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Tokyo
Volume 67

Christian
January 1968
Number 1

"Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" Mark 16:15

lUIMA RETURNS TO TOKYO

Stephen lijima returned safely to his family and the brethren of Minato Church of Christ in Tokyo on Saturday, December 23, after a very good visit to
the United States and a return via

Minato

church, which is one of our

larger congregations, the influence of

these ideas will be considerable.

Europe and Palestine. I would like to

thank each one of the hundreds of Chris tian friends across the land for receiv

ing him into your homes and hearts and for contributing to the expenses of the trip. You were a great encouragement,

example, and blessing to him, and I

trust that knowing him was a joy and
blessing to you also.

Stephen was in the United States exactly four months from August 14
when he landed in Honolulu, until
December 14 when he left Cincinnati.

Another benefit of this trip, which neither Stephen nor I foresaw, was the strengthening it gave to the Minato church in Tokyo. He was constantly happy and doubly assured that this trip was blessed by God as reports came in from Japan by many letters of how the people had taken hold of their respon sibilities and grown in their zeal and activities during his absence. The one elder, Mr. Kobayashi, called on the sick and prospects, preached a couple of times at the worship services and at a funeral, and took the oversight of all
the business. Several of the deacons

During those 122 days he spoke 101

times in churches of all sizes, as well as at four Bible Colleges, two con

ventions,

public

schools,

a Lion's

Club, etc., in 22 different states. He

got a pretty well-balanced and broad perspective of our American churches; and saw a lot of things that enlarged his vision, stimulated him with new ideas and increased zeal, and filled his

heart with joy and thanksgiving. He said shortly before he left that during
these four months he had taken in

enough experiences to give him four years of material to write about in his monthly magazine. The Pastoral Song.
1 am sure that there were many'

blessings which the trip brought to Stephen personally. Certainly one of the highlights was being able to visit with his parents in Christ Mr. and
Mrs. Owen Still who won him to the

Lord while missionaries to Japan in

1940, and are now veteran missionaries
in Hawaii. He hadn't seen them since

they left Japan because of Mrs. Still's health in June, 1948. Also he was able
to meet for the first time some dear friends in Arizona who had been cor

responding regularly with years. In addition he had portunity to practice and more English language and

him for 20 a good op learn some see a lot of

received I am sure the whole work of results of the preached Word and the Christ in Japan will be strengthened in power of God to save lives. I am glad many ways as a long-term result of this to see some encouragement like this visit. Through his increased under given to those who so sacrificially and standing of the background we mission selflessly support and pray for the aries come from, he will be able to con great work of evangelism. Quite a few tribute much to understanding between letters were received from people after the missionaries and Japanese Chris Stephen had visited telling me how much tians by explaining things about America they got out of it: "We had no chance to to the Japanese. Also he took back a advertise it much, but 73 folks came few books andmany ideas for expansion and we had a wonderful time. He spoke of the work through men's meetings, at some length, and to great profit to leadership training courses, youth activ us. He stayed at out house and we sat ities, marriage counseling, etc. Through up and talked quite late. We both think his magazine which goes to most of our Christians in Japan, and the local (Continued on page 4)

also preached during his absence, saw that the bulletin was printed and other business cared for, and made a number Stephen lijima of plans for the new year. Regular America and he likes both of these reports of their board meetings were sent to their minister in the U.S. You very much. cannot imagine what progress this in But perhaps his greatest thrill came dicates. in meeting the Christians of all ages, classes and types. He talked about this Also I am sure most of the churches several times sitting in our living room and Bible Colleges Stephen visited were in Cincinnati and in the car on trips glad to get to know him and hear the together. I count it a calling to share testimony he gave. Several people in with him in the longing, hope, and faith dicated to me that his message was that some day Japan may be permeated worth more to the cause of missions with such salt and leaven. than 1,000 ordinary missionary presen tations. Here was a product of mission But in addition to the blessings he ary work that demonstrated the concrete

Tokyo Christian

THE LANGUAGE BARRIER

Church of

Vol. 67 January 1968 No. 1 Published four times a year in January, April, July and November for
the missionaries of the

It is a fact that Japanese is one of the world's most difficult languages to

learn. Because of this, numerous mis
sionaries have received an awful shock

they intend to introduce a new one-year intensive study plan. It is rather doubt

Christ Cunningham Mission. Tol<yo, Japan by Mission Services, 509 W. Jefferson, Joliet, Illinois. Second class postage paid at Joliet, liiinois. Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Buttray, 2-26-4 Kamiochiai, Shinjuku-l<u, Tokyo, Japan
Forwarding Agent: Mrs. Homer Anderson 622 CuMum Street, Meadvilie, Pa. 16335. Mr. And Mrs. Andrew Fatten, 3-7-8 Higashinakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Forwarding Agent: Mr. and Mrs. G. Wade Fletcher, 621 E. 10th St.,
Rushviile, Ind. 46173 Mr. and Mrs. Harold Sims (Furlough

ful whether the new plan will prove to

be any more of a success. The news paper article observed that it is not im possible for a foreign student to learn to write and speak Japanese, as evi denced by the degree of efficiency attained by many such students. But even the most proficient "confess dif ficulties in reading and writing the language." According to the article, a Japanese language essay winning for eign student recently stated that it was "humanly impossible" for a foreign student to graduate from a Japanese university using only the language he has learned for a year or two. He con tinued: "Personally, I do not recommend applying for a Japanese scholarship and going through the ordeal of obtain ing a B.A. degree in Japan by speaking, hearing and writing Japanese." From a missionary standpoint, the following conclusions may be reached from this: (1) Learning the language is
still one of the most difficult and im

Address), 2801 Warsaw Ave., Cincin St., Eustis, Fla. 32726.

nati, Oiiio 45204. Forwarding Agent:

First Church of Christ, Orange at Center $ .50 SI.00

Two-year subscription Subscription and Flaming Torch

upon their arrival in Japan. Some have given the task up as impossible and have returned home. Others have limped along by using interpreters and thus have tried to bypass the language dif ficulty. Still others have gone through the agony of language study and the embarrassment and discouragement of countless trials and seeming failures of adequately communicating the gospel through the Japanese tongue. Much good has been done through the efforts of the latter, but those who have reached any considerable degree of efficiency are
rather few.

SAKURAYAMA BAPTISTRY FINISHED

Some of the members of the Sakura-

yama Church.
During the past several weeks the Sakurayama Church has been engaged in the construction of a baptistry. In order to reduce costs and to give the church a greater sense of pride in its own ac
complishment, all of the labor was

We have long suspected it, but now the Japanese Government has admitted its failure over a fourteen-year period to adequately train foreign students in the Japanese language. This was brought to light in an English language news paper,Times, recently from which we get our information. The purpose of the government is to prepare scholar ship students for study at a Japanese university so that they can vie with their Japanese colleagues upon entering the university. First a one-year cram course in the language was tried. Six years and 282 students later, however, they abandoned this in favor of a new plan that requires the students to study three years before being admitted to their Japanese col leges. The first year was devoted ex clusively to language study and the subsequent two years to a curriculum designed to prepare them to join their colleges in their junior year. Now, eight years after this three year "intermediate college" course was introduced, the Education Ministry is preparing to abandon it due to its prob
lems and lack of success. In lieu of it

portant tasks. There is no acceptable alternative. Though it is possible for the missionary to communicate the gos pel through the Japanese language, it takes many years of patient study and practice to reach the place where he can accomplish this. He must not allow anything to divert his attention from language study if he expects to serve Christ efficiently in a foreign land. (2) Sponsors of missionaries in the homeland should exercise a patient, en couraging, and sympathetic attitude toward the missionary's earnest efforts to learn the language. Time spent in a language school should not be counted
as a loss to the cause of Christ. Neither

the missionary nor his sponsors should be content until the missionary is preach ing and teaching in the language of the people to whom he is ministering. Then
after that, a missionary who neglects language studycan expect to lose much of the ground he has gained.
Andrew Patton

donated. A gas boiler has been attached to the pool to take the chill off the
water in the winter. The work was com

honor its youth, especially those reach ing the age of 20 during the year.
Mr. Ishioka has attended the church services since October. He is a native

pleted just after the beginning of the New Year and tests showed that every thing was working well. was On January 15 the new baptistry used for the first time. A high

of Okinawa, but had not heard the Gos

pel until last year. He first heard the good news at the Billy Graham Crusade
in October and has continued to be an earnest seeker of Christ since then. We

school student named Mr. Ishioka was

immersed on that day. He had requested to be baptized on that day because it has been set aside by the nation to

pcay that he will continue to walk in the way of life until he is ushered into the presence of the Lord.
-^Andrew Patton

Sims Family to Return to Tokyo in August

Bits of News
We were pleasantly surprised when
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Cole stationed with

the Air Force in Okinawa visited us in

the early part of February. Mrs. Cole is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Homer Anderson of Meadville, Pennsylvania, who are the forwardingagents of Stanley and Mabel Buttray. We certainly enjoyed their fellowship.

The February ministers meeting in Tokyo was held at the home of Paul
and Kathleen Pratt at Isehara. The

attendance was good and some very

fruitful discussions took place. Plans were made at the meeting for a joint evangelistic effort led by evangelist Joe Garman from America. This meeting will take place in April at the Kamiochiai Church with all the churches co

Front row, left lo right: Danny

row: Jonnic (15), Lois, Harold.

Bobby (12), Hope (19), Sylvia (17); back

Francisco for our fourth term of service

operating in the music, counseling, ad vertisement, and other programs of the meeting. We are praying and planning for a great meeting with evangelist Gar-

This
picture,

is our most recent family

taken in connection with a

in Japan around the middle of August in

order to arrive there in time for the children to enter school.

Bro. Stephen lijima, minister of the

Minato Church, returned in December

church directory being printed by the

Clovernook Christian Church in Cincin

nati where the family has our member ship during this furlough. We have been having a very busy and happy furlough. School activities for the whole family will go on as usual until early in June of 1968. Then we plan to attend the North American Chris
tian Convention, which is to be held in

As we have explained previously,

Hope and Sylvia will remain in the
United States as students in the Cin

from a very fruitful trip to the United States. Since his return he has spoken
at several meetings at our churches about his trip. His observations about
Christian work in America have been

cinnati Bible Seminary, and the three

boys will accompany us back to Japan.

We hope to announce a definite sail ing date and something about our future plans in the next issue.
Harold Sims

well received and his application of

what he learned from our brethren in

our city of Cincinnati July 9-12. The Lord willing, we plan to sail from San

America has been a great blessing to his audiences. His unselfishly sharing his experiences with those who were unable to make the trip has benefited
us all.

Sgt.

William Miller and his wife

Margaret of Tachikawa Air Base are

the proud parents of a son born on Feb ruary third. They have named him Tim othy Joseph. This is the third child and
the first son for the Millers and Bill is

pretty proud to have a son to inherit the family name. The Millers are wonderful

friends and helpers of our missionaries in Tokyo.

A brochure has been prepared on

the Pattons and their work. Those desir

A crowd of worshippers and.sighl-seers at iheMcijI Shrine (Shinto) on New Year's Day. Crowds are so great each year that policemen control the crowd
flow all day during this "holy" day.

ing a copy should contact the Pattons' forwarding agent whose address is listed on page two of the Tokyo Christian.
Andrew Patton

TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY
On January 7, 1968, 20 years had elapsed since the day on which the

writer first reached the shores of Japan. Mentally glancing back over this span of time can be helpful in determining the direction we are facing and whether there have been any solid accomplish
ments along the way. Needless to say, the attitude of the Japanese toward the Christian religion has undergone a radical change since 1948. This change even surprises those of us who have worked in Japan over a period of 20 years.
Missionaries were much in demand

I'*

in the postwar days and churches were

crowded. General MacArthur made his

famous appeal for 1,000 missionaries. Many thought Japan was soon destined to become a Christianized society. Then Christianity began to lose its glitter for numbers of those who had accepted the new faith. The churches lost members by the hundreds, and the people began to feel a sense of shame
toward Christian involvement. Convert

The Patlon family. Left lo right: Sharon, Stephen, Betty, Philip,

Aodrew, and Noel.

ing the Japanese to Christ became a discouraging and thankless task. Mis sionary prospects turned toward other nations and missionary support to Japan
missionaries The bottom suffered was a similar fate. and there reached

Since i960 the church in Japan has

enjoyed a gradual and mostly solid

seemed to be no upturn. This condition prevailed through the 1950's.

IIJIMA RETURNS TO TOKYO

(continued from page 1)

he is about the finest man we ever met.

progress. It has caught its breath and received new life. A capable band of leaders has begun to emerge with re newed vision and foresight. The small group of churches of Christ in the Tokyo area is also re covering froma spirit of declension and is now steadily moving forward. Attend
ance at the Church services is on the

increase, baptisms are more numerous, two churches were begun anew in 1967, and the Lord is crowning the work with
success.

We pray for vision and zeal, for the presence and guidance of the Lord so that the next 20-year period in the history of the church in Tokyo may record far
more victories in the Lord's name.

Andrew Patton

I have not met anyone in years, if ever,

that was so wonderful to be with. Thank
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED BOX 368, JOLIET, ILLINOIS 60434

you for your part in his being here." "lijima's afterglow will be felt around here for some time to come," etc. We were most sorry that the latter part of his trip was somewhat marred by news of his father's passing in November in far-away Hokkaido. Also a robber broke into their house in Tokyo and stole some things and frightened
his wife.

We were happy to have our long-time friend, Stephen, in our furlough home as well as ourhomeland, and enjoyed many hours of talking in Japanese again. I know that many of you after knowing
Stephen lijima will be able to under

TK
MRS*

FEB.
JAMES

65
TAYLOR

RAMSEY,
ILLINOIS

62080^

stand why we can look forward to going back to Japan. A complete financial report will be sent to all who shared in the expenses of the trip as soon as the information can be compiled. Harold Sims