Christian

'Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature"
Volume 63

Mark 16:15
Number 4

January 1965

PATTON TRAVELS
We are often asked how we are

enjoying our furlough in the United States. A missionary cannot answer that in a short simple statement. Being away from the work and the Christians that have become so much a part of his very life is very unplesant. If he has to be away from his family for several
weeks at a time like I have to be now,
that is also hard to bear. His life is

A TOKYO CHRISTIAN YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN

MRS. LEE OF MIKAWASHIMA

The first Sunday I was in Japan (November 1947), Mr. Still took me over to the factory district in the northern

part of the city for a worship service

at the home of one of the prewar members
of the Mikawashima church (Korean)

constantly endangered on the highways during his travels. The rigors of the journeys are not at all pleasant. But in spite of these things, he trusts the Lord
and he is rewarded with comfort and

who

was anxious to get the church

started again. There I met Mrs. Lee and

her husband. She had been a kinder

protection. Ail of these things notwith standing, the missionary on furlough

garten teacher in the church before the war, and Mr. Lee had been employed as a driver. They were then getting
started in a new business of making
rubber boots and shoes.

has more blessings than hardships. The

prospect of being useful even in a

They very much wanted a missionary

to work with the church, so that quickly became my bailiwick. At the time we lived in two rented rooms in Setagaya, 10 miles or so across town. Every Sun day morning I got in the old jeep that we used for transportation and drove across the city to the Lee house. I understood almost nothing of what was said to me; but there was an interpreter who conveyed my previously written sermons and some of my conversation
to them.

small way in stirring up God*s church toward a greater effort in world evan gelism is no small reward. The unbounding love of the brethren he visits and

the sincere interest they express in the work he is trying to do in other areas of the world are sources of great joy.
And there is always the dream that he
can enlist some dedicated servant of

Mrs. Lee and Lois Sims in Korean dress

the Lord to join him in the work he

himself has set his hand to is indeed

an inspiration. We constantly live with these thoughts and aspirations. Since we made the last report in the Tokyo Christian, we have been busy most of the time in travels. We partook

of the joys of two inspiring missionary

rallies in October one at Second

Church, Danville, 111., and the other at

Ferris, III. Several churches, including the Bethany church, Suraner, 111., which helps to support us, welcomed us on the way to Ferris and on our way back home. Then I was privileged to partic ipate in the homecoming program of
the church at Harlan, Ind., where I
once served as the minister. On the

One afternoon they finally got through to me that they wanted us to move to that neighborhood and would build an apartment for us. "Thank you very much," I said. 1 soon found that this agreement involved our buying the cement and glass for the building with American money, since those materials were unavailable to Japanese. Then I had to obtain the building permit, since
this was easier for Americans.

We moved into that jerry-built, four rooms-in-a-row apartment soon after Hope was born and lived there for twoand-a-half years until we moved into
the mission house at Nakano, where we
still make our home. We had the second

floor. The Lees had used the permit to

build downstairs an office and sales

I was somewhat surprised to see the building going up before any plans had
been talked about. The Orientals are

room for their factory, a Japanese bath for us all, and an additional workroom. The bath was heated by steam which would be opened directly from the fact ory tank into the large tub of water.
There would be a terrific roar for about

next Sunday I was with the brethren at

Utica, Ohio. Most of the rest of October

not always slow. As it was nearing completion, I was able to inspect it one day and discovered there were no closets. Through sign language I made

five minutes, and then the water would be anywhere between lukewarm and scalding hot. This also served as the
washroom for our two families.

my wishes

known, and, obligingly

The Lees were genuinely happy to

have us next door and were true friends.

was spent in a revival meeting at the Belmont Ridge church where Bro. Don (Continued on page 2)

enough, the next week there were two little closets sticking out like boarded-

They helped us to make friends, obtain

(Continued on page 4)

up balconies from the second story wall.

Patton Travels

Tokyo Christian
Vol. 63 January 1965 No. 4
Published four times a year in January, April, July and December for the
missionaries of the Church of Christ

TIDINGS
FROM SAKURAYAMA
The letters we have received

(continued from page 1)

Ake ministers, and in another at Piqua, Ohio at Betty's home church. After 1 had spent a few days at home, on November 13 our whole family started on the long trip to visit First Church, Clearwater, Fla., a very liberal

Cunningham Mission, Tokyo, Japan by Mission Services, 509 W. Jefferson, Jollet, Illinois. Second class postage paid at Joliet, Illinois.
MISSION STAFF

recently from Bro. Pratt and the members of the Sakurayama church indicate that
die church is in excellent condition

and is making fine progress in the Lord's work. Here are a few excerpts
from those letters.

supporter of our work. Various friends

and churches along the way in Florida were visited and the hospitality and fellowship were enjoyed immensely. After we had spent a few days in Tampa

Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Buttray, 575 2-Chome, Kamiochiai, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan, Forwarding Agent: Mrs. Homer Anderson, Route 1, Meadville,
Pa. 16335.

The

first item of news concerns

one of the members of the church who

wishes to enter Bible college. *. . .

Miss Hirano wants to fulfill a desire

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Patton (now on furlough). Forwarding Agent: Mr. or Mrs. Ray Armstrong, Route 3, Box 310,
Piqua, Ohio 45356. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Sims, 1-52

with Betty's aunt and her husband, Betty and the children returned home by plane and I continued my journeys through Florida and to Atlanta where I
spent several days visiting the churches
and friends there. From thence I made

of helping women prisoners, so she is planning to enroll at O.B.S. (Osaka Bible Seminary) this spring. She got

Aral Machi, Nagano ku, Tokyo, Japan. Forwarding Agent: First Church of Christ, Orange at Center St., Eustis,
Fla. 32726.

permission from her father and has already quit her teaching for the pur pose of studying toward the entrance
exam." We pray that God will bless Miss Hirano and guide her in the way she should go. She is already a college graduate and an English teacher.
Brother Pratt writes further concern

my way back to Ohio.

Most of the month of December was

Two-year subscription $ .50 Subscription and Flaming Torch $1.00

spent at home, except for visiting two

churches on die week ends. One of

these

was

the Scottsville church in

CHANGE OF PRINTERS

Indiana,

another

of

our supporting

churches. Also because of bad weather

For the past several years the Tokyo Christian has been printed and mailed
by Bro. H, L. Hamilton of Kimberlin

Heights, Tenn. We are very grateful to

Bro. Hamilton for his wonderful services

and a desire to spend a few more days with the family, I visited only the church at Lima, Ohio and the **Missions Round-

ing the church as follows: *Our group is wanting to accomplish somediing. We had a big sodan (conference) today, planned an evangelistic meeting for early in February. We're going to restore the training class which was all but
dropped when we began working on Christmas planning. We're going to try printing a newspaper, too. Well, the one I must write to you especially about is the baptistery. We want to have suffi cient money on hand by the time you return, ready to build it. We want to set for ourselves a goal and work toward that amount.* The Sakurayama church building has no baptistery and also it needs some repair work done on it. The
church has raised around $200 for that

Up" in Garrett, Ind. in January.

Thus ended four more months of

in this capacity. Unfortunately, because

we missionaries who contribute to the

paper have been busy in our mission work, he has not had the cooperation from us in sending copy for the paper that he should have had. We are sorry
for this and we are thankful to Bro.

our furlough. Only six more months remain until we will have to begin our journey toward the West Coast and finally to Japan. We thank everyone
whom we have visited for the wonderful

hospitality.
Andrew Patton

Hamilton for his patience and spirit of sacrifice which he has shown in getting the paper out. Beginning with this issue of Tokyo Christian, however, the office where this newsletter will be printed and
from which it will be mailed has been

changed to: Mission Services, Box 968, Joliet, 111. 60434. Correspondence con cerning the paper should be sent to
that address.

John Muto, one of our preachers, collaborated in editing and publishing a book last year. It is called One Day, One Life and there is a devotional thought for each day of the year. The thoughts are selections from the writings
of Kanzo Uchimura, and there are

purpose and wishes to raise the remain der before we return to Tokyo. We are very grateful for the good work Bro. Pratt is doing in our absence and for the fine cooperation he is getting from
the church.
Andrew Patton

The Tokyo Christian will continue to be issued four times a year and we hope to continue to mail them in Jan uary, April, July and November. We missionaries who cooperate in publish*

appropriate Scriptures to accompany

each one. It is selling very well, as is

REPRESENTATIVE

the Japanese-Greek dictionary published

by Akira Oda of our Osaka Bible Semi
nary.

IN CINCINNATI AREA

ing the Tokyo Christian would appre ciate suggestions from our readers as to how the paper can be improved and be
made to render a better service for the cause of missions. Mission Services

Miss Frances Travis of Eugene, Ore. and Mrs. Davis of Mt. Vernon, 111.

My brother, Ralph Sims, minister of the Montgomery Road Church of Christ, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236, has been authorized by the board of that congre gation to take off one Sunday night each month to speak on behalf of our work
in churches within a 150-mile radius.
He has slides and other information

should be notified immediately of any

change of address so that the Lord's money may not be needlessly spent on
postage for returned mail.
Andrew Patton

stopped by to see us for one day in November during a round-the-world tour.

about our work. If you would be inter

ested in having him come to speak,

please write to him at the above address.
Harold Sims

TANEMAKI KAI
November 1-4, 1964 the Osaka Bible Seminary sponsored a preaching con
vention known as Taneviaki'kai or

"Seed-Sowing Meeting.* Two Japanese preachers and three missionaries from Tokyo attended and served in various

parts of the program including a spontaneous Tokyo Quartet. We all especially enjoyed this trip because it gave us our first opportunity to ride
the new train down and back. Now this

is a ride that makes you feel you are

getting somewhere. With speeds up to

200 KPH, we covered the 300 miles
with ease in four hours.

Part of Crowd at Nakano Christmas Program

CHRISTMAS MEETINGS Minato

The meeting was marked by the usual good fellowship, remarkably good congregational singing and good attend
ance.

The Mark Maxey family returned to Two of our Sunday school teachers at Nakano church were among those attending a special course for teacher training given by the Japan Sunday School Union every Friday evening last fall. The attendance at our Sunday
school has more than doubled in the

The Minato church has been meeting in its new building just a year, so the congregation decided to have a special evangelistic meeting Christmas week. Advertising to cover the town of Hiyoshi was arranged, and they bought
a 28^ copy of the New Testament to give to each person who came for the
first time. More than 60 Testaments

Tokyo with us for a three-day visit in our home. We let ourselves be pulled by the Maxey magnetic energy into
going to see the famous fish market one dawn, and also to see the most outstanding Olympic roads and buildings

which have improved the city in an

amazing way.

past three months.

were given away.

Nakano

The Christmas Christmas preformed

highlight of this year's program was a 30-minute play in English language by eight university and high

school young people. They had worked very hard on memorization, pronuncia tion, scenery, costumes and sound

effects every Sunday afternoon for eight weeks, and it was very successful. Ninety-three people attended, which is about three times the regular Sunday morning attendance.
Mikawoshima

There were eight people baptized

at Mikawashima church on December

18. A program was held on December 20

Christian Academy Choir

CHRISTIAN ACADEMY CHOIR SINGS AT KAMIOCHIAI

and a party on December 24, followed by a round of carol singing at members*

homes.

All the Missionaries

We met at the A1 Hammond home

Both Sims girls and Mark Pratt sing in the 50-voice High School Choir at the Christian Academy, so we asked the choir to come and sing in our
Kamiochiai church sometime before Christmas. All of the students had to

on Christmas day for a turkey dinner, good fellowship and exchange of gifts.
All contributed some lines to letters that were then sent to the Bill Walker

receive school and parental permission and arrange transportation; but we had our request in early and promised to serve cookies and cocoa,

they agreed to come on December 6. Three churches cooperated by adver

tising and dismissing their evening services. We felt that all the work in

and Andrew Patton families, who are parted from us this year.

preparation was worthwhile when a standing-room-only crowd of 105 people

came. The music was wonderful.

A TOKYO CHRISTIAN

you should have known (continued from page 1)

anything we needed, and showered us with many kindnesses. Although the rent they charged was very small, they

built. She was not only a free-hearted giver, but a hard worker for the church. She established a kindergarten and managed it for several years in order to help some of the poor families in the neighborhood. She was also doctrinally

pour out her troubles to me. But the

main talk was not of her trials and

took careof all utility bills. They were

constantly solicitous of our health, comfort and welfare; andwhen it became

solid. We often had difficulty obtaining

a suitable preacher for the church. Some times I served as preacher, and some of the time Mrs. Lee's older brother, the elder, served. From time to time
various members would recommend one

troubles. Rather she talked of God, sin, righteousness and judgement in most elementary and kernel and personal terms. She felt that God was punishing her because she had failed to bring her children up in the fatih. The great
sorrow of her life was that none of the

obvious that Sylvia was on the way,

they decided to add another room and improvements to the house. Unfortu

nately the decision was made during the winter, and the place was mighty cold with one wall out; but we were warmed by their love and care.

During these days I was studying Japanese and practicing it on them every day. They could probably fill a
book with our various foibles; but I have conveniently forgotten most of
these episodes. The Lees had a housefull of children one girl and 5 boys so life around there was very lively.
Besides that there were 20 or 30 work

or another of the Presbyterian preachers; but she stood like a rock for getting only preachers who believed and prac ticed immersion. She was always under standing of us and stood up for us. Gradually the Japanese business men began to take over the rubber business, and their factory fell on hard
times. Mr. Lee also was led into drink

children but the girl took an active part in the church. Because of poor circulation caused by the weak heart and old age, she slowly lost her mind in the last months. The children rather made light of her; but I never failed to profit by a visit
with her. In her mind's weakened

ing and some gambling by bad friends.

This was a real burden to Mrs. Lee and

contributed to her death; but she was

men and trucks of all sizes constantly coming and going. During busy seasons they often worked late into the night and many is the time we went to sleep lulled by the rumble of the large rubberroiling machines. Mr. Lee was a large, rough-talking, hard-working man, native of north Korea, but very antiCommunist. Mrs. Lee really ran things. She was up every morning at daybreak, her sharp voice echoing from room to
room as she bustled around from kitchen

loyal to her husband and spent every effort to cover up, settle problems and protect the family name and reputation. Educating the children was a great struggle, through which she persisted. It was not only a financial drain, but the Japanese do not easily accept the Koreans into their schools, so she had to keep the boys, some of whom were inclined to take after their father, at
their studies.

condition the real person shone through. Her talk always displayed purity of motive, first concern with the kingdom of God and great faith. She spent her final months dreaming of returning to Korea. When I went to Korea in 1958, I had the privilege of visiting her home place. She was born in a beautiful peach orchard outside the city of Taijon in South Korea. I met her two sisters and older brother, I
always felt I knew her better after see ing the place where she was born and

her devout Presbyterian family. On November 18, she passed to the

reward reserved for good and faithful
servants.

Harold Sims

About 10 years ago, she had the

first of a series of heart attacks. Fol

to living room, to yard trying to get everybody going and keep everybody happy. Her total concern was for others;
and she never cared how she looked,
whether the house was cleaned or what time it was. We were included in her

lowing her husband's death about five years ago, the business went from bad
to worse. Then the oldest son became

circle of love and care, and were some times embarrassed by the nice things she would buy for Hope and do for us. Whenever we had anything to be moved, she always arranged for Mr. Lee and his truck to do the job. For a year after we moved there, we had worship services in our living room for Koreans in the morning and for Japanese in the evening. Some of the Koreans didn't like this; but although Mrs. Lee was unashamed of being a Korean, she was unprejudiced and open-minded toward the Japanese among whom they lived. The following year the church build ing was erected. When the Korean con gregation didn't come through with the promised half of the money for the building, Mrs. Lee donated the remain der. The same thing happened several years later when the parsonage was

involved in a business deal that flopped at tremenduous loss. Most of the prop erty had to be sold to pay off the cred itors. Her daughter's husband ran off
and left her with two small children.

There were constant battles, failures,

discouragements. ButMrs. Lee remained always smiling, proud and completely

honest. I would visit her several times each

year, and she was always happy to

RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED

Casl of Nakano Christmas Play

BOX 968, JOLtET, tLLINOtS 60434

TK
MRi..

FES,
JAMES

65
TAYLOR

RAMSEY,
ILLINOIS

Tokyo
Volume 64

Christian
Mark 16:15
Number 1

'Go ye into all the tporld and preach the gospel to every creature"
April 1965

ycui. IkHOW-...
By Stanley Buttray
DID YOU KNOW that 15 years ago April 27th the Stanley Buttrays and their son Paul entered Japan for the first time
as missionaries to work with the Church of

PATTON SAILING DATE SET

Our family has just booked passage on

AKADA GRADUATES

the SS President Cleveland departing from

San Francisco on August 26 and arriving at Yokohoma on September 9. Only five months remain before our sailing date. We hope to leave Ohio in the last week in July and spend the first week of August at the WiNeMa Camp for their Week of Missions. The two weeks following that will be spent in preparation for our depar ture to Japan and perhaps in visiting some
of the brethren in California.

Christ Cunningham Mission in Tokyo J apan ?

DID YOU KNOW . . . that except for

the death of Mrs. Cunningham December 25, 1953 and the marriage of Betty Armstrong
to Andrew Patton the status of the mission

hasn't changed in 15 years?

DID YOU KNOW . . . that of the 15

churches in the Tokyo area, the Buttrays

started two?

DID YOU KNOW . , . that of these 15

churches, two are practically dead?

DID YOU KNOW . . . that only two new

churches have been started in the past ten

years

one

of these
KNOW .

by the Buttrays?
. . that there are

DID YOU

10,600,000 people in greater Tokyo and only five church of Christ (Christian) missionary
families?

DID YOU KNOW . . . that only one new

church of Christ missionary family has gone to Japan in the last 12 years?
DID YOU KNOW . . . that one-fifth of

The total for the ship fares for our family of six will be $1,400. We have made a deposit of $350 on our tickets. Other expenses involved in our return to Japan are train fares to California, baggage and other Incidentals on the train, purchasing equipment and supplies to accompany us to Japan, freight, packing and crating, housing while we are in California, tips and other incidentals aboard ship. We estimate that $2,500 will be required to meet all of these expenses, including our ship tickets. We were very much encouraged on our return trip to the United States. You brethren responded to our appeal for travel funds in

Shigeru Akada
Shigeru Akada, the son of a dyer and
merchant in silk kimono material In Arai Machi and a member of the Nakano Church

the 15 churches in the Tokyo area are without native preachers?

DID YOU KNOW . . . that the population of Tokyo has doubled (from 5 to 10 million, or equivalent to Chicago's population) since we first arrived 15 years ago? DID YOU KNOW . . . that Christianity is "falling behind," according to the Japan Times(Tokyo*s favorite English newspaper) of January 8, 1955? The following is a

a wonderful way. The necessary funds for the trip came in on time and we have thanked the Lord numerous times for your help.
We would appreciate a similar response to this appeal we are now making for funds for our return to Japan. All funds for us

of Christ, graduated from the Osaka Bible Seminary on March 26, 1965 after completing four years of study for the ministry. The commencement sermon was preached by Harold Sims, through whose Bible class
Mr. Akada was won to Christ while still a

should be sent to Andrew Patton, RFD 3, Box 310, Piqua, Ohio 45356. Also please watch the next issue of the Tokyo Christian
for an announcement concerning our new forwarding agent.
Andrew Patton

(Continued on page 2)

high school student. Mrs. Akada (his mother) also went to Osaka to witness the happy occasion and express thanks to his teachers. During the latter part of his seminary days, Mr. Akada had some practical experi ence in mini stering to a small church located between Osaka and Kyoto which was begun by the Ray Mings family. After graduation he plans to return to Tokyo, where he will be assisting Paul Pratt, who in turn will be carrying on the A1 Hammond's Bible classes and other evangelistic activities In Kumegawa while the Hammonds are on furlough in the United States. At the same time the Pratts will be developing the field at Isehara in Kanagawa prefecture where the Bill Walkers were beginning a new work before they returned to the States when Mrs. Walker became seriously ill. That paragraph may be a little difficult to follow, but it illustrates the cooperation that continually goes on among the inde pendent missionaries.
Harold Sims

ANNUAL CONVENTION IN KYOTO

Stanley, Mabel and David Buttray. This is our fifteenth year in Tokyo. As the Lord leads during 1965 we want used in such a way that will bring honor and glory to the name of Christ, Pray for your missionaries in Japan!

The yearly convention of our Japanese Christians was held in Kyoto from April 6-8. We have one church in this old capital city of Japan which served as host church. Several missionaries and preachers from Tokyo attended and appeared on the pro
gram.

Tokyo Christian
Vol.64 April 1965 No. 1 Published four times a year in Jariuary, April, July and December for the
missionaries of the Church of Christ

HATSUSHIBA BOY KILLED

Mr. and Mrs. Hatsushiba are one of

die all-too-few young Christian couples in the flock here in Japan. They have
been members of the Minato Church of

nected with the question, *Why?" He didn't attempt to give any explanation
of why God had sent this sadness into their lives, but just stood with them in reverence before God's providence and human sympathy and urged them to
remember at all times that God is love.

Cunningham Mission, Tokyo, Japan by Mission Services, 509 W. Jefferson, Joliet, Illinois. Second class postage paid at Joliet, Illinois.
MISSION STAFF

Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Buttray, 575 2oChome, Kamiochiai, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan, Forwarding Agent: Mrs. Homer Anderson, Route 1, Meadville,
Pa. 16335.

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Patton (now

on furlough).

Christ for several years. Because of the great distance from their home to the church, diey cannot attend every Sunday; and they have a worship service in their home for the family and any friends and neighbors who wish to attend. Once Bro. Hatsushiba modestly told me that they had been studying through the book of Acts at home every evening.
Mr. Hatsushiba and another man

Finally the young father stood and thanked all for coming and expressed to them in clear and noble strength and simplicity his personal faith in God, his hope of meeting his boy again in a heavenly home and his desire to live
by faith in Christ the Savior and risen
Lord.

Mr. and Mrs. Harold Sims, 1-52 Arai Machi, Nakano ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Forwarding Agent: First Church of Christ, Orange at Center St., Eustis,
Fla. 32726.

Two-year subscription

$ .50

Subscription and Flaming Torch $1.00

DID YOU KNOW

study English with me one hour every Thursday evening. He is an official of the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry, especially connected with inspection of mandarin oranges and other farm products for export, so he has much use for the English language.
The Hatsushibas had a little four-

Another deep impression was made by the people who attended. Here were
most of the members of Minato church

(continued from page 1)

quotation: "As the world goes today, Chris tianity is slipping behind. It isn't keeping up with the growth of humanity. At the turn of the century, Christians constituted about 35% of the world's people; by 1960 the proportion was about 30%. At the present rate, by the year 2,000, they will be 20% of mankind. In other words, the present
population increase is two to one non-

year-old boy who entered kindergarten last April and a little girl just one year old. On December 21, as the boy was playing with some friends along the
road near their house, he was struck

brethren in Christ weeping with those who weep. The reality of the Christian fellowship was apparent to all. Then there were the relatives, officials of the government ministry, neighbors, kindergarten children. They filled the small house and .yard, the narrow street and the neighbor's house and yard. The

faces of these common people, standing

under a gray sky, in the shade of old

by a lumber truck. For about 36 hours it seemed that he might recover, but
then he weakened and died from internal

C3iristian. With the present growth of nearly 40 million people yearly, only about 13
million are added to the Christian rolls.

injuries. It is needless to attempt to describe the shock and grief not only of the

trees in the %into shrine next door, drank in the strange and eternal words gladly. Most of these people had never

seena Christian funer^orbeen exposed

to the Gospel words. Finally, I admired the courage of the young folks in arranging for a
thoroughly Christian funeral. There were no incense, candles, paper-flower wreaths, black and white cloth or other apparatus of the usual Buddhist funeral.

parents, but that shared by many friends.

Ibe statistics about traffic deaths

The birth rate is 'fast outstripping the conversion rate,' the Rev. Dr. Hoekendijk, Dutch church historian of the University of Utrecht, points out. This is largely because the highest population growth is in pre dominantly non-Christian areas. Communism also has stifled Christianity in large parts of the earth. However, even in North America the first signs of reversal are beginning to
be felt. In the 1964 'Yearbook of American

Churches' the figures show that the 118 million church members make up 63.4% of the population, which is 0.2% less than the year before. The comparative decline contrasts with the previous steady rise in the proportion of Americans belonging to churches from 16% in 1850 to 36% in 1900 to the present 63.4%."

become very real and heavy with mean ing at times like these. I would like to describe briefly the funeral which was held on the day after Christmas, because it left a deep impression on me. Looking back on 1964, I think this simple service was the most powerful testimony for Christ and proclamation of the Gospel that I
witnessed.

I don't know why this happened. But I know that God loves people such as the Hatsushiba family, and may His love prevail to give us more families
like this.
Harold Sims

DID YOU KNOW . . . that the growth of

the United Church of Christ in J op an is obviously in a condition of stagnation? So writes Professor Ei'chi Kudo of Meiji Gakuin University in an article entitled

First, there were the messages. Three people spoke. Stephen lijima, minister of Minato church, read the entire 15th chapter of I Corinthians and then gave a powerful presentation of the Gospel fact and promise of the
resurrection. Then an old minister of

ITAGAKI TO KYUSHU
The preacher of the Nakano church, Yukio Itagaki, went to the island of Kyushu (about 1,000 miles south of Tokyo) from February 12-26 for a series of special
lectures on the *Life of Paul" at the Leader

"Challenges to Christian Witness in Jap

anese Society." The following is a par agraph from his article: "The growth of the United Church of Christ in Japan is obvi ously in a condition of stagnation. The
statistics for the fiscal year 1962 to the year ending March 31, 1963 show the
lowest rate since the end of the War. In the

the Gospel and personal friend of the family brought some wise words con################

ship Training Institute in Kanoya. He also

spoke at every one of our churches in Kagoshima prefecture during that time. It

DID YOU KNOW . . . that "The world

was his first visit in Kyushu in eight or ten years, and he enjoyed every minute of
it.

is moving away from Christianity at a speed

which makes us wonder." So stated Dr.

I took care of all the church services

2,197 local churches of the United Church there were, during that one-year period, 5,700 adult baptisms, making an average of less than four adult baptisms per church.
Moreover,
all."

in

452 (nearly

30%) of these

churches, there were no adult baptisms at

F. C. Fry, American NCC and WCC leader earlier this year. But this should come as no surprise when we are aware of the watereddown Jacob's-porridge-type of Gospel given to the world by such men as Bishop Robinson, Tillich, Bultmann, Bonhoeffer and many others as these are being imitated by thou-

at Nakano and some of his English classes during his two-week absence. Also I went to Tanabe city in Wakayama

prefecture for three days of special meetings January 29-31. It was my third meeting in that church, which was begun by Ruth Schoonover and is now carried on by Miss
Vivian Lemmon.

(Continued on page 4)

Harold Sims

MISSIONS AND THE "GOOD LIFE"

Friends of missions often try to raise good will and support for the good cause by lambasting the easy life of the people from whom they expect that sup port to come. The Christian, they say, should give up the extra car, comfort able home and furnishings, movies, ice cream sodas, visiting places of enter tainment, the building of beautiful and comfortable church buildings, and such things. He should take the money he would ordinarily use for these things and give it to missions. Now it may be that American Christians are living a bit extravagantly at times; and I know that we should be supporting mission
causes far better than we are. But I

And again, "Supposing the living of the 'good life' to be sinful, what standard are you to use and how are you to deter mine the point above which one may not go in living an abundant life?" Other questions might be asked,
but this writer would like to ask one of

his own. Is it really necessary for us to give up a comfortable, abundant life

in order that the Lord's workaround the

world may be supported? Certainly not. If God's people would really give to (not give up for) His work like they ought to do, they could still live in affluence and have the added luxury of a clean conscience! And the great good in causing the work of the Lord to
advance and souls to be saved would be

It is said that the average wage in America i.s $5,000 a year. We have supposed that of an American Christian to be $5,200 a year. Should not a Chris tian give even more than a tithe, con sidering what the Lord has done and is doing for him? We have supposed that he gives a tithe. Some churches are giving as much to missions as they spend on their own local work. We have supposed that these 50 persons give only a quarter of their tithe to missions. Will supporting the Lord's work by means of the tithe deprive one of the
comforts in life and the abundance of

doubt that this approach will be very

effective in arousing Christians to the need, the duty, the opportunity, and the challenge of world missions.
The Christian who is attacked for

things one would otherwise enjoy? The testimony of all tithing Christians is to the contrary. Then, why do so few
tithe? Because of selfishness and

the greatest bonus of all! We can really do this without really giving up any
comfort.

living the "good life" would imme diately go on the defensive. He would ask what is wrong with his living a
comfortable life, or even an affluent
life. Is such a life ever condemned in

Most Christians are agreed that the very minimum that a son of God should give toward his heavenly Father's work is a tithe of his earnings. This amount
is not idealistic but attainable and

covetousness. It is another example of keeping and losing. Above we have seen what is possible if each Christian does his part. Every 50 wage-earning Christians could sup port a missionary. There is no doubt about it. We can both support missions adequately and still enjoy the "good
life."
Andrew Patton

God's Word or is it out of harmony with

the course of life set before the Chris

thus practical. On this basis a wageearning Christian, earning $100 a week, would contribute $520 a year to the church. If one quarter of that were given
to a mission work outside his local

tian? If so, he might argue, then why did God give to Abraham, to Job, to David and Solomon, and to the Jewish
nation in times of national obedience

such an abundance of the things of this

world?

Again, such a person might ask, "Is it not a wrong attitude toward posses sions, rather than the possession of an abundance of things, that is so con sistently condemned in the Bible?**

church, it would reach a total of $130 a year. Fifty such persons would be able to almost completely support a missionary family and his work, by giving $6,500 a year to missions. Besides, $19,500 would go toward the

support of the local church of which they are members.

"Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires
of thine heart." Psalm 37:4

I
A transformer on top of the telephone pole blocks the view of part
of our front windows.

Recently a six story apartment building was completed across the street from our placc. I took an opportunity one afternoon to go up on the roof with my camera and take some birds eye views of our house and the Nakano church. Several people have expressed
a desire to see in just what kind of place we live.

The second picture lifts the camera up toward Nakano electric railway station for a view of our shopping street and part of the housing for more than 400,000 people who live in this ward of the
city.
Harold Sims

The church is in the center of the picture to the left; and our
front door is at the end of the walk that looks like a dotted line.

PATTON TRAVELS
I began a six-week itinerary on January
29 to promote our work and the cause of

DID YOU KNOW

A VISIT

(continued from page 2)

sands of preachers in the States as well

TO OUR RELIGIOUS NEIGHBORS

Three of us had been studying religions of Japan for about three months. It was interesting,
but there is something frustrating about mere book

missions in general. This was the longest time I have spent on one trip in the United States without once returning home. On the
trip I spoke to brethren located in the states

as here in Japan. Let us heed the warning of God given to us through his Apostle Paul, not to preach any other Gksspei than that revealed by Paul, unless we are pre
pared to endure the curse of God.

of North C'arolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and

Ohio.

learning in this subject; and the desire to go out and actually touch things, to smell the atmosphere, to get the feel and communicate with the religions which are so obviously proximate becomes com
pelling. So one bright December morning we set out

DID YOU KNOW . . . that there is now

My first appointment of this trip was with the Piedmont Missionary Rally at Winston-Salem, N. C. This appointment was made before we left Japan. Besides my participation in the rally, I spoke to eight churches in the Winston-Salem area. In my opinion the rally was a great success, and it should result in greater interest in world missions among those churches which par
ticipated. After leaving Winston-Salem, I had a very enjoyable evening with the brethren
of the Tarboro Church of Christ. Then I

more than a hundred million populatiorv in Japan? And that only just over one-half of
one percent are Christian?

to visit our religious neighbors, being joined by

three enthusiastic fellow-travelers. There is

DID YOU KNOW . . . that the door to

Japan is still open, but maybe not for long?

DID YOU KNOW . . . that the Asahi

enough volume and variety of religious expression for one day's absorption to be found within a 30minute walk in any direction from any spot in Tokyo. We chose to walk along Waseda Dori, the
main street between our house and the Bible

Evening News, January

article that reports that

25 contains an
Soka Gakkai's

(Value Creating Society) booming youth movement is being watched with deep con

cern

by

the

nation's political circles,

headed for Norfolk, where I spoke to four churches and to a group of ladies from another church. The ladies' meeting was held in the home of Mr. and Mrs. A1 Floyd, dear friends whom we had met in Japan and whom were my gracious hosts. While in Norfolk I was greatly encouraged by the
decision of the South Norfolk church to

especially now that this miliant 'Buddhist Sect has expressed a determination to seize political power in the not too distant future.

From 180 young people in 1951, it now claims 2,900.000. Since 1956 they have
made their organization the number three

Seminary building. The first religious institution we came to was "Monkey Temple," and there were stone monkey images on both sides of the large, old, red gate. We walked in and found a student priest with shaved head sweeping the hard dirt yard with a bamboo broom. He led us around to a side door, where we were welcomed by the wife of the local priest who explained that the master was away that day teaching in one of the Buddhist univer sities. We found that this was a temple belonging
to the Rinzai division of the Zen sect.. Modest

party in the House of Councilors. They now claim more than 10% of the population. At
the next election they no doubt will make

and straightforward replies were given to all of our rather impertinent questions. For instance: "How many come to your regular worship or lecture services"? "Very few perhaps six or eight,"
We were invited to look at the altar and ail

further inroads in the government as they

coerce (by fear) the public to elect their candidates. The Youth Department, which is likened unto Hitler's, hopes to create a new country and is dedicated to wiping out all evil religions, and proselytize all heret

help in our regular support. We are indeed grateful for this promise of help. Leaving Norfolk, I visited Gethsemane church, Mechanicsville; Main Street church, Salem; East End church, Bristol all in Virginia. Then I crossed over into the Johnson City, Tenn. area, where I spoke to
.three churches apd to the Women's Christian

things in detail, and even to beat on the two drums. (One was a large piece of wood hollowed out and carved to look like an octopus). She also voluntarily took us behind the altar into the real

shrine of the place where there were pictures of

the founder of the sect and the founder of this

ical

people
with

(Christianity
all the rest

is
as

definitely
an "evil

included

particular temple her husband's grandfather and then to the cemetery in back of the temple
building. The next-door-temple yard was swarming with "

religion").

Circle at Erwin. Then I proceeded on to the home of Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Sims, the parents of Harold Sims of Tokyo. There I spoke to the new church to which they min ister the Church at Claxton, situated a
few miles north of Knoxville.

DID YOU KNOW . . . that Jesus' com

mandment,

to

go into all the world and

preach the Gospel to every creature has

never been amended. O glorious church. . . thou blessed bride of Christ, shall we be

children as the kindergarten was having recess time. One of the teachers ushered us into a room, and we had a very friendly and informative talk
with a man in his thirties who is due to succeed

his father as priest according to the regular

dynastic practice. We learned from him that this

AWAKENED by the foregoing and challenged by the great unharvested field of Japan and
the world. . .or are the words of Jesus in

row of temples came about, not because of any

special religious character of this section of

From Knoxville I crept along through ice and snow across the Smokies to my parents' home in Hayesville, N. C., where I spent three days visiting and resting. Then I departed for Atlanta, where I was to participate in the Georgia Christian Mis sionary Rally. Total registrations at that rally num bered over 3,400. A few years ago this rally almost died for lack of interest; but
now it is one of the best attended and most

Mark 14:41 more fitting ". . .Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed
into the hands of sinners?"

town, but because all of these temples had formerly been downtown and when streets were widened, etc. after the great earthquake 42 years ago, they were moved out to this area which was approved by the city and the local community for temples and cemeteries. This temple belonged to the Soto
division of the Zen sect.

cipcbci?
was good to see the increased interest in missions among our brethren in America and
to envision what we believe to be the

successful of our missionary rallies. Besides taking part in the rally, I also spoke in three of the area churches while
I was in Atlanta.

beginning of an even greater commitment

of our churches to the world-wide cause
of Christ.

1 remarked about how plain his temgle was compared to the neighboring one, and he obligingly removed several large, wooden doors to expose a golden idol and altar fully as elaborate as the first one we had seen. He explained that the reno vations had been made because of the kindergarten their main means of support. The equipment
included a piano placed incongruously beside the altar when the doors were opened. (continued in the July Issue)

From Atlanta I headed toward Wheeling,

where I spoke to the Warwood church. Next

Andrew Patton

I visited the Duquesne (Pa.) church, which has been one of our supporting churches since 1953- The next day I departed for East Palestine, Ohio, where I took part in their annual missionary rally. From thence 1 returned to Pittsburgh, where 1 visited
the Norwin and Homeville churches. Then
I drove home.

RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED

BOX 968, JOLIET, ILLINOIS 60434

The next trip was to a missionary rally at Williamsport, Ind., where I spent three
days.
Tlius ended about two more months of

TK

PESU

65
TAYLOR

MR&. JAMES RAMSEYt

ILLINOIS

our sojourn in America. During that time I contacted many old friends and I hope I made many new ones. I am ver>' thankful

to them all for the warm reception they

gave me and for their fine hospitality. It

Tokyo
Volume 64 1

Christian
Mark 16:15
Number 2

'Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature"
July 1965

NEW FORWARDING AGENT FOR RATIONS

Beginning on July l,Mr. and Mrs. Wade
Fletcher of Rushville, Indiana will serve as our forwarding agents.
Both of the Fletchers are natives of DID YOU

^044. Kjimu-...
By Stanley Buftray
KNOW . . . that there are

Rush County, Indiana. They were married on October 4, 1953 and have two children: George Wade II, who is eight-and-one-half years old and in the third grade of school, and a daughter, Joetta, who is four-and-onehalf years of age. Prior to her marriage Marge (Mrs. Fletcher) attended Cincinnati

Bible ^minary for one year (1952-1953)The Fletchers were instrumental in the

organization of the Rushville Church of Christ in Rushville, Indiana. Both of them

are active in that church and both teach

the primary class in the Bible school. Wade is an elder and Marge is the church secretary
and treasurer of the Berean Bible Class.

We
with were

have

known

the

Fletchers

since

Japanese pastors who would be content to see the missionary leave? This problem is like a bunch of small children aimlessly kicking about a footboll. As the angels in heaven rejoice over one sinner that repenteth, so the devil rejoices over every mis sionary that returns! Hold on to your seat for the next few minutes as I give you a few shocking quotations from Philip R. Foxwell's guest editorial in the first issue of the 1965 Bible Times titled, "Should the Missionary Leave Japan?" "Recently in conversation with a Japonese pastor he said to me, 'I am not to be numbered among the pastors who believe the missionary should go home.' But he
mentioned what we both knew; there are

1953 when we began a student ministry

Sexton Christian Church near Rush zealous members and leaders. Both

Mr. and Mrs. G. Wade Fletcher, new

Japanese pastors who would be content to

ville, Indiana of which church the Fletchers

forwarding agents for Andrew and Betty

Fatten.

see the missionary leave.

.
tion

. . It is to be noted that some mis

in the affirmative. Yoichiro Saeki's

of them wholeheartedly love the Lord Jesus Christ and are willing to use all of their

sionaries have already answered this ques

them. Checks should be written out "Tokyo

Mission Andrew Patton* and sent to

talents and energies in furthering His cause. Through the 13 years we have known them. Wade and Marge have shown themselves to be trustworthy, exemplary, and thoroughly Christian. We are happy and very fortunate to have them serve the Lord with us in the capacity of forwarding agents. In that capacity their services will be varied. Our mail may be sent to them and they will forward it to us. All funds for us
and our work in Japan should be sent to

rfiem. They will acknowledge ail gifts received and print and mail our mimeo

article, 'The Missionary' (Kyodan Bulletin

November 1964) deserves the attention of

graphed newsletters. In short, they will

serve as our Stateside helpers, assisting us in any way they can from diis part of the world. Hereafter we may be addressed
as follows: c/o Mr. and Mrs. G. Wade

the missionary. Saeki quotes from a German missionary who left Japan in 1960. '. . . Since competent Japanese leaders are being sent out into the field of indus trial evangelism one after another, I am
convinced that it is better for me to work

Fletcher,
Indiana.

621

E.

10th St., Rushville,

Andrew Patton

in some other field than Japan where I can

(Continued on page 4)

ANNUAL MISSIONARY CONVENTION

Missionaries of the Christian churches and churches of Christ met in iheir annual convention at Takino, May 2123, 1965. Guests of the convention were Dr. and Mrs. Lewis Foster of Cincinnati Bible Seminary and Diego Romulo, minister ofJ.hc-Craada Church of Christ,Manila, Philippines. Al...Romulo is seated at the extreme left, and Dr. and Mrs. Foster are in the center of the front row. Some of the workers at the hotel are also in the picture.

ONE OF THE TOKYO CHRISTIANS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Tokyo Christian
Vol. 64 July 1965 No. 2 Published four times a year in January, April, July and December for the
missionaries of the Church of Christ

Yotaro Amapai was born in 1903 in a

small town of Tochigi prefecture about 80

miles north of Tokyo, the eldest son of a

weaver. After growing up and completing

his compulsory education, he came to Tokyo

^
;
.

Cunningham Mission, Tokyo, Japan by Mission Services, 509 W. Jefferson, Joliet, Illinois. Second class postage paid at Joliet, Illinois.
MISSION STAFF

to get work, as so many young men do. On

the advice of a good friend he took the

government examination for police force

applicants and passed. For the next 30 years he served his community as one of the police officers. But he didn't work very long as an ordinary patrolman OKist of his time was spent as

A-

Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Buttray, 575 2-Chome, Kamiochiai, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Forwarding Agent: Mrs. Homer Anderson, Route 1, Meadvllle,
Pa. 16335.

a plain-clothesman attached to the National

Police Headquarters.
dealt
ery, gang

He

worked

the
brib-

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Fatten, 27 Sakuraya.ma Machi, Nakano ku, Tokyo Japan. Forwarding Agent: Mr. and Mrs. G. Wade Fletcher, 621 E. 10th St., Rushville, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Sims, 1-52 Arai Machi, Nakano ku, Tokyo, Japan. Forwarding Agent: First Church of Christ, Orange at Center St., Eustis,
Fla. 32726.

cases

other similar things. gang warfare was there was a telephone conto
and also for

for for

own

he was often

fast-breaking
which

cases.

He

was the chief

Two-year subscription

$ .50

investigator for several very famous cases

I remember reading about in the

Yolaro Amagai
Aftera severe seige of pneumonia when he was 35 years old, a nurse advised him to take a little rice wine each night to sake habit. During the war he was one of the community fire watchers and wardens; gnj because of the stress of those days, and being often invited by different friends

Subscription and Flaming Torch

$1.00

FUJIN KAI EXCURSION (pronounce: foc/een kuy)

May 10 through 12, 13 women (and four of their children) from my Bible class at Nakano church went on a trip to Hakone, which is a beautiful mountain ridge forming the foothills of Mt. Fuji about 70 miles south of Tokyo. We rode about two hours
on an electric train, and then took a bus

rank of third class (Black Belt) in Judo. Although at present forced to give up both of these avocations, he remains an able player of the oriental game of GO. After coming to Tokyo, he married and

man with a pistol and achieving the high

newspapers several years ago. As a policeman he had some interest In the manly arts, becoming an expertmarks-

help recover his strength. Thus began his

established a home in Arai Machi of Nakano

Ward. They were blessed with three children - two boys anda girl. Butwhenthe smallest
boy was three years old the mother died of TB of the bone. After a while he married again, but there were no children by the
second marriage. Because he was needed as a police

health's sake. (Let that be a lesson to jhose who drink for their health!)
In 1958 Mr. Amagai was forced to retire from the police force because of a bad
heart attack that left him weak and rheumatic. At that time he was an officer in

he became quite a drinker. But in recent y^ars he has put aside that vice for his

for the winding road up into the mountains.

Our Bible class meets every second and fourth Wednesday afternoons of the month, and each year the women plan a trip together. They begin setting a few yen aside at every meeting for months in advance so they will have enough saved for the trip, and plans are very carefully laid. This year one of the women learned of a recently completed, self-service type hotel
located in the Hakone National Park which

officer he didn't have to go into the army, but his two brothers both died from wounds received in the war. During those years he
traveled as far as Manchuria and Shanghai,

the "superintendent class,* and received the merit award from the government for his faithful service over 30 years. He had gone to Sunday school as a
child in his little country town, and that

China in connection with his police work.

His house was burned, along with most of

was built and is operated by our local Ward government especially for the residents of Nakano ward. We applied for permission
to use three rooms there. The cost for one

night, including supper and breakfast, was only about $3 per person (about half the price of a regular hotel), so everyone could afford the trip.

the others in Arai Machi, one night in May 1945 during an immense air raid. At the time all of his family except the older son (who worked in an airplane plant) had been evacuated to the country, so no lives were lost. He quickly made a makeshift shelter and continued living at Arai Machi all through the war. Soon after conditions became settled he built the small house
where he now lives.

memory had remained in his mind and led his feet to the church after 50 years apart from God. He says that he didn't feel that a man who was prosecuting and investigating criminals all the time was suitable to go to church. But he had gone to Nakano church once or twice during special meetings while he was a policeman. After his retirement gave him more time,he began to come
every Sunday. He had concluded deep in

his heart during long years of work with

criminals that religion was necessary to men. For instance, at one time he had arrested a Buddhist priest who had embez zled some of the temple's money, but he was very impressed with the honesty and exemplary prison behavior and attitude of this man. There was something different between this religious man and the other prisoners.

The program was very simple. After

each meal we had a Bible study on the subject of prayer, and we had much enjoy able time to read the Bible together. Each of us would carry a cushion from our room to the meeting room, and then we sat in a
circle on the straw mat floor. Each one of the Christians told of some

experience or lesson in her life that had helped her or her family. The four women who were newcomers and not yet Christians seemed to enjoy every minute of the fellow ship and took part in the discussions, singing, etc. Each of us felt spiritually strengthened and refreshed by the time spent in prayer and praise. We were reminded of how Jesus would often go apart into the mountains to pray; and we were thankful for this opportunity to spend time apart to
draw near to Him.

Mr. Amagai was baptized on August 30,

1959, after attending church a year or so. About two years later the people asked him to serve as treasurer; and he did so in a fine way until this year when rheumatism and a weak heart forced him to resign. He is the oldest man in our little group here; and although humbly admitting his lack of

The ladies who went on the Fujin Kai

Lois Sims Excursion.

qualifications, he has become quite nat urally a kind of unappointed elder of the
little flock.

Harcld Sims

PATTON TRAVELS
From the last week in March through the month of June we visited eight churches in Ohio, six in Indiana, one in Michigan, a missionary conference in Canada and another in Michigan, and spoke at Great Lakes Bible College all in the interest of our mission work in Japan. We also attended the Kiamichi Clinic, made a trip to Chicago for our visa to J apan and another to North Carolina to visit my parents. Betty and the children traveled with me during the month of June. The churches we visited during these past three months included four of our supporting churches, two we had visited before, and 11 we were visiting
for the first time. We found time also to

visit two

Daily Vacation Bible Schools

and to attend the graduation exercises of

Cincinnati Bible Seminary. On April 10, I began a trip to Canada, the purpose of the trip being to participate in the Ontario Christian Missionary Confer ence. This conference was sponsored by
the churches affiliated with the Toronto

k Stanley aad Mabel Buttray and some

^"Christians of the Kamiochiai church.
DR. AND MRS. LEWIS FOSTER AND DIEGO ROMULO VISIT TOKYO

PATTONS TO SAIL IN AUGUST

We have been encouraged in recent months by receiving some new pledges for our support above the regular support we were already receiving. The new pledges
total about $90 a month (the amounts of

Christian

Mission.

It was the first such

conference they had held. As a result of the conference, the faith of those who attended was strengthened and interest in world evangelism was increased. The local churches also were strengthened for they were encouraged to greater efforts for Christ and they were drawn together in closer bonds of fellowship. One young person was
won to Christ and two dedicated themselves

From May 16-20, Dr. and Mrs. Lewis

Foster from Ci ncinnati Bible Seminary and Mr. Diego Romulo, the preacher at the Cruzada Church of Christ in Manila, Philip pines, visited Tokyo. Information about the special meetings we scheduled for them in Tokyo is in the accompanying chart. Mr. Foster was the main speaker, but Mr. Romulo also spoke briefly at most of the meetings.

some pledges vary each month). Wenowhave about S530 a month pledged to us regularly. This includes all pledges for our salary, for our children's schooling,
and for our work. The remainder of the

to

specialized Christian service during

the conference. I have been told that others were won to Christ later due to the influence

of the conference.

In view of the amount of advertising

and the time spent in preparation, the attendance at these meetings was a dis appointment. However, long years in Japan have taught us to be thankful for what response we get. We were glad to see some friends at the English-speaking meetings
who hadn't been to church in months. At

gifts received are irregular in nature and the amounts vary. To be adequately sup ported while we are in Tokyo we will need about $800 a month for all expenses. We have not been oversupported yet, but the Lord has never failed to provide for us.

On a previous visit to the Scottsville church, Floyd Knobs, Indiana the brethren there invited me to be their guest on the trip to the Kiamichi Clinic in Oklahoma in May. On May 2,1 spoke again to the Scotts ville church, and in the afternoon we began

the long trip to the Kiamichis. Early the next morning we arrived at the Cookson
Hills Christian School in Oklahoma. Here
we visited for a few hours. The brethren

the Wednesday evening meeting about one-

Preparations for our sailing from San Francisco on August 26 are nearing their final stages. Our passport and Japanese visa are in hand and our ship fares have been paid ($1,400). We are to leave Ohio on July 28 and arrive in Yokohama on September 9.
Gifts from our friends for our return

third of the audience was non-Christian,

and 11 of these signed on their attendance cards that they were definitely interested in knowing more about Christ. Stephen

trip to Japan now total $1,306.10 as of this writing (June 25). The remainder of the
funds for this purpose will need to be on hand by August 1. We had to borrow $93-90 from our regular funds in order to complete the payment of our ship fares by the dead
line, We have confidence that the total

there are doing well in managing a home

and school for unfortunate children and are

worthy of adequate support. I enjoyed the Kiamichi Clinic very much,

lijima, who translated the sermon, is doing

follow-up work on these prospects send

especially the wonderful singing and rousing preaching. By the time I reached home again, however, i was ready for a good rest. I am deeply grateful to the brethren of the Scottsville church for their great kind ness in taking me along on the trip, for it was an experience I shall never forget. Our trip to Chicago to procure our visa to Japan began on Thursday, June 3. While
in the area, we visited the brethren of the Hobart, Merrillville, and Highland churches in Indiana the latter has helped to support us for many years. While enjoying the kind hospitality of the Stewart Rodgers, we
showed our slides to some of the brethren

ing each one a personal letter and copy of his monthly magazine. Following these meetings in Tokyo,
our whole family joined most of our mis

amount needed for the trip will be on hand

sionaries in Japan (a total of 64 people) for a get-together at a Japanese hotel near the Harold Cole's place of work.
Our final trip to visit my parents in North Carolina before our return to Japan

by the time it is needed. We estimate the trip will cost $2,500. Your help in pro viding the remainder of the funds needed
for our return to our work in Tokyo will be appreciated.
This will be the last time we will have

opportunity to address you in the Tokyo

Christian before we reach Japan. We have

began on Wednesday, June 9. On the follow ing day we stopped at Powell, Tennessee
for a few hours' visit with Mr. and Mrs.

of Hobart. The following night was spent

with the Matthew Ikedas of Merrillville and we showed our slides at the church there.

Matthew is my son in the Gospel and came to America with me in 1951. It was good to eat Japanese food and converse with him again in Japanese. One class of the

A. E. Sims, Harold's parents. Then we crossed the Smokies to my parents' home. On the following Sunday all of my parents' children from near and far gathered at the oldhomeplace for a reunion and a delicious barbecue dinner. There were over 40 of us, including my parents, their children, and their grandchildren. It was an enjoyable
and memorable event.

spent a wonderful year in our homeland. You good friends have made our stay here a joyous experience for each of us through your warm hospitality wherever we went. In many ways you have shown your love to us and your interest in the cause of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now we bid you farewell
from this part of the world and in our next

writing for this paper we hope to greet you

from the East.

Our final request is this: pray that many of the Japanese people may turn to

Merrillville
support us.

church has decided to help

We were happy to spend the day on June 6 with the Highland church. This was
the first opportunity we had had to visit them during this furlough. We have some
wonderful backers in our work for Christ

in Japan.

We end this furlough with mixed emo tions. We are tempted to heave a sigh of relief, for it has not been easy to travel so much. But overshadowing that is our gratitude toward the many friends who have treated us so kindly and who have encour aged us along the way. Andrew Patton

God; pray for your missionaries', pray that large numbers of missionary recruits may be enlisted in the cause ofpreaching Christ to the Japanese. And please do not forget to pray that God's people in America may be challenged to a greater effort in bringing
Christ to a hopeless world.
Andrew Patton

DID YOU KNOW

(continued from page 1)

serve more meaningfully.' The Reformed

A VIS/T TO RELIGIOUS NEIGHBORS

by Harold Sims
(Continued from April Tokyo Christian)
Nobody was at home at the next temple, so we briefly savored the strong impression of clean liness, age and serenity. The sign said that it also belonged to the Soto section of the Zen faith.
'llien we turned the comer and went into what

Church published a pamphlet in 1960 dealing with the same theme. 'There is not, and we
repeat the not for emphasis, there is not one task of any kind being performed by missionaries in Japan today that a trained
Japanese cannot do. . .The character and

founded by a woman who received various reve lations about 130 years ago. God is spoken of as heavenly parent, and a formal prayer is repeated numerous times imploring that evil be cleansed
from the heart.

level of the education and ability found in

the church and among its leaders is of such a nature that every type of task can be

undertaken and well handled by a Japanese with suitable training.' Hepburn was not only a hardy pioneer missionary; he was
sometimes prophetic. He believed Chris

looked like an ordinary Japanese house, except All of the above mentioned places were within for the large, wooden sign announcing that this a mile of where we started. Then we got in a car was the Nakano "church" of Konko4cyo "money- and went to the headquarters of the two largest light religion." This is one of the Shinto-oriented "new religions."

tianity would develop soon so that no mis sionaries except seminary teachers would be needed. It has been said that the place of the missionary is to do vdiat the national cannot do. If this is true, then there may be good reason why others should join the German missionary who sees no need to
return. . . Cultural differences and the

religions (about 100 years old) which believes in one great god the creator and rejects some of the superstitions and many gods of traditional Shinto-

ism. Again we were given a friendly welcome by a lady who was a sincere believer, diough not the leader. She answered all of our questions. Except for not meeting every Sunday, they have youth meetings and other activities something like the program of a local church. While we were there, a lady with a baby on her back came in and spent a short time in devout worship before the god shelf
and scrolls which had been fixed in one side of the

The first stop was at Rissbo Kosei Kai (lit erally: standing, justice, fellowship, success, association) and we were given a tour of their new eight-story building which cost more than ten million dollars. The emphasis of this group is on solving personal problems by discussion groups. They also worship the Buddha and repeat the
formula "Adoration to the Lotus Sutra." The

language are set forth as formidable barriers

to the transplant of a foreign church to Japan. . .Every missionary had some pre conceived ideas of what a missionary service would be like. . .Dr. George Hays at a con ference dealing with this problem said: 'Almost without exception the actual sit uation in which the missionary finds him self clashes with the image which he holds of what he ought to be.' Eighty percent of
the Japanese (who responded to a ques tionnaire) endorse the idea that the foreign missionary is a 'useful symbol of the ecu
menical church.'. . .The structure of social

room. Then she put a small offering in the box and left quietly. Next we visited the old temple from which
this section of town takes its name Arai Yakushi.

This temple has been here for 300 years or more and belongs to the Shingon (True Word) sect of Buddhism. The main object of worship is a small, ancient image of Buddha-Tathagata, said to have power particularly to heal sickness and especially

building, erected by nine years of sacrifical giving of the two million members, is made for this purpose. There are four floors of carpeted areas divided into geographical sections for the discussion groups to use daily from 9:00-9:30. As we went through the building, there were several thousand people sitting in groups of 10 or so talking earnestly. One feature of the building

patterns in Japan does not make it easy to sustain a conservative theology. We are

not told of the theology of Alexander the

~^coppersmiQi; but Paul does say, 'He has

proudly pointed out to us was the'^wall plugs for connecting the vaccum cleaner hoses. Cleaning the building a job assigned to a separate district group each day . is almost a part of the worship. Finally we went to the headquarters of the of the eyes. The establishment came after the breakup of one of the large feudal families in Soka-gakkai (value, creation society), which has become the most well-known of ^1 the new another perfecture, allegedly as a result of neg lecting diis image which was kept by part of the religions. Their headquarters building is just a family who "parted the grass" (pioneered) in this large, well-equipped office building. The center area. The daughter of one of the rulers of the of worship is up near Mt. Fuji, and the object of Tokugawaperi<d was reportedto have been healed worship is a writing of St. Nichiren (13di century) by a visit to this temple, so the gifts they gave showing that the Lotus Sutra is the only true
doctrine.

greatly

withstood our words.' Now just

imagine that in a meeting of Japanese pastors Paul had arisen and said, 'Alexander the coppersmith has greatly withstood our words.' After the meeting the pastor who felt kindly disposed toward Paul would have said to him quietly: Brother Paul, we appreciate the great ministry God has given you but you must understand that in Japan we do not name names in a derogatory
foshion.

in appreciation put it on a sound basis econo mically. The worship days here are-die 8th, 18th and 28th of every month; but some people come everyday, and the influence of its teachings and traditions in the community is a powerful force.

We walked across the temple grounds to the

North Nakano shrine. We were received by a man who seemed to be a kind of business manager but didn't claim to be a priest. He told us the main income and activity was from the large wedding hall, and they were busy preparing for a

After a long delay, two of the officials came to talk with us. Their braggadocia about fabulous growdi rates, taking on offerings, never having any problems with felse doctrine or morals, etc. was quite disgusting to us; but it is typical of the spirit and essence of this movement. This laymen's organization has nothing but scorn for

all other religions groups, and noting but organ

'. . .Most evangelical missionaries are

here in Japan because God led us here.

Further, there is a task for us to do. But some may need to rethink their role and

wedding that day. It was very hard to get clear information from him on the number of ^lievers (no records are kept, and everyone is counted a believer whether he acknowledges it or not), the
doctrine, etc. There seem to be three different shrines or gods in the compound, with festivals for each one every year. But there are practically

ization and showmanship for religious doctrine. Iheir claim to be growing at the rate of 100,000 families a month is the inspiration that keeps thiem going. The leaders we talked to were chain smokers and gave every indication of nervous energy and extreme tension. The danger to democracy and even peace in Asia if this movement, which recently formed a political party in Japan, (and similar militant Buddhist groups in Viet-nam and other, countries) come to power is obvious, but I don't f^el any danger religiously speaking. It proved to be an interesting and enlightening day. We lost no faith in God or devotion to Christ by going out to become acquainted with our religious neighbors and treating them with res pect and kindness. We gained much information and understanding of the people among whom Christ has sent us to preach the Word.

their relationship to the Japanese church.

The great commission has not been re
scinded. Acts 1:8 is still a valid reason for a Christian church to witness near at

no daily worshippers, and practically no income

from believers. From there we went to the local branch of

hand and also in the regions beyond. Saeki's

article too concludes on a similar note

(although I believe there are some things v\^ich Saeki has missed). He says: 'In the church in Japan today, missionaries are needed not becouse there are no Japanese
ministers, but because we need Christians

Tenri-kyo "the religion of heavenly reason." The lady pastor gave us a nice little talk on the importance and beauty of all religions cooperating and being kind to each other. They have a service every morning at dawn with an attendance of 10 or more. The building was rather large, but she didn't show us the details. This religion was
RETURN POSTAGE GUARANTEED

with different gifts, including differences of tradition, nationality and mantality, in order that the church in Japan may partake
in the immeasurable riches of Christ hidden in the church in the world.' The Reformed

BOX 068. JOUIET. lULINOIS 60434

report reaches a similar conclusion: 'Why does the church in Japan call for more mis
sionaries? The clear answer is that there

is so much missionary work to be done that all the resources and manpower of both the church in Japan and the church abroad cannot fully meet the need today. This be ing true, it is not a question of how many missionaries should be sent to Japan, but how many with a sense of call can be found and sent in answer to the church's plea,'*

TK
MR&c

FEB#
JAMES

65
TAYLOR

RAMSEY,
ILLINOIS

Christian
'Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature"
Volume 64

Mark 16:15
Number 3

November 1965

NEW PREACHER AT KAMIOCHIAl

Mr. and Mrs. Sato came from a ten-and-

motosu ChRistun Camp -1965

a-half-year

ministry

on

the

Island of

Tsushima to the church here at Kamiochiai

the first Sunday in June to be the preacher. We expect Mr. Sato, a man of 50 and of varied experience, to be an asset to the preachers in the Tokyo area. Since there has been an acute shortage of preachers here in the Tokyo area for so many years, the coming of Mr. Sato should prove to be a real blessing.
However, this will leave the Christians on the Island without a preacher. So I ask you to pray that God will lead someone else to go to the Island of Tsushima, that a great harvest of souls will be brought into the kingdom through the seed that has already been sown. Also, please pray with us that God

will greatly strengthen and further establish

the young Christians here at Kamiochiai through Mr. and Mrs. Sato. Pray for us that

Some of the Middle

School Week Campers

We loaned her an umbrella for getting home, so she had to come back the next Sunday to return it. We hope she continues. I will justwrite down a few one-sentence memories of the camp in an attempt to reflect a little of the enjoyment we had in a minimum of space. We enjoyed

God will lead us in the establishing of

another church.

A total of 114 different people attended our camp this summer during the two-week period from August 9-21. This is the ninth
successive summer in which we have

Stanley Buttray

rented the camp ground on the shores of beautiful deep blue Lake Motosu in the foothills of Mt. Fuji owned by the noninstrument churches of Christ. We always have our camp in August after their programs are completed. Through these years the Motosu camp has built a secure place for
itself in the hearts and interests of an

Seeing the full moon rise majestically

to the left of Mt. Fuji and cast its gleam
on the still lake water.

increasing number of the Japanese. We are very thankful for the cooperation and support received. Eight Japanese preachers helped on the faculty, and young people from seven of the churches were

Bible dramas by the lake in twilight calling the four fisherman, etc. Asking for green beans at a country

grocery store, and joining the lady in picking them in the patch across the road. Seeing and feeling the early morning
mist and the sun rising like a big, ripe
orange.

present. A rather off-hand investigation

this summer revealed that seven of the

Two of our young people suddenly in

trouble in deep water, being rescued by a U.S. sailor friend visiting us there. Teaching choruses in English. Playing the accordion.

people who attended had been baptized at the camp in past years, and at least six others told me they had been influenced
toward their decisions to become Christians

The new preacher, Mr. Sato, and his

wife with Mr. Buttray in front
A BUDDHIST PRIEST SOLICITS FUNDS One day early in March while most of the family were sick in bed with the flu and I was washing the dinner dishes, our doorbell rang. I was surprised to find standing in the entrance way a Buddhist priest in ceremonial robes, with his hands

by attendance at earlier camps. Of the total attending this year 47 (not counting small children) were non-Christians. That time and place apart from the city's many distractions gave us a wonder ful opportunity for evangelism. There were two confessions of faith around the camp* fire on the closing night a high school boy

(Continued on page 3)

of the

Kamiochiai church.

and girl. The girl (from Nakano) was bap tized in the lake the next morning, but the boy chose to wait until returning to his
home church on Sunday. We feel there will be other results coming later on. For

J;. - ^.*/

(Continued on page i)

instance, at 1:30 p.m., Sunday, August 22, our doorbell rang. When I answered it, there stood one of the ninth-grade girls who had been invited to camp by a firend and had her first contact with Christianity there. She lived just about a mile from our church, and said that during camp she decided she would begin going to church. She had been walking around looking for our church since 10:30 that morning in a downpour of rain.

Hiking around Lake Molosu. Fujiyama in Background.

ONE OF THE TOKYO CHRISTIANS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Tokyo Christian
Vol. 64 November 1965 No. 3

jw

marry them because both were non-Christians.) Anyway they went to the local Shinto shrine and were married on Friday
the

Published four times a year in January, April, July and November for
the missionaries of the Church of

Christ Cunningham Mission, Tokyo, Japan by Mission Services, 509 W. Jefferson, Joliet, Illinois. Second class postage paid at Joliet, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Bulttay, 575 2-Chome, Kamiochiai, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Forwarding Agent: Mrs. Homer Anderson, 622 Cullum Street, Meadville, Pa. 16335. Mr, and Mrs. Andrew Patton, 27 Sakurayama Machi, Nakano ku, Tokyo Japan. Forwarding Agent! Mr. and Mrs. G, Wade Fletcher, 621 E. 10th St.,
Rushville, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Sims, 1-52 Aral Machi, Nakano ku, Tokyo, Japan.

'

After they had been married a while her husband suggested that she go to church ^i^d she did occasionally until the children

started coming along. The first child (a girl) was born on April 7, 1954. Then about two years later she was very shocked and disappointed to lose twin boys who were
born prematurely because
The who were

Nakano

the

her a

The Kumakura Family

Mrs. Sueko Kumakura was born seventh of eight children in a farming family in the village of Bingo in Hiroshima prefecture. That section of the country is famous for its fine straw which is used for making the

she began to more regularly after that time. Also her oldest child was in the same kindergarten
they became close friends.

class with the Kikuchi's oldest boy, so

But she was very hesitant to become a Christian. Her grandmother had spent much time with her during her formative years. and had brought her up in the Buddhist faith. She could not get that early ingrained

Forwarding Agent: First Church of Christ, Orange at Center St., Eustis,

Fla. 32726.

Two-year subscription

$ .50

Subscription and Flaming Torch

$1.00

SUMMER CAMP
Mabel, David and i helped in the first summer camp of the season at Karuizawa. It was a camp for the Saint Pauls Rikyo University English-Speaking Society. It was a four-day camp, beginning July 2. Of the 26 students that attended, half were girls. Two of the young men had attended the camp last year. However, none of them had yet become a Christian. Their purpose in coming to camp was twofoldto study English and the Bible. They received what they came for! This is evidenced by the following quotations taken from their own personal testimonies given the last night of the camp, and

Japanese tatami floor macs. She attended grade school there, and says she still remembers clearly how she enjoyed the scenery from the second-story window of the school building during her high school days. The picture was of farmers busily flooding and draining the largest salt beds in Japan beside the beautiful Inland Sea, dotted with hundreds of small islands and thousands of fishing boats.

respect for her grandmother's religion and worship of the ancestors out of her mind, Yet she was more and more impressed by the example she could see of the Christian home. Slowly she came to see that Christians still have due respect for their ancestors though they don't worship the dead,
And finally on August 5, 1962 she was baptized.

She graduated from high school during the war, and went to the city of Hiroshima

subject, but at that time all the men had gone to the war and women were expected to take their places. During her first year in the school, on

Junior College. This seems like a man s

to study chemistry at the Industrial Specif

of the blast) the atomic bomb exploded. Of course that changed everything. She re-

the morning of August 6, just as she was ready to leave the rooming house in Senda machi (about fourkilometers from the center

jj^^y sQ^e day become the church organist. The youngest is a restless and lively kindergartner. The husband who originally suggested she go to church never Disease (something wrong with the thymus hospitalized for 20 days
comes. Xhjs past August Mrs. Kumakura had a very serious operation for Basedow's

now in the fifth grade, is studying piano

church for several years. The oldest one,

Her two little girls (the second one was born in 1959) have been among the most faithful children atSunday School in Nakano

written just before they left on the last day. Miss Nakayama said: "It was a great
pleasure for me to take part in this Chris

ceivednopersonalmjury, but shared deeply

came to Tokyo to live with her sister and
, . If t J L 11

operation, but felt very good.

c r j j

,n the horror and confusion and suffering

tian camp during these summer holidays.

I could come to a firm belief in God and I

t j down j I- 1 she k After 'f-* things settled a little ,. . r J _ ,

"

_ to

made up my mind to be baptized. . Mr. Osato said: "I thank you very much for the chance to spend a few days in this place learning about Christianity. First of all I wish to say that as I studied about

work in an office. In due time she met Mr. -V 1 J .L^: : J Kumakura and their marriage was arranged.

from the iirst page or Genesis and read up

best her Christian life j chance j so far l in d-h cl j read and enjoy the Bible. She started
ur, 1 i Samuel. -j ^ Then i_ t she i i i i had remembered t ij t

that 1 said once that Samuel would be very

to r

Christianity in this place. I felt the touch

of God's Spirit and heard God's voice. When we were singing the hyms, I felt I was singing with God. From today I would like to believe in the love of God. Next year I
would like to come here and learn about

Nakano, and had visited the services several times during special evangelistic meetings. So he suggested that they might
have a Christian marriage ceremony. She dressed up one day and came to our house (this was shortly after we began services
in our home and before the Nakano church

just across the street from our house in

Mr. Kumakura lived in an apartment

exciting

but it was time for the operation. Of course after the operation she couldn't read for a while.
She said the Doctor remarked how relaxed she was at the time of the operation and also about her quick recovery. He said
she was the first of his many patients to

anxious to continue reading on through,

reading for anyone. She was

God as a Christian. I am expecting to see you again." Miss Hasagai said: "I wish to thank you for the invitation to come to this camp. I have enjoyed this caaq> very much and learned many things each day. From these teachings I could truly believe in God. My heart was purified, and a new joy and purpose entered my life. I now feel that I
can believe in God. Please teach me more

building was erected) to ask about having occasion, but she says we told her that we didn't have any church building, so there
were no suitable facilities. (I think that

laugh after that operation. She acknowl-

the wedding here. We can't remember the

edged that she was glad she was a Christhe prayers and concern of many friends in

tian at that time and could trust all to God's hands. Also she is most thankful for

was just an excuse we didn't want to

the church.

__ Harold Sims

because myfather is a member of the modern Buddhist society called Rissho Kosei Kai. He is very sincere in his belief and doesn't
want me to believe in God. But 1 want to open my heart before God. Therefore 1 have

Miss Koizumi said: "I was interested in Christianity, but have not been able to believe in God perfectly as Christians do.
I hoped to believe in God through this camp, but now it is the fourth day, and still 1

about Christianity and God, because these three or four day were not enough to under stand and comprehend it completely. Now I am very happy to return home with God and a pure heart, Thank you." Mr. Kawai said: "I am very happy to cake part in this Christian camp at Kar
uizawa. I am afraid to believe in God

a great problem. This camp has been good

for me and its memory will be in my heart all my life. I want to come here again next summer and study harder as I want to understand many things about Christianity. I

can't believe. I envy Christians. I feel

Christians are very happy because they believe in God and have something wonderful in their minds. I regret that 1 could not have been born in a Christian family. If I

would like to say, many thanks."

{Continued on page 3)

MOTOSU CHRISTIAN CAMP

Morning chapel under the spreading
forest trees.

1965 (continued from poge 1)

Swimming in the clear, cold water, and diving off the raft also tipping the raft and sliding 10 people suddenly into
the water.

Witnessing to die family that owned the local general store in connection with
the death of the father.

A hot-dog barbecue.

Singing a special in the impromptu

program 'Sound of Music."

Jonnie fishing with a straw hat and

bamboo pole.

So many people commented that the Lord's day up there was a particularly full and wonderful one. We got up at 5;30 (no electricity there except a small gasoline generator, so we go to bed early.) Lake
side devotions from 6:00 to 7:00 were

followed by breakfast. We then had Bible study for tfiree

different age groups followed by die morning worship, preaching and communion. Also
there was time for a refreshing swim before

lunch. A large group took a leisurely hike up the mountain in back of the camp during the afternoon, walking through a tunnel of
SUMMER CAMP

Morning Chapel
tall, virgin forest trees until we broke out into the magnificent view from the top.
We had one of the finest hours I have

(continued from page 2)

had been, I would have believed in God by now. One strong impression received from this camp is that I should go to church. This was my first time to go to church, and hearing and seeing Christians pray 1 was deeply moved, as I felt that they truly believed in God. If all the people in
the world would become Christians the

ever experienced' of singing everybody's choice hymns just before the evening wor

ship. That was August 15. A wonderful way to commemorate the twentieth anniver sary of the end of the war between the United States and Japan.
Harold Sims

PATTONS' ARRIVAL IN JAPAN

It is good to be back home after being
absent neatly a year and three months! The warm greetings of our neighbors and the members of the Sakurayama church saying. we round out some things were a bit different from the way they were a year

ago. In fact, our friends let us know we

were different too! They still observe to

"Shibaraku desu ne" (It has been a long

time, hasn't it), certainly made us feel like we had finally gotten back home. The ocean voyage to Yokohama was very enjoyable. The children's stewardess had a fine program of entertainment planned for them and they enjoyed it immensely.

our faces that Betty and I both got fat in

America! Then too, I found that speaking

world would be filled with peace, because all the Christians I know are very good people. My mind is so impressed with Christianity that I cannot express my heart. It has been a very pleasant four days, and

I want to thank you for your kindness."

These testimonies are more or less

The rest during the voyage for Betty and me

was very welcome and needed. We had spent several days in preparing our freight for shipment before we departed from San
Francisco and we were exhausted. We have

typical of the other campers, but space doesn't permit their printing. Last year the same camp was very cold and argumen tative. But this year it was a thrill to
answer their constructive questions and to

in Japanese was not done so easily and freely after speaking and hearing nothing but English for a year. I have already resumed my ministry in Japanese to the Sakurayama Church, however. This is serving as an Intensified review in the language. Though the city of Tokyo has undergone tremendous changes in our absence, the neighborhood In which we
live and work remainspractically unchanged. The major exception Is the construction of a modern bank building a branch office
of the Mitsubishi Bank. This has made it

had hardly a moment's relaxation since we

see and feel the response of not Just a few but everyone. God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit were there and worked in a marvelous way, to whom belong all the glory and praise. As God has begun a work of grace in
the lives of these students, PRAY with us that it will continue as they return to Tokyo until the desire of God's heart be fulfilled that everyone be saved. Pray
Now!

arrived
settled
little.

in

Tokyo.

Maybe

after we get

down we will be able to relax a

We had not been in Tokyo long until

Sims:

Well I am not here to advance Bud

dhism.

much easier for us to do our banking. As usual, many little things happened to us when we first arrived that might have discouraged us If we had not been in Japan for several years. It was raining
when we disembarked at Yokohama and

Priest:
Sims:

But religions are all the same.

Aren't Christ and Buddha the same?

No, there Is a lot of difference. For

Stanley Buttray
A BUDDHIST PRIEST

example, in the Bible we are taught

10 commandements. The second

SOLICITS FUNDS

one says, "You shall not make any graven image." Priest: What's wrong with images? When
people see something beautiful their
heart s become beautiful.

the rains continued for nine days. The sun hardly shone at all during that time. Our baggage had to be unloaded and un packed in the rain and as a result I caught an awful cold. Sharon and Philip both had
an attack of bronchitis and have been out

(continued from page 1}

folded and mumbling a prayer. He handed me a typewritten letter which gave the information that he was raising about $4,500
so he could carve a statue of Buddha that

Not always. Sometimes they think that and only that is God. Priest: Well then Christianity is completely
wrong.

Sims:

of school several days. Next we found that one box of our freight was crushed on arrival and the contents were badly damaged. These little, irritating things remind Betty of her first week in Japan in 1953. There were typhoons and earthquakes; she got

would surely become a national treasure

and contribute to world peace. The following conversation (in Japa nese, of course) ensued: Sims: I think, sir, that we can't contribute
to this fund.

Sims:

You just now said It was the same

as Buddhism.

lost; and she gashed her face trying to

open a box.

Priest: No, it is wrong in that point.

We
when
tuition

were not a little shocked, also,

we found that the children's basic
at the Air Force schools had been

Sims:

Well, if you expect to get any contri bution for your statue here, youhave
a useless task.

Priest: Why not? It will be for beauty and

art.

Priest: Thank you, good-by.

Harold Sims

raised from SI.75 a school day per child to $2.30 a day. We have been told by
school authorities in America that this is

about what it costs to educate a

child in

Stateside schools; but it certainly is not cheap. We still are in need of livinglink

support for our four children at $600 a year

each to help defray these rising school expenses. Anyone who can help in this mission project should contact us about it. These little annoying things which we have mentioned, however, were as nothing compared to the encouraging things we saw at the Sakurayama church on the first Sunday we were there. As an example, the

young man I baptized just before leaving for furlou^ had grown Into a fine young leader and he presided at the morning worship service. Then a lady who was a
friend of another member of the church was

baptized,

having been led to church by

that friend. It was fitting that brother Paul Pratt who has led In the work atSakurayama in our absence should baptize her. We were

encouraged to see these and other signs of

progress at the church. The church at Sakurayama gave us a welcome meeting on September 19* Members of other churches also were present. We were happy to see the faces of the faithful young Christians with whom we were

our ministry to the Sakurayama Church, strengthening the Christians and winning others to the Lord. We plan to teach about number during our absence. On September 23 the "Camp Echo one day a week at the YMCA In order to Meeting" was held at the Sakurayama Church. gain contact with a large number of young The purpose of this meeting was to help people for Christ. Beginning in October, I to perpetuate the Interest In our summer will serve as chaplain for the students camp program among the youth from all of taking the morning courses, bringing the the churches who participated In the camp chapel messages every Monday morning. this year. The program was interesting and On Monday afternoons 1 will conduct a Bible study class and on Monday evenings the attendance was fairly good. Besides my responsibility of preaching I will teach three classes In English. in Japanese at the Sunday morning worship As we have time and opportunity we" service at Sakurayama, I have resumed my plan to start other churches and convert Sunday evening Bible class and am respon sinners in other areas of Tokyo through sible for conducting the mid-week service. the cooperation of the members of the Interest and attendance at the BIbl6 class Sakurayama church. are increasing. Generally non-believers who Again, we want to thank our brethren in are interested in English attend the class, America for making our year's stay in but it Is a good opportunity to preach the America so enjoyable. We are not launching gospel to them. In the mid-week service out again on a fiveyear term of service for we spend about half of the time In a Christ among the Japanese. Your continued study of the prophecy of Hosea with a prayers, support, and interest are great essentials to the progress of that work. period of prayer following. ^ U Andrew Pattern Our plans for the future are always subject to the approval and guidance of the Lord. But we hope to emphasize the following areas of work. We hope to continue
new ones that have been added to their

working before our furlough, as well as the

EXCERPTS FROM SOME LETTERS THAT ENCOURAGE US

"After dicussing your letter in a youth meeting, the group decided to try to collect the 150 for you to use in purchasing a slide projector. For the project, the group made a large poster showing just the outline of a projector. The entire area inside this
outline was filled with gummed tape, and whenever the young people had offering

"We are mosthappy to Inform you at this time that you were chosen as our livinglink at our last Mission's Committee meeting. The elders had recommended that you be accepted upon recommendation by the committee. At the regular board meeting in July it was voted unanimously that we
support you by regular checks in the amount

of $100. The church has been looking for

ward to the time when we would have a

livinglink program and knowing your background and the love you have for the Lord and His people we are glad to be able to share with you In preaching the Gospel."
First Christian Church

Napa, California
Harold Sims

money that they wanted to contribute to this project they stuck It directly to the gummer surface on the poster." "We are delighted to let you know
that when the entire projector area was filled, a final count showed that the group had succceded in reaching Its goal. A
check for $50 has been sent to the church

in Eustis, Florida, anddesignated as funds for the purchase of a projector."

"Our youth group has done real well In Its missionary program and we plan to continue it. The project to collect the money for the projector has been its biggest undertaking, and we were all thrilled with
its success."

Junior High Youth Group

White Oak Christian Church

Cincinnati, Ohio

"My dear.Harold was called home early last Sunday morning. My heart is too full to write very much, but I do want to let you know. As you know he was ailing even
while we were in Japan . . . far better; but I do miss him and I feel so lonely." .
"The funeral service was a wonderful tribute to Harold. The church was crowded

Stanley BuUray singing with some of the young people of the Kamiochiai church.
These are the future leaders of the church. Pray for them!
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. . The tributes paid by the various speakers made me very proud to have been his wife. They spoke of missions conducted by him, his song leading in conference gatherings and of his various ministries. He chose the hymns and the Scripture readings for the service a few weeks before he died . . . Right up to the night before his passing he prayed for you all as well
as for all the other dear folks we were

BOX S, JOLIET, ILLINOIS 90434

TK
MRk..

FE&m
JAMES

65
TAYLOR

privileged to have fellowship with In Japan."

Nell Robbins

RAMSEY,
ILLINOIS

Brighton, Victoria
Australia