General Meeting for Japan and Korea by F. W. Field

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 21, 1907

General Meeting for Japan and Korea

By F. W. Field

F. W. FIELD

For the first time in the history of the Japan Mission, we recently enjoyed the privileges of a general meeting. The occasion was the visit of Elder W. W. Prescott to the far East. The meeting was held at Kobe, and was appointed to begin on the first day of the new year. All but one of the workers in Japan, natives and foreigners, were present; and Brother and Sister Smith and two of the Korean workers came from their field of labor. The members of the Kobe church also seemed to appreciate the privileges offered by the meetings.

The meetings for Bible study were a very important and valuable part of the program. A prayer service at an early hour was followed by a Bible study in English, conducted by Brother Prescott. Our Japanese brethren who understand English attended these studies with us, and each day's lesson was given in Japanese the following morning at an earlier hour, for the benefit of those who do not understand English. Every evening a general service was held at the church. At these meetings the sermons were interpreted into Japanese.

These seasons for Bible study were a source of strength and encouragement for all our workers. "The everlasting gospel" was the great theme in every study. The evening services were well attended, and a deep interest was shown. The believers were encouraged and edified, backsliders were reclaimed, and outsiders became deeply interested. During the meetings several took their stand for the truth.

GROUP OF OUR WORKERS AT THE TOKYO GENERAL MEETING

Each afternoon a general business meeting was held at the church, after the manner of regular conference meetings. Committees were appointed to study the needs of the work, and to formulate plans for its advancement. The reports of these committees were freely discussed, and adopted with remarkable unanimity.

There seemed to be quite a general feeling that the time has come for a decided forward movement in all departments of our work. In some lines we have not yet made even a beginning. A training-school for workers is an urgent necessity. We need such a school for the further development of the workers now engaged, and for the training of new workers, both for Japan and Korea. Plans for the advancement of the medical missionary work were also considered. The Kobe Sanitarium for foreign patients, and the Eisei-in for Japanese patients, have both practically outgrown their present quarters; and so the present seems to be an opportune time to unite these two lines of work, and also to secure a rural location, where the congestion and the high rents of the city may be avoided. The advancement of our evangelical work also received attention, and a strong recommendation was brought in urging that the work be strengthened by materially increasing our force of workers from the home field. The publishing work also was not forgotten, but was given full consideration in our plans.

The present position of Japan in the far East, makes this the opportune time to lay broad plans, and to push ahead in the work, both in Japan and Korea. These plans for the enlargement of the work will require considerable outlay, both in men and means; so the recommendations adopted at our general meeting were embodied in a memorial addressed to the General Conference Council, which meets in Europe next May. We shall await with deep interest the decisions of the brethren at this important gathering. The work in Japan has advanced very slowly heretofore. It is now over ten years since the work was begun in this field, and we still have but few workers and a small constituency. But if the field is difficult and results come slowly, there is all the more need of increased effort to push the work.

Sabbath, January 5, was rich in blessings. There was a good attendance at the regular forenoon services; and in the afternoon a special service was held, when Brethren T. H. Okohira and H. Kuniya were ordained to the gospel ministry. The time till the close of the Sabbath was then filled with earnest testimonies from the brethren and sisters.

We had planned to continue our meeting over the following Sabbath, but much to our regret, Brother Prescott found it necessary to cut short his stay in Japan, in order to meet appointments in other fields. So on Tuesday morning, January 8, in company with Brother and Sister Smith and Sister Mimi Scharffenberg, he left for Korea. We shall long remember this visit, and trust that we shall soon be remembered again in a similar way by our brethren of the Mission Board. Sister Scharffenberg goes to Korea to prepare for Bible work among the women of that country.

We continued our meetings after Brother Prescott's departure, most of those in attendance remaining till after the Sabbath. The presence of the Lord was with us till the close, and I trust went with each one as we returned to our several fields of labor. We feel hopeful and of good courage as we look forward; and in His strength we shall go forward.

Tokyo, Japan.