Lögberg - 20.08.1936, Blaðsíða 2
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LÖGrBERG, FIMTUDAGINN 20. AGGST, 1936.
Fimtugasta og annað ársþing
Hins evangeliska lúterska kirkjufélags
íslendinga í Veáturheimi
Haldið í Arborg, Manitoba, 18. til 22. júní 1936.
A8 þessu loknu lagði dr. E.'T. Horn fram þessa skýrslu trú-
boSa kirkjufélagsins í Japan, séra S. O. Thorlákssonar:
May 29, 1936.
To The Icelandic Lutheran Synod
at Arborg, Manitoba.
Dear Friends:
Twenty years have passed since the Convention of Synod at
which your Missionary was ordained and sent out to be your
obedience to Christ’s great Command: Go ye!
We are not in a mood to reminisce for we are ever mindful
of two other inspired injunctions, i. e., “No man, having put his
hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God,”
Luke 9:62 and “Forgetting the things which are behind, and
stretching íorward to the things which are before,” Phil. 3:13.
However we are human enough at times to pause and wonder.
No, I am not going to ask questions in this letter-report, but if I
could be present with you there are some very pertinent questions
which we might ask each other and discuss together. For us, the
past tvventv years have been so full, packed full of God-given
privileges, opportunities and responsibilities, not of the spectacular
or emotional kind that some people might wish for, but the kind
that has kept us more than busy every day in this parts of God’s
Vineyard to which we have been áksigned. Yes, the Cause that
was worthwhile giving our lives to twenty years ago, is even more
worthwhile today and had we twenty lives to give we would give
them all in t'he same way. Not that we are particularly satisfied
with what we have done or what we may have accomplished, this
side of the picture humiliates us, yes shocks us, but God has been
good, we know that His Mercy is sufficient for even us. There is
only one phase of oúr responsibility which causes us considerable
alarm, we fear that this dedication of our life has not perceptibly
aided in revivifying the congregational life of our Synod. We
hardly dare to ask you to confirm this fear! I know that some will
say (at least think) that we should have been more prolific in
writing to you the thrilling, the romantic and the heroic events of
Missionary life on a foreign field so that you might catch some
of the inspiration which has been ours. I shall not defend myself
on this score, but just remind you that there are two or three sides
to this picture also.
Be this as it may, the fact is that your Missionary is today
shouldering such heavy responsibilities that even if he were able
to write in the msot glowing terms of a first rate narrator, shortage
of time would absolutely prevent his putting pen to paper for
anything but routine statements and annual reports! Not that we
have anything wherin to boast save Jesus Christ, but a summary
survey of our present responsibilitjes may convey to you some-
what of a predicament in whitíh we find ourselves when we have
to write! The proverbial sword hanging over one’s head is no
fiction in a Missionary’s life! Supervising the work of 16 centers
on one of the world’s main highways 400 miles long (Hiroshima
to Hamamatsu) being responsible for the upkeep and repairs of
buildings from Tokio to Kumamoto valued at several thousands
of dollars, planning and building new equipment whenever money
is on hand for same, being custodian and dispenser of several
thousand dollars every month, being constantly in touch with in-
dividuals who bring their sorrows and their joys to be shared, does
not leave any leisure time for editorial flights.
We shall enclose herewith a copy of our Report written at
Christmas-tide 1935 which was sent to our Board of Foreign Mis.
sions at Baltimore for their 1936 Annual Rejx>rt from the various
Fields, which you can consider a part of my report to you along
with the following survey of my centres of work, set forth in
geographical order from West to East.
Hiroshima:—A city of about 200,000. In eight years this
place has suffered from too many tíhanges in its personnel of
Pastor or Evangelist, and we have had to give up trying to keep
the aided-church status, requesting our Synod this year to drop
our status to that of a Preaching Place only.
Kobe:—(a) West Kobe Church has taken on a new lease of
life with the new church building and change of pastor. Rev.
Okuma, one of our best pulpiteers, is going at the work in a most
acceptable way.
(b) East Kobe Church with a rally of its old members and
a new church building in sight during the coming year has turned
its corner of defeatism. The Church Council has taken a hold in
such a way that it is only a pleasure to be associated with them
even though we are having to face again a readjustment due to a
change of pastor. Our new man is a third generation Christian,
son of one of our senior Pastors, so the future is again most hope.
ful in this place.
Ashiya:—A residential suburb of Kobe of about 20,000. This
place is in much the same state as where it was left by Dr. Hepner
when he was transferred to Tokio last year. Our Evangelist, in
spite of his handicaps, hás been doing acceptable work among the
children of the neighborhood, through which activity we are
gradually getting home contacts.
Obayashi:—A rural village of about 5,000. This is our rural
center where Mr. and Mrs. Morishita have continued their ener-
getic work for the children and the young people of the village.
Rev. Aoyama since his semi-retirement from active service last fall
has been helping us here very faithfully by conducting a Morning
Worship and Preaching Service in the Morishita home every
Sunday morning.
Tsukaguchi:—A residential suburb of Osaka of about 5,000.
What the future may have in store for us here if anything, the
missionary has not yet been able to discover owing to a non-desire
on the part of the former pastor to co-operate. This man was re-
moved at the recent Convention of the Japan Lutheran Church.
With the help of a 1936 graduate from our Seminary we are now
endeavoring to establish the work here.
Toyonaka:—A residential suburb of Osaka of about 20,000.
This is another suburban residential section for Osaka-ites where
we have quite a promising group which as yet is enrolled in the
Tennoji Church of Osaka, but within a year or two will be able to
qualify as a local group in its own aided-church.
Osaka:—(a) Tennoji Church under the efficient leadership
of its Evangelist, Mr. Koizumi is making remarkable forward
strides in the matter of church consciousness. The activities of
the Church Council and a member of groups indicate a congrega-
tion wide awake to its opportunities.
(b) Sumiyoshi Church pegs away in a good old fashioned
way with one of our veteran pastors at its head.
Kyoto:—(a) East Kyoto Church has declared its independ-
ence and under the ledaership of our American trained Rev. Kishi
should be able to maintain a prominent piace among our growing
list of self-supporting churches.
(b) At North Kyoto is another one of our infant churches.
(Jur senior, Rev. Yonemura is as young in spirit and as active
as our best, nor is it too mutíh to say that he is one of our best
field workers.
Nagoya: (a) Chikusa Church is handicapped with an asth-
matic Pastor. But the kindergarten is doing excellent work in
making an impression’ on the community.
(b) Ozone Church has a unique opportunity in an historical
residential section of Nagoya. Our Evangelist here is just trying
his spurs for the first time, so the less said the better.
Koromo-Asuke:—These are the centers of our Aichi Ken
Rural work. On this field alone we could write reams but suffice it
that our opportunity for model work among the farmer class is
unparalleled. We are trying to carry on from Kobe our farm project
at Koromo as best we can (a long range effort) until Mr. Knudten
returns to the field to prosecute same as intensively as his energy
and resourceS will permit which we know to be considerable.
Hamamatsu:—A city of about 700,000. This is a manufactur-
ing center between Tokio and Nagoya where the Japan Lutheran
Church at its recent Convention decided to open up new work.
We have already visited the city a number of times and studied
the possibifities. We have helped our Pastor to get located and
started in a very promising part of the city. But as we are still
in the preliminary stages here, we hope that by next year we can
report progress.
We are hoping that at this Convention of Synod you are *
having with you one of our fellow Missionaries, Dr. Horn who is
now on furlough. (I almost put the article “the” before “one”,
but on second thought decided to refrain from any personal
rambles!) During the past month we have had the pleasure of
entertaining three of our U.L.C.A. pastors visiting all our Mission
stations, two of whom were from the Synod of the North-West.
I know Rev. W. P. Gerberding of Fargo would be glad to visit
our Synod next year and give you the benefit of his observations
and experiences.
This year we are having to send back to America for their
schooling and adjustment to Amercian life our two oldest children,
Margrethe and Octavius, which means the disintegration of our
home life. During the past two years especially this eventuality has
been haunting us. We have finally decided on sending them to
one of our Church Colleges located at Parkland, Washington, at
least for the first year while they are making their adjustment.
May the next twenty years of our Missionary life and that of
our Synod reveal unto us all more and more of the glory which
is surely ours if we are but faithful to Him who has called us into
His Kingdom.
Very sincerely yours,
S. O. Thorlaksson.
1935-36 Ccntral Japan — 3 in 1 Report
Staions: Kobe, Hiroshima, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya, Hamamatsu.
Since our last report before July ist, 1935, we have become
the proud yet humbled possessor of a field many times the extent
of any other one-man’s field in the Mission. Besides superintend-
ing the work of this enlarged field, we still enjoy the privilege of
dispensing monthly checks as per the payrolls of the Mission and
of the Japan Lutheran Church.
According to the first half of our “job,” we might in this
report indulge in a geographical survey of our territory. But a
lesson in geography is 'hardly what the reader of our annual reports
is looking for. We venture the opinion that what you want is
some (time and space forbid the enumeration of all!) of the high
lights of our experiences.
A church which a few years ago was likened to a shattered
cutglass bowl is slowly but surely finding itself again in that old
members are rallying and new members are being added. Come
to any one of our recent monthly church council meetings to con-
vince yourself of this joy!
Another church which has been satisfied with the status quo
for the past number of years, has had a change of Pastor and
promises to become a very aggressive instrument for the spread of
the Gospel in its neighborhood. The tíhurch council men together
with their new Pastor are already on their toes!
In one station, one of our young men, a graduate of a high-
school, is patiently working in a shop until his younger brother
has been put through his schooling when he himself hopes to go to
our Seminary to prepare himself for the Ministry.
In another, a member has made a misstep in the contraction
of his second marriage, confessed and is exerting his utmost with
the help of God and man to set things right. A man and a wife
are living a cat and dog’s life. Both have confided in your Mis-
sionary. The ramifications of the sixth Commandment are more
than sufficiently born out in our experiences on the foreign field!
A young city engineer with a tubercular spine, an invalid on
his back for six years, faithful to the end, has passed on to his
Reward. His younger brother also a civil engineer 'has dedicated
his life to the Cause of his brother’s Faith and seeks admission to
our Seminary in order íhat he may become an Evangelist to work
for the redemption of their native village,
A politician has been apprehended by the police, accused of
bribing votes in a recent election. In jail he maintains his inno-
cence and appeals to the Pastor of our church where his children
go to Sunday School to open up to him the meaning of the Bible
which his wife has included with the few belongings she has been
permitted to send him. The righteousness of God for man is his
heart’s desire as he awaits the verdict of the court.
Our rural Evangelist has been extended an enticing call from
a self-supporting city church of another denomination. Shall he
leave the simple life on the farm with the chickens, the goats and
the pigs, and of course with his neighboring farmers for the regu-
lar and safe existence of a city pastorage? After months of
prayerful consideration, he has definitely turned down this tempt-
ing offer for the uncertainty of his “job” with the Mission.
A Doctor has asked your Missionary to find a suitable wife
for his oldest son. A Pastor seeks a suitable husband for his
daughter. Another would like to find a Christian mate for his
sister-in-law. The marriage customs of this country are so en-
tirely different to those of our own where we ourselves ask the
lady in question, who of course is one of intimate acquaintance,
whether or not she will. But here the contracting parties are most
often complete strangers brought together by the mediation of a
go-between.
Thus, on and on we might multiply these paragraphs of con-
tact problems and of human interest stories. Such experiences,
together with preaching, catechizing, baptizing and visiting the
sick and needy keep your Missionaries on the job and on the go.
It must be borne in mind that all this activity is conducted in a for-
eign and acquired language, the daily use of which represents not
only a handicap but a tremendous mental strain which defies de-
scription. In spite of this handicap and many other, we are glad
to report that the love of Christ alone constraineth us, hence we
press on and on toward the Goal unto the prize of the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus.
Here we live and work in an area which includes twenty odd-
cities ranging in population from 80,000 to 2,000,000. Do you
wonder though at times we feel as Peter when he said, “What are
they among so many?” Maybe you think the question more per-
tinent were you to ask it concerning your diminishing and un-
replenished staff of Missionarjes on thís field. Were it not for the
modern Miracles of 'Missions today, we surely would despair. If
you do not believe in miracles, God help you! But when are the
officials of our Foreign Mission Boards going to get out and con-
vince you that the Great Commission is not being lived up to b>
a Church which sends out only a few Commissioners to represent
Her zeal for and devotion to Her Lord and Master? When shall
we begin to shoulder and to share our heavenly responsibility of
Glory to God in the Highest, Peace on Earth and Goodwill among
Men ?
Sincerely in His Service,
Y. O. Thorlaksson.
Kobe, Japan,
Christmas 1935.
Þá lagÖi dagsskrárnefnd fram þessa skýrslu :
MeS þakklæti fyrir góSar g greinilegar skýrslur frá forseta
og skrifara kirkjufélagsins, leyfir dagskrárnefndin sér aS leggja
til, aS eftirfylgjandi mál verSi tekin til meSferSar á þessu kirkju-
>ingi:
1. HeimatrúboS.
2. KristniboS erlendis
3. Betel
4. Jóns Bjarnasonar skóli
5. Útgáfumál
6. Fjármál
7. Samband og samvinna viS önnur kirkjufélög
8. Prestþjónustumál
9. Ungmennastarf og kristileg uppfræSsla
10. Ensk þýSing á kirkjufélagslögum og frumvarpi til safn-
aSarlaga.
11. AfstaSa kirkjufélagsins viS mannfélagsmál
12. Prestafundir
13. Bindindismál.
Á kirkjuþingi í Árborg 19. júni, 1036.
G. Guttormsson N. S. Thorlaksson J. /. Myres.
Var skýrslan rædd talsvert, en síSan samþykt,
TekiS var fyrir 1. mál á dagsskrá:
Heimatrúboð.
Var máliS innleitt meS ítarlegri ræSu af forseta. Fóru síSan
fram almennar umræSur um máliS. í þeim umræSum var minst á
ýms prestlaust svæSi og bygSir. Þar á meSal VatnabygSir í Sas-
katchewan. I því sabandi var minst á nokkurn hóp fulltrúa þaSan
aS vestan, er eigi höfSu haft tækifæri á aS vera útbúnir meS
venjuleg kjörbréf til þings. Samþykt var í e. hlj. aS veita þeim
bræSrum full þingréttindi. Héldu umræSur síSan áfram þar til
kl. 4 e. h., aS samþykt var fundarhlé í hálfa klukkustund, til aS
þiggja kaf fiveitingar i samkomusal bæjarins.
Þegar fundur hófst á ný, héldu áfram umræSur um heima-
trúboSsmáliS, þar til samþykt var aS vísa því til 5 manna þing-
nefndar. í nefndina voru skipaSir séra S. Ólafsson, séra Rúnólfur
Marteinsson, W. G. Hillman, Jónas Th. Jónasson og Björn John-
son.
Þá lá fyrir 2. mál á dagsskrá:
Kristniboð í útlöndum.
Samþykt var, nærri umræSulaust, samkvæmt tillögu séra H.
Sigmar, aS fresta því máli þar til eftir aS dr. E. T. Horn, trúboSi
frá Japan, og virSulegur sendiboSi United Lutheran Church in
America, á þessu þingi, hefSi flutt erindi sitt, er fyrirhugaS er aS
verSi kl. 8 e, h. þenna sama dag. Sé máliS hiS fyrsta er tekiS sé
fyrir aS morgni næsta dags. Var þetta samþykt í e. hlj.
Þá lá fyrir 3. mál á dagsskrá:
Betel.
MáliS var rætt um hríS, þar til séra H. Sigmar gerSi þessa
tillögu til þingsályktunar:
ÞingiS, sem þegar hefir veitt viStöku skýrslum Betel nefndar.
innar, sér enga þörf á aS fyrirskipa nokkurar sérstakar ráSstafanir
um starfrækslu heimilisins, er veriS hefir i svo frábærlega góSu
lagi, heldur leyfir sér hér meS, aS þakka stjórnarnefnd, fostöSu-
konu og öSru starfsfólki á Betel ágætlega unnin störf, og skorar
á almenning, aS styrkja stofnunina, eftir mætti, vel og drengilega.
Var þessi þingsályktun samþykt í e. hlj. — | sambandi viS mál
þetta var samþykt, aS þakka herra GuSna Brynjólfssyni, aS
Churchbridge, Sask., hina höfSinglegu þúsund dollara gjöf, er
hann nýlega hefir gefiS Betel. Var þetta samþ. í e. hlj. meS því
aS allir risu úr sætum. Var skrifara faliS, aS þingi loknu, aS flytja
gefanda, þetta þakklæti þingsins.
Þá lá fyrir 4. mál á dagsskrá:
Jóns Bjarnasonar skóli.
Samþykt var aS skipuS sé 2. manna nefnd til aS semja til-
lögu til þingsályktunar i því máli. 1 nefndina voru skipaSir þeir
séra N. S. Thorláksson og séra E. Jrl. Fáfnis.
Þá var tekiS fyrir 5, mál á dagsskrá:
Ú tgáfumái.
Samþykt var aS vísa því máli til 5 manna þingnefndar. í
nefndina voru skipuS þau J. J. Vopni, B. T. Benson, Mrs. SigríS-
ur Tergesen, W. Jónas Sturlaugson og H. J. Helgason.
Þá lá fyrir 6. mál á dagsskrá:
Fjármál.
Samþykt var aS visa því máli til 5 manna þingnefridar. í
nefndina voru skipuS þau S. J. Sigmar, Snæbjörn S. Johnson,
Mrs. S. W. Sigurgeirsson, Wm. SigurSson og A. R. Johnson.
Þá var tekiÖ fyrir 7. mál á dagsskrá:
Samband og samvinna með öðrum kirkjufélögum.
í sambandi viS mál þetta lagÖi forseti fram og las upp þetta
bréf frá séra Jakob Jónssyni, á Wynyard, Sask.: