So you see this “Kumamoto Band” was used mightily by the hand of God for establishing a Christian testimony in modern Japan. And you know now how it came about. It was not started by a missionary, nor by a minister. It was started by a layman, by a soldier who had no theological training or ministerial experience, and who had not come to my country to teach Christianity, but to teach military tactics, the English language and modern science. But as a by-product of this layman’s work this “Kumamoto Band” sprang up and became a power in the Christian world of Japan. A wonderful working of Providence! Indeed, God can use anything as his instrument to execute his own purpose. He used a jawbone of an ass in the hand of Samson to destroy a thousand Philistines. It may be that the “Kumamoto Band” and Captain Janes were as the jawbone of an ass. My friends, do you think that there are no such promising young men to be found in my country now? Oh, yes, there are the makings of “Kumamoto Bands” always and everywhere. If you will send out missionaries filled with burning zeal for the salvation of souls, who will come into direct personal touch with young men and women and inspire them through their own personalities by the aid of the Holy Spirit, you can find any number of such bands even now. Not only in Japan, but in all the mission fields of the world, there are thousands of such boys just waiting for some Captain Janes to come and form them into a band of Christian workers. Therefore the question is not whether we can find such “Kumamoto Bands” now, but whether we can find such Captain Janes’. CHAPTER II THE SERVANT DISOBEDIENT In my first chapter I gave a brief account of the Kumamoto Band, their conversion and dedication, persecution, and victory, how they came to Dr. Neeshima’s school, how they went out again, preaching the Gospel and founding Congregational churches in all parts of Japan, and how this band was mightily used by God for establishing a testimony to Christ in my country. So far I have told the good part of this story. But now I must turn to my own part in it, because I am to tell you the story of my own Christian life. But when I turn to my own part I am sorry to say that I cannot give the good part only, but I must give the bad part too. I was not a good boy, as some of my friends were, working faithfully during half a century. I was a backsliding, prodigal son of my Heavenly Father for many years. My life was shipwrecked on the rocks of doubt and unbelief. I have nothing to glory of, but only to confess my sins and failures. It is not a pleasant thing for a man to speak of his own sins and failings. But I think it is our duty as Christians to confess our sins to one another. So I here wish to discharge that first duty, and, if possible, warn my young friends who are in danger of treading the same path, and falling into the same pit I did.