May 11th 1887
Dear Sir:Your last Favor of the 30th March was received with grateful heart only a few days ago. I believe I owe you one or two more letters. As I am still unable to write much on account of my being ill about three weeks I will simply try to write out what seem to me a most important and impending[?] need for our work in Kioto.
I went to Tokio to get the Drafting law somewhat adjusted. My chief aim was to get our students exempted from the military service while they are with us in the school. As you were doubtless informed by some one that the draft-law has been a great hindrance to the growth of our school. It made our young men uneasy and often obliged them to leave our school and enter into the Government's institution where they could be exempted from the service. Thus far we cried out against its unfairness and partiality. But that law was modified lately, and any private school, which has a sufficient teaching staff, introduces military drill and keeps a fund, which might bring forth at least $2,400 as its annual interest, will be recognized by the Government to be equal to the government's schools and hence it will receive the same privilege of the exemption from the military draft. We have a sufficient teaching staff. We have already introduced military drill, though we have got [no] guns yet. So if we could have a fund at least $50,000 in such a way as to convince the Government for its position, I am sure our school will be recog- nized as such and will become a growing institution. But if we fail to get such a privilege I fear our plan for raising young men to be Christian ministers and teachers will be defeated so long as we are unable to avail ourselves to the recently modified military Draft-law. Besides that the Government is decided to found a college in Kioto. They are going to spend $100,000 only for the building. I suppose it will be a fine institution. But the moral and religious instructions will be wanting. It will become a competing school with us. However we are not afraid of it. We may have a better chance to show forth ours as a Christian school. Here is a trouble with us now. We shall need at least $50,000 at once. Here is no way to get it. Our churches are too feable to do any thing for us. Thus far we have been asking our Kioto friends to help us for sustaining the girls school and also for founding the school of nurses. We are also asking them to raise a fund to start a few special studies in our school.
We are also planning to found a medical school here. We do not find any way to get so large a sum as $50,000. So I suggested to the station brethren to ask the Board to appropriate $50,000 out of either the Otis or the Swett fund just to save us from this impending difficulty. $50,000 will save us and give us a chance to avail ourselves to the new military law. This $50,000 to be kept as our Doshisha fund will give us more stability and respect. Above all we shall be able to keep the youths just reaching their age of 20th year in our school. Without that provision I fear our older boys will leave us, and go to the Government's College, which will be found[ed] here within this year or go elsewhere. We must try to keep the present graduating class in the school to let them take the Theological study.
The country is wonderfully opening to the Gospel work. We have now so many Churches unoccupied by pastors. If we let those young fellows go away from us, our Gospel work will surely be put back. If your Board don't see the present situation or hesitate to take a bold step to save us, we shall be pretty much discouraged. Oh! I shall lament and weep over for Japan. I wrote to Mr. Hardy nearly 4 weeks ago on this subject, asking him to urge you to do some thing for us at once.
My dear Doctor! Allow me to assure you that we are not complaining you for what you have not done for us. I believe you have done all you could do for us. I know that most too well and feel grateful to you. However we are so situated or necessitated to ask you to do more for us. Our straitened position as well as our growing work demand such a special favor from the Board. Please do try to get the unanimous consent of the officers of the Board to save us from this impending difficulty. I am strictly forbidden by Dr. Berry to avoid all my writing or receiving the visiting people etc. But I can't keep my silence to you today as the mail leaves us this morning. So I will not write any further.
Thank you for your comforting words for my recent bereavement. Thank you for what you have done for Sendai. Pray send us a good news for our Doshisha in an early day.
Most Respectfully Yours
Joseph H. Neesima
I feel very anxious about your health. Pray do try to be well. We shall [need] your service for the World for many years yet. Thank you for $10 sent from Mrs. E. P. Davis of Best, N. C. We shall use it for our library.