Professional Documents
Culture Documents
FULTZ
HOKKAIDO
1
OBIHIRO
Faber
SAPPORO
Walker
ONO
Cole
SENDAl OSAKA
Beckman Clark
AKASHl
Likins
'i
TOKYO
Buttray Fleenor
HONSHU
Fuhz
Hammond
Kochelmyer
Potton
Pratt
Sims
Warrick
TANABE
SHIKOKU
AKochi
Lemmon
KOCHl
KYUSHU
EXIE FULTZ
Burney
KANOYA
Maxey
BEGINNINGS IN JAPAN
It remained for Mr. and Mrs. W.
by Mark G. Maxey After the Foreign Christian Mis sionary Society was formed in 1877, the
first call it made was for recruits for
to the brotherhood.
Turned down by
Japan. Captain Charles E. Garst, fresh from the Indian wars, and his wife, and Mr. and Mrs. George T. Smith
answered the call and arrived in 1883.
infantile paralysis, he refused to accept the Society's judgment as "the voice of God." He raised some support from
the churches and he and his wife
ing flourished.
coast of Japan.
the next "direct support" missionaries in Japan. After long and honorable service with the Foreign Society in a
Japan. Tokyo Bible Seminary trained a significant ministry during its ten year history. An annual convention of
Churches of Christ was established and
is now in its 18th year. A similar convention for missionaries began in 1952 and continues to provide a vital fellowship and the basic area of co operation among us.
Thus these years were the most
Mrs. John McCaleb, who labored in Japan for 42 years and established the work of the non-instrumental churches
of Christ here.
of
the cities by bombing and the subse quent mass evacuation of urban areas,
along with the enforced union of the
functioning
A great
units during
resurgence
the
has
war
taken
work being done in Japan is by the Japanese themselves. Ultimately the success of any missionary work must be determined by whether it is picked up and carried on by a faithful minis try. The direct support work of
churches of Christ and Christian
years 1940-1945.
churches is now passing over into that phase when the leadership and
the initiative rests with them. Weak
place since that time, especially during the years 1947-1955. Seven pre-war
missionaries arrived very soon and new missionaries began to arrive in a steady flow. Work was staked out
nesses there are, but there are sig nificant strengths and gains, too. There
is reason to believe that the churches
of this was reached on October 17, 1940, when the Disciples of Christ churches joined the Kyodan, a union
of denominations formed under
pressure of the wartime Japanese government. This relationship con tinues to the present day with the result that Disciples of Christ mission
aries
ment.
and
churches
have lost
their
a' 'ti
Christ in Japan was Loduska Wirick, who labored in Tokyo from 1891 till her death there in 1913, supported by a Des Moines, Iowa, Bible class. Page 2
School of Religion, Butler University. At present he is completing his thesis for the MA degree from Lincoln Chris tian Seminary.
Ethel became a Christian at the
age of fourteen while living with her uncle, Waldo Brown, long time preach er in Minnesota. She graduated from Milton College and taught high school for a time, but resigned to work in a factory to help in the war
effort. After the war she decided to She
It was there that George and Ethel met and made their decisions together that led to their life's work in Japan. They were both invited to join the faculty of Osaka Bible Seminary, and were married on June 10, 1947 by Dr.
T. W. Nakarai.
Arriving in Japan in December 1948, the Beckmans went to Kyoto. Their first house was a small Japanese style building where they started the
church that continues to meet and
Akira Oda, the most outstanding of the students, has continued his study of the language, winning a Greek National scholarship to study for a year at the University of Athens. Before going to Greece he had prepared a manuscript for a Greek-Japanese Lexicon, the only such dictionary
available return in the world. he After revised his the from Greece
The Beckmans' present place of residence in Japan, Nishinomiya, is about half way between Osaka and Kobe, and a congregation meets in
the basement of this house. It is
here where Ethel spends most of her effort for Christ in Japan. She has taught a Sunday school class regularly and from this work has gained many ideas to try to develop into better methods of teaching the Bible. Ethel has taught in Osaka Bible Seminary. Through one of her courses in preparing Bible School materials Miss Reiko (Naomi) Nagata has been led to work in teaching and preparing material for teaching in Bible Schools. Miss Nagata is now at Lincoln Chris tian Seminary preparing to edit and write materials for Sunday schools and Daily Vacation Bible Schools; and also to hold Sunday school teachers' con ferences to help the Japanese Chris tians be better prepared and able to teach in the Sunday schools. Ethel and Naomi have worked closely on this in the past and have plans to continue when they return to Japan. They have both prepared some materials that have been used by the churches
in Japan.
grow.
mans or the church. The congregation had gathered money and purchased a plot of ground, and had saved some money for a building. When the Beckmans returned for their first furlough, their house was sold and the money added to that of the congregation's savings to build the original part of the present church building. Since
then the church has added some more rooms to meet their needs and enable
manuscript and, with the help of other members of Osaka Bible Seminary, this was published. A second edition has since been published.
George does not have to teach Greek any more as there are now two Japanese members of the faculty who can do it. He has developed a course in New Testament Backgrounds de signed to meet the needs of the Japa nese Christians who do not have a long Christian background in their lives. He has also acted as president of Osaka Bible Seminary for two periods while Martin Clark, regular president, was on furlough. George has preached in ten of the prefectures in Japan at different times throughout his travels in the country.
John, Jenann, Mary and Ruthall four born in Kyoto. Part of the time Ethel taught the children at home, because they lived a little too far from a school that was appropriate for for eigners. In more recent years, the children have been attending Canadian Academy in Kobe, a private school for English speaking children. The chil
dren have this school available until
Japan Address:
George & Ethel Beckman
97 Kamizono-cho
Forwarding Address:
Mr. & Mrs. Oden E. Brown
Nishinomiya, Japan
Page 3
Japan
Address:
Donald G. Burney
Forwarding Address:
f.
'.U-
' .
Don and Norma Burney, with their son Paul, came to Japan 11 years ago in 1955. After two years of language study, they moved to Kochi Province, a rural province on the southeast side
of the Shikoku Mountains. CHURCHES AND TRADITIONAL EVANGELISM. As a result of their
rial
at first done
for their
own use
AN ADULT CORRESPONDENCE
in
been shared
with the other congregations and mis sionaries of Japan, and they have done some printing for others of the mis
sionaries. Don and co-workers have
CLUB. In April and May of 1966, the two churches of Shikoku, along with the Burneys, undertook an exhibit
at the Kochi " State Fair " called "The Bible Nook." which was Of a total
churchesone with a building and one meeting in the Burneys' home. There
are also Sunday Schools, other Chil
produced two complete Japanesewritten DVBS courses (with a third underway), a "Flannelgraph" book for teachers, tracts, booklets, adult evan gelistic materials, children's materials,
posters, etc.
CHILDREN'S CLUB BY MAIL. In
Fair attendance of 532,000 (ticket sales records), they were able to give out more than 100,000 copies of " Bible Bookmark" (an Introduction to the
Bible written for those who know
dren's Meetings, Bible Study Classes, English Bible Classes each week, and at the proper seasons Vacation Bible Schools, Evangelistic Meetings, Camp,
and other more-or-Iess traditional
April 1965 the Burneys, troubled by the low attendance at most Japanese Sunday Schools, started " Children's Club," with a charter membership of 31 youngsters. In one year the club,
with Bible lessons, related activities,
nothing about it), and invitations to join an Adult Bible Study Club. More than 1,500 man-hours went into print ing, folding, cutting, stapling, and getting the literature into the hands of the people. The amazing (for Japan) response was more than 380
enrollments in the Adult Club, and
more than 50 in the Children's Club.
methods of evangelism.
Don teaches
6 weeks a year (intensive study plan) at Osaka Bible Seminary, and also has a class at Kochi Women's College.
PRINTING. The Burneys did not intend to become printers. When they returned to the U. S. for furlough in 1961, they obtained a 1937 model Multilith Offset Press for $400, intending to use it for their own local printing.
They feel that the Lord has led them
mail, has grown to 450 people, includ ing 150 of Junior High, High School, and adult age. Children enthusiatically enrolled their friends and older brothers and sisters, and two of their
mothers asked to be enrolled in the
NEEDS. They are in desperate need of HELP. Carrying on the regular program of the churches and evangelism with preparation, printing and mailing besidestaxes all the time and strength available. They need
PRAYERS that the Lord will send
adult division. Although the harvest is not yet, seed is being sown which
can affect the future of Christ's church
harvesters. They need FINANCES to carry on the increasing load of seed-sowing, and PRINTING EQUIP
MENT to continue to sow widely and usefully.
in Japan.
Japan Address:
Forwarding Address:
Mrs. Homer Anderson
622 Bullum St.
Stanley, David and Mabel Euttray The Summer of 1967 (the Lord willing) will mark the end of the Buttrays third term. They returned to Japan in August 1962 and have been busy in assisting and pastoring the local church, in rural evangelism, and in summer camps. Mr. Buttray also shares equal responsibility with three other missionaries for the English
Church services held in the Kamiochiai
Church.
Their first five years were spent teaching in the Tokyo Bible Seminary, preaching for one of the newly reor ganized churches and starting a new one in the seaport town of Yokosuka. Their youngest son, David, was born December 20, 1954.
For a Light has been lit, and though sputtering and flickering, it shines through the lives of faithful Christians bringing light to the darkened ones. And this is the Hope of the world. The Challenge One hundred million living dead and dyinglitter the city streets and byways of the country. This repre sents ninety-nine per cent of the people lost, and without hope. Can there be any greater challenge than
this?
During the Buttrays' second five years, the Kamiochiai Church was
started in their home. Besides study
The Future
ing the language, Mr. Buttray preached a year at the Army Map Service Chapel in Tokyo.
in Japan. But they are sure that everything is in God's hand ! It there
fore concerns them little that the
EXIE FULTZ
w- W
Exie Fultz returned to Japan on April 23, 1966 from a seven months' furlough in the States to take up a new work in Minato-ku in Tokyo. Exie
November
in Kobe. From this work three young menShinpei Nishikawa, Akira Kojima
and Norihiko Saitohentered and
graduated America.
first
of
came to
1952 as a
Japan
recruit
in
of
Christian
Radio
Mission.
Later
she
became
the missionary-representative
of
Nippon
Christian
in Osaka.
Broadcasting
She left this
Association
work for a period of language study in Tokyo. During this time of study, her present Bible class was opened.
Her future work will be with this
Toyai^
So,
nchi
group and with other Bible class groups which she plans to begin in the area. The church in Kobe had its begin ning in Bible classes which she taught while working with radio and living
Page 5
The
association
of
Martin
and
sent to Korea, leaving dependents in Japan. Martin was asked to pinch-hit. A co-incidental meeting with an Army sergeant in the shopping district led to a radio program over the Armed
Forces Radio Station which continued
of the second furlough and Pauline a year later. Karlyn remained in the States when Evelyn came to rejoin Martin who had preceeded her to Japan for their third term. It seemed strange to have no family, but a new family was emerging. Graduates with their children were forming a family of Osaka Bible Seminary that means increasing strength for the school and for the work of Christ in Japan. Evelyn has her share in creating this " family " spirit. The Clark house has become known as the cheapest and
most convenient hotel in Osaka. Few
Evelyn Clark with Osaka Christian Mission and specifically with Osaka
Bible Seminary began May 30, 1946. Harold Cole and Martin were discussing the value of experience before going
overseas.
experience
for three years. Christian Radio Mis sion produced the programs for Radio Luxembourg during those years and
Martin was the announcer and soloist
people realize the heartache and dis appointments that a person incurs in making such a reputation for a " home."
The students came to the door on
Harold turned
as a minister.
to Martin,
You will
for
six years.
were
and said, "You have had ten years of have completed two graduate degrees in another year or so. You have the education and experience needed to be president of Osaka Bible Seminary. Would you consider taking that responsibility ?"
Little did either Harold or Martin
classes
Mothers' Day and affectionately pre sented Evelyn with a bouquet of flowers accompanied by an appropriate song
and dedication "To Our Mother."
The succeeding term only inten sified the work that was already a
The
1966
All-Japan
convention
Paul remained
in the States to continue High School and go on to Bible College. Osaka Bible Seminary had all the growing pains of any child that is born and
grows to be of service to mankind. Smallness has both advantages and handicaps. It is impossible for a
small school to be of real worth-
if some one were to say to there was a specific task to and that he was qualified to would have to consider it in of a call from God. Evelyn
so it is thought by Japanese. This idea was beginning to fade. Students and alumni were beginning to take pride in " their" school. Japanese Christians were beginning to sense that Osaka Bible Seminary was of value.
Construction of the new build
prepared but her life commitment had beenwhere the Lord leads she would
go. It was in the summer of 1946 at
Hanging Rock Christian Service Camp that Martin and Evelyn made their commitment known publicly.
ing in memory of the work of the Maddens actually marked a new era in the Japanese viewpoint toward the Seminary. This two-story, steel rein forced building was dedicated free of
debt on March 31, 1961. The co
The necessity of the respon sibilities resting on Osaka Bible Semi nary demands preparation and foresight on the part of administration AND supporters alike. Trained and qualified Japanese faculty are requisite to such
a school. Whether there are five or
years and it was not easy to launch out into such an enterprise without considerable travel and publicity. It
was April 23, 1950 before Martin and
operation which made this possible included the loving assistance of the missionaries as well as the Japanese brethren. Several of the graduates also had been accepted by Stateside
Bible colleges and a few others were
fifty students, facilities required are the same. Ten years ago the total cost for Japanese faculty salaries was less than $200 per month, and about the same for operation. Now those
salaries are four times that and
Evelyn, with son Paul and daughters Pauline and Karlyn, were on Japanese
soil.
already in the States doing work on equal terms with everyone else. Paul was married at the beginning
operating costs are about twice. This rising spiral shows no sign of stopping. If Osaka Bible Seminary is to be maintained, support must be increased to meet the demands of such a pro gram for furthering the Gospel of our Christ in Japan.
Japan Address:
Forwarding Address:
Box 696
The reorganization of Osaka Bible Seminary after the war can in no sense be considered the work of any
one man and neither can the continued
Page 6
ued the work in Japan of two churches, English Night School, Bible Classes, Osaka Bible Seminary which they
established in 1937, and a Christian
kindergarten, until their repatriation in 1941. They returned to their first place of ministry in Yuma, Arizona until Harold entered the Air Corps chaplaincy in March 1943. After the end of the war, they travelled among our churches and secured support to
return to Japan in March 1947. Osaka Bible Seminary was reopened and the church services begun for two con gregations in Osaka and a new one in
2. One man baptized from the Miki area, possible preaching point in
the future. BIBLE CLASSES:
Akashi. He also repairs any machin ery for the missionaries, especially electrical equipment used in evange
lism.
1. Monday nightYoung Adult English Bible ClassOno (Cole's home) 2. Tuesday afternoonOno Junior High (Cole's home) 3. Tuesday eveningEnglish Adult ClassKobe (Y. M. C. A.) 4. Wednesday afternoonJunior HighYashiro (Okuma's home) 5. Thursday afternoonGirls' High SchoolOno (Cole's home) 6. Thursday afternoonBoys' High SchoolOno(Technical High School) 7. Thursday eveningCombined High SchoolOno (Cole's home) 8. Saturday eveningEnglish worship serviceOno (Tsubaki's home)
PRINTING :
Christ real through teaching and coun selling in regard to home and com
munity problems. Harold is a member of the local Rotary Club, which pro vides valuable contacts and oppor
tunities to witness. TEACHING SCHOOL;
Because
of
the
distance
from
Kobe, Leone has been teaching David his school work using the Calvert Correspondence course.
NEEDS:
2. New recruits are urgently needed to assist in the ever opening doors
in this rural area.
1. Tracts, books, and booklets 2. VBS materials in Japanese and English for churches in Japan and
the U. S.
3. Prayer
The Coles have four children,
the Coles had thought possible. While the work and response has been
slow, as it usually is in rural areas in Japan, the prospects for an ever
3. S. S.
three of whom are living in the United States. Harold Jr. is studying in Long Beach State College, following
several semesters in Pacific Christian
5. Youth magazine and bi-monthly magazine for Osaka Bible Seminary 6. Various publications for missionary
projects
He
will be married to Ann Facer in June 1966 and will also enter his country's
draft service the same month. Karen in was married to Burt Lockwood
7. Church bulletins,
programs, etc.
announcements,
programs,
8. Camp
and convention
workbooks ELECTRONICS :
and is to
Harold is a handiman at most any thing. He has built several mission buildings, including his own home in Ono and that of the Likins family in
future. David, 10, is still at home with his parents and is a little mis sionary in his own way.
Page 7
Japan Address;
14 Odori, Minami 21 Obihiro, Hokkaido
Forwarding Address:
John R. Noe
Box 173
Linda (insert), age 13, 8th grader at Hokkaido International School, Sapporo; Charles, age 11, 5th grader: Allan, age 10, 4th grader: and Donald, age 5, Kindergarten.
The dates
Hokkaido
Christian
Mission
are
three
Neva Faber were completing their education at Cincinnati Bible Seminary. After serving one year at Fourth Church of Christ, Cincinnati, Ohio, the Fabers, with their small daughter, Linda, began to travel in order to secure support for the new work they would begin on Hokkaido. The Fabers arrived in Japan, Sept. 1954, at which time they entered Japa nese Language School. After a survey trip to Hokkaido in 1956 they decided to begin a work in eastern Hokkaido. Obihiro, the center of a large agricul tural area, was chosen. Here in the southern part of the city in an area called Tetsunan (meaning south of the tracks) the Fabers built a new home
and moved in June of 1956. The first evangelistic meeting was held by Mr. lijima of Tokyo, whose home town is Obihiro. This meeting was held in the living room of the Fabers' home.
The church continued to meet there
The work is essentially the same as that of the average church in America. There is one preaching
Fabers help the Sapporo Church of Christ in their camp program. The future plans of the Fabers consist of securing a minister and helping the church further in their goal of self-support. They hope to
have a minister on the field before
regular worship services, Sunday School, English Bible classes, and Kin dergarten. Besides this throughout the year, there are special services for
the children as follows: Winter VBS,
until the church building was built in 1958. There have been 60 baptisms since the beginning of the work as
follows :
l,v
(3): 1958 (3); 1959 (11); (5); 1961 (3); 1962 (4); (13); 1964 (6); 1965 (10); (2}.
Church
building
of
the
Obihiro
Japan Address :
Julius Fleenor 1-5-15 Naka Ochiai
Forwarding Address:
Virginia and Julius Fleenor Julia (14), Dana Lee (12), Grace (5;
HISTORY
Julius and Virginia Fleenor while still children, were called to be mis
sionaries through the word as taught by godly Sunday School teachers, members of their families, and Chris tian camp work. They met at North west Christian College, Eugene, Ore gon. After also graduating from Butler University, Julius, with Virginia and Stephen, then aged 3^/4, sailed for
Japan in October of 1950.
Japan.
LIVING LINK CHURCHES
portions are given out at the village festival where 50,000 people flock into Karuizawa Village. Many have been baptized in this place through this ministry. Eight to ten camps a year are held for young people contacted through Bible classes and churches.
BIBLE SCHOOL FOR PRAYER
Stephen Fleenor
RECRUIT FOR JAPAN Stephen Fleenor is now completing his first year at Cincinnati Bible Semi nary. He serves as youth minister for the Knightstown Christian Church
in Indiana which has been his living link since he first came with his par
Three other
church by Japanese in 1951 and has been built up mainly by the offerings
of Christians in America. The second
ents to Japan. Stephen is available for speaking dates and missionary and youth conferences through the school address. He plans to return to Japan
as a missionary.
PURPOSE AND METHOD
The First Christian Church, Michi gan City, Indiana has endorsed the
work and sent increased monthly sup port through the years. Other groups
and churches have contributed to the
dining hall. This school is called the Bible School for Prayer and Evan gelism. The present students attend class in regular Tokyo Universities
and take four to six hours a week of
Bible School. In four to five years they can receive a well rounded Bible
knowledge qualifying them to teach and preach the Word. Other non
resident students also attend.
FLEENOR
FURLOUGH
SCHEDULE
A summer camp site in Karuizawa was purchased in 1954 with an old building on it. Last year a $20,000 building complex, where camps are held each summer and village evan gelism is taught, was finished. Each
summer thousands of tracts and Bible
September 1966 to March 1967 Los Angeles, California Area (Julius Fleenor in Indiana from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 only) attending Missionary Convention and visiting Living Link Churches April and May 1967 Virginia and Julius travelling together in Midwest. Dates open. June, July, August 1967 Fleenor Family available in Oregon and Washington for speaking dates
Mid August 1967 SPEAKING DATES.
Sail for Japan
Page 9
Japan Address:
House No. 2001
Forwarding Agents:
Mr. & Mrs. Clarence Cord
The Christian Home for Boys in Japan was founded in March 1964 by John M. Kachelmyer. This Home was founded, however, not for the younger children as most are, but for the older ones. In Japan, orphan children are
The Sayama Christian Church was begun on April 17, 1966. In founding this congregation, the specific purpose is to win young people of junior high through college age to Christ. This age group is especially responsive.
Plans for the future include the build
In June 1965 Bro. Kachelmyer married Deana Home of Crane, Texas and they now carry on this work together.
There are still many areas of youth work in Japan into which no one has entered, such as juvenile delinquent work, etc. It is hoped that
there are those in the United States
ing of a camp on the half acre of property Bro. Kachelmyer purchased three years ago. The property is ideally situated near a lake in a beau
tiful mountain setting.
who will be led to come to Japan to help reap the vast harvest awaiting.
Since the urge to get an education is so great in Japan, Bro. Kachelmyer felt that a Home should be provided where young men of good mental ability could find security and an education. The boys are sent to a nearby public high school and receive
religious instruction in the Home. The
and
to
endeaver
their Him. lives
to
lead
is a
them lime
dedicate for
to full
service
There
great need for Japanese Christian ministers, and Japan must have them before the church can become strong. At present there are three boys in the Home with plans to take in seven more, making a total of ten. Page lo
VIVIAN LEMMON
Tanabe is the third largest city in Wakayama prefecture, having a popu lation of 60,000 people, with hundreds of fishing and farming villages along
the coast and in the mountains. It is
Early denominational missionaries came into this area about 100 years ago. Ruth Schoonover was the first Christian church missionary ever to enter this part of Japan. She came in 1948, but after only six months her health failed and she passed away here. Her grave is now in the Chris tian cemetery of Mabashl Church of
Christ in Tokyo.
sermons for programs of Christian Broadcasting Association. He still holds evangelistic meetings for our churches all over Japan. Just recently he preached for Sakurayama church in
In 1953 a new church, kindergarten and parsonage were built. This church,
known as Kinan Church of Christ, is
now self-supporting. Through the Christian kindergarten program, six days a week, children are brought into Sunday School. The first gradu ates are now high school seniors.
Some of them are Christians. Tanabe There
His great desire since becoming a Christian sixteen years ago has been to evangelize the neighborhood where he was born, a community of fisher men and laborers. He baptized his own mother six years ago. His twins, now ten years old, will be baptized before long. His wife has long been a Christian. Now he says when he
wins his sister to Christ, he will have
more missionaries. Another family, or families, is needed. Opportunities are everywhere. Other cities along the
coast need Christ.
The work is hard.
Hundreds of vil
The harvest
through this work with the children. A fine group of working young peopleteachers, bank clerks, office workers, and others, having grown up in the churchis now furnishing leadership.
appears slowly. But Jesus said "Go," and He promised to be with us always.
And He is here. What joy it is to the to
Two young men, natives of Tanabe and baptized in Kinan church, are
now full time ministers. Mr. Nakano
You may ask what the missionary herself does. Sometimes people at
home introduce her as a kindergarten
warmth, opening to His love, growing in grace and in the knowledge of our
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
is pastor of Inano Church in Osaka and a member of the faculty of Osaka Bible Seminary. The other is Mr. Taniyama, of whom you will hear
later. Mr. Sakamoto, another member of the church, will enter the Seminary this fall. The daughter of a church
teacher, but she is only a helper there. She doesn't preach on Sundays, as some
people have thought. However, the preachers need someone at their side; many groups want English Bible
classes: children in many communities gather for Bible lessons during the
week in their tiny homes; there are new babies among the church families
Japan Address;
Miss Vivian Lemmon
respected in the community. You who have been partners in this work may take pride in knowing that it stands
as a witness for Christ and the New Testament church. Mr. Morikawa, the
Sunday taught.
School Young
present pastor, is a good leader, loved by all. Under his leadership this
church will continue to advance.
Page II
network of five radio stations. They also worked with three congregations
that were established as a result of
group meets on Awaji Island, 2Y2 hours by boat and bus; another, the Rokko
Church, meets in the house occupied by the Likins family; and the third meets in Osaka, about an hour's trip by train from their home.
The Likins' mission house in To
kyo was sold last year, so they were able to buy land and build in Akashi, near Kobe. There the Likins family
will be able to begin a new work in
an area where there are no churches
Since January of 1964 Claude has had the leadership responsibilities of Nippon Christian Broadcasting Asso
ciation. This work consists of the
at present. Harold Cole, who lives in a town not far away, has been indis
also be a tremendous help to her in her school expense for churches and jamps to use her talents in this way.
preparation of Gospel broadcasts for airing over commercial stations in Japan. Kawahara San, a graduate of Osaka Bible Seminary, preaches every Lord's Day, and during the week is the engineer in charge of all recording
and dubbing of broadcast tapes that
are sent out to the various stations
The Likins' leadership of this radio work was intended to be tempo rary, until someone more qualified and
trained in radio could be found and
Kawahara San and Claude in control room of recording studio located on campus of Osaka Bible Seminary
committed to the work. They are still seeking such a person and in the meantime continue being responsible
for N.C.B.A.
Japan Address: Claude and Evalyn Likins 207 Fujie Aza, Suzaki Akashi-shi, Hyogo-ken, Japan Page 12
Forwarding Address:
E. S. Beveridge
with the preachers of the area through the bi-monthly meetings and quarterly rallies, and holds Bible classes in out lying areas with a view to winning people to Christ and establishing the
church.
From the mission in Kanoya, Christian carpenters have gone out to build ten church buildings, six with
parsonage attached. About 20 young people from this prefecture, ten from the Kanoya area, have prepared them
selves for Christian leadership at
Osaka Bible Seminary. Their lives have blessed the entire work in Japan.
Friends who have traveled to the
Maxey home at the southernmost tip of Japan often say as they come in
the door exhausted: " How in the
miles
unevangelized peninsula.
During the
Mark Maxey spent his childhood in Oregon, Idaho and Ohio. He first studied at the University of Minnesota intending to be a doctor. Under the preaching of George Mark Elliott, he returned to his first love, preaching the gospel. He graduated from Min nesota Bible College (1939) and held
his first ministries at Madelia and
war, the Kanoya Naval Air station was an important " kamikaze" base for the Japanese war effort.
Truman, Minn. Pauline Maxey was reared in Wind Ridge, Pennsylvania. A life-long desire to be a missionary led her to Cincinnati Bible Seminary. She met
her husband when he came there for
Arriving in Japan, the Maxeys went to Kanoya immediately. First they lived in a Japanese inn; then in an empty army house; and finally, in their own metal pre-fab house erected on a piece of land bought from the government at the edge of town.
It was a lonely area then but now the city has grown out to surround the three acre site made lovely by its trees, flowers and grass.
TAKEO IIMURE and SADAHIKO
The Maxeys
Paula, Walter, Gregory, Faith and Hope. Three other sons died at birth.
The children are all fluent in Japanese,
studying in the U. S.
Loneliness and
graduate work. Mark and Pauline were married Dec. 29, 1941 and both graduated from the Seminary in 1943. They ministered at the Christian Church, North Vernon, Indiana from 1941-1944 when Mark began five years of service as an Army chaplain. In June, 1948 Pauline joined her husband at a military base in Japan. Paula contracted polio and their stay was cut short. It was long enough, though, to catch a vision of service. Vision became decision in August 1949. They resigned from the Army to become direct support missionaries.
They wanted to
because
MOTOYOSHI helped Mr. Maxey as they planted churches in Kanoya, Kushira, Sueyoshi and Tarumizu. The large leper colony a few miles away and the town orphanage became the first of many preaching points. They are still served regularly. ISABEL DITTEMORE came to Kagoshima in
1952 and established churches in
homesickness are part of the price that the missionary and his children
New mis
Kagoshima, Kushikino and Kajiki. JUNKO DAIKUSONO and NAGANORI TANIJIRI preach for these churches.
A Christian Center was built on
sionaries may enter freely. In spite of the peculiar hardships and diffi
culties of the Japan field, many Japa nese continue to seek and find Christ.
go to
Kyushu
the mission grounds in Kanoya in 1958. Leadership training, literature evange lism, a Christian book store, and vari
ous ministries are located here. TAKEO IIMURE conducts the
But the real job remains to be done. 991/2^ of the Japanese are still not Christian. Rising costs and the chal lenge of the unfinished task make additional friends and supporters wel
come. Will you be one?
the churches of
Christ had
not yet entered that island. They wanted to go to a place where no one had gone nor was likely to go. While wondering where that would be, a letter of invitation came from a group of believers in Kanoya. Paul Cook,
now of the Kaimichi Mission, had been
Center program and preaches at Ku shira. Mr. Maxey preaches at all the
A closing
thought:
The world
ADDRESSES TO REMEMBER
ON THE FIELD: Mr. & Mrs. Mark Maxey, Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan FORWARDING SECRETARY : Mrs. Mary Deiotte, Box 49, North Vernon,
Indiana 47265. (Your gift is tax deductible)
to Kanoya as an Air Force chaplain. The teaching of him and his wife had
borne fruit. A nucleus of Christians
SLIDES, DISPLAY MATERIALS, PUBLICATIONS : (including the monthly LINKLETTER at $1 per year) John Baker, 147 Avenue Cota,
San Clemente, California 92672. Phone (714) 492-1333
Page 13
a pre-determined week. Each student is expected to take part in this " week
of evangelism" not only as a Christian duty, but also as one aspect of his Seminary training. So far, the stu
dents have been overjoyed by this
was born in Campbellsville, Kentucky in March of 1939, raised a Christian, and was baptized by Ray Mings with
his twin brother Lonnie at Kokomo, Indiana, near where their father was then preaching. Coming to Japan in 1951 with the family, he early saw the
needs of people in foreign fields and took a gradually increasing part in the work there. After high school, he
studied two years at the Osaka Bible Seminary, returned to the U.S. with Lonnie, and after two years at Cincin nati Bible Seminary, graduated with the A. B. (Bible) degree. After a year of graduate study at the same insti tute, he then prepared to return to
Just after Donnie and Charlotte came to Japan, they also helped with the Nakaburi congregation, especially while the Ray Mings family was in the U.S. on furlough. Later, they were needed more badly at the Nakamiya
church across on the other side of the
Most Japanese people either are basi cally Buddhistic or non-religious, having been betrayed by a false sys tem. As a result the religious are stubbornly pagan, and the non-religi ous are atheistic and narrow-mindedly closed to Christ. The people of the new housing development, however, seem willing to accept our western religion (as they look upon it) more readily. It is felt that these people have much more open hearts. Donnie and Charlotte desire to work among these people as much as possible in the future. In addition to the possi bilities of evangelism, there are also the obvious living advantages where they are not bothered by unsanitary and crowded quarters which are often found in Japanese-built homes.
The three and one half years that
city of Hirakata. Nakamiya has a student preacher, but at the time had tremendous problems concerning the land they were using. This congre gation has just moved off their original rented property and now bought a plot of land to call their own, moving the wooden frame building to the new
site. It is felt that God has taken a
they have been on the field found them living at four different locations. This points to one of their main needs. They are planning to return to the U.S. in 1967 for a year of furlough, and go back to Japan in 1968. On their
second term they will need a more permanent place to live, for they can
Japan as a missionary, feeling God's call to put to use his Bible training and ability in the Japanese language. During his fourth year at school he
was married to Charlotte Gossett of
Pricetown, Ohio, who also attended Cincinnati Bible Seminary. Charlotte was born November 1939, at Hillsboro,
Ohio, and in 1949 was baptized into Christ, becoming a member of the Pricetown congregation, with which she continued to serve until coming to
Japan in 1962. Her service included
very noticeable hand in the events which made possible the move and possession of land by this congregation. Of the $3000 spent in purchase of land and moving the building, only about $300 was supplied by the missionaries, indicating that indigenous principles are possible by the grace of God. The local Christians gave sacrificially, and relied on a much greater power for what they could not do.
In this same Hirakata City is a new housing development of very modern design which is called Korigaoka, or sometimes Newtown. In addition to the large, handsome apart ment buildings, there are many pri vate homes conforming more to west
ern standards of sanitation than is
One more problem which they face now is the need for more supporting churches. Several churches and groups of Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio have faithfully supplied the minimum re quirements for service in Japan, but there is now little Sheri Lynn to care for, as well as the problem of living in a country with one of the most serious price spirals in the world. Donnie and Charlotte plan to remain on the field and work indefinitely. Prayer is requested that their needs will be supplied by additional support ing groups, and ultimately by the One who supplies all, and in whose service
the Christian worker is to be found.
Japan Address:
They are working in Osaka Bible Seminary, where Donnie is a regular teacher, serving in the Old Testament and Language departments. They share the belief that the Seminary
should be their main work. It is the
usually found.
in that area which formerly Lonnie and Coral were using, Donnie and Charlotte are closer to another preach ing point which they began two years ago. One of the Nakaburi
Christian families lives in this " New-
Forwarding Address;
Box 103
Campbellsville, Ky.
42718
Forwarding Address:
Wayne Moore
Brentwood Terrace
Coral and Lonnie Mings $78 a month. They continued to rent this house until furlough. Lonnie's brother, Donnie, and his wife and daughter are presently living in the house, holding it until Lonnie and Coral return. In Newtown, Coral taught one of Mrs. Ray Mings' Bible classes while she was on furlough, and Coral also began to teach a number of strictly English classes, hoping to gain contacts through that method. (These were in addition to her two English Bible classes.)
Lonnie and Coral were used of
At any rate, they have seen both discouragement and victories during the four years on the fieldboth con
versions and instances of backsliding.
Lonnie and Coral Mings arrived in Japan on March 5, 1962. For ap proximately a year they lived with Lonnie's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Mings. They began language study
in the fall of 1962 and studied for
They remain convinced that the best method of evangelizing Japan is through Osaka Bible Seminary and the program there of training native workers. They hope to have increased
duties in the Seminary next term, but at the same time they plan to con tinue efforts in direct evangelism.
about six months. They began regular preaching duties in the three churches with which the Mings families work Moriguchi, Nakaburi, and Nakamiya. In addition they took a Sunday afternoon preaching point about halfway between Nakaburi and Moriguchi. They also began teaching four or five English
Bible classes.
both for salary and mission work; 2. Funds either to build a house
or to continue to rent the house
In the summer of 1963 they moved into Osaka to keep house for Martin Clark, president of Osaka Bible Semi nary, who had returned to Japan ahead of his wife. They continued their preaching and teaching duties through that time. In the summer of that year they helped in two camps the Osaka camp and one in Nagoya. In January of 1964 Lonnie's teaching duties in the Seminary began. His main field is Church History, but he
has also taken on another course-
to be a girl-Timothy and is now studying in the Seminary. They are quite proud of her and thank the
Lord for her life and dedication.
in Newtown;
3.
Last, but by far most impor tant, constant prayer for every
endeavor.
imately 45 congregations, served by about 31 trained leaders. Native religions: 170 Buddhist and 144 Shinto denominations claim 93
million followers.
million adherents.
Page 15
During those fifteen years in Japan they have had many interesting ex
that they have seen people who were living in darkness come to know God.
Their third son, Timothy Dale,
was born in Japan on May 15, 1954. He is with his parents who live on the edge of Hirakata, a city of over sixty thousand people. Hirakata is about twenty or thirty minutes from the edge of Osaka city by car.
The two older boys returned to the States in 1959 and finished Bible
This church is
the only one of the three under their supervision that has no building. The other two, Moriguchi and Nakamiya, have buildings, though small.
It has been their desire that the
Ray has taught in the Osaka Bible Seminary, in the field of Old Testament
and Education, through the years-
on furlough.
He is head trustee of
churches put up their own buildings and for this reason they have encour aged the Christians to save and give, to make this possible. Nakaburi church, now mainly under Ray's super vision, has almost enough money saved to buy a small lot and they need a building very badly. Any gifts to add to this fund would encourage them and they would be happy to
know that fellow Christians in Amer
risen gradually during the fifteen years that they have been in Japan, but their salary has remained practi cally the same. Some months during the last two years, they have not even received their whole salary let alone anything to pay preachers' salaries and to carry on general mission work. Many things have tripled in price and especially since the Olympics in 1964. Prices skyrocketed then and have con tinued to rise. To give a few exam ples: a pound of hamburger costs $1.12 ; bacon is $1.39 a pound; beef for roast runs from $1.25 to $2.50 per lb.; Instant coffee, 250 gm. (almost 9 02.) jar, costs $2 ; 250 gm. can of Japan made oatmeal, costs 50c; a whole chicken, produced in Japan and skinny costs the equivalent of $2; gasoline is 50c and over per gallon; a pair of jeans for a boy ten or twelve years old costs $5. Train fares continue to rise and nothing seems to be coming down. In general, the cost of living
is tremendous.
Upon arriving in Japan, the Mings family began working in the Moriguchi
area where established. their first
They
study and several other activities. The Seminary students began holding
services in the Nakamiya area of Hirakata and from that effort, the
Nakamiya church was started. Later, Ray took over the supervision of it
and then it was turned over to Donnie
It is the hope and prayer of the Mingses also that these churches in the near future can have sincere, zealous, full-time preachers. This is being accomplished through the Osaka Bible Seminary where young men are being trained to preach the Word and young women are being trained to teach. The Seminary is a vital part of their work and is very important to all the missionaries in Japan. The greatest need of Ray and Mattie Mings is funds. Prices have Japan Address:
1152-3 Nakaburi, Hirakata-shi, Osaka, Japan
Preachers' salaries are still paid or mostly paid by the missionaries as the young churches of today, in most
cases, cannot take care of this whole
expense.
funds for
evangelistic work and for running the Bible Seminary. Ray and Mattie's receipts have just about aver aged $400 a month (this includes their salary) for the last several years with some months running less than $100 total receipts for the month. They need your prayers and your help.
The first two years in Japan, the Mings family lived in a steel barracks
funds from
Forwarding Address:
Mrs. Elmer Fry Oakford, Ind. 46965
house in Osaka which they built with the States. After the
Page l6
Paul and
Marcia
Nielsen are
en
minister.
gaged in holding out the Word of life to farmers, miners and fishermen of rural Japan, through Tohoku Rural Evangelism. "Tohoku" means north east and designates the location of this missionthe northeast part of
Honshu,
Sendai is
the main
island
of Japan.
of the
the chief of
cities
attending Minnesota Bible College. They also attended Pacific Bible Semi nary (now Pacific Christian College). They have three children. Russell is at present serving his tour of duty
with the Air Force. Paula (not in pic
Summer camp is an important time for Christian teaching and fellow ship. Each summer the Nielsens rent
logical center from which to take the Gospel to rural places in Tohoku.
There are five other centers in Toho
ku alone, where missionary families should be located. Will you come over into Tohoku and help answer the call of the villages? This call does not come from the people in Japan because they do not know what to ask for now. The call of the villag es is given to you and to me, as Christians. How will you answer this call ? Will you go to Japan to teach the Gospel in one of many needy rural areas? Will you pray for and give of your money to those who will go?
Paul Nielsen was born and raised
ing in
Osaka Bible
Seminary and
to continue
utes by bus from downtown Sendai. In another two years there will be some 8000 people living in the area around the church. It is hoped that the building can be completed soon so that services can be held in it and the church can grow with the commu
nity.
present. Fifteen months of labor finally produced the first fruits of the
work. Through the efforts of the first convert, a Bible class was started for a Senior Hi-Y group. During the summer of 1957, Paul Nielsen, along with Bro. Takafuji, spent much time
in
Minnesota,
the
son
of
rural
Furlough address:
509 Aspen Dr. Colorado Springs, Colo. 80911
Forwarding address:
17864 E. Cypress Covina, Calif. 91723
Page 17
represented at the camp. Almost every year a number of young people have been won to Christ at the camp. A fairly large proportion of the youth
in Tokyo on July 30, 1954. She has been a Christian since 1964. Noel Ray was born in Tokyo on December 12, 1956. Philip Holt was born in Piqua, Ohio on July 8,1958. Stephen Andrew was born in Tokyo on January 5, 1961.
The Pattons have been instru
ledge of the Christian religion. The classes and the Christian fellowship at camp inspire these youth and create an atmosphere of friendship which helps to bind them to the programs
of the various local churches. over, the Christians are More edified and
mental in establishing two churches in Tokyo, the Nishiogikubo Church and the Sakurayama Church. They are presently engaged in ministerial and evangelistic work in connection
with the latter church.
inspired Christ.
to
gaged in mission work in Tokyo. Andrew arrived in Tokyo in January 1948 and Betty in September 1953.
Andrew is a native of Hayesville, North Carolina. After graduating from
high school, he worked as a civil service radio operator at Fort McPherson, Atlanta, Georgia. While in At
Along with their church work the Pattons are managing and maintaining a Christian dormitory. The occupants
The
Sakurayama
Church
with
do their own house work and cooking and some of them have part-time jobs as well. They are required to attend a devotional and Bible study period
each week and to attend the services
building which formerly housed Tokyo Bible Seminary. Andrew is serving as minister of this local church. Only
two members of this church are older persons and the remainder are stu
lanta he was taught the way of the Lord more perfectly by a Christian
family and became a member of the
Jefferson Park Christian Church, East Point, Georgia. (He had been a mem ber of the Baptist Church since he
was twelve.) In 1942 he entered At
of one of our churches in the Tokyo area. When these youth will have graduated from school they will have been given a good foundation in the Christian faith. They will have been prepared for being faithful servants
of Christ and witnesses of His.
Just
as soon as time permits, the Pattons plan to plant another church in the Tokyo area. Future plans for the Pattons in
Andrew also teaches some English at the Tokyo YMCA English School
in order to witness to the hundreds
Cincinnati
Bible
began
of youth who attend that school. As time permits he plans to invite these youth in small numbers to the Patton
He first went to
Tokyo
Bible
Seminary, a preacher-
1958.
home for food, fellowship and a quiet talk about spiritual things. This will also afiford an opportunity to introduce them to the Sakurayama Church next door. As chaplain of the Morning School, Andrew brings a message from the Bible each Monday morning to the whole student body. He also
teaches an English Bible Class at this school and over ninety have enrolled. The Pattons cooperate with other Tokyo missionaries, Japanese ministers and churches in a camp program each summer. A camp ground located near Mount Fuji, about a hundred miles distance from Tokyo, is rented and the
camp program extends over a one or
effective program of Bible study for the Christians so that they may
be edified and able to win others to Christ; (5) Improving the effectiveness of the Christian dormitory at Sakura yama as a medium for training the occupants to be good Christians and
good witnesses of Christ.
professor of that school until its close. While working with the school he was also engaged in evangelistic work
Japan Address:
Seminary. Soon after graduation in 1949 she began her mission work among the Indians in the Northwest, first working in Washington and later
Page 16
August.
means of effective assistance to the work of the local churches which are
Japan Address:
Paul S. Pratt
The Paul Pratt family set sail for Japan in July 1958. After studying the Japanese language for two years, they served for three years in Kagoshima, along with the Mark Maxey family. There, in addition to assisting
es
lough (1964-1966).
listic singer began working with them. She also began making contacts and using the Bible correspondence course for the blind by the use of recording tapes and Braille. In August 1966, they finally moved into the area of Isehara to begin new evangelism. There, land and house are being purchased from the William Walker family which was forced to
return to the States because of Mrs.
when arrangements for the purchase were first made by the Pratts. They are assisted by Mr. Shigeru Akada, whose income is provided, in part, by the Harold Sims family who guided him into the ministry.
The quarterly report called " Paul's Epistle " is available to those request ing it.
Weekly services
All
various
Japanese preachers and workers were paid from this, as well as all Mission expenses. All buildings were held in
the name of the Mission foundation.
support directly from their living-link and supporting churches. The Japa nese preachers were encouraged to become self-supporting as soon as possible and not depend on Ameri can funds. The Japanese churches
were to receive the title to their land
and building when they became finan cially and spiritually able to take
care of their own affairs and were
legally incorporated. The remaining funds of the Cunningham Mission would be used only in connection with church buildingerecting new ones, paying taxes, insurance and major repairs on existing ones. Mrs. Cunningham's daughter Eloise and some of the Japanese preachers made an attempt (in opposition to these policies) to take over control of the Mission property. This was unsuccessful, and much progress has been made toward self-support by the Japanese churches. Seven of the churches have already been recognized by the Japanese government and incorporated as independent local Churches of Christ, and another will probably complete the process this year. These all own the title to their land and buildings and are conducting the Lord's business responsibly.
The results of evangelism in Japan
are slow and small, but the Simses
Lois, Sylvia (16), Hope (18), Harold Bobby (11), Danny (5), Jonnie (13)
Tokyo on Nov. 15, 1947 to assist in the work of the Mission founded by the Cunninghams in Yotsuya district in 1901. The city had been laid waste by war. Only 1 of the 12 church buildings had survived the bombing,
but that church was full of activities
(a
and people. Soon efforts were made in the homes of members throughout the city to regroup and restore the
other Mission churches.
They began meetings in their living room and attendance grew rapidly. In 1952 a chapel building was erected on the front part of the lot.
They have worked
the 2 local churches at
mostly with
Nakano and
The Simses were asked to help in the Mikawashima churcha congre gation of Koreans located in the "lower town" factory district on the north side of the city. One of the old faith ful families built them a 4 room apart ment over their rubber shoe factory.
Services were held in the Simses'
Mikawashima,
but
are
thankful
to
enjoy living and working among the people and are thankful for the prog
ress that has been made and continue
have had a part in the work of all the other churches in Tokyo and many places throughout Japan. For 10 years (1948-1958) they helped with the teach ing in the Tokyo Bible Seminary. Also they have been happy to help
each summer in the Lake Motosu
to plow in hope.
The Simses will begin their third furlough in the U. S. in June 1966.
Their address at home will be:
living room, with an attendance of between 10 and 20 people. They prac ticed the Japanese they were learning every day in language school on this kind, working-class man and wife and 6 lively children, to their mutual
frustration and occasional merriment.
Christian Camp since 1957. This camp has averaged over 100 in attendance for the past 3 years. Both Lois and Harold teach a regular schedule of Bible classes for different age groups every week.
For 50 years it had been the estab lished practice of the Yotsuya Mission that all offerings received were put
Page 20
Furlough address:
Bill and Betty Turner are the newest of the Japan missionaries, having arrived in September of 1965. They are not entirely new to Japan, however, or to missionary work. Bill served with the U. S. Army in Japan for two years during the Korean war. Betty visited Japan on several oc casions, and in 1960 spent three weeks assisting in the oflSce work at Osaka Bible Seminary. Before coming to Japan the Tur
ners were associated with Cebu
then began teaching in Osaka Bible Seminary. He taught a six-weeks' intensive course in the History of
Christian Missions. From November
Bill's home is Meadville, Pennsyl vania, and Betty comes from Atlanta, Georgia. Both are graduates of Atlanta Christian College, and Bill has taken
additional work in medical missions at
to January, Betty taught a class in Chalk Art. The Turners also helped to strengthen the music department at the Seminary. Betty taught begin
ning piano and organ, and Bill taught voice and helped with various choral
groups.
College and during their furlough Bill will be working toward the stan
dardization of his degree at Milligan.
Christian Mission in the Philippines. Betty began her service in 1952, teaching in Cebu Bible Seminary, doing work with children, and taking care of various office and bookkeeping duties. During her second furlough, while studying at Milligan College, she was
married to Bill in March of 1962.
help out while several missionaries were on furlough. In addition to helping in the work at Osaka, they also visited other places as much as time permitted. The four Turners
They returned to Cebu together in the fall of 1962. Bill taught in Cebu Bible Seminary and served for several months as temporary director. He also supervised the construction of the Guen Griffith Memorial Library Building, which was completed in January of 1965. Both Bill and Betty worked in Christian literature, and Bill was in charge of the Cebu Bible Bookstore. Betty directed a program of released-time Bible teaching in the
lived in a rented apartment in Kobe, but at the end of March they moved to the Beckman house in Nishinomiya to stay for their remaining months in Japan.
Bill started an English Bible class
at the Inano Church on Sunday after
Japan. They were greatly challenged by the need for additional laborers in the Lord's vineyard in this country of almost 100 million people. When Bill completes the standardization of his degree, they hope to return and con
tinue to work in the Land of the Rising
Sun.
noons. He worked closely with the Inano church, and both he and Betty
Nishinomiya.
The Turners have two children
July of 1966 and will be available to represent the Osaka Christian Mission
and Bible Seminary. They are es
Sheryl Ruth and Timothy Royboth born in the Philippines. Sheryl is three years old and Timmy is two.
pecially interested in speaking to groups who would be willing to assume regular support for the work.
Page 21
In the fall of 1956 Wesley and Margaret were joined in the work by Wesley's parents, Walter and Olive Walker. Early in 1958, Walter became
victim of the Asian Flu and entered
his reward in glory. At present Olive is in the States and may be contacted at the Long Beach address.
Another phase of Japanese Chris
tian Mission's work is the Moiwa
Christian Day School. This school was started by Olive Walker in 1957
and continues with over a hundred
Denny
Margaret Jimmy
Martha Ruth
Wesley
Japanese Christian Mission is pri marily a work of evangelism. This work on Hokkaido began in the spring of 1955. Though progress has been slow at times, a few hundred Japanese have been baptized into Christ. This has resulted in a strong church in one of the suburbs of Sapporo City and in several preaching and teaching points.
Each summer the Christian Service
With the Moiwa Church assuming most of its own responsibility, leader ship and financing, the Walkers began seeking new areas in which to preach.
students enrolled and many more on the waiting list. The school meets in its own building which was completely paid for by the Japanese Christians. Not only are the children receiving good Bible training but the school has been the means of reaching many of the parents with the gospel.
God has blessed the Walkers with
presented.
Camp presents opportunities of fellow ship, training and evangelism. For the past eight years the camp has averaged well over one hundred parti cipants each year. The camp has no
permanent facilities, but more than
chapel used in taking the gospel to the many towns and villages in this part of Hokkaido. Being fully equipped for sound, tape recorder, mikes, speak
ers, etc., it is also ideal for use in street meetings or as an aid in pro moting larger evangelistic meetings. In areas where no meeting place is available, it serves as a chapel for worship services, Bible classes and Sunday schools. Since it is a bus, it also serves the secondary purpose of transportation for church activities.
many fine Christian co-workers. Su zuki San, evangelist, Nakamori San, at present a student at Osaka Bible Seminary, members of the church who have become teachers and are teaching
in the school and a host of others
tian
Thank God for the faithful Chris friends in America who make
makes up this lack by the rich Chris tian atmosphere. In the camps many young people have been led to accept
Christ as Saviour.
possible the ministry of Japanese Christian Mission. Your help, both spiritual and material, is solicited for the future in serving Christ together in Japan.
CHUKH, CHitST
Japan Address:
Page 22
Japan Address:
Forwarding Address:
Mrs. Jim Scott
Robert and Joyce Warrick 1-chome, 5-15 Naka-ochiai Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
'Mm
Robert
Warrick
was
born
near
Rushville, Indiana on October 26, 1925 and was baptized at Cambridge City (Indiana) Christian Church in 1939. He spent 12^^ years in the U. S. Air Force, and attended Indiana University ^2 year and Southern Christian College 4 years. He was minister at West Reseda Church of Christ, Reseda, Cali fornia, for one year. Joyce was born in Dublin, Indiana on November 13, 1927, and was bap tized at Dewey (Oklahoma) Christian Church in 1952. She is a graduate of Ball State Teacher's College, Muncie, Indiana, with B. S. in Elementary Education. She taught 7 years in public schools and 3 years in private kindergartens. Their oldest son Ed, now 18 years old, was baptized at Harlandale Chris tian Church, San Antonio, Texas, in 1956. He is presently attending Pa cific Christian College. His hobby is photography.
nite of this nature. During this time the Fleenors will be on furlough, and the Warricks will occupy the Fleenor house while continuing to concentrate on the language. However, the Lord has already started preparing the way. One young Japanese man is going to the U. S. to become a physical therapy
instructor. Some nurses still in train
ing have indicated their interest. A young Christian couple with consider
were over 400,000 children in need of aid; only about 7,000 actually cared for and 14,000 emergency cases with
no facilities or staff to care for them.
able experience as religious interpret ers also have expressed the burden of handicapped children's work laid on them. This couple has the compassion and understanding for handicapped workthe wife herself is a triple amputee who can personally show the children that physical limitation is not the end of life and that hope in Jesus and His resurrection brings new
joy into life.
Barbara, aged 15, was baptized at Harlandale Christian Church, San Antonio, Texas, in 1958. She is a sophomore at Christian Academy in Japan, and likes art and reading. Keith, 14 years old, was baptized at First Christian Church, San Antonio,
Many of the children are mentally competent, and many are such as would respond to therapy, making them useful members of Japanese so ciety. More important, they are all lost souls who are not being reached with the message of eternal salvation. A project such as this will also bring
the Warricks into contact with the
What God will do further to pre pare the way during this year is still
to be revealed. There is the need of
land and buildings, many other work ers, new missionaries and many other
smaller details to be worked out
before
this
work
can
actually get
under way.
entire families of these needy people. It will be at least one more year before they enter into anything defi
will continue to lead, direct and pro vide according to His will for this work in Japan ? Page 23
ted population in the Far East, 100,000, 000 people in an area the size of Cali
fornia. This is a much larger population
than lives in the entire northern half of the continent of Africa for example.
key to Asia religiously as well. Reli gious beliefs have always traveled along with culture, commerce, and the
intercourse of people with other na tions. This will continue. A Christian
aware of Japan's great need, have not been challenged, have not been "called,"
have not been recruited. If such there
consider yourself " invited" humanly speaking. The remainder of the matter is between you and God.
Japan faces a crisis in missionary leadership in the immediate future. Japan needs new missionaries as pioneers, church-planters, seminary
teachers, radio broadcasters, and as fellow-servants with Japanese Chris tian leaders already in service.
Active recruitment is needed. This recruitment must be based fundamen
religion, a spiritual desert whose peo ple are now drifting, seeking some goal in life. Shinto is not a life-force
and never has been. Buddhism is the
Recruits are needed for replace ments. This need is critical. Twentynine church of Christ missionaries
basic source of Japanese custom and personality, but it has long since lost its relevency. Japan's home-grown religions are taking off like shooting stars offering not "pie in the sky" but health, happiness, and prosperity here and now. The nation's great thirst for education, pleasure, travel, pacifism,
socialism and materialism has not
tally on our Lord's instruction: "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest,
that he send forth laborers into His
harvest."
satisfied the fundamental human long ing to " seek God...and find Him." In 100 years of history, Christianity has impregnated Japan with noble
ideals and institutions but individual converts number less than of the
average direct support Christian mis sionary today is fortyish, served in Japan 13.6 years, and has children who have already or soon will depart for college in the U. S. His parents are aging and ailing, his own body aches and pains can no longer be ignored.
Nervous tensions have reached the
I will be praying. What about you ? If you will pray sincerely and faithfully, it could be that you will
rise up and answer the prayer your selfand come to Japan. That would
population.
breaking point and he often thinks seriously, not of taking his hand off the plow, but of plowing in some
other field. From observable data, we
INDEX
Beginnings
Beckman
Page
2
3
4
5
Not only is the need great, but Japan is one of the few countries in
the East where missionaries may enter
know that it is during their forties that many missionaries leave the field
never to return.
Burney Buttray
Clark
Cole
Faber Fleenor Fultz
7
8 9 5
*
teach without hindrance of any kind. Christians have always interpreted open doors as God's leading. Japan's doors are wide open to men and women of character and purpose. We believe this is God's leading. We believe God is calling Christian men and women to enter that door. Coupled with the open door are these auxiliary facts; one language for the entire nation; the Bible in the vernacular, cheaply and freely available; a solid evangel ical literature in existence; a funda mental good will toward Christianity; telegraph, telephone, mail, rail and airline systems equal to any in the
of young, dedicated missionaries to replace them. But this has not been true of Japan. Young missionaries are declaring for foreign fields constantly but they are not choosing Japan. We know of very few young people who have publicly announced for Japan and
are actively preparing to come to
Hammond
Kachelmyer
Lemmon
10
11
Likins
12
JapanNOW. The most likely imme diate prospects are the children of Japan missionaries now in training in
the U.S. Lonnie and Donnie Mings are the first of this noble vanguard to
return to the land of their childhood.
13
14 15
16
17
18
19
Pratt
Recruits Sims
Turner
24
20
world, tying the nation together into one unit and connecting it with the
world.
people, of
in ten years.
our
own
group,
newly
21 22
23
Walker
Warrick
* Because of illness in
Japan is the keystone to Asia strategically, economically and politi cally. No seasoned observer doubts this even though it will take another generation for the wounds of the war to heal. We believe Japan will be the
Page 2A
who will come to Japan? We believe there are many such in our colleges
Japan
been
Edited by Mrs. Betty Turner Printed by Sakai Printing Company OSAKA, JAPAN 15M. 6/66