LIFE AND LETTERS OF JOSEPH HARDY NEESIMA

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154 FIRST VISIT TO EUROPE. has detached himself entirely from the embassy. If I forsake him he will be alone. Shall I satisfy my own ardent desire to see my American friends and cause an inconveniency to Mr. Tanaka, or accom­modate Mr. Tanaka and deny my own appetite? I am determined to come back to the United States to resume and complete my theological study in order to fit myself wholly for the missionary labor. I have no desire after the worldly wealth or fame, for I believe I have firmly fixed my eyes to the glory and excellence of Christ. Since I came to Europe and saw so many ungodly people I can clearly see the necessity of the gospel truth to human souls. We have now about eighty Japanese students in Berlin, but all of them have fallen in the habit of ridiculing Christian people without knowing what Christian truth is. One of them asked Mr. Tanaka's intimate friend whether Mr. Tanaka has become a priest, because that irreligious Japanese has heard of his being with me and reading Christian books with an intense interest. When Mr. Tanaka heard about that contemptuous remark he did not mind of it, but was only smiling. I think if these men go home they will cause a great hindrance to the cause of Christ's church, which has just begun to exist in Japan. I am thinking it may be a good season now for me to open a way to the missionaries and shade the national education with the Christian and moral principles before they attempt to do great mischief to the conn­try. 0 that God may direct all my thoughts and affairs. I pray you to advise me what steps I should take. I trust you will throw a better light upon me. I am working pretty hard now, spending nearly six hours a day for translating the school laws and reports of different European countrief!.

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