The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1907-09-03
BEAUTIFUL
HONOLULU.
The Rev. Dr.. Erdman Gives a
Glowing Description Of the
Paradise Of the Pacific.
WITH A SIDE PEEP AT JAPAN.
HONOLULU, q. l., August l6.


EDITOR OF THE CHRONICLE
Mrs. Erdman and /, together with
our son John, arrived here week ago,
after months sojourn in Japan, and
memorable town 1T was. We first
went on by steamer from Yokohama
to Kobe, then by rail twelve hours
along the shores of the beautiful in
land sea to ..Yamaguchi, where John
was stationed, in southwestern Japan.
After spending week in Yamaguchi,
a typical country town of old Japan
about the size of Morristown, we came
northward, visiting the cities Of Kobe.
Kyoto, Yokohama, Tokyo and other
places, all full of intensest interest.
We spent week attending mission
airy conference in Karnizawa, a beau
tiful mountain resort some eighty
miles north of Tokyo, where we heard
reports OF mission work in southwest
ern Japan, and among the Japanese in
Manchuria and Korea reports full of
thrilling interest
Leaving Karnizawa for Tokyo and
Yokohama, we spent couple of days
in Nikko, of which the Japanese have
a saying, You must not use the word
magnificent till you have seen Nikko. )"
It's wonderful temple and sacred
shrines, as well as its splendid natural
scenery, well merit the title. Think
of an avenue, twenty miles in LENGTH
between a double row of magnificent
trees, the cryptomeria, species of ce-
dar, planted nearly century ago, the
avenue stretching from distant town
across the plains and up the mountain
side to Nikko, ending in the temple
grounds, which contain the mausole-
um Of one Of Japan's most famous
rulers Of generations ago.
But must refrain. Japan-the old
and the new--cannot be described in
brief letter.
Here in Honolulu we are in what
has been we'll called the " Paradise Oh
the Pacific" Uncle Sam did a wise
thing when he annexed Hawaiis the
halfway house between the Occident
and the Orient.
Yesterday l had the privilege of at
tending the inauguration of the newr
governor Of the Territory, former
Chief-J Justice Frear. The impressive
ceremonies we're held in the throne
room Of the one-t time palace of Hawa-
iian kings and queens. The exercises
were opened with prayer in Hawa-
iian by the native pastor of one of the
Hawaiian churches.
Less than a century ago the first
missionaries landed on these islands
populated with naked savages. Mar
velous are the changes that have been
wrought since 1920.
Honolulu, the chief city and capital
of the Territory, is a beautiful city,
with population of $4,000 assessed
property of S31 100000 155 miles of
streets; 26 miles of electric car SER
vice telephone service with 1900 SUBJ
scriEors public parks an aquarium;
a free Museum of Antiquities public
and private schools "a churches; Y.
M. U. A.; daily newspapers IN Eng
lish; banks; chamber Of commerce
public library paid fire department.:
5S police, mounted and other; chafi-
table societies; splendid public build
ings; two endowed hospitals; public
waterworkS mills and factories of va
rious kinds, anda multitude OF beauti-
full homes, surrounded with all the
wonders of tropical vegetation.
The Occident and the Orient meet
here and mingle in prosperous and har-
mOnious itions-Americans, Ger
mans, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese
and native HawaiianS in fine, no city
that 1 have seen anywhere is more
beautiful, more orderly or better gov
erned, a striking illustration Of the
self-sacrifice and devotion of the old
missionary spirit and the product OF
the self-sacrificing service and wise
forethought Of the noble men and
women who laid the foundations of
new civilization in this Paradise of the
Pacific.
ALBERT ERDlfAN.