r\n. JAPAN Ij£1& m n 'j i ' en nurf 0oman’s (0ork in our Japan Mission Woman’s Board of Foreign Missions Reformed Church in America 25 East Twenty- second Street, New York MISSIONARIES NORTH JAPAN MISSION Miss Julia Moulton Miss Jennie M. Kuyper Ferris Seminary, 178 Bluff, Yokohama Miss C. Janet Oltmans ) Miss M. Leila Winn, Aomori. Mrs. L. J. Shafer, Aomori. Mrs. M. N. Wyckoff, Matsumoto. Mrs. D. C. Ruigh ^ Mrs. Albert Oltmans ?- Tokyo. Miss Evelyn Oltmans ) SOUTH JAPAN MISSION TOKYO Miss Sara M. Couch, Nagasaki. Miss Harriet M. Lansing, Kagoshima. Miss Hendrine E. Hospers, Kagoshima. Miss Jeane Noordhoff Gakuin, Shimonoseki. Miss Jennie A. Pieters I Mrs. Albertus Pieters, Oita. Mrs. H. V. S. Peeke, Saga. Mrs. Anthony Walvoord, Nagasaki. Mrs. S. W. Ryder, Kurume. ON FURLOUGH Mrs. E. S. Booth Mrs. W. E. Hoffsommer Mrs. W. G. Hoekie Mrs. Martha B. Norris, Dobbs Ferry, N. Y., Foreign Corresponding Secretary for Japan. 3 NORTH JAPAN MISSION YOKOHAMA ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FERRIS SEMINARY FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1915 (Established 1870) THE STAFF. — Rev. Eugene S. Booth, Principal; Mrs. E. S. Booth, Assistant Principal. Miss Julia Moulton, Miss Jennie M. Kuyper, Miss Janet Oltmans, Miss Kate M. Foster. Rev. P. T. Iwasa, Headmaster. Mr. I. Kawakami, Mr. J. Terada, Mr. T. Kusakabe, Mr. K. Iijima, Mr. S. Hayashi, Miss S. Hayashi, Miss M. Sano, Mrs. C. Shimada, Miss F. Watanabe, Miss T. Kawamura, Miss F. Hirose and Mrs. H. Hisauchi. At the forty-fifth annual commencement, held March 30, 1915, there were seventeen graduates, as follows; Two from the Bible Course; one, Miss Ogawa, was located by the Mission in Tokyo; the other, Miss Wada, was sent to Matsumoto to assist Mrs. Wyckoff; one from the English Normal, a promising student, who entered the Middle Class of the Higher Department; fourteen from the Honka, or Grammar Department, five of whom entered the Junior Class of the Higher Department. One pupil received a certificate for proficiency in drawing; two for proficiency in calisthenics, and five in sewing. Thirty-eight pupils secured the Junior Tonic Sol-fa certificate, and twenty the Elementary certificate. Governor Ishihara and his Secretary honored the occasion, and His Excellency distributed the certificates to the graduates, and urged them to make good use of the advantages they had enjoyed in this school, and in after life to follow the excellent precepts that had been inculcated. The number of new pupils entered this year is sixty-six. The total number enrolled was two hundred and twenty-three. The present number is two hundred and twelve, distributed as follows: Prep., 43; Grammar Dept., 140; Eng. Normal, 19; Higher Dept., 10. A healthy spiritual condition has been evinced throughout the year. Sixteen pupils have received baptism, which, together with the thirty-seven other Christians, makes fifty-three, or 25 per cent of the pupils are striving to serve our Master. 4 DINING-ROOM OF FERRIS SEMINARY, CHANGES IN THE STAFF.- — In July Miss Dick and Miss McCloy retired. In September Miss Moulton returned from furlough, and Miss Janet Oltmans joined the staff. Mr. Hoshiai retired early in the year and Mr. Kawakami has taken his place. In July Miss Inouye and Miss Isobe retired, and Miss Hirose, a graduate of some years ago, has taken the place of the latter, and Mrs. Hisauchi, also a graduate of several years ago, has taken the place of the former. Miss Sada Hayashi graduated from this school in 1894, and has taught here ever since. Twenty-one years of faithful service, without a holiday. When this fact came to the knowledge of an American gentleman and his wife, who were visiting the school, they very gen- erously placed at the disposal of the school a sum equal to a year’s salary, with the understanding that Miss Hayashi be given a Sabbatical year. It was, indeed, a beautiful recognition of long and faithful service, which it is a pleasure to record. Miss Hayashi is now in a quandary to know in what way to spend her respite from school duties to the greatest advantage. We trust she will be led to do what is wisest and best. She came very near a physical breakdown last spring, so that the opportunity for a rest and change is most oppor- tune. The event of the year was the Enthronement of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan on the throne of His Imperial Ancestors, on No- vember 10th, a function, in which every subject of the Empire took part. The schools throughout the country were given a holiday. Our school assembled in Van Schaick Hall at two in the afternoon and held a service, consisting of hymns, reading the Scriptures, prayer, address by the Principal, an original poem by a member of the staff, singing the Enthronement Anthem, and at precisely 3.30 o’clock all shouted “Banzai” three times in succession. On the platform were two Sakaki trees, Cleyera japonica, sacred tree of the Shinto, deco- rated with streamers of the Japanese conventional five colors, sym- bolizing light, and the paper “Go-hei,” symbolizing righteousness, which had been presented to the school by one of the local news- papers. The Sakaki tree is the symbol of purity, as its leaves are used in the ceremonial purification of the Emperor, before he enters the Imperial Mausoleum at Ise. These symbols of Purity, Light and Righteousness constantly recur in the elaborate ritual during the en- thronement ceremonies. In fact, the Shinto ritualists were busy from the early spring, when the rice fields where the rice used at the function should be grown were chosen by divination, and the silk culturists were chosen, and all participating in the culture of the rice and the production of the silk, to the weaving and making of the royal garments, were ceremonially purified, and specially guarded. Indeed, for a month before the appointed time for the enthronement every city village and hamlet throughout the country ordered their inhabitants to clean house from cellar to garret. The Principal took for his theme “The significance of the enthrone- ment ceremonies,” and attempted to show that behind all the sym- bolism there was a fundamental and universal truth, the acknowledg- ment of a great need on the part of all from the lowest to the highest 6 in the empire, pure, enlightened and righteous character, and that the nation’s true greatness depended upon all its people attaining to such a character, which could only be secured by fidelity on the part of each individual to Jesus Christ, in whom alone all these qualities unite, and by which the Holy Spirit can be made vital and effective in human lives. The service was truly an impressive one. Our prayer is that the Japanese people may speedily realize that pure, enlightened and righteous character, which is acceptable to Almighty God, the Father of us all. The great event of the year for the School and Mission was the arrival, on October 19th, of Dr. and Mrs. Wm. I. Chamberlain and Dr. and Mrs. W. Bancroft Hill, representing the home boards. They brought us inspiration and encouragement. While their stay was all too short, they were able to give us two days before entering upon their itinerary through the several fields. They were able to see some- thing of Yokohama, visit Kamakura, attend two receptions, one to meet our friends of the community, and the other with the teachers and pupils of the school, at which, after a short program of music and recitations, the Principal introduced the Deputation, and one of the pupils gave an address of welcome on behalf of the pupils, and Mr. Iwasa gave an address in excellent English. The members of the . Deputation responded with inspiring addresses. The visit of the Depu- tation to Japan was appropriately and profitably concluded in Japan on the 28th and 30th of November by a communion service and two days’ conference, with the North and South Japan Missions at Shi- monoseki, Miss Kuyper and Mr. Booth being among the delegates from the North Japan Mission to this conference. May the inspiration given and received bear golden fruits on the field, and ultimately lead the home churches to realize, as they have never done before, the magnitude of the task the Boards have laid upon them in the provi- dence of God, and become fully persuaded of their ability to place the Boards in position to fully meet the growing needs of the fields. While deeply regretting that the funds for building the gymnasium could not have been raised before Mr. and Mrs. Booth leave for their furlough, the report should not close without recognition of the heroic efforts made by the Committee representing the alumnae, and the grateful acknowledgment of the 1,500.00 yen now in hand from that source. May we hear from those who believe that a healthy and well developed body is the best instrument for a normal and well developed mind, and may wish to help in producing these conditions for the pupils of Ferris Seminary. When the calisthenium materializes our equipment will be, for the first time in our history of forty-five years, approximately complete, and we shall be better able than ever before to keep a judicious balance in the physical, intellectual and spiritual training we are endeavoring to give our pupils. We are very happy to acknowledge a generous gift of twenty-five copies each of a series of School Readers and Drawing Books, etc., by Mr. W. J. Gage, a publisher of Toronto, made to the school through Miss Moulton. Mr. Gage visited the school some years ago, and this is the second gift of the kind he has made in appreciation of the work 7 he saw the school was trying to do. We are very glad to have these excellent Canadian readers, for the variety they afford the pupils. Thankful for the many blessings of the year past, for the substantial evidences of the continued interest in our work by the Boards and the Churches, for the earnest and faithful efforts of both pupils and teach- ers, and for the privilege of seeing the dawning of a new hope in the minds and hearts of many of our pupils, this report is very respectfully submitted. Eugene S. Booth. MISS KTIYPER’S REPORT The organized Christian activities of the school continue to be car- ried on as heretofore through the Y. W. C. A. The weekly Thursday afternoon prayer-meeting has met regularly. Once a month this is in charge of the pastor of the Kaigan Church, who here finds opportunity to give a pastoral talk to the girls. Every other week the girls are divided into groups of eight or nine; these groups, each in charge of an older Christian girl, meet in separate rooms for prayer. This has had good results in bringing them closer together and in rousing in the older girls a deeper interest and sense of responsibility for the younger ones. The Christian Association Week of Prayer in November was ob- served in daily prayer-meetings after school hours. There was a good attendance and an earnest spirit was manifest. At the national Y. W. C. A. Summer Conference five attended as full delegates and several others a part of the time, and at their own charges. The reports of the delegates at the Thursday afternoon prayer-meeting were full of enthusiasm and gave expression to pur- poses of deeper consecration. The money for these delegates’ expenses was all raised by the girls themselves — largely the proceeds from the sale of articles they had made. The six neighborhood Sunday-schools have been carried on as here- tofore. There is an average attendance of over two hundred. We have held a weekly Sunday-school teachers’ meeting for the study of the Sunday-school lesson and for planning in the interest of these schools. For our mutual benefit in this work at each meeting one of the Sunday-school teachers gave a five-'minute talk on “How I Can Improve My Sunday-school.” Some excellent suggestions of value to all were given. In one of these Sunday-school neighborhoods a woman’s meeting has been opened by my helper. Miss Hirose, which gives promise of much good. She also makes weekly visits to one of the smaller hospitals in the city. The Japanese newspaper of Yokohama, the “Boeki Shimbun,” this year again carries on its charitable work of giving at New Year’s time a generous donation of “mochi,” which is the special food for the new year, to all the poor of the city. This is done in a very systematic way. A complete list of all the poor is obtained from the city office. Tickets entitling the bearer to receive this “mochi” at a specified time and place are distributed among the needy. From this newspaper 8 office requests were made to all the girls’ schools in Yokohama to send nine girls each to distribute tickets. Thus also a representation of nine girls went from our school to assist in this. The extreme poverty, distress and suffering they saw made a deep impression on them; a condition such as they said they would not have believed existed had they not seen it with their own eyes and they realized how much they had to be thankful for. Those who had also gone on the same mission last year said the conditions this year were somewhat improved, but were still serious. Tracts they found practically useless as very few of them could read. We feel that this newspaper has done more than relieve distress by giving to our girls, as well as to the others, an insight into the misery and need of their own people, which we trust will be to them a very earnest call to active Christian service. Sundays are rather full days; besides attendance at two church services, I have had three Bible classes. A young men’s Bible class held in connection with the Kaigan Church Sunday-school has been fairly well attended, but very little spiritual interest has been manifest. The attendance at a class for some of our former pupils still living in the city has been very irregular and therefore somewhat discouraging. A Bible class for the Japanese lady teachers in the school has been all the more inspiring. The results of their study were encouragingly shown at the end of the year in the excellent short talks they gave on previously assigned subjects in connection with the course studied. A never-to-be-forgotten service was the baptismal and communion service at the Kaigan Church on Sunday, November 7th, when sixty-two (57 adults and 5 children) received baptism; among these were nine of our girls; five more received baptism the next Sunday at other Churches. It was a day of rejoicing and a tremendously earnest call to put forth greater efforts for the upbuilding as well as to upbringing of souls into the Kingdom, a call for maintaining, and not for retrench- ing in our work. The privilege of being one of the delegates of our mission at the Union Conference of the Missions with the Deputation held at Shi- monoseki gave me opportunity on my return trip to visit three girls’ mission schools of other denominations. This was full of interest and gave me a deepened appreciation of what our own school is doing, as well as showing along what lines others are doing effective work. Jennie M. Ktjyper. MISS JANET GUTMANS’ REPORT I have been asked to give my impressions of Ferris Seminary, since this is my first year in the school. My impressions are now three months old, but even then, they are fresh enough In my mind to be new ones. For some time previous to my entering into teaching at Ferris Seminary, I had been looking forward to it, for the most part, with pleasure, but some times, I must confess, with a little dread. I had little idea how Japanese girls conducted themselves as pupils, and I had as vague an idea how to conduct myself before them. I felt more 9 like a pupil myself, because there would be so much that I would have to learn, to teach them. How I wished the first week or two were over! And still when I did begin my teaching, I found it not nearly as trying as I had expected it to be. How could I ever have thought that all Japanese girls looked and acted alike? I find it quite as interesting to study the little differences in their manners and speech as the teaching itself. Then each class has a certain esprit de corps, which makes it inter- esting to view each class as a collective body. There seems to be a strong class feeling. Although girls of different classes mingle freely and are on friendly terms with each other, still they like to clique together as class groups. Of course, this is quite natural, as girls of the same class have mutual interests, which are quite enough to draw them together. It is very interesting to watch the girls when they are outside of class. During the noon hour they walk about the garden. The younger girls often play games and run about on the lawn, while the older ones cluster together in a sunny corner or walk up and down the paths in groups. In the classroom I find the girls attentive, interested in their lessons and ready to respond. There are differences, of course. How easy it is to tell which is eager and ready to answer questions, and which will have to be coaxed to do so! Still they all seem anxious to do well in English. It is so nice to have an appreciative class, and the very fact that they try makes the class work interesting. Having been here only a term I do not know the girls very well, but it seems to me they are docile, obedient and easily disciplined girls. The whole atmosphere of the school is one of pleasant activity and the routine of the school days runs in a cheerful, orderly way. These are a few of my impressions which I hope will be lasting ones. And I know I shall always look back upon my first few weeks at Ferris Seminary with the most pleasant remembrance. C. Janet Oltmans. AOMORI During the year we have continued our five neighborhood Sunday- schools — two in the city of Aomori and three in neighboring villages. We are starting a school at Daishaka, a new village. I have had nine stereopticon meetings in villages where the Gospel had not before been preached. My former dwelling opened on the street, and during the spring and summer we threw open the doors in the evenings, and held meetings in the house. A number gave in their names as inquirers. The “new house” was all completed by November 1st, and I moved in on that day. I consider it an honor that my very first guests were Dr. and Mrs. Chamberlain. Once more I wish to send my sincere thanks to all the kind donors who have helped to build this cosy little house. Now, when I return from the villages, tired and cold, there is a comfortable little home to 10 MISS WINN'S HOUSE. ONE OF MISS WINN’S SCHOOLS. come to. Only those of us who have lived for years in cold, cheerless native houses, can fully appreciate the comforts of such a home, so God bless and reward you! When the house was completed we gave an evening to the carpenters, masons, painters, etc. Thirty-five came. We gave them each a New Testament, and served tea and cake. It was a social gathering long to be remembered. A number of young men have come to me for English Bibles; among them is a Mr. Yamamoto, a teacher in one of the largest public schools in the city. Just before Christmas he surprised me by request- ing me to come to his school and speak to his class of boys. He said, ‘‘Tell them about Jesus Christ and about how you celebrate Christmas in your country.” He assured me that the principal had given his con- sent. I spoke to over a hundred boys about the ages of twelve and thirteen — just the impressionable age. I felt it a wonderful oppor- tunity. Such opportunities are coming to us constantly these days. It is a cause for gratitude to see the walls of prejudice come down. God grant that we may be able to meet these many opportunities. We enter upon the new year with hope and courage., praying that ere long the Gospel may reach every village and hamlet of this Empire. « M. Leila Winn. MATSUMOTO In spite of much tvhich has been discouraging, Mrs. WyckofE has continued to sow the seed, which will one day have fruit. She writes that her work is the same as last year. She has had three monthly woman’s meetings, at Nagano, Kama sua and Ina. She also has a weekly meeting at Matsumoto. On Mondays she has two classes of girls and four classes of young men, one of whom is an inquirer. She has also gained entrance into the government schools of the city, and has spoken to the pupils, and entertained them with her Victrola. Several Sunday-schools are carried on in Matsumoto and neighboring towns. Mrs. Wyckoff’s helper has been ill a great deal, and this has been a great handicap, but we trust better times are coming. ‘‘Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” Mbs. M. N. Wyckoff. 12 SOUTH JAPAN MISSION SHINONOSEKI REPORT OF THE BAIKO JO GAKUIN (STURGES SEMINARY) FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1915 The year 1915, the second year of the New Union School at Shimonoseki, has come to its close. It has had its disappointments and its trials, but we feel that, on the whole, we have great reason to thank God for the many blessings it has contained and to enter the new year with courage and- strength. Although there has been serious illness among the members of the faculty, and the head teacher resigned because of ill-health, death has not entered our ranks, and the health of the students has been unusually good. The present faculty, in addition to the four foreign ladies, consists of twelve Japanese teachers, five men and seven women. Of these eight are professing Christians and two are studying the Bible with a view to receiving baptism. We entered the year with 95 — we close with 130 — 98 in the regular course. Fifteen united with the Church on confession of their faith, four having been baptized in childhood. This brings our present num- ber of Christians up to 56 — 41 of whom are in the dormitory. This Is, of course, not our ideal number, but we feel grateful that there are so many. Miss Hironaka has been greatly used of God in bringing about a deeper spiritual life among the students and we look forward to the new year with anticipation of still greater blessings. The school is gradually conquering the prejudice of the community and making its own reputation. The parents’ meetings add greatly toward this end. Fathers and mothers, or older brothers, come and discuss those things which are of interest to the school and to the education of their daughters and sisters. There are addresses by the teachers and a general exchange of ideas, after which a few girls fur- nish some music, while others serve tea and cakes. The change in the attitude of the local press, this year, was noticeable. Articles favor- able to the school appeared at the beginning of the school year, and undoubtedly assisted in giving us a good entering class. The school is always known as a distinctly Christian school. At the beginning of the school year, the principal, in his opening re- marks, impresses upon the new students the fact that the purpose of this school is to produce intelligent women of good Christian character. Several notable speakers also have, during this year, addressed the students on this subject, and pointed out this difference between Mission and Government schools. In March a class of seven was graduated, all former students of Sturges Seminary in Nagasaki, and all Christians. Two are assisting in the Sunday-school work in the Oita and Kagoshima stations. One 13 UNION SCHOOL AT SHIMONOSEKI. Kimi Qa Yo ft Adagio. -0 — 0 — 0 — 0 -0- m 1- -0 - 1 •— | — l fr C ir — c 1 ~s!~ -1 — m < Si H - "h 0- -J- -iS*- -J- I - shi no, i .1 i 1= -TSj- ■P