The news & observer., 1905-12-03

fore Won by one preceding speaker
This morning. That's the place where
was converted some thirteen years
ago through the instrumentality or a
noble missionary. Miss Kate Harlem,
who is now irving with DR.. Lambeth
Oh | like to remember the happy day
when I fixed my choice on Thee, my
Saviour and my God, the day When !
was brought to Christ. And 1T was on
that day that | decided to preach the
gospel Thought it was shame not 10
preach the gospel to my fellow people
when such a frail woman came over
to Japan, leaving dear ones and
friends at home far away only to
save our people. Since that day l have
been preparing for the same cause
and now | am ready to go back to
Japan when means are provided.
"Our church in Japan is occupying
the most important territory. There
are about ten million people and geo
graphically so situated that all the
influences of Japan and America have
to pass through that part of Japan
which we call the Inland Sea Mission
Field For such an important mission
field for so many people we have only
twelve native travelling preachers and
Is single and married missionaries.
There is a city of fifty thousand where
my brother and his children are today
living. 4 young postOffice clerk WhJ
was converted through the influence
of the same missionary. Miss Harlan.
opened a Sunday School for the first
time and he was so succeSSfuf that
withing the same year he organized a
church. although he was not a
preacher. Japan is ready to accept the
Gospel ii we give her the chance to
hear it. Indeed we need more force Of
the gospel there. My mother is living
in Hagi, city of $4,000. Even today
there is no Protestant church or
preacher while there are about 40
temples The influence of Buddhism
is so overwhelming that my mother
who had become reconciled
with me after six and Il
half years disownment Is again
showing her anxiety to lead me back
to her own religion / have not heard
from her and my sister, who is with
her since last May While l write them
and brother every Saturday. For the
sake of mothers real love and relig
ious faith she dropped her writing me-
and for the sake of my true love and
faith, / write her every Saturday.
want to prove my deepest filial df-
fectiOn. through my bringing her, my
brother and sister to Christ. 1t is
the only way to show my love to them
and they must lie saved. But | am not
going to preach the gospel merely
to save my mother and other dear
ones. The souls OF all other japanese
are for me just as dear and precious
as my own dear ones. / go back to
Japan with the same spirit which
Miss Harlan had.
''To save the nation is another task
which is left exclusively in the hand
of Christianity. | am cry fond of my
country and my being a Japanese.
But | know that Japan is now in the
most serious crisis. For q nation as
well as for an individual there is a
period of inspiration in his life. The
present era of Japan is the inspired
one and the day will soon come when
the strain of inspiration will get re-
laXed--loosened unless she finds an
inner life, true spiritual power For
the strain of physical and intellectual
power can never last long. Christianl-
ty is the only resource which will
enable Japan to keep on her progress
and good health Inspiration is tenn.
poral and timely and she must go to
Christianity in order to receive last
ing force and energy for her own life
/ have no hope for the Orient without
Christianity.
ANA Wnat great waste OF lie 10
keep people in the darkness of ignor-
ance. While | was in the noun
tains last summer + was in great
pathos to see hundreds of bright LOOK
ing, honest and sincere boys and girls
left on the barren field and in the
thick mountain. II is that kind OF
boys and girls who are in many In
stances spiritually and intellectuall.
leading their fellow-students to the
higher standard at Trinity College
where | spent the last four years. We
must give such boys and girls, men
and women the opportunity to come
out of lfmitat ton and to prove their
possibility and usefulness to the full
est. to avoid this great waste of life.
If the intellectual ignorance if the