p. 24 | A Missionary Meeting by L. Belle Matthews

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Nov 7, 1907

A Missionary Meeting

By L. Belle Matthews

OUR little Thursday afternoon missionary meetings were counted the happiest hours of our school life last winter. We had eighteen pupils, ranging from five to nineteen years old. Thinking the best way to obtain definite results from our study to become missionaries was to form a band and go to work, we elected a president and a secretary of our Mission Band, which convened every Thursday afternoon after recess. When the afternoon session began, our president and secretary took their places at the desk. A song was sung. Some pupil was asked to lead in prayer, and after another song the secretary read his report. Then work was passed out. The boys and smaller children sewed carpet-rags, and the older ones pieced quilts. After sewing for about thirty minutes, the work was gathered up, and papers and tracts were prepared for those who were to distribute them. We had ten or twelve readers for the “Family Bible Teacher.” A roll of Signs and Instructors was taken to the jail every week. The children also took up an extra collection, to send the men in the jail a Bible. A paper and tract rack at the depot was kept supplied. We bought flowers and took to the sick in the hospital. Little cards, with messages of comfort from the Great Comforter, were also taken to the sick.

Our program included readings and recitations on some helpful missionary subject. The young people of our State had pledged to support one foreign worker, and as our worker was in Japan, we began the study of that country, and one Thursday afternoon had our Japanese program. Four girls were dressed in native Japanese costume, and as, with their straw mats, sandaled feet, and flowing robes, they gave a description of their country, we seemed to be for a few minutes in the land of the mikado, and felt the call for help.

A report of each one's work for the week was then given, and after our collection the happy hour was closed with a song or prayer. We hope to see results of these feeble efforts.

The following is the paper on Japan read that Thursday afternoon by Ethelyn Miriam Tarr, one of the little “Japanese” girls, aged eleven years:—

“Japan”

“I live in Japan. Japan is a native empire, that is, it is not controlled by another nation. It lies in the same belt as the United States, and it has much the same climate.

“My home is composed of about four thousand islands. There are a great many volcanoes in Japan, and earthquakes are common. We have many good schools, and newspapers, telegraphs, railroads, and steamships.

“Farming is the leading occupation, although a great deal of land is too rough for this work. Japan ranks next to China in the production of raw silk. Much rice and tea also are raised. There are but few sheep or cattle, but many hogs and fowls are raised. There is plenty of coal and iron, and good water power; hence Japan is fast becoming a manufacturing country.

“Come with me to my home. You will have to ride in a jinrikisha. This is a little two-wheeled bamboo cart. It looks like the little racing sulkies the men use in training their horses, only ours are much lighter, and are drawn by a man. You will have to take off your shoes and leave them at the door, as my floor is covered with beautiful, clean mats. There are no chairs or tables, so you will have to sit on the floor. The lady of the house does not shake hands with you, but bows two or three times and falls on her knees, and touches her face to the floor. To be polite, you should also kneel and bow.

“Here in Japan are many little orphan children, whose fathers were killed in the late war with Russia. But these little children are not left to themselves, to run the streets without any home they can call their own, for about twelve years ago a kind Christian Japanese man made an orphanage for them, where about twelve hundred children are cared for. So you see some of our ways are much like yours. But many of us have never heard about the dear Jesus, and we hope you will remember us and send us more missionaries.

“I forgot to tell you that we are considered the cleanest nation in the world. We have some very fine bath-rooms. We love to bathe.”

L. BELLE MATTHEWS.