Kiusiu, Japan by W. L. Foster

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Feb 2, 1911

Kiusiu, Japan

By W. L. Foster

W. L. FOSTER

Kiusiu means, in Japanese, “nine provinces,” and is an island containing six and one-half millions of people. In all this island the Japanese empire had its beginning; mission work for Japan also began here; hence there are many places of interest. The proclamation of this message for Kiusiu had its beginning in Nagasaki, and did not reach much beyond until the present year.

After coming to Nagasaki a year ago, things looked very dark, and the prospects for establishing the work were poor for many months; but we continued to work and pray until we had as many as thirty Bible readers a day. Severe sickness in the spring compelled us to leave during the summer; but we returned September 2, and meetings were begun the following week. On September 16, tent-meetings were opened, with good attendance, and continued thirty-two nights under the most unfavorable conditions of weather. Nearly every one in attendance took severe colds; but as we had no other place to go, and the interest was good, we did not feel like closing. One young man, who was waiting for baptism, was helping at the tent when needed, and spent the remainder of his time canvassing. His name was Kamio, and we all learned to love him, and thought surely he would make an excellent worker. But during the stormy weather he took cold, and died in five days of pneumonia. It was indeed a bitter experience for us. Kamio San rests on the mountain back of the city, but we believe he sleeps only until Jesus calls him at the resurrection of the just. His aged mother and little brother, who have also found the Saviour, received baptism yesterday, with nine others.

Since the tent-meetings closed, our meetings have been held in a hall, or “kogisho,” as we call it in Japan. Two of the canvassers have gone to attend the school at Tokyo, and another worker goes this week to study the Bible and to help in the teaching. Sister Cornish remained in the north after the summer’s work, so while the burdens are becoming heavier, our force of workers is decreasing. We are continually finding interested ones for whom to work. At present two thousand neat invitations for Bible study are being circulated as we again canvass the city.

Among the eleven baptized, the first of November, was a physician, a sea-captain, and the daughter of the first Japanese Christian; also a banker’s son, who loses his earthly home to win one in heaven. The captain, mentioned above, was one night studying the stars, and thought, “What wonderful lights to guide the ships on the pathless sea!” As he pondered, he longed to know more about them, and then the thought came, “Why, those people at the tent claim to know the Lord, who made these things; maybe they can tell me.” The Lord was guiding him; for when he came to the tent the next night, the text of the sermon was: “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.” Gen. 2:1-3. We have many interesting experiences as we seek souls for the Master, and some are very touching. Souls are not easily won in Japan; but others here are waiting for baptism, and we hope they will be ready early in December.

Recently, it was my privilege to visit Dr. Kawasaki on my way to the old city of Kumamoto, about the center of Kiusiu Island. The doctor’s health is quite poor, so he returned in July to the village where he was born, hoping to do something for his people there, and, at the same time, regain his health. He is building a neat little house, where he can have sufficient fresh air, sunshine, and water, and is fitting up a small operating-room, with several rooms for patients. The people are very much opposed to Christianity in that province, but they have great confidence in the doctor’s “medicine,” so, practically, all the work on his house and well is being donated by the neighbors.

At Kumamoto, some work has been in progress for a year, but none of us had ever visited the worker there before. It was interesting to see what has been accomplished. Six are keeping the Sabbath, and about fifteen others are interested, and receiving instruction daily. Brother H. Kuniya expects to go over and help shape up the work, so a church can be organized. Prospects are very encouraging there, and we hope to open tent-meetings early in the spring. Much more might be done in Japan if we had suitable publications and a better paper. But, in order to have these, we must have an experienced printer, and something with which to work. Surely, if that printer we have been expecting from California knew how much he is needed in Japan, he would be anxious to sail at once for this shore. When the waiting lengthens into years, we are tempted to wonder if help will ever come; but I hope the waiting time will not be much longer. Many, many times I resolve that I will work on in silence, and never mention our needs again; but the publishing work in Japan needs help so much. I can not see how the message will ever triumph here without good literature. A good printer with a few hundred dollars for machinery could make a great improvement.

Kobe, Japan.