LIFE AND LETTERS OF JOSEPH HARDY NEESIMA

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APPEAL TO THE BOARD. 225 two, three, or even one hundred friends come and ask me something of the Christian truth, has his Excellency any power to stop me telling them of it? He said no. Then, said I, if he has no such power I can keep on preaching in my house. Finding I was such a stiff­necked fellow he simply charged me not to teach the Bible in our school. It has been taught ever since without ceasing, even through many darkest periods. When one battle was over another battle followed. Then another, still another. It was rumored that our governor reported to the central government that I have started my school with the pretense of educa­tion, but my real design was to promote Christianity throughout the empire. Just about that time I pre­sented applications for the entrance of Miss W. and Miss P. into Kyoto. It was refused without any reason being given. The next complaint of our gov­ernor was that although I am a nominal employer of foreign teachers, the school is really not a native in­stitution but a foreign one, since it is sustained by the annual grant of the American Board. Our situation became much endangered. The minister at Tokyo was ever trying to stop the entry of missionaries into Kyoto. When Mr. Learned's first passport was nearly out I applied for a second. Everything seemed dark and hopeless. I knew surely that a per­mission could not be had if I took an ordinary course. To make a bold strike was my inspiration. I called on our governor at his office and requested him to ap­prove my application and to speak favorably of us to the Foreign Department. He promised to do what he could, but said everything depended on the Foreign Office. By this way I prevented his doing any mis­chief, and then started for Tokyo to see Mr. Mori,

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