Thus far I have told you only one side of this story of the “Kumamoto Band.” But there is another side to it, even more wonderful than this, which I must not omit. In the summer of 1865, just ten years before the time of which I am speaking, a young Japanese arrived in the city of Boston. He had left his country a year before, in an American schooner. In those days to leave the country was almost certain death to a Japanese. But the young man dared this certain death, and after a year of hardship and suffering in a sea voyage he finally reached his goal, the land of liberty and enlightenment. He was poor and destitute, and was without any friends to look after him in this strange land. He remained in this helpless condition after his arrival for many weeks. At one time he was so discouraged that he almost despaired of obtaining the object of his coming to America, and was on the verge of insanity. But Heaven did not forsake him. A generous and noble-hearted Christian citizen of Boston, Mr. Alpheus Hardy, owner of the ship in which he had come, hearing of his case, took him into his home, and recognizing the fine spirit and noble ambition of this young man, Mr. Hardy decided to adopt him and give him a thorough American education. He was first placed in the Phillips Academy at Andover, then was sent to Amherst College, and finally to the Andover Theological Seminary to be trained for the Christian ministry. After ten years of training and preparation, this young man returned to Japan, in 1874, and the next year, 1875, which was the very year when those Kumamoto boys were converted, he opened a Christian school under the auspices of the American Mission Board in Japan, in the city of Kyoto, the old capital. This was Dr. Joseph Hardy Neeshima, a man of God, and the greatest Christian leader in Japan. He was filled with a burning zeal for the salvation of his countrymen, and was looking eagerly for like-minded young men who would come and join him in the great work of evangelizing Japan. Here you see again the wonderful working of the providence of God. While on one hand God was preparing and disciplining those forty boys of the “Kumamoto Band” by special education under Captain Janes, as well as by bitter persecution, he was at the same time training this great Christian leader of Japan through the kind help of Alpheus Hardy in America. Dr. Neeshima knew nothing of these Kumamoto boys, and they knew nothing of Dr. Neeshima and his school. Though entirely unknown to each other, we were all in the same Hand, being moulded and shaped for the coming work of his kingdom.