THE KING ’S BUSINESS 103 on his way to Kyoto from the East to the West Capitol, where he goes for a service o f an ancient form o f coronation .according to Shristo rites. His departure from Tokyo on the 6th and the return on the 16th on fete days, as well as at the 10th Coronation Day, and the 14th, next Sabbath,' a special religious worship o f his ancestors, which is at evening and especially sacred, no music or singing anywhere. I am interested in its not being a crying sin in thé eyes o f the Almighty. Prayer, as you know was long made for H. M. Meiji Tenns and Emperor Horako, and not wholly in vain. | The Emperor’s attitude^ toward the benevolent and educational work o f the Y. M. C. A. showed appreciation. But the shrine o f Monoyana, his tomb at Kyoto, and another to be built in Tokyo for his especial worship is far from comforting. The present Emperor,'from his democratic character and association as a lad with Christian youth, and especially the Empress Sadako being reported as very sorry to renounce her Bible and Christian knowledge if not worship, is encouraging werë it not for the influences woven about them. Yesterday, leaving his palace at 5 A. M., and between lines o f 40,000 soldiers and thousands of school children and people, he entrained at 7 A. M., passing slowly at Yokohama forty minutes later, and stopping at Nagoya last night, a Military Station and its famous castle built by Kato Kojomara, the great warrior under Laiko Sama, in the invasion o f Korea two or three centuries ago. Thence today, the progress was to be Kyoto with great procession to the Palace. It began to rain at noon and southward earlier, so has greatly frustrated display. Queen’s weather is not at the command o f H. •M., albeit the reputed son o f the Sun Goddess. This is the background o f my picture. Now for,its foreground or Christian setting. I was'thankful it did not rain before noon is I heard baptisms as well as the Lord’s Supper were to be administered at the Kaigan, or the first church organized in Japan forty-three years ago the 10th o f March last, consisting of eleven members. I baptized that day members o f a day school, all young Samurai, or retainers of different Daimyos. The number I heard were a score or twenty-three, an event at any time. I set out to redeem a backslider, once a servant, and who through vicissitudes grew lukewarm and could not be induced to attend church, though I often visitpd his family in the sickness and death o f wife, son, and daughter. Another wife taken and several children living. Making an effort last Sabbath evening to get him out to hear our missionary, son o f Dr. Jacob Chamberlain, a noted missionary. I did not succeed so I determined to try again, and went in time to bring him with me to church some two miles distant but accessible by trolley. Changing cars at a place I unexpectedly met another wanderer, once a worker whom I had longed for, and had good news to tell him o f his grandson in the country having been recently baptized by me. The mother, a widow not much older looking than her son. I at onpe urged the man to hasten to the Kaijan church while I went on to seek my former servant. The man had a parcel in hand and had to deliver that at some place and would then come. Whether ‘ he did or not I could not afterward tell. I found my servant all alone, save a little son he could leave in charge o f the house, and he accompanied me to church. Arriving there we found the service begun and the church full o f people. He was recognized-by the elders and kindly greeted. He took a rear seat, and as I have to get near to hear, went up front and occupied a seat with school girls just in rear o f seats cjf the candidates for baptism. That this was the first business o f the day was soon apparent. The communion table was spread, with its linen cloth cover. The introductory services over, the names o f the candidates were read by the pastor and each one placed in line by the elders as ushers. The numbers increased till all the space which had purposely been increased was filled and the baptismal formulae were read and explained by the pastor plainly amid the greatest solemnity, and though the form was the briefest possible it took many minutes before the last was baptized into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and o f the Holy Ghost. I and eight elders, and one or two deacons, stood in our places while all this was taking place and praying for each one it might be as the Lord’s baptism on the banks o f the Jordan, and the Holy Spirit descend into their hearts. One o f the elders slipped a paper into my hand with the number written thereon “about 6 o." Surely a goodly record, and the largest number I had ever seen baptized anywhere or at any time. Heard o f thirty recently at Kambara, and ninety said to be candidates for next Sunday at Shiloh Church, the church you spoke at on the ‘Omnipotence o f Prayer,’ and I interpreted for you and had to jump down and get Japanese
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