Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1905-10-05
TALK BY JAPANESE.
Surgeon General Suzuki Addressed
4 Railroad Y. N. c. A. at Detroit.
COT an ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION.


Detroit. Mich, Sept. oV.--lhvenseas
dramatic was the moment FRIDAY
when Surgeon General Suzuki, OF tne
japanese navy, fresh from the battles
Of the Japan and Yellow seas de.
clared with affecting earnestness ana
sincerity before the Railroad Z. M. "
A. international convention that No
had been for 20 years q Christian.
Very proudly he added that his wlLe
and fiye children shared his belief
Tears dimmed many eyes when tne
distinguished Japanese surgeon toiu
brokenly Of the drowning OF another
child his 12-year-old daughter just
two days before he himself had peen
called into the thick of the recent
fighting. -,
He had not urged the question OF
religion in his family, he said, nav
ing trusted it to the guidance OF goa,
His eldest son had been the first 10
become a convert, having been inter
ested at first through an accidental
visit to a Christian meeting wniie
walking along the streets Of TOXIC.
Next the wife had been converted
through the influence Of her son. ana
all the family had followed In inc
steps of these two .
Struggling to control his emotion
Gen. Suzuki declared his faith In .ne
Christian belief Of the future liie'
saving of his little daughter whom
he inourned, Il believe she mas gone
to our own kingdom"
Further evidencing his high con-
cention of the beauty and power OF the
Christian religion, General Suzukl
credited the missionaries to Japan with
becoming broader and broader In their
views.
"Those who came first" he said
"were too deeply concerned about out
ward appearances. 1t was q mistake
for them to ask at the very outset
DO you smoke? Do you drink? Do you
go to church, For we know now that
when one has really entered the church
he will naturally give up the things
that are evil. We want you to sent
to us good men who will convert oul
hearts and show us the real meaning
Of Christianity.
Japan is supposed to be a non
Christian country, but there are man!
men. women and children In Nippoi
trying to be faithful to the right AM
to God. | myself, was baptized =
4 years ago. can not say that an
a good Christian, but am christian
Surgeon General Suzuki's earnes
words electrified the convention. Tn
guidance was wild in Its outbursts o
applause. 1t was probably the frs
time that cheers had resounded In tn
Central Methodist Episcopal church
J one OF the Oldest and largest house
of worship in Detroit. The distin
guished Japanese was the last speake
at the afternoon session, but the au
dance did not turn toward the doc
when he finished. With one impuls
delegates and spectators struggled 7
get nearer to the uniformed, swarth
foreigner who stood behind the preach
er's desk. Surgeon General SUZUKI
looked about him preplexed. Their
was the making Of panic In the mo
that was struggling all around him.
was necessary for John ]. McCook Q
New York, who had been presiding
to conduct the besieged speake
through rear door to the street.
It was through Robert 3. Galley
the Y. M. c. A. secretary at Tientsi
that the Japanese surgeon-general wa
requested to address the convention
General Suzuki had related his story I
!. Mr.. Galley while they were crossing tn
J, Pacific together, The latter then W
! on finding that the army and nav
: surgeons convention at Detroit whic
: Suzuki was coming to attend and tn
5 Railroad Y. M. C. A. convention her
8 would occur the same week, notifie
. the promoters Of the latter that th
Q noted japanese ought to be requisite
to speak.