Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-26

| us of a wonderful week of prayer held In
| 1872 out of which grew a great revival.
| After a week or two the Japanese. for the
| first time in the history of the nation, were
on their knees in a Christian prayer meet
1 Ing. entreating God with great emotion.
with the tears streaming down their faces.
that He would give His spirit to Japan as
| to the early church and to the people
! around the apostles"
| He also says that these prayers were
| characterized by intense earnestness. and
| that the captains of men-of-war, English
and American who witnessed the scene,
| wrote:
| The prayers of these Japanese take the
| heart out OF US"
Since then the work has grown to enor-
| nous proportions, so that 1t was at one
| time hoped and expected that the twentieth
| century could Japan a truly Christian
nation. Perhaps the prayers of Gods work
ers have not been so constant, the zeal has
grown lax. or the kingdom might even now
have come for Japan. However that may
| be. nfne-tenths of the 10000 600 of Japan
are still ignorant OF Christianity.
The Japanese have been quick to catch
our civilization. and keen for knowledge.
| but there IS in them spirit of unbelief, SO
that they are surprised at the way the mis-
Slonar1es are able to convey the idea that
| they believe their own preaching. and are
astonished beyond measure that their
| friends one and another become converts.
| they also show this same belief in their
new religion. But with civilization and
knowledge have also entered our amuse-
ments and our vices, and missionaries there
| have the same things to contend with that
home missionaries have. added to the ma
| tive unbelief.
| personal friend. a. missionary. writing
from Sendai Japan, says: Japan suffers
greatly from the drink curse. 1t is almost
| the greatest curse here save the cigarette
| habit. Even the women all smoke. There
| is kind Of whisky, made of rice. which is
called sake which is very intoxicating.
and the Japanese get wild when they drink
1t and do evil deeds, causing much harm
and trouble to the nation. There is law
now forbidding students to smoke, drink
sake or attend the theaters, but it is fire.
quently viola ted"
This letter also speaks Of a small library
| in the school. the books of which are read
| to, or by, the more advanced Japanese stu
dents. He says:
that we almost despair at times We often
wish people would send their old maya zines
| TO us after they are through reading them.
| II they do not care to file them We lust
| get hungry for reading ma tter!"
This is a suggestion for Christian En-.
deavorers There are many other mission
stations where reading matter would be so
| joyfully received, and would do SO much
| more good than 1t ever did in the American
| homes. stated already with literature! 1t
| Is pity that we should not have a little
consecrated postage and express fund from
which to draw in order to send our over
supply of books and papers where they
would be so thoroughly appreciated
postal card to your own UNCONVENTIONAL
| headquarters will bring you promptly the
addresses OF mission stations in any coun-
try you wish, where such gifts would be
desirable, and this Is quiet way in which
individuals can do something definite for
missions. Perhaps you have some cher
lshed book that has done your soul good
and given you hours of pleasure in read
ing Suppose you purchase another copy
or II and SEM II to some Japanese mission
to be read to the little Japanese Junior
Christian Endeavorers-or seniors If IT be-
more appropriate for them. In this way
your own soul will be blessed with a per
sonal interest in the work of that far-away
land
Applied Truth.
The following quotation from Robert F.
Speers presbyterian Foreign Missions
shows how God works when He is ready
in the day that he shall do it,
The japanese minister at WASHINGTON
advised the establishment Of complete re-
ligtous liberty, and wrote home Of what he
had seen Of Protestant Christian itv. saving:
The growing influence of the Bible is re-
markable and makes itself felt everywhere
me Bible contains an overpowering force
OF liberty and justice, guided by the united
strength of wisdom and goodness"
HOW to help the leader-Find out the
name or some missionary in Japan. the
tell something Of his work Go to your
pastor for Information If you have no mag
azine at hand.
Parallel passag es-John xii 40: Isaiah
xxxn:l,2: Isaiah. xxx:17. IS: Isaiah lfx:I9-21,
isaiah, 1x:1-3 q %: Isaiah xiii: Isaiah
lxv:24 Zachariah, t:7-9
Hints to the Leader.
Christian Endeavor Hymns-1S. 81. 81 60
40. 113.
The Endeavor Hymnal-16o, 1es, 1859. 172.
1877. go
Have good map Of Japan where all can
see It, Speak few words about the first
opening Of Japan. Have at least three or
four three-minute talks from members con-
corning different missionaries and their
work there, beginning in the order in which
they went. If possible. Ask some one 10
read carefully the life of Joseph Neesin,a
ana give a brief sketch, taking not over
lVe minutes. Ask members to sneak on
how we may help more in the worl, of
Chr1stlanfZlng Japan. Call for verses eftbar
promises or prophecies concerning mission
work iiiis'ioii
Close with season of MANY short nr.,.a,.
distinctly for the work in Japan
See. the King in beauty cometb
he; thy long. long absent King;
AS the light of dawn He shineth
And His breath is that of sprinr
From the dream of darkness WAKING
Zion. lift thy voice and sing