The Message in Japan by P. W. Field

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 7, 1903

The Message in Japan

By P. W. Field

The new year has opened propitiously for the work in Japan. We postponed our week of prayer till early in January, after the readings were received from America. We had a very profitable time. The Spirit of God moved upon hearts, personal differences were put away, and a sweet spirit of love and harmony came in. Previously to this season of prayer, but few of our brethren were paying First-day offerings. The envelope plan of collecting the offerings was introduced, and a goodly number are faithfully following it. It works well. These offerings may not be very large, but we are glad to see our members taking up the financial burdens of the work.

With the closing months of last year, the work seemed to receive a new impetus. By the end of the year, three had begun to observe the Sabbath in Wakamatsu, and one in Tokyo. Since then five more in Wakamatsu, and six in Tokyo, have decided to obey. Some of these have been severely tried; but so far as we know, all still remain faithful. Yesterday at our Sabbath meeting, five expressed a desire for baptism. Of these, one young man was a student in a government school. He had to leave school when he began to observe the Sabbath, because attendance is required on the Sabbath. At such schools tuition is free, the student agreeing to enter the service of the government after graduation, so working out his school expenses. But should he fail to do this for any reason, he or his friends who have gone surety for him, must pay for his schooling. So our young brother finds himself in a painful situation. He is entirely unable to pay the school expense for the year he has attended the school; and his brother is much displeased with his course, and refuses to help him. He is much distressed lest the authorities shall proceed to collect this debt from a friend in Tokyo, who went surety for him. But while seeing no way out of the difficulty, he remains firm in his determination to serve and trust the Lord.

Another young man is a student in a Tokyo school for the study of English. His people are Buddhists, yet they did not object to his studying the Bible; and his father even advised him to attend our Bible classes for the help he would receive in English. But when he decided to keep the Sabbath, so losing a day from school every week, his father promptly turned him away from home. He was told that he might join some other church where he could keep Sunday, and so not lose time from school. In Japan, as elsewhere, a religion that changes the life and affects the worldly prospects is an unwelcome innovation.

Still another young man has met with much opposition. His keeping the Sabbath interfered with his school work; so, refusing to attend school on the Sabbath, he was closely confined at home, day and night. Finally he escaped, and came all the way from Wakamatsu to Tokyo on foot, a journey of four days. Part of the way lay over mountain roads through deep snow. We expected that his father would come to Tokyo and take him back home; but instead, we learn that he has been disinherited by his father. In Wakamatsu his friends say that he has gone mad; and the master of the school he attended has forbidden the students to attend the Seventh-day Adventist meetings.

These young men have given up all their worldly prospects for Christ; and to-day the two last mentioned are out canvassing for our books on present truth. Three more young men in Wakamatsu are also enduring trial for the truth's sake, and we are praying that their faith and courage may not fail.

One of our workers has had an interesting correspondence with two young ladies. They were students in a mission school at Kanazawa, on the west coast of Japan. They became much interested from reading our Japanese paper, Ow ari No Fukuin, and decided to leave school, as they could not keep the Sabbath there. They are now at home, and one is meeting with opposition from her people. We know of these only by correspondence.

We are glad to report a substantial addition to our literature in the Japanese language. The following tracts have been translated, and the printers' work on them will be completed this week: "Marshaling of the Nations," "The Second Advent," "The New Testament Sabbath;" also an original tract, "The Way of Salvation." Another, called "The True God and His Holy Day," will be ready soon.

A decided interest in our medical work is being awakened; but I will leave this for Dr. Lockwood to report. We rejoice that the work is progressing. Our needs are many, but we trust in One who is able to supply them. Phil. 4:19. P. W. FIELD.

Tokyo.