126. As the Symbol of Worship for the Fraternity (Japanese title: Kōsha no medo ni)
In November 1883, the Resting House was completed. Oyasama moved in at midnight on November 25th (October 26th, lunar calendar). On the night of the twenty-sixth, Shirobei Umetani retired to a room in the building called Konikai after he put all the tools away. He was going to go back to Osaka on the twenty-seventh.
In a short while, Gisaburo Nakata came carrying a short scarlet crepe kimono-undergarment on a small offering stand and said, “Thank you very much for your recent contribution of labor. Oyasama said, ‘This shall be the symbol of worship for the Meishin-gumi Fraternity,’ so receive it gratefully.”
Soon afterward, Risaburo Yamamoto came, holding a red garment reverently, saying, “Oyasama said, ‘Though this is one of My used garments, please make it over for your children.”‘ Yamamoto then gave the unlined silk-crepe garment to Shirobei. Shirobei, so delighted and thankful for the two presents, reached for them, only to find himself awakening from a dream.
After this, he was unable to fall back to sleep. When daybreak came, he began to get ready for the journey and after finishing breakfast, he took a rest. Then Nakata came to him, holding a red kimono-undergarment reverently, and saying, “Oyasama said, ‘This shall be the symbol of worship of the Meishin-gumi Fraternity.”‘ This message was exactly the same as that of the one in his dream. He thankfully received it, wondering whether it was still a dream. Shortly later, Yamamoto came into the room and repeated the other message in Shirobei’s dream of the night before: “Oyasama said, ‘This is My used garment, but give it to your children.’ “And Yamamoto placed the unlined red silk-crepe garment before Shirobei, who received it gratefully. Again, soon afterward, Hisa Kajimoto brought to him a set of two big rice cakes, each made of seven kilograms of rice, with a red rice cake placed on top of a white one. She said, “Oyasama said, ‘Give these to your children.’ “
Oyasama’s repeated expressions of warm parental love were imprinted in the deepest reaches of Shirobei’s heart. Furthermore, when he recalled his dream of the night before, he was strongly moved by the marvelous workings of God the Parent.
Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 103-104
