
the "Kozensha," the japanese society in
charge of the work.
Miss Youngman inaugurated "rescue''
work in Toxic, which was taken up by
the Womens Temperance Union, and
eventually the 'iFlorence Crittenden
Home of Love and Mercy" resulted.
In her efforts to instil the principles of
the Christian religion into the believers
in Buddhism and the Shinto, Miss
Youngman met with but little opposition
from the natives. The general govern
ment exercises a watchful supervision
over all the schools in the Empire, and
in large degree stipulates what books
shall be used. Her policy was to observe
as closely as possible the rules of the
government Board of Education.
OF the customs of the people Miss
Youngman spoke entertainingly. On
the death of a member of the reigning
family, instrumental music is prohibited
in all the public places. The Emperor
and his household believe in the Shinto
religion, which does not tolerate idols.
The Buddhists, on the contrary, are
idolatrous in their practices, and are
more numerous than the Shintos. In
the month of April, when the flowers
blosso1l, the people have the privilege OF
drinking their native liquor lsaki) in the
parks of Toxic.
In the japanese households, the man
of the house has autocratic privileges.
No one partakes of food until he has
finished his meal-seated on the floor.
The wife dutifully waits on her husband.
The law of primogeniture prevails. The
oldest son takes everything when the
father retires from business or concludes
to relinguish family cares, which is often
done by men under so years. The
women of the working class carry their
babies strapped to their backs. To this
custom, together with the extraordinary
glare of the sun, Miss Youngman at
tributes the defective eyesight so com
mon in the realms of the Mikado.
The principle food is rice, and, in the
seacoast districts, fish also. Beef is now
coming more generally into use among
the well-to-do classes. Its cost is about
that in America-perEaps little less.
The war with China sent up the prices
of food. Rice now costs three times as
much as when Miss Youngman went to
Toxic twenty-five years ago. Wages
have advanced, but not in proportion to
the cost of living. A skilled Japanese
carpenter earns less than 40 cents day.
The standard floor covering of the
japanese is mat, 6x3 feet, and the
houses are built to fit this mat. The
contractor ascertains the number of mats
designed for room, ana bases his speci-
fications on that information. The
houses, while frail in comparison with
the substantial structures in America,
generally do service equally as long.
Toxic has fire limits, within which tile