. Narrative of the expedition of an American squadron to the China seas and Japan. his sound judgment, added to hisknown pious zeal, entitles his opinions to the respect of Christians of alldenominations. He thus writes: Apart from governmental influence, I think there would be no greatdifficulty in introducing Christianity; hut the government would interferemost decidedly. I performed funeral services on shore four times : once atYoku-hama, twice at Hakodadi, and once at Simoda; in every instance inthe presence of the Japanese, and, in most, when large numbers werecollected. They always behav
. Narrative of the expedition of an American squadron to the China seas and Japan. his sound judgment, added to hisknown pious zeal, entitles his opinions to the respect of Christians of alldenominations. He thus writes: Apart from governmental influence, I think there would be no greatdifficulty in introducing Christianity; hut the government would interferemost decidedly. I performed funeral services on shore four times : once atYoku-hama, twice at Hakodadi, and once at Simoda; in every instance inthe presence of the Japanese, and, in most, when large numbers werecollected. They always behaved well. Japanese officers were present, withtheir insignia, on all occasions. I thus became known among the peopleeverywhere as a Christian clergyman^ or, to follow their signs for designa-ting me, as a praying man. Instead of this producing a shrinking fromme, as I had supposed it would, I found that I had decidedly gained by it intheir respect, and this among officials as well as commoners. At our lastvisit to Simoda we found a new governor, it having now become a royal in-. ij:iEaT IN Di;ESb, slmoda. PROSPECTS FOR CHRISTIANITY. 517 stead of a provincial town. This governor was an affable, yet dignified, man,of very polished manners, and would compare favorably with the best gen-tlemen in any country. At the bazaar, amid the buying, &c., I was led upto him by one of the officials and introduced as a clergyman. The gover-nors countenance brightened up as my office was announced, and his saluta-tion and treatment of me became additionally courteous. I mention this,however, for what it may be worth. There was no seeming aversion to mebecause I was a minister of Christianity. The government, however,beyond all doubt, is exceedingly jealous about our religion; but the Japa-nese officials, as well as the people, are so inquisitive, and so observant of allthat comes within their reach, that, doubtless, after a time, they might bebrought to see the difference between ourselve
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