NEWSLETTER

April 1953

KXIF. FUI.TZ
Christian Radio Mission

English Bible Class Session at Matsubara Middle School

(Can you recognize the Bible Chorus for the day)

John 3:16.

English Bible Class sessions were begun when we were invited by an English teacher from the Middle School to teach English for one hour each week. Alex told him we would be willing to do so if we could teach English Bible stories. We have worked out an arrangement with Betty

and I, teaching one hour each week. Betty teaches an Eng

lish Bible chorus and I give the Bible story. Nagano San, the English teacher has prepared copies of the story for the students to study during the week. During the class session I give the story oncevery, very slowly to help them with their pronounciation. It is given once at ordinary speed with a Japanese translator so the meaning will be clear. This is followed by a question and answer periodall in English. Never in all my teaching in the states did I ever have a class of young people (ninth graders) give so much attention to one Bible story! Pictured with me is one of our interpreters, Tsukiko

Demukai.

Tsukiko San is one of our fine Christian girls

who handles the Japanese radio correspondence. When questions on the Bible are asked by our correspondents, she
translates them into English for me to answer and then translates my answers back into Japanese.

NEW BIBLE CLASS FOR HIGH SCHOOL AGE

On March 14th the ninth-graders at the Middle School in Matsubara graduated. Soon they will be entering their first year of high school (comparable to our sophmore year at home). Beginning in April, I will be teaching the new class of ninth-graders at the Middle School in Matsubara. As I had stood before the present group of ninth-graders
(about 60 or 70 in number) for the next to last time I

thought, "Only one more lesson and these young people will be graduating and I will have lost contact with most of them. When again will they hear a Bible story or have any Christian teaching?" Sixty pair of warm brown almondshaped eyes had been on me as I taught, "For unto you is bom this day . . . a Saviour . . . " How many would ever really know the Saviour? Ten or twelve of the group had started attending our church services. But what of the others? I spoke to the English teacher, Nagano San. "How many of these ninth-graders would be interested in continu ing an English Bible class if I conducted one in the Bills' home?" "Very few," he said, "About ten." However, he was very gracious and offered to present the idea to the
class and secure for me the names and addresses of those

interested.

(Incidentally, Nagano San, himself, has been

attending church services quite faithfully and often brings teacher friends with him). I felt that if only the ten were
interested the class would be well worth while, but when he

brought me the list of names66 had indicated that they

would like to attend such a class! Of course, a number of

these will be hindered by the time of meeting, their jobs,

their high school activities, etc., but such a list was certain ly encouraging!

For a text I am wanting to secure a child's Bible story book that presents the stories in simple English. If these can be obtained as low as 50c or 75c apiece the students will
be able to buy their own texts. I felt, at first, that I did not have time for the fourth class a week (I teach a

Women's Bible Class on Wednesday and a college age class on Friday night). Language, Bible Courses and correspond ence I knew would demand more and more time^yet I knew too, that I must find time to teach these young people, for to my knowledge, (and with the exception of Mrs. Bills, who
teaches the choruses) I am their only Christian teacher.

" . . . . and how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preach
er?"

Our first class session is to be Saturday, April 5, at 5 ;00 p. m. in the Bills' living room. Won't you pray for this
class of fine young people?

SUMA

SANITARIUM

SERVICE

Each Sunday morning at 6:30 a. m. approximately 50

radios at Suma Sanitarium at Kobe are tuned to the "This

is Life," radio program. These listeners compose the nonCatholic group of patients in the sanitarium, and those who are able to do so meet later in the day for a worship service.
From this group came several requests for the free New Testaments that were offered on the air by Christian Radio Mission. Delivery of these New Testaments was made by Betty Bills, Martin Clark, five Japanese Christians and myself one Sunday afternoon while Alex was still in

Korea. Betty and I and the Japanese folks drove the jeep
into Osaka to the station and parked it there. A series of flat tires the previous week and no money to buy new ones forced us into the decision of leaving the car in Osaka and
taking the train on to Kobe. Martin met us in Osaka. We

divided the New Testaments into bags and furoshikis (large

Kobe. Part of the trip was made by express, part by a locai

train and part by a bus that took us up into the mountain. The last fifteen minutes of the trip was made on foot through the scenic mountain country to the sanitarium.

scarfs used to carry packages), and boarded the train for

The patients in the sanitarium had seen us climbingthe mountain road and were eagerly awaiting our arrival. Very quickly a worship service was arranged and twenty-five of
the patients met with us in the dining room to receive their

New Testaments and to listen to Ohtomo San preach from

God's Word. We were reluctant to leave when the service ended but felt we must hurry to catch the bus back down the mountainside. One very joyful person walked with us
to the busa young lady who had met with us in the wor

ship service and who was being dismissed from the sanitra-

ium. Betty remarked that she looked very much like a

bride in her colorful kunono and her face radiant with hap
piness. Her friends and fellow patients cheered as she left. Just before we rounded the last bend that would take us out of sight of the sanitarium we turned to wave to those who must remain behind, realizing that all too often we

take for granted some of God's most precious blessings.

Ohotomo San received a card from the leader of this

group just a few days after our visit. The card expressed
the appreciation of the group for our visit, and stated that now one could walk into almost any room of the santarium
and find a copy of God's Word.

IN

APPRECIATION

To the many friends who remembered me with cards, letters, expressions of sympathy and prayers during the ill ness and death of my Mother I am extremely grateful. Not only do I appreciate these thoughts and messages, but also, those that I received from many of you at Christmas time and again on my birthday. The gifts I received at Christ mas and on my birthday were very welcome, and have all been useful. Thank you all for your thoughts of me and your prayers for my work.

WHEN WRITING directly please use our Japanese ad dressMiyakojima P. O. Box No. 2. Use this address, also when mailing parcels.

WHEN SENDING gifts of money please use the ad dress of my forwarding agentMrs. Velda Clatfelter, 510
N. Fourth St., Marshall, 111.

Mrs. Velda Clatfelter

510 N. 4th St.
Sec. 34.66 E. P. L. & R.

Marshall, 111.

Form 3547 Requested.

U. S. Postage Paid Marshall, 111.

Permit No. 21

, 1Q53

Dear Christian Friends;

T am far, far behind with ranch of ny correspondence as tnany of you, who ha'TO been waiting for an answer to your letters^ already knoiT^ There seems to be no chance^ in the ne?3.r future;, of get ting caught up unless I use this means of writing to you all some of the recent news. To each of you who have written rde personally I hope to attach a note to this letter answering your questions
and asicing some of xoy own about your activities If 7jrou. have been waiting for an answer to your letter and do not find any such note attached then forgi\'0 me and wait just a little longer I vrill
answer as soon as pussible.

March 31 Apr. 2 the -All Japan Haia^y of the Ciiurches of Christ

;^as held here in Osaka^

Tnis, along vHth the Missionary ConTentionj

on the ?riday following, filled the vreek in a very en j o;y--i;ble ^^ay. of course, coiildnH understand the Japanese sessions bit found the %gli3h ones quite interestingo Especially did I enjoy the
Missionary Convention. There were a few cf our raiGSionarles In

Japan that 1' had not met before and was very happy to have this op
portunity to get acquainted with them. One of the outstandivig
things about this particular missionary convention was the fact that it was the largest group of our own missionaries ever to gather outside of the United States There vrere 33 adult mission

aries present from Japan and Korea,

It was really a history making

"Rven more inh-

event in the missionaiy endeavor cf our churches.

Dortant^ it seems to me, was the v/onderful spirit and the close

fellowship o9 the entire group. We all came away feeling greatly inspired and more closely united in spirit and purpose, and with
increased zeal and determination to perform faithfully the tasks
God places before us.

One question that many of you have kept asking has been, "Have
you found a placc.to live?" I'm quite happy to say now that I have. During convention week I rented an apartment and moved
freight, which had been stored all winter.. It was not until the

week after the convention, however, that I moved my trunks from

the Bills.

Then, of course, came the getting-settled process

which is still going on. This takes much more tine in the Orient than in America. No one rushes the Orientals., Ttiere are some

advantages and some disadvantages to my apartment the one great disadvantage being the distance from the Bills. They are living in Matsubara and I in Kobe about 2 hours traveling away. Need less to say, I don^t go to Matsubara every day bat do have to
spend two or three days week there. Part of the work and corres

pondence I handle from my apartment.

a k-itchen^

The apartment (about three

having to be oonverbed since the tatami flooring is unsuitable for

or <4. rooms in size) had no kitchen so one of the tatami rooms is

The Japanese bath is shared with an Australian and his wife.

Ttiis was first experience with the Japanese 'ofuro'. The round concrete tub is about 3 feet deep This is filled with water and heated "by a fire built undemeathc For the Japanese the vratev is heated to a-beyond-scalding degree, but for me I get in quite some

time before the temperature reaches that point and keep cold water nnning into the tub. Of course, your real bathing is done outside
the ofuro since you are supposed to scrub yourself clean with soap and water before you get in. In the ofuro you just soak and in the winter thaw outo The only thing that has kept me from thoroughly enjoying the ofuro is the little round board that is

supposed to fit in the bottom of the tub (to keep you from getting burned, I presume). Anyway this little board is always floating
around on top v/hen I get ready to get in and I have to sink it and keep it sunk so it won't tilt. I have managed thus far to keep it from tilting too much but it seems to want to keep bobbing around

with me on it, so I have never completely relaxed in the ofuro.

Cheny blossom season is almost over. For the most part I saw only those that could be seen on the mountainside as I traveled between here and Osaka, but they were beautiful. The whole countiy side is beautiful now that spring is here. The leaves on the trees in Japan seem to vary so much in shad.es of greens There is also quite a variety of flovrers in bloom. In front of veranda there is a smll empty ::lower~bed, and n^r landlady has given me permission to u&'e it as a testing spot for the greeness of ircr thumb. All the other little problems of getting settled, though, have kept me from giving veiy mch consideration to what I will plant,

I am not staying alone in the apartment but have a Japanese girl,

Takahashi-'San, with me. She enrolled this term in the Osaka Bible Seminary and was wanting to work for her room and board and spend ing mone;/. I was needing someone to help keep up the apartment and

help with the cocking so Jane Kinnett and Martin Clark suggested hero She is a very good little helper. The main difficulty is that

she knows very little. English, and, I know very little Japanese,
but I think in due time we will understand each other quite well.

We have our evening devotions together reading from the Psalms,

She

reads first in Japanese, then I read the same chapter in English.

Each prays in her own tongue but to the same Father who understand both. It is just now time for these devotions so I will quite talk ing to you and say a prayer for you all at the Father's throne.

With Christian Love and many prayers.

'^ie T^iltzj

9 y

from CHRISTIAN RADIO MISSION

Osaka. Japan

Daily Broadcast Now Available

The Intei-DenomiDational Mission

ary Radio Station DZAS in Manila,

a few Japanese in other areas. This is a larger audience than almost any
local station can deliver and they are located in many parts of the

Phillippines has offered us a half hour daily for Japanese programs. This is a great opportunity. There will be no charge for the actual
time. All it will cost us will be the

country. Our program last year de

monstrated that when the New Testa

production and of course the follow* up work.

There are more than two millloQ listeners to short wave broadcasts

ment message is presented there is much interest aroused among the

Japanese. This daily program should produce many contacts for Christ.
The cost and especially the work

in Japan not to mention Okinawa and

involved in a daily radio program is

tremendous. We are willing to do the work. We already have our key Jap anese personnel trained. But we will need funds. This program, to be most effective, will need musical

''This Is Life''
On Hokkaido
"This is Life" the Christian Ra

groups such as choirs, dramatic pro

ductions involving personnel and

dio Mission's Japanese weekly, half

hour radio program returns to the air this fall. Chaplain Robert S. Scott and his Army chapel has undertaken to pay the time charges on the three stations that cover the great northern

long best will ning

hard rehearsals, as well as the writing a'ad production. This be expensive, but we are win souls to Christ.

island of Hokkaido. This program will reach about a million people in

an area where the New Testament

has never before been preached.

We still do not have the funds to

buy time on the Osaka station which

reaches central and southern Japan. This program is of very high quality and has been commended by leaders in the Japanese radio industry. Al though it costs considerable to pro duce, we feel that for Christ and His Gospel only our best is good enough.
We still lack a few hundred dollars

to

pay

all debts

incured in last

year's production.

CHRISTIAN RADIO MISSION

Follow Up
The island of Tsushima is being invaded by the preachers from Osaka
uader the direction of Bro. Martin

W(weJ!enQilw <rom JAPA2/

Published as a news report of the

Clark of Osaka Bible Seminary. This island located between Japan and
Korea had a large number of listen ers to our program, "This is Life,"
last season. In fact it was rebroad-

Christian Radio Mission, V. Alex Bills,

Field Director, Osaka, Japan.

cast on a radio-defusion system to

Edited by V. Alex Bills

Mailing address on the field
Christion Radio Mission

every home in one of the largei towns. A large number of people

wrote us of their interest in Qirist-

Mlyakojlma P. O.,
Osaka, Japon.

janity. There is no Christian work

on this island of half million people

except two or three Episcopal people who meet for a lay service once in a
while.

Mission House and Recordli^ Center is

located at 492-5 Jutaku,Shlbagaki,Shlnlo,

MatBubaia-cho, Nakagawachl, Gun Osaka
Prefecture.

Othomo-san and Bro. Clark made

CRM WORKERS On the field: Mr. and Mrs. Alex Bills,

Mrs. Ezle Fultz

a trip in the spring and arranged for four cr five evangelistic meetings in the larger towns for the first week in
September. This is a case where Ra
dio has been the air arm of Christian

Co-opeiatlng on Chinese Progrum: Mrs.

Isabel Dlttemore

FORWARDING AGENTS
Send all funds for general work and Bills
family to

Christian Ra^o Mission

Mrs. Don Blalr

804 Mississippi, Amarlllo, Texas

For Mrs. Fultz to Mrs. Velda Clatielter

work and has prepared the ground for God's infantry, the preachers, who must go in and occupy the land. In Kobe, one of the major cities of Japan, where our people have never had a work, the follow-up is taking a little different form. Exie Fultz, who is now living in this city is ga thering together those who have con
tacted us in response to the radio program "This Is Life." She will
start a Bible class and it wilt no

SIO North Fourth street, Marshall, Illinois

OUR HOME COMMITTEE

Chairman, G. B. Gordon, 127 N. Dear-

bom, Chicago 2, Illinois; Harry

Bucal-

steln, 604 S'lxth Avenue, Havre, Montana;

Robert M. Llllle, Rt. 2, Cedar Lake, Indiana; Harrold McForlond, Mission Ma
nor, Wlllernle, Mirmesota; Thomas W.

Overton, 256"? Kress Street, Toledo, Ohio;

ConJey Silsby, 1507 Unlv. Avenue S. E.,

Stanley D. Letcher, 2002 Julian, Amarillo, Texas.

Minneapolis 14, Mlnrsota; William L. Jessup, Box 1090, San Jo8e,caUfomla;

doubt very soon grow into a church. One person in Kobe has already been baptized as a dircct result of the radio programs, and a number of others are deeply interested. Another phase of follow up work

is the Bible Correspondence course.

We have three courses available.One

SPECIAL ADVISORS
Arlo F. Kelley, 4505 W. 3rd,Aroarillo, Texas; Dorothy Jane Johnson, 218 Sixth Avenue, Huntglnton, West Virginia; Chap lain (Major) George R. Barber, Wing Chap
lain, 6016th Air Base WUig APO 919.

is in English for people in Europe and England. The other two are for Japanese, one is completely Japan ese and the other in English with Japanese notes for the great mass of
students who are so anxious to im

prove their English.

ALSO KOREA The really wide open door in the

mission world today is Korea. Alex

is going September 10th to follow up the opportunities for radio programs

that have been offered us there.

Formosa and Korea are the only countries where the governments are
favorable toward Christian mission

ary activities. Japan just permits it. But Korea begs us to come over and help them with the Gospel. The government has shown favor able consideration to our plans to
erect our own Christian Radio sta

tion there, possibly at Inchon near

Seoul. This location would enable

us to reach the mainland of China

and Russia as well as Japan. But there are of course many problems yet to be worked out. We urge our friends to pray as we move forward

The two Bills girls, Kathleen and Rebecca. Kathleen is ready to enter school. The only possible place is
the American Army school. This will cost from two to three hundred dollars. And uie just plain don t
have the necessary monev- Vhat can

into each open door as die Lord leads the way.

Besides radio work there is much

we do? What can you do?

used clothing or bedding in the
name of Christ can work a miracle.

to be done in Korea. Alex will help with the Korean Bible Seminary in Seoul where Paul Ingram is carrying on alone while John Hill and family
are in the U.S. Various missionaries

All relief help should be sent direct

to V. Alex Bills, c/o Christian Mission, 32 Song Wul Dong, West

Gate Ward, Seoul, Korea.

from Japan have been going to Korea for six weeks periods to help with the teaching. This fall Howard Davis of Nagoya and JaneKinnett of Osaka
are helping. This winter hunger and cold will
stalk the land. Thousands will die.

LUXEMBOURG BROADCAST The English broadcast "Bible Christian Program'' continues to go out every Monday night over Radio Luxembourg, the world's most powers
ful commercial radio station, reach ing all of England, the English speaking people in Europe and even

It is the children that especially

suffer. At a penny a meal lives can
be saved in the name of Christ. Food

going behind the Iron Curtain. Wc

have received letters from about ten different countries. Mr. and Mrs.

can

be shipped from "Meals for Millions," 684 South Broadway, Los

Angeles 14. California. A bo* of

iM.OO per week.

Waiter Coble, 203 South Guilfotd, Garrett, Ind. are raising the funds to pay for the time which costs about

An itwUcation of die spiritual hun*

get of Europe is revealed by more
than half of the letters received from

behind the Iron Curtain by the politi cally sponsored Radio Free Europe requesting more religious programs.
Christ is the Answer!

Help! Recruits?
The Christian Radio Mission

fore the throne of Grace. Do you avail yourself of this important way to help us.

needs help. There are only three of

us and there is so much to be done

MISSION SERVICES
Bro. Marrold MacFarland and his

that we cannot possibly do It all.

Our immediate need is someone well

"Mission Services" means much to

trained in Christian music to help with that phase of the radio produc tions. It would require the training and directing musical groups in sev-

the cause of missions. The maga zine "Horizons" and the weekly de partment in"The Christian Standard" keeps the churches in touch with
their work around the world. He

ral

languages. Very soon we will

need additional workers in Korea. At

anytime we could put several to wojk supervising the follow up work. There are no big salaries or gla morous positions. But opportunities
to invest ones life in the most

needs a little help to keep this im portant wrk going. It is important to us missionaries and to you at home. Contact him. Mission Services, Willemie, Minnesota.

gloriou^ cause in all the world. It is hard wori: and will probably be a sacrifice of a large part of ones
natural life since missionaries don't

usually live to an old age. But It is

losihg one's life for Christ's sake. 'We heed some Helperimmedi"ately. Others we will need through the next few years. So if you are ready to
come immediately we need you. If

you are now training we will have a place for you to invest your life when you are ready to come. Write us directly at Box 2, Miyakojlma P. 0., Osaka, JAPAN.
DO YOU? The Japanese church at Mabashi in Tokyo has a weekly prayer meet ing for the fat reaching work of Christian Radio Mission. Every Tues day the Christians there take us be
CHRISTIAN RADIO MISSION

804 Mississippi,

Amarlllo,

Texas

Sec. 34.66 P.L. & R

U. S. Postage
PAID

liarold McsFarland Miselcm Manor

Amvillo, Texas
Pernftit No. 78

Willemie

FORM 3547 REQUESTED

First-Fruits in Kobe, Japan

Fall Newsletter
EX IE FUL^TZ
1953

Baptism of Yoshio Fujimoto in the Shukugawa River by Safo Sun,

minister of the

church at Koyoen.

Fujimoto San (in

dark trousers) and his friend, Tsuchim
Santhe two Kobe

boys who attended

Nosegawa Camp.

( Story Inside)

A NEW WORK TO BEGIN IN KOBE. JAPAN

'irfrtrtrtrirkMrirMrtr^^

Fujimoto San's baptism (pictured on page 1) marks the begimiing of a new work of the Churches of Christ in Kobe, Japan.
Kobe, a seaport, and one of Japan's five major cities, is as well "churched" by denominations as any area in Japan but no work has been done there among New Testament churches.

Since moving to Kobe in April it has been my prayer that, if the

Lord so willed. He would use me to establish a work for Him there. Earlier

this summer I had done some follow-up work with the Kobe correspond ents of the Christian Radio Mission broadcast. Some had been only cur ious, some only a little interested, and many ill and in santitoriums. But from these contacts there were four young men (including Fujimoto San) who really seemed interested in studying the scriptures. These young men will form the nucleus of a weekly Bible Class which yall beg^n

on Sunday, September 13.

in this class).

(Some of my neighbors will also be included

Fujimoto San's eagerness to leam more of Christ led him to the Nosegawa (Osaka) Christian Service camp where he made his confession of Christ. The following Sunday, August 16, he was baptized in the Shukgawa river by Sato San, minister of the Koyoen church. Until we can begin services in Kobe this fall, Fujimoto San will attend the church at Koyoen but after that time he wants to work with Takahashi San and myself in beginning a church in Kobe.
We rejoice in Fujunoto San's decision to follow Christ and feel that it is important for several reasons. First of all it is important because a soul is won to Christ. It is, also, important because it is visible evidence of the worth of radio work, since our first contact with him came through the "This Is Life," program. And then, as has already been stated, it is important because it opens a work in an area that has hitherto had no teaching on the position of the New Testament churches.

The first meeting of this group will be held in my apartment but as soon as possible we want to meet elsewhere. We are considering two possible locations where small rooms have been offered to us. We feel that, because of their size both rooms are inadequate, but we are willing to
in either location if the Lord so leads us.

Summer Camp Work

CLOSING PRAYER CIRCLE OF THE NOSEGAWA

CAMP (OSAKA)

.mm

This final prayer circle of the Nosegawa Camp closed, for the three weeks of camp work. The two previous weeks had been spent in the Nagoya camp teaching both junior and senior week. Among those bap
tized at Nagoya Camp were two boys from Matsubara.
Bible Class at the Matsubara Middle School.

One was the

son of our organist, the other was a boy contacted through our Enghsh
At Nosegawa Betty Whittington and I supervised the dramatiza tion of "The Callenge of the Cross." We were really amazed at the talent of the Japanese young people in producing Christian Drama.

irtrfrirlrtrtrirtiirirtiiiiririJiiiririiiiirtiicitirti'irtrii'irtric'trirti-ts'Mrff

The Sumitomo Mutual Life Insurance Co. Bible Class

The opportunity to teach the weekly Bible Reading Circle of The Sumitomo Mutual Life Insurance Co. came through a neighbor in Kobe Nakamura San. I had met the Nakamuras on one of my trips to Matsu bara and learned that we lived only a block apart in Kobe. Mr. Naka mura, a member of a denominational church, is employed by the Sumitomo Insurance Co., Osaka. About a month ago he came to me and asked if I

would be willing to conduct this Bible Reading Circle. I visited the group

once and made arrangements to begin teaching the class Tuesday, Sep tember 15. Only a few of the company's employees meet for this class but it means one more opportunity to help spread the gospel.

ADDRESSES:

Mission address: Christian Radio Mission, Miyakojima, P. O. Box No. 2, Osaka, Japan. Personal address: 67 Yokoya, Uozaki-cho, Higashinada - ku, Kobe, Japan.
Forwarding agent:
Mrs. Velda Clatfelter, 510 N. 4th Street, Marshall, Illinois (Use for funds).

(Use for parcels).

Mrs. Velda Clatfelter

510 N. 4th St. Marshall, 111.

Sec. 34.66 E. P. L. & R.

U. S. Postage Paid
Marshall, HI.
Permit No. 21

Form 3547 Requested

Mx Harold Mo^arland
Joli XXX