A Japanese Evangelist

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jun 12, 1879

A Japanese Evangelist.

JOSEPH NESHIMA, who is now doing a noble work among his countrymen, found, when a boy, two tracts—one about America, the other on Christianity, On reading these he was filled with the desire to go to America and become a Christian. This was at a period when any native caught leaving Japan was put to death. The Japanese boy, undeterred by the danger, secreted himself on a vessel and escaped to China, and from thence to Boston. He was educated at Amherst College, and on his return to his native land was offered a lucrative position as interpreter. This he declined in order to preach the Gospel. He has now fifty preaching places, three churches, and eighty-four students in College, half of whom are studying for the ministry.