LIFE AND LETTERS OF JOSEPH HARDY NEESIMA

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UNDER CRITICISM. 293 were received in behalf of a religious paper recently established in Tokyo; efforts were made to secure funds which should enable certain of the native teach~ ers in the Doshisha to fit themselves for the better dis­charge of their duties by courses of study in America; the occupation of Sendai and other centres was pressed upon th~ attention of the Board; and in all these plans, as in that of placing the Doshisha upon a university basis, Mr. Neesima was looked to as the main channel of communication between Japan and the sources of supply. He was constantly working for all these interests, by written appeals to the Board, and by conversations with its secretaries and mem­bers of the Prudential Committee, as also with others interested in philanthropic enterprises; but his ef­forts were not always appreciated by his zealous asso~ ciates, and he received many letters whose criticism tried his patience. Of one of these, from a native pastor, he writes, December 15, 1884:-"Our young men are too zealous for the cause, and are apt to be impetuous sometimes. TheY' see the machinery absolutely necessary for the present stage of the work. If there be the slightest friction I know they will rise up instantly to lubricate, and move on again. If anything stands in the way they will at­tempt someht~w to clear the obstacle. In this respect they possess a revolutionary character. For the com­mon cause they are perfectly independent and frank to criticise. What I wish for them is more patience and grace. They are splendid fellows and will grow wiser by and by. I have been through such a hot fire these past two years that I am not afraid of them at all. I love them, can. bear with them, and forgive them. But what I feel anxious about is that they

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