Part 3 (2/2)

Praise ye G.o.d that ye have been a.s.sisted with such Divine Bounty. Ye have sown some seeds and now watering is needed. If souls should undertake a voyage from America or Honolulu to the land of j.a.pan, the teachings of G.o.d shall thereby be swiftly propagated and important consequences shall result. You two have fulfilled your roles and have striven within the limits of your capacity. At present ye must rest for a time; the turn of others has arrived, that they may similarly travel to j.a.pan, may water the seeds that have been sown and may serve and take care of the tender shrubs. The days of life are swiftly going by, and eventually man will be confined into subterranean regions and his name shall perish, except those souls who become Divine gardeners and who sow seeds in the soil of hearts.

Those shall eternally remain s.h.i.+ning and glittering like unto stars from the horizon of Truth.

(1919)

3: Mr. Kanichi Yamamoto 18791961

Mr. Kanichi(8) Yamamoto has the distinction of being the first j.a.panese believer. He immigrated from Yamaguchi Prefecture, j.a.pan, to Hawaii, where he worked in the home of the family of a believer. Also living there was one of the early Baha'is of Hawaii, Miss Elizabeth m.u.t.h.e.r.

Miss m.u.t.h.e.r wrote to a friend on September 8, 1902, ”After I became a believer I felt that sometime I might tell (Mr. Yamamoto). I prayed that his heart might be prepared to receive the truth. Although it was a little difficult to give him the Message because of his imperfect knowledge of English, yet G.o.d helped me so that he understands perfectly and is rejoicing in the Knowledge of His Truth. I have just had a little talk with him and he told me how happy he was and that he expects to write his letter to the Master this evening.”

[Photograph with the following caption:]

Mr. Kanichi Yamamoto, the first j.a.panese Baha'i with four of his sons. The three oldest boys were given Persian names by 'Abdu'l-Baha. Taken in Berkeley, California in 1920.

Mr. Yamamoto rewrote his letter four times before he was satisfied. ”He felt that he could not write in English, so I told him that I thought it would be all right for him to write in j.a.panese. I was sure the Master would understand the spirit of his letter. Mr. Yamamoto said that although his letter was written in j.a.panese, the Master fully answered him.”

Mr. Yamamoto wrote other letters to 'Abdu'l-Baha in j.a.panese. At the time no one in the Holy Land could read j.a.panese. 'Abdu'l-Baha's secretary recorded that He said, ”I will turn to Baha'u'llah, and He will tell me what to say.” He always answered Mr. Yamamoto's questions.

Mr. Yamamoto later lived in the Berkeley-Oakland area of California. When 'Abdu'l-Baha visited Oakland in 1912, Mr. Yamamoto had the privilege of arranging a meeting for him at the j.a.panese Independent Church.

'Abdu'l-Baha's talk is quoted in Ch. 6.

Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Baha to Mr. Kanichi Yamamoto

[Tablet of 1902]

O thou who art attracted by the Word of G.o.d to the Kingdom of G.o.d!

Turn with the whole of thy being to G.o.d, forget aught else save G.o.d, and supplicate G.o.d to make thee a sign of guidance in the midst of people who are veiled from G.o.d; perchance they may be guided to the Orb of all horizons, enter the kingdom of harmony, drink of the cup of the love of G.o.d, rejoice at the manifestation of the Kingdom of G.o.d, taste the delight of the mention of G.o.d, and shelter themselves in the shadow of the Tree of Life in the midst of the Paradise of G.o.d.

This beseemeth the believers; this is the qualification of the sincere; this is the path of the knowers; and this is the utmost aim of the faithful.

Exert thy utmost power that thou mayest share this great bounty.

(1902)

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