LIFE AND LETTERS OF JOSEPH HARDY NEESIMA

160/372

144 Jl!RST VISIT TO EUROPE. with him this morning. I toM him I cannot consci­entiously travel on the Sabbath. Wherever I may be I must halt on the Sabbath to rest my soul on the Lord, except some unavoidable case. So Mr. T. could not urge me to travel with him to-day and went to Geneva with his French-speaking Japanese, asking me very politely to excuse him for his not staying with me here. So I am left alone in this strange place, although I do not feel lonesome at all. I went to the French Protestant church this mornu1g, but I did not understand the preaching. I knew only that the preacher was earnest by hearing his exciting voice and noticing his constant gesture. The congregation was very small, about twenty ladies, five gentlemen, and a few boys a!ld t,rirls. Although the ladies dressed not very neatly 2.:ad the gentlemen dressed with frocks like butchers, they appeared very attentive during the ser­vice ; I trust that they were rich in the in ward per­son, thm1gh poor in thc_ir apparel. There is no single clouJ in the sky, and the sun is shining brightly on the blue and tranquil stream of the Saone. I am so thankful for God's givillg me such a privilege and freedom as to worship Him ac­cording to my conscience amongst strangers, without any fear or disturbance. I find the French keeping of Sabbath very different from New Enghnders. The men and boys are fishing along the banks of the Saone, and the women wash the clothes here and there. AU the drinking saloons are opened as it were some week day. So I can at once discriminate the Roman Catholic people from the Protestant nations.

※このページを正しく表示するにはFlashPlayer10.2以上が必要です