Seedtime and Harvest

APRIL 1959 VOL. 7

NO. 2

Property of

^ARK HIBLE COLLEQJc

Joplm, Md.

LiBRAliY

,..?. - - a-

1 '#1 j

". . . there is none other God but one . . .

howbeit there is not in every man that know ledge:" - 1 Cor. 8:4,7. How will they know?

ixrit^ <s^s and c^^ayusxiits cJ4ue.in

IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS

ESTABLISHING SELF-SUPPORTING. SELF-

PROPOGATING NEW TESTAMENT CHURCHES

VERY RELIGIOUS
Several years ago, a bo(ty of religious leaders returned from a. tour of the stu(fy of Oriental Religions and gave their august opinion of their observations. They announced that all of the religions considered were ethical religions and worthy of the support of their followers. They also advisedthat the Christian Church (Christian Religionists) had no right or authority to attempt to force the Christian faith iqpon those people.
Such a report seems almost inconceivable, yet, when the facts of liberalism, modernism and the social gospel are known and compared, such a report and belief should make the true child of God rise up in righteous indignation. As though such misconceptions of God's Word were not enough, another element has either grown out of, or been added to, suchthinking. This further misconc^tion is the inclusion of heathen worship practices within the framework of the Church whereby bq>tized converts,so called, are allowed to continue in their sin of idolatry; this being permitted not only by native leaders but by missionaries as well. Whether a teacher of God actually condones such un-Christian con cepts and practices or simply allows their continuation,not only places

his own calling in question, but presets to the peoplea deceptive and
erroneous form of Christianity that does not save them from their sins. Such a program can only be based upon ignorance of non-Christian re ligions and their development, or it is based upon personal desires that overlook the facts of these religions and the truths of God's Word.

Because the two elements of liberalism and compromise are quite evident in the work of the so-called "Christian Church" of the Ryul^ Islands, it is necessary to present a sketch of the non-Christian reli gions as expressed by the people of the Hyukyu Islands. It will be but a simple matter to then compare the heathen religious practices with the Word of God in order to ascertain the proper Scriptural position in re
lation to God and man's need..

Dr. Alexander Grigolia's simple definition of r^gi<m states that it

is a belief in the supernatural and the ejqiressioa of that belief.^ This

implies thattheremust be,then, various forms or co^nceptsof thesupernatural, various objects eiqpressing the supernatural,and various forms of human expression according to the peculiar environment and traits

ofthe people.^ There are subjective experiences in religion^thoughts,

feelings, and actionsbut there is more involved. Dr. Robert Hume in

his book, "The World's living Religions", throws more light on this
matter by saying that, "what constitutes a person's religion is his be lief in some God, or gods, and his e3q>erienGe of that God, or gods. What differentiates one particular religion from another is the kind of diety in which its adherents believe and the kind of human eiqperience

which appropriately follows firom that belief."^ With this in mind, we

may now proceed to examine some of the more common beliefs of the
Ryukyuan people.

Mr. Clarence J. Glacken, writing his studies on Okinawanvills^e life in the book, "The Great Loochoo", observes, "The studyof religious ideas in Okinawa (and all the Ryukyu Islands as well) quickly involves one in a

quagmire of beliefs, formal observances, and conventions, of such vari

ous origins and so often grafted on one another that it is almost impossi ble to disentangle them. There is a v^eness among the people, a lack of distinction among various types of beliefs, and this makes any an^ysis uncertain and subject to error. This appraisal not only incttcates the
difficulties involved in the isolation of specific beliefs, but it .also c^ls for a knowledge of the primitive forms of religion in order to attempt to

comprehend the living religions of the world today. Since at least, three ofthese living religions are prevalent to some extent in the Islwds today, it is necessary to consider their primitive backgrounds, and other primi- .
tive forms of religion also present today.
- >

Okinawa has a feminine religious tradition wherein women appear iia

the creation myth as the practitioners. Accordingly, the priestess system of religious practices held great sway with the people until the recent past. Althoughthe great power andinfluence of the priestesses is not felt today,

they still function in some capacities. Consequently., today the women of the Byul^rusremain the chief repositories of religious knowledge and .be lief. Althoughthere is a distinct cleavage in the beliefs and knowledge at
aroxmd the age of fifty-five,the younger women, almost without exception,

follow along with the appropriate ceremonies and practices ^ handed down from the ancesters.The men's beliefs are far less serious than the women^ but they are careful to abide by traditions. One of the problems arising
from this feminine religious tradition today is the danger of the Christian

teachings being so readily accepted by women in any given locale that Chris tianity, too, is considered a "women's-religion" and the ChurchIpokedup o n as a "Women*s Church". Needless to say, this makes the conversion of men very slow and difficult. Men who consider themselves way above wo men in all other aspects of life are not willing to acc^t wonien as their advisors in the new religion of Christianity. This fact alone would, show the necessity of evangelism among the men, whereby a truly indigenous CbBTch can spring forth under the leadership of Spirit-filled m^ of God
t6 the glory of Christ and His kingdom.

(To be continued. Next issue: ^ecific Religious Beliefs.)

This paper is published by the 20tb of every other month in the

interest of Mel andMarguerite Huckins, mission9rjies to t)ie|iyT|^

. ^

ukyu Islands. All communications^iare to be sent to Mr. &Mrs.j

Uoyd Sapp, 1625 So. 8th St., Council Bluffs, Iowa.
SECOND CLASS MAIL PRIVILEGES AUTHORIZED

AT COUNCIL BLUFFS. IOWA

the field of labor

The Ryukyu Islands form the boundry between the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. This nearness of the Island chain to the great Oriental civilizations of China and Japan was the most important factor in their de velopment until the World War n in 1945 openedthem to American contact. Fukien, the coastal province of central China, was the chief point of Ryuiq^u cultural contact with that country in historical times. The island of Kyushu in southern Japan has had a similar role in the transmission of Japanese cultureto this southwesterly string of islands. Besides these contacts, the convenient location of the port of Naha in Okinawa placed the island among the ports of call in trade routes from Korea to Siam and Malaya, all of whichaddedtheirparticular influences to the cultural growthofthe islands.

Following the capture of the Ryukyu Islands and the defeat of Japan in 1945,the government of the islands wentthroughseveral successive stages of development until today they have a democratic government. This govemmentisadvisedby aUnited States Civil Administration since the United States acts in the opacity of custodian. The strategic location of the is lands places them as a key in the Free World defense line reaching from the Aleution Islands to Malaya;hence,the Ryukyu-American relationship.

Of the one hundred five islands, only about thirty of them are consid
ered important. The total population of all the inhabited islands is estima

ted at about one million people. The greatest per cent of the population lives on Okinawa and the northern Amami group of islands. This leaves more than one hxmdred twenty-five thousand people scattered throughout the outer Okinawan islands and the two southern groups of islands. It is among the people of these latter islands that we plan to labor. The people of these scattered islands have had a unique cultural and
religious growth, but this combined development has been without Chris tian Influence and teaching. Their religious status has been influenced greatly by beliefs and prac tices ranging from the most primitive to those of modern day living religions. Asa result, the people are so

steeped in heathendom and

from the miry clay and set them free. In no other name can they know salvation, but how can they hear without a teacher and how can a tea cher go unless he is sent?

NEWS
Dear Sir:

from IE 5HIMA

(Excerpts from Noburo Izena's letter)

I am very happy as 1 am about to answer your letter, as one who has embraced the religion of the true God. It is hard to locate the le Shima by world chart, bid you wrote to me words of comfort and cheer. I believe the experiences of the Lord brii^ life. The first thing wbiich I want to let you know is I am very happy. You can see on the Sermon on the Mount, "Themanis happywho livesin needy circumstances, "'I can feel actually the true meaning of the Sermon on the
Mount.

Last April 10, (1958) my wife, Fumiko, ascend to heavenby the bicycle accident on the way to the school where the first grade pupils were. Now my father, 74 years old, is writingthis l^ter for me. My mother is well and enjoying to take care of four grandsons.
Next, I want to tall you that the Church of le Shima is expanded much. Christians are about one hundred now. We had wonderful Christmas this year. Choir sang the hymns in all vill^es between eight o'clock and midnight Christmas evening for the purpose of blessing the birth of Jesus..,Now my kinderj^arten has 300 pupils and ten teachers Including myself.
If we can't meet each other again in this world, we will meet each oth

er in heaven. I am waiting for your answer when you receive this letter. I am planning to send you a letter from the brothers and sisters who are Christian from seed sown by you. At the end of this letter I will pray to God for you and your family. Please give my best regards to your friends.
Your friend,
Noburo Izena

(Above letter translatedby Okinawan English student.)

(Flailing soybean in the century's old

manner.)

Doesthe congregationof whichyouare a part havean evangelist abroad besides your local evangelist or minister? If not, you can have! So many
Christians thinkthat it costs too muchto have a living-link, or others feel

SLU Evangelist khroad

the obligationsto their localbuilding plans and projects are tooimportant

to consider sending outside help. Do you realize that one congregation

providingonly $25,00 perwedc willbring the fellowship of a foreign evan gelist and his work into the congregation? Of, that foursmaller congre gationsproviding $25,00 monthly canenjoy the same personalcontactwith the eviEuigelist abroad? That the congregationthat sacrifices for the sake oftheGospdlin anunevangelizedarea is the congr^ationthat grows spir
itually at home?

tt is a recognized fact that people usually find a way to buy what they
want. Even so, a congrRation usually can provide for any campaign or

need that they c^ see or will personally share in the tangible results.

Money spent for evangelism abroad may not bring an immediate visable
result,but what is of more value, our personal gratification or the souls
of men?

We are ready to continue serving with you in the fields of theRyulqru Islands. Will you pray for us and accept us as your evangelist abroad? Twenty-five dollars monthly will supporta missionary child;twenty-five dollars per week, or-four places sharing twenty-five dollars per month,
will support an adult missionary.
ACTIVITY PROGRESS REPORT

Speaking engagements have taken us among old friends and made new
friends for us as we have traveled in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio during

the past weeks. A quicktrip was also made to western Iowa, where we
conferred with our secretary and spoke in CSouncil Bluffs, Waterloo, and
Omaha, Nebraska.

We are. grateful for the opportunities we have had to present the work in Lincoln, Raymond, Tower Hill, Donnavan, Williamsville, Potomac,

Decatur, i^ringfield, and Morton, Illinois. Li Indiana, we visited with

old friends at Mitchel, Marengo, Burlington, New Ross, and Jamestown and met new friends at Crown Point. Several days were spent in Ohio,

taking part in the Missions EmphasisWeek sponsored by the WorldMis

sions Volunteers of C. B. S. We were called back again to speak before the W.M. V. of the Seminary during the latter part of March.

We are ve^? grateful for the opportunity to meet with these groups, and thank each of you in whose homes we have enjoyed such fine hospi
tality and warm Christian fellowship.

Fumuof/
Questions are often raised concerning the use of the missionary dol
lar. These are fair questions and deserve, an honest answer,

Givingto the Direct Siqpport mission effort is based tq)onthe b^efthat

the entire amount should be used in actual missionary labor. It is recog

nized, of course, that a small per cent is needed for publicitycorres pondence, newsletters, and display material to ke^ interest among regu

lar givers and to create interest in new areas. A considerable amount of additional expense is involved in the missionary's very important and une>qpendable furlough.

Althoughthere is very little question as to the necessity of a mission ary traveling widelyto report on the Lord's work, yet the amount of travel and accompanying esqienses could be kqpt to a very minimum if all siq>porting coi^regations and individuals would continue their support while the missionary is on furlough. By so doing, the travel required to gain living and travel ejqjense would be cut downconsiderable and a far greater
amount of the offerings would go for direct work on the field. The more a

missionary has to travel in order to gain living support and the funds with
whichto return to the field, the more the e^qpenses add up and the longer
he must continue to travel.

As the missionary travels and speaks, people in every congregation

testify of being challenged to greater efforts in the Christian life, and to

the needs of the field. They say it is a wonderful work, and surely some

group will provide the necessary support. Brethren, why can*t that "some group" be you? The cost of travel would be greatly reduced if the ones who recognize the need andso testify to the missionary, would do
something about it!

What You Can Do

PRAYI PRAY! PRAYI

tobe responsibile for aportion of our regular monthly support. Deanne,

We rejoice in the Lord because He has laid itiqpon the hearts of some

our four year old daughter has been provided for by the graciousness of

Mr. &Mrs. A. O. TolUver and family, through thechurch at Donovan. Illinois. The Jet Cadet group of the church in Beaver City, Nebraska,

has designated their first Sunday offering to the work, and the church in Tower Hill, Illinois has accepted a designated gift of $5.00 per month. so, and we thank God for all of you. Itmakes us feel very humble to be r^resenting you good folk who trust inus to do .God's work.
There are others who have supportedus in thepastand arestill doing

0pakttt0
APRIL........
MAY..........

fiidiana
Illinois

jUjgjj

Iowa, Indiana &two camps

JULY,
AUGUST

Michigan, Illinois - three camps

Nebraska - one camp

We still have several dates open during the above months. Please cont^t us for speaking arrangements.
420 Williamette, Lincoln, Illinois

Seedtime and Harvest

Property of
VOL. 7
AUGUST 1959

NO. 3

I \

k /i'

I ^

'

"Then he said unto them,Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared:..." Nehemiah 8:10

tffU6.

and <^/\/(ax^U.xiie. cMw.Uii,

IN THE

EYUKYU ISLANDS

ESTABUISHiNG SELF-SUPPORTING, SELF-

PROPOGATING NEW TESTAMENT CHURCHES

^trg 'Rcligioas
SPECIFIC RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

Dr. Robert Hume has noted that "the disttngiilshlxig fimctloii of religion is to give to a human being the stqirme sattsfaotion of his life through the re lationship with what he reoognises as the Siq>erhnman Power,or powers, in the world. This is undoubtedly the desired fonotion of the myriads of reli

gious beliefs,yet every rdiglonoutside^Oirtsti^ty is^rtiolly inadequate to

supply man's desire. Furthermore!, nolon-Chrlskiuirdlgicmprovides real
or sufElcioit revelation of the one great "Fowor" or God. Even though the earliest form of religion was monotheism ^he worship of <me God), -mankind drifted away from that One God and in their difbision throughoutthe earth they
sank lower and lower in degradation and sin. The world-wide condition of

mankind is stated so clearly inRomans 1:211'.. .changing-the glory of God to suit their foolish tmd darkened hearts, men invoiced their own homocentric,

naturalistic concepts and practices in order to satlsfy^eir innate desirefor

worship and identification b^re the God whom th^ knew not."

In keq>ing with the universality of primitive belief, it is not surprising to

find the beginning of religious worship synonymous ^th the creation ofthe
first Ryulqruan people according to the Cfldnawacreation myth. The primitive beliefs, for the most part, are animistic in nature: animism being the most widespread practice or infiuoice in natural reli^ons of the world. With at least half of the Robe's populationbelieving in or practicing magic, divination,
sacrifice and ancester cultism,it only follows that the heart of the heathen is

gripped by fear. In his attempt to quiet his fearful heart, the pagan conceives of all nature, including humans, animals and plants, and the air,fire and wa ter to be animate. Dr. T. Stanley Soltau observes that, "in practically all non-Christian countries, whatever the so-called national religions may be, in the minds of all there is a sub-stratum of animism underlying every belief and religious concept. Accordingly, even though a man is a worshipper of Confucius
or Buddha, he is nearly always a worshipper of spirits of one kind or another with which he believes the unseen world is densely populated. While he has tablets or images of the well-known deities in his home, there will also be found somewhere about the place a bag of grain or a bundle of leaves, as the case may be, in which the spirit of his house or kitchen is siq>posedto reside. He will also firom time to time take part in. the worship of the spirit of the

house site, or the spring, or the village, or some nearby mountain stream:
and this belief and worship will in no way affect his adherenceto the deities of

the religion to which he makes his public profession. "6 with this belief in spiritual beings, souls, ghosts, demons and spirits exhibited openly by the people of the Byukyu Islands, it is mandatory that the message of Christ be
taken to the very d^ths of heathenism if they are to be redeemed from Mm

'that has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage^" (Hd>rews 2:14,15)
Among the legion of gods, beliefs and practices found in the islands there are three of the so-called "living Religions"Buddhism,Shintoism and Con fucianism. Of these three. Buddhism is perhaps the outstanding, yet it has failed to become an institutionalized religion in the Ryukyus. When asked

what their religious prefereace is, most people would answer "Buddhism." However, intheOrientit is almostcommonpracticeto be afoUower ofseveral beliefs; such as Buddhism, Confucianism and SUntoism, at the same time. The adherent frequents the temple, or shrine or religious observance ongiven occasions according to his need or desire of the moment. In fact, this "openmindedness"in regard to religion is practicedby many so-called"Christians'* who feel it quite all rightindeed, they have been so instructed thatit is all

right to worship at the tomb or ancestral god-shelf and still remain a f^thful
converts.

member of the Church.The missionary who teaches a"narrowTminded" Chris

tianity that excludes all gods but One, is. often hindered and opposed by such
In the b^inning of Buddhism, animistic practices werenot approved, but today theworship is deeplyInfluenced bythem.&i place ofthe organized reli gion,for the most part, the people have onlyborrowedsome symbols, customs,
andholidays from the Buddhist teaching. Theseborrowed elements have mere ly bei added to the peculiar customs, traditions and religious beliefs ofthe islands. Perhaps the most commonly accepted portion of Buddhism is that of the family altar or god-shelf which is always conspicuous in the home. This altar is the collecting place of family mementos and photogri4)hs: the center of family worship where food and prayers are offered, and charcoal sticks burned to the spirits of the deceased; the background for important family de cisions, ceremonies and handed-down beliefs. On the top of the stair-like al tar is the frame holding thename plates of the dead.The two parts of the frame bear characters meaning,"returning to the source" and "your spirit is in this

place." This lends evidence to ancient spirit beliefs which blind the minds of the people, causing them to believe in a reciprocal relationship with the dead the spirit of the dead are always present to bless or curse according to the
treatment rendered to them in worship by the family*

With the god-shelfholding suchgreat influence over the family,and affect ingtheir every act and decision, how can men who claim to beteachers of Ch
rist allow those whomth^ teach to be deceived into thinkingthey can worship Christ and the spirits ? OneBibleCollegeinstructor of nativeteachers believes that suchworship is only a custom and has nothingto do withfaith andsalvation. Hesays the giving up of such false worship is somethingthat each "Christian" can decide after he has grown in Christ. But how can a person be in Christ when he still has other gods before Him? If a man is thereby not in Christ,
neither can he be in God. No one can know the Father except through the Son.

The One God can only be revealed redemptively through those who have been redeemed through the bloodof Christ and have consecrated themselves to the task of winning lost souls accordingto God's way. All heathenism, which in cludes all beliefs in all gods, spirits and all imaginations of men, must be stq>planted with Christ. If any of the religious beliefs remain, the people are onlybeing whitewashed! They are covered with a voieer of light, but remain
dark and unchanged inside.

(to be continued)

VILLAGE

OF

THE

JOSHI

CHAPTER 1.

A House Set On A Hill

Little red clay hills continue to roll up out of the green valleys almost at
the footof Hokusan Mountain. Our hill was a tangle of sweet potato vines un til we cleared and leveled it and built our house on it in the spring of 1952.

Behind us, tall, dark green, rat-infested trees separate us from our nearest

neighbors. Below us on.oneside is the winding oldcastle road with thepolice

house in a bend of it, and on the other side are the mosquito-singing, frogcroaking rice paddies. Rice fields str^h out in front of us, too, stopping only at the very edge of the white coral road that crisscrosses the moimtain road and the path into the village proper. A narrow path runs ft-om our back yard down through the rice paddies and up the other side where a half-dozen
thatch roof houses hug another dirt-clay hillside. The early morning sun

coming up behinda ridge of black pines slants its first long rays across this terrace of grass roofs, but not before smoke has curled from under their
kitchen part to hang thick and fogUke in the still damp air.

As you can see, we live near the center of village lifenext to the police house, by the road to Hokusan Mountain and the Joshi (castle), by the rice fields, near the main and much traveled road of the island, only a fewyards
from the river and thQwashing place of the women, within sound of the village

gong,and within sight and sound of the sea. Our neighbors are close enough to peer through the bushes and in the windows and doors'.we are close enough
to them to know when a child is sick, or the father home from the south, or

the young ^nHhand drunk with sake. The neighbor child yells from his yard, "Deanne-chan imiakuyo" (Deanne is a rascal), and our child yells back firom her yard, "Deanneumakud^aiyo.Yoshibo umakuyo". (Deanneis not arascal. YosUbo is a rascal.) Oh, the joy and heartache and just plain, hard,hap py Ufe of a missionary in a native village of a foreign land. This account of
our life in Okinawa will be homely in mai^ ways, because I am a woman, and must tell it &om a woman's point of view, but perhaps for this very rea

son you will hear now and then the heartbeat of the people we live with and
love.

Before there was a house on ow hill, we went one day to stand there on

the bare, red-brown earth and try to imagine what our home would look like
and how it would seem to live at the foot of that great green wildness that is

the Hokusan Mountain qoimtry. We thought we were alone, but probably we

hadn't been the whole time, because suddenly almost out of nowhere appeared

two little girls, so thin their arms andl^s were sticks and their long, skinny necks didn't Jlook strong enoxighto hold up their heads. We learned they were our neighbors from over on the other hill across the rice paddiesKimiko and Yemiko. They posed stiff and solemn for us to take their picture; then

they ran home. We wondered if we hadfrightened them, bu they soon re - '''

turned with another sistera two year old who should have been walking and

running, but who just sat like a little old woman with a dried, wrinkled face and hollow eyes. She was half-starved. The next year she could walk and

talk and was brightand happy. Every New Year's Itook Kimikoand Yemiko's picture in their new clothes, and each year the clothes were prettier and the girls not quite so thin. The island itself was like that theneven as the peo ple discarded their made-over, cut-down, kakhi-colored clothes for things made out of bright, new material, and as they ate more rice and a little less sweet potatoes, so the land gradually discarded its look of war, and each year was less scarred, greener, more productive.

'The village carpenters b^an working on our house in the spring of 1952, and many months later, after innumerable delays, we declared it livable, though even then It was far from finished. The rough cement walls andour two little boys soaked up several buckets of green paint, but the walls were

prettier green than gray and what didn't wash off at least wore off the child
ren in.time. We hired a truck and moved up into our promised land. Obasan,

who helped us at Nago for two and one-half years,moved up with us and hel ped with the endless tasks of packing water from the river, washing clothes by tub and wash board, and ironing with a pokey charcoal iron. In the late afternoon she went home, tired, to her own small house and young daughter, Chiyeko, to prepare their ban gohan (evening meal). Our children loved Obasan very much, and she must have loved them equally for she left her home village and her husband's people to follow us to the Village of fhe Joshi. She taught each of them in turn their first words' obu" (water), "pe-pe" (dirty), "joto" (good), and, of course, ''obasan'' (aunt.) The boys soon lost their Na go twang and picked up the Nakijin accent. The difference was hardly noticable to us, but it greatly amused the people of the village.

It takes a long time to settle a house and make it a home. It is stiff and unyielding at first until the newness wears off a little, and the edges round a
bit. Our home was not modern, or convenient, or well-furnished, but there was a certain charm in its plainness and the unintentional blending of two cul tures. We found outthat the possession of things has littleto do withhappiness. In time we had curtains and drapes at the windows,but I think they hid a little of what we enjoyedso much at first; theglory of settingsun in the windows on the Westja world dew-drenched and sparkling in the rising sun from the East;

the south windows catching sunlight and shadow in the banana trees; andthe north windows looking out on the Village of the Joshi,proud with royal blood, but poor, and sad, and sinful. (to be continued)
This paper is published by the 20th of every
other month in the interest of Mel and Mar

guerite Huckins, missionaries to the Ryukyu

Islands. All communications are to be sent

to Mr. & Mrs. Lloyd Sapp, 1625 So. 8tfa St. Council Bluffs, Iowa.
SECOND CLASS MAIL PRIVILEGES AUTH

Mu

ORIZED AT COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA.

"How long. Oh, Lord, how long?"couldwell be the present day cry ofthe missionary as helabors and travels and speaks on behalf ofthe Lord's work, trying to inspire congr^ations to an understanding of missicni siq^rt. How long can a work continue merely on thewell-wishing and "good luck" wishing
of the churches? How can fimds be built up for return to the mission fields

when people who call themselves "God's people" average between thirty and thirty-five dollars in o^erings towards n^ssion work when it is presented to
the church? How can a missionary return to his place of labor when travel

between speaking places consimies so much ofthe offerings received? How

can the Lordthrust forth laborers when congregations do not accept their re

sponsibility of supporting an evangelist abroad and thereby make it necessary for the missionary to take his living outof the meager offerings ofChurches?
On and on the list could grow,and on andon the time passes with the miss

ionary trying to wake people out oftheir slumber to arise to theoccasion of giving as the Lord repeatedly requests. The message ofNehemlah asrecorded
in theeighthchapter andtenthandtwelfth verses Is noless urgentor important as it was in his day. "Then he said unto them, go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared... And all the people went their way to eat, andto drink, andto send portions, and to make great mirth (happiness), because th^ had understood the words
that were declared unto them." The Christians of America certainly enj oy

blessings of God, or In thewords of Nehemlah, "thefatand the sweet", andalso as certainly are falling to sendportions to those for whom nothingIs pr^ared. a can only be reasoned from a comparlsm of the scripturewith the actions of
Christians that they have not understood the Word of God.

How long, how long, before the Churches willcome to an understanding of

the Lord's will? How long before each one will give himself to the Lord first,

andthen of his possessions? When twenty-one soulsare passing Into a Christ-

lessgrave each minute, how many millions will diewithout Christ,without God,
without hope before the Churches of Christ beginUving andpracticing the doc trines that are so loudly proclaimed? When will the church's vision be lifted from Itself and placed upon the unreached fields of the world? When will Ch ristians let Christ control their Income to his glory rather than having the fi nance companies,commercial houses andbanks controltheir Incomes to their profit and to the Christian's bondage to material possessions?

gathered In by the far reaching arm of Christ unto salvation. We ai"6 rea^ to

Friends, our desire Is that the unreached people of the Islands may be

r^um to these people but we are continually delayed by the lack of ^ds. We
waiting for His salvation?

can onlygo as Christians rise to theirresponsibility Inlove for Christ ^dfrom

their abundance givefor the sake ofsouls yet untouched by thecleansing blood of Christ. Won'tyou stand with us and send us forth to the isles that are still

lining tink
Word hffi" been received from Brother James Warfileld, Minister of the

Christian Church of Wyandotte, Michigan, that the Board of Directors has recommendedthe congregation accept our support for the amount of twenty dollars per week. This action, taken at their August Board meeting, will provide a little less than one-third of our living-link requirements. Also, the First Christian Church of Ypsilanti, Michigan accepted the re

quest of their minister. Brother Don Pooman, and at last r^wrt had desig nated forty-five dollars per monthto our support. This amoimt added to the
above will amount to nearly one-half of our support. All together we still need abouttwenty dollars per weekin order to completeour Uving-linkneeds.
We thank God for these provisions and we thank the brethren in Michigan

for joining together with us and our present helpers in taking the Gospel to
the islands of the sea. May the vision and action of the Michigan brethren in

spire you to join with them and help to c^en the eyes of the blind who are in
bondage to Satan.

A Letter From
Dear Mr. Huckins,

brotheb seken nashko

Thank you for your letter. I came to bnadomari to begin work here the first of May I had already made some plans for evai^elistic work, but var ious things have led me to believe that it is the will of God that I work in Imadomari right now.At present I have Sunday School for grade school children, Sunday evening worship for adults, and Wednesday night class for Junior High age at Imadomari. Also, we have Sunday School for grade school age and a Saturday night class for Junior High through adult age at Gushiken, Thepeopleare gradually accepting me as their minister and areh^py to have a good schedule of teaching again. I would be very happy if youwould always remem ber the people of Imadomari and Gushiken in your prayers. Also pray for me
in the work that I am doing here. The people of finadomari are always asking

me when you will be returning to Okinawa. They await your r^urn to work
among them again.

I am praying for you and your family in the work which you are doing in
m America, preparing to return to Okinawa.

Am looking forward to your return andwant

flT

very much to meet and talkwith you again.

Sincerely,
Nashiro,
Seiken.

OUR PLAN
We plan to return to the field just as soon as funds are available. We are

going ahead with passport and visa appUcations withthe prayer that remain
ing living-link and travel funds will be provided.

WORD FROM
BROTHER DOWNEY

"Things are going well, with about one hundred and thirty to forty people We have plans for summer camp thefirst week of August and ChieSan (former language teacherand kindergarten teacherof Imadomari) hasconsentedto help incaring for the girls and in teaching a couple hours of class during the week. Also,
attending the five classes a week which Nashiro Sanis holding
Kuniyoshi San is to help andthe Christian teacher of the Gushiken kindergar
ten. "

Please Pray ...

1. Pray that the Word of Godas taught by us and Brother Nashiro will return

with a bountiful harvestinspite ofthehindrance and deception brought about

by the influx of denominational teachers.

2. Pray that Mr, Nashiro will be strong in the Lord and that the Church will
grow and abound.

3. Pray for the Christians that th^ will be faithful at all times. 4. Pray for Brother Izena on le Shima that he will be a faithful witness.

5. Pray for the speedyretum of our family and then do all you can to help send
us back to labor in the Byulgai Islands !

Gems

of

ll/isdom

tt is not the arithmetic of our prayers (how many they are): Nor the rh^oric qf our prayers (how Eloquent they are:) Nor the geometry of our prayers (how long th^ are:) Nor the methodof our prayers (how orderly they are:) BUTit is the fervency of the Spirit which ayaU^h much.
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