Time in the Philippines (91/06/01)
The sense of time in the Philippines is quite different than in Japan. On the morning of my visit to a development center, a car with a driver and a guide was promised to come for me between 8:00 and 8:30. After waiting for over an hour on the first floor of the priory, I went back up to my room. The car arrived about 10:30. Of course, we arrived a couple of hours later than the appointed time at the center, but the leader there was patiently waiting. On the day of my departure from Davao, the car was promised between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m. to take me to the airport for my flight to Manila. The car arrived at 5:00 o'clock so, of course, I was not prepared. I decided not to rush, however, but to take my time and leave at the stated time. En route to the airport, the driver stopped to pick up the staff member who was to see me off, but he first went to the wrong house where we waited for a while. Making some inquires, he found the right house and we continued on to the airport, arriving about 6:30. When travelling, whether at home or abroad, I make it a rule to always have reading material with me to make use of either anticipated or unanticipated spare time and I did quite a bit of reading during my visit to the Philippines. (3595)
The Holy Spirit (91/06/02)
One of the basic commandments of the Old Testament was to make an image of God for the biblical God is spirit and thus, has no form. Any material symbol of God would be misleading and would easily become an idol. In the Old Testament, God revealed his will to people through certain chosen individuals called prophets. According to the New Testament, God revealed more clearly in a person, Jesus, the Christ, whom Christians believe was the incarnation of the invisible God. In this historical figure, we perceive the character of God. Following the resurrection and ascension of Christ, the Holy Spirit descended upon the gathering of Jesus' followers and the Christian Church was born. Since that time, the Christian conception of God is not limited to almighty Creator nor to a historical Savior. We have a sense of God's presence with us at all times and wherever we are. The Apostle Paul taught that the body of the believer is the "temple of the Holy Spirit" [1 Corinthians 6:19] and in Galatians 5:22-23, he notes the moral character the Spirit produces, which should characterize the life of Christians: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control." (3596)
Spare the Rod (91/06/03)
"Spoil", spelled s-p-o-i-l, means to damage something and thus to harm its value. When applied to children, however, it means to overindulge them and thus to do harm to their character. The Bible teaches that discipline is an act of love, whether of an earthly father who corrects his child or of our heavenly Father who chastises us [Hebrews 12:5-6]. In Proverbs 13:24, it is written: "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him." From this verse, the well-known proverb, "Spare the rod and spoil the child", is derived. The meaning is similar to that of the Japanese saying that a beloved child should be sent on a trip, "kawaii ko niwa tabi saseyo." A child who leaves his or her parents and travels alone will have experiences, some of which will not be enjoyable, that will help develop a strong character. (3597)
Private Colleges (91/06/04)
The outlook for private colleges and universities in Japan is not bright. An advisory body for the Education Ministry has reported that the number of 18-year-old students in the country will peak at 2.05 million in 1992. After that, the number is expected to decrease steadily, falling to 1.51 million by the year 2000. Consequently, the number of college and university students will decline and competition between private educational institutions will increase. Some two-year junior colleges have already decided to close down and four-year universities are devising a variety of ways to improve their attractiveness. Placing impressive commercials on television, setting up new departments and holding entrance examinations in distant areas are among them. One women's college has changed its name and found that the number of applicants has doubled. Another has set up a new campus designed to convey the image of Cambridge University in England. Another has built dormitories, a botanical garden, a park where various kinds of dogs are kept, restaurants, a driving course, a shopping center and a sports center on campus. These new-style facilities may attract students, but I wonder if they will help them gain a wholesome education. (3598)
Queen Elizabeth II in the U.S. (91/06/05)
Queen Elizabeth II visited the United States a couple of weeks ago. During her visit, she got a taste of American life and customs which are somewhat different than those of the United Kingdom. In the first place, someone had neglected to adjust the podium behind the lectern when she spoke at the arrival ceremony at the White House. Following the tall President Bush, her face was almost hidden behind the microphones and viewers saw only her hat. Such a gaffe would never have occurred in her homeland. The following day, she became the first British monarch to address the U.S. Congress. The podium was set at the proper height, but her first words, "I do hope you can see me today from where you are", elicited laughter and applause from her audience. In the United Kingdom, it is considered improper to touch the queen, but when visiting the home of a black lady in an unfashionable district of Washington, D.C., she was startled to be hugged by the 67-year-old hostess who greeted her with the words, "How are ya' doing?" Later, she attended her first major league baseball game, accompanied by President and Mrs. Bush. She watched only two innings, during which five of the 18 batters were given bases on balls and only one of them got a hit, so she must have considered it boring and quite different than the English game of cricket. (3599)
A Mobile Zoo (91/06/06)
A zoo is a place where animals are kept and shown to people, and mobile means movable, so a mobile zoo is a zoo that can move from one place to another. The aim of the mobile zoo operated by Hiroshi Hagiwara of Kyoto is not only to show animals but to let children pet them and to ride the larger ones. Mr. Hagiwara himself owned a pony during his high school years. His Shalom Zoo features ponies and four imported miniature horses, but contains some 18 other kinds of animals, including a donkey, a monkey, a silver fox, a turkey and even a good-natured python. Upon request, Mr. Hagiwara will take his mobile zoo to festivals and commercial events, but he most enjoys visiting kindergartens and day care centers to introduce his animals to young children who appreciate them more than adults. At such times, he gives a simple lecture on how to care for and handle animals. Little children must recognize the difference between a living creature and a doll and treat animals humanely. In the 36th Psalm, the poet wrote of God's love and faithfulness shown to both people and animals and we also should show kindness to both. (3600)
George VI Visit (91/06/07)
Niagara Falls is not only the name of a famous sightseeing spot in North America, it is also the name of two cities on opposite sides of the Niagara River which, at that point, forms the boundary between the United States and Canada. Fifty-two years ago today, on June 7, 1939, a historic event occurred when a British couple crossed the border from Niagara Falls, Ontario to Niagara Falls, New York. The names of this couple were George and Elizabeth and just two years earlier, George had been crowned king of Great Britain. This George VI was the great-great-great-grandson of George III, who was king at the time some colonies revolted and established the United States of America. He was the first British monarch to visit this upstart nation--160 years after it declared its independence. The main purpose of their trip was to visit the World's Fair in New York, but they first stopped in Washington, D.C., where they were greeted by President and Mrs. Roosevelt and vast crowds of people. In New York, over four million people lined their route and Queen Elizabeth later remarked that "That tour made us into real royalty." The present Queen Elizabeth is the daughter of that couple, but she is queen in her own right, not because her husband is a king. In fact, her husband is not a king but a prince. (3601)
Manila Taxi (91/06/08)
The domestic terminal at the Manila Airport has quite a different atmosphere than the international terminal. It is much smaller and has many less conveniences. Luggage is brought from the airplane by a small tractor-pulled cart. Then it is placed on an inclined series of rollers upon which it rolls along as passengers on both sides give it helpful pushes. After retrieving my suitcase, I went outside and tried to locate the airport bus that had brought me from the international terminal to this domestic terminal five days earlier. No such bus was available, but there were many men who tried to entice me to take a taxi. I asked one of them how much it would cost. "Eighty pesos", was his reply. The large, air-conditioned bus on which I was the only passenger except for a security guard, had cost a hundred pesos, so I decided to take a taxi. When I noticed that the driver did not start the taximeter and mentioned it to him, he asked me how much I was willing to pay for the trip to the international terminal. Thinking this was the beginning of a bargaining process, I replied, "Fifty pesos", and that was the amount that I ended up giving him for the five minute ride. Afterward, I figured out that fifty pesos was equivalent to about 300 yen. At the international airport, I met my church's representative and we had lunch together in an airport cafe. (3602)
God's Power (91/06/09)
The English words dynamite, dynamic and dynamo are all rooted in the Greek word 'dunamis', meaning "power". This word is often found in the new Testament. In narratives in The Gospel According to Luke and The Acts of the Apostles it is frequently used in connection with the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit. Jesus' miraculous birth was said to be the result of "the Holy Spirit", or "God's power", coming and resting upon his mother, Mary [Luke 1:35]. When Jesus began his ministry, it is said that "the power of the Holy Spirit was with him" [4:14]. After his resurrection and before his ascension, Jesus promised his disciples to send spiritual "power from above" [24:4] upon them. He told them, in Acts 1:8, that "when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be filled with power, and you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem, in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Christians believe that it is the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit of God who endued Jesus with power from his birth and throughout his life, who inspires and empowers them to be witnesses for Christ wherever they go. Having this "dynamo" within them, Christians should be dynamic representatives of their Lord whose spirit of love is the "dynamite" which can cause an explosive change in human society. (3603)
'Kawa-Mukō no Kaji' (91/06/10)
The word "business" may denote commercial dealings, but it may also signify one's proper concern or responsibility. A famous statement of President Coolidge was: "The business of America is business." The remark, "That's none of my business," implies a complete lack of concern or feeling of responsibility regarding some matter, as reflected in the Japanese saying, 'Kawa-mukō no kaji,' a fire on the opposite bank of the river. In years gone by, an island nation like Japan might show little concern for what was happening across the water surrounding it, but with the advance in means of communication and of Japan's importance in the world today, it would be irresponsible to use this expression in regard to famines, rebellions or wars taking place in other lands. In today's word, such events are the business of all conscientious people. (3604)
Hiroshima Okonomiyaki (91/06/11)
Okonomiyaki is a peculiar Japanese-style pancake or pizza made with un-sweetened batter with bits of meat, seafood, egg or chopped vegetables added according to the okonomi, or desire, of the diner. This fall, a new restaurant, Hiroshima Okonomiyaki, is scheduled to open in the Soviet city of Volgograd on the Volga River, 900 kilometers southeast of Moscow. In 1943, that city, then known as Stalingrad, was virtually destroyed following a fierce battle between Soviet and German troops. Two years later, the Japanese city of Hiroshima was almost obliterated by an atomic bomb. Based on these wartime catastrophes, these two cities developed sister city ties. Two years ago, representatives of a Volgograd cooperative visited Hiroshima, enjoyed okonomiyaki and made plans to let their fellow citizens enjoy it also. Last month, two men from Volgograd, aged 53 and 27, came to Hiroshima for a month's training in the preparation of okonomiyaki and restaurant management. They will now return and introduce this Japanese cuisine to their compatriots. Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, a French politician and gourmet, has written: "The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of mankind than the discovery of a star." (3605)
Paging Passengers (91/06/12)
When you hear the word "page", you probably think of paper with words printed on it. A book consists of many pages and a newspaper has fewer pages than a book. Historically, another kind of page was a boy who attended a knight as the first stage of training for knighthood. From this meaning, the term also came to mean a young man employed by a hotel, for example, to carry messages or run errands. As a verb, page means to try to find a person by calling that person's name. Sometimes in a public place, people are paged on a public address system. On shinkansen trains, when telephone calls are received for passengers, the name of the person's company has been included in the announcement which is made twice at a five-minute interval. According to the JR Tokai Railway Company, about one third of the people paged on shinkansen trains never respond and the railway thinks that some companies are simply making calls for publicity purposes, using the paging system as a cheap method of advertisement. Therefore, the railway has decided to discontinue announcing company names when paging passengers. French author, La Rouchefoucauld wrote: "It is great cleverness to know how to conceal our cleverness." (3606)
Boxer Rebellion (91/06/13)
Do you know what a boxer is? One kind of boxer is a short-haired dog with a short, square-jawed muzzle. Another kind of boxer is an athlete who fights with his fists. But when the word begins with a capital letter, it denotes a member of a secret society in China that attempted to drive foreigners out of the country and to force Chinese Christians to renounce their faith. In Chinese, this society was known as the "righteous harmonious society"(giwadan) or "righteous harmonious fists"(giwaken). In English, members of the society were called Boxers and the uprising they fomented is known as the Boxer Rebellion. According to one reference book, it was 91 years ago today, in 1900, that this Boxer Rebellion, called 'hokushin-jihen' in Japanese, began. The nationalistic Boxers opposed the domination of their country by Western powers and Japan. During the short-lived rebellion, hundreds of foreigners, mostly missionaries, were killed and the capital city of Peiping was occupied until a force composed of British, French, Russian, American, German and Japanese troops brought the rebellion to an end. Conservative elements are always opposed to foreign influence that threatens national traditions, but it is better to find a "righteous harmonious" solution without fisticuffs. (3607)
Makeup (91/06/14)
When used as a verb, "make up" is written as two separate words, but as a noun, it is a single word, which may or may not be hyphenated. The noun may denote the way something is composed or constructed. It may also denote the nature or disposition of a person. But probably its most common meaning is cosmetics applied to the faces of women with the aim of making them more attractive. Cosmetics include powder, rouge, lipstick, mascara and so forth. Some women, for one reason or another, refuse to wear makeup and this has recently caused one young lady to lose her job with an airline company. Teresa Fischette was a customer service representative at a Boston airport. When the company instituted a new dress code which required women employees who deal face-to-face with customers to wear makeup, she refused to do so. The airline was willing to let her work in another position that did not involve meeting customers, but she refused the offer and so was dismissed. It is a mistake to think that a woman's true beauty can be enhanced by makeup. In I Peter, chapter 3, women are urged not to try to beautify themselves with outward aids but to develop the inner, spiritual beauty "which is of the greatest value in God's sight." (3608)
Delayed Flight (91/06/15)
At the Manila Airport, I met my church's representative and we talked for a couple of hours in an airport cafe. When I went to check-in for my Saturday afternoon flight to Osaka, I was informed that the flight was delayed and would leave at 5:30 the next morning. Complaining that I had to be in Japan on Sunday morning, I asked to be transferred to another flight. The clerk called his superior who explained that my special-rate ticket could not be transferred to another airline. I insisted that I had to be at my church outside of Nagoya for the worship service at 10:30 a.m. After further negotiations, a transfer was finally granted. I boarded the plane of another airline which also left later than scheduled, bound for Tokyo instead of Osaka. Arriving at Tokyo Station after the last bullet train had left, I tried to reserve a seat on an overnight bus as I did following another delayed flight from Manila earlier that year, but no seats were available. Thus, I ended up purchasing a ticket on a local train with straight-backed seats after getting a refund (minus a service charge) for my return ticket from Osaka to Nagoya. Seven hours after boarding that train, I walked home from the station nearest my home and took a shower before leaving for church where I spent the rest of that long, tiring day. (3609)
The Ways of God (91/06/16)
Many problems between countries and people are the result of misunderstandings. Customs, ways of thinking, patterns of behavior are different in Japan, the United States and Saudi Arabia, for example. Even within the same society, differences in personality and ways of expression may cause misunderstanding. Just as a lack of understanding of attitudes or motives may lead to problems in human relations, it may also raise doubts in our minds regarding God. Human beings often question why God permits misfortune to happen to innocent or good people. Although we may not be able to give a completely satisfactory answer to such questions, these words in Isaiah 55:8-9 suggest part of an answer: "My thoughts," says the Lord, "are not like yours, and my ways are different from yours. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways and thoughts above yours." Just as little children cannot always understand why their parents do certain things, human beings cannot always understand the ways and thoughts of God. Yet a child-like faith in a loving Father beyond our comprehension brings peace to troubled hearts. (3610)
'Kaze-no-Tayori' (91/06/17)
I was surprised to find two quite contrary meanings of the term 'kaze-no-kami.' According to the dictionary, it may mean either "the god of the winds" or "the demon of colds." 'Kaze-no-tayori' is also an ambiguous phrase that, sometimes, may seem to be a bit of news originating from a god or, at other times, from a demon. Actually, it signifies a rumor, the source off which is purposely unstated. In English, when we wish to avoid naming the source of our information, we may use the vague expression, "a little bird told me." Little birds also sing different kinds of tunes. Whether we say the news is carried by the wind or a bird, it is better not to repeat it if it is damaging to another's reputation, unless we are sure of its validity. And even if we are, it still may be better not to spread it further. (3611)
Waterloo (91/06/18)
One of the newer words found in recently-published English language dictionaries is "Watergate" which denotes a scandal involving public officials who have committed perjury, bribery and other unlawful acts in order to remain in power. This word comes from the name of the building complex in Washington, D.C., where illegal activities gave rise to such a scandal in 1972. On the same page of the dictionary is an older word that also is the name of a place where a famous historical event occurred. "Waterloo" means a disastrous or crushing defeat. This word comes from the name of the Belgian town near which Napoleon suffered a decisive defeat on June 18, 1815, 176 years ago today. In this battle, the British forces, commanded by the Duke of Wellington, backed by the Prussian forces of General Blucher ended Napoleon's dream of recreating his European Empire. In the Battle of Waterloo, not only did Napoleon have fewer men in his army, he was on the wrong side morally. In a speech delivered in Brooklyn in 1859, the American orator, Wendell Phillips, made two memorable statements. He said: "One, on God's side, is a majority" and "Every man meets his Waterloo at last." (3612)
A Greenhouse Heated by Compost (91/06/19)
Environmental issues concern many conscientious people these days. Recycling and proper waste disposal are a couple of items on the agenda of environmentalists. The Hokkaido government is now conducting experiments related to both of these areas as it seeks to develop a greenhouse heated by waste material excreted by animals. Into piles of animal dung, or manure, mixed with sawdust, two sets of pipes are laid. The first set is used to take in and send fresh air through these piles of compost to speed up fermentation. Heat produced during the fermentation process warms the water circulating in the second set of pipes. This warm water, kept at about 25 degrees even in winter, is used to heat the greenhouse. Heating a greenhouse with oil costs ¥300,000 to ¥400,000 during the winter, but using animal excrement reduces the fuel cost to almost nothing. The problem is that the ¥2 million cost of the air-sucking pump makes the new greenhouse much more expensive than a traditional one. Such experiments must be continued, however, as wise people seek to conserve and make the most of dwindling resources and to keep the world intact for future generations. (3613)
Oath of the Tennis Court (91/06/20)
Tennis is a popular sport in the world today, but 202 years ago today, on June 20, 1789, an event occurred on a tennis court in Versailles, France, which had nothing to do with tennis, but which changed the course of world history. In 1629, Louis XIII built a hunting lodge in that insignificant village. His son, Louis XIV, built a beautiful palace there, probably the most famous palace in the world, and later moved his court to Versailles. About a hundred years later, when the country was facing bankruptcy, Louic XVI convened a meeting in Versailles of representatives of the three estates of nobles, clergy and commoners to discuss fiscal reform. Grievances from around the country were brought to this assembly and when procedural wrangling about how to vote broke out, deputies of the so-called third estate of commoners defiantly proclaimed themselves the National Assembly. When the king had their meeting place closed, they adjourned to a nearby indoor tennis court. There, these deputies plus many from the clergy and a few from the nobility took an oath not to separate until a constitution had been made. That Oath of the Tennis Court signaled the end of absolutism in France, the beginning of the French Revolution and a milestone on the road toward liberty and equality for all people. (3614)
Wood/Concrete/Steel (91/06/21)
In the Japanese prefecture whose name means "autumn paddy field" [Akita] is the town of Futatsui, meaning "two wells." Residents of this town recently have been engaged in a serious dispute related to plans for a new town hall. The present two-story wooden building was erected in 1954 and the town government wants to erect a three-story concrete building to replace it. The problem is that Japanese cedar, or 'sugi,' is grown in nearby forests and local shop owners, the forest owners' association and other residents insist that wood be used to build the new municipal building while town authorities maintain a concrete building is preferable because of cost and legal restrictions. Meanwhile, local authorities in the city of Shimizu, whose name means "clear water" in the prefecture with a name meaning "quiet hill" [Shizuoka] is replacing all the steel desks and chairs in municipal elementary schools with wooden ones made from Japanese cypress, or 'hinoki,' which is grown in that area. Officials hope the wooden furniture will encourage children to more deeply appreciate nature and to take greater pride in and better care of school equipment. Thus the tension between the old and new, between tradition and innovation, continues. (3615)
Telephone Number (91/06/22)
Homonyms are words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings. The Japanese language has many homonyms and this has been a help to students and others who remember certain dates or other numbers by making phrases using homonyms of the numbers. The first telephone number I received in Japan had a number sequence that was very easy to remember. Whenever I told that number to people, they either gasped or laughed and were able to remember the number without writing it down. It was in the days when telephones were not so plentiful and one had to wait for a long time after applying before the telephone was received. When I went to the Chikusa Denwa Kyoku to fill out the necessary papers, I thought it a bit strange that the clerk asked me if a particular number was acceptable. At the time, I did not understand the reason for such a question, but after returning home and thinking about the meaning of the numbers' homonyms, I understood why many Japanese people might refuse to accept that number, which was 9242, or 'Kyū-ni-shi-ni,' meaning sudden death. Fortunately, the 'kyoku-ban' was 71, which could be construed to mean 'nai' thus negate the significance of the following numbers. (3616)
A Paradox (91/06/23)
A dictionary defines a paradox as "a seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true." A major paradox in Christian theology is related to the freedom of human beings and the foreknowledge or predestination of God. It seems contradictory to affirm both that we are truly free to make choices and that God already knows which choice we will make and has, in fact, already determined our destiny. The Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 1:15: "God ... chose me even before I was born, and called me to serve him." So the question arises: Did Paul choose to serve God with his own free will or was he chosen or predestined to do so apart from his personal volition? Throughout church history, there has been tension between theological positions that emphasize one side or the other of this dilemma. But the Bible and orthodox Christian theology affirm both that human beings are truly free and that God knows all things, including the course of future events which will result from our choices. There are truths which cannot be comprehended by human reason or logic which must be accepted by faith. So Christians believe that we must make responsible choices and, at the same time, recognize the plan of God in our lives. (3617)
Time Flies (91/06/24)
'Tempus' is the Latin word for "time." It is the source of such time-related English words as tempo, temporal and temporary. In fact, the English proverb, "Time flies," is a direct translation of the Latin axiom, 'Tempus fugit'. I'm sure you know the Japanese expression having this meaning, 'ko-in ya no gotoshi.' Taking the components of this saying literally, it means: "Light and darkness are like an arrow." "Light and darkness," of course, denote the passage of time and "an arrow" flies swiftly and does not return. Thus, along with the idea of time passing quickly, there is the implication that, since it cannot be recovered, it should be utilized and not wasted. In this regard, two sayings of Benjamin Franklin come to mind. He said: "Time is money" and "Dost thou love life, then do not squander time for that is the stuff that life is made of." (3618)
Meeting of Listeners (91/06/25)
This coming Sunday, June 30th, is the fifth Sunday of the month. On that day the 42nd meeting of listeners to these "Daily Word" telephone messages will be held at the Nagoya City Kyōikukan at Sakae from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. At that meeting, the 34th issue of "Daily Word" Echoes, a periodical made up of essays submitted by listeners which I have corrected, will be on sale. As usual, my wife will serve some homemade refreshments and we will enjoy a time of speaking, listening, nibbling and drinking. The theme for that meeting is: "How I Spend My Weekends". Literally, a weekend is the end of a week, but actually it includes the period between Friday evening and Sunday evening, which is an interval of free time for many people. We will be interested to hear how you or your family usually spend your weekends or how you would like to spend them. Following that meeting, I will preach at the English Worship Service of Nagoya Union Church, meeting at Kinjō Kyōkai, from 4:00 to 5:00. You are invited to both of these meetings. Every Thursday, I mail written copies of the telephone messages for the following week to those who request them. To receive a copy, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope plus ¥60 in stamps to: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office, Nagoya 463. (3619)
Duty Free Shops (91/06/26)
"Duty", spelled d-u-t-y, may mean a moral obligation, an act required by social custom or a particular task assigned to someone. It may also denote a tax charged by a government, especially on imports or exports. At international airports, we often find "Duty Free Shops" where goods may be purchased without paying the customary tax, making them cheaper than usual. A recent survey conducted at London's Heathrow Airport indicated that Japanese travelers spend more than any other nationality on duty free goods. They spend an average 100 (about ¥24,000) per person, twice the amount spent by Americans, the next most prolific spenders. The survey revealed that affluent Japanese, who have a gift-giving tradition, spend most money on expensive items such as Hermes scarves, designer ties, Wedgewood crockery and other high-value brand-name goods. I have a suspicion that some of these duty free items become duty-imposed gifts which the buyer feels obligated to give after returning to Japan. You are invited to the meeting of "Daily Word" listeners on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 at the Nagoya City Kyōikukan at Sakae. My wife and I would be happy to see you there. (3620)
Takuto Means Baton (91/06/27)
I recently read a news item in a Japanese newspaper which stated a certain gentleman would be "waving a 'takuto' before the brass band of a local school at a special ceremony." The only "tact" I knew was the English word spelled t-a-c-t, which means a keen sense of the right thing to do or say without offending someone. It is not something one waves in front of a band. Checking the dictionary, I found that the Japanese word, 'takuto', which comes from a German word spelled T-a-k-t, meaning time or rhythm, signifies the stick used by the conductor of a band or orchestra. In English, such a stick, or wand, is called a baton. In Japanese, however, a 'baton' is the hollow cylinder passed from one runner to another in a relay race. At the "Daily Word" Listeners Meeting on Sunday afternoon, the "baton" will be in the hand of a listener from Fukushima who will lead the meeting. My wife and I and other listeners will be happy to see you there if you can attend. The meeting will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 at the Nagoya City Kyōikukan at Sakae. We will talk about how we spend our weekends or how we would like to spend them. Following that meeting I will preach at the English-language Worship Service of the Nagoya Union Church beginning at 4:00 o'clock and you are invited to that meeting also. (3621)
Rousseau (91/06/28)
In the United States, Jean is a popular name for girls and Jack is a name, or a nickname, for boys. Both are related to the name John. In France, the name, Jean Jacques will immediately bring to mind a particular Frenchman whose philosophy has had a major influence on modern thought. Jean Jacques Rousseau was born 213 years ago today, on June 28, 1778, in Geneva, Switzerland. His mother died in childbirth and his childhood education was haphazard. At 16, he set out on a wandering, irregular life which took him to Italy, France and England, opened the way for his intimate association with various women and provided the experiences from which he developed his theories of education, literature and politics. Rousseau maintained that "natural man" was a pure animal, neither good nor bad, that has been corrupted by civilization. He insisted that a child at birth is entirely natural and unspoiled so that education should merely give the child an opportunity to develop its natural gifts, not from books but from an inner realization of its own nature. In literature, he was a romanticist and in politics, he emphasized the need for a "social contract" between people. The insanity of his later years did not lessen the influence of his writings upon many of his contemporaries and upon some people even today. (3622)
The Holy Spirit (91/06/02)
Spare the Rod (91/06/03)
Private Colleges (91/06/04)
Queen Elizabeth II in the U.S. (91/06/05)
A Mobile Zoo (91/06/06)
George VI Visit (91/06/07)
Manila Taxi (91/06/08)
God's Power (91/06/09)
'Kawa-Mukō no Kaji' (91/06/10)
Hiroshima Okonomiyaki (91/06/11)
Paging Passengers (91/06/12)
Boxer Rebellion (91/06/13)
Makeup (91/06/14)
Delayed Flight (91/06/15)
The Ways of God (91/06/16)
'Kaze-no-Tayori' (91/06/17)
Waterloo (91/06/18)
A Greenhouse Heated by Compost (91/06/19)
Oath of the Tennis Court (91/06/20)
Wood/Concrete/Steel (91/06/21)
Telephone Number (91/06/22)
A Paradox (91/06/23)
Time Flies (91/06/24)
Meeting of Listeners (91/06/25)
Duty Free Shops (91/06/26)
Takuto Means Baton (91/06/27)
Rousseau (91/06/28)
Mistaken Telephone Bills (91/06/29)
Barnabas (91/06/30)
Time in the Philippines (91/06/01)