LIFE AND LETTERS OF JOSEPH HARDY NEESIMA

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202 MISSIONARY WORK IN JAPAN. Owing to this action of the authorities work in Fu­shimi was suspended; but in February Mr. Neesima was invited to Otsu, a city of considerable commercial importance east of Kyoto, where, by permission of the vice-governor, he began a series of Sunday ser­VIces. During the summer of 1875 Mr. Neesima had be­come engaged to Yamamoto Y aye, the sister of the counselor to the Kyoto-Fu, and a teacher in a govern­ment school for girls in the city. Her. engagement to a Christian led to her immediate discharge. In announcing this attachment to his friends in America, Mr. N eesima said: -"She is somewhat like her own blind brother, afraid of no one when convinced of her duty. She has often appeared before the governor in behalf of her school when its other officers were afraid to do so. Since becoming a Christian she has often spoken of the truth to her pupils, and she is now discharged by the governor because of his fear that they will learn of Christianity through her and be removed from the school by their parents. I do not know when our marriage will take place. I will let our missionary brethren decide for us. I have been living in hotels and private houses, but have recently hired a house near which, separated only by a garden, is another small one which I am going to rent for my aged parents." On January 2, 1876, the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper were celebrated for the first time in Kyoto, and the marriage took place on the 3d at Dr. Davis's house. Mr. Neesima writes January 6th:-"After the ceremony refreshments were brought in, and every one seemed happy. It was the first mar-

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