M. I. A. Reading Course Books, 1918–1919

816 IMPROVEMENT ERA

world. I think at this point that all the people of the world should comprehend and believe the message sent from the heavens by God and the dreadful misfortune of the world today ;

must have come by not knowing the message from the heavens. I think there are no greater blessings than to be faithful to God and comprehend each other. I have not had much experience as a Saint of this Church, having been a member only for the past five months. Before I received baptism at Osaka I did not know the teaching or influence of God. Of course, it is a blessing to be able to search for the light of life and know that I can go forward in the unknown future only by the help of God, and my experience until I became a believer of God is a most interesting part to the person

The author and three elders laboring in Nipon

who has been born in a country where they live by Christianity. The Japanese spirit is filled up with ancient Confucius doctrine on one side, and on the other side is extended Buddha's doctrine, and both have been imprinted on the minds of all the nation. The so-called "Bushids" of Japan is, of course, the foundation stone of Japanese spirit, but that was produced only since the middle epoch of Japan, mixing Confucius doctrine and "Yamato damashi" (national mind of Japan). Then this Japanese thought is based on the realism of Confucius and the peace of mind of Buddha, and both thoughts have penetrated into the mind of all the nation, even corroding it. Then the original Japanese thought (until becoming a believer in God) is a little