著者

川崎 司

出版者

聖学院大学

雑誌

聖学院大学論叢 (ISSN:09152539)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.11, no.3, pp.219-244, 1999-03-25

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Twenty years ago I gravitated to the pure character of Mizutarô TAKAGI (1864-1921) and began to study his career. Mizutarô was faithful in the pursuit of truth as a pastor, an editor and an educator, caring neither for praise nor blame. This essay is an interim report of his life-long search for truth. Mizutarô was the oldest son born to an ancient and respectable family. His birthplace, Nakakawane Mura in the Haibara District of Shizuoka, was the district along the Ôi river where a well-known brand of tea was produced. He grew up in the bosom of nature. Mizutarô's father Genzaemon TAKAGI and his uncle Matazaemon YAGI were liberal and broad-minded. They ware open to new ideas, especially Yukichi FUKUZAWA's ideology. Mizutarô was affected by these ideas and showed respect for Yukichi's spirit. In January 1874 he began to attend Nagao Elementary School. He was by far the best pupil in the whole school. In 1878 he entered Shizuoka Normal School. In that year or the following year, he met Yakichi YAMAJI, who later became the famous historian, Aizan YAMAJI. As Yakichi couldn't pay for expenses of elementary school, he left in mid-course and served as assistant master. Mizutarô hoped to study at Keiô Gijuku as a student from Shizuoka Prefecture, but in 1880 his ambition was thwarted by financial problems. The democratic movement was in vogue. In October 1880 Mizutarô founded a literary magazine (Gozan Ippô) with his close friend Yakichi. They advocated their democratic ideology in the magazine. In 1881 Mizutarô graduated from Shizuoka Nomal School with the highest marks, and took his post as a schoolmaster in Gotenba Mura in Shizuoka, at the same aspiring to enter the world of politics. The youthful schoolmaster, intelligent and gifted with fluent speech, was looked up to as a man of learning and enlightenment in the village. In 1883 he was brought under pressure to enter politics, so he gave up his position as schoolmaster. The next year his mother Sonoko died of illness. It was the worst thing in his life. He became aware of "Life is as evanescent as the morning dew." In 1885 he was promoted to the Shizuoka Prefectural office. But he missed his mother and led a lonely life. At a time when he experienced great anxiety, Yakichi and others invited him to Shizuoka Methodist Church. A girl friend, Miss Rika ÔISHI, took care of him. In 1886 Mizutarô was happily married to Rika. He worked hard to support his family, but he hadn't yet given up the hope of entering a school of higher education. Beginning sometime around the summer of 1886, Mizutarô began to desire Jesus Christ. Several months later he crossed the Rubicon and accepted baptism from Yoshiyasu HIRAIWA, the pastor of Shizuoka Church. After that he became a son of the light.

著者

川崎 司

雑誌

聖学院大学論叢 = The Journal of Seigakuin University (ISSN:09152539)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.第15巻, no.第1号, pp.37-54, 2002-10