LIFE AND LETTERS OF JOSEPH HARDY NEESIMA

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AT WIESBADEN. 161 knowing these few Christian people. Taking the whole it seems me that Protestantism in Germany is a matter of policy and does differ vastly from what it is on the free shore of New England. April 6, 1873. My thought daily flies towards you, but, alas, my bodily infirmities I Although my rheumatism is en­tirely over, I am still troubled by heavy, dizzy, and constant headache. I left bath house two weeks ago and came to Pastor H--'s house. He is a very pious Lutheran preacher. Although his dogmatic view is somewhat different from mine, there is no slightest unpleasantness between us. He wishes that I should study the Lutheran theology and tries to con­vince me it is purest among all others. But I cannot quite agree to some points. Mr. Sears informs me that he is decided to start for home on the steamer Germania, June 14th, from Hamburg. I thought at once I should accompany him. While I was reflecting upon this subject in my sleepless bed a thought came upon me which you may possibly call an ambitious one. As you know, I have been in Germany over seven months, five of which I spent entirely for Mr. Tanaka; so I have not had great opportunity to learn the language. If I return to America or Japan without knowing the language sufficiently I shall be very much laughed at by my countrymen who are now making such a progress at home in sciences and European languages under for­eign instructors. I also think it very neeessary for me to keep myself a little ahead of them in modern thoughts, sciences, and language-, in order to be a public man religiously. If I return to America in

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