The following is a translation of Part 65 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the May 2008 (No. 473) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.
Yoshi Nakagawa spent her days and nights engaging in salvation work while living outdoors. Talk began among her devout followers to rent a place for her.
A belated Happy New Year 2009 (Year of the Ox), everyone!
Many thanks to all of you for visiting the site in 2008 and to those visiting for the first time. I am always humbled that to think that people take the time to visit this site considering there are a vast multitude of activities available to them on the web. If I actually had the luxury of spending as much time as I could on the web, I probably would be watching NFL and NHL games, learning another language, or trying out online guitar tutorials.
A big thanks once again for all your visits to the site. Now on to (at least the first part of) an overdue Post-26 Report.
The following is a translation of Part 64 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the April 2008 (No. 472) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.
On the alcove post in the room of Chujiro Okuma, the second head minister of Keijo Daikyokai, there was a strip of paper with the words “hito wa takara, hito wa taisetsu” — “People are treasures, people are important.” Rev. Okuma was a man who walked the path of a true person of faith and lived true to these words by wrapping his followers and those belonging to Keijo’s affiliate churches with unfathomable parental affection.
We would like to present an episode involving Rev. Okuma and a young live-in seinen named Shigeharu Yamamoto.
Okay, here it is, after much delay, my “Post-26 Report” for the month of October.
The seventh installment of “Savoring the Realm of the Mikagura-uta” lecture series, sponsored by the Oyasato Institute for the Study of Religion, was held at 13:00 on October 25. The lecturer in October was Yomei Mori sensei and he was assigned to discuss Song Two (Ni Kudari-me) of the Mikagura-uta. The title of the lecture was “Muhon no nē o kirō” (“I will cut off the root of rebellion”). Continue reading Post-26 Report (Oct 2008)
The following is a translation of Part 63 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the March 2008 (No. 471) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision
A Mankichi Miyoshi lived across the street from the home of Tokichi Ueda, the head of a Tenrikyo confraternity in the section of Imadezaike in Kobe. While Mankichi’s vision was incapacitated for 18 years, he regained vision in the corners of his eyes due to Zenkichi Tachibana’s salvation work (o-tasuke).
The following is a translation of Part 62 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the February 2008 (No. 470) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.
The Shiwaku Islands in the Seto Inland Sea comprise 28 islands of various sizes. The islands are renowned for their panoramic, scenic beauty. The name “Shiwaku” is said to have derived from “shio-waku” (literally, “gushing current”), which describes the swift ocean currents that flow between these islands. One of the central islands of Shiwaku is Honjima. In 1896, the man who transmitted the path to this island was a missionary named Eisa Sato.
The following is a translation of Part 61 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the January 2008 (No. 469) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.
Masayoshi and Fuku Ando were blessed with three children. However, they were gravely concerned over their children’s health: the two eldest were sickly since birth and their youngest suffered from seizures and from being underdeveloped, both caused by whooping cough.
The following is a translation of Part 60 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the December 2007 (No. 468) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.
In autumn 1870, Risaburo Yamamoto of Kashiwara Village, Kawachi Province, injured his chest at a sumo wrestling match at the age of 21 and became bedridden for the next three years. Although he had various doctors treat him and healers pray for him, he failed to recover from his injury. Instead, his condition worsened to the point where his life was hanging in the balance. Such were the circumstances in summer 1873.
The following is a translation of Part 59 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the November 2007 (No. 467) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.
In 1908, the year after Fujinosuke Tanabe became the second head minister of Konohana Shikyokai, the criteria of organizing churches was renewed in accordance with Tenrikyo’s attainment of sectarian independence. As a result, Yuasa, a subsidiary church of Konohana, now met the criteria to be promoted to a shikyokai.1 Konohana, which had been a shikyokai itself until then, now found itself being required to become a “bunkyokai“2 that befitted its position of being the supervising church of Yuasa by increasing its membership and going from leasing its building and property to owning it outright. Since Konohana had just recently relocated and there were a number of Konohana church officials (yaku-in) who were not happy with the fact that Fujinosuke, their new head minister, came from Yuasa (in Wakayama), the prospect of a relocation and construction appeared impossible. However, despite the fact that he was disowned by his family, Fujinosuke worked to persuade his mother to sell the home in Yuasa where she was born and raised and borrowed money from his in-laws (his younger sister’s family).
The following is a translation of Part 58 of the series “Senjin no sokuseki” (Footsteps of Our Predecessors) from the October 2007 (No. 466) issue of Taimo, pp. 34–35. This translation is a provisional one at the moment and may require further revision.
Sakujiro and Tsushi Ueno left for Hawaii in 1929. They decided to dedicate themselves to the overseas mission when they were nearing their 50s. While a normal couple may have had trepidation about the future, Rev. and Mrs. Ueno had faith in the words of the Rev. Yoshizo Katayama, the head minister of Honjima Daikyokai, who told them that, “God the Parent will prepare everything for you beforehand,” and they left for Hawaii with only enough money to cover immediate accommodations on their arrival.
As soon as they arrived, they met a young Chinese sweets confectioner who sought relief from his debilitating asthma. Rev. and Mrs. Ueno immediately left to administer the Sazuke on this young man. Although they could not communicate with him because of a language barrier, with their diligent administering of the Sazuke, the young man could see how they were fervently praying for him and he clasped his hands in prayer together with them.