p. 618 | Determined to Read It by F. H. De Vinney

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 42, Nos. 39, 40, Harvest Ingathering Number

Determined to Read It

By F. H. De Vinney

BY F. H. DE VINNEY

FIVE years ago this summer, one of our mission Bible workers became acquainted with a poor widow by the name of Komio San, who lived in Nagasaki, Japan. She earned a living for herself and little boy by washing, and other housework of the roughest kind.

She soon became interested in the study of the Bible. She had no education, not even of the most primitive Japanese kind, having never been to school a day in her life. When the tent meetings began in Nagasaki, she attended faithfully, gave her heart to God, began to keep the commandments, was baptized, and united with the church.

She was not satisfied to get all her knowledge of God’s word from others, but longed to read it for herself. A year ago, she asked the Lord to help her to learn to read, and then she did all she could herself. The Japanese language is more difficult than the English, and to learn to read it is usually a matter of years; but in less than a year, she was able to read her Bible and hymn book, to her great joy, the delight of the church, and the constant wonder of all acquainted with the circumstances.

She has become commonly known as

the “Sabbath woman,” through her practice of always stipulating, when engaging for work, that she would not work on the Sabbath, nor on prayer meeting evening. She pays a strict tithe of all her earnings. Her services are in demand. It is said of her that when she is working in a family, the money box can be left open. Both Christian and heathen families are glad to get her to do their work. Wherever she goes, her life is a living witness to the power of the gospel upon human hearts.

Such converting and transforming power, manifested in such a life, presents the greatest of miracles.

Tokyo, Japan.

Faculty of Bible School at Soonan, Korea