May Day (82/05/01)
Today, the first day of May, is called May Day. In
many countries of the world, it is a day to honor the workingman. It is
the occasion for demonstrations, parades and speeches sponsored by labor
unions. In Japan, except for the war years, May Day has been observed
since 1920 and today some 4,000,000 people are expected to gather at some
1500 sites around the country to promote the aims of organized labor. It
was on this day in 1886 that American laborers went on strike to press their
demand for an eight hour working day. Socialist and Communist labor
organizations later chose this day as their labor day in commemoration of this
event. In the United States itself, however, Labor Day has always been
celebrated on the first Monday of September. May Day in the U.S. and
England is considered a spring festival with decorations of May flowers and
Maypole dances. Mayday is also the international radio signal used by
ships and aircraft in distress. It comes from the French words meaning
"Help me!" The Bible teaches that all who recognize their own weakness
and sincerely call upon the Lord God for help will be given it—whether or
not they are workingmen.
Bing Crosby (82/05/02)
A well-known American singer, who performed for many
years on radio and in motion pictures, was born on this day in the year
1904. He was especially famous for his rendition of the song "White
Christmas". Do you know his name? When he was born in Tacoma,
Washington, 78 years ago, he was named Harry Lillis Crosby, but he is better
known by his nickname, "Bing". In English, bing may refer to a sharp,
ringing sound, but Crosby's nickname came from a cartoon character called
Bingo in The Bingsville Bugle comic strip. Bingo may be used as an
interjection in reference to a sudden or unexpected event, as in the sentence,
"I drove through a red light and, bingo, a policeman appeared." Bingo is
also the name of a game played with markers on a numbered card. The first
person to have five markers lined up in a row who calls out "Bingo" wins
the game. Bing Crosy was also called "The Old Groaner". In Romans,
chapter 8, the Apostle Paul wrote that all of creation, including us human
beings, is groaning like a woman in the pangs of childbirth as it
expectantly awaits God's new creation and full salvation.
Constitution Day (82/05/03)
Today, May the 3rd, is Constitution Day in Japan. It
is a day commemorating the new constitution which went into effect on May
3rd 1947, replacing the old, Meiji Constitution which was drawn up in
1889. The present Japanese Constitution is based on 3 fundamental
principles: the sovereign power of the people, the renunciation of war and
military forces and the recognition of basic human rights. These are noble
ideals, but constant care is required to make sure they are observed.
Today, some of the constitutional provisions are being ignored. Efforts are
being made to loosen the strict separation of religion from government and
to increase military might. The basic human rights of some citizens and
residents are overlooked. Constitute means to set up or establish an
institution and a constitution refers to the law or principles upon which
the institution is based. Constitution can also refer to the physical or
mental make-up of an individual. As healthy persons, we need to live
according to proper moral guidelines. For the Christian, it is God's
revelation found in the Bible that serves as the constitution by which his
life is judged. The Psalmist wrote: "Your word is a lamp to guide me and
a light for my path." (119:105)
Is Nagoya an international city? (82/05/04)
Do you think Nagoya can be considered an international
city? Of course, that depends on how the term is defined. Recently,
statistics relating to foreign residents in Japanese cities were released,
and in some ways they were quite surprising. The statistics, which reflect
the situation as of December 1980, indicate that there were 628 U. S.
citizens living in Nagoya at that time. That's more than double the number
living in Osaka. There were 666 Chinese residents and 166 Filipinos.
Other nations with over 50 residents listed were 82 from England and 67
from West Germany. Not counting Korean residents, which were not included
in the statistics, there were 2,143 residents from over 30 different
countries in Europe, Asia, Oceania and North and South America. That seems
like quite an international mixture and is generally on a par with Osaka
and Kyoto. You who speak English can help Nagoya improve its international
image by showing a friendly and helpful attitude to the foreigners you may
meet. The New Testament book of Hebrews, chapter 13, verse 2, states: "Do
not neglect to show hospitality to strangers."
Carp (82/05/05)
Seeing fish hanging from the end of a fishing pole
brings joy to the heart of a fisherman. But today, fish tied to the end
of a flag pole brings joy to the hearts of children. On this Children's Day,
many homes sport tall poles with fish-shaped banners. These fish, called
carp, swim in the breeze instead of in the water. Carp are noted for
swimming upstream, against the current. As a symbol of the strenuous struggle
toward success in life, it is hoped they will provide encouragement to
children. Carp have been raised in China for some 2000 years and were
introduced to Europe and then to America, where they sometimes are
considered a pest rather than something beautiful or strong. In English, carp may
also refer to grumbling or finding fault with others. In the Gospel
according to Mark, chapter 10, we find the story of people bringing little
children to Jesus to be blessed by him. Jesus' disciples, however, carped about
this. They thought Jesus was too important to be bothered with little
children. But Jesus became angry with his disciples, took the children in
his arms and blessed them. He taught that a person must become like a
child in order to enter the kingdom of God.
New York City (82/05/06)
New York City is made up of five divisions called
boroughs. They are Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Richmond.
The heart of the present city, which was the entire city for 250 years
until 1874, is called Manhattan. This island, the smallest of the five
boroughs, measures 21 kilometers from north to south and has a maximum
width of 3.5 kilometers. On this day, May 6th, in the year 1626, Peter
Minuit, the Dutch governor of the settlements in North America known as
New Netherland, bought Manhattan Island from the Manhattan Indians with
trinkets valued at about $24.00. He named it New Amsterdam, but later,
when it was incorporated by English colonists into New England, its name
was changed to New York. This 57 square kilometer island now has a
population of over 12 million residents and contains the great financial,
commercial and cultural institutions of the city. Even in 1626, 2.5 dollars
a square kilometer of land was dirt-cheap and today also dirty land deals
entrap the unwary. Jesus told his disciples to be wary as serpents and
innocent as doves. (Matthew 10:16)
Lost Articles in Trains (82/05/07)
Last week, the Japan National Railways made a report
regarding items which passengers left aboard trains or in stations during
1981. The report indicated that some 1,810,000 articles were left behind
last year. Not surprisingly, umbrellas were the most common article to be
lost. They totalled 525,000. ¥2,670,000,000 in cash was left behind, but
81% of that amount was returned to the losers. A diamond, estimated to be
worth ¥100,000,000 was the most expensive single item found aboard the JNR
trains. It was also returned to its owner. The more surprising articles
noted in the report included a live raccoon, 144 sets of false teeth, 23
Buddhist memorial tablets and the ashes of 10 dead persons. August was
the month in which the largest number of articles were lost. In the 10th
chapter of the Gospel according to Luke, Jesus told 3 stories about lost
things: a woman lost a coin, a sheep wandered away from the flock and a
son left home. These stories teach that we human beings are lost until we
come home to God, our heavenly Father, who is actively seeking to lead us
to eternal happiness.
President Truman (82/05/08)
Today is a legal holiday in one of the 50 states in
the U.S.A. It is a day to honor the only man born in that state who became
president. The state is Missouri. Do you know the name of the president
who was born there 98 years ago today? He was the only president in this
century who did not attend college. He was an army officer in the First
World War, following which he ran a haberdashery. A haberdashery is a shop
specializing in men's furnishings, such as hats, shirts, neckties,
handkerchiefs, gloves, etc. It was after he entered politics and was elected a
judge at the age of 38 that he entered a law school. At the age of 50, he
was elected a U.S. senator and 10 years later became vice-president. When
President Franklin Roosevelt died in 1945 he became the 33rd president of
the U.S. His name, of course, was Harry Truman. On his presidential desk,
he kept a sign: "The Buck Stops Here". "Passing the buck" refers to
evading one's responsibility by passing it on to someone else. President
Truman was willing to take responsibility for his decisions and actions. In
this respect, he is a good example for the rest of us, for the Bible teaches
that each one of us must give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12)
Mother's Day (82/05/09)
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, just 74 years
ago today 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 refers 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.
Locomotive (82/05/10)
Do you know what the letters SL stand for? Here in
Japan, I have seen them used as abbreviations for three different terms.
Sleep Learning refers to listening to a taped speech while asleep to
educate one's subconscious mind. Sporty and Luxurious refers to a kind of
automobile. Thirdly, the letters refer to a Steam Locomotive, the engine
that used to pull trains along the railroad. I used to think that
locomotive came from the Spanish word loco, meaning insane or crazy, and
referred to the crazy motion of the piston rods attached to the wheels of a
locomotive. However, in this word, "loco" comes from the Latin word meaning
"place". A locomotive is an engine that can move from place to place on
its own power. It was on this day, May the 10th, in the year 1869, that
the first transcontinental railway across the U.S. was completed when
construction workers from the east met those from the west at Promontory,
Utah and a golden spike was driven in at the "Closing of the Gap" ceremony.
"Gap closing" is a job that people who know more than one language should
be engaged in—as we seek to bridge gaps between peoples. and cultures—maybe with a golden word rather than a golden spike.
Minnesota Day (82/05/11)
I think that some of you listeners to these "Daily
Word" messages have lived in the state of Minnesota. In that state, today,
May 11th, is called Minnesota Day. It commemorates the admission of
Minnesota to the United States on this day in the year 1858 as the 32nd state.
In area, Minnesota is the 12th largest state, but it ranks 19th in
population. Almost 1/3 of the population lives in the twin cities of
Minneapolis and St. Paul. Minnesota is known as the land of 10,000 lakes and
actually has 12,034 lakes which are over 10 acres in size. (An acre is equal
to 0.4 hectares.) The name "Minnesota" comes from a Sioux Indian name
meaning "cloudy water" or "sky-tinted water", referring to the Minnesota River
which joins the Mississippi River in the capital city of St. Paul. In the
New Testament, it is not St. Paul, but St. John who refers to Jesus as the
refreshing water from heaven which spiritually thirsty people may drink
and find eternal satisfaction. If you would like a copy of these "Daily
Word" messages, please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope plus ¥100
in stamps to: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office, 463.
Nightingale (82/05/12)
Probably the best known song bird in Japan is the
uguisu. Some uguisu undergo special training to improve their
singing, and
singing contests for trained uguisu are sometimes held. In English, these
birds are called Japanese nightingales, although they are different from
the nightingales of the West. Nightingale literally means "night singer"
for during the breeding season especially, the male nightingale sings very
beautifully at night. Nightingale is also the name of the woman who is
considered the founder of modern nursing, and today is her birthday. She
was born in 1820 in the Italian city of Florence and was given the name of
that city. During the Crimean War in 1854, Florence Nightingale organized
a hospital unit of 38 nurses and established a new practice of sanitary
and sympathetic care for wounded soldiers. She was known as the "Lady of
the Lamp" and her nursing ministry was probably the greatest positive
result of that war. She left an example of the teaching of Jesus in the
Gospel according to Luke, chapter 6, where he told his disciples to show love
even to enemies and to be merciful to all people even as God, our heavenly
Father, is merciful to all.
Azalea (82/05/13)
In the United States there are a number of pretty
flowers that bloom in May. They are called Mayflowers. Mayflower was
also the name of the ship which brought the Pilgrims to America from
England in the year 1620. Japan also has many beautiful flowers that appear
in May. Every year about this time, my wife asks some Japanese friend to
explain the difference between satsuki and tsubaki. In English, both of
these flowering shrubs are called azalea. Azalea comes from the Greek
word meaning "dry", for azaleas thrive in dry soil. In the Old Testament
book of Isaiah chapter 53, is a prophecy regarding the suffering servant
of the Lord. It compares the servant to a plant taking root in dry ground.
Christians consider this a prophecy referring to the humble birth of Jesus
in spiritually dry surroundings. According to God's grace, even
spiritually dry soil may produce a flower of great beauty. The next meeting of
"Daily Word" listeners is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, June 13th. Mark
it on your calendar and plan to attend if you can.
Israel (82/05/14)
One of the longlasting, difficult international
disputes of our day is centered in the Middle East. It concerns the state of
Israel and the surrounding Arab nations. It was on this day, May 14, 1948,
that the British Mandate for Palestine and Transjordania came to an end
and the new state of Israel was proclaimed with Chaim Weizmann as president.
Today is the 34th anniversary of that proclamation, but among Arab countries,
only Egypt has given recognition to Israel. According to the Old Testament
story found in Genesis, chapter 32, the name "Israel" was given to a
patriarch Jacob and his descendants are called Israelites. One of the 12 sons
of Israel was Judah and it is from his name that we get the word "Jew".
Hebrew basically refers to the classical language of the Jewish people, a
form of which is spoken in Israel today. An Israeli is a native or
inhabitant of the state of Israel. Abraham, the father of the Jews through his
son Isaac, is also the father of the Arabs through another son Ishmael.
Sometimes hatred between relatives runs deeper than that between strangers.
Coup d'etat (82/05/15)
Fifty years ago today, on May 15th, 1932, a coup
d'etat occurred in Tokyo. Coup d'etat is a French phrase literally
meaning
"a stroke of state". It refers to a sudden, forceful stroke in politics,
especially the sudden, forceful overthrow of a government. In this
so-called "May 15th Incident", Prime Minister Inukai was assassinated and the
power of military men in government increased. Another change of
government in Japan occurred on this day just ten years ago when the Ryukyu Islands
were returned to Japanese control. Okinawa was the scene of a bloody battle
between American and Japanese forces in April of 1945, but it was peacefully
restored to Japan on May 15th, 1972. In English, ten years is called a
decade, while in Japanese the interesting expression hitomukashi is used to
refer to this short period that may also seem like a long time. Changes in
governments, societies, organizations and individuals are bound to occur,
but it is preferable that they occur peacefully rather than with violence.
Romans 14:19 urges us to "always aim at those things that bring peace and
that help to strengthen one another".
Sunday (82/05/16)
Today is Sunday. In both English and Japanese, the
name given to the first day of the week is related to the sun. In the
traditional Japanese mythology, the sun was personified as a bright,
polite, elder sister known as Amaterasu Omikami, "the Great Kami Shining
in Heaven", who is memorialized in the Ise Shrine in Mie Prefecture. As
the star closest to the earth, the sun is a source of both light and heat
for our world, so we can understand why the ancestors of the Japanese
people revered the sun so highly. To them, it represented divine goodness.
The Christian perceives divine goodness, the light of God's truth and the
warmth of his love, in another kind of Son, spelled s-o-n. In Jesus
Christ, the Son of God, who lived on earth, we see clearly what God is
like and experience his mercy. Christians worship in churches on the first
day of the week to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead. For them also, Sunday is the day of the Son—the Son of God! I
pray that the light of God's truth and the warmth of his love, given in
his Son, may be yours today.
Homeless People in the subway system (82/05/17)
New York City has an extensive subway system. These
underground trains run on 1,347 kilometers of track. Beginning last March,
a special four-man transit police team has been checking the subway system
and last week it was reported that they had found more than 1200 homeless
people living in the subway system—either in stations or on trains. 10%
of this number were women. These homeless people were not arrested but
were offered transportation to and shelter at a city center. My wife and
I used to ride these subways daily when we lived in that city before coming
to Japan over 30 years ago. We had no idea that there were people who made
the subways their home. I wonder how many homeless people are living in
public places in this city. There are other people who do have homes but
who still are lonely and are seeking friendship, respect and love. Jesus
was the friend of lonely people. He displayed respect to the despised and
showed love to all. Those who profess to be his followers should do the same.
The youngest student to graduate from college (82/05/18)
When I graduated from university with a Bachelor of
Arts degree, I was 20 years old. That means that I was younger than the
average graduate. However, a recent news report indicates that one of the
1,463 students in this year's graduating class at the Boise State
University in Idaho will be the youngest student ever to graduate from an
American college and his name will be listed in the Guinness Book of World
Records. The previous record holder graduated from Yale University in 1945
at the age of 14. Jay Luo, the new record holder, is only 12 years old.
He will receive his degree in mathematics after 3 years of college study
and just 30 months of formal education at a Boise grade school. Jay is
Taiwanese and his father is an electronics engineer. He plans to take
graduate work in mathematics at Stanford University this fall. In the
Gospel of Luke, chapter 2, is the story of the 12 year old boy, Jesus, who
amazed the Jewish scholars with his intelligent answers. It was there that
Jesus referred to the temple as his Father's house, recognizing God as his
Father.
The Chūnichi Dragons (82/05/19)
If you want to see monkeys, you may go to the
Monkey Center in Inuyama. If you want to see lions, tigers, elephants and
giraffes, you may go to the Higashiyama Zoo. But if you want to see
dragons, you must go to the Chūnichi Stadium. There, you may see dragons
playing on the ball diamond. According to the dictionary, a dragon is a
mythical monster, represented as a reptile with wings and claws, breathing out
fire and smoke. The Chūnichi Dragons, however, are a baseball team and
right now they are in sole possession of first place in the Central League.
This makes the Dragon fans happy. (Incidentally, Dragon fans are not used
to cool off the dragons. In this case, "fan" is a shortened form of
fanatic" and refers to an enthusiastic supporter.) In the King James Version
of Psalm 148:7, dragons are also commanded to "praise the Lord", but in the
book of Revelation, chapter 20, the dragon is a symbol of evil and is
identified with the devil. The Chūnichi Dragons are a special breed of
dragons, however. They catch flies, steal bases and run home. I hope
they stay ahead of the Giants and keep on top for the rest of the season.
the Shinkansen (82/05/20)
An advisory panel has recommended that the
Japanese government should transfer its three major public corporations to
private management as quickly as possible. These major corporations are:
the Japanese National Railways, the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone
Corporation and the Japan Tobacco and Salt Public Corporation. Despite the
fine record of the shinkansen during its 17 years of service without a
major accident, the JNR as a whole is losing money and labor-management
relations are poor. Nevertheless, Japanese railroad technology is given
high marks in the United States and a team of engineers will be going to
Florida this month to study the possibility of building an American
version of the bullet train in that state. Another such study team is
already at work in California. This is another example of Japan sending
back to the West improvements on technology that it originally learned
from the West. So it is that progress is made by giving, receiving,
improving and sharing with one another. Jesus also taught his disciples
to make good use of what they were given and to share it with others.
How are we using the gifts God has given us?
Shiawase Denwa (82/05/21)
Those of you who call this "Daily Word" telephone
number hear a recorded message. There are other telephone services
which provide living listeners and counsellors to those who call. One
such service is the shiawase denwa sponsored by the Public Welfare
Department of Aichi Prefecture. This "Happiness Telephone" is a service
for elderly citizens, who may call regarding their problems, complaints
or worries. It was begun in 1978. Two days ago, a report was given
regarding the calls received during last year. A total of 1,589 calls were
received during 1981, an average of 5.9 calls a day. That was 156 fewer
calls than the year before. The callers are mostly women. In fact,
there were 5 times as many women who called as men. Parent-Child
relationships was the most common topic discussed. The place of elderly
parents and grandparents in modern "nuclear families" is a difficult
problem in society today. John Lyly has written, "If you will be
cherished when you are old, be courteous while you be young." That's
something for us "young people" to think about, isn't it?
Boycott (82/05/22)
The Japanese Diet is experiencing one of its
periodic irregularities. Opposition parties are boycotting its meetings
because they are angry that the majority party voted to extend the
current Diet session for an additional 94 days. It is difficult for me
to understand the reasoning behind such boycotting behavior, for in a
democracy it is normal for decisions to be made by majority vote, and
the losers should express their opposition in parliamentary debate rather
than by refusing to participate in the proceedings. The word "boycott"
refers to a combined refusal to purchase certain products or to continue
normal relations for political or economic reasons. It comes from the
name of an Englishman, Charles Boycott, who was ostracised because of his
ruthless tactics in ousting tenants during a time of agitation in Ireland
a hundred years ago. A boycott is an attempt to exert pressure to effect
a change in policy through refusing cooperation. I don't consider
parliamentary boycotts the sign of a healthy democracy. The New Testament
letter of James, chapter 1, teaches that people should be "quick to listen,
slow to speak and slow to become angry". This is difficult for some
politicians to follow.
South Carolina (82/05/23)
I have an elder sister whose name is Carol. A carol
is a joyful song like those we sing at Christmas time and call Christmas
Carols. However, the name Carol doesn't come from that word. Rather,
it is a shortened form of Caroline, which is the feminine form of
Charles. The original Latin form of Charles is Carolus and proper nouns
containing the word "carol" are usually related to a king named Charles.
So it was with an English colony established on the North American
continent in the early 17th century. It was named Carolina, after King
Charles who granted its charter. Later, this colony was divided into a
North and South Carolina, which became two of the original 13 states.
It was on this day, May 23rd, in the year 1788 that South Carolina
ratified the U.S. Constitution and officially became the eighth state of the
Union. The state motto of South Carolina is the Latin phrase Dum Spiro
Spero, meaning "while I breathe, I hope". The person with faith always
has hope.
Victoria Day (82/05/24)
Today, May the 24th, is a legal holiday in Canada.
It is called Victoria Day. It is in honor of Great Britain's Queen
Victoria, who was born on May 24th, 1819. For many years, her birthday was
called Empire Day and was celebrated throughout the British Empire.
However, it is now the custom in Canada to celebrate the Monday before May
25th as Victoria Day. Queen Victoria began her reign at 18 years of age.
She reigned for 64 years until 1901. She was an honest, conscientious
ruler who combined humanitarian and imperialistic qualities of leadership.
As a result of her influence, the adjective "Victorian" is used to refer
to the literature and moral standards or conduct which characterized her
age. It often refers to hypocritical, middle class respectability,
prudery and bigotry. The name "Victoria", of course, comes from the word
"victory". The Christian finds victory over sin, evil and death through
his faith in Jesus Christ, who died and rose again. The New Testament
teaches that faith—in Jesus Christ—is the victory that overcomes the
world (I John 5:4).
Kennedy's address to Congress (82/05/25)
21 years ago today, on May 25th, 1961, the United
States' President, John F. Kennedy, made an historic, Special State of
the Union address to Congress. In it, he asked for an additional $53,
000,000 for the Apollo space program, saying, "I believe that this nation
should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of
landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth." Although
President Kennedy did not live to see the fulfilment of his dream, $24,
000,000,000 and 2,797 days later, Neil Armstrong took his "giant step" on
the moon—just six months before the decade ended. President Kennedy's
statement included a specific goal. It was based on the definite faith
that it was attainable. And it was backed up by a commitment that
included much time, money and effort. In religion also, true faith cannot
be separated from wholehearted commitment—including the time, money and
effort of the believer. In James, chapter 2, verse 26, we are taught
that faith which is not backed up by actions is dead.
Eureka (82/05/26)
Recently, President Reagan made an important speech
regarding negotiations with the Soviet Union aimed at arms reduction. The
speech was made at a small college in the state of Illinois which he had
attended many years ago. The name of the college and of the city in which
it is located is Eureka. Eureka is a Greek word meaning, "I have found it".
It was supposedly uttered by Archimedes, the Greek mathematician,
physicist and inventor, while sitting in his bath tub over 2,200 years ago. At
that time, he suddenly realized that bodies of different density displace
different amounts of water and he could use this principle to determine
whether or not a certain crown was pure gold or alloyed with silver. It
is exciting to make a new discovery and people today also may shout "eureka"
when their minds are enlightened to see new truth. Christians have found
new truth and new life through their faith in God through Jesus Christ.
The next meeting of "Daily Word" listeners is scheduled for Sunday
afternoon, June 13th at 1:30 at the YWCA. I hope to meet you and other
listeners at that time and to hear your comments regarding these messages.
Burning of pornography (82/05/27)
It has been four years since the New Tokyo
International Airport at Narita City in Chiba Prefecture final1y began
operations. During those four years, some 33,000,000 passengers have used
the airport. That's an average of about 23,000 a day. It was recently
reported that passengers and visitors to the airport have left behind
¥43,000,000 in cash along with some 45,000 articles. The airport police
station's storeroom is packed with forgotten glasses, sweaters, coats,
souvenir liquors, passports and pocket notebooks. To add to the storage
problem, customs officials have confiscated 133,000 pornographic
magazines, films and cassettes from passengers during customs inspection.
Lost articles are normally kept at the airport police station for six
months, while seized pornography is periodically burned. Burning of
undesirable material has a long history. In Acts, chapter 19, it is
mentioned that people who had practised magic arts before their
conversion to Christ brought their books and burned them in public. I wonder
if there is literature in our homes that ought to be burned?
De Soto (82/05/28)
In the U.S. state of Florida, there is a national
monument honoring the memory of the Spanish explorer, Hernando De Soto,
who landed there on this date, May 28th, in 1539. De Soto was a dashing,
young conquistador whom the Spanish emperor had named governor of Cuba,
with the right to conquer Florida (which, at that time, meant the North
American mainland). Landing on the Florida coast, De Soto led an
expedition in search of gold, silver and jewels. Continuing west on his
treasure hunt, he was wounded in battles with the Indians, but never
found the treasures he was seeking. What he did find, however, was a
large river, which the Indians called mici zibi, meaning "great river".
He is considered to be the first white man to see and cross this
Mississippi River. He died on its banks and was buried in the river itself,
so the Indians would not know of his death. De Soto was not the only man
who died discouraged at not finding the treasures he was seeking. Human
life may be considered a search for happiness. The Bible teaches that
the true treasures which bring lasting satisfaction are spiritual in
nature and are gained through faith in God through Jesus Christ.
A boy on the shinkansen (82/05/29)
Did you read, see or hear the news about the
escapade of the little boy from suburban Tokyo? Five-year-old Satoshi
Endo likes to ride trains. Last Thursday afternoon, wearing a baseball cap
with the Seibu Lions' mark on it, he boarded a Seibu Railway train in
Tokorozawa City. He rode to Ikebukuro Station and changed to the subway,
which he took to Tokyo Station. In that huge station, he went to the
shinkansen platform and got on the bullet train, which he took to Nagoya.
He chose to return via the Tōkaidō Line, but,when he got off the train at
Kōda Station, near Okazaki, to go to the rest room, the train pulled out
without him. At 9:00 PM, some six hours after he boarded his first train,
he was found by a railway employee and spent the night in a nearby police
sub-station. The whole trip of almost 500 kilometers was taken without a
ticket. He was not noticed or not reported by ticket takers, conductors
and passengers. I wonder, isn't this an indication of a lack of interest
in or concern for others in modern society? The Bible teaches us to be
concerned about others and their welfare, not only about ourselves. Our
next "Daily Word" listeners' meeting will be held on Sunday afternoon at
1:30 PM at the YWCA.