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THE K I NG ' S BUS I NESS
December, 1937
Jinsaburo Lifts His Cross By OPAL LEONORE GIBBS
but lift it on our backs for our Lord’s sake. Like lightning flash I saw my cross and wished to lift it. At first, I could not, but when with others, I kneeled at altar fence and prayed softly with tears, I became able, and it rests now on my broken will. I still feel very strongly I must not dis honor Lord Jesus with marriage to one who is not Christian. But I see now He needs not fightings in me. Hayashi San explains this to be true spirit of Lord Jesus, who is Teacher in great school of those He has saved. He showed me in Matthew, chapter 11, where meekness and lowliness are two subjects taught, and if we study from Him, we must apply diligently these two. He will take care all other matters. So I opened my two studies. Henceforth, I am a man who not only bears the name of Christ, but also His nature—in marriage and all other things. J u n e 14 The rainy season has arrived to remain as most unwelcome visitor. Like spears and pitchforks, it strikes our roof. The hot matting sticks to my bare feet as I walk in my room, and my kimono smells a stinking odor of mold. Even the books are becoming old men with green whiskers
on their damp faces in this wet weather. Today I started for Ginza street, my feet in high clogs to lift me from the water and mud. Suddenly one strap broke, on my left foot, so I was hopping about like one-legged duck. Fortunately for my plight, a clog shop stood near, where they lended me cloth to cleanse my soiled foot and mended also my strap. Many students go to school with foreign suit, but bare feet in high clogs and paper umbrellas — very funny conglomeration! Japanese clothses are in three stages, flux, crystal, and solid. In Tokyo we men are fast approaching solid American style, with only lounging kimono for evening and crested one for formal ceremonies. The papers are filled with Diet difficulty. It makes my face red with shame that Diet members berate their heads, striking with Books and fists and loud angry voices. Last night ten thousand people gathered in concourse at the Yasukuni shrine to pray for solution of these government problems. In teaching my Sunday-school class yes terday, I again beheld Miss Tatsuda, as she dropped her book while passing into the baby class room. With foreign knightly manner to women, I retrieved it for her. She thanked but lifted not her eyes at all; only her white skin turned to pink. J un e 20 Tonight it ceased slightly from rain, so I went with Aunt’s children to bamboo forest for fireflies. They had small cages and caught so many as I never saw, till the cages were bright like fairy lanterns. But mos quitoes ate us all as their banquet meat, so we returned very soon. I have now pushed under my green cur tain net, with Bible, fan, and medi cine for many piercings on my legs. My bed was already prepared under the net, and I find some half com fort, though above its ceiling, the cloud of cannibals sing songs of ven geance that they cannot drink my blood. The bent willow branch is now re moved from its vase in our formal room, as Uncle has returned home at last. So Aunt has- the welcoming iris in the vase. She once studied the art called flower arrangement, and often teaches it to my sister, Akiko. I believe this sister and also my brother Shozo are in the Way, for they are very diligent to attend Sun day-school, and in the meeting for evangelizing of children, they prayed earnestly to Christ. In truth they are good children and Mother also will be led, I am sure of it. J un e 21 Uncle seems very old and child ish and sits with his long pipe with- [Continued on page 508]
PART V J insaburo and th e W ill of G od Jinsaburo, a young Japanese university graduate employed in Tokyo, was active in the mission church and Bible classes in which he had found Christ as his Saviour. Among other items recorded in Jinsaburo’s diary in his characteristic English phrase ology were his observations concerning the beauty and curly hair of one of the young Sunday-school teachers. He learned that she was called Miss Tatsuda. Linked with his conviction that he must marry only a girl who was a Christian was Jinsaburo’s angry rebellion at . the "medieval” wish of his uncle, the head of the household, to follow the Japanese cus tom of arranging for Jinsaburo a marriage to a girl unknown to him, one named "Little Flower.” When this non-Christian uncle was seriously injured in an earth quake, Jinsaburo Was haunted by a certain memory. In his earlier prayer that he might escape this undesired marriage, he had expressed a wish that some great calamity might befall his uncle and thus block the ceremony. S unday HIS is last day of Bishop’s meeting and alas! I have attended but one. So many people have called our house and I must daily attend Aunt to the hospital. Also ■the fan shop must be inspected. So I have become worrying old man of responsibility. Uncle lives still, for his head wound was shallow, but his heart is shocked and weakly from sake [rice whiskey] drinking. This morning Hayashi San came for me and we walked together to House of God. I felt great need for it and opened my thirsty soul as flower in the rain. For if Uncle lives, how can I escape this marriage which I hate? But if he live not, how can his soul be saved? The preach was very strong and I almost gasped to hear it. God’s will is perpendicular and our will goes horizontal across it, which con structs the cross. This we bear, not run from it or hate and refuse it, [Years of close contact with young people in Japan while she served there as a missionary furnished Mrs. Gibbs a background for the story she tells of a Japanese youth’s growth in Christ. In a comment on her choice of a title, she remarks: "It should never be implied that we are saved by bearing a cross or by any other good works, but we can surely grow in discipleship by taking up our cresses for His sake, who bore THE ‘ CROSS .”— E ditor .] p " Illustration, courtesy of the Board of Tour ist Industry, Japanese Government Hallways.
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