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1955 KYUSHU REPORTSummary of the Past, Present and Futureof the
Kyushu Christian Mission in Kanoya Al/. Sakurajima in Kagoshima
Bay
M!SSIONARlt:S:Mr. & Mrs. Mark G. MaxeyKanoya, Kagoshima,
Japan
FOHWARDLNG SECRETAUY:Mrs. Claiiys Aucrswaltl
Box 139, North Vcrnon, Indiana
MISSIONARY ASSOCIATES:Mrs. Isabel Diltemorc
Mr. & Mrs. A1 llaminoncl
Pastmmm]APAN has four main islands Hok
kaido far north; Honshu largest andcentral; Shikoku lying off
and parallelto the southeast coast of Honshu; andKyushu farthest
south. Japan is dividedinto prefectures, called ken in Japan-
KANOYA
ese, each with a capitol city. Theseprefectures are the
equivalent of ourstates though much smaller. Kagoshimais the
southernmost prefecture at thesouthern tip of Kyushu Island.
Islandswhich are part of Kagoshima extend allthe way to
Okinawa.
Japan is a long country. Put thenorthern tip of Hokkaido on the
city ofMontreal, Canada, and Kagoshima wouldfall on the state of
Alabama, with Kanoya resting on the city of Montgomery.The climate
also varies from extremecold- to the sub-tropical. Japan is
athickly populated country. It has 88million people. Kyushu has 10
millionof these and Kagoshima prefecture onemillion, 800
thousand.
Japan is a small country. Its 368thousand square kilometers is
roughlyequivalent to the state of California.Kyushu contains 40
thousand squarekilometers, and Kagoshima, 78 hundred.
Japan is a non-Christian country,the 100th anniversary of the
arrival ofthe first Protestant missionary in Japanwill be
celebrated in 1959. Progress hasbeen slow. The Christian
populationtoday numbers only a quarter of a million or one-half of
one percent of thepeople.
Kagoshima is a historic part of Japan. No history of Japan from
its
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beginning to the present time can betold without frequent
mention of this areausually referred to by its ancient nameof
Satsuma. Here the Portuguese introduced Japan tothe gun in 1542 and
hereseven years later, the same nation introduced Catholicism to
Japan in theperson of Francis Xavier. The gun wasuniversally
received and used until Ja
pan became a world power, but Christianity, after 88 years, was
suppressedand all Christians annihilated in northern Kyushu near
Nagasaki. Japan hasnever been hospitable to Christianityto
Christianity since, except for a fewbrief years immediately after
World WarII. Now increasing effort seems to berewarded with
decreasing results.
The Missionary Family
Mof/c, V/alter Mark, Pauline, Paula. In front, Gregory.Mark G.
Maxey is the son of Mr. and Mrs.R. Tibbs Maxey, one of nine
children.His father was a Christian minister for51 years. Today his
family is active inChristian work at home and abroad. MarkMaxey
attended the University of Minnesota two years and is a graduate
ofMinnesota Bible College and CincinnatiBible Seminary. He began
preaching inJuly 1937 and has held pastorates inMadelia and Truman,
Minnesota; Hol-lowtown and New Holland, Ohio; andNorth Vernon, Ind.
Pauline Maxey is thedaughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Pethtel
of Wind Ridge, Pa., and a graduate alsoof CBS. The Maxeys were
married inDecember 1941 while attending Seminary. They now have
three children-Paula, 12, born in Seymour, Indiana;Walter Mark,
nine, born in Cincinnati,Ohio; and Gregory Allen, three, born
inFukuoka, Japan. From June 1944, Mr.Maxey served five years as an
ArmyChaplain. His family Joined him in Japan in 1947 and it was
there that thedesire to serve in Japan as missionarieswas born.
They requested dischargein September 1949 for this purpose.
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Desiring to do a pioneer work whereour people had not gone, they
chose theisland of Kyushu and named their proposed work The Kyushu
Christian Mission. An exact location had not beendetermined. Later
they heard that Chaplain Paul Cook (now of Wayne, Neb.),had been
stationed in Kanpya w^ theAir Force, had baptized a nurfiber ofof
converts and gathered them into achurch. They decided to begin with
thisnucleus though they had never beeneither to Kyushu or to Kanoya
before.
The Maxeys sailed for Japan lateAugust 1950 and began residence
inKanoya in October. Since that time theyhave been actively engaged
in ruralevangelism in that area using Kanoyaas the center.
Kagoshima prefecture is divided into two large peninsulas by
KagoshimaBay up the center. The western peninsula is known as
Satsuma and Kagoshima City is the principal city. Theeastern
peninsula is called Osumi andKanoya is the principal city. It is
calleda city, though by western standards, itis quite riural. Osumi
has been wholly
First Term SummaryONE hesitates to list accomplishments,but to
give an accounting of our stewardship to the supporters who made it
possible for us to live and work in Japan,the following attempt at
listing factsand figures is the same time, j chuRCHES: Eight, at
the followingwe must say thaM^imcs Tannegashima, Tarumiiu, Kan-can
be report^ bptat.stics. No figure ^ Koyama, Lshira, Matsuyama,
Iwa-or fset can indicate Jtooil a^ Sueyoshi. None of these
chur-
Neither can i;oiind-^jj[ip^s^be used as abdsis of
compdliBWrof-mtss'lons or missionaries; nor to judge success or
failure. For our own part we can truly say,"We count not ourselves
to have laidhold."
neglected by missionaries except for aBritish missionary who
lived in Kanoyafor two years some 40 years ago.
MISSIONARY ASSOCIATES
in J'anuary 1952, Mrs. Isabel Ditte-more, Mr. Maxey's sister,
and Mrs. MaudeB. Maxey, his mother, arrived in Japanand took
upresidence in Kagoshima City.Mrs. Dittemore was a long-time
missionary on the Tibetan border where shelost her husband and
finally had to fleefrom the Communists. Mrs. ^I^ittemorehas
established four churches on Satsuma at Kagoshima City,
Kajiki,'Kushi-kino, and Sendai. The^e are other outposts, preaching
points; and Sundayschools. V,
In May 1954, A/ and Eleanor Hammond arrived. They are graduates
of SanJose Bible College and a consecratedyoung couple. They lived
in Kagoshimafour months and have had eight monthsof study in Kobe
Language School. Theyare now in Kanoya in the mission housecarrying
on in our absence. Upon our return they plan to launch a pioneer
workin a new territory.
1. PROPERTY: Mission house at Kanoya erected, together with
suitable outbuildings. Approximately three acres ofsurrounding land
has been purchasedand improved.
are
points at Takasu, and the leper colony,Sunday schools in each
place, and oneat the Osumi orphanage.3. CHURCH BUILDINGS AND
LAND:Church buildings pre-fabricated at themission house and
erected for a total
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cost of approximately $500 have beenerected at Kushiro,
Tarumizu, Sueyoshi,Kajiki (for Mrs. Dittemore) and Tonne-goshima.
These churches are repayingthe cost of their buildings with
verysmall monthly payments. The cost ofland is extra. Land for
three churcheswas purchased by the Mission and Tan-negashima paid
half and the Missionpaid half for theirs. Kanoyachurch ownsa
Japanese residence which serves bothas a meeting place and as a
home forBro. limure, Mission evangelist. Thisbuilding waspurchased
through the jointefforts of Benson church, Omaha andthe Mission in
1949. Also a small Japanese residence has been purchasedfor the
church at Koyama recently. BothKanoya and Koyama rent their land,
acommon practice in Japan.
4. BAPTISMS; 323 for four years beginning October 1950 and
ending September 1954. Baptisms since that time havenot been
compiled.
> .' >
5. SEMINARY STUDENTS: Total of 10in Tokyo and Osaka Bible
seminaries.Of these, four have completed their studies and returned
to Kagoshima to work.Two others have graduated but are continuing
their studies. The Mission hascontributed to the Seminary life
throughlectures and addresses, and financiallythroughstudent
support especially pledged by various groups.6. SUMMERCAMPS: The
Osumi-SatsumaChristian Service Camp has been started and four
sessions conducted, twowith both Junior and Senior weeks. Total
attendance each year: 195131;1952-70; 1953-49; 1954-83.
7. DAILY VACATION BIBLE SCHOOLS:Under Pauline's direction, the
Seminarygirls have taught a full program ofDVBSthrough August for
three years. Figuresfor the last two years show 16 schoolswith 1110
enrolled in 1953, and 11 with655 enrolled in 1954.
FIFTH SUNDAY RALLY AT KANOYA. MAY 15. 1950
8. RALLIES&CONVENTIONS; 5th Sun- oya on May 15 just before
the Maxey'sday rallies of the OsumI churches, held departure. Once
a year in the summer athree times a year, have been started.
convention isheld forall the KagoshimaThe 9th Osumi Rally was held
at Kan- churches, alternating between Satsuma
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and Osumi. In April 1954, Kanoya washost to the All-Japan
Christian Convention. Mr. Maxey initiated the first
annualmissionary convention and three of themhave already been
held.9. EVANGELISM: Anaverage of 10 complete weeks each year has
been given toevangelistic campaigns. Tracts, advertising, public
address systems, audiovisual aids, the selling of
Christianliterature and other things have beendeveloped or adapted
to go with thisprogram.
10. PRINTED MATERIALS: Mrs. Maxeyhas adapted the Standard Junior
Coursewhich covers the Bible in four years,and had it translated a
lesson eachweek. Three years of the course hasbeen completed and it
will continue 'tilfinished. A pamphlet. Guide to Christianity was
written and published. Alsoa great many other tracts, sermons,
andteaching materials. Two complete books.Training for Service and
Christian Nurture have been translated and mimeographed. All these
have been widelyused locally and by our brethren in Japan and
Okinawa. A bookstore has beenmaintained and a great number of
Bibles,hymnbooks and other Christian literature has been sold at
low cost or madeavailable to those interested free ofcharge.11.
PREACHING: No attempt has beenmade to record the number of
sermonspreached or the places. The past threeyears Mr. Maxey has
visited each churchonce a month on Sunday and preached asermon in
Japanese using a script written in Roman letters. A book of 21 ofof
these sermons will soon be publishedin Japanese. Through the
kindness ofChaplains Gosser, Martin and Mayfield,there have been
many opportunities toreach the servicemen in Kyushu
withevangelistic and missionary messages.
12. TEACHING: Through the years, Mrs.Maxey has maintained a
weekly trainingclass for Sunday school teachers; a monthly women's
meeting in Kanoya and inthe other churches at longer
intervals;classes for girls and Worker's Conferences for Bible
school teachers. Mr.Maxey has also held a weekly leader'straining
class; special teaching programs in the churches, and young
peo-pel's meetings every month.
13. SOCIAL & COMMUNITY SERVICE:WeeklyEnglish Bible classes
have beenmaintained for three years; lectures onsuch subjects as
Democracy and SomePrinciples of Success have been givenin many
schools. We have always attended every school and civic function
orceremony to which we have been invitedproviding it did not fall
on Sunday orinterfere with our Christian duties. Some
foodand much clothing sent by Christianbrethren at home
havebeenfreely shared;first with Christian preachers and workers,
second, with the orphanage, thirdwith needy Christians in al Ithe
churchesand fourth, with the war widows and theother poor in Osumi.
The Osumi orphanage near our homeis a prefectural institutionbut
the Kanoya church hasmaintained a special Sundayschool there for
almost five years. Frequent gifts of clothing and playthingshave
helped make the children's lifepleasanter. Recently the Camp
WoodChapel, through Chaplain Gosser, equipped them with a
playground, and a complete rythmn band. Bibles have beenplaced in
the rooms of the prefecturalhospital in Kanoya, and regular
teachinggiven there. We have maintained fellowship ina similar way
at the leper colony.A rest house with bulletin board andand water
fountains on the main road infront of the mission house has
beenbuilt and maintained for the use of thosepassing by. Though
social service is
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not our object, yet in this way, we havemade it possible for
some to say I washungry and ye gave me to eat; I wasthirsty and ye
gave me drink;.. .nakedand ye clothed me; / wos sick and yevisited
me...
U. ORGANIZATION: To satisfy legaland tax requirements and to
regularizeMission policies, financial and otherwise, the Mission
was incorporated as areligiousorganization In the State of Indiana.
In Japan, to satisfy the requirements of the Japanese Religious
Persons law, to hold property and to enablethe churches to be
tax-free, the properregistration was made. Both missionaries and
Japanese brethren are servingas officers. Actually, affecting this
registration was a very difficult and lengthy process.15. REPORTS
TO THE CHURCHES:Through June 1955 a totol of 69 Link-letters have
been mailed out to all liv-inglink churches and regular
supportersto give a detailed and intimate account
of our activities as missionaries monthby month. Other printed
reports and picture reports have been mailed out generally from
time to time. Ten FinancialReports have been prepared and sent
toevery contributor to give an accountingof funds received and
used.
16. FAMILY LIFE; The Christian family in the foreign land is the
first demonstration of Christianity at work. Thisinvolves great
responsibility and theever-present feeling of failure. Paulahas
become highly proficient at Japanese and has rendered invaluable
assistance throuah her translating, takingphone calls and handling
ahost of time-consuming details. Both Paula and Mar-kie have many
Japanese friends andplaymates, and through their irifluence,many of
them have become Christians.In addition to her other duties,
Paulinehas . been school teacher for Paula andMarkie using the
CalvertSchool lessonsas much as possible. We have alwaysgone as a
fomily to the churches and
MISSION ACTIVITIES ARE ILLUSTRATED BY THE PEOPLE IN THIS
PICTURE
" ti
(left to right)
1. Mark G. MaxeySupervision, teaching,evangelism
2. Pauline MaxeyBible Schools andwomen's work
3. Takeo limoreEvangelism,Sheperding
4. Denzo Shimoda & son{seated with model ofS500 church
building)church building,carpentry of all kinds
5. Akiya MaidaBookstore, duplicatingteaching materials
6. Hideko NodaLanguage teacher, Sunday school counselor
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gatherings and have felt that this hasdemonstrated in some way
the familyas a unit and the husband and wife aspartners.
17. "For time will fail me if I tell ofGideon, Barak,
Samson...": All theabove is not to say that we have doneit. This is
the Lord's work made possible by the Lord's people in Americaand we
are but the agents through whicha great many people in Japan and
elsewhere have worked together to bring itabout. Specifically and
especially wewant to acknowledge and thank the following:
Missionaries: Isabel Dittemore,Al and Eleanor Hammond, Maude
B.Maxey, and Mr. and Mrs. Martin B. Clark;Japanese brethren:
Sakahiko Motoyoshi,Takeo limure, Shin Okabe, Akira Maeda,Kenji
Niro, Denzo Shimodaand YosunariYaita; Seminary Students: Hideo
Gasha,Shuichiro Shibaoi, Sumitako Diokusono,Keizo Osumi, Hideko
Noda, Itsuko Shi-genobu, Hisako Akano, Reiko Seguchi,Reiko Uemura,
Shizuko Shimago, andmany, many, pth
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99PresentWe left Japan June 6th for our first
furlough. The Al Hammonds had alreadyarrived to carry on. We are
grateful fortheir decision.
Three Japanese brethren will helpwith the work; Paul Takeo
Iimure, mission evangelist (livinglink of Homebuil-der's Class,
Benson church, Omaha). Heand his family live in Kanoya. He
visitsthe churches regularly, acts as interpreter and advisor,
assists Mrs. Ditte-more three or four days a month, conducts
meetings, ministers to Kanoyachurch. The church furnishes
livingquarters and contributes toward salary.
Sadahiko tAotoyoshi started and carried on work of Tarumizu
church, supports himself teaching school.
Shin Okabe, an older man who camefrom the Baptists, accepted the
New
yama '^^ and wilinSueyoshi dlconfidence that the work "wilI
continueand prosper.
Our stateside home will be Louisville, Ky., where the children
will get acomplete term of American school. Paula,who contracted
polio in Japan August1947, will return to Warm Springs, Ga.for the
second time to undergo surgeryon her legs. We will be spending
thefurlough year reporting to tne brethren,visiting summer camps,
Bible collegesand conventions, evangelizing, doingsome special
study; being revitalizedby fellowship with our families, friendsand
fellow Christians; and preparingequipment for the next five
years.
~mmmPuiureWe plan to return to Japan in Sep
tember 1956. Our task: to continue theestablishment and
nourishment of indigenous churches (self-supporting,
self-governing, self-propagating). This goalis easy to state;
difficult to achieve.
On return, we will start a schoolto train young men and women
for Christian leadership and evangelism, andsecondarily, to teach
them skills whichwill help them to be self-supporting.Land for such
a school has alreadybeen purchased adjacent to the Missionhouse in
Kanoya. Work on this schoolmust begin by October 1956 or government
will reclaim land.
A second project is a completelyequipped tent (and trailer to
carry it)for yearround evangelism and a teamof four young men to
live with it andconduct the campaigns full time. This
will be expensive but productive,believe tent evangelism has a
betterchance of success in Japan than anyother method.
The production of low cost churchbuildings, and assistance to
thechurches in obtaining land for them willcontinue. In addition,
first term projectsand work will be carried on as before.
In these tasks we hope to proveworthy of your continued prayers
andinterest and support. We undertake thiswork in the firm
conviction that JesusChrist is the only answer to the needsof the
Japanese people. We believe that"in none other is there salvation;
forneither is there any other name underheaven, that is given among
men, wherein we must be saved." We are assuredthat "Jesus Christ is
the same yesterday and today, yea and forever."
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KYUSHU CHRISTIAN MISSION in Kanoya
Serving Christ through youin southernmost Japan
Now in our fifth year of service;furlough in June 1955
Mission activities are illustrated bythe people in above
picture
(left to right)
1. Mark G. Maxey-Supervlslon,teaching, evangelism.
2. Paul ine MaxeyBible Schoolsand women's work
3. Takeo limure- Evangelism
4. Denzo Shimoda and son (seated withmodel of $500 church
building)-church building, carpentry
5. Akiya Ma idamimeograph operatorproducing teaching materialsof
all kinds.
6. Hideko Noda-language teacher,Sunday school counselor
FORWARDING SECRETARY:
Mrs. Gladys AuerswaldBox 139North Vernwi, Indiana
MISSIONARY CO-WORKERS (Not Shown)
Mrs. Isabel Dittemore
Mr. and Mrs. Al Hammond
KAeaSH/MA \rfiEfCTuHi
FcM r L/tti
40
\MIYAZAKi
KaGoSHI/IAFkepectu^e
KYUSHU CHRISTIAN MISSIONKanoya, Kagoshlma, Japan
Reprinted from HORIZONS Magazine for April 23, 1955