Nikken was to open Myosenji temple. This was before he was taken to calling himself the Living Essence of the Body of the Entirety of the Law of all existence. Myosenji had been open for years (1972), but since Nikken was coming it was called an "opening." 

Tozan uniforms were worn. A tozan uniform was a white polyester suit with a red- and white-striped NSA tie. Wearing this suit was an austerity. 

We arrived an hour early in true Gakkai style. The theory was: "If you tell people to come an hour early, then people who are late will be on time." 

We were told to take out our beads, and when Nikken arrived, we were to place our palms together and chant "Nam-Myoho-renge-kyo" to him just like we would to a Gohonzon. I freaked. The color drained from my face as the joy of practicing Buddhism left my body. This was the only time the Gakkai had ever asked me to do something that I considered immoral. 

Nichiren's admonition: "'Rely on the Law and not upon persons' should be your guideline" (Major Writings, Vol. 3, p. 210) kept repeating itself to me. Over and over again. I knew I could not bring myself to chant Daimoku to Nikken. 

Nikken arrived with a bevy of gray-robed priests. The first thing I noticed was how short he is. The second thing is — you know how people get a glow about them when they chant a lot of Diamoku? Nikken was the opposite, when he arrived he sucked the glow from others. Our joy of faith made him darker. I did not know why, until recently. 

I pressed my beaded palms together for about a second in his direction, but then I slunk back into the crowd and put my beads in my pocket. 

My joy of practice increases, knowing we can practice the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin without "priests with their twisted understanding" (Major Writings, Vol. 1, p. 257).