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HONDA JIBO A CHEIBTIAN. 379
wards heard of his valor and skill. When I learned
that even in the heat of battle the American sailors
were not allowed to fire at the Japanese from the
blown-up steamer when struggling in the water, I
could see that the spirit of Christianity was influential
even in war. After I came back to live in Yokohama
and was able to talk with Doctor Grey when-
ever I had mental difficulties, I made great progress
in what our people now call 'the Jesus way.'
"I could easily believe in God who created the
heavens, earth, and all the things therein, and admire
very highly the moral teachings of the Bible. Yet
I was not so ready to believe in the method of salva-
tion and the wonderful miracles of Christ. At last
I was led to think that it was a foolish idea for me,
with such a feeble understanding to say, I can not
believe these things because I can not understand
them, or because they are not as I thought them to
be. I became conscious also that it would be a
great blessing to me if I could believe, because then
I could overcome more easily all the difficulties of
this life, and keep myself more easily from the
follies in the hope of eternal glory and in the pleasure
of serving the Lord and Creator of heaven and
earth, than I could in following the teachings of
Confucius, whom I regard as only a good man, and
whose view was limited simply to this world. I saw
too that the Bible is the book by which we can settle
the difficult questions of the first beginnings and
future destinies of all things in the world, and with-
out it we should wander to and fro in dark imagin-
ings and vain superstitions.