Good morning and congratulation to all you valuable Hokkeko members and guests for attending this very important and memorable occasion, “The 17^th Annual General Meeting and the Risshu-e Ceremony.”

On behalf of all our Hokkeko members I want to thank you Reverend Kimura for conducting the Risshu-e Ceremony this morning and also for you interesting message and guidance. And we want to thank Reverend Arima for his very able assistance.

Also a very special thank you to all the members that participated in the cleanup and preparation for this special ceremony. Thank you all very much.

We want to extend a hardy welcome to all those Hokkeko members that traveled such long distances to be here this morning. It is always an inspiration for us more local members to see such dedication.

We thank Dr. Ramona Maples for that inspiring experience. As most of you know, Ramona has been a member and stanch supporter of our Hokkeko chapter from the very earliest days. She served as Vice Koto back in the mid 90’s when I was Koto and has always been a dedicated and true supporter. We also want to thank Florence Olney from the San Mateo area for her very special Tozan experience.

We also want to thank Mrs. Tuk Sun King form Portland, Oregon, Ray Johnson from Tacoma, Washington and Guito Ayala, a very active member of the young adults here in the Bay Area for their strong determinations.

And in advance we want to thank Jackie Peebles and the Myoshinji Hokkeko Chorus for their performance which we will be enjoying shortly. They have been working diligently for several weeks now. Thank you all very much.

On this very significant day, The 17^th Annual General Meeting, which observes the Establishment of Myoshinji Hokkeko,” I would like to take a few minutes to talk about and review the importance of our organization and our individual responsibility to it’s sustenance.

It is in no way a coincidence that our annual general meeting of the establishment of Myoshinji Hokkeko coincides with the Risshu-e Ceremony, “The Declaration of True Buddhism.” Originally, Reverend Takahashi had purposely selected this date to emphasize the importance of the establishment of the first Hokkeko chapter outside of Japan.

As most of you know, but we all need to be reminded occasionally, Hokkeko-shu was the name bestowed upon the lay believers by Nichiren Daishonin during the very trying period of the Atsuhara Persecution over 700 years ago. In looking back for details for this message I came across a passage by Revered Takahashi in a 1995 sermon about our Hokkeko heritage.

“We are granted the honor of inheriting and transmitting the name of the Hokkeko members of Atsuhara. We must all realize that we have individually inherited the name of the Atsuhara Hokkeko members and, therefore, must firmly establish a faith in which we do not begrudge our lives.”

The key phrase here is, “inheriting and transmitting the name of Hokkeko.” That is a tremendous responsibility because Hokkeko is going to be around for hundreds and even thousands of years after all of us have left this life. I want to be a part of an organization that passes on to future generations the dignity, the compassion and the determination that the original Hokkeko believers had over 700 years ago. We can definitely see this heritage when we observe the believers of the Hokkeko Federation of Japan and how they show respect to the Gohonzon.

For us Hokkeko believers here in the United States, we have the responsibility to pass on this great heritage. We want to continue to build an organization which will bring honor and respect to Nichiren Daishonin, and in turn to our High Priest Nichinyo Shonin and the entire Priesthood. We want our Chief Priest Reverend Kimura, to be as proud of us as we are of him.

Now as Myoshinji Hokkeko begins our 17^th year we should rededicate ourselves to the true purpose and mission of Hokkeko. And for that definition I would like to quote 67th Honorable Retired High Priest Nikken Shonin as stated in the June, 1994 issue of the Shinyo publication on page 18.

“I think that the genuine development of the Hokkeko will take place when each member really believes that the organization is important and truly awakens to the need to devote himself to it and to protect the Hokkeko as the most precious organization for the correct propagation of the Law. I have the very strong conviction that through this Daimoku, very strong power of faith devoted to this goal will well up from the life of each individual member of the Hokkeko and will manifest itself as the four virtues of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth -- eternity, happiness, true self, and purity.”

Let us vigorously protect the heritage of Hokkeko by conducting ourselves in a manner that is in the true sprit of 67^th Honorable Retired High Priest Nikken Shonin’s faith in Hokkeko as the most precious organization for the correct propagation of the Law. If we all do that we can maintain the integrity of Hokkeko and pass on a beautiful organization from generation to generation.

Thank you for you kind attention.