037 board of foreign missions rca 1869

year on account of the political difficulties in which the country has been involved, and our brother escaped.

T h e other pupil happening to be on a visit to Y o k o h a m a , and're­ siding at m y house, at the time the baptism of the one already m e n ­ tioned was to take place, asked as soon as he heard of it, “ W h a t hinders m e to be baptized also ?” I answered h i m as Philip did the eunuch. His examination, conducted before Dr. H e p b u r n and Rev. D. T h o mp so n, was most satisfactory. In order to m a k e their pro­ fession of faith as clear and instructive as possible to those witness­ ing it, I drew up a series of questions covering the vital truths of Christianity, and proposed them.

T h e y gave very clear and satisfactory answers, and after a declara­ tion of their faith, and determination to continue therein, by the grace of God, “ till death,” they were baptized according to the n a m e s they have always borne, viz : Susuki Kwantchi and Ajiki Kejiro.

T h e baptism was administered in the presence o’f a large n u m b e r of natives, and a few Christian brethren. A deep impression, w e felt, w as m a d e u po n all present, and especially on one of Mr. T h o m p ­ son’s most hopeful pupils— the one w h o was imprisoned a year ago on account of the suspicion that he was a Christian— w h o said that he also wished to be baptized. Since then Mr. T h o m p s o n ’s teacher, a very scholarly a nd excellent man, has expressed his wish for the s am e ordinance. His request is the result of a serious consideration of the Saviour’s c o m m a n d at the close of the Gospel by Matthew, which Gospel he has several times translated. T h e old w o m a n , w h o has attended our service from its c o m m e n c e m e n t , expressed her sin­ cere joy that n o w Jesu K i m i (the Lor d Jesus) h a d disciples in Japan, w h o loved him, just as their teachers did.

These brethren have worn well, attending the native service regu­ larly and being occasionally present at our English service, a nd have taken part in prayer whenever called on to do so. A n e w p o w e r in­ deed, w e feel) has been awakened, w h e n G o d is entreated by natives in their o w n tongue for the salvation of Japan.

T h e w o r k of education that h ad been carried on b y Rev. D. T h o m p s o n a nd myself during the previous year, in private classes of from 20 to 40 pupils, w as continued until the scattering of our p u ­ pils to their several provinces at the breaking out of the war,' and, as I had no suitable place for a school-room after the removal of the dispensary, I turned over m y remaining pupils to other missionary ■