LIFE AND LETTERS OF JOSEPH HARDY NEESIMA

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130 SEMINARY COURSE AT ANDOVER. with him or not. I did not say much on the matter, only that I must depend on the decision of my patrons in Boston. If this is only opportunity for me to go I would rather do so and with Mr. Tanaka, for he is such a man of broad view. I may possibly do him some good, especially for promoting Christ's kingdom in Japan. If I do show him some favor, hf' migllt become a grea.t help for my further labor. Please let me hear from you as soon as you can. TO MR. HARDY. GEORGETOWN, D. C., }.[arch. 20, 1872. I wrote you this evening asking for yom· decision on my visiting Europe with the Commissioner of Ed­ucation of Japan. Some time after mailing it I was carefully thinking of the subject, looking not simply on one side, but the other. I may be of some use to Mr. Tanaka, hut if I become useful to him he may possi­bly lay a snare to ca.tch and take me back to .Japan, and make use of me for the educational purposes. If I once connect myself with the government I shall be its slave. Though I may do some good in doing so, yet it is not my predominant choice to commit my!"elf to the hand of the government. I have already recog­nized the Sovereign King, the Saviour, as my lord and government, and shaH not need any other government. Therefore it would be my b.~st policy to keep myself free from the snares of the Japanese government. They may keep good terms with me; they may invite me with a word like honey, and treat me as a hired servant at first, and then they may gradually lay hold of me. I believe the commissionet" is a perfect gentle­man anu would not treat me treacherously. Yet what I have said above is my Yankee speculation. There

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