Independence (92/01/01)
Happy New Year! The year that ended yesterday was a year of many changes in the international arena characterized both by struggles for nationalistic independence and movements toward increased integration. This new year of 1992 will see further movement in both directions, but we pray that common sense will prevail, that the ultimate unity of the entire human race will be recognized and that peaceful solutions to the difficult problems will be found. While some nations are still struggling to become free and independent, today is celebrated as Independence Day in the Republic of Haiti in the West Indies, in the Republic of Sudan in northeast Africa and in the Independent State of Western Samoa in the South Pacific Ocean. It is also the anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation of President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War. In that proclamation, made 129 years ago today, the President declared that all persons held as slaves in the rebellious areas "are, and henceforward shall be, free". Independence and freedom are priceless human rights, but there are still areas within Japan and other so-called free nations where such rights are not recognized. Those of us who enjoy these rights should work to make them universal, at the same time emphasizing that they must be accompanied by a sense of responsibility. --Clark Offner (3809)
Bern, Monkey (92/01/02)
In certain cantons of Switzerland, today is a holiday honoring Duke Berchtold V, who, in 1191, founded one of the largest cities in Switzerland. The Duke promised to name the city for the first animal killed in a hunt, so it was named Bern, a corruption of the German word for bears. Even today, a den of tame bears is maintained by the city which has adopted the bear as its emblem. The symbol of this New Year in the Orient is the monkey. A monkey is a primate with a long tail. Since it appears to be a mischievous animal, we may call a playful child a monkey. There are a number of slang expressions in English which make use of this word. "Monkey business" denotes silly, mischievous, or deceitful acts. A "monkey-shine" is a playful trick or prank and a "monkey suit" is a uniform of some kind or a man's formal attire. "Monkey around" may mean to occupy oneself aimlessly, to tinker or play with something or just to loaf, but "monkey wrench" is not a slang expression. It is the proper name for a hand tool with adjustable jaws for turning nuts of varying sizes, 'jizai supana' in Japanese. Monkeys are said to be good imitators. In Ephesians 5: 1-2, we are told to "be imitators of God" to "walk in love, as Christ loved [us]." --Clark Offner (3810)
Freedom of Religion (92/01/03)
During these first days of a New Year, it is customary for Japanese to visit Shinto Shrines. For some Japanese, it is simply a traditional custom to follow. Outwardly, they perform the customary ritual without a genuine spiritual faith. Others sincerely pray for good fortune in the coming year. In either case, visiting a shrine at this time of year may be a conscious, or sub-conscious, reaffirmation of one's Japanese heritage. It may also be a time for conservative activists to reemphasize nationalistic themes. In fact, 122 years ago on this 3rd day of the first month of the 3rd year of the Meiji era, the so-called "Great Teaching Proclamation", 'taikyo senpu', was made by the Meiji government. The aim of this proclamation was to restore the unity of religion and government, 'saisei itchi', which was considered important to develop a stronger national structure. Governmental pressure for ideological conformity continued through the end of the Pacific War and one of the key features of the present Japanese Constitution is the provision in Article 20 guaranteeing the freedom of religion and prohibiting the state from granting special consideration to any religious organization or engaging in any religious activity. It is important for all citizens to be alert to any attempt to ignore this important article. -- Clark Offner (3811)
Minor Mishap (92/01/04)
Our elder son usually returns to this land of his birth during the Christmas-New Year vacation. Since he is not the superstitious type, he was not reluctant to board a flight that arrived here on Friday, the 13th of December. In fact, that day was also an unlucky 'shakkō', "red mouth", day in Japan, but he, along with his wife and daughter arrived safely at the Nagoya Airport in the evening, a little later than their scheduled time. The only mishap during their trip occurred when their plane from Salt Lake City was descending to land in Portland. It was at that time that their two-year-old daughter began to vomit. The man in the adjacent seat tried to help by holding an air-sickness bag in front of her but more of the discharge missed the bag than got in. Her mother busily tried to clean things up as the aisle filled with people ready to deplane. As they passed by the little girl, she smiled at them and said, "I'm a mess!" Because that plane was behind schedule, they had to rush to board the plane to Nagoya. After their arrival here, they waited in vain for their luggage to appear and found out that, although they had made their flight from Portland, their luggage had not. Fortunately, it was sent on a later flight and was delivered to our home later that night. Incidentally, this minor mishap occurred not on Friday, the 13th, but on Thursday the 12th, a lucky 'taian' day, according to Oriental thought. -- Clark Offner (3812)
Imitators of God (92/01/05)
Today is the first Sunday in this New Year, the Year of the Monkey. Monkeys and apes are both known as mimics, so "monkey" and "ape" are sometimes used as verbs meaning to imitate. Imitation is one form of learning. Children learn by imitating their parents. In Japanese schools, imitation has been an important element in the education system, so Japanese are known as good imitators. But it is important to choose an example that is worthy of imitation. In the 5th chapter of the New Testament letter to the Ephesians, we are told to "be imitators of God, as beloved children." The Bible speaks of God as our Father. He is the perfect example for his children to follow. But how can we imitate a spirit whom we cannot see? The Bible passage continues: "And walk in love as Christ loved...." According to the teaching of the New Testament, we are able to perceive the character of the invisible God through the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is called the Son of God. For those of us who call ourselves children of God or disciples of Christ, this Year of the Monkey is an appropriate time to improve our ability to imitate the highest, most perfect example provided for us to follow: God himself, as he was revealed in Jesus, The Christ. -- Clark Offner (3813)
Koromo Bakari de (92/01/06)
According to Oriental lore, this is the Year of the Monkey so I tried to find a proverb about a monkey for today's message, but I failed to do so. I did find one about a monk, however, and monk is sometimes used as a shortened form of monkey. In the literal sense, a monk is a man who has retired from the world, lives in a monastery as a member of a religious brotherhood and follows the discipline of that order. In Japanese, he may be called a 'bōzu', in its original sense. Monks traditionally wear hooded robes called cowls and the English proverb that "The cowl does not make the monk" means that simply wearing a holy man's garb does not make one holy. In fact, as Jesus warned, he may be "a wolf in sheep's clothing" [Matthew 7:15]. The equivalent proverb in Japanese is 'Koromo bakari de oshō wa dekinu'. Both of these proverbs teach us not to judge by appearances. --Clark Offner (3814)
Japan-U.S. Relations (92/01/07)
Today is January 7th, the first of the five traditional seasonal festivals of the year. On this day, rice gruel containing seven plants considered good for the health is eaten. Did you have such a meal for breakfast this morning? Whether you did or not, I hope you keep in good health throughout the year. I also hope that Japan-American relations during this year will be healthy. Today is also the first Tuesday of the New Year. In Tuesday messages, I suggest themes for listeners to write essays on. As you know, important talks are being held this week between officials of Japan and the United States. You have probably been reading news articles or watching television reports related to them. I would be interested in reading your reaction to the talks. What do you think of the present state of Japan-American relations? Are they healthy or not? What hopes or fears do you have related to Japan-U.S. relations in this Year? What do you consider the basic cause of the friction that has developed over recent months and what should be done about it? I will correct essays on this theme sent to me and publish them in the next issue of "Daily Word" Echoes, scheduled for publication on March 29th. My address is: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office, Nagoya 463. --Clark Offner (3815)
Bush Visiting Japan (92/01/08)
A bush is a low, branching woody plant, usually smaller than a tree. Three are various English expressions related to this word. To "beat about the bush" means to speak indirectly, to talk around a subject without getting to the point or to purposely avoid giving a direct answer to a question. This is a common occurrence in Japan--especially among politicians. This expression comes from the actions of hunters who cautiously beat around bushes to see if game is still hiding there. "To be bushed" is an informal expression which means to be very tired or exhausted, but the origin of this expression is unclear. Mr. George Bush, the 43rd president of the United States of America, is now visiting Japan on the last leg of his rescheduled trip to Asia. For the good of the mutual relationship between these two important countries, I hope that both sides will not beat about the bush in their conversations, but make their respective positions clear. The President will probably be bushed by the time he heads for home, but I am reminded of the miracle recorded in the 3rd chapter of the Old Testament book of Exodus. There, we are told, God spoke through a bush and, as a result, a new chapter in world history began. Would it be possible for a similar miracle to occur today? --Clark Offner (3816)
Amerigo Vespucci (92/01/09)
Special celebrations are scheduled during this year to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the voyage of Christopher Columbus to the so-called New World he happened to find in the western hemisphere. Towns, cities, countries, a province and a country have been given such names as Colon, Columbus and Columbia [or Colombia] in his honor. The two continents which were largely settled by the European immigrants which followed him were eventually named in honor of another Italian navigator, however. Amerigo Vespucci made two trips to the western hemisphere in 1499 and 1501, sailing along the coast of what is now called South America. He recognized this land as a new continent, not a part of Asia and when a German cartographer published a new map which included this newly-discovered "island", he called it America. There are now 34 separate countries in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean Region where Columbus first landed, but "America" is commonly used for the 50 states comprising the United States of America. On Sunday afternoon, January 19th, we will hold another meeting of "Daily Word" listeners at the Nagoya YWCA beginning at 1:30 and you are invited to attend. -- Clark Offner (3817)
League of Nations (92/01/10)
The word "league", spelled l-e-a-g-u-e, is derived from a Latin word meaning to bind and denotes an association of states organizations, teams or individuals that are bound together for a certain purpose. In both the United States and Japan, there are two major leagues in professional baseball: the American and National leagues in the U.S. and the Central and Pacific leagues in Japan. Seventy-two years ago today, on January 10, 1920, the League of Nations was established to maintain peace and cooperation between nations following the end of the First World War. Founded with high hopes for world peace and international understanding, it did manage to settle certain international problems but the failure of the United States to join was disheartening and Japan's aggressive actions against China, beginning in 1931, followed by her withdrawal from the League, initiated a crisis from which the League never recovered. In April 1946, following the Second World War, the League of Nations was officially dissolved. In effect, it was replaced by the United Nations which deserves the enthusiastic support of Japan and other member countries for its efforts to promote peace and cooperation among nations today. -- Clark Offner(3818)
Christmas Tree in Playpen (92/01/11)
One kind of pen is an instrument used for writing. Another kind of pen is a fenced enclosure in which animals are kept. A playpen is a small, portable enclosure in which a child can be left to play. When a child is in the playpen, parents can be sure that the child is not getting into mischief elsewhere. When we knew that our 2-year-old granddaughter from the United States would be visiting us for Christmas along with her parents, we borrowed a playpen from friends. We did not plan to put our granddaughter in the playpen, however. Rather, we thought it wise to put our Christmas tree there to protect it from little fingers. During her Thanksgiving Day vacation from the Nagoya International school, my wife took our artificial Christmas tree out of storage, assembled and decorated it. The 180 cm. tall tree, adorned with colored lights that flash on and off and pretty ornaments, stood on the floor of our living room. We knew it would attract the attention of a little girl and we didn't want her to damage the tree nor to pull it over on herself. So for the first two days of her visit the tree was kept in the playpen. When we realized she could be trusted to look without touching, the playpen was removed, but we decided it was better not to put gaily-wrapped Christmas presents under the tree until Christmas Eve, in preparation for their distribution and opening the following morning. -- Clark Offner (3819)
The Ways of God (92/01/12)
People with a penchant for orderliness want things to be done in a uniform fashion and are irritated when orderly procedures are not followed. The closing verses of chapter 14 of the New Testament letter of I Corinthians inform us that God is not a God of confusion or disorder and people are urged to act in an orderly way. The Bible teaches that God created the universe which appears to be very orderly. Why is it then that many things happen in the natural world, in human history and in our own individual lives that seem to be so confusing, unreasonable or unfair? A part of the answer to this difficult question is found in the Old Testament book of Isaiah, chapter 55, where it is written that the thoughts and ways of God are not the same as those of human beings. God has purposes that are beyond the grasp of human intelligence and God may seek to achieve those aims in ways that do not fit human patterns of thought. A basic element in faith is to trust even when we do not fully understand. If the biblical picture of God is true, it is natural that our understanding of the aims and actions of that divine personage is incomplete for God is infinite and we are finite. The Bible also teaches that events we consider unfortunate may bring about a good result. -- Clark Offner (3820)
Tazan no Ishi (92/01/13)
Nicolas Chauvin was a French soldier who was excessively devoted to his leader, Napoleon I. It is from his name that the word "chauvinism" was coined to denote fanatical patriotism or prejudiced belief in the superiority of one's own group. Narrow-minded, arrogant chauvinists do not think anything of value can be gained from other countries, but international-minded people know better. Even a stone from another mountain may be used to polish one's own jewels, 'Tazan no ishi mote takara o migakubeshi'. This Japanese proverb teaches that even a person who considers himself superior can be benefitted from contact with a person considered inferior or from another area. Although nationalism is again becoming popular in certain places, we should recognize the mutual value of contact with those who come from different cultures. --Clark Offner (3821)
Monkeys (92/01/14)
Since this is the year of the monkey in Japan, I decided to suggest "Monkeys" as this week's theme for listeners who enjoy writing essays. While preparing today's message, I learned a new word spelled m-a-c-a-q-u-e and pronounced "məkäk". Are you acquainted with it? It is derived from an African word for monkey, but it denotes the particular kind of short-tailed monkey found in Japan. What do you think about monkeys? Have you ever seen a monkey in its natural habitat? Do you know any stories about monkeys in Japanese or foreign literature? What is the significance of the Japanese expression 'san-en', or "three monkeys"? What do you consider the basic difference between monkeys and human beings? Essays on this theme sent to me will be corrected and printed in the next issue of '"Daily Word" Echoes' scheduled for publication on March 29th. If you wish to receive written copies of these telephone messages before they are spoken, please send me a self-addressed, stamped envelope plus ¥60 in stamps for each week of messages desired. My address is: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office, Nagoya 463. On Sunday afternoon at 1:30 at the Nagoya YWCA we will hold another "Daily Word" Listeners Meeting and you are invited to attend. --Clark Offner (3822)
Seijin (92/01/15)
In Japan, today is Seijin-no-Hi, a holiday in honor of young men and women who have become seijin. The use of Chinese characters in the Japanese language creates some communication problems and resolves others. Because of these characters, many Japanese words with very different meanings have identical pronunciations, causing problems at times in verbal communication. When the character is written, however, the meaning becomes clear. Take the term seijin, for example. In one sense, all living people are seijin if the character for 'sei' means alive. In another sense, those of us from the Occident are seijin if the character for sei means west. The character used for the young people being feted today indicates that they have "become persons". Hopefully, some of these new seijin will develop into a different kind of seijin, meaning sage or saint. As we congratulate those who have become "adults", let us reflect on the kind of seijin we have become. Are we merely alive? Are we truly mature in more than a physical sense? Are we making progress toward greater maturity, headed for sagacity if not sainthood? We are all in the process of becoming better or worse for, as Charles Coleb has written: "vice, virtue and time are three things that never stand still." --Clark Offner (3823)
Ivan the Terrible (92/01/16)
Caesar, spelled C-a-e-s-a-r, the surname of early Roman emperors, later became a title for the emperor. Kaiser, spelled k-a-i-s-e-r, was the title used by German rulers until the First World War. In Russia, the word was altered into czar, spelled c-z-a-r, or tsar, spelled t-s-a-r. In English, "czar" is also used to denote a tyrant. Although this would not apply to all emperors, the first Russian ruler to be called a czar developed into a first-class tyrant. The man who became known as Ivan the Terrible was crowned czar 445 years ago today, on January 16,1547. Suspecting conspiracies everywhere, Ivan created a special corps to fight treason and instituted a reign of terror. His fits of rage alternated with periods of repentance and fervent prayer. In one fit of anger, he killed his eldest son. Ivan married seven times. When he tired of one wife, he would force her to become a nun and take another. According to a Russian proverb, "When the Czar has a cold all Russia coughs", but I imagine that when this very first czar glowered all Russia quaked. Our dispositon also will affect those around us, so let us make the world a bit brighter by our cheerful attitude today. --Clark Offner (3824)
Eagles (92/01/17)
Eagles are large predatory birds related to kites, hawks and
falcons. Powerful, solitary birds with keen vision and great
ability in flying and soaring, eagles kill their prey with their
sharp, curved claws and tear it apart with their hooked beaks.
Eagles have been used as symbols of royal and military power
since ancient times, appearing on old coins, seals and flags.
Eagles were on the standards of both Roman armies and the troops
of Napoleon. By an act of Congress in 1782, the bald,
white-headed eagle became the national emblem of the United States. A
two-headed eagle, having a crown and scepter, was the symbol of
the Russian czars until they were overthrown in the Communist
Revolution when a hammer and sickle became the national symbol of
the U.S.S.R. Now that the Soviet Union has disintegrated, the
old symbol of the two-headed eagle, without the crown and
scepter, will be reintroduced as Russia's national emblem.
According to Isaiah 40:31, "those who trust in the Lord for help
will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like
eagles..." Sunday afternoon at 1:30 at the Nagoya YWCA, we will
hold a meeting of listeners to these "Daily Word" messages and
talk about events of the past year. -- Clark Offner (3825)
Children Return for Christmas (92/01/18)
My wife and I have three living children. The older two
were born in Japan and the youngest was born in the United States
during our first home leave after coming to Japan. Since these
children spent their childhood and youth in Japan until going to
the U.S. to attend university and since all of them have been
employed in Japan following their graduations, they consider
Japan their homeland even though they hold American citizenship.
The two older children who presently reside outside of Japan do
not return for the 'bon' season in the summer, but they do try to
get back for Christmas if it is possible. On the Sunday before
Christmas, our daughter arrived from Thailand, where she teaches
in a national university, to join her elder brother and family
who had arrived earlier from the United States. On Christmas
morning, our younger son and family, who live nearby, joined us
for the distribution and opening of the many Christmas presents
that had been placed under the Christmas tree after I read the
Christmas story from the Bible and prayed. Later that day,
friends of our children also came to join us for our Christmas
dinner of turkey with all the trimmings and Christmas cookies my
wife had prepared. It was the first time we had all been
together for four years so we had a very enjoyable time. You are
invited to join the meeting of "Daily Word" listeners tomorrow
afternoon at 1:30 at Nagoya YWCA. We will talk about events of
the past year. -- Clark Offner (3826)
Grace and Peace (92/01/19)
There are 27 different books in the new Testament, 21 of
which are letters, or epistles, written to Christians in the 1st
century. The 13 letters which have Paul's name in the
introduction are called the Pauline Epistles. Every culture has
its own stylized form for writing letters. For example, in
English, the date and name of the recipient come at the beginning
of the letter but, in Japanese, they come at the end. Each of
Paul's letters, following the custom of his day, begins with the
name of the writer, followed by the person or group to whom the
letter was written, followed, in turn, by a formal greeting. The
common greeting in the Pauline Epistles combines two significant
concepts, one from Greek cultural tradition and the other from
Hebrew religious tradition, but Paul imbued both of them with a
characteristic Christian meaning. The concepts are expressed in
the words "grace" and "peace". The Greek word for "grace" can
mean agreeableness, charm, favor or kindness. Paul uses it to
denote the special love of God for undeserving human beings. The
Hebrew word for "peace" denotes general well-being or harmony and
Paul uses it for peace between God and people in particular.
Both grace and peace come from God the Father through Jesus
Christ and it is with this greeting that all of Paul's letters
begin. -- Clark Offner (3827)
Na wa Jitsu no Hin (92/01/20)
Name recognition is very important to people in politics or
in the entertainment business, for the more widely-known or famous
they become, the more successful they will be. But common people
also are rightly concerned about their reputation. In this regard,
it is important to keep in mind the wise saying of an ancient
Chinese philosopher: 'Na wa jitsu no hin'. A literal English
translation is: "Name is the guest of essence". I don't know
an equivalent proverb in English, but a French moralist, Vauvenargues,
has written, "He who seeks fame by the practice of virtue asks
only for what he deserves" and the Indian poet, Tagore, has written,
"Blessed is he whose fame does not outshine his truth". If our
reputation is the reflection of our true character, then the best
way to improve our reputation is to improve the reality or substance
on which it is based. --Clark Offner (3828)
Blond Newspaper Delivery Boy (92/01/25)
In the United States, it is common for junior and senior high school students to have part-time jobs to earn money, but in Japan students are too busy, parents do not encourage the practice and opportunities for such jobs are few. Because I considered the part-time jobs I held in my youth to be valuable experiences, I wanted my son to have a similar experience. So when I read a newspaper insert noting the need for newspaper delivery personnel many years ago, I asked my son, a junior high school student at the time, if he was interested. He said he was, so I went with him to the neighborhood newspaper agent to enquire about the job. As a result, he became a paper boy as his father had been many years earlier. He had to get up very early in the morning to deliver the papers before going to school and during the summer vacation, he delivered papers in the afternoon as well. The fact that an American boy was delivering Japanese newspapers seemed to be a newsworthy event in itself. People in the area were surprised to see a blond newspaper delivery boy. An article about him, accompanied by a photograph, was carried in the newspaper and he became a bit famous, which indicates a certain characteristic of Japanese psychology. This story will be continued in next Saturday's message. -- Clark Offner (3833)
Visit of Magi (92/01/26)
The second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew contains the story of some men who came to Jerusalem from the east to worship the baby born to be the king of the Jews. Although their visit seems to have taken place over a year after Jesus was born, they are often pictured as arriving in Bethlehem, along with some shepherds, at the time of his birth. Although there is no indication how many men thee were, because mention is made of three gifts they brought, popular tradition assumes that there were three of them. In the classical English translation of the Bible, these priestly astrologers, or Magi, are called "wise men". There are a number of theories regarding the star they saw as a portent of Jesus' birth and even though details of the story may be uncertain, its implication is clear. The birth of Jesus had universal significance, denoted by a heavenly light that attracted the attention of seekers outside of the Jewish tradition. Although Jesus was a Jew and appeared as the Jewish Messiah, his life and work is recognized as being meaningful for people of all nations and traditions. In a vision of the future recorded in the 5th chapter of Revelation, all living beings in the universe are seen singing praises to Christ, who is called "the Lamb". -- Clark Offner (3834)
Tate no Ryōmen (92/01/27)
Anyone living in Japan must realize the importance of distinguishing between 'tatemae' and 'honne', between the outward appearance, or 'omote', and what lies behind, or 'ura'. It is especially important for foreign statesmen and businessmen to recognize this difference in their discussions with Japanese. During negotiations, it is expected that both sides will try to protect their own interests and to get the best deal for themselves. Before making decisions on important matters, it is well to heed the Japanese proverb, 'tate no ryōmen o miyo', "look at both sides of a shield". Often, the hidden side is more important than the side which is seen. I know of no equivalent proverb in English, but we do have the saying that "There are two sides to every question". The Old Testament psalmist often called God his "shield" and it is when God is our protector that we are truly safe. --Clark Offner (3835)
Telephones (92/01/28)
The word "telephone" is derived from Greek words meaning "far sound". The first message by telephone was made by its inventor, Alexander Graham Bell, in 1876. In April of the following year, the first telephone was installed in a private home, but since there were no commercial telephone exchanges in operation, the only place the owner could call was his office in Boston, some 10 kilometers away. On January 28, 1878, 114 years ago today, the first commercial telephone exchange was put into operation in the city of New Haven, Connecticut. It had 21 customers and one telephone operator, who greeted callers with a hearty "Ahoy", a word commonly used among sailors. Today, the telephone has become an indispensable furnishing in offices and homes in industrial countries. There are now a variety of telephones available which provide many kinds of services, but there are both positive and negative aspects of telephones. What do you think about telephones and the services they offer? Can you imagine what life would be like without a telephone? What about telephones of the future? I will correct essays on this theme sent to me and print them in the next issue of "Daily Word" Echoes. My address is: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office, Nagoya 463. -- Clark Offner (3836)
Kansas (92/01/29)
Today is celebrated as Kansas Day in the U.S. state bearing that name. In one sense, Kansas is a central state, for the geographic center of the 48 contiguous states on the mainland is in the northcentral part of Kansas. In population, however, Kansas ranks 32nd among the 50 states. In land area, it ranks 13th. The territory now included in this state was once claimed by Spain and then by France, but it was sold to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The name "Kansas" comes from a Sioux Indian word meaning "south wind people". A hundred thirty-one years ago today, on January 29, 1861, Kansas became the 34th state of the United States of America. At that time, there was severe dissension in the country between the pro and anti-slavery forces. Advocates of both sides repeatedly clashed in this territory which gave rise to the term "bleeding Kansas". Kansas was accepted as a "free state", meaning slavery was not permitted but the fighting there anticipated the Civil War which erupted less than three months later. The State Song of Kansas is "Home on the Range". You may have heard it or even sung it. The chorus goes like this: "Home, home on the range, where the deer and the antelope play. Where seldom is heard a discouraging word and the skies are not cloudy all day." --Clark Offner (3837)
Bern, Monkey (92/01/02)
Freedom of Religion (92/01/03)
Minor Mishap (92/01/04)
Imitators of God (92/01/05)
Koromo Bakari de (92/01/06)
Japan-U.S. Relations (92/01/07)
Bush Visiting Japan (92/01/08)
Amerigo Vespucci (92/01/09)
League of Nations (92/01/10)
Christmas Tree in Playpen (92/01/11)
The Ways of God (92/01/12)
Tazan no Ishi (92/01/13)
Monkeys (92/01/14)
Seijin (92/01/15)
Ivan the Terrible (92/01/16)
Blond Newspaper Delivery Boy (92/01/25)
Visit of Magi (92/01/26)
Tate no Ryōmen (92/01/27)
Telephones (92/01/28)
Kansas (92/01/29)
Lozenges to Concert-goers (92/01/30)
Caviar (92/01/31)
Independence (92/01/01)