Mr.

James Taylor
Rt. 4

Tokyo
Volume 60

Mt.

Christian
Winter, 1961, No. 1

"Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" Mark 16:15
Kimberlin Heights, Tennessee

Kskuchi From Nakano To

Arakawa
The Arakawa Church in Tokyo has

been the sickest church in the area for some months. In November the pastor left. The few members left there decided to ask Titus Kikuchi, at present pastor of the Nakano Church, to return for a second

ministry with them. He was with them from the beginning when they met in the
home of one of the members, and for 5

years after the building was erected. They

felt that since he is well acquainted with

the people and also with that factory dis

trict and its problems he would be a more
effective leader at this time than some
new person.

We missionaries hajd

been

making

various plans for attempting to revive the work, and several different possibilities for leadership in the work there were under
consideration. But we hadn't thought about

the Kikuchis going. I suppose it was be

cause we were thinking mainly of the material aspects and the "common-sense"

notion that no one is going to voluntarily t'^ke a step down or back. The Nakano
Church is bigger, better located, has a
much better parsonage etc. It must have been a difficult decision

for Mr. and Mrs. Kikuchi, but on Nov.

23 they came and told us they had decided to resign at Nakano and go back to
Arakawa church. The reasons were mostly intangiblefeeling of responsibility to the people there and the church he haid helped
TYPICAL JAPANESE BATHTUB.
establish etc.

However, for those who are fortunate to

live in the large city a gas burner is avail

able.

The Nakano people were very shocked

at the announcement of his resignation,

to

This store used an unusual method advertise their OFURO (Bathtub) by

but many of them have expressed admira

tion for their dedication, and unselfishness

placing in it a foreign style mannequin.

Melbourne, Australia where he is sched uled to study for a year. The Philippines, Hong Kong, Laos, and other Oriental countries are included in the plans for his itinerary to Australia! No one enjoys
travel more or sees more than Ward.

in making this financial and prestige sacri

fice for Christ and His kingdom's caus'--

News And Views

A1 Hammond, now located in Tokyo, has begun the publication of two magazines re cently, one in Japanese edited by Stephen lijima, and the other called the Far East Christian Missionary edited by himself in English. The latter has its office in the Sakurayama Church building. Grace Elizabeth, fourth child and third
daughter of Julius and Virginia Fleenor, A'as born in August. Ward Patterson, former classmate of
the Pattons at Cincinnati Bible Seminary,

and they have joined in praying that his ministry there might be fruitful.
Harold Sims will serve as pastor at

Nakano until a Japanese preacher can be

found.

Harold Sims

AnnouncemenfI would like to inform our brethren in America that The Church of Christ

The Wesley Walker family of Hok kaido recently passed through Tokyo on their way back to their work after spend ing eight months in the United State.s on furlough. Wesley's mother was left in
charge of their work while they were on

spent about five weeks in Japan at the end of last year. During that time he traveled extensively in southern Japan, toured Tokyo, and as far as 100 miles
north of the capital. He is on his way to

Cunningham Mission, (otherwise known as the "Yotsuya Mission"), has neither sent nor plans to send in the future any Jap anese national to represent us to the brethren in America. (See fuller details on page 4.)
Andrew Patton

furlough, but due to an accident she was hospitalized and was unable to do much. Wesley himself has just recuperated from a serious operation.

Noel Ray Patton celebrated his fourth

birthday on December 22.

TOKYO CHRISTIAN
THE TOKYO CHRISTIAN

Page 2

Customs

Published quarterly by the Missionaries of

the Church of Christ Cunningham Mission. in every land. Some are native to the land Tokyo, Japan, for the information and inspira- and others have been adopted. But one tion of every Christian whose heart is open to thing is certain no custom has been able the call of Christ, and who is willing to help to stand against the change of time, not in the supreme task of carrying out the Great even our celebration of Christmas. Since

ruary or early March 1 hope to get started putting up a church building here at Kam. There are strange and unusual customs iochiai using this torn down anny house as
a basis. This house is only about three

was successful. In the latter part of Feb

years old and is still in excellent condition. Originally this 26 by 75 ft. duplex
house cost the army $17,000.00 dollars.

3, 1879. Two-Year Subscripton

ville, Tcnn., Post office under the act of March but subtle. While in a completely foreign cost at least anotiier $2,000.00 dollars to rebuild. Please pray witii us tiiat Grod will land such as Japan where it has been use this place and this new building to the 50 cents adopted, the change is not one of subtlety, Subscription and "Flaming Torch" $1.00 but rather total ignorance to its true mean glory of his Name. And that it will be a mighty influence in this part of Tokyo for ing. God, through the saving of a multitude of MISSION STAFF To illustrate, an American was travw- souls.
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Buttray, 575 2-Chome, ing by train from the city of Hiroshima in Eamiochiai, Shinjuku-Ku, Tol^o, Japan. For the Southern part of Japan to Tokyo about warding agent: Mrs. Homer Anderson, R. D. 1, the 15th of December. With him was an
MeadvUle. Pa.

Commission of Christ: Matthew 28:19, 20. Christmas is more or less native to the Dismantled and delivered to my home will Entered as second class matter in the Knox- United States, the change has been slight only be $800.00 dollars. However, it will

Stanley Buttray

older Japanese man, and both of them ter of the Paul Nielsens living in Sendai, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Patton, 27 Sakura- were engaged in looking out the window is presently staying with us here in Tokyo yama, Nakano-Ku, Tokyo, Japan. Forwarding and viewing the beautiful landscape of wMle she has chiropractic treatmets.

Paula Nielsen, fifteen year old daugh

white church building. Above the front First Christian Church, Tokyo Mission, Box door on a ladder was an attractive Amer 262, CharJottesville, Va. ican woman decorating the church with Packages for Japan should be sent direct by Christmas trimmings. They both had seen parcel post to one of the missionaries whose the same thing at the same time, (but addresses are shown above. Consult your local they weren't the only ones) and turned to post office concerning mailing rules and limit say something about it, when some Jap anese across the aisle remarked: even the ations of size and weights. Americans are beginning to celebrate If you change your address please notify Christmas! This remark clearly illustrates H. L. Hamilton, Kimberlin Heights, Tennessee, what the average Japanese knows about giving both your old and your new address. Christmas. Stanley Buttray If you make an offering of $1.00 or more you Brother A1 Hammond one of our mis are entitled to receive this paper if you so request. Churches or groups making an offer sionaries here in Tokyo who has just re ing of $10.00 or more may request a bundle cently returned from furlough in the States is publishing a new missionary of 10 copies for distribution. magazine titled, "The Far East Christian Missionary". This is the fulfiUmient of an

agent: Mr. or Mrs. Ray Armstrong Rt. 3, Japan When suddenly the beauty and These adjustments must continue^for at harmony of Japanese architecture was least six weeks or more. Box 310, Piqua, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Sims, 1-52 Arai Machi, abrupty broken. For there standing out Stanley Buttray Nakano-Ku, Tokyo, Japan. Forwarding agent: like a sore thumb, stood a foreign-style

A Widow's Christmas
A few months ago we stood in need of a Sunday School teacher at Sakurayama Church. The church was too young to have anyone capable of teaching the children. After searching a while we found Mrs. Suzuki, a widow and member of the Nakano Church, and asked her to teach our Sunday
School children. Though she has had no

previous experience at teaching, she is very faithful and applies herself diligently to preparing herself to teach the children.
She enjoys this work and the children appreciate her efforts and respect her
highly.
Mrs. Suzuki has four children of her

Thanksgiving Day
On Thanksgiving day the Buttray, Fleenor, Patton, Sims, Walker, Wells and Comstock families (latter 2 are U. S.
Navy and Air Force folks who are both now

idea which he has had for some time. The own three boys and a girl. Her husband first issue is due out around the first of died a few months ago after having been March. So if anyone is interested in rece bedfast with tuberculosis for seven years. iving this first edition, please write to: The family is receiving a: small amount

back in the States) met together at Fleenors house for the day. First ym went over to the church for a simple service of song, prayer and praise at which everyone present (including the children) stood and told something for wMch he was thankful.
Then we went over to the house to eat

A1 Hammond, 27 Sakurayama-machi, Nakano-Ku, Japan. It is to be a quarterly magazine. Mr. Hammond says this first issue is chock full of thrilling and inspira tional articles by real live missionaries. The

the traditional menu of turkey and dress

ing, all the trimmings and pie delidously

prepared by the several wives. After eating
our full we sat around and talked and

the Far East countries. I suggest that you behaved and excellent in characterchil get your order in immediately. dren of which any parent can be proud. Stanley Buttray To help his mother the oldest son has a snvall job in the day time and goes to night The Buttrays have again come to that school.

of financial help from the government, and, because she is a widow, her children's school tuition is mostly gratis. She takes in sewing to provide for the rest of-their living. They are fortunate enough to own missionaries contributing to this new their own home in Tokyo, though it is a magazine are primarily those working in very humble one. The children are all well-

phase of the mi^onary life which is called

laughed all afternoon. How wonderful to

have this kind of fellowship.

On December 4 the Sakurayama
Church sponsored a Christmas carol con cert presented by an all-Japanese dioir

furlough. Time has so rapidly passed by that we are hardly ready for the occasion. However, it may be possible that we can be ready by sometime in June, especially if the necessary fravel funds of $1,200.00
are available at that time. Please remember

The Suzukis were in need of warm

blankets, so the Sakturayama Churdi gave

them two for Christmas and Mrs. Fultz of Kobe and some of her friends in America

under the direction of Ugo Nakada, a wellknown Japanese musician, who has com
piled a hymnal of his own.

us in these financial problems. Stanley Buttray

Stephen Mayfield, son of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Mayfield, missionaries to Canaxia, is
now in the Air Force and is stationed in

Last year I applied for a used house which was being sold at one of the closed army camps, but unfortunately I didn't
receive it. However about a month ago

Fuchu Air Station just outside of Tokyo. We see him quite often.

gave them three more. On Christmas day the Suzukis were guests for dinner at a neighborhood restaurant, the children's first such experience. In addition the Sakurayama CJhurch gave the family a small gift of money. Even though these things may not help very much financially, it will help this family to see that other Christians do understand their h^dship and are willing to help.
^Andrew Patton

anther opportunity arose and this time I

Page 3

TOKYO CHEJ^IAN
for $21.40 so that they could go shopping
for items to send to Japan. When the chock arrived each of the four classes in our

Tanabe Meeting
From October 10-16 I went to Tanabe

they had difficulty in thinking of

to the problem.

ideas.

In these cases the modeling day and some of the other things were imt the answer

city in Wakayama prefecture (about 450

miles southwest of Tokyo) for a week of preaching, at the request of Vivian Lemmon our sister missionary down there. The purpose was partly evangelistic, of coiwse,

department selected one person to be their shopper. These four, along wth one of the
teachers and myself, went shopping one

Saturday afternoon. The shoppers knew

ahead of time that they had to save some

Dependents Schools in Tokyo (Miss Velma

One of the teadiers in the Air Force

W also we sought to rally the CShristians

and restores some of the inactive ones.

of the money for postage and they did a very good job at budgeting their money.
We let them select all of the items to be sent so that they would feel that it was

car and took me and 4 of the ladies out to with offerings of the English language

Held of Hampton, Iowa) came with her

This congregation was at one time among the strongest and most promising of the churches of Christ in this land, but for the

the hospital on Dec. 21. She also brought candy canes and other treate purchased
teaches.

last 3 years or so they have been beset by a preacher-in-woman-trouble scandal and then other problems following, and these workings of the evil one have taken their toll in confusing and discouraging the faith
ful. In such a case all of us are ready to do whatever we can to help.

their project entirely. As a result, there may be some items in the package that you really don't need; however, we feel sure you will find some use for all of it. They did buy the paper and crayons you

Sunday school for our children, which she

The children saw us come up the street and climbed into the windows to

ask^ for and then included such items as pencils, water colors, day, rubber bails,
and combs. The scrapbook is also in this package; however, I'm afraid that it may be a rather weak attempt at explaining our way of life to the Japanese children.

The results of the meeting were not

watch and greet us. We were ushered into the small office where there was a small stove^the only heat in the building. Then we went on a brief tour of the rooms, and found many children running on the c(dd
floors in their bare feet, and in one room

spectacular, but most of the people seemed

to be encourage. Some inactive folks start

a nurse was shaving the heads_ of the

Year. We were showed the Christoas

ed coming again, and the attitude and

atmosphere in the services seemed to warm up a little more every night. So we had
reason to be thankful. The attendance

This package is being mailed to you today, and I hope that you have no trouble in receiving it. If for some reason there
should be an added expense for you, please let me know and we will see that it is "taken care of immieddately."

little l)dys in" preparation~for~tlie~New'

tree which had been set up in the dingy littie dining room. AH of tfaem were very

averaged about 15 nightly, but that was better than they had been having on Sun. day mornings.

happy that we had arrived with the most welcome presents just the day before their
Christmas party.

This has been a wonderful project for

I personally was glad to get acquaint

ed with the folks in the diurch there and

our department and I feel that each of the

children benefited from it. It astounded

also enjoyed very much the scenery. On Sat. night we had a meeting in one of the villages in the nearby mountains where
there is 1 Christian family. That contact

many of them to realize the distance that you live from us and that there are people in Japan who never heand of Christ.
We pray that you will have a success ful stay in Japan and that God will bless you and those working with you.
Sincerely yours,

The few remaining things from the box were sent to other Sunday Schools to use as prizes. .

Lois Smis

with a typical country family, and the

scenery of the rice harvest on the way up was worth the trip.

A Matter of Expression
eating oatmeal and talking about when Bobby would join the other 3 in school. Bobby (5%) has had the habit for the past few months of describing his feelings,
and desires with expressions such as, "My stomach says" or "my stomach doesn't want

One evening Miss Lemmon and I were invited by one of the Christians to a special sukiyaki dinner at the town's
newest and best hotel. We ate in a second-

Primary Department T^ite Oak Chris

tian Church

Miss Barbara Williams, Superintendent

Cincinnati, Ohio

We were sitting at the breakfast table

floor room overlooking the bay, and the

view of that calm sunset on the sea with

the fishing boats returning home and the loaded ferry coming across from the re sort area, and the green moimtains in the background and the pine-covered islands in the distance was a picture for the tour

What We Did With The Box to"; which, by the way, is a literal transla
We appreciate very much the thoughtfulness and work that the Primary Depart

ist books. I felt a deep joy in_ being back

ttrJapan and priwleged Bo preach the gos pel to this land and people.
Harold Sims

ment teachers and pupils put into the

above box which we received in good

shape just at the time of preparation for

tion of an oriental figure that he doesn't know about. When his imaginative picture of how school would be waxed too wildly colorful and "out of this world" his older sisters 4)egan-to-caIl him-hack to thft.iagts. He then avowed that his stomach was the
source of his information.

Christmas. Some of the things were used

by our Sunday School children at Nakano

A Letter
"After this length of time, you have probably given up ever hearing again from the Primary Department of White Oak Christian Church; however, the diildren
certainly didn't forget you.

to make decorations for the church walls and Christmas tree. The paint sets and

Sylvia then explained to him that he

had brains to thiirfc with and then said,

boxes of crayons and balls were wrapped for prizes to the Sunday School children who had been present most of the Sundays
of the year.

"why don't you use them?" The blue eyes

took it all in and then replied immediately,
"Because I don't want to waste them. The battery might run down."

had been preparing ^fts for a children's

T. B. hospital hear here. One of the ladies
in the Bible Class suggested we help this

Then the ladies group at the church

Aren't many of us adults obsessed by

the same fear unexpressed?

;EUirold Sims

They made a bulletin board concerning Japan, with your letter and the picture of your fjonily ri^t in the center. They collected pictures of Japanese people, buildings, and boats and placed them on the board. We also spent much time in dis cussion of Japanese clothing, food, and
customs.

particular group because her own littte boy had spent a year there in 1958, and
many of the children are poor as well as lonely. They had gotten a list of the ages
of the 51 children and had made them

Miss Velma Weir, member of a Chris tian church in Oregon and now teacher in the Taohikawa Air Base school near Tokyo,
visited the Pattons and the Saburayama

All of the children saved tax stamps and

little bibs, mitten^style wash cloths with funny faces embroidered on them, and bean bags for the children in different age

Church on December 12. During the Christ, mas holidays she visited the Mark Maxeys
in Kjrushu.

then eagerly aw^ted their refimd check

groups, but there were some for whom

TOKYO CHRISTIAN

Page 4
mingle with these representatives of so many nations of people. But I wonder if it would not have been more fitting to
have left the word "Christmas" out of the title used for the gathering.

Announcement
Miss Eloise Cunningham and some of the preachers sympathetic to her have re

cently begun the reorganization of their group and are appealing to all of the Churches of Christ in Tokyo to join them. Miss Cunningham is an Episcopalian who
fancies herself to have inherited the work

of the Church of Christ Cunningham Mis sion! Her group consists of a few disgrunt
led preachers of some churches affiliated with that Mission. We have been informed that this group plans to send certain Jap anese preachers and leaders from their group to the United States to raise funds to support their organization. Since it has

The members of an English conversa tion class which I have been teaching at YMCA wished to show me the spirit of Christmas in a different way. They invited me to one of Tokyo's many thriving coffee houses, where we listened to the finest hi-fi Christmas music while sipping a 20 cent cup of coffee and discussing current
events!

been customary with them to use the name "Yotsuya Mission," tlie Jananese name by which the Church of Christ Cunningham

Mission has been known, brethren in Am

erica may mistake these emissaries as hav

One of the most delightful Christmas gatherings we attended last year (1960) was the one held with our Sunday School children on Christmas day. Reading of ap propriate selections from the Gospel narratives was interspersed with the singing of
Christmas carols. The children themselves

ing been ,sent to America as our representa tives. We have no such plans for sending any Japanese national to represent us
among the brethren in America.
Andrew Patton

Christ-mas In Japan
There are many contradictions in the
life of the Japanese, not the least enteresting of which is manifested in the way the people of this pagan land celebrate Christmas. A Japanese recently made a remark like this to a missionary: "We Japanese are beating you Christians at your
own game. We make more of Christmas

demonstrated what they had learned at Sunday School or at home by singing carols or playing instruments. A blind girl play ed the organ beautifully and then she and her sister sang a carol. Two boys played mouth organs and other youngsters sang solos or played the organ. Then slides were
shown to illustrate the Biblical account of our Lord's birth.

Thirty nine children were present and everyone seemed to enjoy the program.
I wonder if innocent little children do

Stephen Andrew Patton

not know how to enjoy and understand

Christmas better than adults at least

than you do." The sad part of it all, how

ever, is that, observance has become al

New Arrival
Andrew
the birth

those adults who try to drown the occassion in drink or the contaminated river of

and Betty Patton announce

most as

important in the

eyes of

the

of their third son and fourth

Japanese as the observance of the New

Year's holidays, their actions during this season are almost as pagan, as worldly, and as far from the spirit of the gospel of

child, Stephen Andrew, born on January 5. Both Betty and the baby are fine. geishas, strip-teasers, and the like are nearly as numerous as the guests, are used to drown the memory of the past year. About the only people who look askance at such goings on are the police who are dis pleased that they have to arrest so many more drunks than at any other time of the year. Hardly anyone seems to care about the shame and inconsistency of a nude dancing among the tables of a crowd of "Christmas party" revelers, while she sings "Jingle Bells," "White Christmas," or "Silent Night." Another typical way in which Christ mas is celebrated in Japan is illustrated by
the annual International Christmas Party sponsored by the Tokyo YMCA to which I was invited by virtue of the fact th^t I taught a Bible class there during the past year. The party was a pure social affair at
which the name of God or of His Son

ungodly living. At least our fond hope is that when these Sunday School children reach maturity they will remember what they are learning from the Word of the
Lord.

Andrew

Patton

Jesus Christ as the revolting ungodliness,

idolatry, and drunkenness practiced by
them during the New Year's season. In this land filled with idols and idola

Mrs. Fujito Passes

One Nov. 14 a large funeral was held in the Setagaya Church for Mrs. Fujita (75) who was the widow of one of the
earliest and most faithful ministers in the

ters and where the Christian religion is so little known and practiced we have learned to rejoice when even a semblance of the meaning of an observance with a

Christian coloring is understoocd. Therefore, we have no reason to be violently critical of the bright tinsel, the gay Christmas light ing, the erection of Christmas trees, the milling crowds roaming the streets on Christmas Eve (those tramping the streets
of Tokyo on Christmas Eve 1960 were

pre-war Yotsuya Mission and the founder

of the Setagaya church, and also the mother of Mrs. Hanyu, wife of the present minis
ter. Since she became a widow more than

20 years ago Mrs. Fujita's life has been

centered in that church and its activities.

estimated at about 800,000), the buying and giving of gifts, and a number of other
harmless practices connected with the

She has lived in a room upstairs in the church building, been present at all meet ings and the sympathetic ear to all troubles

celebration of Christmas here. Perhaps none of these things, however, will help people to appreciate God's gift to the
world when His Son was bom in Bethle
hem.

and problems of the membership though the war years the post-war poverty and the rebuilding.
At the funeral many different speak ers spoke lovingly of her fearless continu ing of church meetings during the war when the pastor was a soldier in China and the government constantly obstructed the work and the bombs fell often, her unsel fish and thoughtful distribution of relief clothes and food to the needy in the post war days, her work for the WCTU and other organizations. In the old days they
used to call her kind "Bible Women"

But we are alarmed at the notorious and indecent actions committed here under

the name of a "Christmas party." Business offices, for instance, have taken up the old American custom of throwing a Christ
mas party (called in Japanese bonenkai

Jesus Christ was not mentioned except in the Scripture reading and prayer which I \v3iS called on to give. About ten different nations of people were represented at the party and the medium of speech was English, though
there was at least one person there who

forget the year party) for their employees and executives. Two weeks of nightly re
velry, when alcohol flows like water and

could not understand that language. The party was very entertaining and the occa sion afforded one an excellent opportunity
to meet the officials of the YMCA and

Christian
'Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature"
Volume 60

Mark 16:15

Kimberlin Heights, Tennessee

^^uinmer^_J^

News And Views

Foundation for the new Church build

Akada To Osaka Seminary

...

ing at Kamiochiai was begun the last week in April. The man contracted to build the
Church is a Christian carpenter and the

about becoming a minister, so were happily surprised when he .suddenly said that he
wanted to become a preacher. As he ex

four young men that work for him

are
''.'3^^---Ai'

either Christian or at least attending church

somewhere. They all took part in a short dedication service before beginning work.

plained it to us there were three steps in his thinking and decision to dedicate his
life to the gospel. The first one is connect ed with the fact he is now completing his second year in the University. The first two years are given to general and basic sub jects such as language, social studies etc. and then beginning with the third year each student begins to concentrate on his major subject or field. So during the past
few months he has been forced to give a

A day for finishing cannot yet be set

as the rainy season will soon be upon us,

but I have hopes that it will be finished

by the 20th of June. If so, a two or three

week evangelistic meeting will mark the completion of the building. And I trust that it will light a Spiritual Fire that shall never
be dimmed.

lot of thought to his field of endeavor and beyond that to his life's work and purpose.
His friends had almost all settled on this

Pray with us that God' will work mightily, wonders to behold in these days.

problem months or years ago, and were

Our time for returning home depends on the completion of the church building.
And even at this moment we are still not

looking forward to studying law, medicine,

economics etc. with joy and' vigor and am bition to become specialists and famous people. But he found himself increasingly
undecided and restless. He couldn't honest

sure just when that will be, but most likely not before the middle of July. After spend ing the first few weeks at home (Meadville,
Penna.), we will be available to visit liv ing-link churches as well as make other

ly feel any happiness or satisfaction for

himself in any of the regular professions,

Akada

and did not want to become a drifter or

appointments. We are especially desirous of

finding other Churches who will become

waste his education in something he did not

really enjoy.

regular supporters. If you would like us to visit you, please write to our forwarding agent Mr;. Homer Anderson, Route No. 1, Meadville, Pennsylvania, or directly to us at: 575-2 Kamiochiai Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo, Japan. Stanley Buttray

In the fall of 1957 a High School stud ent, son of a silk dyer in our neighbor hood, began attending my Saturday even

ing English Bible Class. He was enrolled in

a Catholic institution, and had some know

The second step was when the thought struck him that he could be a preacher. The more he thought of it the stronger he
felt that this was God's will and call and

ledge of and interest in Chrstanty and was full of questions about Protestantism etc.

that his life would be best spent for this

camp. After that he _started

church from time to time.

In the summer of 1958 he was one who went with us to Lake Motosu for young people's Before we went on furlough in 1959 I

attending

purpose. The contemplation of being a worker in God's vineyard was the one pros pect that brought peace and joy to his heart. Also the shortage of preachers and
-some~xrf ~the-problems ln~the cliurch-at

spoke to him about becoming a Christian,

but he said he could not yet believe. We were made very happy when during our year in America we received a letter from the preacher at Nakano informing us that he had been baptised. When we returned to Japan we found him one of the most loyal members here at Nakano church, and it was truly a remarkably changed person from the young man we had remembered from 1 year earlier. He was deeply concerned about the problems of the local church, dejiring and learning to pray, seeking op portunities to evangelize, attending mass evangelism campaigns by Oswald Smith, a
zealous worker in the Christian Student

Nakano had added to his compulsion. It was at this stage that he first men tioned his thoughts to me. I warned him about the unpopularity, low salary and other "bad-side" aspects of the ministry in Japan and also about the problems con nected with dropping out of the University But if after thinking everything over again he was sure I would be very happy. The third step was talking the whole plan over with his parents. In many cases
this is the hurdle that is never overcome.

lb

Future Missionairies? Philip and Noel

Fatten.

Association of the Chuo University, teach ing in the Sunday School etc. We have been thankful for him many times since we re turned to Japan 6 months ago. . Since he is in the midst of the regular 4 year course at one of the good Univer sities here we had not said anything to him

Hardly any parent in Japan is happy when a son enters the ministry, and especially the opposition would be intense to quitting university. After a couple of weeks he got the courage to speak to his mother first and then his father, and they were very understanding. His mother visited our home and said that she would be happier this way than if he were becoming either a rightist, leftist or beatnik like a great Continued next page

TOKYO CHRISTIAN

THE TOKYO CHRISTIAN

Published quarterly by the Missionaries of Mie Church of Christ Cunningham Mission. Tokyo, Japan, for the information and inspira
tion of every Christian whose heart is open to

the call of Christ, and who is willing to help in the supreme task of carrying out the Great (.'ommission of Christ: Matthew 28:19, 20.
Entered as second class matter in the Knox-

\ ille, Tenn., Post office under the act of March

1879.

i -.vo-Year Subscripton

50 cents

subscription and "Flaming Torch"

MISSION STAFF

$1.00

Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Buttray, 575 2-Chome, Kamiochiai, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo, J'apan. For warding agent: Mrs. Homer Anderson, R. D. 1, ii.eadville. Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Patton, 27 Sakurayama, i<'akano-Ku, Tokyo, Japan. Forwarding agent: Mr. or Mrs. Ray Armstrong, Rt. 3, Box 310, Piqua, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Sims, 1-52 Aral Machi, Nakano-Ku, Tokyo, Japan. Forwarding agent;

First Christian Church, Tokyo Mission, Box

262, Charlottesville, Va. Packages for Japan should be sent direct by
parcel post to one of the missionaries whose

addresses are shown above. Consult your local post office concerning mailing rules and limit ations of size and weights.

If you change your address please notify H. L. Hamilton, Kimberlin Heights, Tennessee, giving both your old and your new address. If you make an offering of $1.00 or more you are entitled to receive this paper if you so request. Churches or groups making an offer ing of $10.00 or more may request a bundle
of 10 copies for distribution.

Continued from Front

Akada To Osaka Seminary

many young people are doing these days in Japan So he interpreted the rare in
stance of parental consent as another in

Stanley and Mabel Buttray putting up a new sign to advertise the weekly meet ings. This is a temporary sign located where the entrance of the new Church building will be. The sign interpreted reads: Hear every Sunday the greatest story ever told,
about the greatest life ever lived.
We wish to thank each one who have

dication of God's will and providence. The fourth step was taking
entrance examination for Osaka Bible Sem

already sent in gifts for our return to the States. Your ready response to share in our

the travel expense is a real blessing. We are

inary which he passed" O.K. The fifth step

still in need of nine hundred dollars for our return fare, but trust that God will was breaking the news to the Nakano supply our every need. church. The church people were unanimous Recent visitors here have been my

Another said: "How I envy the faith of you Americans. We have nothing like it, I am empty." Coming from class one evening a young man made this statement, "I was reading the Bible yesterday and found this verse, 'Man shall not live by bread alone'. I was
so glad to read this for I have heard it from childhood but never knew it was in the
Bible."

ly sorry to lose him, because he has become nephew, Jeff Buttray and our forwarding

a key figure in teaching Sunday School, agents son David Anderson. Both are based
Stanley Buttray

printing the weekly bulletin, being at all near Seoul, Korea. services, keeping attendance records etc. But they also expressed their admiration for him and their prayers will go with him.

One student sai-d, "I am studying law.

Please teach me about Moses and the Ten Commandments for I have heard that many of our laws come from the Ten Com
mandments."

Bible Seminary from Nakano church. The the young people whom I have taught. first one got T. B. and had to quit school
after about 3 months. The other one attend

The following excerpts are from con Thus far three students have entered versations that I have had with some of One day a young student came to me asking, what to do to become a Christian.

Sometimes their

statements

brings

sorrow to our hearts, such as this: "I know

ed Tokyo Bible Seminary for 2 years and then quit and is now in the newspaper business. We hope and pray that Akadasan will go all the way as a faithful preach er of the word, and M'e humanly confident
that he will.
^Harold Sims

Christianity is the only way and I under

stand, but my family is Buddhist, very

strong Buddhist and because I am the old est son, I must carry on the tradition and

You can imagine my feeling as i began

telling how happy I was to do so, when he

said quickly, "Oh no, not for me. I have a

friend who is very ill and the doctor says that he will -die unless he has hope. If he becomes a Christian he will have hope."

custom of my family. It is my duty." Another who is Christian said, "For some time I had been praying for God to reveal his will for me and I was reading in

TOKYO CHRISTIAN

Page 4
movement to form a "Church of Christ Alliance." It turned out that their ideas

are not too definite and were not very

well-received, but we fear this is a drift to

ward Disciple-type denominationalism. We

were gratified to notice some discernment

the whole ^oup went by chartered bus to

and strong convictions against such a thing among some of the Japanese preachers. After the Thursday morning session

the dedication ceremony for the new Osaka Bible Seminary class-room building. The building is very solid, practical and fine
lookinga credit to our missionaries in

that area. There was a large crowd pres ent, and messages were brought by Grace Madden Braley, Mark Maxey, Bro. Sugano
(a 76 year old elder long associated with
Osaka Mission).

Thursday night and all day Friday the missionaries met together for fellowship,
sermons and discussions, and as usual we

all profited by that. Everybody returned home on Saturday pleasantly fatigued.

^Harold Sims

Attendants at an evangelistic meeting held at Sakurayama Church in ApriL Children's Work

our family on a picnic. We visited a park and zoo located on the outskirts of Tokyo. At that time the teachers, using flannelgraph, taught the children a lesson from

News Bits
On February 5, 1961 Harold and Lois Sims became the happy parents of a fine baby boy (third son and fifth child). His name is Daniel Jerome, and he will be called Danny. At this writing both mother and baby are getting along fine and Harold is gaining some cooking experience. A summer camp to be held on August 14-21 is being planned' for the Tokyo churches. The camp site will be on the
shores of Lake Motosu at the foot of Mt. Fuji.

At Sakurayama
Among the converts to Christianity in Japan today many confess that they at tended Sunday School when they were
children. This a living illustration of the Scripture, "Train up a child in the way he
should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it." (Prov. 22:6) Those in Japan who embrace the Chris tian faith after reaching adulthood are few.

the Bible. Many others gathered to see

this strange sight. Even on the picnic we

did not know Him. Another strange sight for the people whom we saw at the park
was our little Steven, then three months

were able to testify for God to those who

old. They were amazed at the little white bby who was so big and fat. Some women

The course of their lives is already set, and they have settled down in the ungodly world, without God and any desire to know His will. Strangely, though, these same
psople often desire for their children to

insisted on holding him. While they did

that we distributed tracts to those who had gathered to see the attraction!
Plans are now being made for a week

The much-heralded

Tokyo Christian

of Daily Vacation Bible School in July

at Sakurayama Church. Teachers who will

Crusade led by Bob Pierce of World Vision, Inc. has begun. Their organization and publicity are amazing; their music excel lent. The preaching is nothing spectacular
and like so much of modern day preaching
what is omitted of the gospel in the mes

attend a Christian Sunday School to learn the valuable ethical principles which they believe will be helpful to their children, especially in later years. They are not interested in Christianity but morality. This affor-ds practically the only opportunity we have of contacting those families for the Lord Jesus Christ. While teaching the children in our Sunday Schools the moral principles of the Christian religion we impress on these young minds the neces sity of a vital connection with the Savior Jesus Christ. So these parents are getting
more than they sought.

be free to help during the week are being enlisted and teaching materials are being chosen. We hope to have a good enroll
ment and that the children will learn some

sages adulterates it. Of the 8,000 persons who attended the first night of the Crusade
hundreds flocked to the front when the invitation was given. Then they were turn ed over to counsellors. I wonder how

valuable lessons during the week. Through the Sunday School we hope to train up the
future church. Such a church should know

the Bible and be able to withstand the fiery

darts of the evil one.
^Andrew Patton

many of these were given the apostolic

answer to the question, "What must I do to be saved?" One can only inquire also how many among the crowd who went
forward were sincere seekers and knew

1961 Convent'ion
This year the annual all-Japan conven
tion of the members of churches of Christ was held in Osaka from March 28-31. The

what they were doing? Or were they just overv/helmed by the large crowd and the
excitement of the moment? Our experience

School are now divided into two groups,

Primary and Junior. As teachers are

The classes at the Sakurayama Sunday

tells us that a Japanese generally does not

know what he is doing if he accepts the

provided we hope to start a class for High School students. Through the past year we
have surveyed the Old Testament and are presently studying the Life of Christ. At present there are four helpers in the school and they are trying to prepare themselves better for this work. The attendance has

Japanese part was held in a nice, new and low-priced Youth Hotel in a park near the

gradually grown and now numbers twenty

eight in enrollment, about two thirds of
which attend regularly.

On the emperor's birthday, April 29,

ve took the Sunday School children and

edge of town. It began on Tuesday after noon and continued through Thursday morning; and everything was planned, paid-for and carried out by the Japanese brethren. The attendance was over 100, with about 25 from Tokyo present. During the convention a very import ant and lively discussion vitally affecting the future of our churches in Japan was continued through most of Wednesday. Three of the preachers are spearheading a

Lord after hearing only one sermon! Tony and Shirley Toledo of Seattle, Washington spent a night with the Pattons in March. They were returning from a visit to Tony's childhood home in the Philip pines where they were able to establish a new church. The new church already num bers about thirty in members. The Toledos were able to obtain a preacher for the work who can speak the local dialect and they will support him until the church is selfsupporting. That has already been a very commendable missionary endeavor.

Page 3
Romans 10 where it says in verse 14. "How then shall they call on him in whom they
have not believed? And how shall they be lieve in him of whom they have not heard?

TOKYO CHRISTIAN

Sakurayama Church News

The work of the Sakurayama Church located next to the Pattons* home in Tokyo was a year old on March 6tb. During that short time the young work has been faced with various difficultiej and problems. In

and how shall they hear without a preach

er?" I felt God was calling me to give up my work and devote my life to the preach ing of the Gospel. But when I asked my father's permission he told me no, because I am the eldest son and my duty is to my family."
But at other times our hearts rejoice

and we are blessed by the faithfulness and loyalty of the Christians. A few weeks ago I received a phone call from a former Y.M.C.A. student saying, "I have been praying and fasting for two days waiting
for the Lord to reveal His will to me. He

spite of these, however, we are happy to report that this church has experienced a gradual growth in numbers and in the spiritual lives of its members. There were five baptisms as a result of this work dur ing the past year. Besides the Gospel seed was sown in the hearts of many more. Be cause of this preparation made during the past year we hope to have a more fruitful harvest during the coming year.
Those members of the church who can

Harold Sims (left) and Mark Maxey (right) with the 4 who received certificates from the Leadership Training Institute.

spoke to me through His Word, Psalm 37 and Philippians 4. I wanted you to know
so you could rejoice and praise with me." Sometime ago I witnessed" a baptism of a new convert and afterwards she gave
this witness to the congregation: "This is a
new Mrs. Matsuoka. The old Mrs. Matsuoka is dead. She was buried in the waters of

are meeting every morning at 6:00 for prayer. On Sundays after the worship service we meet,for prayer,.and a study of things related to the Christian life. Com ing from a pagan background and now trying to live for God among a wicked gen eration, these young Christians have serious
conflicts and hindrences to their new-found

They are now doing all of the_teachin5 in the Sunday School. We rejoice that one young man, Mr. Kato, who transferred from another church is preaching most of the
time for the church and has given up his

baptism. I am a new creature in Christ,

made clean in the sight of God." After a long absence one of the Chris
tian students of the Bible Class returned

telling me he had been in the hospital for six months. 1 told him how sorry I was to hear he was ill and he answered, "It was good. I had a good rest, time to read my

faith. One girl, who was saved last year had a job which would not allow her to attend church. She found another job and began her work there with the stipulation that she be allowed freedom from work on Sundays so that she could attend church. She is now teaching one class of children

job to allow himself time to prepare for entering the Christian ministry. While at tending a Bible college he will spend as much time as possible in ministering to the church. Another young man who was converted recently is thinking seriously concerning entering a Bible college next year. A young lady who was a member of
the Shimoochiai Church has agreed to meet with us and play the organ on Sunday mornings. In these ways and others the

Bible, time to think about God' and to pray.

And I was able to teach those about me ot
Christ."

in the Sunday School. One can imagine what a powerful example of faith that
would be to those unbelievers who witness her devotion to the Lord.

Praise God for those who are strong, faithful witnesses of Christ for they are the ones who will win Japan for Him. Pray for Japan.
Mabel Buttray

Last year when the work began I had to carry practically the whole teaching, and leadership loads. Now the church members themselves are beginning to shoulder some of these responsibilities.

need for leadership for the church is being filled. Our earnest hope is that this young church will steadily grow along with its young leaders so that God's glory may be manifested and soul saved through its ministry.
^Andrew Patton

. Jaaes TayZor
Ht. 4

Wt. Version, m.

'Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature"
Volume 60

Christian
Mark 16:15
Fall 1961, No. 4

Kimberlin Heights, Tennessee

Showa Deri Church

Building Dedicated
On the hot Sunday afternoon of July 16 there was a good number of visitors for a simple program dedicating the new church building at No. 553 Kami-ochiai 2 chome Shin Juku-ku Tokyo to the preach ing of the gospel of Christ. There were delegations from 6 nearby Japanese Chur
ches of Christ and also quite a few foreign ers. Among the Americans present v/ere

Sgt. and Mrs. Murphy of Norfolk, Va., Stephen Mayfield and Richard Meyer of
the USAF and also Velma Held who

teaches in

the

Air

Fpxces

Dependent

Schools. Also the 5 Church of Christ mis

Ladies Bible Class Camp

The Sims family spent a month this summer at a cottage in the mountains of central Japan which they rented from the Pleenor family who are now on furlough.
While there we had some of the ladies

sionary families now in the Tokyo area were represented.

There was a church

before the war.

building

and

kin-d'ergarden located here for some years

After the war the house

in which the Sam Saunders (and for the past 10 year the Stanley Buttrays) lived
was erected on one side of the lot but there was still room for a church 'building
in the future.

from Lois' Bible class come up for a 3 day visit and a kind' of camp. The accompany ing picture shows the 6 Japanese ladles
who attended and the son of one of them

as well as Hope, Lois and Danny Sims.

Korean Camp
One of the most prosperous churches connected with our work in Tokyo is the church at Mikawashima. Its members and minister are Korean and its history reaches
back before World War II.

During 1960 Stan Buttray began Sun day School and worship services in his former garage which had been floored and closed in to make a little chapel. Evangel istic meetings were held in November and
again in February.

ically the only sports entered into was swim ming. Some instructive and interesting dis
cussions were carried on in the evenings.
the

View of the new church building trom

southwest comer.

This church planned a three day camp this year at Lake Kawaguchi near Mt. Fuji. The camp was held on July 24-26. with over forty persons in attendance. Harold
Sims and Andrew Patton were invited to

Though the night was already far spent,

there was a sermon after that.

participate in the activities and the Patton family went along for the vacation. After the ZVz hour train trip to Lake Kawaguchi,
we crossed' the Lake to the hotel where we

were to stay in a large motor boat. Quarters for all campers except the missionaries
were reserved months ahead of the time

On the final night a lot of clean fun was had around a camp fire. As is usual among Koreans on such an occasion, every one had to either sing, make a speech or perform. When this was finished at was already late. In spite of this three young people were asked to give their testimony
and a sermon followed that.

This spring an opportunity suddenly opened to purchased U. S. Army depend

ent dwellings which had to be moved in connection with phasing out one of the bases. Since the cost of building materials is very high in Japan these days the price of $722. for the house constituted quite a
saving in cost of materials. So the house

was bought, torn down, trucked to the lot

and then the materials were reformed into

in a small hotel, which provided three meals a day and lodging for a very reasonable
price, a little over a dollar a day per person. We missionaries stayed in a nearby
hotel. Both hotels faced the beautiful lake

When the camp ended everyone was tired both physically and mentally. But the great benefits and' blessings received at the camp compensated for these and
other sacrifices. ^Andrew Patton

a very modern, aesthetically pleasing and modestly sized and priced church house. As yet there is no congregation to speak of, so we have the fold before the flock; but our prayer and confidence is
that God will use this tool to His glory

and gave a wonderful view of Mt. Fuji. A greater percentage of the total time

spent in this camp was devoted to teaching,

preaching and discussions than most of the camps we have attended.

Stanley, Mabel ajid David Buttray left Tokyo by airplane for a year of furlough
in the United States on July 29. Their
address while in the homeland will be

and tht soon a thriving congregation of truly converted' people will be assembled
here.

The camp day began with a worship

service by the lakeside early in the mornng. Classes began soon after breakfast ind continued almost to noon. Some class periods were 90 minutes long. Recreation

Route 1 Meadville, Pennsylvania. Those who would like for them to visit and present

As soon as the new building was com pleted an evangelistic meeting was begun, running from July 12-19. The attendance
varied but averaged nearly 20. A young

our work in Japan should get in contact with them as soon as possible.

people's choir from one of

(Continued on Page Z)

the

nearby

churches came several nights and present-

ime was in the afternoon only and pract-

TOKYO CHRISTIAN
THE TOKYO CHRISTIAN

Page 2
Everyone must swim since there is no other
means of taking a bath. There may be baseball, volleyball, table tennis, badmin ton, and camp fires at night. In Japan the
non-Christian often thinks of the Christian

for an audience to whom they can preach

Published quarterly by the Missionaries

of the Church of Christ Cunningham Mis sion. Tokyo, Japan, for the information and inspiration of every Christian whose heart is open to the call of Christ, and who is willing to help in the supreme task of carrying out the Great Commission of
Christ: Matthew 28:19, 20.
Entered as second class matter in the

freely in their own tongue without having to grope for words and stumble in Japanese
and still not say what is on their hearts. The others, who seldom are privileged to

as a sour-faced, austere person, with little enjoyment of life. The experience at camp helps to dispel this mistaken idea.
The campers were divided into four

hear a sermon in English, m^e an atten

tive audience.

These services were begun in August.

The audience is made up of missionary

families and friends connected with the

Knoxville, Tenn., Post office under the act

of March 3, 1879. Two-Year Subscripton 50 cents Subscripton and "Flaming Torch" $1.00
MISSION STAFF

groups and each group took its turn at preparing meals, serving, and cleaning up after meals. The camp day began with one group preparing breakfast while the rest spent an hour together in prayer and
devotions at the lakeside. The morning

armed forces and business people stationed

in this area. Some of these familes travel

Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Buttray, 575 2-Chome, Kamiochiai, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Forwarding agent: Mrs. Homer Anderson, R. D. 1, Meadville, Pa. Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Patton, 27 Sakurayama, Nakano-Ku, Tokyo, Japan. Forward

study hour consisted of two hours of classes, two classes being conducted simul taneously each hour, and a chapel hour. The camp leaders alternated in speaking at chapel and A1 Hammond spoke each
evening at Vespers. Since the Japanese are as a rule deficient in general Biblical know ledge, two classes on Biblical Introduction,
one on the Old Testament and the other

ing agent: Mr. or Mrs. Ray Armstrong, Rt.

3, Box 310, Piqua, Ohio.

25 miles to get to the services. Some of our guests have been: Stephen Mayfield (whose parents are missionaries to Canada and Europe): Richard Neyer, Stephen's friend, both of Fuchu Air Base; Mr. and Mrs. Helm (connected with Japan Air Liner) who are from the Madisonville church in Cincinnati; Velma Wier from Salem, Oregon (teacher at the Tachikawa Air Base); and Velma Held who teaches at the Washington Heights Armed Forces school, and formerly from Hampton^ Iowa.
Also Leonard Johnson from San Jose

Mr. and Mrs. Harold Sims, 1-52 Arai Machi, NaganO'Ku, Tokyo, Japan. Forward ing agent: First Christian Church, Tokyo Mission, Box 262, Charlottesville, Va. Packages for Japan should' be sent direct
by parcel post to one of the missionaries
whose addresses are shown above. Consult

on the New, were taught. The two other

classes studied were the conversions Acts and the Book of Hebrews. in

your local post office concerning mailing rules and limitations of size and weights. If you change your address please notify H. L. Hamilton, Kimberlin Heights, Ten nessee, giving both your old and your new address. If you make an offering of $1.00
or more you are entitled to receive this

paper if you so request. Churches or groups making an offering of $10.00 or more may
request a bundle of 10 copies for distribu
tion.

The dates for the camp were August 14-21. Each camper was left free to choose the number of days he attended camp ac cording to his convenience. On the first day of camp about 48 were registered. A total of 58 perhaps were present during the week. A few, because of responsibilites at home, left camp at mid-week, but the greater part remained until Friday or Sat urday. A small group remained until Sun day afternoon, when camp was broken
up.

spent the Lord's Days with us as many as possible while here on business. Mr. and Mrs. G. C. Andrews and their family from the Atsugi Air Base visited us when the temperature was about 100 degrees in the shade. Because of the great distance they had to travel, they said they would try to come back regularly when it became cooler,
Isabel and Janet Dittemore was with us for

the first service as they had just come back by ship from Hong Kong. With them
was the dean of women of the Canadian

Academy in Kobe, Miss Officer. The peak

attendance so far has been 32.

Motosu Comp
For the past few years the churches in Tokyo have held summer camps but they
have been more or less on a small scale. Ths summer an effort was made to unite

No conversions were made during the camp week, but other benefits compen sated for this, making the camp a worth while undertaking. Over half of the camp ers were non-Christians, and we are sure that they came home with a far better understanding of what the Christian faith

Bill Walker has been preaching to this Sunday morning congregation. The meeting is being held at the Showadori

church building which was recently dedicat ed. The English services are at 9 every
Sunday morning. At 10 A. M. the mission aries end their service and dash off to hold their Japanese services at 10:30 in

and service is than when they arrived at

camp. They had the great advantage of hearing Christian principles expounded and then of seeing them enacted in the lives of the Christians present in the camp. They
could understand that dedication to Christ

the different areas in Tokyo. We are

anxious to see what this group will do

for the Lord.
Andrew Patton

the churches as much as possible in one

camp program. Five or six church groups participated in the camp this year and we
are convinced the venture was a success.

of Tokyo. In our opinion, the site is one of the most scenic in Japan. The grounds

The camp site is located at the foot Mt. Fuji, about 100 miles west of

and a clean, wholesome enjoyment of life go hand and hand. The Christians coming from various churdies, developed a close

SHOWA DORI CHURCH

friendship with other Christians, and got a better view of the unity and solidarity
they enjoy with others in Christ. But

(Continued from Page 1)

are surrounded by mountains on thj:ee sides and face toward beautiful Lake

Motosu. Since the place is high in elevation

it gives the Tokyoite a refreshing change from the humid weather in the metropolis.
The camp also has an attraction for the person of pioneer spirit. Fuel is gathered

whether saint or sinner, preacher, mission ary, or child all were instructed and inspir ed at the camp. A meeting of the leaders
will be held soon to discuss the weak and

ed special messages in song. Also Miss Shimizu from the neighboring Shimo-ochiai Church of Christ led a children's meeting
every night, before the adult service.

Preaching was done by Mr. Cho from Mikawashima church, Mr. Kobayashi from
Fujimidai church and" Harold Sims.

strong points of the camp and to lay out initial plans for another camp at the
same spot next year.
^Andrew Patton

The William IB. Walker family will

from the surrounding mountainside by the

campers. Light is provided at night by

live in Buttray's house during their yeai

of absence and help in this new work.
Japanese leadership is in the handi of Mr. Kobayashi who moved into the ne\

candles and flashlights brought by the

campers, there is no electricity. There are cabins and beds but the mattresses are tiie
old-fashioned ticks filled with straw. Shut ters serve as both windows and ventilators.

English Church Services

Recently a spontaneous movement has

The camp adapts itself well to a varied

taken place among the Tokyo missionaries

and their friends stationed here to meet

recreationed program. There is boating and swimming in water clean enough to drink.

together early on Sunday mornings for a

building with his wife and 2 small boy on Aug. 21. He was formerly associate with missionary Bob West in Okayam prefecture and has been preaching for a
independent interdenominational for several years. churc

worship service in English. The men long

Page 3

TOKYO CHRISTIAN
and full of the remnants of hundreds of

Okayama Omoide
The first word means "hill-mountain", and is the name of a prefecture in central
Japan about 100 miles south of Osaka. The

second word means "thoughts going out" or recollections. I Just want to record a

movie posters partly torn off. The ceiling of rough-hewn timbers supporting the roof was decorated with hundreds of intricately worked cobwebs and lighted with about 6 one-hundred watt bulbs. I will always
remember it as filled with 250 to 300 ordin-

His wife and some relatives have been won

through his testimony.

11. A rather unkept middle-aged man with a shrivelled right hand. I met this fellow on the first night of the meet

few paragraphs of outstanding impressions

while the memories are fresh in my mind of a recent 10 day trip into the country villages of Okayama for a series of special evangelistic meetings.

ary farming folksmost of whom knew very little about Jesus Christ. It was the

ings and thought he was a little pwuliar. He insisted I listen to him pray to see
how good he was. Later I found that he was

largest Japanese crowd I have spoken to.

3. An afternoon in the home of Mr.

indeed very much of a "problem-child." I

and Mrs. Abe. He is a former Jr. High

School teacher and head of social and welfare work in the area. Now his time

wondered if I would have the patience to deal with his daily phone-calls and" spoiled
child ways as the Wests do. But on the last day I was there we went to visit the mayor. He told me that this man used to

During the past 5 years a solid and steadily growing evangelistic work has been

established in that area through the devoted efforts and great prayers and faith of Bob and Audrey West, our fellow-missionaries from San Jose, Calif., and Mr. and Mrs. Nakamura, a Japanese couple who graduat ed" from Tokyo Bible Seminary in March
1955. We are very thankful to God for

is given to church first, and then teach ing English and editing a magazine of Japanese "haiku" poems. They keep about
10 kinds of birds in cages all over their house, so the atmosphere is always musical
and pleasant. The conversion of this in fluential man and his wife stirred the

be the terror of the valley. Nearly always drunk, he carried a knife and would rob, attack, fight, use terrible language, steal etc.
He said that the change that had' taken

place in that man was positively a miracle and that if Mr. West did nothing else but "save" (he used this word, although not a
Christian) that man it would have been a great contribution to the community and
a credit to our religion. 12. J)ne nice morning we decided to climb the mountain in back of West's

what has been accomplished there, and also

for this rare opportunity to visit and work
among tne rurariolks, andmost of all for

the thrill of preaching to large crowds of between 100 and 250 people who know very
little about Christ.

entire community several years ago. 4. Bob and Audrey Westoften lonely and" always tired because of daily meetings in widely scattered places and more op portunities than they can fill. They lack some in Japanese language ability, but are

The series of radio programs on the Gospel of John, with accompanying corres pondence course, prepared by Isabel Dittemore and featuring her trio of musicians is now being broadcast on a station that

loved and respected deeply by all the peo

ple. It was an inspiration to hear Bob

house. After 40 minutes of hard climbing

we looked down on a tranquil scene that
was worth many time the efforts of the climb and real food for the soul. A scene untouched by the war or much else of the 20th century. The preponderance of the

West praybeautiful wording, "lifting up

holy hands" and all in English. The
Japanese didn't understand much that was said except the name Jesus Christ and the

reaches this part of the country; so, in a

conibined attempt to create listeners to the radio program and generate interest in the good news of eternal life, the trio and I were pictured on thousands of posters and hand-bills and held meetings in town-halls
and school auditoriums in most of the towns

word Father, but they got the feeling, and

he had been used of the Word to teach

farm houses were straw-roofed. The fields were cut in a satisfying neat pattern to use

others to be men and women of prayer. 5. A husky, loud-voiced country boy

full of zeal and love for the Lord. Rides a bicycle 1 hour down-hill and 2 hours back

all land and water to the :best advantage. Great old trees thrived along river.

in that valley pe without Christ and care

not. But God is at work and j)erhaps be
cause he looks down from far above He is more patient and loving than we are. by Harold Sims

Most of the 2 or 3 thousand souls down

and villages in a 2 county area. Some of the things that linger in the
memory were:

home before and after very service at the Hayashino church. Gome times he gets a little Buddhism, national pride, Bushido
(code of the warrior) etc. mixed in with

1. On a beautiful sun-breezy afternoon, a party of 4 leave a little Japanese car by

the side of the dirt road" and descend sleeply to the banks of a river about 30

his Christian testimony, but he is willing

to learn and anxious to tell others. 6. The door-bell rings at 8:30 AM Sun

New Preacher At Nakano

The Nakano church has called Yukio Itagaki as their new minister. He and his

feet below. Two of them change clothes in

the shade of a bush as 5 others arrive

day. A Jr. High School teacher from a town IY2 hours distant by train is tilere
with a girl from his school. He himself

wife and little boy moved into the parson

age early in September to begin their min istry. Mr. Itagaki graduated from the Tokyo Bible Seminary in 1956 and was engaged for 3 years in pioneer evangelist in Chiba prefecture for 3% years. Their meetings were held in a kindergarden where Mrs. Itagaki was-teachin^but-shelost her job there in 1960 and he had to take a job with an insurance company to support the family. So it is a great joy to them to get back into the active ministry, and I believe it will be good in every way
for the Nakano church to have them here.

by bicycle from the nearby town. Then the preacher leads the group in a song and
prayer and precedes a young man in his

is not a Christian, but he brought this

girl to the missionary's home 'because she

stream ^at waters the paddy fields of the

burial into Christ takes place there is no sound but the water tumbling over big rocks
a few yard's up stream.
This young man is a road maintain-

twenties into the midst of the cool, clear

has a Bible and has been studying it and

wants to know more. She is immersed be

narrow valTey. Tfi^ water is just about waist deep in some of the holes. As the

fore that day ends. 7. The preacher Nakamura

and

his

wife patiently working and putting down roots in the community and gaining re
spect. Their preparation for the meetings was excellent, and their "common-touch"
goo-d to see.

ance worker, and has a steady year-round

job filling holes in a 3 mile stretch of

well-traveled road. One day a passing car threw out a copy of the Gospel of John and he picked it up. Some months later
a mssionary moved into town. The first

8. A severely crippled girl about 3 feet tall who barely propels herself along on bent who deformed legs. Her face just shines with pure and simple joy especially when she can join in singing around the
organ after church. 9. After the meeting closed at -10 PM

visitor at the missionary home was this

young man asking for a Bible Class on the

Book of John. After five years of questions,

doubts, and attending meetings he finally

decided to put on Christ. 2. A Country movie house. The floor

slopes down toward the stage in large yardwide steps of concrete cushioned with about

1 inch of fine dust. No benches, but thin straw mats are spread out for people to sit on. The walls are of straw and mud.

the missionary offered to take a girl and her mother home in the car since they had so far to walk. We rode along a steadily narrowing, '. ascending and deteriorating road for about 40 minutes before we got us near their home as possible. They had walked 2 hours to the meeting. 10. A post-office employee who gave
a wonderful talk and prayer at the Lord's Supper using a well-worn and loved Bible.

For 6 weeks this summer the preacher from the Church of Christ on Tanegashima (an island off Kagoshima prefecture in extreme south Japan) came to Tokyo with his family to study in a special summer session of the Tamagawa University, of which he is a regular correspondence students. Since the Nakano parsonage was empty they stayed' there and were a big help in the churchespecially during the
Daily "Vacation Bible School which was

held the week of Aug. 21-26. For 3 days before the Itagakis moved
to Nakano church Harold Sims and a

young man from the church painted the walls of the parsonage.

TOKYO CHRISTIAN

tage 4

Part of the audience at the dedication of the new church building on Showa Dori (next door to Buttrays) on Sunday after July 16, 1961. The Z Japanese signs are advertising the dedication service and the week of evangelistic meetings foliowing.

Nakano Evangelistic
meeting
An evangelistic meeting was held at Nakano church from June 4-11 immediately following the Tokyo Christian Crusade which gave much publicity to Christianity through the city. We were hoping to draw some of the people who made "decisions" at the American-style crusade. Miss 'Lydia Shigenobu from the Radio
Mission in Kobe came to lead the music

cano dominates the scene. Like some old

other one who came every night was

men, it sometimes smokes quietly and again it snorts, burps or bellows so loud the whole neighborhood is disturbedwindowpanes rattle for 25 miles and more. From the ferry pier you change to a bus for
another 50 minutes to the "In front of the

old school teacher whose hearing aid some

times got out of order and could be heard beeping and squawking all over the room, but he was a good listener. Some of the leaders of the local Kanoya church attend ed as many nights as they could and were
very responsive.

and a children's meeting every night prior to the regular evangelistic service. Stephen lijima was the evangelist. The children's meetings (not very common in Japan) were very successful, with attendance increasing nightly to a high of 46 and doubling our regular Sunday
School attendance.

Mission" stop, and are greeted by Mark Maxey, the only missionary and white man living among the numerous people, towns and villages of the eastern half of Japan's southernmost prefecture. To compensate for what some might imagine would be
boredom or loneliness this wonderful fam

ily (1) has a constant stream of

visitors who always come back for more of their hospitality and (2) they persist in calling this the "center of Japan."

For 2 days while I was there they had the bi-monthly meeting of the ministers and missionaries in the prefecturea at the center, and it was good to have the fellow ship with these 5 young Japanese preachers who are near the same age and very good friends, and also Paul Pratt who is the missionary on the other side of the pre fecture. There is a fine unity among them and they are busy at each meeting making
decisions and plans for the active program of evangelism, camps, monthly magazine and other things which they are doing in
a constructive way!

Attendance at the meeting was not so good as we hope after using 8000 hand
bills and other means of advertisement.

A part of their missionary activity is operation of the Kyushu Christian Center. (As you would imagine the name does not refer to geography, but something like the
modern word "nerve center" or the older

The high was 25 and the low 13. But some

telephone "central")

One of the yearly

One day I was asked to make a brief speech to the local Rotary Club, of which
Mark with his "Center of Japan" propag

very good prospects were found.

activities at the Center is a 2 week inten

sive Bible Study course during the early

The Center Of Japan

by Harold Sims You leave the Tokyo Central Station at seven PM on the "Buzzard", fastest train in the land. Read the magazine and then go to sleep. The next morning you see Hiro shima glide by as you eat breakfast in the diner, and before lunch you have passed through the undersea tunnel and are on the island of Kyushu. In the evening, after 23 hours of hard and fast riding, you get off at the end of the line in Kagoshima. Then you take a ferry for a scenic 50 min ute trip across the bay. Mt. Sakurajima, a towering gray vol

part of January when farmers and other

people have a lot of time off. The purpose

is to train the ordinary Christian for local church leadership and service.
This year I taught a class in Romans for 2 hours every night for 10 nights. Only 4 people attended the full number of nights and received certificates, but with dele gations from three of the nearby churches

anda is a very welcome member. A "West German youth was there on his way walk ing around the world. He reported he had been away from home 3 years and in 23 different countries, and he is planning to take 3 more years to get back home. Of course he spent the night with Maxeys. One night we went with the American
Lt. Commander who is the advisor to the

a total of 38 different people attended.

Two of those who received certificates

were a fine young farming couple who

came up from a small island south of the

mainland for the 2 weeks of study. They

are seriously considering going into the ministry at great personal sacrifice. An

local Japanese Naval Air Force unit and his newly-arrived-from-the-States friend to a Japanese hot spring to initiate the new comer to some of the "hot-spots" of the penisula. It was good to see friends and colaborers in the work, and I returned to Tokyo with renewed energy and new ideas
for the work here.