OR. VERBECK IN !897• VERBECK of JAPAN A CITIZEN OF NO COUNTRY A Life Story of Foundation Work. Inaugurated by GUIDO FRIDOLIN V:~RB~CK By WILLIAM ELLIOT GRIFFIS Author of " T!u Mikado's Empire," " The Religions of Japa,.," "Th1 American in Holland," Etc. EDINBURGH AND LONDON Oliphant, Anderson & Ferrier 1901 Printed in the United States DEDICATED WITH SINCERE REGARD TO MARIA MANION VERBECK THE " HELPMEET FOR HIM " AND THE MOTHER OF THE CHILDREN Contents CHAP. PAGE PREFACE • .. II I. A GLANCE IN PERSPECTIVE • 17 II. THE KoPPEL :.19 III. IN THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY • 48 IV. A GLANCE AT OLD JAPAN • 69 v. IN NAGASAKI: FIRST IMPRESSIONS •• 8o VI. POLITICAL UPHEAVAL •• . 100 VII. THE DOORS OPENING. • • 115 VIII. THE REVOLUTION OF 1868 , • 142 IX. TRIP TO OsAKA • .. • 157 X. CALLED TO THE CAPITAL • • • 180 XI. THE BIOGRAPHER IN TOKIO , • . 217 XII. AMONG ALL SORTS AND CoNDITIONS OF MEN •. 240 XIII. THE GREAT EMBASSY TO CHRISTENDOM • 255 XIV. DECORATED BY THE EMPEROR . 277 XV. PREACHER AND TRANSLATOR . 301 XVI. A MAN WITHOUT A CoUNTRY •• . 327 XVII. "WEARY WITH THE MARCH OF LIFE" . 348 ' List of Illustrations DR. VERBECK IN 1897 Frontispi~ce. FACING PAGE GUIDO AND MARIA VERBECK 62 MESSRS. G. F. VERBECK, s. R. BROWN, AND D. B. SIMMONS 66 STUDENTS IN THE GoVERNMENT SCHOOL AT NAGASAKI I22 WAKASA, Hrs Two SONS AND RETAINERS, x866 , } 130 FIRST SCIENCE CLASS, IMPERIAL UNIVERSITY, 1874 A JAPANESE GRADUATE OF RUTGER'S COLLEGE I72 IMPERIAL UNIVERSITY OF JAPAN, 1871 186 IMPERIAL UNIVERSITY IN TOKIO, 1874 272 JAPANESE BIBLE WITH ITS CASE , • } 284 jEWEL OF THE ORDER OF THE RISING SUN , SYNOD OF THE UNION CHURCH, I887 , • 324 PASSPORT FOR DR. VERBECK AND FAMILY 330 MoNUMENT OF DR. VERBECK, ERECTED BY THE GRATEFUL jAPANESE , , , , , • • 356 Preface AT the direct and urgent request of the friend~ of the late Dr. Guido Fridolin Verbeck, "V er. beck of Japan," the greatest, under God, of thll makers of the new Christian nation that is com­ ing and even now is, 1 have written the story of his life, in my own way. 1 had no desire, nor was any desire expressed by others that 1 should paint in words the picture of an immaculate saint, or set forth a being of supernal powers. Neither have I the taste or the ability to enter into the minutire of ecclesiastical politics. Let others write of these, or do justice to his work as a churchman. I have told in outline the story of one of the "nursing fathers" of a nation, even of Christian Japan. I have striven to portray a faithful brother-man and a child of God, one whose tender love to his Father was shown in a life hid with Christ and a constant ministry of service to his fellow-men. I have wrought not for those who knew Verbeck, but for those who knew him not. I knew Verbeck of Japan during four years of intimacy in the Mikado's empire. Thrice visiting his birthplace, Zeist in Holland, I learned many facts about his early life and his unconscious preparation for wonderful work in the Far East. 11 Preface I have had access to the file of his letters, from 186o to 1898, written home to the secretaries of the Board of Missions of the Reformed Church in America, and to many of those sent to his own relatives, as well as to his own diaries, note­ books, and to other documents lent me by his daughter. Nevertheless, Verbeck was mightier in work than in word, and left relatively com­ paratively little writing of a personal nature. To all who have in any way aided me, I return sin­ cere and hearty thanks. The bulk of the book treats of what God gave Guido Verbeck to do, as quietly and as unseen as if he were leaven hid. Verbeck's work belongs less to the phenomenal than to the potent. It was just when men were asking " do missions in japan pay ? " and even when good people in the Reformed Church, almost weary in welldo­ ing, were hinting at abandonment of their japan Mission, that God by means of true servants wrought His most wonderful work of educating the japanese for their new life. Vigorously suppressing my own opinions and views of things ecclesiastical, I have let Dr. Ver­ beck tell his own story, and, also, show his own powers and limitations. With other things and persons, japanese and foreign, I have been more free in comment and criticism. In the Introduc­ tion, I have sketched briefly Verbeck as a man of action, rather than of words. His was the life of one willing as bridge builder to toil in the caissons, unseen, as well as on the cables in view of all, to 1~ Preface fight as a sailor in the turrets, not knowing how the battle went, as well as on deck or in the con­ ning tower. In my text and quotations, I have used the standard spelling of Japanese names and avoided as far as possible the use of Chinese forms. May Christians and missionaries like Verbeck, ever faithful to Jesus the Christ abound, to con­ found and convince all those who ask "do mis­ sions pay ? " W.E.G. ITHACA, N. Y. 13 I A GLANCE IN PERSPECTIVE A STAR's serene radiance is better than a me­ teor's whizz and flash. The quiet forceful life of a missionary like Guido F. Verbeck makes con­ temptible the fame of a popular idol, admiral, or general, who may have caught the fancy of the public and the newspapers. Such a life, as un­ known to general fame, as the leaven in the meal is out of sight, was that of Verbeck of japan. For nearly forty years he gave the best powers of mind and body for the making of the new state which we behold to-day and the Christian nation we see coming. He was a destroyer of that old hermit system in which barbarism, pa­ ganism, cruelty, intolerance, ignorance, sensual­ ism, and all things detestable ran riot. He was a conserver of that "Everlasting Great japan," which has in it, and, let us hope, always will have within it, so many things lovely and of good report. He was one of "the beginners of a better time," working for liberty of conscience, for righteousness, for brotherhood, and for the making of that new man in Christ jesus which is yet to dominate the earth. Guido Verbeck was willing to do his work, as God gave him to do it, in silence and shadow, 15 Verbeck of Japan even in secrecy if need be. He was a 11 Jesuit .. of the right sort. Never for one moment con­ cealing his identity, his character, his mission, protesting against persecution, oppression, and suppression, he stood for free thought, free speech, and the open Bible. He respected the individuality of every man from the Eta to the emperor. Ever modest and retiring, apparently shy and timid when giving his own advice, he was bold as a lion in doing what seemed right. Brave as the bravest conqueror of cities, he con­ trolled himself and knew when to keep still. He feared the face of no man. Surrounded often by spies and traitors, ruffians and assassins, living amid dangers and pestilence in the old days, he was never touched by malig­ nant man or contagious disease. Never robust, he was able by care, exercise and temperance to preserve his splendid powers of mind and body to the last year of his life. Coming to Japan in the old days of the repression of truth and light, when the whole country was under the clamps of despotism, when the spy, the informer, and , the liar were everywhere, Guido Verbeck seemed to the Japanese to be sheathed in light and to bear one invincible weapon, truth. Since he al­ ways told them just what he believed about them, and about their present and future, and the great realities of time and eternity, and since he always kept self in the background, they came to trust him implicitly and to believe him_ fully. The novelty of meeting a plain man of truth 16 A Glance in Perspective amid so many polished liars, had an effect on the japanese of the early sixties, at once electric, tonic, self-revealing. Here was a man whom they likened to what in material form they prized so highly-the flawless crystal sphere, that seems first to gather and then to diffuse abroad the sun­ light. So it came to pass that almost from the mo­ ment of his landing in japan, this "American­ ized Dutchman," as he called himself, disarmed the old suspicions, winning new confidence. Becoming the servant of servants, as teacher and helper, he attracted to himself the humble and the great. In the days of their impressible youth, he taught those who were to be statesmen and councillors of the emperor and in their manhood he was their guide, philosopher, and friend. Men nearest the throne, yes, even the Mikado himself, in the most hopeful of Asiatic countries have ac­ knowledged freely and gratefully their obliga­ tions to Guido Verbeck. A citizen of no coun­ try, they gave him a home and protection, award­ ing to the untitled missionary an honor unique in the history of the empire. When Verbeck of japan lay "dead in his harness," titled statesmen and nobles came to pay unstinted honors to their friend who had helped to make japan great.