April 1992

Account of

Rev. J. Goble

from the

The Hammondsport Herald, May 17, 1876

We clip the following interesting account of Rev. J. Goble, Baptist Missionary to Japan, from the Japan Herald Mail Summary, which will be highly interesting to many of our readers who have the pleasure of knowing him personally. Two years ago he visited this country, spending a portion of his time in Wayne and North Urbana among his friends. His life has been an eventful one, and full of earnest work. We hope he may live to enjoy the fruit of his hard labor, and to tread again on his native soil.

"The Rev. J. Goble, of the Baptist independent mission, of Yokahama, Japan, came first to Japan with Commodore Perry twenty-three years ago, since which time, 'through evil, as well as good report' he has persistently pursued the single object of giving to Japan the 'Truth of God.' He has made many friends among all classes of the people, and his advice and counsel is sought by prince and by peasant alike. He has acted as secret adviser to his native friends in many important cases of litigation where foreigners have been concerned; has purchased and charted ships for princes, and for the Government. In the transaction of this and other business for the people among whom he lives hundreds of thousands of dollars have passed through his hands, upon all of which he has received no regular commission and rarely any compensation whatever. He printed the first editions of the Gospel of Matthew, the first Scriptures ever published in Japan, upon which he expended twice as much as he ever received from the Bible Society. He built the first jinrikisha, but while this convenient little carriage has become the universal substitute for the old kago, he has never profited one cent by his invention. He built the first Protestant house of worship in Japan, by which he lost over $500. And now he has invented a system of printing for the blind of Japan, which he offers to the Government of the country free of all charge, or any desire to make any condition, whether in favor of any missionary Society, or any religious interest of any kind whatever.

"Surely such unselfish efforts for good and laudable objects should be encouraged, by giving them the success which is the only reward they seek."

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