2-year Service for the late Rev. Seicho Taniguchi

　　On October 28, two-year Service for the late Rev. Seicho Taniguchi, former President of Seicho-No-Ie, was held at SNI International Headquarters in Tokyo with the presence of Rev. and Mrs. Masanobu Taniguchi, and Mrs. Emiko Taniguchi, wife of Rev. Seicho. Mrs. Emiko Taniguchi delivered an address in the end of the service along with Rev. Taniguchi.

　　Since it was a very cold day like December, some people might be hesitant to attend, but devout members in Kanto area gathered and memorialized Rev. Seicho, deeply grateful for what he had done for us. Everything in the program was good, the remarks by Mrs. Emiko Taniguchi were most impressive for me. She talked about her photo albums, which she noticed were only cheerful and bright photos in the albums. Then, she thought they are sundial photo albums! She also told that she had been reading Rev. Seicho's books and thought he lived as what he had written in his books. Lastly, she introduced a piece of his articles which struck me a lot. I will show you part of it as follows:

　　Just as we hope for a beautiful sunset, we also wish for our life's sunset to be just as beautiful. However, it is impossible to have a beautiful, comfortable, and even dignified death all of a sudden.
　　It is because our life is sequent. Isn't it true that you can beautifully end your life for the first time you lead a beautiful life? That is why let us start to live a life of justice, practice love, and do something good for the people, countries, and societies even though they are small things, without thinking of what you are doing is known or not.
("Shinseiki Eno Message," or "Messages for the New Century," pp. 94-95)

　　When I was a college student in Aichi prefecture, about two decades ago, I was asked by a Missionary Area's business manager to keep a seat for Rev. Seicho Taniguchi, who visited Mie Missionary Area to conduct Seicho-No-Ie Public Lecture, so that he can have a seat at the waiting room when changing a train in Nagoya station. When Rev. Seicho showed up on time at the room with his secretary and the leaders of Aichi and Mie Missionary Areas, one idea came to my mind. It is that I wished to have his autograph on his newly published book that I had just purchased.

　　When I asked Rev. Seicho to have his autograph on the book, he drew his own back and picked up his fountain pen. Then, he asked me saying, "What do you want me write?" I was taken aback by the unexpected question, but I answered, "Please write 'God is love.'"

　　Seeing what I'd done, Rev. Jun Okada, Chief of Aichi Missionary Area who is already passed away, was very pleased and introduced it to many members who gathered the other day by saying, "Abe is bold and wonderful. He can have Rev. Seicho's autograph because he's done what came to his mind right away." I was very happy to hear that. I keep it as one of my greatest treasurers.

　　Rev. Seicho shook my hands and told me that "keep it up propagating the SNI teachings." I clearly remember his hand was very soft and warm, and his eyes were pure and beautiful.

　　I would like to do my best as much as I can to repay a spiritual obligation on him.

Tetsuya Abe