January 31, 1958 31-6 chome, Nakamiya-cho

Asahi-ku, Osaka, Japan

Hear Co-workers-with-Christ:
"Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
Last Qicnth there were 5 baptisms at the Asahi Church.
Luring the winter vacation most of the seminary students returned
to their homes, but are all back and studying, preaching, teaching, etc
again. The seminary continues to take much of our time, energy and
mone; , tut when we look at other gro..ps, we see that they face the same
problem we do. The number of workers trained to carry on "follow up"
Aork is very limited and our initial evangelistic efforts are lost
unless we have workers to carry on after the contact has been made.
The use of rreachers trained in non-church of Christ schools brings
too many extra problems to tempt us to take a short cut to obtain
workers. The slow, laborious, costly and some times painful road must
bo traversed to assure us of a supply of workers to carry on a
continued; aggressive program of evangelism.
Last year the preaching Rally was held here in Osaka and there
Were 220 registrations. Christians from Tokyo, Nagoya, Tanabe,
Okayama and Kyushu as well the local churches attended. This rally
closed with the graduation service of the seminary with one man
graduating. Thio man went to Kyushu to help in the work there and is
doing an accej;table piece of work. There were eight new students,
one former graduate returned to take extra v/ork and the six former
students madw ou:- total enrollment fifteen for the year. We are
planning to graduate four in March, this year.
It has become necessary for Ethel to teach another class in the
seminary without much time for preparation. We hope to have our
schedule and teachers arranged so that we can allow plenty of time for
the teacher to make preparation. So far our total funds and equip
ment make it a little to^difficult to do so. Of course, there are
some emergencies that also make this difficult.
I am teaching a class in exegesis of Romans and Corinthians for
this six weeks and also a class in English that will continue for
twelve weeks. Some may ask, "Why the English?" We are not preparing
these students to study abroad, neither are we teaching English for
the sake of English. Too much of'the Christian literature that has
been written in Japanese is strongly influenced by the "higher
criticism" of a generation past and which is now discredited. The
amount of good books on "heavy" Christian subjects in Japanese is
small. We are trying to teach our students to read enough English
to enable them to read some of the better English books that will be
very helpful in thei]' v/ork. They are able to learn how to get the
general meaning of ordinary English in public school, but the meaning
of "heavier" English is hard for them to get and we. are trying to
give them that ability because of the present situation here.
-2-
Last July Roger Brown obtained a ^2000 loan for us so that v/e
could buy land in Takatsuki. This loan v/as due on January 11, this
year. By that time $1000 had been paid and a new loan was obtained
for the balance. Since that time |700 has been paid on the new loan.
We express our gratitude to all of you who have made possible this
progress. The payment of the balance of $300 will not mean that our
mission account will show a balance, but it will mean that we are no
longer in debt to someone else.
Mr. Satoo writes from Tsushima that he has been using his yacht
to make trips to the upper island to conduct meetings in the villages
using slide projector, flannel graph and kamishibai (Japanese type of.
visual aid). He has difficulty getting into some of the small harbors
because of lack of wind, especially in the evenings. He is hoping to
get a small motor to save time in such places.
May God bless you.
Your ministers to Japan, iour ministers to japan,
The Beckmans
FlliATiClAL %E?0^
October 1 - December 31, 1957
DISBURSEMENTS
Seminary $ 75.20
Postage 35.59
Pictures 1.36
Travel 21.13
Native evangelist 37.50
Exchange cost 3.37
Building maintenance 26.37
Interest on loan 53.60
Pain on principle of loan . . 1000.00
Current expenses .... 1254.12
Previous current deficit . . . 557.06
Balance due on loan 1000.00
Total disbursements . . . 2811.18
Receipts 798.66
PRESENT DEFICIT | 2012.52
10, 1958
-r
Dear Co-workers-with-Chrisl
-:-JS'
31-6 chome, Nakamiya-cho
Asahi-ku, Osaka, Japan
It is with both regret and joy that we oiake the following announcement. It
has become expedient to change forwarding agents. Roger and Vivian Brown,
brother and sister-in-law of "Ethel, have served very well. It is an unpaid and
often thankless task. Roger's work keeps him away from home much of the time
and Vivian's home responsibilities are increasing to the point where it is too
much to expect her to continue to do the most of the work she has been doing for
us. We regret the necessity for the change, but are happy that we '--an turn to
some one who is very anxious and capable of serving well in this capacity. Mr.
and I'rs. Oden E. Brown, Stafford Avenue, Route 3, Carbondale, Illinois, have
followed our work closely and with active interest from the beginning. They
were formerly members of the Central Church, Waukegan, Illinois. We are making
plans to have them take care of our Stateside business from April 1. Therefore,
correspondence that you have been sending to Roger Brown please send to Oden E.
Brown, Stafford Avenue, Route 3, Carbondale, Illinois.
We are looking forward to a number of events in the near future. One is
graduation, March 28, when two men will receive the BTh. degree and two women
will receive a Certificate of Religious Education. One of the men preaches in
the church in Kobe that Exie Fults started and continues to help and h baptized
one person last month. The other man plans to be married the day before
graduation and then to go to Tanegashima, an island south of Kyushu, to work
with Mr. and Mrs, Hammond.
Another event is the convention in Kyushu the first week of April. The
Japanese meet first and many of the missionaries attend with them and then while
the missionaries are together, they meet for mutual discussion and encouragement
We have all planned to go, but may not be able to. We should go because both
Ethel and I are on the program.
After that there is the new school term as the Japanese school term begins
in April. We are expecting possibly 5 new students so far, but will not know
for sure until after entrance examinations and registration. There may be more
or there may be less. The curriculum committee has been meeting a number_of
times to make some changes in the content and plan of the curriculum. Some
courses have been eliminated and some new ones added in an attempt to better
train the workers in Japan.
In January Mr. Ichinoroiya in Tsushima was married by Mr. Satoo in a
Christian ceremony although the bride was not a Christian. This was probably
the first Christian wedding in that rural village and Mr. Satoo wrote that some
of the people were very worried that some of the ancient customs were not
followed. The Ichinomiya family is a very prominent family and if their son
doesn't follow the customs, it may encourage others to break from some of the
old undesirable customs.
Ethel is especially busy at the present. She is teaching a course on
Christian Women in the Home and Church. This is the first time to teach it and
calls for extra preparation and planning. Things go fairly well when the
weather is good and the children feel good and can get outside. But when the
children are inside in our limited space and don't feel like getting along by
themselves, it makes it pretty difficult.
Your ministers to Japan, Your ministers to Japan,
The Beckmans
NEWS OF OSAKA BIBLE SEMINARY
WITH REGRET
we received word this last month that our sister school in Tokyo will not
open again this next school year. A tremendous responsibility falls upon Osaka
Bible Seminary. Osaka Bible Seminary is now the only Bible college of our people
in Japan. We have an institute at Nagoya under the leadership of Howard Davis
and Bob Chambers and an Institute in the planning for Kyushu with Mark Maxey, but
Osaka Bible Seminary is our only four year Bible college. We need your prayers.
ATHLETIC EVENTS
are accepted as a matter of course in American college life, but they are not
in Japan. Harold Cole promoted an inter-collegiate athletic day with a conservative
Presbyterian school last spring. It was a success. This last fall they invited us
to such a day. Soft Ball, Volley Ball and Tennis were on the agenda with a fel
lowship dinner furnished by the hosts and a prayer meeting to close a very succes- /
full day. On the results--OBS was the winner in all events with the foreign faculty
members carrying off the honors in sore muscles.
FACULTY MEETINGS
can be stuffy affairs--but not at Osaka Bible Seminary. Our use of the
intensive system of study permits a much more varied number of faces in such a
meeting. Regulars include three Japanese .and four or five Americans. On occasions
there is another Japanese, who is also dean of the school, and two or three
Americans. A spirit of good-will and co-operation is evident in the seriousness
with which this faculty considers the problems at hand; and yet they meet these
problems with a sense of humor that makes them a real unit.
GRADUATION TIME
in Japan is the last of,JIarch.. d:ii4-year it is March 28. Two-yonug men will
receive their BacheTor" of Theology:degree-after Ismr years of college level work.
Two young girls v/ill receive their two year Certificate in Religious Education.
PROSPECTS . .
for the new year are bright. We have the possibility of at least five new
students--three young men and tv/o young ladies.
PROBLEMS
are denied no one. We had our share last year, but, thanks be to God who
giveth us the victory. Student Body and Faculty alike can rejoice in one of our
most succesful years.
IMPROVEMENT
is needed!! Who?? Where?? Osaka Bible Seminary, of course! Osaka Bible
Seminary buildings have not been painted for more than five years; They are steel
barracks buildings and rust is beginning to take its toll. A work-week is being
planned when we can accomplish a general face lifting on the campus. There are many
things we will need for that week-but it will take cash. We have the v/orkers
over here--you can come too--but we need some cash.
THE COST
of one student for one month in Osaka Bide Seminary is 35.00. We need at
least $500.00 each month to operate your Bible college in Japan.
' I
OSAKA BIBLE SEMIHARY
9oS GRADUATES
OPENING DAY
APRIL IS, I9S8
MR. IKEDA NAOMI NAGATA
RUTH NAGATA MR. KAWAHARA
31-6 chome, Nakamiya-cho
Asahi-ku, Osaka, Japan
April 28, 1958
Dear Co-workers-with-Christ:
"Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."
The 1958 graduation ceremony is history and the comments were:
"Good", "Impressive", "Very good", "The best one yet." We are happy
about such comments, but more happy when the graduates use wisely the
training they recive here at the seminary. We are very happy with
our record so far. When we observe the record of our Bible Colleges
Stateside, we recognize that we may not be able to continue so well
indefinitely. BUT, so far, every one of our four-year graduates is in
Christian v/ork. Every one of them is preaching for at least one church
and some of them for more than one.
The seminary is becoming an international school in more Y/ays than
one. This year's graduating class is one example. Mr. Ikeda was born
in Korea and Miss "Ruth" Nagata was born in Manchuria. They both are
Japanese but were born abroad. Donnie and Lonnae Mings are studying
here and makes our school truly international. "Ruth" and "Naomi" may-
need some explaining to some of you. There was a problem when these
two young women came to the seminary. Their family na.mes were the
same which was hard enough to distinguish. But their given names
caused the extra "Christian" names to be added. The Chinese characters
for their given names were different, but the pronounciation was the
same. Miss Reiko Nagata could be either of the two so the "Ruth" and
"Naomi" were added.
The two women are still with us for some training. Mr. Ikeda and
his bride of the day before graduation, who is a two year graduate of
a previous class, have gone to Tanegashima, a small and lonely island
south of Kyushu island. Our prayers go v/ith them as they go to a place
were there may be periods of three or four days and someimes a week
vv'hen they will roi-'.eive no mail or newsuaper because the ships cannot
g6t through the rough seas. Their living expenses -.vill be high and
the variety and quality of foods and other necessisties of life will be
small and entertainment poor. Their main source of comfort v/ill be
the fact that they are helping the people there come to a saving
knowledge of God and His Christ. Hr. Kawahara is continuing with the
Hyogo Church in i-obe and helping Christian ".adio Hission of "apan.
h'e expect to be able to hear more of his work in the future when the
slow but necessary preliminary work of radio production is accomplished.
Five first yeai' students ar'c enrolled. The men are as follows:
Tanugashima ~ one; Kancya, Kyushu - one; Nagoya - one. The women are
as follows: Tanabe - one; Osaka - one.
.1 number of interesting things happen around here. For example,
one day a teacher referred to a statement in a certain book and gave
the name of the book, author, and the page number. As soon as the
class was over, one of the students quickly rode on the bicycle over
to a nearby book store to copy the statement from the book. He did
not have the money to buy the book and we did not have it in the
school library, but he wanted the statement quite badly. I might say
that much reading is done in the book stores by people who don't buy
the books,
The first week of this month Mrs. Clark volunteered to keep the
children so that we could go to Kanoya to the convention. The
weather was bad all the while we were in Kyushu but that did not
dampen our spirits or spoil the convention. The Maxey family
proved to be good hosts and hostesses to a very fine convention.
There was some "crying on each other's shoulders", but there was much
more mutual sharing of help and counsel to one another to make the
trip worth while.
last year Ethel and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary. Viie
have a number of things this year and next that can be marked by the
tenth year. December 14, 1948 Sthel and T sailed from San Francisco.
December 22, 1948 we landed at Yokohama, Japan. February 6, 1949
the first services were held in the Sakyo Church, Kyoto, Japan. The
Sakyo Church has discussed these different dates with the thought of '
having an anniversary service during that time. They didn't want
three different services to take care of each of these. After
considering the season of the year and other things they decided that
January 11, 1959 would be the best date to set as an anniversary
celebration. On this date they will recogni."e these different things.
They are planning to have a week of intensive evangelism preceeding
that day. 'He are wondering whether some of you may want to have some
special service on some of the above dates. If you do, let us know
and we may be able to help you with some physical object or letter or
in some other way.
May God bless you.
Your ministers to Japan,
The Beckmans
JAPANESE FOUNDATOIN STONES
r
It is said that the Japanese character is tuilt on "three foun
dation stones: Buddhism, Confucianism and feudalism.
As an established religion Buddhism is dead, but practically
all Japanese are Buddhistic in their thinking.
Confucianism is a way of life that emphasizes the permanence of
social strata and the idea that in a well ordered society, individ
uals must act in accordance with their strata.
Feudalism still exists in Japan and will for some time to come
because, unlike a political r'evolution which can be accomplshed with
relative speed, a social revolution requires centuries to root out
vestiges of the past.
Sometimes this difference in foudation for chai'acter causes
misunderstanding between Japanese and foreigners. Sometimes foreign
ers complain that a Japanese may seem to deliberately convey informa
tion he may know is incorrect.
As an example, a foreigner may stop his car and ask whether he
is heading in the right direction to get to a station or temple.
The Japanese may nod politely and say he is going the right way, even
though he knows the foreigner is heading the exact opposite direction.
Such cases are not too common, but may happen. This is because his
Confucian training would not allow him to embarras the foreigner by
pointing out his error--it is much more polite to agree that he is
heading in the right direction and let him continue happily on his
way.
PIHAHCIAL 'F^EPCyRX
January 1 March 31, 1958
DISBURSEMENTS
Seminary t 200.00
Native evangelist 37.50
Travel 18.98
Postage 55.86
Exchange cost 4.28
John's tuition 72.22
Maintenance 9.17
Film and pictures 3.63
Miscellaneous 2.65
Paid on principle of loan . 700.00
Current expenses . . . 1104.29
Previous current deficit . . 1012.52
Balance due on loan .... 300.00
Total disbursements . . 2416.81
Receipts 1111.79
PRESENT DEFICIT . . . . | 1305.02
3-T
tfk 4/^1 ,
Nosegawa Camp. July 27. 1958
BAPTrSMAL S?PVICE. AUG, I, !958
31-6 chomo, Nakamiya-cho
Asahi-ku, Osaka, Japan
August 12, 1958
Dear Co-workers-with-Chriet
Where has the summer gone? That seems to he the question around
here. There has been no vacation and Johnnie will soon be starting out
early each morning for school and Jenann, Mary, Ruth and Ethel will be
setting aside so many hours each day for school at home.
One thing that took some of the time was camp. The pictures above
give you some of the story, but you will be interested in some more about
it. Camp was from July 26 to August 1 and there was a total of 117
registrations. There was an average of 62 attending each day and on
one day there were 76 present. These figures may seem a bit confusing
to some of you so I'll explain. The camp starts on Saturday night and
there are a number of the people who come then who must return on Sunday
afternoon or early Monday morning to get back to work. This happens
some through the whole week as people have a day off from work. Of
course there are some who come and stay for all the sessions. The
plan is to try to give something to all who come as they can-
Thursday night at camp there were two confessions, one person
had been attending the Koyoen Church and the other was from Kochi,
Shikoku where the Burneys have started a new work for our people. The
one from Koyoen was baptized the next morning before breakfast. The
one from Shikoku wanted to wait until returning to her home because
she felt her baptism at home would be a better witness among ner own
friends and relatives. The "baptismal service, properly performed, is
one of the best sermons that can be preached and has not been witnessed
very much in her hone town. I expect to hear soon of more who have
been baptized as a result of the camp. The theme of the camp was taken
from 2 Timothy 2:3 "As a good soldier of Christ."
Another thing that took time and much energy was "work week" at
the seminary. From July 7-12 Christians, preachers, alumni, students,
faculty, missionaries, and an Air Force family all converged on the
rusted, dirty buildings and sagging fence and spent almost 2000 man-
hours to spread on almost $200 worth of paint, inside and out, in
addition to the long and tedious process of cleaning and scraping
before and after the painting. Also, some of the fence was repaired
and a wooden "skirt" was installed around the bottom of the steel
buildings to keep out the cold north wind this winter Those who
worked came from Tokyo and Kyushu and points in between. Needless to
say there were sore hands and muscles as well as some sun burns. It
cut into our vacation time and interupted plans for some canning and
other personal business, but the result around the campus is ,, well;-
Two men of the community were walkin^c by and, seeing me painting,
thanked us for improving the looks of the campus, and area. That is
an indication of the condition it was in and the present condition.
This is not what we really need as the only preacher training college
of our people in Japan, but we will do what we can with what we have.
What we have now looks much better than what we had. "Thank you" to
those who helped make it possible.
Usually some of us go to Tsushima during the summer, partly as
a vacation and partly to help the Satoo family. This summer there has
been other plans. Mr. Clark has not been to Tsushima since returning
to Japan and the people there always ask about him. He feels that he
should go and so plans to take part of his family and go. It is
better for the work if we don't all go so near the same time. We have
made it possible for Mr. Satoo to get an outboard motor for his yacht
so that he can get into and out of the many small harbors around
Tsushima. His yacht is becoming known because he wrote an article for
a magazine and in it ho explained his purpose for making it. He has
had much correspondence and has had a chance to preach indirectly to
some who otherwise would not listen to the Gospel. He uses the yacht
to carry visual aid equipment and as a sleeping place when he makes
these evangelistic trips around the island. Many of these people have
never heard of Christ before.
Our vacation will be a week end to Nagoya and one to Okayama
Prefecture. Much cheaper than to Tsushima.
To date there has been one who has shown interest in the planned
ten year anniversary service for the church in Kyoto and us to be held
on January 11, 1959. Are there others? Pleaese let us know.
EXTRA! EXTRA!!! Your ministers to Japan,
2 NEW STUDENTS EXPECTED
IN SEPTEMBER. THE BECKMANS
Sc Iprkman $c iFamtlg
31-6 chorae, Nakamiya-cho, Asahi-ku, Osaka, Japan
Dear Co-workers-with-Christ: June 2, 1958
"Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ." We are
glad to have a part in proclaiming that w-nderful name where others either
cannot or will not. We are also glad for the fellowship that we may share
with you in proclaiming this name and the salvation that is in the Christ.
The five new students in the seminary seem adjusted to college
life quite well and are studying and helping in the churches where possible.
We are fortunate to have Mr. Kawamura from Tanahe come up during the week to
teach the Gospels to them this six weeks. Mr. Kawamura, in addition to this,
serves as Dean of the school to help keep down some problems and solve those
that do arise.
The first six weeks of this twelve week Spring term has ended and with it
the difficult and time consuming task of introducting a new course in the cur
riculum. New Testament Background had never been taught and none of the faculty
had had any special training for the course, but I volunteered to study and make
the necessary preparation. It kept me very, very busy. In addition to that
class three hours a morning I had to teach Greek II or Greek Reading two after
noons a week. The Greek is continuing this six weeks and instead of the N.T.
Background I am teaching an Exegesis of Galations through Hebrews in the
morning.
Ethel has been busy, too. Two afternoons she teaches some of the girls
Workshop. She is really supposed to be the Co-ordinater for this course, but
so far nas been doing most of the teaching. This is an effort to help the
girls learn how to use effectively such things as flannel-graphs, chalk art,
film-strips, etc. Ethel is supposed to contact the people who can best teach
the use of these various aids to teacning. She had Bob Chambers teach some
about chalk art when he was visiting around here the first part of the new
school year.
In addition to this there are things to be don<r around the house. She
and Mrs. Clark have been busy recently freezing and canning peas for the two
families and also some for the dining hall for the students. ^Ti,e strawberries
have just past their cheapest season so they have been freezing some and making
jam. We try to buy things in bulk when in season to save money and still have
a good diet to preserve our health.
Very suddenly it has become hot, above average for this time of the
year. This reminds us that summer is here and there is talk of camp prepar
ation and what the students are to be doing this summer vacation and how we
as missionaries can help in the churches. We have been invited to go to some
of the distant places and help for short periods. We have not made any
definite plans but will have to soon. The students will probably be scattered
from Hokkaido to Kyushu during the summer.
4
May God bless you and keep you.
United States Address:
% Oden E. Brown
Stafford Avenue, Route 3
Carbondale, Illinois
Your ministers in Japan,
The Beckmans
Osaka BtsLE Seminary
September, 1958
"^-1
~ >if
Mr. Satoo Baptizing His Son
August. 1958
31-6 chome, Nakaraiya-cho
Asahi-ku, Osaka, JAPAN
October 13, 1958
Dear Co-workers-with-Christ:
The new 12-week term of the seminary opened September 24, as was
scheduled, hut before that on the 18th and 19th students, alumni and
faculty spent some time togei-her in the little village called "Minabe",
near Tanabe. There was singine, praying, preaching, discussing and
playing as well as looking through the museum on the camp grounds.
In the museum we saw some very inrerssting ti.ines connected with
Christianity in Japan. There was a sign board prohibiting the practice
of Christianity in Japan and stating that a reward would be given those
who furnished information that enabled the government to capture any
who did practice Christianity. There were letters to government
offices giving the location of meeting places of Christians. There
were also some bronze plaques with an image of Christ on the cross.
These were used when people suspected of being Christian were caught.
The plaque was placed on the ground and the person was asked to step
on it. If he refusea to step on it. he was usually put to death.
In this museum we also saw a stocking that had been worn more than
ten years by an older missionary lady As I looked at that stocking I
thought, "If I am forced to try live without enough money, I becone a
museum piece, and if I use much money unwiselly, I become an object of
envy. Neither of these positions is good for the work here. To be a
good messenger of Christ I must h''ve en ugh money to avoid becoming a
museum piece and I must use wisely the money I do get so that the
people feel that I am using it for Christ and not my personal gain.
-2-
^ this gathering one of the student-ministers was giving a "book
report and told us an interesting thing concerning himself. He said
// that when he read books other than the Bible he did not go to sleep
// because he doubted the truth of some of the statements in the book and
tj too often argued with the author and sometimes the author made him
11 angry and he couldn't go to sleep. However, when he started to read
// the Bible, he realized that this was the truth and there was no room
f argument with the author and so he could go to sleep trusting that
'n tne author did not mislead him.
We are making plans for our "week of evangelism". As you know
the school is operated on the intensive system. The Fall 12-week
term is divied into the two 6-week periods at the first week of
November. There is a "vacation" for the students during that week,
but they are expected to be willing to travel, if necessary some
distance, and to be used by the various churches to conduct special
evangelistic campaigns. We are making plans for all of the students
and part of the faculty to form teams to go to various parts of Japan
for this week.
The two new students we had expected this month arrived, took the
entrance examination, passed it and are enrolled. There was another
who rather hurriedly dicided to try to enter and took the entrance
examination but his grade was so very low that we felt that he was not
prepared to keep up with the rest of the students and needed more time
for this preparation out of school. This man had been baptized only
the previous month and had not had the equivalent of the Sunday School
of America as background. He reluctantly accepted our decision, but
has now realized it was probably the wise thing for his future plans
to become an evangelist to get more of the background of Christianity
before starting college level work about Christianity. We expect him
to try again in March and successfully pass the examination because
he is seriously studying now.
There is another new face on the campus in addition to the two
new regular students. There is one who is auditing some of the classes
and is very interested.
Except for some sniffles the family seems to be in good health.
Johnnie makes his long trip on school days to study the third grade
work. Jenann meets with Ethel on school days to study first grade
work while Mary studies some kindergarten work. And we all study Ruth
sometimes to try to figure out what she is going to do next.
Thank you for your continued support both morally and financially
as both are needed. May God bless you.
Your ministers to Japan,
PLEASE PRAY FOR LP u V
"WEEK OF EVAGELISM" /J, Qj
The Beckmans
I
John Jenann
George Ethel Mary RUTH
fafion'a
immte, IH5B
FROM
(ipornp Sc lEtbpl H^rkinan $c iFamtlij
31--6 CHOME. Nakamiya-cho. Asahi-ku. Osaka. Japan
"For unto us a cnild is 'born, unto us a son is given; and the government
shall he upon his shoulder: and his name shall he called Wonderful, Counsellor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6
'JEC 1 5
GEORGE & Ethel Beckman & Famly
31-6 CHOME. NAKAMIYA-CHO. ASAHI-KU. OSAKA. JAPAN
Dear Co-workers-togethor-with-Christ: Novem'ber 24, 1958
The "week of evangelism" is now classed as recent history and, as is always
true, it is difficult to write down some statistics and some words and say, "This
is what actually happened". When the Gospel is preached hy people who helieve it,
the things we see with our eyes are only a part of what takes place in the human
being Statistics represent a part of what happens and therefore the following
group of such statistics is submitted to help tell the story.
Number of teams (3 to 7 members on a team) 7 Number of meetings 59
Approximte number of people attending: Children 2,250
Adults 1,825
Bills & tracts passed into individual homes:
Bills (announcing the meeting and church services, Bible study groups, etc.) 17,500
Tracts (to encourage interest in study of Christianity) 8,000
*New Seekers 211 **Confessions 20 **Baptisms 11
*These people either signed a card indicating tneir desire to attend a
special class about becoming a Christian or have indicated verbally their
intention to attend the services of the local church.
**Confessions during the week and largely due to the "week of evamgelism".
Some have been baptized since that week.
***Baptisms during the week and largely due to the "week of evangelism."
There were other baptisms during that week but the decision to do so was
made before the "week of evangelism" and are not included in this number.
there have been and will be more good results THAT CANI^T BE RECORDED HERE,
The U. S. Armed Forces are turning back to the Japanesse large tracts of
land in Tokyo and the buildings erected by them are to be removed before the
return of the land. Some of these are Quonset Huts with considerable lumber
inside. These are being offered to certain people and groups including
missionaries for the cost of the customs tax to the Japanese government.
This amounts to about $30. For possibly about $100 one can be shipped to Osaka
and we can dismantle one with a little help in less than a week so we can get
the main part of a home for about $150. We have been in Japan 3i years of this
term and our furlough, although not definitely decided yet, should be less than
2 years away. There now seems to be a good possibility that we may get one of
these to use as temprary housing on the Takatsuki lot until we can get homo for
furlough and raise money for a more permanet home. We will need help to get
this Quonset Hut into a temproary living place, but it should be cheaper than
rent. And we should have been out of here before this so the rooms here could
be used by others.
I have started a Bible Class Sunday evening at Sakyo Church, Kyoto, before
the evening service. I make the trip over every week and since starting,
October 5, we have had only 5 different people attend, but the first one to
come was a former earnest, regular churcf member who had become extremely busy
and neglected church for a while and this has been sufficient payment for the
extra effort so far. Last night there were 2 college students who had never been
to a church before which is an indication the class will grow.
May God bless you. 1 5 MCo
Your ministers to Japan,
EXTRA! EXTRA! L/ /IQ P
YESTERDAY - 1 BAPTISM //.
MORIGUCHI CHURCH The Beckmans