I^IL

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Ray and Mattie Mings

Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that, disbelieveth shall be condemned, Mark 16:15> 16.

These were challenging words to Ray as he listened to the message

of a missionary on furlough from South America, while he was attending junior college. At the close of the service, an invitation was given
for those who wanted to dedicate their lives to missionary service for

the Lord. Ray was one of two students who went forward. This had been

the first strictly missionary presentation and the first invitation to

to dedication for such service that he had ever heard. Prom this point

he began to prepare and look forward to the fulfillment of the dedication. Many years passed before he arrived on a foreign field. William Ray Mings was born November 1, 1913, the son of a farmer in Adair County, Kentucky. He was baptized into Christ toy Brother Luther Young, (father of Dr. Palmer Young), at Tabernacle Christian Church.
Upon finishing grade school, Ray attended Taylor County High School,

graduating in 1932. He entered Campbellsville College, Campbellsville, Ky., with the immediate objective of obtaining a teachr*s certificate. Mattie Roberts Mings was born August 1, 1913^ at Campbellsville, Ky.

She also graduated from Taylor County High School, with the class of *33

She and Ray were tiigh school sweethearts and were majbJjied November 1,193&
Mattie had been brought up in the Methodist Church but was immersed

into Christ in 1935* by Brother Ernest P. Cast. After Ray's first year in Campbellsville College, with a temporary
certificate, he started teaching in the county rural schoolswhich
ran from July to January at that time. This became somewhat the pattern for a nine year periodteaching seven months then back to college for the second semester. During this period he preached part time at two
Adair iSounty churches, Egypt and Shiloh.

After graduating from Campbellsville,College, a Junior college then, Ray entered Transylvania College where he received his A.B. in 1914-0.
During this period twin sons, Donnie and Lonnie, were born. Both are

missionaries today. Lonnie is serving in Japan, with Liis wife. Coral,

and three children; Donnie, with his wife, Charlotte, and two children,
in Hawaii.

Graduating from Transylvania, Ray entered Butler School of Religion, receiving tiis B.D. in 1950 At Butler he became acquainted with fellowstudents Martin Clark, George and Ethel Beckman. When Clarks and Beck-

mans joined Osaka Christian Mission, they invited the Mingses to join also. Then Dr. Nakarai taught the little group of future Japanese miss
ionaries some of the language and customs of Japan.

While studying at Butler, Ray worked at different jobs, sometimes part-time, sometimes dropping school to work. He preached at Pairview,
Brazil, Ind.,Portland Mills, Rockville, Ind., Maple Grove, Bloomington, Ind., and Pairfield, Oakford, Ind. He resigned from Pairfield in the spring of 19li.9 and began in earnest to raise support and prepare for
going to Japan.

While Ray and Mattie lived in Indianapolis, a daughter, Carol, was born. She, with her husband Mike Cornelison and two sons, lives in Tulsa, Okla. They attend and participate in East Tulsa Christian Church.

Ray and Mattie and three children arrived in Japan on January 1;, 1951
The Clarks graciously fehared their home with the Mingses while their
apartment was being constructed--a used barracks building set on top a
concrete block first floor which became Seminary dining hall. They

began studying language immediately and shortly Ray started teaching in the Seminary,using an interpreter. A kind of pattern emergedteach ing in the Seminary, studying language now and then, teaching Bible
classes here and there, and helping in the starting and growth of three
churches.

Mattie's work has been varied. She is housewife, mother, and grand

mother. While Ray was still in school she worked several years as

saleslady in stores at different times and places. Since arriving in Japan she has vjorked with women and children in several ways. In the early nineteen fifties there was almost no ready made, true to the Bible teaching material for church school teachers to pick up and use.

So, for awliile slie helped plan and prepare such material. In those

days most of those who could serve as Sunday School teachers were rather new Christians and unprepared for teaching. Therefore, for awhile she taught the teachers on Wednesday night and they taught the children on Sunday. She also helped get choruses translated and prepared for Sunday
School, vacation Bible school, camp, etc. For the last several years,

her missionary work has tended toward teaching the Bible to women's
groups. Several Christians have come from her Bible Classes. After Dale

came along She taught him, at home, through the seventh grade, except for one year of furlough when he studied in a regular school in the
U.S.A. In addition she has done most of the correspondence for the last
twenty seven years.

Ray Hnd Mattie lived in the barracks apartment for about three years

and moved to the present location in Hirakata in the last few days of

1953 The new building was only about half completed. Ray has continued
working on it from time to time through the years.
The third son, Dale, was born in Bible Seminary at present and planning to He is studying at Cincinnati to J|ipan, with his wife,

Patricia, and daughter, Shannon Marie, to do missionary work.

The first Sunday after the Mingses moved to Hirakata, the first Sun

day in January, ^9Sk.^ they held a service in their living room, which
became the Nakaburi Church of Christ and continued to meet in their

house for seventeen years, although after awhile a large room was pre
pared for the Church in the basement. The church saved their money for

those many years, and then by borrowing money and borrowing a lot, they

put up their own bullingwhich has already grown much tto small. The "borrowed" lot is mission property, beside the Mings home. Otherwise
this church is self supporting financially and pay their pastoor*s salary. Ray and Mattie are now in their twenty seventh year of service. They
have touched the lives of many people and they count i t a special bless

ing to have been used by the Lord to tell the story of God's love and
help others prepare to tell it. It is their sincere hope that souls

will continue to be won to Christ in the future because they responded

to the call of , "Go ye" some thirty years ago.