Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-03-16
Interesting Letter from Japan
by DR.. Ba11agh

Interesting Letter from Japan
by DR.. Ballagh
Rev. DR.. James II. Ballagh,
missionary to Japan from the
Dutch Reformed Church of New
York, writes interestingly from the
Sunrise Kingdom. DR.. Ballagh is
well known in Rockbridge. He
married Miss Margaret Kinnear Of
Brownsburg and went as mission
airy to Japan during the Civil War.
For time, several years ago, Mrs.
Ballagh was residect of Lexing-
ton. The following letter was re-
ceived by Mrs. John A. Thompson
of Timber Ridge, through whose
courtesy we are permitted to use
the same:
YOKOHAMA, Feb. 4, 1904.
DEAR Cousin ALICE: Your letter,
with best wishes for the New Year
to wife and self, arrived the Bird
inst, just month from the time
when written. Very glad you all
had such an Old Virginia home
coming, or Christmas house-warm-
ing Xmastide.
Japan outdoes the West in
Christmas observances. New Years
decorations of pines and bamboos
and straw rope and hangings line
the streets, with a red shelled
lobster over a stick of oak char
coal and fern and dried sea-weed
and wild lemon-all typical OF
longevity-for a center festoon,
makes the streets look bright and
warm or protected. All shops are
clean and children in bright
colors playing battledore and
shuttlecock in the streets, gentle
men making ceremonious calls,
With presents from shop-keepers
to their patrons-extend equally
to Xmas.
The foreign residences with
evergreen arches over their gates
or doors, decorated with chrysan-
themum flowers or mock oranges,
and ivy and mistletoe boughs in
side make a holiday show. The
schools and churches must all have
special services and giving Of
presents makes busy time for all
concerned. Christmas is fast be.
coming the festival Of the year. 1t
has come to Japan truly to stay.
The school exercises-singing, rec
itations and essays-are all quite
equal to any in America, and ex-
hibiting precocity of Japanese
children truly wonderful. The
latest is little tot, marching out,
making his quick, sharp bow, and
repeating a single sentence in
Japanese or English, "God is
love, " and then bow and of he
goes as ardently as he came.
The school children of both
sexes have open air drill ono half
hour a day; the boys have a mill
tary instructor and all the evOlu-
tons Of an army are gone through
with. This used to make my heart
sick thinking they should be food
for Russian bullets, but / reckon
now it has not been vain, since her
purchase of ships and erection OF q
navy.
I have been much exercised
about the disturbance of the peace
of the Orient by perfidious Russia,
thrice repeated, finally October 8,
1903, by non-with drawal of troops
from Manchuria, and now after all
the delayed negotiations is proba.
bly, possibly entering Korea and
eliciting declaration Of war. II
80, it will be for the nobles'
principles for which nation could
make WARRIOR home and liberty,
for truth and commerce. These
are the issues. And though the
odds are tremendous against her,
; we yet must believe
"Snce right is right and God is God
The right the cause must win:
To doubt would be disloyalty,
To falter would be SIM"
I have written an appeal FOL
prayer to our Church paper, "Th'
Christian Intelligencer, and 4
published will ask them or my sis
ter to send you a copy. Praye
t has power with God and will
J man. BY that single weapon Jacob
the false hearted Jacob even, hae
power and prevailed over the ange
and mis- brother Esau and fou
hundred trained soldiers.
War may not be averted, but
, not, it may directed to the wises
and most beneficent end. l an
exceedingly gratified that l an
, permitted to be living and il
, Japan at this supreme juncture il
', her history and complete redemp
ton.
Affectionately, with love to all