Nagasaki, Japan by Walter L. Foster

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Jan 12, 1911

Nagasaki, Japan

By Walter L. Foster

WALTER L. FOSTER

It has now been four weeks since our tent-meetings were begun in this old city, and you may be sure our little company of workers are all awake. In the midst of our meetings came a great festival, lasting one week. It was with much anxiety that we saw the festival approaching; and to begin with, we were very cautious to locate our tent a safe distance from the theater grounds. But as we see it now, the Lord guided us to a place within a stone’s throw of the center of the festival. However, we were protected somewhat from the noise on two sides by quite large buildings.

Before the festival, we had obtained a few thousand back numbers of the Owari, our Japanese paper, and distributed all of them among the people who visited our tent. In one day nearly two thousand were used in this way. The same evening, more than six hundred persons attended the service. Meetings were also held during the day, in which our younger workers were given thirty minutes each to speak to the people. One day six such meetings were held, besides two one-hour services. This message has power with it, and the Lord intends it shall be proclaimed in “high places.” It will be a witness to all nations, and I have faith to believe that many Japanese will accept it.

When the subject of baptism was presented, Brother H. Kuniya asked for those to stand who wished to keep all of God’s commandments and be baptized. All who have expressed a desire to be baptized were not present; so we did not count all of them, but there were fourteen present who signified their desire. We expect to organize, when they are prepared, with no fewer than twenty-five new Sabbath-keepers. Of course, some of these were just waiting for the opportunity when the meetings opened. It is indeed encouraging to see these poor people come from such darkness, and fully identify themselves with us. They learn to love this message as much as any of us, and are just as willing to sacrifice for it. I am thankful to be called as an ambassador of Christ to Japan.

Our canvassers are all doing quite well, and are staying by the work. They certainly are doing well, considering the kind of literature they are compelled to use. Because of our lack of facilities to print better, it is not the best in appearance. We are praying and still hoping that a good printer will soon come, and

that we may have means enough to institute a new order of things in our publishing work. All of us are looking for it, praying for it, expecting it. The salaries now paid the canvassers would more than support a printer; and with better papers and small books, the canvassers would be able to support themselves.

Recently, I visited a business man here, and he said: “I like those special numbers of the Owari.” At the same time, I was surprised to see him bring out all the specials we have printed. They were nicely kept, and he had read each article a number of times. So it is; when the work on our publications is well done, there is a lasting impression. The writer well knows our donations to foreign missions come “by hard lines;” and it is fresh in his memory when all his donations were earned by following the plow, laying stone, or plastering, and he was tempted sometimes to think he had given a great deal. But, O brethren, I had not then seen the darkness, the sin, and the misery that exist in Japan.