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FE8 S 6 197B

SIMS ?1EWSLETTER January 1975


Dear Friends,
Rather than attempt a report on the entire year of 1974, much of which was in
the previous newsletter, I think a somewhat detailed r ft tiirM, i . 191^ ^ ^^71;^,"
mj^sa^iyit i^^^^ would be more easy to recall and interesting for you to reaJT
"^^^fplc'iafiy since we recieved greetings from many of you, wishing us a good
Christmas. This might be counted as a kind of response to those much appre
ciated Words of encouragement and love.
Everyone has heard the old song about the 12 days of Christmas, though very
few know all the verses. This is "12 Days of Christmas" at Mejirodai, with
echos of the old song inserted here and there.
1. Sunday, December 15: The middle school students (7,8,9 grades) came in the
afternoon to practice their play and help decorate the Christmas Tree, which
Mrs. Nakagawa had given to u.s from her yard, and the Church windows. ".Parti
cipants in a fair tree." .
2. Monday, 16: The Christmas program at the Christian Academy in Japan-- al
ways an evening of inspirational music early in the season. Daniel played
the snare drum and the chimes in the Jr. High Band. "Drummers Drumming."
3. Tuesday, 17: We went to Tachikawa and finished our shopping for Sunday
School attendance prizes etc. at the Christian Book Store and for each other
at the department store. Happy as " 2 turtle dove" to have most preparatio.ns
completed this early.
4. Wednesday, 18: This was the day of Christmas parties for our English Con
versation Classes-- 2:00 to 3:30 P.M. for kindergarten through third grade,
4:on to 5:30 P.M. for fourth through sixth grades, and 7:00 to 8:30 P.M. for
middle and High school students . We. had a total of 97 in attendance., and gave
each one an orange, a small box of candy and a small book in English. One of
the.High School students weighs over 200 pounds and enjoys playing the guitar,
and playing Santa Claus. He did both 3 times that Wednesday, wearing a nice
red suit his mother (a member of Lois' class) made for the occasion.
"3 English. Classes."
5. Thursday, .19: We drove in to Nakano for the Christmas meeting of the ladies
Bible class, and enjoyed plenty of good talk, food, fun and a gift exchange.
"10 Ladies Learning."
6. Friday, 20: Lois' local ladies English class had a big cooperatively cook
ed reast beef dinner (a special treat for all) and a nice party all afternoon
"11 cooks a-eating" not counting us.
7. Sunday, 22: An unusually large and noisy Sunday School of 88 children. A
good attendance of 20 at morning worship, v/ith 3 first time visitors present.
Two of these were teachers at the Buddhist kindergarten accross the street.
The husband of one of our ladies came with her as a special kind of "present"
to make her happy.
Early in the afternoon a crisis arose vyhen one of the eighth graders' mother
called saying the girl was sick in bed with a fever and would be unable to
take her part in the play. After a number of phone calls a girl who had never
been to Church consented to substitute, and the rest of the afternoon was
spent in rehersal.
At 7130 in the evening we had the annual candle-service and musical program
and gift exchange. There were about 70 present, which taxed our facilities
to the limit, but everybody had a good time. We were especially, happy to see
our folks bringing their families and friends to church with them.
Eight members of the Church practiced and sang 2 special numbers as a choir
for the first time. Lois ai,s.o sang the song "Ring the Bells". I felt very
much the need of some bell ringing to accompany the song, so on Saturday,
Danny found a set of 8 bells tuned to play the scale in a toy store and we
bought th^m and played while she sang. It went very well. "8 members sing
ing, 8 bells a-ringing." A real good day.
8. Monday, 23: In the afternoon we had practice sessions for 2 of the plays
for the Sunday School program. Both of them, as well as the middle school
play on Sunday night., were about rabbits-- an unplanned coincidence with 1975
being the year of the rabbit in the oriental calender cycle. All morning sev
eral people helped us fill candy bags and wrap attendance prizes in prepara
tion for the Sunday School program. "6 people wrapping."
SIMS NEWSLETTER, Pg. 2 January 1975
9. Tuesday, 24: During the day we had a phone call from a friend we hadn't
seen for a long time and a visit from a former member of Lois' English class,
who came to say she has now come to believe in Christ and is attending church
near her home-- heart warming gestures on Christmas Eve.
In the evening we planned to have our family Christmas for us three at home.
Lois filled stockings for Danny and me, and then remarked that there was none
for her. Danny ran upstairs and in an amazingly few minutes prepared one for
here containing flakes from his soap carving at school and various other ori-
gional things.
Just as we were getting ready to sit down for supper we turned off the TV and
thought we heard music on some neighbor's radio. Slowly we cg.me to realize
tliat someone was outside. We opened the front door to find a family of four
(Lois' German lady friend, her Japanese husband, their 6-year-old daughter
and a 10 year old niece visiting from Germany) happily singing "0 Tennenbaum"
in German. "4 Friends a-caroling." What a change 30 years since World War
II had brought.
10. Wednesday, 25: Jonnie and Bobby called from Cincinnati in the morning to
give their greetings. We had 2 Sunday School programs, and of course the
parents had been invited to attend. Begining at 2 P.M. we had the large class
of pre-schoolers.. There was a total of 62 or 63 present. Then from 6:30 PM
we had the grade schoolers-- a busy program of 3 plays, and a standing-room-
only attendance of over 90. During the 2 programs we gave out a total of
113 candy bags to the children and more than SO attendance prizes to those who
had been here more than of the Sundays during the year.
Meanwhile, in the evening, Saito-san, one of our young members, was havinjg
his "fi^st attempt at a meeting in his apattment to explain Ch-ristmas to some
of the Children living in the same building. He called to report happily that
6 came and heard the story for the first time and were so interested they
didn't want to go home. A ver busy day for the 5 Sunday School teachers and
helpers and us. "5 Teachers helping."
11. Friday, 27: Our missionary families in the Tokyo area spent the day at
'""'"^"ivnrrTl-clcs enrtiTngr'a 2^ pound Turkey, "ItfTficTT all shared in ~Fu^ing, and trimmings
and dessert which had been brought in by different ladies. We also talked
a lot and played a little touch football. "7 families fellowshipping."
12. Sunday, 29: A group of middle-schoolers spent the afternoon and evening
of a rainy-snowy day playing games, preparing and eating supper and talking as
we sat on the floor in front of our fire-place about the passing and coming
year. We ended at 9P.M. with 9 "players praying."
-Harold Sims
FINANCIAL REPORT YEAR ENDING 12-31-74
SIMS TOKYO MISSION TO JAPAN
BALANCE ON HAND 1-1-74 $ 5,774.67
RECEIPTS
GENERAL FUND $ 6/855.14
LIVING LINK 9,582.00
INTEREST 795,00 :
FUNDS (DESIGNATED) 95.00 - 17.327.14
total $23,'i0i!81
DISBURSEMENTS
HAROLD SIMS, GENERAL EXPENSE 3,000,00
HAROLD SIMS, LIVING LINK 9,000.00
MISSION SERVICES 812.15
^ TUITION 722.50
OFFICE SUPPLIES 58.83
POSTAGE, NEWSLETTERS, ETC. 117.06
MISC.-DESIGNATED FUNDS DIRECTORY
OF MINISTRY 102 . 00 13 .812 .54
BALANCE ON HAND 12-31-74 $ 9,289 .27
PLEASE NOTE: pU,j^,](,f^,G iq7 5nTAROLD AND LOIS WILL BE COMING
TO THE U.S.A. A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF
THE BALANCE SHOWN Wft! "hAVE TO BE USED TO PAY THEIR EXPENSES
Tokyo 03 Christian
Volume 74
'Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" Mark 16:15
February, 1975
Num ber 1
50TH ANNIVERSARIES - MIKAWASHIMA CHURCH
On Nov. 3 the Mikawashima Church
of Christ celebrated the 50th anniversary
of its founding with a special worship
service at 11 AM, attended by a large
crowd of about 170, and a program and
reception in the afternoon. Speeches of
congratulation and encouragement were
given by a number of visiting preachers,
and telegrams from Korea and other
parts of Japan were read. As a gesture
of their appreciation for our part in
reviving and helping the church in the
post-war period they gave us a nice man
tel chime clock.
The exact date of the first meeting
has not been established, but there is
general agreement among old timers that
it was the year after the great Tokyo
earthquake. Somezealous young Korean
men who came into contact with W.D.
Cunningham through English Bible
Classes aske<rhim to help them organize
a church . . The first meetings were held
in a tent, but soon a church building
was erected and a kindergarten es
tablished.
This area of small workshops, junk
dealers' lots and warehouses, and
crowded small homes about two miles
north of central Tokyo has always had
a large number of Koreans, and the
church has continued to minister to this
often poor and oppressed minority group
in their own language for half a century.
Christianity in Korea is stronger numer
ically and in some other ways than in
Japan, and because of its location in one
of the ghettos and there being so few
churches for Koreans in Japan, this
church has generally had a larger atten
dance than many of our Japanese
churches.
HISTORY
The story of this church's life might
be divided into four periods.
1. Pre-war.
There are very few people nowliving
in Tokyo who can remember anything
about the early years, and all records
were lost in the war. But we know that
the church was known even in Korea,
and had influence on many who lived
in Japan for various lengths of time.
In those days the Cunningham Mission
also had an extensive work in Korea
IVfikawashima Church, Tokyo
(which was under Japanese control at
the time).
2. The war years.
This was a time of suffering and
trouble for everyone. Finally the church
building was burned down in one of the
air raids, and most of the members were
scattered. The minister had been forced
to leave before this happened.
3. The post-war period.
On the first Sunday I was in Japan
(November 1947) I attended a meeting
at the small home of Wfr. and Mrs. Lee
in the Mikawashima district. They had
been members of the church, and she
one of the kindergarten teachers, before
and during the war; and now they were
operating a small factory producing
rubber shoes and boots in their back
yard. I didn't understand anything that
was being said, and just smiledwhen they
looked at me, but it turned out that they
were planning to begin the church again
with meetings in their home, and I was
being appointed to work with them. An
arrangement was made that the Lees
would build a four-room apartment for
us to live in next door to their house
in the second floor of a new building
whose first floor would become their
company office, a bathroom for use by
both families, and a small enlargement
of the factory to make space for a new
machine. The Mission was to furnish the
glass and cement for this new building,
because these materials were rationed in
those days and this was the only way a
building permit could be obtained. In
about four months thisplanwas effected,
and we moved into that apartment and
lived there for tlie following two and one-
half years. Meetings then began in our
living-room and after some months we
were able to get more cement and glass
and build a simple one-room church on a
lot not far from there.
Soon after the end of the war, a man
had built a factory on the former church
lot, and when Mr. Owen Still went to
claim it he acknowledged what he had
done and said he would buy us another
lot equal value in the same area. That
was finally accepted as the only solution,
and that is where the church is located
now. Because of this change, the church
was no longer located precisely in the
Mikawashima section of Arakawa ward,
so they decided that effective from this
50th year the name of the church should
be changed to Tokyo Korean Gospel
Church of Christ.
We enjoyed and learned much from
our two years of living next door to the
lively Lee family with their sbc growing
children, and the work of the church
went along well. We had morning ser
vices where I preached through a Korean
interpreter and evening services where I
used a Japanese interpreter, so it was
truly an international church. This was
where we had our first Vacation Bible
School and Sunday School teaching ex
periences. AfterwemovedovertoNakano
and started that church we still visited
Mikawashima church on the first Sunday
of every month for some years.
There was almost constant trouble
trying to find the right preacher for the
group, and several different men served
for different periods of time. During
this time, through much struggle and
sacrifice, a parsonage was built next
door to the church building, with the
local congregation paying one-half of
the cost.
4. The present.
This period really begins with the
coming of Mr. Cho Ki Zen, a life-long
friend of one of the leading members,
to be the minister 17 years ago. He
studied in the Presbyterian Seminary in
Kobe and took several years of graduate
(Continued on page 2)
50TH
ANNIVERSARIES -
MIKAWASHIMA
CHURCH
{Continued from page I)
study in McGlll University in Canada.
For several reasons he had been wanting
to leave the denominational church he had
been serving in the Osaka area. When
he came to this church he had to change
his views on baptism by immersion, but
this seemed to he very little problemfor
him, and he has been well-liked, a good
spiritual leader and a stabilizinginfluence
during this longest ministry in thehistory
of the church sofar. Hespetiksvery good
English as wellas Japanese and Korean
and sincecoming toTokyohas completed
his work and received a Ph.D. from one
of the Universitiesin Tokyo. He is often
invited to speak in various meetings and
was on the program of the Lausanne
World Congress on Evangelization last
July in Switzerland.
The present membership of the con
gregation is 172, and there is an average
attendance at the two morning services of
about 150 people. The Sunday School is
small, largely because just across the
street from the church is a large school
sponsored by the~Koreans in Japan
sympathetic to North Korea and mey
strongly discourage the students from
attending church. In fact wehave heard
of a people's court among the students
for those who would attend.
More than 10 years ago this church
was incorporated and recognized by the
government as an independent local
church, and the Mission turned over to
them the tide to the land and building
as we have done with the other stronger
churches. In 1970 they built a newbuild
ing entirely with contributions from the
members. At that time three of the main
members-a banker, a tea-house owner
and a sporting goods store owner-each
gave about $5,000. Their Thanksgiving
offerings every year are noteworthy, and
have been mentioned previously in the
Tokyo Christian. This past Thanks
giving it was 2,650,000 yen, which is
over $8000. Also in recent years they
have built a mausoleum in one of the
Tokyo cemeteries that will hold 100 urns
of ashes. This is for the use of the
members.
In the picture is the new building,
and the two ladies standing by the gate
are Aiko Ueda, the daughter of Mrs.
Lee mentioned above whom I baptized
about 26 years ago, and her daughter
Yasuko who graduatedfromHigh School
last year and was one of 10 baptized
during the evangelisticmeetinginNovem
ber held in connection with die 50th
Anniversary.
50TH ANNIVERSARIES -
SETAGAYA CHURCH
The Setagaya Church ofChrist began
in 1925, and there wdl be several different
celebrations during the 50th anniversary
year. The first was a special organ con
cert on January 15 by Peter Planiyovski,
the organist at St. Stephen's Cathedered
in Vienna, Austria. This was arranged
by the present organist of thelocal church
who has studied for a time in Europe
and was personally acquainted with this
famous musician who was visiting in
Japan.
HISTORY
The land for the Setagaya church, a
good-sized corner lot, was nought by
Cunningham the year after the great
Tokyo earthquake, and construcdon of
the first church and kindergarten building
was begun on Jan. 20, 1925. The first
preacher was Bunzo Fujita, a former
famous sculptor and educator who had
becomea friend of theCunninghams after
the death of his son who was a member
of the Yotsuya church. He had preached
at the Yotsuya church from 1919 until
that time, but he felt the desire to start
a new work in this area in his remaining
years. When the budding was completed
in the spring there was a very successful
evangelistic meeting, and one of those
baptized was a young student named
Shin Hanyu.
Seven years later, in 1932,thisyoung
man married the youngest daughter of
the Fujitas, and succeeds his father-in-
law as minister of the church. He has
continued in this job for 43 years until
this day. In the early years of this
ministry the nationalistic and mditaristic
spirit was growing stronger in Japan and
evangelism was increasingly difficult.
Then in 1940 Mr. Hanyu was drafted
into the Army and later sent to the front
in China. During the five years he was
absent his wife and mother-in-lawdid their
best to keep the church meeting and to
care for the three young children through
those difficult times. Under intense
government pressure the church finally
joined the United Church, from which it
withdrew soon after the end of the war.
This was the only church building to
survive the intense bombing during the
final year of World War H, and Mr.
Hanyu wastheonlypre-warpreacher who
remained with the Mssion after the war.
I still remember various meetings in that
old church building during our first winter
in Japan when there was no heat, often
no electricity, but always a good crowd.
In 1950 a new building was erected
using some of the materials fromthe old
one. Then in 1962 the Yotsuya Mission
turned over the title of the land and build
ing to the local church which had regis
tered as a religious corporation.
In 1971 the church contracted with a
developer, and an eight-story building
was erected on the lot in what is now a
very crowded residential district. The
first two floors are used by the kinder
garten and church, and the rest is con-
dominium apartments. The developer
built the church part free of charge in
return for the use of the land to erect
the six stories of apartments for sale.
The church has about 100 members
and an average attendance of 30-40 for
worship services. The Sunday School
is larger. The kindergarten, which in
some cases has taught three generations
is well-known in that area.
The Hanyus' daughter is married to
a preacher of the United Church ofChrist
in Japan, and the oldest son is a teacher
of Bible in a collegein Niigata Prefecture.
Why do I make special mention of
these anniversaries? I recently passed
the 50-year mark myself.
Harold Sims.
MEJIRODAI CHRISTMAS
Our church program, consisting of a
short worship service and a musical pro
gram and then a gift exchange was atten
ded by a standing-room-only crowd of
70 people-many of them first-time
visitors.
The Sunday School programs were
held on Christmas day. In the afternoon
from 2 PM we had the pre-schoolers.
Counting both children and mothers the
attendance was about 60. They put on
a little play and sang some songs. In
the evening from 6:30 we had the pro
gram of tlie elementary school children,
whch consisted of three different plays
interspersed with songs. The attendance
at this time was hard to count, but there
were about 90 here.
At this time each year we give
attendance prizes to all children who
attend one-half of the Sundays during the
year or more, with better prizes going to
the highest. The children take a great
interest in this annual event, and this
year we had to give out over 50 prizes,
which gives an indication of our average
attendance.
Wegave out a total of 113 candy bags
during the busy and happy day.
A new year is upon us and in the
East this is the year of the rabbit. I
don't know whether that is supposed to
bode good or ill. But as for us, we have
committed this year also to God, for He
can make a blessing out of any circum
stance.
From the standpoint of health, the
Patton family has had recurring cases
of illness or injury recently. First, I
myself have been troubled for the past
three months with a chronic cold con
dition. I am convinced it is caused by
sinusitis which in turn is caused by the
awful pollution in Tokyo. As a result
of this the outside activities must be cur
tailed until warmer weather. Of course,
this has given a setback to my calling
program at Yachiyodai.
In January our threesons have each
had an accident. First, Stephen struck
a couch leg and broke a toe on his right
foot. He is now wearing a cast and on
cruches. Next, Philip turned his ankle
while playing basketball, slightly fractur
ing the bone, and he is favoring it to
some extent.
But the most serious accident of all
happened to Noel. He and his friend,
Reagan Johnson, werehit by a car while
they were riding Reagan's cycle. Besides
several slight skin abrasions on both
boys, Reagan suffered a broken collar
"Ij^e^and Noel a very seriously injured
right knee. Noel was riding on the rear
of the cycle and received the burden of
the impact. Thekneebonewasdislocated,
fractured and broken. At the U.S. mil
itary hospital at Tachikawa, manipu
lation failed to put the knee back into
place and surgery was resorted to. The
doctor found that bone frc^ments and
cartilage prevented successml manipu
lation. Numbers of people have been
Tokyo Christian
Published four times a year in
January, April, July and November for
the missionaries of the Church of
Christ Cijhningham Mission, Tokyo,
Japan by Mission Services, Box 177,
Kempton, Indiana 46049. Second class
postage paid at Kempton, Indiarra.
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Buttray,
2-26-4 Kamiochiai, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
161 Japan. Forwarding Agent: Mrs.
Homer Anderson, 622 Cullum Street,
Meadviile, Pa. 16335.
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Patton, 3-7-8
Higashinakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 164
Japan. Forwarding Agent: Mr. and Mrs.
G. Wade Fletcher, R.R . 7, Rushville,
Ind. 46173.
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Sims, 3-33-7
Mejirodai, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 193
Japan. Forwarding Agent: FirstChurch
of Christ, Orange at Center St., Eustis,
Fla. 32726.
Two-year subscription S .50
Subscription and l-Tamtna Torch%1.00
PATTON NEWS
praying for Noel and God has used this
accident as a testimony to many people.
This makes Noel's mird accident-two
times while riding on the back of others'
cycles and once when he was pushed into
a ditch by a dump truck. None of the
three accidents seems to have been his
fault but he was iidured anyhow. We
pray that he has finally been weaned
from riding cycles. We thank God that
he is alive and that he will be able to
have some use of his leg in the future-
as to what extent we as yet don't know.
Your prayers for him will be gready
appreciated.
Our activities in doing our Mission
work have not gready changed sincethe
last issue of Tokyo Christian. Betty
continues to serve as organist for the
Shimoochiai church on Sundays. Philip
and Stephen are in school and Nod and
I have been teaching English part-time.
I still preach on Sunday mornings
at two different churches-attheKamiuma
church on the second Sunday and at
Yokosuka on the third and fourth Sun
days. Then I rush to Yachiyodai on
Sunday afternoons for the services there.
At the Yokosuka church I h^ve been
able to baptize one high school student.
At Kamiuma I have a Bible Study dass
on Saturday afternoon for a group of
children. I hope to baptize some of them
soon. I regret that my tight schedule
will not allow me to spend more time
at these two churches, but the Lord is
blessing my efforts during the time I am
able to spend with them. A group of
children continues to attend the Sunday
school at Yachiyodai. Adults, except
for those accompanying me from Tokyo,
are not attending the services. Onereason
for this is that the meeting time is rather
inconvenient for the people. Another is
that colds have prevented mefromcalling
on people. Perhaps the greatest reason
is indifference of people. Prayer, faith,
hard work, and boldness must overcome
all of these things.
Preacher Hiroaki Sato with whom we
work is ministering to the Sakurayama
and Arakawa churches. This has freed
me for work elsewhere. We have been
concerned about someone to lead in the
work at Yachiyodai after we return to
the States for furlough in June. Bro.
Dale Wilkinson and a Christian student,
Mr. An, have be6n asked to help in this
program. We pray that God will use
both of these men in this particular field
of work.
We were greatly encouraged by some
very good news recently. Mr. Suzuki,
a member of the Arakawa church, has
decided to be a preacher and will enter
Osaka Bible Seminary in April for train
ing. That will make two young men
from that church who are studying for
the ministry.
We wish to thank all of you who
remembered us in a special way by send
ing gifts at Christmas time. You helped
to make our Christmas an enjoyableone.
We know that a large number of our
friends are praying for us daily. We
thank you for that and for your financial
assistance. May God enrich you all with
bountiful physical and spiritual blessings.
Andrew Patton
FURLOUGH
NEWS
In previous issues of "Tokyo Chris
tian" we announced our plans for a fur
lough from June of this year. We now
have some additional information to add
to that.
We have made a deposit on tickets
for our family on a chartered plane
leaving Tokyo on June 12. We will stop
over in Hawaii for a day or so and
then resume our journey to Ix>s Angeles
where we willvisit Betty's aunt and family.
Plans for the remainder of the trip have
not yet crystallized. It will depend on
what kind of transportation we can
arrange in the States. A stop-over in
Joplin will unite us with Sharon and her^
husband after a three-year separation.
We will perhaps spend much of the
summer at my parents' home in Hayes-
ville. North Carolina. Then we will
setde down a bit more permanently in
Rushsylvania, Ohio for the remainder of
our furlough. Philip and Stephen will
attend high school for a year there and
Noel hopes to enter a technical school.
Betty will keep the home fires burning
and I will become an itinerant mission
ary again.
Fares for the trip from Tokyo to Los
Angeles will be about $250 per person.
But we are not yet certain what it will
cost us across the States. We estimate
that we will need about $2500 for the
whole trip. If you can help with our
travel, please send your check to our for
warding agents. Their address is: G.
Wade Fletcher, Route 6, Box 80A, Rush
ville, Indiana, 46173.
Andrew Patton
Harold, Lois and Daniel Sims plan
a three month trip to the United States
from June 6 to August 26 this summer.
They will attend the North American
Convention, visit someoftheir supporting
churches and their family and friends.
Because of responsibilities at Mejirodai
church they feel they should not be absent
from Japan longer than this three-month
period.
BUTTRAY REPORTS
According to the writer of the book
of Ecclesiastes there is a time for almost
anything you can think of, e\'en sowing
and harvesting. But who in his rigiit
mind would have ever thought that Jan
uary 3rd, the middle of winter, witli the
temperature hovering around 25 degrees
and the ground frozen to a depth of five
inches, a time of sowing?
Nevertheless, accepting as a lact that
there is an "appropriate time"for every
thing, I decided the above-time and con
ditions were "just right" to drive to Na
gano Prefecture and at least make pre
liminary preparations for a garden!
Most likely you wouldn't agree and
neither would Solomon, and with him
you'd ask the question, what gain could
there be in such works? Kccl. 3:9.
Well, I believed there was much to be
gained! At first glance the idea seems
quite foolish . . . until explained. Then
understanding is accompanied by an
agreeable nod of the head.
Taking Bibles and apple-nut cakes
which Mabel had made to the farmers
from whom the New Camp Site Land had
been purchased was a good idea. So it
worked out that I was able to visit them
during their New Year holidays on Jan
uary 3rd just before they resumed their
winter projects.
Though it was late in the afternoon
and the sun has been shining all day, it
was cold. As I reached the first of the
five farmhouses which I had planned to
visit, the sun was sinking below the dis
tant mountain range and in a half an
hour it would be dark. I hurried, hoping
the lateness of the hour would not be
troublesome for their evening meal prep
arations. But my fears werequickly dis
pelled for they were quite gracious, even
inviting me in. But due to circumstances
I refused their kind invitations, and said
maybe the next time.
However, at the last farmhouse, at
their insistance (tliird invitation) I re
luctantly gave in . . . how could I do
otherwise. The time was right.
So, during the next four hours while
sitting on the floor with feet and legs
keeping warm in their charcoal heated
kotatsu (hot charcoal beneath a lowtable
covered witli blankets to hold theheatin),
while sipping green tea and munching on
the usual Japanese snack ( in the rural
areas) of pickled greens and pickled thin
slices of apples, I joined in conversation
which ranged from the mundane to other
worldly with the man of the house and
his brother.
It was a very interesting, pleasant,
and informative time. I learned they not
only were farmers but were in the con
struction business, which accounted for
the large earth moving eciuipinent sitting
outside. Evidently they werejust wailing
an opportunity to talk with meabout the
access road to the Camp land. They
told me I paid too much money and they
would have done it for less, and to please
consider them for the roads to be made
on the Camp land as well as leveling
sites for buildings and sports areas.
These farmers as well as all others
in the area are for varying reasons deep
ly interested in when are we planning to
build, when will we move there, and will
we have a Church etc. Not knowing
exactly when the Lord will provide these
necessary finances, I usually reply, I
don't know! But I hasten to add I hope
it will be soon, and am expecting to have
usable buildings by this summer. . .
1975!!! Needless to say, there is much to
be done. . .but I have faith to believe that
what God has promised. He Will Pro
vide!
I visualize that this Camp will be a
tremendous tool in the hand of the Lord
in reaching the multitudes, far beyond
our present evangelistic capabilities. Of
this I am convinced.
Even if we are not living in the Last
Days, the total awareness of multitudes
listlessly wandering about without the
Life-Giving Shepherd is an overwhelming
burden one cannot escape if dedicated to
serving Him! What would Jesus Do...
if He were here today? I believe He
would do the same as before. . .go every
where teaching, making disciples, and
sending them out to tell others. . . using
many of tliese "Last Days" evangelism
techniques (such as camps), that none be
lost!
Therefore, my goal this year is: to
see usable camp buildings erected, God
calling together missionaries and Japa
nese preachers in a "bond of unity" for
the single purpose of using the new camp
facilities to the maximum(all-year-round)
to tell the multitudes of Jesus who died
to become their Savior. . .unto eternal
life, and of His returning soon for His
own!!!
Will you share this goal with us? If
your answer is yes, all I want you to do
is to pray that God will be our "daily
guide" in all things, and that Satan will
be defeated at every turn!
The historic occasion of signingtheagreement to buy the land for the new camp site.
POSTMASTER
FORM 3579 REQUESTED
BOX 177, KEMPTON, IN 46049
Christian
"Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" Mark 16:15
April, 1975 Number 2
THE BAPTISM OF YUKIKO INOKUCHI
Sometime in December tlie teacher of
the 4-6 grade class in our Sunday school
told me that one of her students wanted to
be baptized. This girl had beenattending
the class faithfully evenafter becoming a
seventh grader in April 1974, and had be
come a sort of leader in the class-taking
the roll, offeringprayers, etc.--sothe teach
er thought she was ready.
I asked her to talk furtherwiththegirl
and also her parents who lived very near
her house. So she came back some days
later and said that shedefinitely wanted to
be baptized, and on a certain date-Janu
ary 28. The reason for this was that this
would be her 13th birthday, and also the
10th anniversary of her first going to
church. (They had lived next door to a
church in another areaofTokyowhenshe
was small, and she began going to the
Sunday school there when she was 3
years old.) I assured the S.s. teacher
that it was all right to be baptized on
Tuesday, so we set the time for 5 PM,
after school.
A few days later, I made an appoint
ment to visit in the home and talk to the
parents about it. They arenominalBudd-
hists, but willing to give their only daugh
ter freedom to choose her own religion.
They said theydioughtshewastooyoung,
but had been surprised at her seriousness.
The mother told of calling her for break
fast and when she didn'tcomerightaway,
she asked what took her so long. She re
plied that she had beenpraying, and the
mother was shocked into silence. The fa
ther said he had known several Christians
during his life, and all of them werewon
derful people. One was a member of the
basketball team in high school and a life
long friend, and the others were people
who hadworkedwithhimintheFuji bank.
So hehadnoobiectiontoChristianity. Mr.
Inokuchi's mother had lived withthefam-
ily for some years, and she was a very
zealous Buddhist. Evidently she had put
pressure on her granddaughter not toBe
come a Christian; but after she died last
fall, that obstacle had been removed.
I told theparents I thought they should
not opposeher decision,and theysaid they
did not. Then I said they should come to
see her baptism, which was certainly as
Important as a wedding. He claimed that
he couldn't get off from his work; but I
suggested that hejust say that his daugh
ter was going to be baptized in the same
tone of voice as ifaskingforawedding or
funeral, and he said he might try it.
Later on, the mother told the Sunday
school teacher that they were planning to
give somethingto everyonewho attended
or serve refreshments. This would be in
accordance with Japanese etiquette and
customs, and very understandable; but
she and another Christian neighbor wisely
talked her out of this, because they were
afraid that others might think they were
obliged to do something like this when
they were baptized.
Finally the day arrived! After school,
many of Yukiko's friends from the near
by Junior high school began to arrive-
many of them entering church for the
first time, and most seeing a baptism for
the first time. Then at thelast minute, Mr.
Inokuchi arrived inachauffered black car
provided by the bank. The officials were
so surprised at the unprecendented re
quest - mere was no trouble at all.
It was Just exacdy 4 years since Yu-
kiko first started attending our Sunday
school here, and in a way, this could be
described as "the first fruits". May many
more follow! - Harold Sims
MISSIONARY WOMEN'S RETREAT
A retreat for missionary women was
held January 2nd and 3rd at the Shlmo-
Ochiai Church in Tokyo. The meeting
was co-hosted by Leone Cole and Vir
ginia Fleenor. The theme for the retreat
was "Ambassadors For Christ". Char
lotte Mings was in charge of the music
and was accompanied by Betty Patton.
Afternoon sessions were given to a shar
ing time by each of the missionary
women. Evening messages were brought
by Ethel Beckman and Kathleen Pratt.
Besides the Tokyo area missionaries,
Karuizawa, Osaka and Hiroshima were
represented. The retreat was a time of
refreshing and sharing in the Lord and
each one looks forward to the meeting in
Hiroshima next year.
SIMS' TRAVEL PLANS
Harold, Lois and Danny Sims will make an 80 day trip to the U.S. this sum
mer. We will give an outlineof our itinerary, and hope that some who read this
will seeus during our stay at one of these places.
June 6-8 . .
June9. . . .
June 10-17
June 18-22.
June 26-29.
July 2-7 . .
July 8-11. .
July 13 . . .
July 15-22
luiy 23-30 .
July 31-Aug. 2
Aug. 3
Aug. 5-7 .. .
Aug. 10... .
Aug.11-15 . .
Aug. 17. . . .
Aug. 18-20 . .
Aug.21-23 . .
Aug. 24... .
Aug. 26
Napa, Cal. - First Christian Church
. Denver, Col.
Oklahoma City- Metropolitan Christian Church & daughter
Hope Schmidt and family
Cincinnati, Ohio-Clovernook &White Oak Churches
sons Jonathan and Robert
,Eustis, Florida-First Church of Christ
Cincinnati, Ohio-Eh-ice Ave. & Montgomery Road Churches
Detroit, Mich.-North American Christian Convention
Markle, Ind.-Church of Christ
Bellville, Ohio-Church of Christ-daughter Sylvia Smith&family
Turtle Creek, Pa.-First Christian &Norwin Churches-Lois'sister
& family
Baltimore, Md.-Lois' mother and other sister
Charlottesville, Va.-Flrst Christian Church
Richmond, Va.-V.E.F. Rally
Newport News, Va.-Northslde Church of Christ
Milligan College, Tenn.-Weekof Ministry
Johnson City, Tenn.-First Christian Church-Harold's mother
Cincinnati, Ohio
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Unconfirmed
Leave Los Angeles for return to Japan
I
DANIEL SIMS
SUFFERS
BROKEN LEG
On Sunday afternoon, March 16,
Danny and some friends were at a play
ground about a mile from the house. As
Danny was going down die concrete slid
ing board, he turned to missachildat the
bottom and somehow his leg hit the
ground the wrong way and he broke the
large bone in his left leg about one-half
way between the knee and the ankle. He
didn't try to walk, and one of his friends
came to the house to tell us he was hurt.
Lois went in the car, made a makeshift
splint with a board she found and some
cloth a neighbor lady gave her, and then
we took him to a neighborhood doctor
who x-rayed it, confirmed the break and
put his leg in a cast right away. He was
in the hospital for 2 weeks and is now
at home. He seems to be mending nor
mally, and we hope he will be out of
the cast by mid-May and walking by the
time we leave for the U.S.A.
The small group of Christians rallied
to help in a heartwarming way. He had
many visitors while inthehospital,aswell
as giftsoffarmorethan hecouldeat, plen
ty of reading matter, beautiful cut flowers,
even private magic shows. The nurses
named him after a popular cartoon char
acter and enjoyed joking with him.
The monthly preacher's meeting. Sitting
around the lunch table at Pratt's house -
March 3.
RESURRECTION
SUNDAY
For the first time in this church, we
set an attendance goal of30 for our morn
ing worship service. This is twice our
average attendance, but not impossible.
As soon as we announced thegoal,2 or 3
people expressed their regrets that they
couldn't be here because of travel plans.
Wereally had doubts if we could make it;
but we had 29, which was closeenough to
give us all much encouragement and Joy.
Seven of the middle school students at
tended and sang 3 short special numbers,
including "I Have the Joy, Joy, Joy" in
English and a modern Japanese song
about the story of the road to Emmaus.
VACATION
BIBLE SCHOOL
Since the Simses will be away in the
U.S.A. this summer, the Sunday school
teachers decided in January to have a
short Vacation Bible School this year
during the spring vacation. Thejapanese
school year begins in April, so all children
have at least 2 weeks off between school
terms.
We selected the dates of March 26-28,
and as usual used some old materials
from Standard Publishing for handwork,
etc. The children have learned what fun
it is, and theyare our bestpublicityagents.
We had a total of 71 enrolled, and had a
very good time. Oneofthecollegestudents
in our neighborhood works part-time ina
company that makes various animal cos
tumes and puts on plays featuring them,
including T.V. appearances. He is not a
Christian, but has come to our English
classes and his sister had attendedchurch
sometimes. So one morning, as a special
attraction, he appeared at our V.B.S. in
his panda suit and danced as we sang
our theme song and then talked to the
children. They were thrilled beyond
New building ot Isehara ChurchofChrist
which was OMicated on Nov. 24, 1974.
This building was largely built by mis
sionaries, using materials salvaged from
housing at a former U.S. Air Base which
was being turned back to Japan. Paul
Pratt is the missionary here. Harold and
Lois Sims served for one year during the
Pratt's furlough in 1968-69. M-. Patton
and his boys helped with the salvage
work and some on the construction.
Lois' Ladies English Conversation Class,
They sponsored a luncheon at a local
restaurant to celebrate Lois' birthday.
BUTTRAYS' REPORT
When going to Kaniizawa to either
work at me Camp or do n^otiating,
I have almost always gone on Tuesday
mornings. But this time I was late! I
had arranged to pick up Bob Warrick to
go with me and look at an old school
building. But he couldn't leave until
afternoon, so, it was almost seven in the
evening before we arrived in Kaniizawa.
Providentially wewerelate! Andmade
it possible to save a girl from committing
suicide.
After turning on the water systemand
lighting a fire in the stove of the litde
summer cabin, westartedoutthedriveway
to go visit the Cole family across town
and met Stephen Fleenor. As hexlimbed
in the car he mentioned he had seen a
girl (drunk) wandering all over theroad,
and that maybe weshould try tohelpher.
Sure enough, as westarted down the
road there in the headlights about 100
yards ahead a person fell and lay still
in the snow at the side of the road. I
quickly stopped thecar,andwealljumped
out of the car to see if wexould help.
We found a very young woman, drunk,
just barely able to get up. Staggering
to her feet, she gathered her strength and
slowly started up the xold, sno\\y lonely
road, adamantly refusing our help!
So on our way to theColeswestopped
at the nearest phone and informed the
police, hoping tney would do something
for her.
However, during the three hours we
were at the Coles (and though we talked
about many things) I couldn't get the
young woman out of my mind. The
hands of the clockwerereaching towards
10:30 as we left the Coles and started
home. So as we drove back I determined
to drive slowly beyond where we turned
into the xabin to see if we.could find any
Tokyo Christian
Published four times a year in
January, April, July and November for
the missionaries of the Church of
Christ Cgfiningham Mission, Tokyo,
Japan by Mission Services, Box 177,
Kempton, Indiana 46049. Second class
postage paid at Kempton, Indiana.
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Buttray,
2-26-4 Kamiochiai, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
161 Japan. Forwarding Agent: Mrs.
Homer Anderson, 622 Cullum Street,
Meadville, Pa. 16335.
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Patton, 3-7-8
Higashinakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 164
Japan. Forwarding Agent: Mr. and Mrs.
G. Wade Fletcher, R.R. 7, Rushville,
Ind. 46173.
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Sims, 3-33-7
Mejirodai, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 193
Japan. Forwarding Agent: FirstChurch
of Christ, Orange at Center St., Eustis,
Fla. 32726.
Two-year subscription $ .50
Subscription and Flaming TorcASl.OO
trace of her. hfy feelings and suspicions
were that she didn't live around there and
that she wanted to be left alone, to finally
fall down in a stupor. And unable to
help herself, and not feeling anything,
would by morning freeze to death in the
20 degree temperature. Andthat's exactly
whatHappened!
Driving slowly and sort of dreading
every moment what we might find, I
realized my pulse had quickened and with
mounting anticipation mybreathing had
increased. Then suddenly I saw what I
thought was a person lying in the snow
about three meters off the road under
some short, low hanging pine trees.
Afy throat tightened, and for a brief
second I was speechless! Then 1 heard
mysdf excitedly saying, "thereshe isBob,
there she is!". And under the excitement
of the moment I heard his mumbling
voice say, "what, what, where?" Slam-
ing on the brakes I replied,"sheis lying
there under the trees".
Hurriedly, I backed up throwing the
lights on high beam revealing a body
lying in the snow. Fearing the worst,
we both jumped out of the car and Bob
reached down and felt for a pulse. She
was alive! but not a sound escaped her
lips! At that moment. Bob audibly said
what was silendy running through my
mind, "Lord Jesus, you know her needs,
you can help her!"
In just a few seconds werealized that
if this young pregnant woman of about
six months didn't soon have help, it
would be too late!
Telling Bob to wait there, I quickly
jumped in the car, went to the cabin and
callra the police. I told them we had
found the drunk woman lying inthesnow
and that she had been there for three
hours. And if she remainied there all
night, by morning she would be dead.
So I said, please come immediately!
They promised they would, though they
had gone before and had been unable to
find her.
It took them about seven minutes to
get there, though it seemedlike an hour.
In this case, and in most incidents there
custom is to get detailed information of
your life's history before anything can
be done. Fearing that this wouldhappen,
I b^an to think of what I could do. Be
cause all I could think at that moment
was, letting a young woman and an un
born child freeze to death while wasting
time with formalities.
At that moment, I remembered my
name cards in my pocket, and hoping it
would satisfy them, I qui^ly reached in
my pocket and handed the policemanmy
card. And I said, he could reach me at
this address if they needed me for any
thing. He informed the head officer, and
he replied O.K.
In those few minutes the formalities
were over. And at a signal from the
head officer twoother policemen reached
down and picked up the young woman
(like a sack of potatoes) and had carried
her halfway to the car when a lowmoan
came from her lips.
As the police car turned around
headed towards the hospital,mythoughts
turned to God again and I prayed,"Lord,
I pray that there will be a doctor on duty
and mat he will beableto savetheir lives."
Needless to say. Bob and I didn't
get to sleep that night until long after
midnight, and prayer for the young
woman's life.
Fully intending to go by the police
station the next day to find out what
happened, we were unable to do so for
by noon a real blizzard had begun. So
Bob and I decided to get down off the
mountain while it was stm possible.
The following Sunday, I received a
letter from the young woman's husband
thanking me for bravingsuchcold, snowy
weather to save his wife's life.
Then I began to plan to go and try
to find the girl and her husband. Accord
ing to the address they lived in Ueda,
a city about one hour from Karuizawa.
It was two weeks later that I picked up
Harold Cole at Karuizawa and went first
to find a missionary living in the city.
We found him home, explained the
situation and left immediatelypicking up
a member of his church on me way in
order to have a Japanese go between.
It turned out mat this Christian was
acquainted with the family. So when we
finally found the right house, I was in
vited in as well as my friends.
We found the usual situation. The
young woman living with her husband's
parents, and as in most cases, living a
slaves' life.
The family was very kind to us and
insisted that we eat with them. While all
of us ate the girl served us. The boy's
mother (60?) said she didn't know why
the daughter-in-law wanted to commit
suicide! But I knew why.
We didn't leave the house until all
four of us had spoken about God and
His love! Left them some Christian tracts
to read, and promised to send them a
Bible. In February, I sent a Bible and
literatiire to help understand the Bible.
So far, I haven't heard any more and
haven't found timeto return. I am anxious
to knowhowthings aregoingand wonder
ing about the baby.
I know God has His hand in all of
this, and I am trusting Him for the
salvation of the family.
Please pray for thewholeTsunachima
family!
-Stanlty Buttray
to another Island. That leaves 3 ladies
who meet regularly withus. We study the
Gospel of John. The ladies of this class
are interested in the Gospel, but duties at
home prevent their attending our weekly
worship services.
PLANS FOR
REACHING ADULTS
Several weeks ago I decided to stop
doing supply preaching on Sunday morn
ings and spend all day every Sunday in
addition to any time during the w^ I
can spare in the work at Yachiyodai. I
have begun having worship services and
Bible study on Sunday morning instead of
in the evening. No adults have met with
us yet for these services but we have plans
whicli wehope will help usreachtheadults.
We plan to begin an English Bible class
and English classes for high school and
college students. Christian films will also
be shown. This should draw some young
people
Plans are being made for printing
advertisements for our various meetings.
When we have these in hand we will start
calling from door to door in the apartment
complete near our meeting place. Fortyor
fifty thousand people live in these apart
ments and new units are being built. Both
our advertisement and tracts will be handed
to those homes that are called on. This
work should help us discover many pros
pects for the work.
FURLOUGH
Weare praying that Noel's leg, broken
in January in a motorcycle accident, will
be sufFiciendy healed by June to allow him
to walk without injury to it. We are con
tinuing to make plans for a furlough
beginning on June 12. If there are any
serious complications in the healing of his
leg we might havetopostponeourfurlough
for a few wedcs. If all goes well with the
leg, wewill take a charter flight as planned
from Tokyo on June 12, spend a short
time in Hawaii whereAndrewusedtowork,
then to visit Betty's relatives for a fewdays
near Los Angeles. On the way East, we
will visit Chris and Sharon Scheurich, our
son-in-law and daughter, and Sandra Ann,
our new granddaughter. Soon afterward
we hope to begin our itinerary among the
churches and to visit my parents in North
Carolina.
Funds are still needed to cover our
travel expenses. If you can help on that
please send your check to our forwarding
agent. We will have to pay for our tickets
soon.
We hopeto seesomeofyouthissummer,
and the rest before the end of our furlough.
We thank God for you and pray that God
will preserve and bless you.
-Andrew Patton
Stanley and Mabel Buttray
April 27 isthetwen^-fifth anniversary
of Stanley and Mabel Buttrays arrival
in Japan. They are hoping to make this
a special year by making the dream of
a Christian Evangelistic Camp become
a reality!
PATTON NEWS
We axe now busily engaged in prepara
tions for furlough. It is surprising how
much there is to be done in anticipation
of a furlough. It does afford you a good
opportunity, however, to rid your house
and your files of a lot of useless things
accumulated over the years. It consumes
a great deal of time and energy to sort
out and decide what is to be thrown away,
what saved, what given away to friends,
and what is to be sold at the Thrift Shop.
But we hope to have things done before
our departure.
SAKURAYAMA
AND ARAKAWA
The Sakurayama church has planned
an evangelistic meeting for April. The
Gospel will be presented throughfilms and
the spoken word. At the Arakawa church
thereare 5 new persons attendingthe Wed
nesday night prayer meeting. Mr. Suzuki
of that church is now a ministerial student
in Osaka Bible Seminary. Mr. Saito of
the same church is a senior in the same
school this year. We hope to work with
them in evangelism after they finish their
training.
NEW ARRIVAL
hfr. and Mrs. Hiroaki Sato, ministers
of the Sakurayama and Arakawa churches,
are the proud parents of a new daughter
born on March 29. This is their second
child, both daughters.
CONVENTION
The All-Japan Convention will be held
at Tanabe inWakayamaPrefectureonMay
2-4 this year. The missionary convention
will be held at Osaka immediately follow
ing this.
YACHIYODAI
The children's work is making fine
progress. We usually have about 30 in
attendance, with the greater part of them
attending every Sunday. Acollege student
from the Shimoochiai church teaches the
children each Sunday. Lessons from the
Old Testament are now being taught.
In at least onefamily, the children re
count the Bible lessons to the parents after
they return home. When I met the mother
of some other children in our Bible School
on the street the other day as I was hand
ing out tracts, shethanks mefor teaching
them and said they enjoyed it. So the
knowledge ofCod is being planted in both
the xhildren's hearts and that of their
parents.
HOME MEETINGS
I still teach the Bible to a group of
women meeting in a private home at Ya-
chiyodai once a month. Oneofthemembers
of the class, however, moved withher family
POSTMASTER
FORM 3579 REQUESTED
BOX 177, KEMPTONJN 46049
Christian
'Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature' Mark 16:13
Volume 74 July, 1975 Number 3
CONVENTIONS HERE AND THERE
W
Japanese preachers and missionaries at monthly meeting.
On May 2 - 4 the annual convention
of our Japanese Christian brethren was
held at Tanabe City in Wakayama pre
fecture. The almost new Japanese inn
is located on the seashore, and gave
us a lovely view of several small pine-
covered islands and small fishing boats
coming and going.
The members of the small congrega
tion there did a fine job of preparing the
program and otner arrangements.
Everyone appreciated the ample time
allowed for visiting with each other in
the lobby and halls and rooms also.
There was a good measure of unity and
love manifest throughout the meeting,
which left a deep impression on several
from Tokyo who were attending for the
first time.
In the past few years this has become
very much a family gathering, with some
of our Christian families making sacri
ficial efforts to attend every year. All
seem to appreciate what it means to
belong to the household of faith and
share thejoy of a family reunion.
This year there was an attendance
of over 250, which was second only to
the unusually large attendance at the
25th Convention in Tokyo last year.
The missionaries met in Osaka for
2 days of fellowship just following the
Japanese convention.
July 8 - 11, we were privileged to
attend the North American Christian
Convention in Detroit, Michigan -- our
first since 1968. Of course everything
was on a scale far beyond the one men
tioned above, and that in itself was an
inspiration.
We were somewhat frustrated by
being physically unable to attend all of
the sessions we would have liked to, or
to talk with (or even see) all of the
friends we had hoped to; but we did
appreciate the unity and power manifest
in a gathering of ^at many Christians,
the content and tone of all the messages
heard, and the exemplary planning and
organization. We notice with joy the
good number of small sessions devoted
to missions-related subjects, and the
number of missionaries present and par
ticipating. Both conventions share the
wholesome emphasis on whole families
participating.
The most interesting thing to us was
"sightseeing" the colors and styles now
being worn by the native preachers in
the United States.
The most soul-stirring experience of
manywas thehearing oftheentire group
singing "The Lord's Prayer" in the clos
ing moments.
-Harold Sims
MAILING
LIST
This fall we plan a long-overdue
revision of our mailing list, and we need
your cooperation. If there are any
changes of address, or any additions or
deletions that you think should be made,
please send a card to Mssion Services.
We would especially like to hear from
many whom wedo not knowpersonally.
We were able to visit Nfission Services
on Monday July 14, and see the various
workers busy at their tasks in the quiet
and beautiful rural setting. We were also
privileged to share in a delighftil pot-
luck supper provided by me Ladies
Auxiliary out under the giant old trees
when the day's work was done. After
seeing the place, we appreciate all the
more the work being done on each issue
of this paper and the other services to
the cause.
-Harold Sims
MID-SUMMER DAZE
Today, July 16, is the mid-way point
of our 3 month trip to the homeland, and
in the midst of busy and happy hours in
mid-America we greet all of you who
know us Tokyo Christians by means of
this periodical. Since June 5, we have
traveled approximately 10,000 miles by
airplane (Tokyo to Cincinnati) and
3,500 miles by rented car, spoken in 16
churches in 6 widely scattered states, and
visited all of our children (and the^and-
children) and some other ofour family
and many brothers and sisters in Christ.
We have had our souls restored by the
good fellowship with you, and certainly
thank God for you and receive with
humility and thanksgiving the genuinely
Christian hospitality, generosity, encour
agement, inspiration and love you have
shown to us. At several places(particu
larly the Standard Publishing booth at
the NACC) we have bought music,
books, attendance awards and other
materials for use in our work back in
Japan; and wehave also picked up ideas
and enthusiasm just by being in the
various churches.
After another 6 weeks of traveling
and visiting, we expect to return toJapan
on August 29 to continue our work with
renewed vision and many happy mem
ories, and with continuing trust that by
God's Spirit's guidance and power,many
souls will be hrought into the kingdom
of Christ.
-Harold Sims
MEJIRODAI MEETINGS CONTINUE
I
-A jf,-
' 1 I a
Congregation at M^irodai church on Nhty 25,1975. MEjirodai area. Church is in center at extreme left. (Not real
clear.)
Several people have asked us what
is happening to our work during our
absence this summer. We assure you
that while our English Classes etc. are
on vacation the regular Sunday services
continue under the leadership of the
members of the local church.
MOTHER'S DAY
At ^^irodai we made a special effort
to get mothers and daughters to attend
church together. The special attraction
was Mrs. Domen, a blind but radiant
Christian wife and mother, who sang 2
songs and gave her testimony. Some
we had hoped for didn't come, but assist
ed by the large Domen family of seven,
we had a most encouraging 34 people
present. This included 3 mother and
daughter combinations and a few
mothers who were in a church service
for the first time in their lives.
-Harold Sims
During June, the preacher ofNakano
church and 2 elders from the Minato
church preached the Sunday sermons,
and during July and August 2 students
of the Osaka Bible Seminary will be
living in our house and doing thepreach
ing. They are Taninari-san, a third year
student from a small town south ofKobe,
and Suzuki-san, a first year student from
the Arakawa church in Tokyo. The
local church is paying them a small
salary, and we think it will be a good
experience for all concerned.
-Harold Sims
SPECIAL MEETINGS IN 1976
Oct. 1, 1976 will bfejhe 75th anjij-
versary of the arrival of KIf~ahd Mrs.
W. D. Cunningham in Tokyo, Japan.
During the North American Christian
Convention, we had a meeting with
evangelist Jieggie Thomas and com
pleted arrangements for him to be in
Japan from mid-September to mid-Octo
ber of next year for a series of short
evangelistic meetings in several local
churches in Tokyo area. We feel this
will be the best way to commemorate
the beginning of our work. We earnestly
request that you begin now to pray with
us for God's blessing upon these special
meetings and all plans connected with
them.
-Harold Sims
7i
II
PATTQN^EWS
HOME
The scene is breathtaking and the
air is just cool enough to make one feel
good. Beautiful Lake Chatuge is before
us and the gentle ridges of the scenic
Blue Ridge mountains all around us - a
perfect place for a leisurely vacation.
That describes the old home place of
Dad and Mom Patton in western North
Carolina where we are visitingmy aged
parents for a short while. It would be
wonderful just to sit and visit, go fishing
and swimming and pay visits to other
relatives throughout the area. But each
timewhen I return"home"! find so many
things that need to be done that I feel
compelled to get these things done rather
than relaxing. This work, though, is a
source of relaxation to me and the fact
that I can be of help to my parents while
visiting themis comforting.
DAD AND MOM
My father will be 93 years old in
September and mother 86 in October.
Both of them are in fairly good health
in spite of their age and they themselves
do much of the work on their small farm.
They raised 9 children who are now scat
tered from North Carolina to Georgia
and from Alabama to Tokyo. Our
daughter, Sharon and her husband,
X^hris Scheurich of Joplin, Mo. have the
honor of having my parents' fkst great
-gpinddaughter, Sandra Ann. The rest\
mthe great grandchildren^aj.ejboy^
Sharon and Chris will join us here'ST
the old home place for a week's visit
beginning August 6th. On August 10th,
we plan to have a Patton reunion for
those of us whowill be able to gather
back home. We are looking forward to
that event with pleasure. VMio knows,
Tokyo Christian
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, Box 177,
Kempton, Indiana 46049. Second class
postage paid at Kempton, Indiana.
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Buttray,
2-26-4 Kamiochiai, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
161 Japan. Forwarding Agent: Mrs.
Homer Anderson, 622 Cullum Street,
Meadville, Pa. 16335.
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Patton, 3-7-8
Higashinakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 164
Japan. Forwarding Agent: Mr. and Mrs.
G. Wade Fletcher, R.R . 7, Rushville,
Ind. 46173.
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Sims, 3-33-7
Mejirodai, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 193
Japan. Forwarding Agent: FirstChurch
of Christ, Orange at Center St., Eustis,
Fla. 32726.
Two-year subscription S .50
Subscription and I'Tammg Torch$l.00
the uncertainty of human circumstance
and life may prevent another such re
union.
LEAVE-TAKING
One who has never experienced it
can hardly imagine the work and con
cern involved in pulling up family roots
for a family of 5 and transporting them
to the other side of the world to a no
madic life. It is never easy, but God has
helped us to accomplish it. We congratu
late ourselves that we were able to finish
that task without too great difficulty.
Those things needing to be stored were
stored and the house cleaned for our
departure. However, preparations for
our departure from Japan required so
much time that we were unable to make
adequate preparations for an itinerary
in the States.
YACHIYODAI
Our main concern before our fur
lough began was the new church work
we have started at Yachiyodai. The
:insons will not arrive in Japan to
care for the work and live in our home
until the taid of August. I needed some
one to take the leaoership in that work
^uring the summer. Brother Stephen
vHegjaoJ-kindly agreed to carry on those"
services during the summer.
Some very encouraging things
occured during my last few days at
Yachiyodai. The children whom I had
such a close fellowship with and had
taught for 8 months, indicated in many
ways their sadness at our separation
even though it will be for only a year.
They gave a little farewell party for me
on my last Sunday when they gave me
simple reminders of their love, all made
wjth their own hands and very ingen
iously designed. A little note accom
panying each of these valued presents
of absolutely no monetary value said,
"don't forget me and hurry back to us".
It breaks one's heart to part even for a
few months from dear ones like those.
I wo weeks prior to our departure,
I arrived at 10:30 A.M at the little house
we are renting for our services at Yachi
yodai and was making ready for the
morning worship. Soon a young man
appeared at the door, was greeted, and
sat on the cushions on the floor around
the short-legged table. He was carrying
a Bible andhymn book in his hand. He
began our conversation by saying he
was not a Christian but had come to
believe that Jesus Christ really lived. He
had attended a church near his home in
Tokyo, had read much in the Bible, and
now asked me many penetrating ques
tions about the Bible. His life now, he
said, was empty, meaningless, and
unsatisfying and that was the reason he
had come to consult with me. What a
wonderful way for God to prepare him
for the reception of Christ as his Saviour!
And what a fine place from which to
begin leading him to Christ. After open
ing the Scriptures beginning from mere
to preach Jesus unto him, which con
tinued for nearly 2 hours, I asked him if
he was not ready now to accept Christ
as his Lord and Saviour. He enthusias
tically answered that he was ready and
happy to take that step. Since a place
for oaptism was not at hand and also
from our past experiences in missionary
work in Japan has taught us to use a
more cautious approach to make sure
that a person is sufficiently taught before
baptizing him, I took his name and
Tokyo address so Brother Fleenor could
exhort him further in the Scriptures. We
pray that by this time this young man
has completed his obedience to Christ.
I thank God for this wonderful way of
encouraging us before we began our
furlough and for the sincerety of this
young man in seeking salvation. There
are thousands of others in thiis same area
who would accept Christ if they had the
opportunity and were challenged to do
so.
On Sunday evenings after the child
ren's service is over, I have beenhaving
an English class followed by an English
Bible dass. Attendance at these dasses,
especially by junior high students, has
steadily increased and I am sure we can
have a large crowd after we have had
time to aovertise better. I feel very
encouraged concerning this newwork in
Chiba and I expect me Lord-to-save a-
large group of souls there before long.
HOTEL HILTON
After taking leave of friends and do
ing our final packing and storing, we
left home for the airport in the afternoon
on June 12th. Upon arrival at Haneda
airport, we wereinformed that our plane
had had maintenance problems in Hong
Kong and would be delayeduntil Friday
13th. Therefore, we were bussed to
Tokyo Hilton Hotel for dinner, a night
of rest, breakfast and lunch the next day,
bussed back to the airport for our flight
to Honolulu. All this was at Air-Siams'
expense. Noel, Philip and Stephen pulled
the top mattresses off their beds at the
hotel and bedded down their boyfriends
for a night of talk. Such is the enthusi
asm and craftiness of youth!
HAWAII
A 3 day stay was enjoyed while at
the Nakamuira Hotel in Honolulu. An
aunt of one of Stephen's school friends
and her husband own the hotel. It is
only a place to sleep but who wants more
than this while on the scenic island. The
proceeds from some English teaching
were used to finance our stay there.
Amy Luttrell, a daughter of mission
aries to Hawaii and a student in Ozark
Bible College, kindly consented to drive
us in a rented car around the island of
Oahu. Thanks to her, we had no diffi-
(Continued on page 4)
PAnON NEWS
(Continuedfrom page 3)
culty in getting around and finding
people. First, we droped in on the Wes
ley Walker family and renewed our
friendship there. Then on to Hauula
where I ministered in 1947.
Mrs. Still, whom we have known for
years, her two daughters, Eleanor and
Ruth, all greeted us with opened arms.
I worked with hfr. and Mrs. Owen Still
in Hawaii and Japan and have found
them to be a wholly dedicated and sac
rificing family in the service of the Lord.
CounUess souls have been reached and
saved and numbers of churches started
by them. M's. Still's health has been
impaired, but she is far from retirement.
Wiile sitting in bed she writes thousands
of letters each year to her Christian
friends to encourage them or to raise
support for the work in Hawaii.
On Sunday, we visited the Pololo
Valley Church where the Luttrells work
and enjoyed the Christian fellowship
there. I spoke at the morning service.
M:. and Mrs. Luttrell left immediately
following the service to baptize an ear
nest "se^er"who Mrs. LuttreU had taught
on Saturday night at a special evan
gelistic meeting in a less desirable section
of the city. Our boys enjoyed speaking
Japanese with some of the young teen
agers of the church who were of Japa
nese decent.
LOS ANGELES
June 16th, we boarded a plane for
Los Angeles and were met by Betty's
aunt and her cousins. We were royally
entertained by them for a week. They
always spoil us so much by their warm
hospitality that we are very reluctant to
leave them. Noel visited his friend in
Modesto while the other boys received
a freetrip to Disneyland.
MISSOURI
On June 23, we boarded a plane for
Tulsa, Oklahoma where we were met
and driven to Joplin, Mo. by Sharon,
her husband, Chris, and our new grand
daughter, Sandra Ann. It was good to
see Sharon again after 3 years and to
see our new son-in-law and grand
daughter. We fell in love with Chris'
family and feel that we have known
themfor a long time.
We had asked Chris and Sharon to
find us a car to buyinJoplinto be used
on our furlough. His aunt gave him a
car for that purpose - a 1965 Buick
station wagon big enough for our 6
foot boys - and we are nowmobile. We
enjoyed a weeks stay there with our
loved ones and enjoyed the fellowship
at the Iron Gates church.
INDIANA
A day's drive took us to Rushville,
Indiana to the home of George and
Marge Fletcher, our forwarding agents.
We spent 3days with them puttingtogeth
er our display items, slides and doing
some office work. On Sunday morning
we worshipped with the Rushvillechurch,
one of our supporting churches. This is
a thriving young church with fine leader
ship.
OHIO
On Sunday July 6th, we drove to
Rushsylvania, Ohio to the church there
for an evening program. This church
has supported me since 1947. We will
be living in this community again for a
year, thanks to Louise Williamswho has
donated her home for missionaries home
on furlough. \Mth help from the sur
rounding churches and individuals, she
has greatly improved the interior of the
mission house. We thank God for her
and those who have contributed to this
cause. The boys stayed with Peggy and
Dale Wilkinson who are now occupying
the house while Betty and I were quests
of Mr. and Mrs. VMard Rollins. We
renewed our acquaintances with the
Christians there and with many of the
neighbors. Philip celebrated his 17th
birmday here, July 8.
NORTH CAROLINA
We reached Hayesville, North Caro
lina on July 9 to be with my parents.
This ended our journey from Tokyo!
We are grateful for the safe^andenjoy
ment along the way and the love and
kind hospitality of relatives and friends
throughout the journey. Now we are
getting ready for a year's travel among
our friends and supporters in our home
land. We are looking forward to a fimit-
ful, safe and enjoyable time of refreshing
from God's presence as we travel among
you.
-Andrew Patton
SPECIAL
THANKS
We want to thank all of you who
have remembered Noel in your prayers
for his recovery. On May 18, he was
allowed to put aside his crutches after
4 months and try to walk. After a few
days he was again able to walk without
assistance. Two weeks later, the doctor
examined the knee again and found that
he had almost compl^ movement ofit.
Possiblyin the futureone more operation
will be needed. Also his chances for
degenerative arthritis are great. But we
thank the Lord again for His mercy
and healing power. After another check
up by a specialist in Cincinnati, he will
know what kind of work he can start to
do for his livelihood.
-Andrew Patton
POSTMASTER
FORM 3579 REQUESTED
BOX 177, KEMPTON, IN 46049
I.
SIMS. NEWSLETTER . FALL 1975
Dear Friends; : . ^
. Now.ye are back at the regular duty station after a good trip through the
United States this summer. It was a great joy and privilege^tg^have seen more
than half o^ those who receive this letter during tho^e^^84 and although
each visit seemed to be all too short, we consider the^f'fefl:, expeiise. $ fat
igue of the journey to have been more than compensated for in the spiritually
,vitaliz;ing fellowship with you. ;
X-^SUMMArY^^ dF THE iTRIP: We visited and spoke in 28 churches in 12 different st-
V^ates^. Most of th,em have supported, our work for many years, and every place
was a home-xoming for us. We also spent about 50 days visiting our 4 children,
our mothers in Tennessee and Maryland, and our brothers and sisters. : In add
ition ye attended and took part in the programs of the North American Christ
ian Convention in Detroit; the Virginia Evangelizing Fellowship Rally at Geth-
semane Church; and the School of the Ministry at Milligan College.
We bought over 200 dollars worth of S;unday~School teaching materials, vis-
ual aids, books, music and records at the Standard booth (and others) at the
NACC and at Kokomo, Ind. when we visited Mission Services: This was all pack
ed and mailed to Japan during our travels, and is arriving' here now at' the
rate of almost, a package a day. We also enjoyed a little ^s=ight-seeihg along
the, way. Danny especially relished the day at Uisney World in Fdo'rida, and a
day in Washington, D.C. During the month of September we are showing slides
taken on our trip to the Mejirodai church and Sunday School, and our English
classes, and we think they will help the people to get a better picture of
the. real America than usually comes through on the TV screen.
We traveled by air from Tokyo to Cincinnati, Ohio and return...a total of
about .20,000 miles. Through the kindness of Mr. Ralph Passarello, a car deal
er in Wiiliamsburg, Ky, we rented a 1973 Ford Torino very'reasonably and drove
it 6,600 miles. By flying charter-fare our transportation, equal to the dis
tance around the world, we felt was overall very reasonable. God in His good
providence protected us from accident, injury and illness and we are grateful.
We also want to thank the host of brothers and sisters both in Christ and
in the flesh who fed and housed us along the way; and those who encouraged us
in many ways.
THE RETURN TRIP; Our oldest daughter, Hope, in Oklahoma City was expecting^
her second baby aiound Aug. 18, so Lois flew there a few days early to be with
her. Danny and I had gone back to Cincinnati, and were just getting ready to
leave for Oklahoma when Lois called to say that we had a new grandchild born
that morning; another girL,.,^,ejLinda Joy.^ We arrived there later that day and
I got special permission to ener fhe hursery and hold the baby before I had
to leave for Yuma, Arizona for the weekend. I met Lois and Danny at Los An
geles on^^^A^^^t,.,^ There we enjoyed great Christian hospitality from a fam
ily (jones) that we did not even know, but their name and address had been
given to us by another missionary. The next day we flew to Hawaii, where we
visited. Mys. Owen Still and other friends at the Sunset Beach School, and do a
little swimming, shopping and sightseeing while catching up on jet-lag for 48
hours. TwQp|iy eight years ago we,, were living and working y^p^^Hawaii while wait-
^ ing for permissi6n'"Td enter Japan. We enjoyed a reunion with "tlhe""did Japanese
grocer who helped us buy our provisions when we left for Japan later that year.
ARRIVAL IN TOKYO: After a long day, crossing the internatinnal date line, jjje^
.arrived in. Tokyo late in the afternoonCpf August 29. After a long time of st
anding in line through immigration, baggage cTaim and customs inspection, we
stepped out of the air conditioned area into the steaming, packed lobby of the
arrival building and soon spotted our fellow missionaries Stanley and Aable
Buttray and Suzuki-san, one of the Osaka Bible Seminary students who had been
living in our house, and preaching during July and August. After getting our
remaining dollars exchanged into yen, and our pile of luggage into Buttray*s
station wagon, we pulled out into the traffic. This was the most crowded air-
^^port, the heaviest traffic, the most hot, humid pollutted air we had seen all
(C^ummer. This had^to be Tp|,;^!
We drove''"3ilfectly to Patton's yard where our little Toyoto Cdrbno had re
mained parked all summer. It looked very small, but we managed to get all the
baggage into it, and then drove the rest of the way home carefully keeping to
the left side of the street. An hour and a half 1ater... three hours after
leaving the airport and four since landing...we pulled up in front of our
home again safe and sound. The house was spotlessly clean on the inside, and
the yard was well kept. The other O.B.S. student, Taninari-san, had a big,
delicious meal of tempura (deep fried vegetables, fish and shrimp) rice soup
waiting ^or us, and although it was now about 1 AM according to the time we
got up in Honolulu we sat down and enjoyed it fully. It was ^.yery thoughtful
gesture on their part, and typical of the attitude and work all summer.
Soon after eating we went to bed while the boys cleaned up the kitchen.
The next day we unpacked. It was a great relief to put those well-woiTt suit
cases away and the clothes in closets and drawers where they belonged. Also,,
we sorted through the mail that had accumulated, and made final preparations
for Sunday.
MEJIRQDAI CHURCH: Sunday morning August 31 we had 74 for Sunday School. Sch
ool was starting the next day and some children who had been away,were back,
so attendance was up from what it had been during, vacation season. Then there
were 33 for the morning worship service. This was one less than our record
for the year (Mother's Day), It was most encouraging to see 100% of our mem
bers and just about all of the other folk who had been attending regularly be
fore we left. Moreover, they spoke highly of the Seminary students. Everyone
was happy that God had given such good helpers during our. absence, and had
brought us back safely. They felt that they had matured as individuals, and
as a congregation by the experiences of the summer. They had arranged with a
local Chinese restaurant to have lunch brought in, and we had a fine fellow
ship around the tables as a farewell to the students and welcome to,us. It
was a fine way to start the fall work...a spontaneous rally day.
That evening Mark Maxey family came to spend 2 nights with us. They had
brought their daughter up so she could fly back to her studies at C.B.S., and
their other daughter here to live in the dormitory at Christian Academy for
this school year. Mr and Mrs. Saito who had spent the weekends,in.our home
during June to open the place for services and feed the visiting preachers
stayed over and prepared a delicious sukiyaki supper for all of.us.
THE OTHER WORK: On September 1 I att
meeting at the Sakurayama church. Th
camps and other activities, and seeme
fall activities. The Dale Wilkinson
Mark Pratts have arrived to begin the
were the,re to add to our group. So,
Sept. 2 Danny began the 9th grad
English conversation classes at the n
A hundred times or more we have
traditional expression "Okaerinasai"
ese is a simple "Just Now" but that i
"Thank You, Everybody", and "Thanks b
ended the regular first-Monday preachers
e preachers reported a good summer of
d ready in every way for a good round of
family is back from furlough, and the
ir missionary careers, and those 2 men
it was a very happy fellowship,
e at Christian Academy, and I began my
eighborhood high school, and here at home
been greeted by the people here with the
(welcome back). The set reply in Japan-
s too vague for our use. We want to say
e to God".
SIMS TOKYO MISSION
First Church of Christ
315 Orange Avenue
Eustis, Florida 32726
ADDRESS CORRECTION
REQUESTED
Your's in His Service,
HAROLD AND LOIS SIMS
Non-Profit Orgn.
U.S. Postage Paid
Permit No. 57
Eustis, PL 32726
OCT. 2 4.1975
Tokyo m Christian
Volume 74
'Go ye into all the world and preach the gosp'iil$Jpavery creature" Mark 16:15
November, 1975 Number 4
MR. CHO
RESIGNS RT
MIKJIWRSHIMA
CHURCH
Mr. Cho, who has been the minister of
the Mkawashima church for the past 17
years has accepted a very tempting offer
to become the minister of a church for
Korean people in the Seattle-Tacoma
Washington area. The newworkseemsto
be largely sponsored by the Southern
Baptists. For the present, the assistant
minister will take over the leadership of
the Mikawashima church here, which is
our only Korean church in Japan.
We have appreciated very much Mr.
Cho's good work with this church which
we worked with during the first 3 years
in Japan. He has built it up to the highest
average attendance and most unifiedcon
dition in the 50 year history of the con
gregation. He is a man of much ability,
speaking English, Japanese and Korean
with equcdfluency; and he also has a lov
ing and peaceful disposition that makes
him highly respected by all.
He came to us from a denominational
background, and has always been what I
would call "interdenominational" in his
thinking, but hehas also beenunderstand
ing of our position in regard to baptism
by immersion and Biblical inspiration
and authority and other such doctrinal
matters.
Last year he was one of the Asian
delegates to the Congress on World Evan
gelization at Lausanne Switzerland. I
helped him put his speechon that occasion
into English. It was through contacts
made at that time and on a subsequent
trip to America this past summer that he
received the oflFer of the newjob to which
he goes.
The people here all hate very much to
see him leave. -Harold Sims
SIMS FAMILY
BACK IN JAPAN
Harold , Lois and Danny Sims re
turned to Tokyo on August 29 after an
84 day trip to the United States. During
that time they spoke in 28 different
churches in 12 states and also took part
in the programs of the North American
Christian Convention, the Virginia
Evangelizing Fellowship and the Soiool
of the Ministry. They were able to spend
some time with their 4 children who are
living in the U.S. as well as with their
2 mothers and 2 brothers and 3 sisters.
Before leaving for the return trip to
Japan they were able to seetheir second
grandchild"Melinda Joy Schmidt--who
was born on August 21 in Oklahoma
City. A sister for Becky who is now 4.
The two students from Osaka Bible
Seminary who had lived in the Sims
house helped in the church work during
July and August had done a good job
in both thechurchworkandkeepinggood
care of the house and yard, and it was
a real joy to find everything in such good
condition and such a happy spirit pre
vailing among our "household of faith"
here.
-Harold Sims
This is the translation of a letter
received during the Sims' absence last
summer at Mejirodai church.
"To my Sunday school teacher:
Teacher, today 1 am going to Shi-
koku, and I think 1 will not be back for
a long time. But since 1 willreturn about
the end of August, please do not erase
the place on the attendance roll book
where it is written Kamoshita Nanae.
1 honorably request this.
Yours, Nanae"
NEW
MISSIONARIES
We are very happy to have Markand
Lvnn Pratt here on the field now begin-
"^^^ng their missionary careers. They are
busy with language study every day and
adding sparks of life and hope to our
missionary get-togetherswith their youth
ful enthusiasm.
Also we are glad to have the Dale
^^SQSLiamily in the Tokyo area for
"oneyear oflanguage study as they begin /
their second term of missionary service./
They are living inthePattonhouseduring
Pattons furlough year, and he is con
tinuing the work in Yachiodai which was
begun a year or so ago by AndrewPatton.
EVANGELISTIC
MEETING AT
MEJIRODAI
We had a special series of meetings
at Mg'irodai church Sept. 24-28. Mr.
Sato, ^e preacher at Kamiochiai church,
made a trip to Israel, and especially to
M. Sinaiwhere heclimbed upthesummit,
in March of this year. As a special
attraction he showed slides of his trip
during the first part of the meetingsevery
night, and also let everyone taste some
water he had brought backfrom the Dead
Sea and feel some of the rocks he had
brought back in his suitcase. It was very
interesting to all who attended, but we
always wish there were more. The atten
dance average 16 per night, with a total
of about 35 difierent people attending.
There were no responses to theinvitation,
but we believe some good contacts were
made. - Harold Sims
MOTOSU CHRISTIAN CAMP
Again during thefirst week of August ^ ]
this summer a camp was held at Lake H
Motosu. Since the Sims and Fatten fam- ? j
ilies were both in the United States, the Bl
onlymissionary therewasPaulPratt,who y K*
served as manager. Much ofthe work of ^
planning as well as the actual teaching &IT
ofclciases andother matters were handled ^ L'
by the younger Japanese ministers. It " J?"
was reported to have been a very good ^ 5i
camp in every way. with over 100 in y H
total attendance. There was one baptism ^ H
during thecamp. People were there from
6 different churches in the Tokyo area. Ajjp
This year there were many more elemen- . ;^.v
tary school children than ever before, I
but they also cooperated in the chores y
and Bible dramas and other parts of the v
program.
First and second graders.
Fifth and sixth graders.
J
PATTON NEWS
The writer of Ecclesiastes said there
is a time for all things. Our lives since
July have more or less been agreeable
to that philosophy. We visited (churches,
attended Lake James School of Missions,
preached at a Faith-Promise Rally, and
worked hard on my parents' farm. We
had a very enjoyable summer.
LAKE JAMES
While we were yet in Japan we were
invited to attend and take part on the
program of Lake James School of
Missions. We gladly accepted the in
vitation and were blessed with a wonder
ful week of fellowship, inspiration, study
and recreation. At the school we met
many old friends and made new ones
and were filled with many good things
from the Lord.
DOWN ON THE
FARM
After leaving Lake James weheaded
south to North Carolina and myparents'
farm again. Nearly all of August was
spent there with them and during the
month we were able to get a lot of the
things done for them that we had wanted
to do for a long time. We did plumbing
work, built fences, hauled hay, painted,
laid linoleum, canned and fished. Our
daughter and son-in-law, Chris and
Sharon Scheurich, and our grand
daughter, Sandy, ofjoplin, Missourispent
a few days with my parents and us at
the old home place at Hayesville. On
August 10 all 9 of the Patton children
their spouses and decendants met there
for a reunion. Everyone, including the
Tokyo Chrtslian
Published four times a year in
January, April, July and November for
the missionaries of the Church of
Christ Cijriningham Mission. Tokyo,
Japan by Mission Services, Box 177,
Kempton, Indiana 46049. Second class
postage paid at Kempton, Indiarra.
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Buttray,
2-26-4 KamIOChiai,Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
101 Japan. Forwarding Agent: Mrs.
Homer Anderson. 622 Cullum Street,
Meadville, Pa. 16335.
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Patton, 3-7-8
Higashinakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 164
Japan. Forwarding Agent: Mr. and Mrs.
G.Wade F letcher, R .R . 7 , Rushville,
Ind. 46173.
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Sims, 3-33-7
Mejirodai. Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 193
Japan. ForwardingAgent: FirstChurch
of Christ, Orange at Center St., E ustis,
Fla. 32726.
Two-year subscription S .50
Subscription and I-lammii 7or</>S1.00
great-grandchildren, was present except
four. Nearly 50 peoplecameandenjoyed
thefood and. fellowship.
BACK HOME
AGAIN
Though we arrived in the U.S.A.
from Japan in June, it was not until
September that we finally got settled
enough in our temporary home in Rush-
sylvania, Ohio to get our suitcases un
packed. Philip and Stephenhaveadapted
themselves to school life and circum
stances again in their homeland and
seemto be enjoying it.
Noel has applied for a job but has
not been fortunate enough to find one
yet. He perhaps will do sometraveling
with me soon until he finds a job. On
October 3, we took him to Cincinnati
to have his knee which was injured ser
iously in J anuary examined by a doctor.
That doctor was of the same opinion
about the knee as that of the doctor in
the military hospital in Japan. The leg
has healed remarkably well, he says,
but there is a strong possibility tnat
degenerative arthritis will be set in in the
joint at some time in the future. Your
continuing in prayer for Noel would be
appreciated.
TRAVELS
On September 6, 7 the whole family
participated in a Faith Promise Rally at
the Utica Church of Christ. This is
one of our supporting churches and we
always enjoy our visits with them. Even
though we did not reach the goal for
faith promises that had been set for the
rally we were abundantly blessed by the
rally. We trust that thefolk of the Utica
church were too.
During the remainder ofSeptember,
we were able to visit 3 more of our
supporting churches. Since we nowlive
fairly near them, we have been able to
visit the folk at Piqua church 3 times
recently. On August 31, we were able
to enjoy their annual Bibleschool picnic
and I was asked to speak on that occasion.
Then on September 14, wespent thewhole
day with the church there and shared
with them the news of the spread of the
Gospel in Japan. The last twoSundays
in September were spent with the Rush-
sylvania churchand the church at Rush
ville, Indiana. These churches have
supported us for many years and weare
grateful for their love and friendship.
Also Betty and I were able to attend
the class meeting of the Ladies' Bible
class of the Piqua church. These ladies
too have been our helpers for many
years. The folk of the Fort Recovery
church in Ohio were our gracious hosts
on October 5. Weworshipped with them,
spoke to them, and enjoyed the carry-
in dinner they provided. This church
is small but very friendly and alert.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
TO
I celebrated my 58th birthday on
October 4th. We were invited to the
home of the Leo Craigs of Rushsylvania.
There was a turkey dinner with all the
trimmings and a good time for all and
birthday gifts for me. Such treatment
firom fine friends like the Craigs takes
away some of the shock of beinga year
older.
JAPAN
HAPPENINGS
Over the past few years wehave par
ticipated each summer in an evangelistic
campaign in Karuizawa, north ofTokyo.
We were absent this summer, of course,
but have received some good reports of
this summer's campaign. We heard that
over 500 people attended the coffee house
evangelistic meetings in Karuizawa and
that several young people were won to
the Lord during that time. We praise
the Lord for these victories.
Dale and Peggy Wilkinson and their
children are now settled in our house
in Tokyo and Dale has taken over the
leadership of the new work at Yachi-
yodai. Besides the children that attend
the Sunday school class, there are some
high school girls, somemarried women,
and a biochemist who is a professor in
a pharmaceutical college now attending
themeetings. We believethat theprofessor
will accept the Lord as savior soon.
We have heard from the Buttrays in
Japan anencouragingjepoj^on the pos
sibility of building^a^jagif^ere in the
near future. We have owned a piece of
land for that purpose there for over a
year. But various obstacles havestood
in the way of our selling a piece of land
to finance the camp buildings.
But now it seems that the obstacles are
being removed. Prayers are being
answered. Let us earnesdy pray that the
camp buildings will be ready for use
next summer.
AND SO
We are looking forward to a refresh-
ing year of travels among the churches
in the good old U.S.A. And we are
especially grateful for the opportunity of
meeting again the good folk who have
helped hold up our hands in our mission
work through the years. Thank all of
you for your prayers and support.
"Andrew Patton
.My home church at .Meadville, Pa.
has a custom when a husband and wife
reach a combined age of fifty-five they
automatically advance into the nextBibie
class. But when missionaries in aforeign
field reach a combined age of 55, or 80,
or 100, or 120 it's simply a
mathematical problem of advancing in
age without promotion.
Recently, I have been made more and
more aware of the need of recruiting
new missionaries to help reach the multi
tudes of Japan today. And as I looked
at the average of our missionaries that
came to Japan soon after the war ended,
I discovered the average age was almost
55. .As I began to think realistically
about this problem, I decided that in ten
years most of these missionaries could
be gone!
How much more time we have before
the I.ord Jesus returns is a matter of
speculation. . .Though we may not know
the exact day norhour,Jesussaidwecould
know the season as wesawhis prophecies
being fulfilled. . .And many persons are
thinking He will come soon. Even so,
as I consider tiic educated multitudes of
Japan (over one hundred million of them)
who are completely ignorant of the living
God and His plan of salvation for them,
I am convinced the TIME IS NOW AT
HAND to prepare to fill this inevitable
gap in the missionary ranks. . .which
most surely will soon take place III!!
To my knowledge, God has never
revoked the Great Commission! Nor
has His Hearts Desire or Love for fallen
man waned!
/''VMio will accept this challenge?
If you . . . hear the Lord of IlaiA'est
sweetly calling,
Who will go and replace these mission
aries today?
Who will go and tell the lost and
dying in Japan?
Wlio will point them to the Narrow
Way?
Wlio will make reply? . . .Here am I
Lord, Send me!!!
I
m
Peter Suzuki's wife, Shiziika was baptb.cd
in this hot spring hotel the last Suiulav
ol August. Peters name is no longer
Suzuki. He has changed it to Kaneko,
his wife's lamily name. Stanley and
Midiel Buttray on the right, and Mrs.
Cole and her son David on the left.
By Peter taking his wife's name he
someday will inherit the family business.
Pray for this new Christian home.
TheJapanese ])rcachers and missionaries
heltl their monthly meeting at Karuiz'awa
the first Monday of July.
During the morning they visited the
still future "Faitli-Land Bible Camp". The
Japanese preacJiers jTeeing the land for
the first time, were impressed.
Because this was July, seven persons
were absent.
This picture shows some of the clear
ing of brush which Mr. Buttray has beeti
doing for the soft ball field.
Stanley and Mablc Buttray in front of
summer cabin in Karuizawa. They will
continue to rent this cabin until next year,
or until .sulTicienl finances are available
for construction of their home on the
"Faith-Land Bible Camp"grounds.
laaflflBQflfiflBOOflagQflQQOQOOPOOflOQQOQOOQOOQQOQQQQQQQQOQQOQOOOOO
POSTMASTER
FORM 3579 REQUESTED
BOX 177, KEMPTON, IN 46049
NOV. ^ 2 1975
HAROLD^^MS oec. oe 1975
3.33.7 MEJmODAI
MACHIOJI SHI
TOKYO, JAPAN T IW
Christmas 1975
Dear Friends,
Again this year we look forward to the coming of Christmas, because
currently the Mejirodai Church is practising for our first Cantata. The choir
is very limited in experience and numbers, but not in willingness to harmonize.
V/e get a lot of joy from trying various new ways of contacting the people
around us, as well as the regular Bible studies and conversational English
classes which we offer for all ages.
Earlier this year we became acquainted with a nice family from Nepal
who are living in a nearby apartment for a couple of years while he makes
various studies in preparation for a leading part in the economic development
and modernization of his country. They speak English, and asked us to teach
their cute little daughters. This led to a Bible study with Mr. and Mrs.
every Saturday morningsomething that probably would not be permitted for
them to do openly in their ovm country. We know that you will pray with us
that God will use this unusual opportunity for the working out of His purposes
in their lives and in that distant part of our increasingly smaller world.
/V" Our 12 week summer trip to the United States was a cont-'nuous joyful
/ experience for each of us every day. V/e thank our loving heavenly Father
/ for traveling mercies, provision, guidance, fellowship in Christ, family
// reunions and many other blessings; and also many of you for delightful
// hospitality, encouraging words and continuing support. The Lord's promise
// in Matt. 19:29 s most wonderfully true. V/e left our 2 homes and parents
I I and 2 brothers and 3 sisters 28 years.ago for His .sake, and we have had
I I hundreds of homes open to us and hundreds of brothers and sisters stand with
us on both sides of the Pacific- We were also very happy on retujiLing^to
Mejirodai August 29 to find the church work going along fine, with all the
mei^ers ai^ the 2 Osaka Bible Seminary students doing their parts with
responsibility and enthusiasm.
The-'faiTfi;ly"is all doing fine. Hope (Mrs. Tom Schmidt) lives in Okla
homa City. Tom works at the Federal Reserve Bank, and they are active in
the Metropolitan Christian Church. Grand-daughter Becky is now ^ years old,
^ and she has a new sister, Melinda, born on Aug. 21 this year. Sylvia (Mrs.
Dave Smith) lives in Bellville, Ohio and works with her husband as youth
director at the local Church of Christ. Both couples are making monthly
payments on the modest homes they are living in. Jonathan and Bobby live in
an apartment in Cincinnati, Ohio and attend the Price Ave. church. Jonnie
is a Senior in Cincinnati Bible College and supports himself vjith a full-time
job. Bobby graduated in September from the 2-year electronics course at the
Cincinnati Technical College and is now eirployed full-time at this school.
He had an automobile accident this fall, but was unhurt. Daniel is i-r^th us
here in Japan and a ninth grader at Christian Academy.
I7e sincerely hope that each one of you will have a good T;>ralk with God
throughout the new year.
In His service,
HAROLD AND LOIS SIMS
May God's great Gift
Of love
Be very real to you at this
Happy Season
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OCC. Ob t975
1975 Japan Sunday School Union 02:i95
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