F. H. DE VINNEY by F. H. DE VINNEY

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Feb 13, 1913

F. H. DE VINNEY

By F. H. DE VINNEY

Japan

F. H. DE VINNEY

SINCE the general meeting at Awaji in July, I have visited every church, company, and laborer in the field. This has involved hundreds of miles of travel by rail, and not a little by foot and by jinrikisha (man-power wagon); and living native style in Japanese hotels, during all the time away from home not having a chair or bed, but sitting, eating, and sleeping on the floor. At first this is rather difficult, and is trying to one’s body and limbs; but after a time it becomes less disagreeable than might be expected by a foreigner. I rather enjoy it for a time; but on account of the strange foods upon which one must live, any long trip or continued stay in the hotels is usually followed by a few days’ illness, which detracts from the pleasure of the experience.

At Yusawa, in the northern part of the main island, we held meetings for several days with the interested ones; and as the result of the labors of Brother Matsukura, I baptized three adults in the river, near the city. Besides his regular readers, Brother Matsukura has a large class of the children of heathen parents to whom he is teaching the message.

To reach the little church company at Kuji, we had nearly five miles’ walk from the railroad station. When yet two miles distant, we began to meet members of the church, as they had appointed a meeting in a pine grove near the river. Here in God’s own temple we held a service that reminded us of Paul’s meeting on the riverside, ‘where prayer was wont to be made.’ At its close we went down into the water and baptized three young men who are just entering the prime of life.

At Kogoshima, an important city of Japan, situated in almost the extreme southeastern part, and about twelve hundred miles from Yusawa, we visited Elder H. Kuniya. He has a good interest in that place, and we hope to establish a strong church as the result of his and his colaborers’ work. We spent several profitable days visiting and holding meetings, and then with Brother Kuniya visited Miyakonojo, enjoying the interesting experience of traveling in a Japanese bashi, or stage drawn by a little raw-boned horse. For ten miles we went winding up the side of the mountain on the edge of a cliff overlooking its smoking volcano and the great bay, and then as far down the other side to the little city, where we remained two days. While we were there one man and his little boy came several miles to attend the meeting.

At Sasebo, the great naval port on the west coast, in the same waters which floated many great men-of-war, and naval vessels of all kinds gathered to prepare for the annual review before the emperor in Yedo Bay, I baptized three individuals as a preparation for a different kind of warfare than was in the minds of the thousands who were all around us intent upon war preparations.

From Sasebo, Brother Miyake, my secretary and interpreter, and I walked six miles to another port, to get a boat for Hirado, a fishing village on an island about six hours’ steaming off the west coast. While on the way we were all the time surrounded by many marines and soldiers, who were engaged in repelling a mimic attack on an enemy from the sea upon the naval station. They paid little attention to us; but it was rather trying to be in the “midst of war’s rude alarms,” when bent upon such a peaceful errand. However, we did not mind it after a time, and it served to break the monotony of the walk.

At Hirado we had a very interesting experience. In every Japanese city or large village there are many little local post-offices. The head postmaster had expressed himself to our laborer as believing that every man ought to hold some kind of religion, and that he was willing to investigate the Christian religion with a free mind. Hearing that we were in the city, he invited us to come to his house and hold a service. When we reached his house in the evening, we found that he had called in all the employees of his post-office, and as many of the local officers as could get away, and two large rooms were filled with those who gave good attention as we presented the claims of the Christian religion. After the meeting, nearly all remained for an hour, asking questions. Surely here is a fruitful field for effort.

After fourteen hours on the Inland Sea from the city of Matsuyama, where we had spent several profitable days with the workers, and where a tent effort had been held during the summer, we reached Kobe, on the afternoon of Friday. A meeting with this church is always a pleasure. After a good service Sabbath morning, we went to the sea and baptized seven of the helpers and patients from the Eisei-In, our Japanese sanitarium. Here a splendid work is being done to heal both the bodies and the souls of men, and the Lord is greatly blessing the institution.

From Kobe I was called home to prepare to attend the meeting of the Asiatic Division, at Shanghai, China. In all the places visited not especially mentioned, we had good experiences, and saw many evidences that there are honest hearts in all parts of Japan who will yet be won to the love and service of Christ.

The week of prayer has just closed as this is written, and the reports which have reached us from the different places indicate that it has been the best one ever held in Japan. Truly it was a very precious season of refreshing here in the Tokio church. There was such earnestness in the prayer seasons that we foreigners had difficulty finding a chance to pray. The Japanese brethren and sisters would begin to pray before the formal closing of the prayer preceding, while the foreigners, not being so familiar with the language, would wait for the Amen, and thus be just too late to begin. This occurred many times, and we could almost wish that some of our prayer-meetings back in the home land could have been transported here to catch the inspiration. Surely the Lord is fitting up workers to finish his work on the earth, and the signs are thickening which show the end is near.

The great need of Japan which is pressed upon mind and heart from every visit to laborer, church, and company, is the need of men—young, devoted, consecrated laborers with some experience—who will come over and learn the language and assist us in training native laborers, and help these native laborers in binding off their work so that that which is gained will not unravel and be lost as persecution comes and the workers pass on to other parts of this great field. That such may hear the call, we are daily praying.

Tokio.