p. 3 | Editorial Letter by W. W. P.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 18, 1907

Editorial Letter

By W. W. P.

Jottings from the Editor’s Note-Book

As already stated, the general meeting at Kobe was attended by all the workers connected with the Japan Mission, and also by the members of the local church and some isolated members. The general program was as follows: the Japanese and the foreigners met separately for an early morning meeting; at 9 A. M. I gave a Bible study in English; at 3 P. M. there was a business session, in which the proceedings were translated into Japanese; in the evening there was a preaching service, which was also translated.

The Bible lessons which I gave in English were afterward given in the Japanese language by Brother T. H. Okohira, who attended school at Healdsburg, Cal., and has a good knowledge of the English. On the whole, this proved to be a more satisfactory way of teaching than to translate my studies as I spoke them. I was able to present my thoughts more freely, and Brother Okohira had a better opportunity to digest the subject, and then to handle it in a way better adapted to the Japanese idiom. The time not occupied by public services was devoted to committee meetings and other meetings for counsel about the work in its different phases. Thus every hour was filled, and the days seemed all too short.

In the Bible studies I presented the vital truths of the everlasting gospel in the setting given to them in Rev. 14:6-14, and tried to make it clear that the message for this time is Christ and his righteousness so preached as to meet the needs of this generation in view of the fact that the second advent of our Lord is just at hand. It thus became evident that this message is not a new gospel, and that this second advent movement is not isolated from the whole history of the gospel, but rather that in this generation we are to gather up all the light and all the experience of past generations, correct all perversions of the truth, and minister to the people the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ as the only genuine preparation for the coming of the Lord. From this standpoint we studied some portions of the Scriptures, and the Lord greatly blessed us with a fresh experience in the truth. The workers seemed to be helped and encouraged, and to be hopeful that they would be able to teach the message with greater simplicity and power as the result of our opportunity together.

In the evening services I presented the same gospel in a somewhat different way, aiming especially at directness and simplicity. Results were apparent from the very first meeting, when one backslider was so impressed that he took his stand again the next day. Others were helped in the succeeding meetings, and after my last talk on the coming of the Lord, a Salvation Army worker decided to unite with us, and is now receiving special instruction for future service. These results were very encouraging to all.

In the business sessions various recommendations relating to the educational, evangelical, medical, and publishing work were presented and discussed. The measures which were adopted will doubtless be reported in due time, and so I will merely say that they all contemplated a more rapid advance in the work, and an extension of the old and new workers into new territory. As this was the first meeting of this kind ever held in Japan, it seemed to be best to give special attention to right methods in the conduct of our business, and to an explanation of the relation between a mission field and the Mission Board. A spirit of the utmost harmony prevailed in all these meetings.

One feature of the meeting was a study of our mission work in all lands. It was first shown why this message must go to all countries, even though other missionaries had preceded us, and then a brief statement was made of the progress already made in preaching this special message “to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” A large missionary map was used, and the believers in Japan were interested in seeing how this same truth which had come to them was being carried to the other lands also.

A glimpse into one of our committee meetings will illustrate the experience through which workers in distant lands often pass. There were present four Americans, one Japanese who understood English, one Korean who understood Japanese, and one Korean who understood only the Korean language. A point was first discussed in English; the discussion was then translated into Japanese for the benefit of the Korean brother who understood Japanese, and he in turn then translated it into Korean for the benefit of the Korean brother who understood only that language.

The progress was slow, but we hope sure, and we were strongly impressed with the inconvenience caused by the necessity of confounding the language at the time of the building of the tower of Babel. I might add that one of these Korean brethren was the first to start the movement in Korea which has resulted in bringing out about four hundred Sabbath-keepers in a short time. Both of these brethren seemed to enjoy our meetings, and to get new views of the truth which they had so recently embraced. I hope they will be able to present it with greater clearness and success as the result of the opportunity which they enjoyed with us.

As the steamship service from Korea to North China is not frequent in the winter, I was compelled to leave the Kobe meeting before its close, in order to have only a week in Korea, and yet reach China according to appointment. I left with mingled feelings of thankfulness and regret—thankfulness for the privilege of meeting with the believers in Japan, and for the benefit enjoyed together, and regret that the time together was so short. It is remarkable how this message binds together those who receive it, regardless of race or country. What a glorious reunion that will be when those with whom and for whom we have labored in all lands meet to speak a common language in the earth made new!

Brother W. R. Smith and his wife, and Sister Mimi Scharffenberg, our

workers in Korea who had been attending the meeting, accompanied me on my journey, and a large number of the brethren and sisters were at the station to see us off. The personal good-bys were said, and hearty good wishes were expressed for each other’s prosperity in the truth, and then as the train pulled out, there was a chorus of voices saying, “Sayonara” (good-by), and our visit was at an end. We earnestly hope that some results of this visit to the Land of the Rising Sun may appear in the great gathering day. W. W. P.