THE WORK OF THE CHURCH IN JAPAN
THE WORK OF THE CHURCH IN JAPAN THE WORK OF THE CHURCH IN JAPAN
R. C. Cannon
Those who deeply believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, believe in him for all mankind. For to know him is to desire that all men know him, and to experience his redeeming grace is to become a debtor unto every man. We can be grateful and rejoice in that the churches of Christ are becoming increasingly aware of their universal mission and glorious destiny. Today, we have more workers on the fields, at home and abroad, than in any other time since the beginning of the restoration movement. But let us not tarry long in this comparison of ourselves with ourselves lest we become deceived to reality. Our achievements are far short of our potentialities and our accomplishments are indeed meager when compared with the tasks that lie ahead. Our opportunities are limitless and our potentials are as boundless as the grace of him who giveth increase to the sower.
Though our mission is to preach Christ to all nations we must use wisdom and discretion in the dispersion of our resources. Little can be gained by butting our heads against an iron curtain, or even a bamboo curtain. It seems wise to concentrate our efforts in those areas where the doors are open and the curtains rolled up. During the first century the ambassadors of the kingdom exercised just such wisdom as I have suggested. Paul, for example, trekked all the way across western Asia-Minor without preaching a sermon to the millions who knew not Christ.
Why? It seems that the people of Macedonia were ripe unto harvest; they were calling for the gospel. Furthermore, when he found his own people with closed ears and hardened hearts he turned to the Gentiles. It is my conviction that the kingdom will make greater progress if we will operate on the implied principle that the resources dispersed to various areas should be commensurate with the opportunity.
I beg, not to be misunderstood. I am not suggesting that funds already dedicated to worthy fields of labor be transferred to other fields. I am asking that our undedicated resources be concentrated and dedicated to the immediate areas of greatest opportunity. Neither am I interested in fostering competition between fields, I am solely interested in using our talents where they will accomplish the greatest good for the Kingdom of God. It is my conviction that there are several specific areas on the globe today that offer more than an ordinary opportunity for the church to do her work. Thanks to Divine Providence. It is my purpose today to present to you the work of the church in one of these areas—Japan. It is not my desire to stir you with false impressions, but to challenge you with facts. It is my conviction that the Lord has opened a door of faith unto the Japanese.
Japan—An Open Door
Nations are slow to learn from each other. The people of each believe that their culture is at least equal to if not superior to the cultures of others. Hence, the transfer of cultural patterns or portions of those patterns from one people to another has usually been a very slow and unconscious process. The pride of the people has forbidden that it be otherwise. Hence, Christian workers of one culture entering a foreign land of another culture are at a definite disadvantage; they are immediately an insult to the pride of its citizens. What would be our reaction, for example, should thousands of Indians enter our land with the avowed purpose of teaching us and converting 11s to Hinduism? Our reaction would be sharp and immediate. We believe we have the only true religion; they, of course, hold similar convic-tions about their beliefs. It is important to note that history gives us an exception. There is one nation in particular which has consciously sought to adopt the cultures of other countries. Papan is this outstanding example of conscious transfer. Professor Vinacke of the University of Cincinnati, in his recent book, “A History of the Far East In Modern Times,” wrote: “. . . the thing to be remembered is that Japan has never been averse to recognizing her own cultural deficiencies, and remedying them by drawing upon others for what she lacked. Her arts and crafts, her religions, except Shinto, her adminis-trative ideas, her philosophical systems, even her written language, were gifts from the continent or had been modified in the light of continental ideas. Thus there is no inherent repugnance to imitation or the borrowing of foreign ideas or practices which have value to Japan.” Twice in her history Japan consciously borrowed extensively from other cultures: in the period from the fifth through the eighth century from China and in the nineteenth century from the West. And at present she is weaving threads of Western culture into her own pattern at a very rapid rate. This is signifcant for those of us interested in preaching the gospel of Christ. The Japanese have been historically conditioned for the reception of Christianity at the hands of Western missionaries.
It is also significant that the two great reformations in Japan’s history developed simultaneously with the adoption of elements from foreign cultures. Following the first reformation, beginning about the sixth century, Buddhism became the predominant religion and reigned supreme. After the second reformation, the Meiji reform of 1868, Shinto became the dominant religious force. Japan, is now in the midst of her third great reform and Christianity has her first real potential opportunity to become the predominant religion. Such would mean the salvation of millions. This is the opportunity of the hour for which God will surely hold us
Japan is a power vacuum. You and I know that when a void occurs, immediately, forces rush into the unfilled area. If it is a vacuum caused by the displacement of air, then air rushes in. If it is a political vacuum then political forces rush to fill the area. We also know that the vacuums of life and thought will not go unfilled. The law is as certain as that of falling bodies. For example, Japan became a military vacuum and the forces of the United States occupied the land; had she not done this some other force would have. Japan above all is an ideological and religious vacuum. On this point I would like to quote from the Japanese men who head the National Christian Council in Japan. “We had been taught that we were a divine people, with a divine emperor, and therefore with a divine destiny. When the defeat came that whole philosophy of life was shattered. It left a vacuum in the soul of Japan. There are five forces moving into that vacuum to try to take over the allegiance of the people: Shintoism, Buddhism, secularism, communism, and Christianity. The first two are deep-rooted, but morally too feeble to take over the reconstruction of the inner chaos. That leaves three—and of the three, Christianity in many ways has the most favorable chance.” General Douglas MacArthur adds his wisdom in these words: “The Christian Church has an opportunity in Japan today without precedent anywhere or at any time in the past five hundred years. And it is not only the Church that is on trial. The entire democratic ideal of Western civilization is likewise on trial.”
Hence, the events of history have brought about a fullness of time. The Japanese have learned how to receive gracefully from the lands of others; her third great reformation finds Christianity potentially capable of becoming the leading religious force; and the vacuum in Japan’s soul is the Macedonian call of the hour in the Far East. And it is imperative that wo act now with a tremendous mission force lest unchristian powers fill the void.
Four Years of Progress in Evangelism and Local Work.
It has been slightly more than four years since workers from the churches of Christ entered the postwar mission field of Japan. The achievements of this brief period are an amazing story of progress, a story which bears testimony, first, to the greatness of the opoprtunily and, second, to the increased vision and dedication on the part of the American church. Today, there are hundreds of individual Christians and dozens of congregations maintaining twenty-six American workers and more than a score of native workers on the Japanese field. The twenty-six adult men and women on the field are distributed within a radius of one hundred miles from Tokyo. To the south there are three American workers in Shizuoka and two in Yokohama; to the west there are four (your beloved Bill Carrell, Edward Brown and their families) in Yamanashi; in Tokyo there are three, and to the north there are fourteen in Ibaraki. The figures which I shall present to you were secured through personal on-the-spot investigations in many cases plus survey sheets that were filled out by people in the local areas. Hence, they should be fairly accurate. At present there are forty-nine congregations, eleven of which are restored congregations and the remaining thirty-eight have been started since the war. They were established in the following order: 1946-1, ’47-6, ’48 9, ’49-5, ’50-7, and ’51-10. Thirty-seven of the foi’ty—nme are located in the Ibaraki area. Of the forty-nine churches twenty-two own houses of worship, six of which were constructed in pre-war days. In the beginning of 1948 five native workers were giving full-time to evangelism and local work; seven were giving part-time. Today, there are eleven fulltime and twenty-three part-time evangelists. Most of the latter group are young men who are receiving special training in our college and enjoy a Paul- Timothy relation to the missionaries.
Each Sunday more than ninety-two Bible classes are conducted among the churches with an average attendance of 3,181, slightly more than the total membership. 147 mid-week classes are in progress with an average attendance of 3,889. Note, that about 7,070 persons are being taught God’s word weekly including the children in Sunday and midweek classes. In addition, 43 hours of Bible are being taught each week in Ibaraki Christian College to four hundred students.
Furthermore, four congregations are conducting kindergartens. The enrollment is about 260. The children are in school twenty-four hours each week under the supervision of more than a dozen Japanese Christians. In Ibaraki there is an orphan home operated by six Christian adults, who are caring for twenty-seven children. The home is run entirely by Japanese brethren. There is also a home for the aged which is now rendering service to thirty people Christian work is also being vigorously pursued in the two largest hospitals in the State—each having more than 1200 patients. Bible classes are also conducted each week in the state prison. This is a summarized story of the progress among the churches. At the end of each year we find ourselves about 200% better off than when the year began. Four years ago the church membership was less than 300, today it is more than 3,000, and this figure does not include those who have been lost to the church. Four years ago only a handful were studying the scriptures—today more than 7,000 have the bread of life broken to them each week. The kingdom of God moves on in Japan. In order that you may better understand how the church grows in Japan, I will tell you a true story. In 194,8 an intelligent young man, encouraged by his widowed mother, entered our Christian high school. It was soon learned that he was strongly influenced by dialectical materialism and was, therefore, an ardent defender and exponent of his views. Day after day, in class and out, he battled with his Christian teachers. After more than a year he surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus and immediately became a defender of the faith. In the summer of ’49 he came to me with his plea. “Bro. Cannon, there are ten thousand people in my town without a purpose for life, and the only persons aggressively teaching these people are the communists; there is not a church in the whole town.” During the same summer I was able to crowd in a five-day meeting for his town and a congregation was established. Following one of the night meetings an elderly gentlemman walked up to me and politely, but pleadingly said: “I am a retired English teacher from a village two miles north of here. When I was a young man I became a Christian, but as years passed by I carelessly grew away from the faith. But, recently I have become thoroughly convinced that my only personal hope and the only hope for Japan is Jesus Christ. I beg you to come to my village immediately and tell the marvelous story of Jesus.” I replied, “Mr. Nomura, nothing would make me happier than to preach to the people of your village, but my time is completely booked until next summer. Then, I shall be glad to come.” He hesitated, looked at me with serious and penetrating eyes, and said, “we have a Japanese proverb which goes like this, ‘when people speak of doing good things next year the devils laugh,’ and let me assure you that there are many red devils running free in Japan and if you don’t preach Christ they will conquer the land.” For a moment T was speechless, then I thought out loud, “If you can have day meetings I will start as soon as you can get the people together.” He hastily replied, “the peo-ple will be waiting for you in the school building to-morrow afternoon.” He was ocrrect; it was filled.
During this five night meeting I had another visitor who gave me further reason to believe in the province of God. He was the only doctor in a village three miles south. He too had been influenced by Christianity in former years and had come to the realization that Christ was the answer to life’s dilemma. He earnestly requested that arrangements be made to preach the gospel in his community; and he promised his large home plus his services which proved amazing indeed.
During the summer of 1950 my wife and I, with our Japanese co-workers, set up headquarters in a hotel and conducted meetings every day, (singing school, Bible study, and preaching) in the three communities of the boy from our school, the retired English teacher, and to the doctor. As the meetings drew to a close, Dr. Nagashima said: “There are a number who desire to become followers of Jesus, and may I suggest that we climb to a lake on yonder mountain for the baptismal services.” His suggestion was considered good and the following day a party of about sixty began the long rugged climb. But the difficulties of the journey were forgotten in the glories of the experience.
Dr. Nagashima, in his thirties and full of energy, led the party. He broke out in the singing of hymns and almost all the way up the mountain side the group was singing hymns. As those hymns, praising God and honoring Christ, rose from the mountain side, I thought, “What a strange, but stirring experience.” Along the trail there were Shinto Shrines and Buddhist Temples, Shinto idols and Buddhist images. I recall seeing one stone about six feet high erected in honor of the horse god, others were in honor of various gods among Japan’s millions of gods. I’m confident I felt a bit like Paul when he walked through the streets of Athens. But as we climbed higher and higher the objects of worship became fewer and fewer, until finally, they were all left below and we were surrounding a beautiful mountain lake. At that moment I was indeed glad that I had crossed the Pacific in answer to Japan’s call. I said to the party, “today, by your faith you have climbed above the idols, sin, and evil of the world below, and have assembled here under1 the canopy of God’s heaven and in the midst of the loveliness of his nature to experience his forgiving grace by being buried with your Lord and raised with him to a new and holy life.” More than thirty were baptized; the doctor, the retired English teacher, teachers and students from the local schools. Today there are four congregations in and near the town of this young man who turned from the skepticism of materialism to faith in the living God. This is how the kingdom grows in Japan. This is why men and women go to Japan; stay in Japan and return to Japan. This is why I’m asking the church to send more workers. Every community can have an experience similar to that which I have described!
Four Years of Progress in Christian Education
Some have asked why we started Ibaraki Christian College and Senior High School. Time forbids a thorough answer, and may I say that those who believe in Christian schools for the United States need no explanation. But, it should be pointed out that Christian schools are of even greater importance in Japan than in the U. S. More than eighty percent of our converts are from the youth group, and the majority of them do not have Christian parents to guide them as do the Christian youth in this good land. Our problem is not simply one of providing a worship and study experience on Sunday and Wednesday night. It is a problem of continued nurture and guidance in Christian living. Furthermore, it is our task to hasten the conversion of Japan by the Japanese. This means that much of our time must be spent in training evangelists. Our training program is still lagging behind our evangelistic program. Young congregations are suffering from lack of native leadership and the only solution is for us to train the needed workers. There are other basic reasons which I shall not give. I sugget, if you are not converted on the matter, that you take a trip to Japan and study the situation. In April 1948, our school had its humble beginning. Three American missionaries with four assisting Japanese, 60 first year high school students, a rented two-room building, a promise from Americans, and a vision comprised the school! Today, four years later, we have: (1) a thirty-acre campus; (2) a physical plant and equipment which would be valued at about $150,000 in the U.S. (though it cost us only about $35,000.) ; (3) a fully accredited Senior High School, with 170 regular students; (4) a nationally accredited junior college with 200 students; (5) a night school—75 students enrolled; (6) thirty students enrolled in the two-year Bible-training course designed for special students and students beyond Junior College level. This is actually the third and fourth year of college work in the field of religion only; (7) seven American families and about thirty Japanese Christian teachers and office workers. The wisdom of those who launched this Christian school program has been more than vindicated by its story of progress. It has been a real servant to the church.
I witnessed our first graduation on March 21, 1951. On that day 46 students graduated from high school and thirty-five college students completed their second year of college work. When the graduating high school students entered our school less than 3% were Christian ;- on the day of graduation more than 60 % had become followers of the Master. Of the 35 college students, only seven were Christians when they first enrolled; but on that day only one was outside the body of Christ. That, brethren, I believe to be an encouraging story of progress. And may I say, that those who know the Japanese students know them to be among the world’s best. The greatest years of my life were the three years spent in Japan. You have heard, in very brief form, the story of the progress of the church and of the school in Japan during the past four years. I trust we live to hear the story twenty years hence. Today’s progress is being written largely by American missionaries; tomorrow’s will be written by the Japanese. Let us act today that we may hasten the conversion of Japan by the Japanese.
Tomorrow’s Progress?
People of God are not so much interested in yester-day’s progress as they are in tomorrow’s progress. You want to know the possibilities for future growth. As soon as I received the request to speak on this occasion I sent a message to Japan asking for last minute reports. The information arrived only a week ago. Here it is: “During the short summer vacation we conducted 30 meetings, baptized 330, and started 8 new churches in Ibaraki State alone. This was our best summer yet, so far there is no let down. In fact, there is vast improvement in attitude. More churches, more meetings, more baptisms, and more preachers are at work.”
Brethren, tomorrow’s progress can be infinitely greater than that of yester-years. The question is not, “Are the Japanese anxious to listen”; it is rather, “Are we anxious to go and to send?” And, I hope this question will burn into our souls until we become so ill-at-ease spiritually that we will take Christ to the hungry Japanese. Our present force is excellent in quality, but as to quantity—only a drop in the bucket. It is estimated that forty groups, three couples in each group, or a total of 240 workers well financed could make a tremendous impression on Japan and turn thousands to Christ. If such had been done in 1948 we would have 30,000 members instead of 3,000. But, since we did not do it then, why not do it now, and you and I may live to see 1,000,000 Japanese following Christ. I’m not talking about impossibilities. It would cost us only a million dollars each year to do what I’m proposing and that is one dollar per member for one whole year if every one will act.
But, I can’t spend much time pleading for you to send your 120 couples when we have two dedicated, capable couples ready to go and no church dedicated to the idea of sending them. May I say further that these workers are needed badly as replacement soldiers on the field. Some of our workers have already served four long years on the field. They need to return. But, it is highly important that their places be filled. Is there a preacher, an elder, or any other individual here who will resolve to do all he can to get a congregation to send these workers?
Foreign mission fields need more than personnel. They need trained personnel. Christians throughout our land should supply our Christian schools, such as Abilene Christian College, with funds which enable them to set up special courses designed to fulfill the needs of each particular field. Men and women with on-the-field experience should teach these courses in cultural, religious, and language backgrounds. This will increase our good fruits one hundred fold.
We need church buildings, the most of which can be constructed for $1500 to $3,000. But, I want to impress on you a specific need. The capital city of the State of Ibaraki needs a church building desperately. The church there has a membership of about 100; they own a wonderful lot near the State buildings; they are a worthy group with real possibilities for the future. For three years they have met in a public school building and recent news indicates that they will have to move in the near future. I worked with this church in this greatest city of the State for three years and I plan to return to this work and city of 70,000. Would it be possible that some one here this afternoon will get behind this need. The last need which I shall mention is related to our Christian school. You will be startled to learn that we are able to operate a first-rate school of 500 students at the unbelievably low cost of $1,500 each month plus tuition fees. This means that we need a monthly subsidy of $3.00 for each student. At present we are two months in the red, or $3,000. You who are interested in Christian education can surely guarantee a monthly gift of $1,500.
We are operating in a school plant that is only one- third adequate. The situation is embarrassing and definitely crippling to our program. Six buildings are urgently needed. But, they can be constructed at an average of $20,000 each. I am particularly interested in some friends of I.C.C. who are dedicated to the idea of Christian education for Japan; in the long run this will mean Christ for Japan. I have been seeking for people in all areas of the U. S. who will become a substitute alumni for our school and faithfully work for it. You may not go to Japan, but you can begin here and now to make it possible for the Japanese to learn of Christ. Please see me following this meeting.
Now, in conclusion, permit me to bring a picture to your imagination. Last summer I traveled for the first time to the East Coast by car. On one occasion I was driving along quite sure of my location and direction, but suddenly the highway was lost in the maze of criss-crossing roads and for a time I was completely lost. Such has been and is the experience of the Japanese people. As a nation they were traveling a highway which to them was both sure and certain. But suddenly their way vanished and before them lay the maze of criss-crossing routes. They stand dazed, startled, and extremely puzzled. Their plight is further emphasized in that they find themselves without a map and the darkness of the ages hovering over them. There they stand today, 80,-000,000 strong, searching, investigating, and inquiring. You say, “Put up a sign which says, ‘The Way!’” But, that is inadequate because others are putting up signs and each, whether communism, buddhism, or Shintoism, or democracy proclaims to be the Way. You and I must go to them, man by man; put an arm of concern around each and say, “Brother of mankind, I am not the Way, but I can tell you of him who is the Way.” He said, ‘I am the way, and 4I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ I believed him; I followed him; I found him to be true. If you arise and follow him you will find him to be the Way and the Light of that Way. In him there is no darkness.” As I have spoken you have thought, “What a mar-velous opportunity!” But, to impress you with the opportunity is only a secondary desire. I’m here primarily to ask you to make a decision. I’m seeking more than a conversion. I’m seeking a dedication in lives, prayers, and money. What will you do that Japan may learn of Christ? Decide now! And carry out your decision without fail!