ARCHBISHOP NICOLAI.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1437, 11 May 1912, Page 9

ARCHBISHOP NICOLAI.

A GREAT RUSSIAN IN JAPAN. Towards the end of March "Tho Times" published a short cable paragraph . announcing (In. , death of Archbishop i\icoliii, of Tokyo, the head nf the Greek Church in Japan. To most Englishmen, and oven to the majority interested in missions, tho news would mean nothing. Yet by Nicoliii's death tlie missionary effort in I ho I'ar Jj-:\bi has Mifl'ored a real and deep loss. The Kev. W. Nelson Billon, of •Shaiißhni (now in England), sends the "Christian World" a de»i-ription of a visit ho paid to I ho .Archbishop Iliren years ago at the Monastery ami Schools iif tlie Greek Church Mission in Tokyo. During the Kiissii-Japauce War efi'oils were made io got the liisiinp io withdraw from Tokyo, hut ho had ?pi<nt his life in Japan, and for Japan, ami ho refused lo life, even when ihe populace tnailfl hostile dniiionslralious outside his buildings. Sucli courage begot reaped, ami the Japanese camo to take pride in tho grand old nuure standing jnaoaitable ia.

their raids!;. When the war ended the Archbishop came into his own. "It was," writes Mr. liitton, "with no littlo expectation, therefore, that I waited in his tsliidyniiice for the coming of the Archbishop. And when ho came ho was not a figure to disappoint. Standing well over six loot in height, biff bones, with, massive head crowned with thin prey hair, ho was an impressive picture, jirossed in a long brown robe, wearinir Kandals over bare foct, he looked as if he might bo cast lor the character of the aged reter. And, ■since the whole truth may bo told, the Ipcl that tile Archbishop was obviously indifferent concerning frequent ablutions, served only to heighten the apostolic realism of the scene. At tlmt time his sight and hearing were slightly defective-, but his bodily strength seemed still great. He had been nearly fifty yenra in Japan, mid was sevcnly-thveo yrars of ago. Accustoming himself to a Spartan simplicity of life, living in Japanese style, and Kiting but two meals p. day, this saint was nble to devote most of bis Russian chaplaincy income to his missionary work. He carried on also a language school for Russians desiring to learn the- Japanese tongue, and found friends ready to help with funds from Siberia and Russia. No raciety stood behind him. At his death 31,000 Japanese members of the Greek Church were oliicially reported. Ho had built a monastery, schools, and a chapel famous throughout Japan for beauty and simplicity. My clearest remembrance of Archbishop iCicolai attaches to a few words he, littered as wo discussed the question, about which I really called to see him, of Christian unity on the mission field. li'or various reasons it lias been found, both in Peking and in Tokyo, easier to get into touch with the Greeks than tho Komnn>, and the liberality of tho Archbishop's mind was well kmwn. He remarked at the close of the interview: 'There is not much which wo can do now, but we must try not to stand in tho way of God's plana. I sometimes think God is preparing in tho mission field tjuniethiug greater for His Church than wo have ever-seen." That is a sentiment which every tue Christian can bear to keep in mind.