MISSION 
 TRAINING 
 SCHOOL 
 KIOTO, JAPAN 
 
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 American Board of 
 
 Commissioners for Foreign 
 Mission training school. 
 
 Koto Jai 
 
MAY i 'J 1921 
 
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 g^mEtitan §oarb of Commissioners 
 for J^orcign pissiotts. 
 
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 Mission Training School, 
 
 KIOTO, JAPAN. 
 
 ITS GROWTH AND PROMISE. 
 
 1875-188/1. 
 
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Mission Training Sghooi,, 
 
 KIOTO, JAPAN. 
 
 Those who were present in 1874, at the fare- 
 well meeting of the American Board, at Rutland, 
 Vermont, will remember the feeling awakened 
 by remarks of Mr. Neesima, who was about to 
 start on his return to his native land ; especially, 
 the interest felt in his earnest plea for the estab- 
 lishment of a school in Japan for educating 
 young men who may embrace Christianity, and 
 be proper subjects for training for the work 
 of the ministry, and other Christian service 
 among their own people. He was interrupted 
 in his remarks by several individuals pledging 
 sums of money for this purpose, varying in 
 amount from $50 to $1,000; the whole sum 
 pledged being not far from $3,500. 
 
 Who Mr. Neesima is, is related in the follow- 
 ing extract from the sermon preached by Presi- 
 dent Seelye, at his ordination in Mount Vernon 
 Church, Boston, September 24, 1874 : 
 
 " Ten years ago a young Japanese at Yedo, who 
 had been brought up with no other knowledge 
 of religion than his own original insight and the 
 
Pagan systems around him afforded, had become 
 convinced that these systems could not give him 
 the help, or hope, he needed. He had never 
 seen a Christian person, he had never heard of 
 the gospel ; but some undefined and shadowy 
 conviction of His presence, who is not far from 
 every one of us, and who has not left Himself 
 in any soul without a witness, had dawned upon 
 him, and given him the sense that the idols he 
 had worshiped — the work of man's hands — 
 were vanity. . . . While in this state of mind, a 
 Japanese friend, having met a little book called 
 the ' Story of the Bible,' written in Chinese, by 
 an American or English missionary, brought the 
 book to this young man, as a strange story which 
 he wished him to read. The young man took 
 it, and when he read therein that in the begin- 
 ning God created the heavens and the earth, 
 he received therefrom a new revelation. ' This 
 is the God for whom 1 have been looking,' he 
 exclaimed, ' This is the true God ; ' and, in his 
 feeble way, vaguely and indefinitely, hardly 
 knowing at the time what he was doing, this 
 young Japanese began to worship his Divine 
 Creator. 
 
 " Besides this new religious sense, he found 
 himself possessed of another feeling, also new; 
 a strange and strong desire to leave Japan and 
 come to America. An account of this country, 
 written in Chinese- by Rev. Dr. Bridgman, of 
 the American Board, first suggested this desire. 
 
His father forbade him ; but called of God, as 
 was Abraham, he left his father's house, and 
 not daring to attempt escaping from Yokohama, 
 the nearest seaport to Yedo, and where he might 
 be recognized, he went to the other side of the 
 country, where he found, at Hakodadi, a vessel 
 which would take him to China, if he could but 
 get on board. . . . He would have lost his head 
 had he been discovered in the attempt ; but one 
 night he managed to elude observation, and 
 gained access to the vessel. He was taken to 
 Shanghai, where he was led to a ship belonging 
 to a Christian merchant of Boston, in which he 
 was brought to these shores, the captain giving 
 him his passage for his service on the way. 
 ' What are you doing here, and why did you 
 come ? ' said to him one of the sailors in the 
 port after his arrival. *I have come for an 
 education,' was the reply. ' But an education in 
 this country costs a great deal, and where will 
 you get the money ? ' was the next inquiry. 
 • I do not know,' was the simple answer ; and in 
 simple faith the young man knelt in secret, and 
 prayed that he might not fail in his great desire. 
 . . . Thus far his prayers were directed to God 
 as his Creator. He had not yet any clear con- 
 sciousness of God as his personal Redeemer 
 and Saviour. . He did not call himself at this 
 time a Christian ; he could not then have told 
 what was implied in such a name. . . . 
 
 "By the wise counsel, the judicious and ample 
 
5 
 
 generosity, and the warm Christian sympathy of 
 a Christian merchant of Boston, and his Chris- 
 tian wife, this Japanese, thus led from the land 
 of his fathers, has been enabled successfully to 
 pursue a course of academic, collegiate, and theo- 
 logical study, at Phillips Academy, Amherst Col- 
 lege, and Andover Seminary — winning the re- 
 spect and love of all who know him." 
 
 The history of the training school is told in 
 part in the following extracts from missionary 
 letters. Please note the growth from year to year. 
 In November, 1875, Rev. J. D. Davis writes: 
 "Kioto was founded more than a thousand 
 years ago, and remained the seat of the Mikado's 
 government until the Shogun was dethroned, 
 eighty years ago, and the Mikado moved to 
 Yedo, the eastern capital. Kioto is nearly in the 
 center of the empire, in a rich and populous 
 valley, ten or fifteen miles in diameter, nearly 
 surrounded with mountains. It has water com- 
 munication nearly all the way with Osaka, over 
 thirty miles distant. The railroad is also nearly 
 finished, which will give us communication with 
 Osaka in an hour, and with Kobe in two hours. 
 There are in the city 3,500 Buddhist temples, 
 and 2,500 Shintoo temples. There are about 
 8,000 Buddhist priests, and about 2,500 keepers 
 of Shintoo shrines. The population of the city 
 and its suburbs, by the census of 1872, was 
 
 567,334- 
 
 "Kioto has long been considered the spiritual 
 
capital of the empire, and Buddhism is probably 
 stronger here today than in any other place in 
 Japan. The sad minor tones of the vesper bells 
 are heard in every direction each evening, and 
 the matins are heard ringing out from fifty or 
 more temples during all the last hours of the 
 night. 
 
 "Through Mr. Neesima's influence the mis- 
 sion has secured five and a half acres of land 
 in the northern part of the city, for a site for the 
 training school, and also, as we hope, at no 
 distant day, of a Christian college; and through 
 Mr. Neesima's personal application to the Min- 
 ister of Education at Yedo, with whom he 
 formed an intimate acquaintance while with 
 the Embassy in America and Europe, he has 
 permission to start a Christian school here, in 
 which missionaries may teach. 
 
 " We opened school yesterday with eight 
 scholars, all but two of whom are church mem- 
 bers." 
 
 September i6, 1876, Rev. Mr. Learned writes: 
 
 "The school buildings were finished a few 
 days ago, and this morning we have been assign- 
 ing rooms to the boys who have already come. 
 There is room for about sixty boys, and from 
 present appearances we shall have that number 
 of students in a week or two. We shall dedicate 
 the buildings next Monday (the i8th), with sing- 
 ing, prayer, and addresses." 
 
 Mr. Davis wrote on the same day: 
 
" There are twenty-eight young men in the 
 buildings this morning, sixteen more hourly 
 expected, and twelve or fifteen more in a few 
 days. About two thirds of the whole number 
 are Christians, and all are much interested in 
 the truth. The Christian young men are here to 
 prepare to preach the gospel to their country- 
 men, and the city is opening to the truth won- 
 derfully, new preaching places being rapidly 
 opened." 
 
 Within a year another building was wanted, 
 and September 15, 1877, Rev. Mr. Learned 
 writes ; 
 
 "The new building for the training school is 
 making rapid progress, and will be well on 
 towards completion when you read this letter. 
 When it is completed, we shall have rooms for 
 about a hundred students, and shall be supplied 
 with recitation-rooms, etc., to answer all our 
 needs for some time to come. We begin 
 [reopen] our school next Monday, and the 
 prospect is that we shall have nearly if not quite 
 eighty scholars on that day. I am glad to say 
 that I begin teaching the gospels then, teaching 
 in Japanese, of course. Among our new scholars 
 are three who have come from the Imperial 
 College in Tokio, coming here for the sake of 
 the Christian influence and instruction. One of 
 them brings his sister, to enter Miss Stark- 
 weather's school. Another new scholar, who 
 comes from Niigata, on the north coast, is a 
 
8 
 
 man over thirty years of age, and comes with 
 his wife. He will take the three-years' Bible 
 course in our school, and his wife will study in 
 the girls' school. They have taken a little house 
 not far from us." 
 
 October 17, 1877, Rev. Mr. Davis writes: 
 
 " We have now in the training school here 
 eighty-seven young men, from various parts of the 
 Empire. Some are from Hiogo, three hundred and 
 fifty miles southwest, and some came from the Isl- 
 and of Yesso, five hundred or six hundred miles 
 northeast. At twenty minutes before eight o'clock 
 the whole school meets in the chapel in the 
 main building, for morning p^rayers. The exer- 
 cises consist of singing, reading the Scriptures, 
 and prayer, all in Japanese. At five o'clock, 
 P.M., the students have a prayer-meeting in the 
 same place. Each one of the twenty-five recita- 
 tions every day is opened with prayer. Bible 
 exegesis is taught during four consecutive hours 
 each day, to as many different classes, number- 
 ing from fifteen to thirty each. 
 
 **Of these eighty-seven young men, forty-three 
 have been received into our churches. Several 
 others have applied for admission, and so far as 
 I know, we have not one student who is opposed 
 to the truth, or who is not an earnest student 
 of it. 
 
 " Fifteen or twenty of our older young men 
 went out to preach the gospel during the long 
 vacation last summer. Some places paid all the 
 
9 
 
 expenses of the young men, others a part only, 
 and some of the students went out on preaching 
 tours or circuits. 
 
 " An urgent call came from Mr. Neesima's 
 old home, eighty miles from Yedo, for a young 
 man to come up there, offering to pay all 
 expenses. Mr. Yebina went; and he left ten 
 men and five women there, whom he believes to 
 be true Christians, who have banded themselves 
 together into a Christian company. They offer 
 to pry his expenses again if he will go up during 
 the short holiday vacation. Four young men 
 have come from that place to our school. In 
 another place to which a student went, ten men 
 have banded themselves together into a Chris- 
 tian company. More places called for the gos- 
 pel than there were men who could go out." 
 
 Mr. Davis writes again, in February, 1878 : 
 
 "The leaven is working among these millions. 
 Our training school now numbers over one hun- 
 dred, and most of them have consecrated their 
 lives, as we hope, to the work of preaching the 
 gospel." 
 
 The report of 1879 thus speaks : 
 
 " The number of students in the training 
 school the past year was one hundred and 
 twenty-seven, all of them boarders. Of these, 
 fifteen, who were in the theological class, have 
 now completed their studies, and are entering 
 upon the work of evangelization. Mr. Davis 
 has taught Theology, Pastoral Theology, Mental 
 
and Moral Philosophy, and the Christology of 
 the Old Testament; Mr. Learned the Gospels, 
 the Historical Books of the Old Testament, 
 Church History, and Political Economy; Mr. 
 Neesima, Harmony of the Gospels, Geometry, 
 Natural Philosophy, and Astronomy. Of the 
 one hundred students who constituted about the 
 average number during the year, only twenty- 
 two have received aid, thirteen of them as 
 assistant teachers. In view of the necessity of 
 thorough culture and discipline, required to meet 
 the special wants of Japan, it has been decided 
 to change the course which has hitherto con- 
 tinued for five years, combining English and 
 theology, to a term of seven years, the English 
 course to cover five years, and the theological 
 two. 
 
 "The first year is to be devoted entirely to 
 English ; the second to Arithmetic, Geography, 
 and Grammar ; the third to History and Mathe- 
 matics ; the fourth will include Natural Philoso- 
 phy, Astronomy, Chemistry, and Rhetoric ; and 
 the fifth. Political Economy, Geology, Mental 
 Philosophy, International Law, History of Civil- 
 ization, and Logic. Instruction will be given 
 throughout the course in the Gospels, in Old 
 Testament History, in the Harmony of the 
 Gospels, and in the Evidences of Christianity. 
 The theological course will extend over two 
 years, and will include Theology, Pastoral The- 
 ology, Homiletics, Church History, Bible Geog- 
 
raphy and Antiquities, the Exegesis of the 
 Epistles and Prophecies. This statement will 
 show the thorough character of the instruction 
 given in this institution, as a preparation for 
 the work of the ministry." 
 
 The record of 1882 is as follows : 
 
 " Dr. Greene is to take charge of a theological 
 department in connection with the training 
 school, for such pupils as cannot wisely take 
 the English course. The demand for preachers 
 is so urgent that it has seemed necessary to 
 institute a shorter course of study, in the vernac- 
 ular, for young men of promise, who could not 
 well take the longer course and yet have a 
 desire to make the gospel known to their 
 countrymen. 
 
 " The training school graduated a class of 
 eighteen from the English Department, of whom 
 all but one have made public profession of their 
 faith in Christ. An English theological class 
 of eighteen was received, and is to take a course 
 of three years — the first year being devoted 
 to the Old Testament and Church History; the 
 second, to the New Testament and Theology; 
 the third, to Homiletics and Pastoral Care, 
 Biblical Theology, and the Prophecies. The 
 whole number of students in the training school 
 the past year was one hundred and two ; pre- 
 paratory, four; first year, thirty-six; second,' 
 twenty-four ; third, eighteen ; fourth, eleven ; 
 fifth, nine ; besides eighteen in theological class. 
 
To provide for the increasing number of pupils, 
 a new dormitory has been built, which will 
 accommodate sixty-four new pupils, and a new 
 chapel gives a place long needed, for morning 
 prayers and other public services. The death 
 of Mr. Yamasaki is a great loss to the institution. 
 He was a thorough scholar, a successful teacher, 
 and an earnest Christian on whom great hopes 
 centered." 
 
 1883 continues the record: 
 
 " The Kioto training school reported, in April 
 last, a total membership of one hundred and 
 thirty-six pupils ; twenty-six in the theological 
 department, and one hundred and ten in the 
 English and scientific department. Of the theo- 
 logical students, eighteen pursued the regular 
 English course, the remaining eight taking the 
 new vernacular course. The fifth class in the 
 English and scientific department was composed 
 of eight students, the fourth and third class each 
 of thirteen, the second of thirty-four, and the 
 first of forty-two. Five of the six men who grad- 
 uated last year from the English department 
 entered the theological school this year, and 
 three of them have been in attendance all the 
 year. Owing to the lack of teachers, they were 
 obliged to study with the class that had entered 
 the previous year, but the united class has done 
 good work. 
 
 " The vernacular school was begun as an ex- 
 periment in September, 1S82. It offers a three- 
 
13 
 
 years' course of study, covering the sciences in 
 general and theology in particular, and aims to 
 raise an educated native ministry from among 
 those who cannot pursue the long English 
 course. Difficulty has been experienced this 
 year because some of the eight students were 
 not sufficiently prepared to take up the studies 
 pursued. Some changes will doubtless be made 
 before the school is fully established ; but the 
 record of the year warrants the belief that the 
 institution is needed and will do good work. 
 The Doshisha company, the Board of Japanese 
 Trustees of the Training School, has been 
 enlarged, and now consists of five members. 
 They hold the property of the school, and trans- 
 act all its business with the government." 
 
 The following letter from Dr. Gordon was 
 received in January, 1884, showing the value of 
 work accomplished by the students among the 
 villages : 
 
 "A number of the theological students were 
 away preaching during the summer. They were 
 not without trials and difficulties, but were, on 
 the whole, encouraged. 
 
 " Mr. Tsuji, of the class that graduated in 
 June, ministered to the Hikone church, being 
 wholly supported by the people. He had two 
 Bible classes daily, and the usual Sunday ser- 
 vices. Mr. Neesima went there and baptized 
 five persons at the close of the vacation. Some 
 of the members of this church living at Naga- 
 
hama, six or eight miles further up the lake, 
 invited Mr. Hori, of our theological class, to 
 work for them during the summer, they assum- 
 ing the expenses. He did so, with evident bene- 
 fit to the believers, and with some increase of 
 interest among others. Both he and Mr. Tsuji 
 plan to visit these places twice monthly during 
 the coming year. 
 
 " Two young men went to Fukui, where they 
 had good audiences, many of those most inter- 
 ested being school-teachers, doctors, officials, etc. 
 At Kameoka, in Tamba, there was steady inter- 
 est and progress. Two persons were baptized 
 early in this month, becoming members of our 
 third church in Kioto. 
 
 " In Kishi Wada the interest is reviving. Six 
 persons from that place were received into one 
 of the Osaka churches in August. They have 
 asked Mr. Matsuo, one of our theological stu- 
 dents, to go there for work among them, when 
 he has finished his course of study. 
 
 " Mr. Kameyama, of the same class, went to 
 Kurashiki, west of Okayama. A wealthy sake 
 merchant from that vicinity has just been here, 
 and has decided, after consultation with the 
 Christians, to give up his business. At Kasaoka, 
 another out-station of Okayama, one of our stu- 
 dents labored, and reports that a goodly number 
 are interested. 
 
 "Another theological student went to Shi- 
 koku, to help Mr. Ise. The development of 
 
the work there is truly wonderful. Preaching 
 has been kept up almost daily at Imabari and 
 other places. 
 
 "At Komatsu there was violent opposition; 
 the Christian meetings were stoned. The 
 Christians did not retaliate, except by praying 
 for their persecutors, who soon grew tired of 
 their fruitless efforts to anger or frighten the 
 Christians. The stones that were thrown — a 
 good-sized pile, I am told — were afterward 
 gathered up, and they propose to put them 
 into the foundation of a new church, which 
 they are planning to build. To this church 
 ninety members have been added since Janu- 
 ary I. 
 
 "An almost equally prosperous work is going 
 on at Annaka, the former home of Mr. Neesima's 
 parents. In the six years since this church was 
 organized, about one hundred persons have 
 become members of it. The additions of the 
 past few months have been about seventy. They 
 are planning and doing a broad work for the 
 surrounding villages." 
 
 Dr. Davis also writes : 
 
 " Of the students who have been present this 
 term, twenty-nine are in the theological depart- 
 ment ; fourteen in the five-years' course, to 
 graduate next summer from the college depart- 
 ment, all but two of whom are Christians ; thir- 
 teen are in the four-years' course, all but two 
 of whom are Christians; twenty-nine in the 
 
i6 
 
 three-years' course, all but four Christians; forty- 
 five in the two-years' course, who came, most of 
 them, from heathen homes, a little more than 
 a year ago, about half of whom are Christians ; 
 and thirty-five in the one-year course, just en- 
 tered, five or six of whom are Christians as they 
 enter, the first fruits, as it were, of our Christian 
 families. Such is the spiritual status of the 
 school. It is glorious. The work is glorious. 
 Oh, that these one hundred and sixty-five young 
 men were all ready to go out and preach the 
 gospel today ! " 
 
 The growth and promise of this important 
 institution have compelled the erection of a new 
 brick building for the students, which is now 
 nearly completed and which will cost about 
 $7,500. 
 
 There can be no better seed-corn for golden 
 harvests for the future of Japan than investments 
 in such an institution as this. Do not fail to 
 remember its instructors and students contin- 
 ually in prayer. 
 
 Sent from Rooms of A. B. C. F. M., i Somerset Street, 
 Boston^ January 21, 1884. E. K. A. 
 
DATE DUE 
 
BW8547.A51 
 jr Mission training school, Kioto, Japan 
 
 U^Lgwpiyf^ Princeton Theological Seminary-Speer Library 
 
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