p. 10 | Japan by H. F. Benson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 30, 1910

Japan

By H. F. Benson

H. F. BENSON

A short time ago Elder H. Kuniya and seven canvassers from the school came to Hiroshima to begin a three months' effort here. The canvassers immediately began a systematic canvass of the city. At first there was some doubt as to the possibility of selling the papers; some thought that but few people would be reached in this way, and advised lending the papers for two weeks, and then replacing the old paper with the next issue. The first day's work demonstrated clearly that the papers could be sold, and, more than that, that a large number could be sold. Brother Y. Seino sold 215 of the Owari No Fukuin, our Japanese paper, besides a number of tracts, in one day, working about six and one-half hours. The general average for the whole company has been about ten to twelve papers an hour. Taking into account the purchasing power of the Japanese, this would be about equal to the same number of ten-cent magazines if sold in the States. The first day Brother Sato secured a subscription for the paper, and since that time a number of yearly subscriptions have been taken.

The Lord has greatly blessed in the work, especially in enabling us to secure a house for meetings in the very heart of the city. This house is on a side street, the first door from the corner of the principal thoroughfare, and will comfortably accommodate fifty or sixty persons, besides the rooms upstairs, in which part of the workers live. It has taken some time to alter and furnish this building. The floor of two rooms was taken out, and a cement floor laid. This makes it possible for the Japanese to enter without leaving their wooden shoes at the door.

We are having so many encouraging experiences that it is difficult to pick out the most interesting. One or two, however, will indicate the way in which the Spirit of God is working on the minds of the people. From the very first, many have asked where we held meetings, and expressed an intention of attending as soon as we opened our meeting-hall. The first subscriber secured by our canvassers has, after being visited several times, expressed a desire to keep the Sabbath.

One day Elder Kuniya stopped at a barber shop, and while awaiting his turn, picked up a bunch of tracts and papers carefully bound together, and placed on the table for the use of the customers. They proved to be literature which the barber had bought of one of our canvassers. This man told Elder Kuniya that he wanted to know more of our belief. Later he placed a sign in his shop that stated that the shop would be closed on every Saturday, and last Sabbath he attended Sabbath-school and the preaching service. A young man who had purchased a paper from one of the canvassers said that he was going to give up the use of tobacco. He had read in this paper a short article on tobacco and its evil effects. One worker secured a trophy the other day. He saw a man filling his pipe, and thinking it a good opportunity, began to tell him about the poisonous nature of the weed. The man, after listening a short time, handed the worker his filled pipe and pouch, at the same time stating that he intended to give up tobacco forever.

During the first part of May there will be two large festivals in Hiroshima, and we are planning to get out a large special edition of our paper, to sell to those who attend. This will enable us to get the paper in the hands of people from all parts of Japan. Thousands from the small islands and from the other provinces on this island are expected. The canvassers have promised to sell one thousand copies apiece; this will make eight thousand in all.

There is no question but God is preparing the way for his work in Hiroshima. This city is regarded as one of the most difficult places in Japan for Christian work, but our canvassers have done better here than in any other place in Japan. The western part of the city has hardly been touched by other denominations in their twenty-five years of work here, on account of the seemingly insurmountable opposition of the Buddhists. Our young people sold more literature there than in any other part of the city. On Temple Street, a street with nothing but temples on both sides for several blocks, they sold from one to three papers in nearly every temple. We have covered the whole city once, and have begun on the second round. It is too early to make a comparison, but in one district more papers were sold on the second round than on the first.

We do not feel elated over the success that has attended the work in Hiroshima. We know that every soul gained must be the fruit of earnest, prayerful effort.

Hiroshima.