LIFE AND LETTERS OF JOSEPH HARDY NEESIMA
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YAMAMOTO KAKUMA. 197 most exalted rank. During his journeys the silence of death preceded him, for the highways were deserted and the houses closed. Even his dwelling had be­come associated with his personality, and only its outer official apartments were accessible to his cour­tiers, those in which he resided being visible only to members of the imperial family. The opening of its doors to the populace, the abandonment of its se­cluded gardens to the crowd, was the surrender of the most sacred spot in the empire. Permission to visit Kyoto had been rarely granted to foreigners, but the opening of the city for one hundred days at the time of these exhibitions had prepared the way for the accomplishment of Mr. Neesima's plans. There was then living in Kyoto Yamamoto Ka­kuma, counselor of the Kyoto-Fu, a highly educated man, but blind, and unable to walk by reason of paralysis. Several members of the Mission had be­come acquainted with him when the city was opened to visitors, and one of them had presented him with a Chinese translation of the Evidences of Christianity. Of this work he said to Mr. Neesima: ''It has done me great good. It has cleared away many of my doubts regarding Christianity, and has also solved a difficult problem which has for years oppressed me. In my younger days I sought to render some service to my country, and to this end devoted myself to mil­itary tactics. But feeling this too small a matter, turned my attention to jurisprudence, hoping to se­cure better justice to the people. But after long study and observation I found law had its limitations. It could indeed set up barriers, but it could not renew the heart. If its restrictions are removed, men will

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