LIFE AND LETTERS OF JOSEPH HARDY NEESIMA

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152 FIRST VISIT TO EUROPE. that Mr. Tanaka's plans, either in general or for him specifically, would be approved by the home govern­ment; and this uncertainty, together with the fear of becoming permanently committed to an official career, decided him to hold to his original intent. Some months intervened after Mr. Tanaka's depar­ture and the opening of the seminary year at Andover. These Mr. Neesima passed in continuing his investi­gation of German schools, in acquiring the language, and in the attempt to improve his general health by treatment at Wiesbaden. The persistent return of his rheumatism depressed him, and he was especially res­tive m1der the necessity of spending so much time in this pleasure-loving city. Intent always, however, upon his Master's service, he here made the acquaint­ance of a young Japanese officer in charge of the man­ufacture of paper currency for the government, at Frankfort, and persuaded him to study the Bible. Two years later, on the eve of his return to Japan, Mr. Neesima received a letter informing him that his fellow-countryman had embraced Christianity, and in his journal writes: "While at Wiesbaden I was dis­heartened on account of my long illness. I now begin to see that my being there was not entirely in vain. It is a great comfort for us to know that the Lord does sooner or later turn our bitter waters into sweet, and I am thankful to Him for my illness." TO MRS. HARDY, BERLIN, October 2, 1872. I found yours of the 25th of August from Berchtes­gaden on my return to Berlin. I was very much pleased for your kind and interesting letter, and trust your health and Mr. Hardy's was very much bene-

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