OSAKA CHRISTIAN NISSION, INC.

(of America)
Missionaries (not for profit corporation) Forwarding Agents
George & Ethel Beckman Oden & Rema Brown
40-8 Kamizono-cho OSAKA BIBLE SEMINARY Route 5, Stafford Avenue
Nishinoniiya, Japan Carbondale, Illinois 62901
January 3, 1968
Dear Christian Friends;
Greetings in the Name of Christ from one of the most dangerous countries in
the world. The Primr Minister's Office recently released figures on the traffic
conditions and this is a reason f^r pnrt of the opening statement. The ratio of
deaths per 1,000 vehicli-s for last yrar was 0.6 in the U. S., 1.0 in France, 0.8
in Drilinn, but 2.5 in Japan, high'sl in tlie \v(rl(i. Mo^t of the Jnoanese mission
aries travel much to get to (he people who will take ti:ne to 1i ten to the Gospel
i.iessage and whether they travel by public transportation or not they are subject
to the above statistic as a large pecentage of the deaths are pedestrians. There
are many narrow streets with no sidewalks. But we continue to travel to those
who will listen.
We are in the new year, properly, we hope. We ate some of the special food
to close the old year and another kind to open the new year. We had Persian,
Japanese and American guests in our home to help us begin the new year.
The sending of special New Year's cards is an old and strong custom in Japan
and usually there is some reference to the particular y ar of the old Oriental
Zodiac system of reckoning the years. This ye r is the year of the monkey. Some
make it just a "custom" with a commercially printed, very impersonal card, as all
are expected to send cards. Others put some extra thought, effort and money into
it and it is often a great joy to receive some of these cards. For us this year
there was one special card from Kyushu. While George and the two Osaka Bible
Seminary students were in Kyushu last Fall foi the Week of Evangelism, they ate
all their meals at one home. The wife and daughter hive been Christians and the
husband has often been of special help to the church in the village of Kushira.
They live in back of and operate a small store where the wife is the main person.
The husband is on the fire department wli'-re he has some special responsibilities.
They have a small car with a public address unit on it and the husband uses this
during emergencies such as typhoons and fires. He has often used this to make an
appeal for attendance at the church. He is a good cook and prepared the meals for
the team last Fall. He attended the meetings and has attended the regular services
for some time. Our New Year's card from that familv arrived on New Year's Day
with an extra note stating lhat this cin had become a Christian. This was really
a good card with special interest.
The 1967 Tanemaki Kai is past history and yn evaluation meeting has been held
wnich indicated that these iiicetings shi.uld c. ntinue so we are starting plans for
the 1968 Tanemaki Kai to be held on the ^aire dates. Exact figures are difficult
to get as not all those attending registered, but the followin^^ are fairly close:
Adults - 92; Children - 15; Osaka Bible Seminary graduates - 15; Osaka Bible
Osaka Bible Seminary students - 13. There was g<p()d singing, preaching, and
discussion plus the sharing of Chrilian convictions :s t e peopU- met formally
and informally. We appreciate your pr.i\eis and other help for this meeting.
-2-
Naoiiii Nagata has been busy since her return. She has moved into her own
Lijaitr;ent near the Seminary. During November and December she taught a six
weel.s course on Developing Dible Teaching materials. A committee has been
formed with Naomi as chairman, for making research in Dible School needs and
materials in preparation to preparing such materials. On the committee are two
preachers, one more Bible School worker, Mr. & Mrs. Donald Burney, who will
do most of the publishing, and Ethel.
From January fourth to seventh Naomi is conducting special children's meetings
at Ono. She has also started a weekly S\inday afternoon Bible School for junior
and intermediate age children at Nishi Akashi with the Likins. She also has the
responsibility of revising a V.D.S. Course for rc-publication this Spring. With
$55 from Lincoln Christian Cnurch in Indiana, $30 from Footville, Wisconsin, and
$5 iruin an individual each i. onth, we have $90 of the $125 a month needed for her
support.
From January ninth George will h ve to be more of a shopper and house keeper
as Ethel will be teacliing History of Missions which is a full time job with the
prepviration, travel and actual lectures. The children start back to school the
day before that after a two week vacation.
Please begin to pray for the Annual All Japan Convention of the churches of
Christ to be held in Tanabe tnis year from April sect-nd lo fourth. Considerable
preparation has been made a/ d announcements have been mailed to the churches.
Toe announced theme is, "Wc, Witnesses for the Cross." And the theme text is
Hebrews 12:1.
The acquisition of a status symbol ha.^ been ot.e characteristic of man for many
years, maybe from the beginning. The newspapers here in J -pan have confirmed
what some of our preachers have been tell.iig us about this problem. The status
of the natives here is measured by the possession or non-possession of 3 C's and
2 G's. The 3 C's are: 1. Car. 2. Cooler (room coolex). 3. Ctdor TV. The 2 G's
are: 1. Golf 2. Gun. Not all, of course, but many of our neighbors can thus be
classified as they do posses one r more of these status symbols. The Beckmans
are not up into the category of classi'^icfttion because they do not possess any one
one of these status symbols. This strong desire to be thus classified on the part
of the natives continues to be one of our main obstacles. If another "C" and an
other "G" can be marks of classification, tne Deckmans can be classified as they
do have a direct relationship with Christ and God, the more important "C" and
"G". We are glad that wdo have some among the natives who ar' in this same
categoty and are making an effort to lead others into this same category.
We thank you very much for continued support of us and the work here. We
need both your j-piritual and physical help io continue. Almost all of us have
had a bout with this year's t^pe of Asiatic flu. Some have suffered more and
some less with it.
May God bless you all.
Your ministers to Japan,
nan
The Beckmans
Missionaries
George & Ethel Beckman
40-8 Karaizono-cho
Nishinomiya, Japan
Dear Christian Friends;
OSAKA BIBLE SEMINARY
Osaka, Japan Forwarding Agents
Oden & Rema Brown
Route 5, Stafford Avenue
Carbondale, Illinois 62901
January 25, 1968
Greetings in the Name of Jesus Christ in behalf of Osaka Bible Seminary!
It has been twenty years since Osaka Bible Seminary was re-instituted after
World War II. There has been both adverse and constructive criticism, which is
normal for such institutions, and alterations and corrections have been made to
improve the school. At present the Churches of Christ from Tokyo to southern
Kyushu have leadership that received training for their task at Osaka Bible
Seminary.
Alumni are urging that the acade:.-.ic level of Osaka Bible Seminary be main
tained and increased--and rightly so. This is being partially accomplished by
further education of the missionaries involved, AND must important, the Japanese
laculty are obtaining dvanccd education. There are seven Japanese faculty now.
Two hold Masters Degree'^ from Lincoln College and Brother Oda has three years
of study at the University of Athens, Greece, besides having compiled the only
Greek-Japanese Lexicon in print in the world.
It is obvious that such advancement .neans increased financial load. This
problem is multiplied by the increase in cost of living in Japan, plus the annual
increase a faculty me.nber receives for eaxh ye:,r of service. (At the present
rate of rise of cost of living, the payroll is increased IC^ annually.) Japanese
Christians are revealing their concern in these matters by writing Osaka Bible
Seminary into their budgets.
The extra demandb on the budget, though, carnot be met with this added help
from Japanese Christians alone. The increased help of brethren in the States is
going to be necessary for some time to come. Os ka Bible Seminary must have
an adequate irxorae that is budgeted and regular in order to assure the salaries
of these splendid co-workers in Christ and make the necessary improvements.
Because of the continued difficult problem of meeting the current expenses and
problems, it has been impusiible to make sufficie.it formal plans for the future of
Osaka Bible Seminary. Goals and hope are great but are not in formal shape.
Each missionarv is a combination of promoter, teacher, evangelist, and admini
strator in a foriegn land. Tnerefore now we are FACING A CRISIS!! We need
your prayers, '-specially, NOW!! Another of the old, steel barnxks that has for
many years served as a dormitory is all too rapidly rusting away. We need some
time more free from the cunent problems to make some concrete plans that can be
used wisely by the members and money available to us. We need your prayers now
especially to be able to make some important decisions. We will also need your
physical help to back up those prayers.
Thank you and may God bless you.
Your ministers to Japan,
iBec^mxin
The Beckmans
OSAKA CHRISTIAN MISSION, INC.
(of America)
Missionaries (not for profit corporation) Forwarding Agents
George & Ethel Beckman Oden & Rema Brown
40-8 Kamizono-cho OSAKA BIBLE SEMINARY Route 5, Stafford Avenue
Nishinomiya, Japan Carbondale, Illinois 62901
February 17, 1968
Dear Christian Friends;
Greetings in the Name of Christ. Thank you very much for your continued support
of us and the work here by your prayers and physical help. This year will mark a
20th anniversary for us as it was on December 28, 1948, that we first arrived in
Japan.
When we wrote of the dangerous traffic conditions last month, we did not antici
pate such a sudden and close connection with a traffic tragedy. Mr. K. Maruyama, a
junior in high school, and a member of the church here, was in an accident and died
within five hours. He and his older sister were the only Christians in the immediate
family. It is customary to consult the relatives regarding such an important event as
a funeral, and the father called those relatives near here even though it was late at
night. The father is a Buddhist, as are most of the relatives, but the son had lived
such an admirable life that the father was very deeply impressed and attributed this
much better life to the son's faith in Christ. Therefore, the father persuaded the
relatives to permit a Christian funeral. Thus there has been a very good opportunity
to present the Gospel to the family. Pray that this opening may remain and that we
may be able to take advantage of it wisely.
Ethel completed her six weeks' class at Osaka Bible Seminary yesterday and feels
well rewarded for her teaching efforts. George substituted one day for her so that
she could meet on the regular date with the women who, so far, have been coming
once a month to study the Bible with her. There has been enough interest in this
study that now that Ethel has more time they are planning more frequent meetings.
Pray that Ethel may lead them to a saving faith in Christ.
Osaka Bible Semina'v is beginning further expansion of physical facilities. This
has become necessary. Mr. & Mrs. Bill Turner wish to live on the campus and help
expand the general program. The first floor of the building that housed the dining
hall and some dormitory space is being remodelled into a three bedroom apartment for
them. The wonen's dormitory housed in the second floor of the same building is being
remodelled to provide for the loss of dormitory space on the first floor. The walls
and roof of a new building are being planned, and we hope to house a new dining hall,
auditorium, physical exercise area, dormitory rooms, class rooms or any need that may
arise and as funds become available. Please pray that we mav have wisdom as we plan
and that more funds may become available soon.
So far we are quite sure that two men and one woman will be enrolling as new
students in April. Quite likely there will be more as it is early yet for applica
tions to be in the office. Pray for our students as they studv and prepare for a work
that does not give very much promise in material gain and considerable difficulty in
attempts to make progress.
May God bless you all.
Your ministers to Japan,