Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-24
Christian Endeavor Hour


For Sunday, February %, 1906.
Topic: "Neeslma and Missions in Japan"
Isaiah l:4-1O.
4. The Lord God hath given me the
tongue of the learned that I should know
how TO speak a word in season to him that
is weary; he wakeneth morning by morn
ing, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the
learned
s. The Lord God hath opened mine ear
and l was not rebellious, neither turned
away back.
G. l gave my back TO the smiters, and my
checks to them that plucked off the hair: 1
hid not my face from shame and splitting.
:. For the Lord God will help me; there
fore shall l not be confounded therefore
have I set my face like a flint and [ know
that / shall not be ashamed.
g. He is near that iustiieth me; who will
contend with me? Let us stand together.
Who is mine adversary? Let him come
near TO me.
Q. Behold. the Lord God will help me; who
is he that shall condemn me? Lo, they all
shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall
eat them up.
10 Who is among you that fearcth the
Lord, that obeyeth the voice of His servant,
that walketh in darkness, and hath no
light? Let him trust in the name of the
Lord and stay upon his God.
The Lesson.
When Joseph Neesima was only n little
boy he came across a book in Chinese where
he read the words In the beginning
God" That was Gods call to His japanese
prophet whom he raised up to help lead his
country TO the true light. Christianity at
that time was under the ban In Japan and
1t was practically impossible for The boy,
whose soul was stirred after the living God
by those words he had read, to learn more
OF the God he would know, while he stayed
in Japan. 1t was against the law. upon
/ penalty Of death. for a japanese to leave
his own country. yet the boy was so eager
after God that he ran away and found pas
sage in an American ship, finally reaching
America
God prepared a ship to bring him, pre-
pared good man, Alphaeus Hardy of Bos-
ton, the owner of the ship in which he came
and an earnest Christian to befriend the
boy and educate him. Then God opened the
way for our government to make q way for
Japan to forgive Neesima his sin of leaving
, his own country and he was allowed to
| come back. He went back his heart filed
with one great desre-to bring Christianity
| to his own beloved land.
| The great good he was able to do is now
Wen known and recognized by the whole
| land. The school he started has sent forth
I many young Christians to spread the
| good news and to live Christ-lives He
| was but a plain man. not particularly
/
| used of God. perhaps because he was so
! wonderfully willing to be used When he
! died the chief Judge OF the Kyoto court
! came to the room where he lay and look
| ing upon his face and very gently maxi
| ing n most profound bow, just as If he
| had been living. said: Mr.. Neesima. while
| you were living ! was much indebted to
| you. am sorry / have not ACCOMPLISHED
1 more. In the future I win try to do bet
| ter and then. weeping. he left the room
| his funeral train was a mile and n half
| long. DR. Barton says that n few wears
ago as he stood by Neesima's grave a
! weil-dressed japanese. not a Christian
| stopped before the simple stone. and after
| clapping his hands in the manner OF wor
| snip In the shinto temples bowed himself
| Very low. as IL he were utterIng a PRAYER
EWhen 1t was ended he asked the man IL
| he had ever known Neesima No" he
| said: but he did so much for japan and
| especially for my son, who was once his
| pupil. that / come here whenever | can
! and pray to his spirit"
| So. though Neesima's life work was short
| he Yet lives in the hearts of his countrvner1
! and his grand work is going on The in
| fiuence of one such life can never be reck-
| oned by human count
Or. Quick, In his book, The White
| Peril in the Far East SAYS that II was
| firmly believed that Japan would be Chris
| ttanized before the end of the last century
! until the reaction set in, caused by the
( return OF many who had gone abroad to
the religious and moral degradation of
Christendom. 1t astonished and shocked
| those who thought that Christian nation
| was Christian In deed as we'll as in word.
told of the hdeous forms OF vice and
| drunkenness found In our large cities It
| was publicly stated that Christianity was q
| failure In so-called Christian nations and
there was no use for Japan to adopt so
powerless a gospel But the life of such
! Japanese Christians as Neesima may do