The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-05-05
ADDRESS BY REV.
HENRY LOOMS
Head of Bible Society in Japan
Talks to Momen's Board
OF Missions.

Rev. Henry Loomis, head of the
American Bible Society in Japan who
was delayed in Honolulu by the Korea IS
not sailing until FIVE clock yesterday
the urgent request of the Woman s
Board of Missions of the Central Union
church and address a meeting of the
board on his work in Japan.
Mr. Loomis went through the Civil
War obtaining his commission as a cap
tain before the war was over. Thirty
nine years ago, in 1870 he came to Ho-
nolulu for the first time and stayed
here three months, the occasion being
the jubilee of the foreign board of
missions on the Island of Oahu, the
first member having landed here in
1920.
Soon after that Mr.. Loomis went to
Japan and has been engaged in Bible
and missionary work there ever since
His second daughter is now principal
of the girls seminary of the Woman 5
Board of Missions in Yokohama. while
his eldest daughter is dean of Sage
College, the coeducational college of
Cornell University. Another brilliant
member of the family is his nephew,
jerome D. Green, who is secretary of
Harvard University.
In addressing the meeting of the
board yesterday afternoon Mr.. Loomis
spoke, not so much of his own work
as head Of the Bible society, but of
the work that is being done among
the women of Japan and the wonderful
difference which Christianity has effect
ed in the status of japanese women
since he has been in that country.
| Mr. Loomis said in part "When [
| first went to Japan and / was seen
walking along the street with my wife,
we were the object of the most I'M
disguised curiosity and surprise. In
| those DAYS a woman was looked upon
as an inferior animal and as not hay
1 ing any SOUL But things are. very
different now. Owing to the work OF
! Christian women and the spread of the
! gospel, japanese women are being rec
/ ognized and are taking their right place
in the community and in the household
SIT has been to me a matter OF keer
interest and pleasure to watch the de
velopment Of the young japanese girl
under my daughter s care in the semi
nary There they are taught the tru'
Christian life and leave school to spread
the great truths of the gospel through
out the country in their own homes.
MrLoomis then related several Incl
dents to point out the extent of TIL
work which has been done and how
Christianity is now no longer scoffed a
and reviled but recognized everywher
and has been adopted by many in hig
places as well as among the commol
people.
He told of prominent Japanese leg
islator who was converted to Christian
ity while representing his province i
/ the Diet. He was a brilliant speake
and an able lawyer SO that his friend
wished to have him elected presiden
of the Diet, but they feared that hi
religion would prevent this. Greab a
| was the honor, he refused to recant an
/ this action pleased even his opponent
| in the Diet so that he was elected a
I most unanimously. D
| Mr.. LOOMS also showed a sample 0
l a comfort bag which the Christia
| japanese women made for the soldier
/ during the war with Russia. Sixt
thousand of these bags were given OF
and were highly priced by the soldier
Each one contained Testament an
the speaker told of many incidents i
which the presence of the book in h
bag had been the means of convertln
soldier.
/ The board room of the Central Unio
church was crowded with women men
bers who were greatly pleased with tt
lecture which was delivered in clea
easy tones and was all the more col
| vineing for being entirely extempore.