May Day (84/05/01)
May Day, the 1st day of May, is one of the oldest celebrations in the western world with roots in the spring festivals of India and Egypt. It has traditionally been a festive time celebrating the arrival of spring and new life in agricultural societies. Since the late 19th century, however, it has become a day for demonstrations and rallies by labor organizations. In the United States, Labor Day is celebrated on the 1st Monday of September, but Socialist and Communist groups often hold demonstrations on May Day. To counteract such demonstrations, May 1st has been designated Loyalty Day, Law Day and Americanism Day by certain bodies in years gone by to encourage nationalistic sentiment. This year's May Day rallies in Japan are supposed to be more festive and less political than in the past. What do you think of May Day rallies and demonstrations, the state of labor unions, laborers and working conditions in Japan today? This is the theme for this week's essays to be printed in the next issue of "Daily Word" Echoes. Send your essays for correction and publication to: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463. In John 6:27, Jesus said, "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life."
Number 88 in Japan (84/05/02)
In Japanese tradition, the number 88 seems to have a special significance. Since the Chinese character for "rice" looks like a ten between 2 eights, this character is used in reference to the special celebration for a person who has reached his 88th birthday. On the island of Shikoku are 88 holy places connected with the life of the Buddhist priest, Kōbō Daishi. Many pilgrims visit these 88 temples and there are now similar groups of 88 temples in other areas of the country which are also designated as pilgrimage sites. Today is the 88th night from the beginning of spring according to the lunar calendar used by Japanese farmers. Now that the fear of frost is gone, the sowing of seed may begin. It is not only farmers who sow seed, however. The Bible figuratively refers to our words and deeds as seeds. In a spiritual sense, all of us are sowing seeds every day by our words and actions. We need to consider the quality of our speech and conduct for these seeds will also bring forth some kind of harvest. According to Galatians 6:7, "a person will reap just what he sows."
Japanese Constitution (84/05/03)
The present Constitution of Japan became effective on May the 3rd, 1947, 37 years ago today. In a democratic society, a constitution is usually drafted by elected representatives of the people, but the Japanese Constitution has a peculiar history. There are various views regarding who deserves the credit or the blame for this Constitution, but it seems clear that its roots can be traced to the office of General MacArthur rather than to the Japanese government. This Constitution affirms that sovereign power resides with the people who forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and that war potential will never be maintained. Thomas Jefferson did not consider constitutions to be "like the ark of the covenant, too sacred to be touched". He wrote that constitutions "furnish a text to which those who are watchful may again rally and recall the people". This may be the time in Japan when people should be rallied to recall the text of their political creed. From my point of view, Japan has a fine constitution, whatever its origin, and it should be observed. However, if it is not being observed, then it should be amended.
Dalai Lama (84/05/04)
There are 2 words in English pronounced "lama". The l beginning with 2 "l"s refers to a South American animal related to the camel but smaller and without humps. The other, beginning with 1 "l", refers to a priest of Tibetan Buddhism, also called Lamaism. The spiritual head and highest priest of Lamaism is the Dalai Lama, who is believed to be the reincarnation of his predecessor. Thus, this position is not gained by heredity nor by study. Rather, upon the death of a Dalai Lama, a search is made to find the child considered his reincarnation with the help of oracles and omens. The present Dalai Lama, the 14th man to hold this title, is now visiting Japan. He was born in 1935 and was designated the Dalai Lama at 4 years of age after he had selected certain objects belonging to the previous Dalai Lama without prompting. Since his revolt against the Communist government in 1959 failed, he has been living in exile in India. In contrast to the Dalai Lama of Lamaism and the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, Protestants have no single, human, spiritual head. We consider Jesus Christ himself as our living high priest.
Cinco de Mayo (84/05/05)
Today is a national holiday in Japan known as Children's Day. Previously one of the 5 traditional seasonal festivals, it was called Tango no Sekku because it was celebrated on the 1st day of the horse in the 5th month. Although formerly a boy's festival, it is now meant to honor all children. According to the lunar calendar, today is also the beginning of the summer season. In Mexico, however, today is a national holiday commemorating the victory of the Mexican army over French invaders 122 years ago. On the day preceding the battle, the commander of the French forces sent this message to his government: "We have over the Mexicans such superiority of race, of discipline, and organization that tomorrow, at the head of 6,000 of my choice troops, I will attack, and I consider that Mexico is mine." Despite the arrogant attitude of this French commander the battle was won by the 2,O00 Mexican soldiers defending their forts. Their victory is commemorated every year in the Cinco de Mayo, or 5th of May, celebrations. According to the Old Testament book of Proverbs, chapter 16, verse 5, the Lord will punish those who are proud.
Korean tigers (84/05/06)
Much publicity has been given to the expected presentation of koalas from Australia to Japan later this year. Koalas are rare animals native to Australia and they are found in only a few zoos outside of that country. Now it is reported that a Japanese concern will be supplying some rare, purebred tigers to South Korea. The Korean tiger has been chosen as the mascot for the 1988 Olympics to be held in Seoul. The problem is that, since 1930, Korean tigers have become extinct in South Korea. In 1982 it was reported that there are only about 150 such tigers left in the 3 countries of North Korea, China and the Soviet Union. A tiger park in Hokkaido, however, has a number of these purebred tigers and has promised to donate 10 tiger cubs expected to be born this summer to South Korea as a good-will gesture. It may be that Australia's kindness in presenting koalas to Japan may be partially repaid by Japan presenting tigers to Korea. As the saying goes, "One good turn deserves another." Acts of kindness should not be received and forgotten. They should stimulate other acts of kindness on behalf of others.
Robert Browning (84/05/07)
Good day! "The year's at the spring And day's at the morn; Morning's at seven; The hillside's dew-pearled; The lark's on the wing; The snail's on the thorn; God's in his heaven--All's right with the world!" This well-known English poem was composed by one of England's well-known poets, Robert Browning, who was born on May 7, 1812, 172 years ago today. Browning was the son of a London bank clerk and received a broad education that gave him a broad and optimistic outlook. His 1st poem was written when he was 19. Following a romantic courtship, he married Elizabeth Barrett, an older and more distinguished poet than he, when he was 34 years old. Browning first fell in love with her poems and then with her. For 17 years they enjoyed a happy life together in Italy. In his later years, Browning began his poem, Rabbi Ben Ezra, with the following lines: "Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, The last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hands Who saith, 'A whole I planned; Youth shows but half. Trust God; see all, nor be afraid.'"
Birthdays (84/05/08)
On Sunday of last week, that is to say, on April the 29th, the Emperor's Birthday, we held the 14th meeting of listeners to these "Daily Word" telephone messages. We usually hold such meetings on the 5th Sundays of the month. 17 people attended and, as usual, we had a pleasant time getting to know each other better, listening to a talk by Ruth Villegas from the Philippines, enjoying some homemade refreshments prepared by my wife and looking at the 8th issue of "Daily Word" Echoes. I also gave a talk regarding Birthdays and Birthday Celebrations and all those present had something to say on that subject also. That is also today's subject for essays to be included in the next issue of the Echoes. How do you celebrate birthdays? What do you think of such celebrations for famous or common people? Do you have any interesting stories of birthdays or birthday celebrations? Send your essays for correction and publication to: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463. You may receive a copy of the current issue of the Echoes by sending me ¥270 in stamps, which includes the mailing cost. If you wish to make a contribution to the expense of this telephone service, you may deposit it in the yūbin furikae kōza of "Deiri-wa-do", Nagoya 3-37087.
Czechoslovakia (84/05/09)
Which one of the 160 members of the United Nations do you think has the longest one word name, according to the English spelling? That country is located in east central Europe and today is its national day. The nation, founded in 1918, is composed mainly of 2 ethnic groups--Czechs and Slovaks, so the country is called Czechoslovakia. Do you know how to spell it? Hitler's occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1939 was one of the contributing factors to the outbreak of the 2nd World War. At the end of the war, on May 9, 1945, the capital city of Prague was liberated by Soviet troops, ending more than 6 years of Nazi occupation and today's national day commemorates that event, but before scheduled elections were held in 1948, a Communist coup brought the country under Russian control and marked the beginning of the so-called cold-war between the Soviet Union and its former Western allies. Over the years, subsequent attempts to restore greater liberty have been suppressed by Soviet force. Freedom is a priceless gift. Let us be thankful for the freedom we have in this land and use it wisely and responsibly. Galatians 5:13 warns against turning freedom into license.
The pigeon and the dove (84/05/10)
Combining the Chinese characters for "nine" and "bird" results in the character for the particular bird called a hato. It is said that "nine" signifies "many" and many hato usually gather together. It is also said that the pronunciation kyū refers to the sound made by the hato. But how should hato be translated into English? Is a hato a pigeon or a dove--and what is the difference between the two? Although they may be used interchangeably, usually "pigeon" is used of the domesticated bird while "dove" refers to the wild fowl. Figurately speaking, pigeon may refer to a person easily deceived. As a slang term in reference to a woman, it has a coarser meaning than "dove", which has a more refined implication of innocence, gentleness and love. In the Bible and Christian art, the dove is a symbol of God's Spirit, for the Gospels note that the Holy Spirit descended like a dove upon Jesus at his baptism. The dove has also become a symbol of peace, for true peace within our hearts, in our homes or in the world at large is the gift of God's Spirit to those who will accept it with a humble faith. This is "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463.
Pidgin English (84/05/11)
Yesterday was the beginning of the annual Bird Week in Japan. Did you notice that yesterday's message was related to birds? Today, I will also talk about pigeon, but this time the talk is not related to birds but to language. Pidgin or Pidgin (pigeon) English is an auxiliary language used in some South Pacific countries with a basically English vocabulary but including Malay, Chinese and Portuguese elements and having a grammatical structure resembling Chinese. It began as a simple means of communication between Europeans and Chinese in international ports but has developed into a genuine trade language or lingua franca. When the Roman Catholic Pope visited Papua New Guinea a few days ago, he celebrated the mass in Pidgin. In this case, the word Pidgin is not related to the bird, but comes from the Chinese pronunciation of "business". Business and busyness are characteristic of Japan today, but as Robert Louis Stevenson once wrote, "Perpetual devotion to what a man calls his business, is only to be sustained by perpetual neglect of many other things." All of us must decide what comes first in our lives.
Holding chopsticks properly (84/05/12)
In yesterday's message, I spoke about the South Pacific trade language known as Pidgin. In Pidgin English, chop-chop means "quickly" or "at once". From chop-chop, the term "chopsticks" originated, referring to the quickly manipulated sticks Chinese and Japanese use when eating. A police school in Tokyo recently reported that many of its new students were unable to handle chopsticks properly. Almost 10% of the male college graduates were included in this number. Over 22% of the male high school graduates and close to 30% of the female students did not hold their chopsticks correctly. Along with such martial arts as
Mother's Day (84/05/13)
To those of you who are mothers, I wish you a Happy Mother's Day. It was in the year 1907 in the American city of Philadelphia that Miss Anna Jarvis proposed the manner and time of celebrating a special day in honor of mothers. Thus, on May 10, 1908, 76 years ago, the first Mother's Day was celebrated in that city, whose name means "brotherly love". From that time on, the custom of celebrating this second Sunday of May as Mother's Day has spread throughout the world. One of the first sounds a baby makes is "mama". In English speaking countries, this is considered a baby word referring to mother, while in Japanese it is considered to refer to food. Haha, which is the Japanese word for "mother", is a laughing sound in English. In Japanese, mamahaha refers to a stepmother. Although a mother's love for her child is great, the Bible teaches that God's love for us is even greater. In Isaiah 49:15, the Lord says, "Can a woman forget her own baby and not love the child she bore? Even if a mother should forget her child I will never forget you." On this Mother's Day, let us also remember God's great love for us.
A baseball game in America (84/05/14)
Many foreign customs that have been imported into Japan have been changed somewhat to fit the Japanese situation. This includes the popular sport of baseball. The rankings of Japanese baseball teams list the number of games won, lost and tied, but in America, baseball games never end in a tie. The game continues until one team wins. Last week, a new record was set in Chicago when the Chicago White Sox finally got a run in the last half of the 25th inning to beat the Milwaukee Brewers by a score of 7-6 in a game that lasted for 8 hours and 6 minutes. In fact, the game was suspended at 1:05 Wednesday morning after 17 innings with a score of 3-3 and was then continued Wednesday night. The winning pitcher pitched only the last inning and the game ended with a home run. It was the longest game in major league history. The first century poet, Persius, wrote : "He conquers who endures." Tomorrow evening at 6:30 we will have the next to the last class in our study of the Gospel of John in Japanese at the City Kyōikukan in Sakae. Join us if you can.
Gratitude to mothers (84/05/15)
According to an old Jewish proverb, "God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers." Although not to be taken literally, this saying does have a point. A mother has been called a cook, chauffeur, maid, nurse and household manager all in one. Last Sunday was Mother's Day. Did you give any special recognition to your mother on that day? Showing gratitude and appreciation to mothers or others should not be limited to certain special days. It should be a continual attitude, expressed daily. William Dean Howells, an American author, has written, "A man never sees all that his mother has been to him till it's too late to let her know that he sees it." In the Old Testament book of Proverbs, chapter 23, verse 22, it is written, "When your mother is old, show her your appreciation." Abraham Lincoln wrote "All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." The theme for this week's essays which you may send to me for correction and publication in the next issue of "Daily Word" Echoes is: "Mothers". You may write about your own mother about mothers in general or compare mothers--past and present. My address is: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463.
The origin of the dollar (84/05/16)
In the roster of Christian saints, we find the name of Joachim. He is said to be the father of the Virgin Mary and thus would be the grandfather of Jesus. A small mining town in northwestern Czechoslovakia, near the German border, is named after him. In German, the town is called Joachimsthal, meaning valley of Joachim. In the year 1519, a coin to be used as money was minted in Joachimsthal and was called a Joachimsthaler. Later it was shortened to "thaler" in German and entered the English language as "dollar". The dollar is now the monetary unit of the United States and a major currency in world trade. In the U.S.A., there are 6 different denominations of coins: the dollar, the half dollar, the quarter, worth a quarter of a dollar, the dine, worth 1/10 of a dollar, the nickel, worth 1/20 of a dollar and the cent or penny, worth 1/100 of a dollar. The American theologian, James Moffatt, has written: "A man's treatment of money is the most decisive test of his character--how he makes it and how he spends it." The true value of money is not found in hoarding it but in using it for some beneficial purpose.
Migratory birds (84/05/17)
There is an American bird, similar to a pheasant, that is named "bobwhite". This name comes from the whistling call of the male bird during the mating season which, to American ears, sounds like "bobwhite, bobwhite". Another bird, related to the blackbird and oriole, was originally named Bob Lincoln for the same reason, but now it is known as a bobolink. The bobolink is a migratory bird that spends its summers in North America, in the United States and Canada. In the autumn, it flies south to spend the winter in South America, going as far as northern Argentina and Chile. Biologists have wondered how the bobolinks can regularly fly such long distances--up to 12,000 kilometers--without getting lost. Now a biologist at the State University of New York has reported that tiny bits of iron oxide in the heads of the bobolinks may act like compasses to give them a sense of direction. Such a report supports our belief that there is a Mind behind the marvellous order found in nature. In Matthew, chapter 6, Jesus told his disciples to look at the birds and consider how God, the heavenly Father, cares for them. You are more important than birds, he added.
Takamiyama (84/05/18)
When does middle age begin? The American comedian, Bob Hope, quipped that "Middle age is when your age starts to show around the middle". If that's the case, then sumo wrestler, Takamiyama, began his middle age long ago. During his 20 years in sumo, Takamiyama has set a number of records. In July, 1972, here in Nagoya, he became the first foreigner to win a tournament. He also holds the record for the number of tournaments fought in the Makuuchi division, totally 97. He is the oldest active wrestler, but due to his makekoshi (losing record) in the J ūryō division of the present tournament, he is now facing retirement, a month before his 40th birthday. There is an American saying that "Life begins at 40". Two of the 3 present contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination in the U.S. are now in their 40's and as a sumo coach, Takamiyama may still have a meaningful like ahead of him. For the person with a healthy faith, the future is always bright, regardless of age or circumstances. Even in old age, God's mercies never fail.
Olympic Games in Los Angeles (84/05/19)
Not only the Los Angeles Olympic Committee, but all people interested in sports have been saddened by the Soviet Union's decision not to send athletes to the Olympic Games this summer. A number of other countries with close ties to the Soviet Union are also following her example. Certainly, one of the main factors in this decision was the boycott of the Olympic Games held in Moscow 4 years ago by the United States and some of her allies. It is too bad that the political rivalry between the superpowers has infected all areas of international relationships. In ancient Greece, even wars were temporarily halted to permit the games to be held. President Reagan has indicated his support for the proposal to study the possibility of building a permanent site for the Olympic Games in Greece rather than having them alternate regularly among various countries of the world. Obviously, rivalry and competition are facts of life and provide powerful incentives in sports, business and politics. However, we should follow the advice of Tranio to rival suitors in Shakespeare's drama The Taming of the Shrew to "do as adversaries do in law--strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends."
Boycott (84/05/20)
The word "boycott" is being used often these days in relation to certain countries refusing to send athletes to the Olympics this summer in Los Angeles. Boycott is a means of protest. It is a group effort to exert economic or social pressure on an individual, group or nation to express disapproval or to force some change in policy. By refusing to buy or use certain products, boycotts have often been used as weapons in labor disputes as well as in some political and racial conflicts. The word "boycott" comes from a man's name. In 1880, an English land agent in Ireland, Captain Charles Boycott, was so ruthless in his treatment of tenants that his employees refused to cooperate with him and his family. His name has thus come to identify this particular method of protesting. The American colonists used the boycott to protest British injustice before the Revolutionary War and black Americans used the boycott to protest injustice in American society which was the beginning of another revolution in American life. According to the Old Testament book of Micah, chapter 6, verse 8, justice, along with kindness is one of the qualities God requires of human beings.
Charles Lindbergh (84/05/21)
57 years ago today, on May 21, 1927, a specially designed airplane landed at an airfield just outside of Paris, France. It had been piloted by a lanky, 25 year old American man who had just made the first transatlantic solo flight. It took him 33 1/2 hours to fly the 5,800 kilometers from New York and he received a prize of $25,000 for this daring adventure. The young man's name was Charles Lindbergh and the name of his plane was Spirit of St. Louis, for the plane had been built with financial aid from a number of St. Louis businessmen. Lindbergh became an instant hero around the world. Many years later, Lindbergh bemoaned the fact that "that the historical significance of aircraft has been primarily military and destructive." He also wrote: "the tragedy of scientific man is that he has found no way to guide his own discoveries to a constructive end. He has devised no weapon so terrible that he has not used it. His security today seems to depend on building weapons which will destroy him tomorrow." This is "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463.
Volunteers (84/05/22)
In the 6th chapter of the Old Testament book of Isaiah, the prophet had a vision of the holy God, sitting on a throne. Following this vision, he heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then Isaiah answered, "Here am I! Send me!" Isaiah thus volunteered to become a messenger of God. A volunteer is a person who offers to enter into any service of his or her own free will. No payment is received for voluntary service. There is a saying that "one volunteer is worth two pressed men". Dr. Minot Simons has written that the increasing number of volunteers for human service is one of the most encouraging facts for the world's future. There are a number of opportunities for volunteer activities in Japan, but recently problems have also been raised regarding the legal responsibilities of such volunteers. Have you participated in volunteer service? Please share your thoughts about or experiences with volunteer activities with us. If you send an essay on this theme to me, I will correct it and have it printed in the next issue of "Daily Word" Echoes. My address is: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463.
True Worship (84/05/23)
The 4th century bishop of Tours was named Martin. Born the son of a soldier, when he was converted to Christianity, he gave his military cloak, called a cappa, to a beggar. This was considered an exemplary act of charity and after Martin was designated a saint, the small shrine containing his cappa was called a cappella. This word entered the English language as "chapel", in reference to a place of worship, smaller than a church and often located in schools, hospitals and prisons. Yesterday, I gave a talk at the chapel of Nagoya Gakuin University on "True Worship". In the Gospel of John, chapter 4, Jesus told the woman of Samaria that true worshippers worship in spirit and in truth. My impression of Japanese religions is that ceremonial form is of central importance, but the basic characteristic of Christian worship is not external form but internal attitude. The Bible teaches that faith and love are more important than ritual and Romans, chapter 12, states that the offering up of oneself to God as a living sacrifice is true, spiritual worship. This kind of worship is seen in daily life rather than in ritualistic forms.
OB Summit (84/05/24)
The newspaper reports that former Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda is now in Yugoslavia, attending an OB Summit. The word "summit" refers to the highest point of something such as a mountain or a pyramid. In this case, however, it refers to a meeting of high level officials. I don't think that many Americans outside of Japan would understand the meaning of the abbreviation "OB". Many of them would connect it with the obstetrics department of a hospital. Some would think of a monastic society in the Roman Catholic Church known as the Benedictine Order. Japanese golfers might think of an area that was "out of bounds". However, in this case, OB is the Japanese abbreviation of "old boy", which is a British English expression referring to a graduate of a boys' school. The OB Summit in Yugoslavia is a gathering of former presidents and prime ministers. Former President Carter is now visiting Japan. Maybe he feels too young to attend an "old boy summit". Old age does not necessarily imply idleness. According to Psalm 92, the righteous are like trees that continue to bear fruit even in their old age.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (84/05/25)
Today, May 25th, is the birthday of the American philosopher, essayist and poet named Ralph Waldo Emerson. He was born on this day in 1803 in Boston, the son of a minister. Having 7 direct ancestors who had been ministers, it was not surprising that he also studied for the ministry. During his theological education, however, he came to question certain aspects of the traditional church teaching. Although he was ordained by a Unitarian Church, he left the ministry a few years later. His subsequent influence as a philosopher, writer and poet has been widespread. As a leader of the so-called Transcendentalists, he attacked the materialistic philosophy of his day. He also attacked the church and its traditional teaching and methods. He has been called the prophet of intellectual individualism. While questioning tradition, he did not lose his own faith in God, for he wrote that "All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen." If you wish to contribute toward the expense of this telephone service, you may make a deposit in the yūbin furikae kōza of: Deiri-wa-do, Nagoya 3-37078.
Dessert (84/05/26)
One of the difficulties in mastering English is related to the irregularity of its spelling and pronunciation. For example, the noun desert, spelled d-e-s-e-r-t, refers to a dry, sandy area without trees, like the Sahara Desert, for example. The same word, used as a verb, is pronounced desert and means to abandon or forsake. Thus, a loving mother will not desert her children. A different noun with the same spelling and pronunciation refers to the fact of deserving a reward or punishment and is often used in the plural form, as "he got his just deserts". However, if we add another "s" in the middle of that word, we get another word, also pronounced dessert, but referring to such sweets as pies, cakes, puddings or ice cream served at the end of a meal. In England, "dessert" is used to refer only to the uncooked fruit and nuts served at the end of the so-called sweet course. In the Old Testament book of Psalms, chapter 119, verse 103, the poet wrote that God's words are sweet, "sweeter than honey to my mouth." A daily portion of such a dessert will be beneficial to our spiritual health.
Pathfinder (84/05/27)
New York City is divided into five sections which are called boroughs. The two boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens are located on the west end of a long island which is named Long Island. Just outside of Nagoya there is a town with that name. In Japanese, it is called Nagashima and actually it seems to be a long peninsula separating the Kiso and Nagara rivers. The Nagashima Spaland is located there and today is the final day of the space Shuttle Exhibition which opened on March the 10th. Yesterday, I went with my wife and some friends to see that exhibit. I now possess a small certificate, signed by U.S. astronaut Eugene Cernan, that I actually touched a piece of rock which he brought back from the moon. On display at that exhibit was the experimental space shuttle called Pathfinder. A pathfinder is a person who makes a path where none existed before. The Christian considers Jesus Christ as the great Pathfinder for, according to the New Testament letter to the Hebrews, chapter 10, verse 20, he opened up a new and living way between a holy God and sinful men through his sacrificial death on the cross.
Memorial Day (84/05/28)
Since 1971, this last Monday in May has been a legal holiday in most states in the U.S.A. called Memorial Day. Before that year, Memorial Day was observed on May 30th, but in 1968, legislation was approved to shift the dates of certain holidays to increase the number of 3-day weekends. Originally, the May 30th Memorial Day was observed in memory of soldiers who had given their lives during the Civil War. Later, soldiers who died in the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean and Vietnam Wars were also included. Now, it is a day to remember all the deceased, civilian as well as military. There is value in remembering and learning from the past. We also should consider what kind of memories our descendants and acquaintances will have of us after we are gone. Tomorrow evening at 6:30 at the City Kyōikukan in Sakae, we will hold the last class of our study of the Gospel of John. You are invited to attend. In the fall, I plan to begin another Bible Class, using Japanese the first hour, followed by an hour using the Eng1ish Bible.
The Bible (84/05/29)
The English word "bible" comes from a Greek word referring to a collection of books. When beginning with a capital letter, it refers basically to the sacred scripture of Christianity, but when written with a small letter, it can refer to any book regarded as authoritative or official. The Christian Bible is divided into an Old and New Testament. The Old Testament, originally written in Hebrew, consists of 39 books and is the Bible of the Jews. The New Testament, originally written in Greek, contains 27 books, beginning with the 4 Gospels which relate the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. Christians consider the Bible as the standard by which to judge both faith and life. Have you ever read the Bible? Do you read it often? What is your opinion of it? Have you had any interesting experiences related to the Bible? What is your favorite Bible Story? The Bible is the theme suggested for your essays this week. I would be happy to receive a short essay from you related to this subject. I will correct essays sent to me and then include them in the next issue of "Daily Word" Echoes. My address is: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office 463.
Number 88 in Japan (84/05/02)
Japanese Constitution (84/05/03)
Dalai Lama (84/05/04)
Cinco de Mayo (84/05/05)
Korean tigers (84/05/06)
Robert Browning (84/05/07)
Birthdays (84/05/08)
Czechoslovakia (84/05/09)
The pigeon and the dove (84/05/10)
Pidgin English (84/05/11)
Holding chopsticks properly (84/05/12)
Mother's Day (84/05/13)
A baseball game in America (84/05/14)
Gratitude to mothers (84/05/15)
The origin of the dollar (84/05/16)
Migratory birds (84/05/17)
Takamiyama (84/05/18)
Olympic Games in Los Angeles (84/05/19)
Boycott (84/05/20)
Charles Lindbergh (84/05/21)
Volunteers (84/05/22)
True Worship (84/05/23)
OB Summit (84/05/24)
Ralph Waldo Emerson (84/05/25)
Dessert (84/05/26)
Pathfinder (84/05/27)
Memorial Day (84/05/28)
The Bible (84/05/29)
A new gourmet restaurant (84/05/30)
Ascension Day (84/05/31)
May Day (84/05/01)