Japan by F. W. Field

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 4, 1907

Japan

By F. W. Field

For some time Brother Okohira and I had been planning to visit the new believers in Fukushima Province; so, early in May we set forth. We visited Wakamatsu first, and spent Sabbath and Sunday with the little company there. A Bible study was held each evening during our stay; and on Sabbath, besides Sabbath-school and the sermon, we celebrated the ordinances with them. This little company has been much reduced in numbers, mostly because of removals; but the remaining ones are of good courage. Quite a number of their neighbors are interested in the truth, as was shown by their regular attendance at our meetings.

Monday morning we set forth again,

and reached Kori, in Fukushima Province, that afternoon. Here we were met by Brother Watanabe, who has been laboring in those parts. From here a pleasant walk of several miles brought us to the home of Brother Kato, who, with several members of his family, has recently accepted the truth. Several other believers in the neighborhood were informed of our arrival, and came to meet us. After an hour spent in Bible study, we went on to the next village; and that evening five were baptized. Two of these are young men who have no encouragement to be Christians from their friends at home, but have taken their stand in the face of opposition. Several others are keeping the Sabbath in this locality, and hope to be ready for baptism next time.

Next morning we started for another country village, some ten miles off, where two families have accepted the truth. We held a Bible study with each family during the day, and in the afternoon nine were baptized by Brother Okohira. It was a pleasant sight to see members of three generations—mother, son, and granddaughter—following their Lord in baptism. Several other members of these families have turned to serve the Lord, but for various reasons they will await our next visit before being baptized.

One of the believers at this place, Brother Seino, is a graduate of the government normal school at Fukushima, and has been teaching for several years. But he resigned his position when he began to keep the Sabbath, as Japanese schools keep six days in the week. But this brings him into trouble with the school authorities; for he is one of many students who are helped through normal school by the government, and then bind themselves to teach in the government schools for ten years. Further, even if he gets free from this obligation, he is then liable to be called upon by the military authorities to serve out the rest of his time in the army; for teachers are let off with only six months' service, but must serve the rest of their time whenever they quit teaching. This will give some idea of the difficulties and trials met by some of our young people in Japan when they accept the truth. But Brother Seino is of good courage, and is trusting his case with the Lord. He wishes to devote his time to the Lord's service, and will associate with Brother Watanabe in the work from the first of June.

At Fukushima city we spent the greater part of one day that we might see Sister Onami. She is a young school-teacher; and it was through her that the truth was brought to these two families, and her parents and two brothers were among those baptized. But now she is in great trouble because of her obligation to teach in the public schools, where she is not free to keep the Sabbath. She has taught but two of the ten years she is under obligation for; so the school authorities are very strict with her. They seem disposed to hold her strictly to her obligations. Further, they have taken her Bible from her, and keep a strict watch over her and over her correspondence. Sixty copies of the New Testament, that she designed for distribution, were intercepted in the mails. She seemed very much distressed and depressed when she told us of her trials, and truly she needs our sympathy and prayers. We did what we could to encourage her, and commended her to the Father in prayer.

From Fukushima we went to Maebashi, where Brethren Suzuki and Okado are engaged in the systematic distribution of our literature, following the plan pursued in Takasaki last year. They report that the people of Maebashi are more ready to receive Christian literature than those of Takasaki. At present they are using five hundred copies of each number of our paper, which is now being issued twice a month. We hope to follow up this work with a series of tent-meetings after the heat of summer, as we did at Takasaki last year.

From Maebashi we went with the brethren to Takasaki, and a brother who accepted the truth last year received baptism. This made a total of fifteen who were baptized during our trip. Next day we returned to Tokyo, thankful for a part in this work of saving souls, and of good courage to continue therein.

F. W. FIELD.