LIFE AND LETTERS OF JOSEPH HARDY NEESIMA

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REVISITS ANNAKA. 215 another, then another, till finally the room was fully lighted. He who taught his associates also began to preach to them every day. One day fire broke out in the prison, but there was no least confusion. He kept them in complete order. Under his direction each one worked nobly and soon the fire was extinguished. Afterwards the prisoners were inspected, and none of them had escaped. It was a wonderful thing. The authorities of the city were informed of the behavior of the prisoners and the reason for it, and their leader was released on account of his good conduct, although he had one year yet to serve. After his release he called on us and told us his story. He had killed a man ten years ago in a quarrel. He has since started a private school in Otsu, and Mr. Davis, myself, and some of our students have preached there ever since. This will soon result iu the formation of a church there." In March, 1878, while visiting Tokyo on business connected with the school, he made a journey to An­naka, where he had first preached Christ on his return from America. "Finding the Minister of the Interior so ill that there was no prospect of seeing him immediately, I made up my mind at once to go to Annaka in order to improve my time. After leaving that place some three years ago the people began to lose their interest in the truth, as there was no one to guide them. My letters written to them occasionally kept up the courage of a few. Last summer one of our brethren from Ky­oto went up there and stirred up their almost fainting faith, and as they have more leisure in the winter than in the summer time, it was their especial request he should come again in the winter. When I arrived

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