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In 1899, a former captain in the French army, who had been condemned for spying, was pardoned by a new French president after serving five years in prison. The infamous Dreyfus Affair shows how pride, prejudice and self-interest can combine to pervert justice and twist morality. In 1894, documents being transmitted to German military authorities were discovered, indicating that there was a spy in the French army. While the true culprit was shielded by his superior, Alfred Dreyfus, a wealthy Jew, who was disliked by his colleagues, became a scapegoat to satisfy the general public on flimsy and forged evidence. Later, when new evidence was found, the true culprit was tried and found innocent. People opposed to the government continued to insist on a retrial of Dreyfus, but at that second trial, he was again found guilty. Twelve years after his original trial, he was finally declared innocent, decorated by the government and elevated to the rank of major. In this unfortunate affair, nationalists and churchmen put a higher value on misguided patriotism and piety than on truth and morality. The Bible teaches that justice has priority over personal, group or national advantage. -------The first book of the Bible is called Genesis in English. It begins with the story of the creation, or genesis, of the world. Most of the book, however, consists of stories of the patriarchs of the Jewish people. The central figure of the last quarter of the book is Joseph. When Joseph was a young man, he was sold as a slave by his jealous brothers but later he became the prime minister of Egypt. Following the death of their father, Jacob, Joseph's brothers were afraid that he would retaliate for the evil deed they committed against him many years before, but according to chapter 50, verse 20, Joseph refused to put himself in the place of God and judge them. He said, "You plotted evil against me, but God turned it into good". The Bible includes many examples of how the evil plans of people were turned into something good by the providential plan of God. Today also, events which we consider unfortunate (experiences of sadness, suffering or disappointment, for example), may also be used to bring about some good purpose. The Christian believes that all of the experiences of life are meaningful and that all of human history is under the control of a loving God who works out his good purpose in all things. -------A person who goes behind enemy lines to obtain information for his own nation is called a spy. Spying may not be a noble profession, but most countries consider it a necessary evil. Nathan Hale, who became a famous spy in American history, was a young school teacher when the American Revolutionary War began. He joined the rebels, however, and volunteered to go on an intelligence mission for General George Washington. After gathering information on British troops, he was captured while returning to the American side. Sentenced to death by the British commander, he was hanged the next day, on September 22, 1776. He concluded his speech at the gallows with the statement, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." In American history, Nathan Hale is considered a fine example of a loyal patriot. -------Mark Twain said he believed the reason "our Heavenly Father invented man was because he was disappointed in the monkey." People who visit zoos spend much time in front of the monkey cages, enjoying their capers. In colloquial English, "monkey business" can have the light meaning of comical actions or a more serious meaning of unethical or objectionable activity which is not a laughing matter. In this sense, when there is monkey business going on in politics, business or family life, it needs to be criticized and caused to stop. There is also a hand tool called a monkey wrench. This is a wrench with adjustable jaws to turn different sized nuts. Figuratively speaking, "monkey wrench" denotes something disruptive, so to "throw a monkey wrench" into something means to cause an activity that is going along smoothly to stop. It is commendable to throw a monkey wrench into the monkey business carried on by shady characters. This is what the prophet Amos tried to do when he spoke out against the social injustice and religious hypocrisy of his day. We need people like Amos in our day also who are willing to stand up and speak out against smooth operations of businessmen or politicians that are unfair. -------Ninety-six years ago, the Sequoia National Park was created in the U. S. state of California. Do you know what a "sequoia" is? It is a tree, an evergreen tree, the tallest kind of tree in the world. In the Sequoia National Park there are large groves with thousands of sequoias, including a giant tree over 83 meters tall and 11 meters in diameter at its widest point. This tree is estimated to be more than 3000 years old. The name "sequoia" was given to this giant redwood tree in honor of a great American Indian leader with that name. The son of a white trader and an Indian woman, he reduced the spoken language of the Cherokee Indians to writing, using 85 characters he devised. In 1822, he began teaching the Indians how to write their own language, which helped unite their tribe and make them leaders among American Indians. Sequoyah died in 1843, but four years later, a botanist gave the name of this great man to this magnificent tree. Visiting the Sequoia National Park, one is forced to consider the mystery and greatness of nature and is reminded of the closing line of a poem by Joyce Kilmer: "Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree." -------In the Massachusetts town where he was born, a monument with a pictorial representation marks his birthplace. In the Ohio town, where he lived for 25 years, an eight-foot stone shaft in his memory stands at a city intersection. A city park in Indiana has a boulder memorial in his honor and the place where he is buried is now known as Johnny Appleseed Park. From the time he was a young boy, John Chapman was a lover of nature. He became a disciple of the Swedish mystic, Emanuel Swedenborg, and had a vision of heaven filled with apple trees in bloom. From that time on, he made it his mission to plant nurseries, tend orchards and distribute apple seeds and saplings to all who would grow them. He tramped over 100,000 square miles in his apple planting and raising efforts, becoming a genuine American folk character during his own lifetime. Widely known as Johnny Appleseed, as he planted seeds in uninhabited areas, he would say, "Maybe sometime someone will come along here and be hungry. Then they will have apples to eat and apples are God's food." Whether considered a religious fanatic or a dedicated horticulturist, many apple orchards in America today are the result of his eccentric obsession. -------Four hundred seventy-nine years ago, on September 20, 1519, a fleet of five ships with some 270 men aboard left a Spanish port on a truly adventurous voyage. Until that time, no one had ever sailed around the world. Twenty-seven years earlier, Columbus had sailed west from Spain expecting to reach India, but the American continent interfered with his plans. Another Portuguese navigator, Ferdinand Magellan, believed there must be a way around that continent and was determined to find it. A year after leaving Spain, Magellan discovered the waterway at the southern tip of South America which now bears his name. Passing through this Strait of Magellan, his little fleet entered the earth's largest body of water, which he named the "Pacific Ocean" because it appeared so peaceful. A year and a half after leaving Spain, the exhausted sailors reached the Mariana Islands. Magellan himself was killed in a battle between native tribes in the Philippines, but one of his ships did return to Spain, with only 18 men aboard almost three years after embarking, thus completing the first round-the-world trip. A worthy aim is achieved only through faith, commitment and sacrifice. -------In American history, there are two important men named Oliver Wendell Holmes. It may be needless to add that they were father and son and they are distinguished by the addition of the words "Senior" or Junior" after their names. The son, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., became a famous justice on the Supreme Court, on which he served for thirty years. His father was a physician and medical school professor. However, he is better known as an author, poet and lecturer. The son of a minister, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. was born on August 29, 1809, 189 years ago today. He is responsible for one of the historical attractions of the city of Boston--an old American frigate now on display in the Naval Shipyard. This vessel, named Constitution, had won a decisive victory in the War of 1812 against a British ship. Sixteen years later, it was considered unseaworthy and was about to be dismantled. It has been preserved due to a poem he wrote, entitled "Old Ironsides", which stirred the nation to protest plans to scrap the famous ship. Dr. Holmes once said, "The great thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving." -------It was the custom of our church in the city of Takahama to go on a church retreat during the summer. Often, we went during the obon season. Some years ago, we went to Mikawa Miya where we spent a couple of enjoyable days together--talking, listening, thinking, singing, praying, eating, and so on. The theme of the retreat was "Church Life" and the aim was to develop a healthier, more mature church. Such retreats are good, but the problem is how to put fine theories into actual practice. My sermon text for the Sunday following our return was taken from the 4th chapter of Ephesians, where it is noted that we need to put into practice what we learned of Christ. We need to change old ways of thinking and acting and be renewed. Our "hearts and minds must be made completely new" and we must put on a "new self, which is created in God's likeness". At the heart of the Christian message is the call to reflect on one's imperfect past, to be changed through faith in God and to begin a new life, following his will. As the hot, summer season approaches its end, it is a good time to reflect upon our lives and to renew our spirits. September is a good month in which to make a fresh beginning. -------Do you know the difference between "hurdle" and "hurtle"? "Hurdle", spelled h-u-r-d-l-e, denotes a framelike barrier in an obstacle race. Runners must jump over these barriers as they run. Used as a verb, "hurdle" means to jump over a barrier, so a runner may be said to hurdle the hurdles. "Hurdle" may also mean an obstacle or a problem in life that must be overcome. "Hurtle", on the other hand, is spelled h-u-r-t-l-e and means to move at great speed or to throw very forcibly. "Hurtle" often implies noise as well as speed. An avalanche may come hurtling down the side of a mountain. Christians seek to surmount the hurdles of life and to withstand problems which sometimes seem to hurtle at them by trusting in the help that God gives to those who trust in him. -------In the traditional Japanese almanac, today is called nihyaku toka, meaning 210th day. It is the 210th day after the traditional beginning of spring, a day on which farmers were especially fearful of typhoons that would destroy their rice crops as harvest time was approaching. This first day of September is also known as bosai no hi in Japan. Bosai no hi means "prevention of natural disaster day". It is called by that name because it was on this day 75 years ago that a great natural disaster occurred in the Kanto area. About 100,000 lives were lost as a result of a strong earthquake and the fire that followed. In English, natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes and typhoons are sometimes called "acts of God" in legal documents, indicating that such disasters could not be reasonably foreseen or prevented by human beings so no one can be held responsible for the damage they cause. It is too bad that only calamaties are so designated, because the Bible teaches that the more important acts of God are acts of mercy that bring joy to people. In fact, the Bible itself may be called "Book of the Acts of God", of which the greatest act was providing a way of salvation for sinful people like us. -------
In Japanese newspapers, we frequently read the expression, semaki mon, or "narrow gate" during the college entrance examination season. This expression comes from a saying of Jesus, found in his Sermon on the Mount and is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7, verses 13-14. Jesus taught that there is a wide gate and a narrow gate along life's road. The wide gate opens onto the easy way followed by most people, the way that leads to perdition. The narrow gate is at the beginning of a hard road, but it leads to a meaningful and lasting life. To attain any worthwhile goal requires determination, concentration and discipline. This is true in regard to developing some special ability, learning a foreign language, or achieving a truly happy life. John Oxenham has written the following poem: When printed as a capital, the 17th letter of the English alphabet looks like an O with a tail. It is pronounced kyu. An English word with that pronunciation, spelled q-u-e-u-e, is derived from a French word meaning "tail" or "line". It may refer to a braid of hair hanging down the back of the neck, also called a pigtail, or to a line of people queued up before a ticket window. Another word, spelled c-u-e, with the same pronunciation and derived from the same French word, signifies the long rod used in playing billiards. A third word, pronounced and spelled the same, denotes a signal given during a theatrical performance. In words with Latin-language roots, "q" is always followed by "u", but words derived from Arabic do not follow this rule. In fact, the name of a small, Arabic country on a peninsula in the Persian Gulf is spelled Q-a-t-a-r. Today is the national day of Qatar which gained independence from Britain 27 years ago today. The English expression, "Mind your p's and q's", means to be very careful of your words and actions, to be on your best behavior. It originated with writing teachers who told their pupils to be especially careful when writing these two letters which are very similar. -------In Japanese, there are many words with completely different meanings that are pronounced exactly the same. However, the characters used to write them are different. In English, some completely different words are not only pronounced the same but are written the same as well. Such words are called homonyms, spelled h-o-m-o-n-y-m. For example, the word "corporal", spelled c-o-r-p-o-r-a-l signifies the lowest rank of a non-commissioned officer in the army. Another word, spelled and pronounced the same, means "of the body" so the expression, "corporal punishment", denotes physical punishment, such as slapping, spanking, whipping, and so on. The Japanese translation of this term is taibatsu. The problem of corporal punishment in Japanese schools has been a controversial subject. What do you think about this form of discipline--whether at school or at home? Is it a legitimate way to correct or punish children? Or is it cruel and unacceptable? If permitted, what limitations should be observed? According to Proverbs 13:24, firm discipline of children is a sign of love. Do you agree? -------In the community of Nakayama in the town of Hino in the county of Gamo in Shiga Prefecture, an interesting "potato contest" called the Imo-kurabe Matsuri is held. That community is divided into eastern and western districts which compete in growing the finest sato-imo. The largest and best imo are then offered to the kami. The Japanese word, imo, can be translated by a variety of English words depending upon the particular kind of edible root indicated. The sato, or village, imo, is translated "taro", but the yama, or mountain, imo is translated "yam". The Satsuma-imo which was introduced into Japan through southern Kyushu, is called a "sweet potato", while the white, or Irish, potato, mainly grown in the northern part of the country, is termed a "horse-bell" potato, or bareisho. This common potato is also called a jagaimo, a shortened form of jagatara-imo, because it was introduced into Japan from Jakarta. The potato, yam or taro is a staple crop in many countries of the world that takes the place of rice in Japan. In Jesus' day, the term "bread" included food or physical needs in general. When he said that "Man does not live on bread alone" (Luke 4:4), he meant that man's soul must also be nourished. -------Today is Sunday, the day Christians gather together in churches to worship. In many churches, it is a common practice for worshippers to repeat together the "Lord's Prayer". This is a prayer Jesus taught his disciples found in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 6. In this prayer, we pray that God will forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. In Matthew, chapter 18, in answer to Peter's question about how often he had to forgive another person, Jesus told a parable about a servant who was forgiven a huge debt by a king but who refused to forgive a very small debt of one of his fellow servants. When the king heard of the harsh attitude of the servant he had forgiven, he became angry, withdrew his earlier forgiveness and punished that unmerciful servant. By means of this story, Jesus taught that we should forgive others their minor sins against us in the same way as God has forgiven our major sins against him. In fact, the person who has truly experienced the love and forgiveness of God will show that same attitude toward others, not because of a command to do so but as a natural response to the great love of God. -------Flowers that bloom in May may be called mayflowers. In 16th century England, the hawthorn blossom, in particular, was called a mayflower. It was from that flower that a 180-ton, 27-meter long cargo ship got its name. Three hundred seventy-eight years ago, in September of 1620, the Mayflower left the port of Plymouth, England for the New World across the Atlantic Ocean. There were 102 passengers on board, including 30 crewmen and 24 children. About one-third of the passengers were members of a religious sect known as Puritans because they sought to purify the Church of England. Having suffered persecution in their homeland, they were seeking a new land of religious freedom where they could worship according to their own consciences. During the rough, two-month voyage, a birth and a death occurred on the ship. Though planning to go to the Colony of Virginia, they landed further north and settled in an area that came to be called New England. In American history, this group of settlers are called Pilgrims and their strong convictions have had a lasting influence on American life and thought. Maxim Gorky has written, "All of us are pilgrims on this earth." Toward what goal is our pilgrimage moving? -------In the U.S., many women wear high-heeled shoes, but the definition of a high heel seems to differ with the area. According to a poll of over 1,000 women nationwide, in the more fashionable east, a heel higher than 76 mm. is considered a high heel, but westerners termed a heel "high" if it was more than 51 mm., and many midwesterners considered even a 25 mm. heel a high heel. Why do women wear such uncomfortable shoes? Of the women polled, 59 percent indicated that they wear them because it makes them feel beautiful; 41 percent said that wearing heels makes them more attractive to men and 18 percent said they wore them because other women do. More than half of the women thought that wearing heels makes their legs look slimmer and 41 percent replied that they wear them to look taller. Seventy-three percent of those who wear heels daily considered themselves physically attractive; only 54 percent of those who do not wear heels daily rated themselves so. Throughout the years, women have tried to make themselves attractive, but the Bible teaches, in I Peter, chapter 3, that a woman's true beauty is an inward quality, not something that can be added externally. -------Do you know what an "iron horse" is? No, it isn't a statue of a horse made of iron. Rather, it is an old term referring to an "SL". I presume you know what an "SL" is. It's an abbreviation of "steam locomotive", but I don't recall hearing or seeing this term outside of Japan. In 18th century England, wagons with grooved wheels were pulled by horses over rails which were called railroads. One hundred seventy-three years ago, on September 27, 1825, a train was pulled by a steam engine over a railroad between two English towns, marking the beginning of the Age of the Railroad. This particular kind of steam engine was called a locomotive. Since it was made of iron and took the place of a horse, it was also called an "iron horse". The political, military and ideological barrier in Europe that divided the communist east from the democratic west during the Cold War was called an "iron curtain". In the Bible, reference is made to an "iron rod", with which a king sternly rules over his land and, in Jeremiah 1:18, God told the prophet he would make him like an "iron pillar" so that he could withstand the attacks, of his opponents. We also need iron in our backbones today to help us stand true to our convictions. -------A duck is a water bird with a broad, flat bill, short legs and webbed feet. Some colloquial English expressions have come from the sport of duck hunting. A "sitting duck" means an easy or defenseless target for attack. An alien may be a sitting duck for extortioners. A "dead duck" is a person in a hopeless situation. A boy who runs to a corner to escape his pursuers is a dead duck. "Duck soup" is a slang expression denoting a task easily accomplished or not requiring much effort. President Clinton may be called a "lame duck", a term used for an official completing his term in office who is ineligible for reelection. Although we may not be lame ducks and may have no physical disability, we all have moral weaknesses which need to be healed by the Spirit of God. -------In North America, apples are the most popular fruit. The beverage made from the juice of apples is called cider and the alcoholic drink made from fermented cider is called applejack. Apple butter is a kind of jam made from stewed apples with sugar and spices added. Every year in October, an Apple Butter Festival is held in the small U. S. town of Burton, Ohio. Townspeople don clothes like those worn by the pioneers who settled there in the early 1800s. Women wear shawls and poke bonnets while men wear overalls and broad-brimmed hats, but the main event of the festival is making apple butter. People begin peeling apples and making cider days before the festival begins. On the festival day, huge caldrons filled with apples and cider are placed on tripods over blazing fires. From early morning to late afternoon volunteers take turns stirring the mixture with long wooden ladles. The resulting apple butter as well as fresh apples, cider and other apple products are sold to the festival-goers. In ancient times, the pupil was called the apple of one's eye, and this expression now signifies some cherished object or person. In Deuteronomy 32:10, God's people are called "the apple of his eye" but all people are precious in the sight of God. -------Today is a legal holiday in the American state of Maryland. Called Defenders' Day, it commemorates a battle between British and American forces near Baltimore, Maryland's largest city, on this day in 1814. This battle was a kind of turning point in the War of 1812, an unfortunate, unnecessary war which could and should have been avoided. Although supported by southern and western states, northeastern states generally opposed it. Even while the U. S. Congress was declaring war, Great Britain was acting to remove the basic problems that caused the war, during which American forces did not perform very illustriously. In August 1814, British forces set fire to the White House and other public buildings in the capital and were threatening to burn the city of Baltimore. On September 12th, a two-hour battle took place near Baltimore, during which American soldiers fought gallantly. The next day, the British began their bombardment of Fort McHenry, which continued for 25 hours. The morning following the bombardment, a young American lawyer, Francis Scott Key, saw that the American flag still waved over the fort and was inspired to write a poem about the "star-spangled banner" that later became the national anthem. -------There are a number of words beginning with the letters c-e-n-t, from the Latin word for "hundred". One meaning of the word "century" is a period of one hundred years. Another meaning is a unit of the Roman army, originally consisting of one hundred men, and the officer commanding a century in the Roman army was called a "centurion". In the 7th chapter of the Gospel according to Luke is the story of an exceptional Roman centurion who was highly respected by Jewish elders. He sent some elders to Jesus to ask him to come and heal his servant who was about to die. As Jesus approached his house, the centurion sent friends to Jesus to tell him that he was not worthy for Jesus to come to his house and asked Jesus simply to say the word and his servant would be healed. He believed that Jesus had the same kind of authority over evil spirits as he himself had over the soldiers under his command. Jesus was amazed at the faith of this Gentile officer that surpassed the faith of his Jewish followers. Jesus healed the servant as the centurion requested. And as he did so, he made clear that it is the inner faith of a person which is important, not such external relationships as the racial or religious group to which one belongs. -------The adjective "posh", spelled p-o-s-h, denotes something luxurious, stylish or sophisticated. The origin of this word is uncertain, but there is an interesting story to explain how it may have originated. In the days when the British Empire extended around the world, British steamships made regular visits to India and other colonies. Those passengers who were particularly important were provided cabins on the shady side of the ship, away from the sun's rays. This means that their cabins were on the left, or "port", side of the ship on the way to India and on the right, or "starboard", side on the way back home. To indicate this change in accomdations, their tickets were stamped with the initials P.O.S.H., meaning "Port Out, Starboard Home". -------Today, September 15th, is a national holiday in Japan. It is now called 'Keirou no Hi', "Respect for the Aged Day", but from 1951 to 1964, it was called 'Toshiyori no Hi', "Old Folks Day". Then it became 'Roujin no Hi', which has the same meaning. Since 1966, it has been called by the name used today. I'm not sure of the difference between 'toshiyori' and 'roujin', but I presume the latter term is a bit softer or more polite. In modern American English also, it is now customary to speak of older people as "senior citizens". Showing respect toward the aged or elderly is a traditional virtue in many different cultures. In both the Confucian and Judaic ethical systems, respect for one's elders is a basic principle. And in the New Testament letter to a young pastor, named Timothy, this advice is given: "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father" (II Timothy 5:1). The increasing number of senior citizens in Japan is a matter of concern for future generations. During our recent trip to the United States, my wife and I visited retirement communities in California and Florida and were favorably impressed with the facilities and management at both places. One of them may become the place where we will retire. -------The English word "obese", spelled o-b-e-s-e, is rooted in a Latin word meaning "grown fat from eating". The American Heart Association has recently added obesity to its list of major risk factors for heart disease. Until now, obesity was considered a "contributing factor" but now it is listed as a major cause of heart trouble, along with smoking, high blood cholesterol and lack of exercise. It is reported that about 53 percent of Americans are overweight and some 22 percent of U. S. adults aged 20 to 74 are "obese", which is heavier than "overweight". The A. H. A. report stated that obesity "has become a lifelong disease, not a cosmetic issue nor a moral judgment" and "it is becoming a dangerous epidemic". This past summer, my wife and I took a trip to the United States and were again impressed with the great number of obese people. During that two-month trip, which included short stays in four different states, we frequently ate in restaurants. From our observation, not only the kind of food served in fast food restaurants but the amount of food served at regular restaurants contribute to this "epidemic". We hope that Japanese people are wise enough not to follow the example of the U. S. in this regard. -------Those of you who regularly listen to or read these "Daily Word" messages know that the Sunday messages are of a religious character and are related to a passage from the Bible. Monday messages are a bit shorter, spoken a little slower and are related to the meaning of a particular word or phrase. Saturday messages are related to my own personal experiences--both in Japan and elsewhere. The number of callers who listen to the messages on the telephone is always lower on Saturdays and Sundays than on weekdays, but beginning on Saturday of this week, I will begin a new series of messages related to experiences, observations and impressions gained during the trip my wife and I recently took to our so-called homeland, the United States. For the benefit of those who want to read the messages I send out copies of messages for the following week to those who request them by sending me a self-addressed, stamped envelope plus a 30-yen stamp for each week of messages desired. Japanese translations of the previous week's messages are available to those who request them for an extra 30-yen per copy. This is: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office, Nagoya 463-8691. -------According to a recent report, one-fourth of the 480,000 weddings in Japan in 1996 were conducted as Christian ceremonies. This is surprising in a country where only about one percent of the population is formally Christian. There are various ways to explain this strange phenomenon, including the Japanese attitude toward religion and the continuing attraction of Western customs. From my experience in this land, I would say that few Japanese have firm religious convictions that influence their daily lives and, for many, religious rituals are simply traditional forms that are not taken seriously. Consequently, they do not find it contradictory to perform rituals related to Shintoism, Buddhism and Christianity, depending on the occasion. Furthermore, Western influence continues to have an exotic, modern appeal. A Japanese magazine recently reported that Western clergymen are especially desired to officiate at such weddings and are paid 20,000 to 30,000 yen per service compared to about 10,000 yen for a Japanese officiant. Because of a shortage of Western clergymen who are willing to conduct such ceremonies in hotel chapels or wedding parlors, foreign laymen are also invited to perform them. -------Beginning today, my Saturday messages will be related to personal experiences, observations and impressions gained during a visit to the United States this past summer. When my wife and I first came to Japan 47 years ago, it was our custom to return to the States for a full year's furlough after five or six years in Japan. In this way, our three children were able to spend a full year in an American school. We had three such furloughs. Subsequently, we have returned to the States for about six weeks every three years. This year, we purchased a special reduced-fare ticket that was good for sixty days and allowed stopovers at four different cities. Our stopovers were at Los Angeles, California, Jacksonville, Florida, Chicago, Illinois and San Francisco, California. The first two stopovers were chosen to permit us to visit a couple of retirement communities in areas near those two cities. The last two were areas where relatives live and where our home church is located. Thus, the purpose of this trip was to visit relatives, to reestablish personal contact with our home church, and to make a more definite plans related to our retirement. -------The work a person engages in to earn a livelihood may be called an "occupation", a "profession" or a "vocation". Each of these words has a particular nuance. "Vocation", from a Latin word for "calling", is used especially for those who feel "called" to serve God or people in religious or humanitarian work. The Old Testament prophets were called by God to communicate God's message to people. In the first chapter of Jeremiah, Jeremiah tried to refuse God's call because he felt inadequate, but God promised to be with him and to give him the words to speak. Today also, men and women are called by God to serve God and people. Many of us feel inadequate or unworthy to be ministers, missionaries or witnesses in the confusing situation in the world today. But the promise made to Jeremiah Is still relevant. If our calling indeed comes from God, God will be with us and give us the words to speak at the proper time. Our vocation, however, is not limited to verbal communication. In the New Testament Letter to the Ephesians, chapter 4, verse 1, readers are urged to "live a life worthy of the calling" they have received. By word and by life, the Christian is called to manifest the character of God as revealed in Jesus Christ. -------"Sayonara" is a word that is recognized by many people who do not speak Japanese. It is a shortened form of "sayonaraba", literally meaning "if it is like that". The common English equivalent is "good-by", which is an alteration of "God be with you". Another word which may be used when parting, which is a bit more formal, is "farewell", which expresses the hope that one will fare, or get along, well. Among Englishmen in particular, " cheerio" is also used. Derived from "cheer", it has a bright, joyful connotation and may be used when meeting as well as when parting. In the Bible, the Hebrew word for "peace", 'shalom', was used. This word, or a variation of it, is used by both Jews and Arabs today, but unfortunately, it is only a greeting and not a reality in the Mideast. -------Lima is the capital city of the South American country of Peru. It has a population of about seven million and in recent years, the number of cars on its streets and highways has greatly increased. This has caused many traffic problems; many drivers ignore traffic rules, not stopping at stop signs and red lights, making illegal turns and so on. Policemen in Lima are poorly paid, notoriously corrupt and regularly take bribes from drivers they stop for traffic violations. More than 1,000 policemen were discharged because of corruption in 1995. But times are changing and so is the Lima police force. In Peru, women are recognized as being more honest than men with a higher morality. Some 25 percent of Lima's traffic police are now women and by next summer all 2,500 traffic officers will be women. Public reaction to the women officers has been positive. According to one taxi driver, "The old police were only interested in collecting money to buy lunch. The women seem more concerned with doing the job". A recent study indicated that two-thirds of the 1,150 people polled in Peru's three largest cities viewed women as more honest and less authoritarian than men. Do you think the same is true in Japan or in your country? -------This 23rd day of September is a holiday in Japan. "Shubun no Hi", literally means "Day of the Autumn Portion". In America, it is called the Autumnal Equinox and is considered the beginning of autumn. "Equinox" comes from a Latin word meaning "equal night", for on this day, day and night are equal. In a number of western states, festivals called "Frontier Days" are held to remind people of the sports and customs of the early days of those states. The first such celebration was held in Cheyenne, Wyoming on September 23, 1897, 101 years ago today. Included in these celebrations are rodeos, when cowboys ride bucking horses and lasso running calves. Originally, "frontier", spelled f-r-o-n-t-i-e-r, denoted a border between two countries, but in American English it came to mean the region beyond a settled area. As the European invaders of the North American continent pushed westward in their pursuit of new lands and riches, the frontier continued to move until it reached the coast of the Pacific Ocean. In those western states, which are all larger in area than those in the east, the Frontier Days celebrations remind present-day citizens of the pioneers who opened up the "Wild West", that land lying west of the Mississippi River. -------As we approach the end of the 20th century and glance back at changes that have taken place over the past hundred years, inventions related to transportation and communication are especially remarkable. Airplanes, radio and television which made their appearance in this century, have greatly changed modern life, but probably the most remarkable change in the latter years of this century are related to computers. Since they are now being used in school classrooms and homes as well as in offices, grandchildren are often teaching their grandparents how to use them. Not only are they used for playing games, they are valuable educational tools as well. And those families with computers that have access to the Internet and e-mail are experiencing special delight along with new problems and frustrations. A recent study conducted by a psychology professor at an American university unexpectedly revealed that "the more time people spend on the Internet, the more depressed, stressed and lonely they feel". This was the case even for those who used it for such social activities as chat rooms or exchanging e-mail because "people are substituting weaker social ties for stronger ones". Machines cannot take the place of living people. -------Questions are being raised in the United Kingdom these days about the future of the English monarchy, especially since the divorce of the Crown Prince and the death of Princess Diana. In the event of the death or abdication of the present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, should Prince Charles become king, or his son, William, or should the monarchy be abolished or fundamentally changed? For over 770 years, the relationship of English monarchs and citizens of the British Isles has been guided by a document called the Magna Carta. Originally a list of demands submitted by rebellious barons to an unpopular king in 1215, this "Great Charter" reduced the power of the monarchy and established a just system of law and order that protected the rights of common people. Interpretations of the vaguely-worded charter have developed over the years, but one matter being discussed in Britain today is the relationship of the church and the monarchy. At present the monarch is the head of the Church of England, the state church. The proper relationship of church and state, of government and religion, is being discussed in many countries today, whether the dominant religion is Protestantism, Catholicism, Islam, Orthodox Judaism or Shintoism. -------Last summer, my wife and I made a trip to the United States. A number of airlines fly from Japan to the U. S. mainland, but when planning a trip, a number of factors must be taken into consideration, including price, route and special stipulations. Since we wanted a direct flight to Los Angeles and stopovers at four particular cities on a reduced fare ticket, we chose a flight that departed from Kansai International Airport. On the morning of our flight, our daughter-in-law came to our house by car, along with our grandchildren. She drove us to Nagoya Station, where we ate lunch together in an interesting restaurant underneath the station. After lunch, we boarded a bullet train for Shin-Osaka and then took another train to the airport. There, I changed some yen into dollars at an undesirable exchange rate. After carrying our two large and one small suitcases up and down stairs, along platforms, into and out of trains, we were happy to entrust them to the airline agent at the ticket counter. Of course, we each had another bag that we carried with us on the plane and placed under the seat in front of us. In them was some reading material, which is often preferable to the movie shown during the 10-hour flight. -------A famous saying of the French scientist, mathematician and philosopher, Blaise Pascal, is the following: "Man is only a reed, the weakest thing in nature; but he is a thinking reed." It is because human beings think that they become anxious and worry about the future. In the confusing political and economic situation in many areas of the world today, it is natural to be concerned about the future and to worry about one's self, one's family, company, country or the whole world. Therefore, Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount, found in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 6, verses 25 and following, may seem strange and unnatural. There he told his disciples not to worry about such material things as food or clothes. He taught that people with genuine faith in God, our heavenly Father, will not worry about such things for their minds are focused on more important matters. Many of Jesus' teachings may seem unrealistic at first, but they should cause us to think deeply about our priorities, what is really important in life. Birds, flowers and reeds do not think and thus do not worry. Nor do those who "seek first [God's] kingdom and his righteousness". Considering what is really important, let us put first things first. -------An artist who sits down to paint a picture makes use of two important pieces of equipment. One is a "palette", spelled p-a-l-e-t-t-e, and the other is an "easel", spelled e-a-s-e-l. A palette is a thin, oval board with a hole for the thumb on which the artist arranges and mixes his paints. This word is rooted in a Latin word meaning "shovel" and was used for the implement with a broad, flat blade used in the kitchen to spread or blend foods which is now called a "spatula", or 'hera' in Japanese. An easel is the upright frame or tripod which holds the canvas on which the artist paints. This word comes from the Dutch word for "ass", an animal that carries burdens. The "burden" carried by an easel is very light. In Matthew 11:30, Jesus said that his burden also was "light". -------The name of Munich, Germany's third largest city, has been associated with appeasement because of a pact that was signed there 60 years ago today, on September 29, 1938, whereby representatives of Great Britain, France and Italy agreed to Hitler's demand that an area of Czechoslovakia be surrendered to Germany. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, upon his return to London, announced that he had achieved "peace in our time", but the Munich Agreement actually was a stimulus to the Second World War that actually began about one year later. The general who commanded the Allied forces in Europe during that war, who later became president of the United States, Dwight Eisenhower, had this to say about that agreement. "The pact of Munich was a more fell blow to humanity than the atom bomb at Hiroshima. Suffocation of human freedom among a once free people, however quietly and peacefully accomplished, is more far-reaching in its implications and its effects on their future than the destruction of their homes, industrial centers and transportation facilities. Out of rubble heaps, willing hands can rebuild a better city; but out of freedom lost can stem only generations of hate and bitter struggle and brutal oppression." -------Since the end of the war, many English words have been introduced into the Japanese language. Many such words have a meaning in Japanese that is different than the original meaning in English. For example, 'waishatsu' denotes a dress shirt of any color, and 'manshon' means an apartment house. On a much smaller scale, Japanese words have also entered the English language. "Sumo", "sake", "kamikaze" and "banzai" are now found in English language dictionaries. Other newer words from Japanese are also being used. Often, the pronunciation changes slightly in the second language. Thus, Honda is pronounced 'handa' in the U. S. Similarly, the Japanese word, 'hancho', has been changed to "honcho" and is defined as "one who is in charge; manager or leader". Can you guess the meaning of the English word "skosh", spelled s-k-o-s-h? It is derived from the Japanese word, 'sukoshi', and, in English, means "a small amount, bit, smidgen". And now, in a publication that updates general dictionaries, we find the word "sokaiya", which is defined as "a member of blackmailers in Japan who extort money from top executives of large firms so that the executives can avoid a long and harassing grilling at shareholders' meetings". -------Although 41 men have served as president of the United States of America, the present president is listed as number 42 because one man, Grover Cleveland, served two non-consecutive terms and is thus listed as the 22nd and 24th president. Today, October 1st, is the 74th birthday of the 39th president, Jimmy Carter. In some ways, President Clinton resembles President Carter. Both of them are Democrats, were governors of a southern state before becoming president, share a basically liberal outlook and belong to the same Southern Baptist denomination. But in many respects they are very different. Jimmy Carter, a peanut farmer, graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy, became an officer in the Navy and continues to be highly respected for his honesty and exemplary moral character as he promotes humanitarian projects even now. Bill Clinton graduated from Yale Law School and avoided military service. His legal training has become evident in his attempts to defend himself against accusations of dishonesty and immorality. His reputation is quite different than that of former President Carter. Each of us have our individual weaknesses and strengths. We should aim to eliminate the former and enhance the latter. -------A number of areas in the United States are called "Great". The Rocky Mountains in the western part of the country are sometimes called the Great Divide. Rain falling on the west side of these mountains flows into the Pacific Ocean and that falling on the east side finally reaches the Atlantic Ocean. West of the Great Divide is a plateau called the Great Basin and east of the Rockies is a comparatively flat area called the Great Plains. The chain of lakes which form part of the boundary between the United States and Canada are called the Great Lakes. How many of the five can you name? The largest one, on the west end is Lake Superior. It was given that name because of its great size. Having an area of 82,414 square kilometers, it is the largest fresh water lake in the world. The next largest, Huron, is the name given to a tribe of Native Americans by French explorers from a French word meaning bristly, savage or unkempt. Names of the other lakes are derived from Native American words. Michigan, the only one that lies entirely within the United States, comes from Chippewa words meaning "great lake." And both Erie and Ontario come from Iroquois words meaning "long tail" and "fine lake" respectively. -------Our plane trip from Osaka to Los Angeles the last part of June was uneventful. We had made the trip over the Pacific Ocean a number of times previously, but on two occasions, we returned to the United States with our three children through Asia and Europe, entering the country on the east coast. After going through the entry procedures and claiming our luggage, the first thing I did was to look for a public telephone in a quiet area from which to call in the "Daily Word" message for that day. Although the time was Tuesday afternoon in Los Angeles, it was early Wednesday morning in Japan, about six hours later than I usually record the messages. After finding a telephone, I had trouble making use of the international calling card which had been provided me by NTT, the Japanese telephone company that carries these messages. It was the first time I made use of that card and after calling the access number and entering my secret coded number, I was unable to get connected with the number to record the message. The reason was that I had omitted the zero in the Japanese area code which is customary when calling Japan from overseas, but the special card I was using required that the zero be included, just as if I was calling in Japan. -------How would you define a "saint"? Rooted in a Latin word meaning "holy", the simplest definition is "a holy person". (The Japanese term, 'seijin', is pronounced the same as the word meaning "adult".) In English, it often denotes a person who has been officially designated a "saint" by the Roman Catholic Church. Various conditions must be met before that title is granted to a person who has died, but in the New Testament, the term is used for all genuine Christians while they are still alive. The Letter to the Philippians, for example, is addressed to "all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi". (The Japanese word for this kind of saint, 'seito', is pronounced the same as the word meaning " student".) In other words, all of "God's people", as one English version translates it, are considered "holy". And the basic meaning of "holy" in both Hebrew and Greek is "separated or set apart for a divine purpose". The prayer Paul offers for the Philippians in the beginning of that letter is that their love may increase along with their knowledge and discernment. Today also, Christians should recognize that they have been set apart to serve God and that their lives should be characterized by love, accompanied by spiritual discernment. -------The word "edge", spelled e-d-g-e, has different meanings. It may mean the thin, sharpened side of a knife or other cutting instrument or the border of something. A person who is tense or nervous and is easily upset may be said to be "on edge" or "edgy". When an "l" is added to the beginning of that word, it is changed into "ledge", which denotes a shelf or a shelflike projection. There may be a ledge along a rocky cliff and in some houses, there is a ledge next to a window or along a wall. If the letters "e-r" is added to the end of this word, it becomes "ledger". A ledger is a book in which financial records are kept, listing debits and credits. In both businesses and in homes, it is desirable for the credit side of a ledger to be greater than the debit side. -------The original manuscripts of most of the Old Testament were written In Hebrew and those of the New Testament were written in Greek. The earliest translation of the whole Bible was made by the man now known as St. Jerome at the beginning of the 5th century. His translation into Latin, called the Vulgate, is still the official version of the Roman Catholic Church. Until the Protestant Reformation, only those who could read Hebrew, Greek or Latin were able to read the Bible, but the Protestant reformers recognized the need for Christians to have the Bible in their own languages. The first translation of the Bible from the original languages into English was made by William Tyndale in the 16th century. His translation formed the basis of the Authorized, or King James, Version, the classical version printed in 1611 which is still used by traditionalists even today. Because of his outspoken criticism of the established churches of his day and of their leaders and because of his translating the Bible into English, Tyndale was arrested, tried and convicted of heresy. On October 6,1536, 462 years ago today, he became a martyr when he was strangled at the stake before his body was burned. -------The basic meaning of "lick", spelled l-i-c-k, is "to pass the tongue over". It is common to lick a postage stamp before sticking it on an envelope. But there are other meanings, and a number of expressions include this word. Many animals lick their offspring immediately after they are born, but if a human mother "licks" her child, it means she gives her child a beating, or "licking", as a kind of punishment. In sports,"lick" means to defeat a competitor. Many Nagoya residents are happy when the Chunichi Dragons lick the Yomiuri Giants. A busy housewife who cannot give the house a thorough cleaning, may give it a "lick and a promise", which denotes a very superficial effort made without care or enthusiasm. This expression comes from the actions of a cat which gives its dirty face a quick lick with an assumed promise to finish the job later. To "lick one's wounds" means to recuperate after being defeated, but to "lick one's chops" means to anticipate with delight or to enjoy thinking of something that tastes good. In this phrase, "chops" does not signify a piece of meat, like lamb chops, but to one's own jaws or cheeks. Finally, to "lick one's boots" means to curry favor with someone by doing anything to please that person. -------When European explorers first reached islands lying between the North and South American continents, they thought they had arrived in Asia and mistaken called the native peoples there "Indians". Even today, these aborigines and their descendants in North, Central and South America are often called "Indians", but the proper name for them is "Native Americans". A similar mistaken supposition is reflected in the name "Gypsy". When this name was given to the short, dark-skinned nomadic people who entered Europe through Persia from northwestern India, it was thought they were from Egypt, so they were called "Gypsies". Gypsies are now found in many countries and usually continue to follow their own traditional customs and speak their own language, called Romany. They often travel in small caravans and are well-known as singers, dancers, musicians and fortunetellers. Like the Jews, they have often suffered persecution. Some 500,000 of them are said to have perished in gas chambers and concentration camps in World War II. Following that war in which over five million Jews were killed by the Nazis, the Jews were able to establish a homeland, but Gypsies are still without a country to call their own. -------In Japanese traditional thought there are a number of groupings which include five units. Among them are five seasonal festivals (gosekku), five cardinal virtues (gojo), five passions (gojo), five sins (goaku), five human relationships (gorin), five elements (gogyo) and five cereals (gokoku). Traditionally, there were also five fearful elements which were: earthquake, thunder and lightning, flood, fire and father. These days, fathers are no longer very frightening, but earthquakes and fires continue to be fearsome and cautious people will take precautions to lessen the damage they may cause. In Japan, September 1st is designated 'Bosai no Hi', Disaster Prevention Day, because it was on the day in 1923 that the Great Kanto Earthquake occurred. That earthquake and the resulting fire destroyed much of Tokyo and Yokohama and over 150,000 people lost their lives. In many places in the United States, this 9th day of October is called Fire Prevention Day and the week in which it falls is Fire Prevention Week, for it was on this day that a disastrous fire occurred in the city of Chicago in 1871, resulting in over 300 deaths and some 90,000 people (out of a population of about 300,000) became homeless. -------The local time when we arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on June 23rd was five hours earlier than the local time in Osaka on that same day when we departed. After calling in the "Daily Word" message for the following day from a public telephone at the airport, we looked at a large map on the wall showing hotels in the surrounding area. We chose one of the closest ones that was related to a well-known hotel chain. I called to reserve a room for us for the night of the following day, for we were scheduled to leave from that airport early in the morning of the 25th. Then we had to find out how to get to the suburban city of Claremont, where we planned to visit a retirement community. Asking at an Information Desk, we were directed to a certain place where buses and smaller vehicles stopped to pick up passengers to cities and towns in the Los Angeles area. When a van bound for Claremont stopped there, the driver got out and lifted our three suitcases into the back of the van. Then my wife and I and one other passenger climbed in and sat down. In less than an hour, we had arrived at the guest house of Pilgrim Place, where we had made a reservation for that night before leaving Nagoya. -------The English words "school" and "scholar" are related. They are derived from Latin words, which in turn are rooted in the Greek word for "school". One meaning of "scholar" is one who attends school, but the more common meaning is a learned person. Many scholars have specialties, but all true scholars, whether they be scientists, philosophers or theologians, consider questions related to the order of nature and the meaning of life. In fact, not only so-called scholars, but all people who think deeply consider such basic matters and reach a kind of conclusion which is based on faith, reason and personal experiences. If one sees some purpose in natural, historical or personal events, the question of how that purpose originated must be considered. From the biblical perspective, the universe was created by God for a purpose and a divine purpose may be seen in all events, whether they are considered happy or sad at a particular time. The Old Testament prophets interpreted historical events as acts of God for a certain purpose and the first chapter of the New Testament Letter to the Ephesians speaks of the eternal purpose of God for believers. In that chapter, verses 3 to 14 are the translation of one very long sentence in Greek. -------On October 12, 1492, 506 years ago today, Christopher Columbus landed on an island north of Cuba after a two-month voyage. It is not certain that he was the first European to set foot on the so-called New World, but to commemorate that event, today is a holiday in most nations in the Western Hemisphere. Until 1968 October 12th was celebrated as Columbus Day in the United States, but it was then changed to the second Monday of October, which this year is also today. In honor of that Italian explorer, there are 11 cities, towns or counties in the U. S. A. that are named Columbus and 17 that are named Columbia. In all of them, the second vowel in the name is "u", but in the name of the South American country of Colombia, the second vowel is an "o". -------In Japan, the word 'soba' denotes a certain kind of noodles which people eat especially on the last day of the year. These noodles are made from 'soba', which is called "buckwheat" in English. But buckwheat is not a kind of wheat and is not even a cereal or grain. It is a plant having white flowers and small triangular seeds. In the United States, a kind of pancake, called buckwheat cake, is made from buckwheat flour. Pillows stuffed with buckwheat hulls have been used in Asia countries for centuries, but they are now becoming popular in the United States in place of feathers or synthetic materials. Pillows stuffed with the concave disk-shaped hulls are said to conform to the shape and movement of one's head. They are said to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer, to soothe neck strain and lower back pain. Furthermore, they are reported to relieve headaches and even to cure snoring. Buckwheat chaff has been used in New England as a mulch to spread around plants to prevent the evaporation of water from the soil, to keep roots from freezing and to cut down on weeds, but now that it has become popular as pillow stuffing, a shortage has developed and it is being imported from China. -------"Sylvan", spelled s-y-l-v-a-n, is used to describe a wooded area or forest, a fitting description of the American state of Pennsylvania, the only state whose name includes the name of its founder. William Penn, the son of an influential British admiral, was granted a large tract of land by the British king. There he established a colony where persecuted people could enjoy freedom and equality. Because of his own religious nonconformity, joining the Society of Friends, or Quakers, he had suffered persecution. While imprisoned in the Tower of London, he wrote a tract entitled 'No Cross, No Crown' in which we find these meaningful words: "No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown." In this series of couplets, the first letter in each pair is the same; the first word has a negative, unpleasant implication and the second word has a joyful meaning associated with victory. Thorns are painful; gall has a bitter taste; a cross is the symbol of an excruciating death. On the other hand, palm branches are symbols of victory; thrones and crowns are symbols of glory. So the meaning of the saying is that suffering is a requirement for success. This should inspire hope and perseverance in times of distress. -------Last year, the world was saddened by the death of Mother Teresa, who had worked for many years on behalf of poor and sick people in India and other countries. Undoubtedly, she will eventually be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church, which means she will officially be declared a saint, becoming the third saint with that name. (Incidentally, the name may be spelled with either a "T" or a "Th" at the beginning.) Both of the present St. Teresas belonged to the religious order of Carmelite nuns. Teresa de Lisieux was French and is sometimes called the "Little Flower of Jesus". She died in 1897 of tuberculosis when she was only 24 years old. The more famous St. Teresa of Avila, who was Spanish, is sometimes referred to as the Big St. Teresa. She lived in the 16th century, introduced many reforms in the Carmelite convents and established her own order of 'discalced', or "shoeless" Carmelites, who follow a more austere life than the others. Today, October 15th, has been designated her feast day, so on this day, in the Spanish city of Avila, a celebration is held in her honor including religious services, parades, dances, games and feasts along with colorful banners, flowers and other decorations. -------Many houses in the United States are white so every one of them may be called a "white house". When this term is spelled with capital letters, however, it denotes one "white house" in particular: the executive mansion of the president in Washington, D. C. There are many other expressions in English that include the word "white". Since I am a so-called Caucasian, I am called a "white man" even though my skin color is darker and more olive than that of many Japanese, who are said to belong to the "yellow race". Ocean waves which are topped with white foam may be called "whitecaps" or "white horses". A "white elephant" is a rare and expensive possession that is a financial burden to maintain or an article no longer wanted. A "white lie" is a lie that is excusable because it concerns a trivial matter and was told out of politeness with no harmful intent. A "white-collar" worker is a clerical or professional worker whose job does not include manual labor. And in a vision recorded in the last book of the New Testament, called the Apocalypse, or Revelation, chapter 7, verse 9, the "white robes" worn by a great multitude from every nation, along with palm branches they carried, were symbolic of victory. -------The city of Claremont is located about 56 kilometers east of Los Angeles, California. In that city of about 36,000 residents is a community for retired ministers, missionaries and other professional religious workers called Pilgrim Place, an area of about14 hectares where there are 185 individual homes and apartments and 12 central facilities located on winding streets bordered by shady trees and semi-tropical shrubs. Its 335 residents have served in almost every state and 47 other countries. My wife and I arrived there on a Tuesday afternoon last June to look around the community and visit its facilities. We spent the night in a guest room, had breakfast at the home of a former missionary couple we had known in Japan and were introduced to the other residents in the dining hall following the noon meal. During our short stay there, we met 18 people whom we had known in Japan and were favorably impressed with the health, recreational and cultural facilities and the general atmosphere. We had an interview with the Assistant Director and met with members of an admission committee. On Wednesday afternoon, we took a shuttle van back to Los Angeles and spent the night in a hotel near the airport. -------Japanese speakers of English find it difficult to distinguish the "l" sound and the "r" sound, the difference, for example, between "cloud" and "crowd". A "cloud" is a mass of vapor up in the sky, while a "crowd" is a mass of people on the ground. But sometimes, a "crowd" may also be called a "cloud". For example, in the 1st verse of the 12th chapter of the New Testament book of Hebrews, life is pictured as a race in a stadium in which runners are said to be surrounded by a "great cloud of witnesses". In this case, "crowd" could be substituted for "cloud" with no change in meaning. The "cloud of witnesses" noted there are the Old Testament figures whose names and exploits are listed in the previous chapter. Their testimony, or witness, to God's faithfulness in the past should give encouragement to those in the present who are still running the race of life. But the eyes of the runners should not be on the " cloud" or "crowd" of witnesses. Rather, they should be focused on Jesus, who is called the "author and protector of our faith", who left us a perfect example to follow. Encouraged by the witness of stalwart believers in the past, let us "throw off everything that hinders us" and "run with perseverance the race marked out for us." -------An election campaign is now being waged in the United States. Many candidates for the House of Representatives and the Senate are busy making speeches and seeking public support. The English word "candidate" comes from the Latin word, 'candidatus', meaning "a person clothed in white" for, in ancient Rome, candidates for office wore loose, white gowns called togas. This was supposed to symbolize both the humility and purity of the office-seeker. The Latin root of 'candidatus' is a verb, 'candere', meaning "to shine". It is from this word that the English words "candid" and "candor", meaning "frank, sincere, straightforward, without pretense", are derived. Unfortunately, such characteristics are not applicable to many candidates these days. -------Although Japan is no longer an "empire", the "head of state" of this "parliamentary democracy" is still called an "emperor" in English. According to the present constitution, the Emperor is "the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people". The wife of an "emperor" is an "empress" and today is the 64th birthday of Empress Michiko. In Japanese, most given names are written in 'kanji', the Chinese characters also used in Japanese. Parents often express their hopes for their newborn child in the characters they choose for its name and the three characters in the name "Michiko", which literally mean "child of beauty and wisdom", seem very appropriate for the present Empress. Last month Empress Michiko gave a videotaped speech at a meeting of the International Board on Books for Young People in New Delhi. The speech, entitled "Reminiscences of Childhood Reading", was well-received by both the Congress of the IBBY and by those who watched replays on television in both English and Japanese. It ended with the hope that children will have firm roots, know love and become "true instruments of peace". Today we wish the Empress a "Happy Birthday" and pray that the hope of this "child of beauty and wisdom" will be fulfilled. -------A camel is a large animal with a long neck and a humped back that is both a beast of burden and a means of transportation in the desert. They may carry over 300 kilograms of freight and go without drinking anything for several days. Camels also provide wool, milk and meat. There are two types of camels: those having one hump and those with two humps. Domesticated Arabian camels with one hump are also called dromedaries. They are found in Arabia and North Africa. The two-humped Bactrian camels are found in central Asia. The humps of the camel are storage places for fat. Around the turn of the century, the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company was looking for an exotic name and concept to link with its new Oriental and Turkish blend cigarette. It was attracted to the camel called "Old Joe" in the Barnum and Bailey Circus, and on October 21, 1913, 85 years ago today, Camel cigarettes were launched with the now famous illustration of "Old Joe" on its wrapper. Jesus once accused legalistic religious leaders of emphasizing minor rules but overlooking more im portant principles like "justice, mercy and faithfulness". He said to them, according to Matthew, chapter 23, verse 24: "You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel" -------There are three different three-letter English words pronounced 'see'. The word spelled s-e-a denotes a large body of salt water. All the seas, or oceans, in the world are connected, and the term "seven seas" is sometimes used to include all of them: the Arctic and Antarctic, North and South Atlantic, North and South Pacific and the Indian Ocean. One word spelled s-e-e is a verb and basically means to perceive with the eyes. But there is another word with the same spelling that is a noun. This "see" denotes the area over which a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church has jurisdiction, or authority. This word is derived from a Latin word for "seat". The principal church in a bishop's see is called a cathedral, for that is the place of the "cathedra", or "throne", of a bishop. The Holy See is the See of Rome, over which the Bishop of Rome, commonly called the Pope, rules. This Holy See is also called Vatican City, which is the smallest country in the world, consisting of only 44 hectares. Today is a holiday in Vatican City, commemorating the installation of the present Pope. John Paul II, who was born in Poland, is the first non-Italian pope in 456 years and his pontificate began 20 years ago today, on October 22,1978. -------Laurel, spelled l-a-u-r-e-l, is a shrub or tree that has glossy, sweet-smelling leaves, greenish-yellow flowers and black berries. Wreaths made of twigs and leaves of this tree were used by ancient Greeks to crown the winners of various contests. Thus, "laurels" came to denote fame, honor or victory and the phrase "rest on one's laurels" means to be satisfied with what one has already achieved or accomplished. A person who has been crowned with a laurel may be called a "laureate", spelled l-a-u-r-e-a-t-e. In the United Kingdom, it is customary for the monarch to appoint a poet laureate to a lifetime position as chief poet of the kingdom. This poet composes poems to celebrate official occasions, royal birthdays and national events. The poet laureate from 1913 to 1930 was Robert Bridges, who was born 154 years ago today, on October 23, 1844. Mr. Bridges began his career as a doctor, but he abandoned his medical practice to devote himself to poetry. His poems range from short lyrics to long narrative poems. In 1929, when he was 85 years old, he published a philosophical poem on the evolution of the human soul, entitled 'The Testament of Beauty' which is considered his greatest work. -------One of the impressions my wife and I got during our trip to the United States last summer was the friendliness of people in general. It was easy to get involved in conversations with people we did not know--the Hispanic driver of the shuttle van that took us back to Los Angeles from Claremont, California, for example. He was the same driver that took us from Los Angeles Airport to the retirement community named Pilgrim Place the previous day. On the way from Los Angeles, there were a couple of other passengers, but on the way back, we were the only ones and so a conversation with him developed. He was born and raised in Mexico but was now living and working in California. When he learned that we were missionaries he informed us that he was a Christian and told us about his faith and religious experience as he drove us to a hotel near the airport. Early the next day, we boarded a hotel van with other people for the short ride to the airport. The next stop on our itinerary was Jacksonville, Florida, but since the airline we were using did not have a direct flight to that city, we first flew to Dulles International Airport near Washington, D. C. An hour later, we took a plane from there to Jacksonville. -------The prophets of the Old Testament were spokesmen for God. They transmitted God's message to the people of their day. Their messages included instruction and exhortations related to past events and the present situation as well as prophesies about the future. One account of how one man became a prophet is found in the sixth chapter of the book of Isaiah. (This book has 66 chapters and is the second-longest book in the Bible.) The account begins with the historical setting: "the year that King Uzziah died" which was 740 B. C. Sometime during that year, while Isaiah was worshipping in the Temple, he had a vision of God seated on a throne. As supernatural beings called "seraphs" chanted about God's holiness, Isaiah recognized his sinfulness. His sin was forgiven when a live coal from the altar touched his lips. Then, when he heard God's call for a messenger, he responded with the famous words: "Here am I. Send me!" This story includes a number of elements that sincere worshippers in every age should experience while worshipping: a sense of God's holiness, recognition of our sinfulness and being forgiven. Finally, we should respond to God's call for workers with the positive response: "Here am I. Send me!" -------In Japan, drivers go to a 'gasorin-sutando' to get fuel for their vehicles. In American English, this is called a "gas station" and the fuel we get there may be called simply "gas", which is a shortened form of "gasoline". In British English, this fuel is called "petrol", a shortened form of "petroleum". Petroleum is a natural liquid found underground in certain areas of the world. From petroleum, we get many useful products, including gasoline, kerosene, fuel oil and paraffin. The English word "petroleum" is derived from two Latin words meaning "rock oil". In both Latin and Greek, 'petra' means "rock". According to the New Testament Gospel of John, chapter 1, verse 42, this is the name that Jesus gave to Simon, who is called Peter in English. -------Do you know what a "teddy bear" is? It is a child's toy, stuffed with soft material, in the shape of a tiny bear. Teddy, an intimate form of Ted, is a nickname for Theodore, which is derived from Greek words meaning "God's gift". Theodore was the name of the 26th president of the United States, who was born 140 years ago today, on October 27, 1858. Theodore Roosevelt was the youngest president in that nation's history. As a child, he suffered from asthma and poor eyesight. To overcome his physical weaknesses, he engaged in strenuous body-building activities and became known as a sportsman who enjoyed riding, shooting and boxing. In the Spanish-American War, he gained fame as commander of a cavalry regiment called the Rough Riders. After serving as governor of New York, he became vice-president and when President McKinley was assassinated in 1901, he became president when he was 42 years old. In a newspaper cartoon, he was depicted with a bear cub because of his interest in conservation and wild life. This resulted in his nickname being connected with the small stuffed toys that became popular with children. It was Theodore Roosevelt who urged leaders to "Speak softly and carry a big stick". -------A very young baby may be called an "infant", which is rooted in Latin words meaning "not speaking". "Infantile" is an adjective denoting something related to infants. "Infantile paralysis" is an infectious disease, especially of children, caused by an inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord which may result in the paralysis of certain muscles. It is also called "poliomyelitis", derived from Greek words meaning "gray marrow". Until the discovery of a vaccine that can protect children from contracting this disease, it was found throughout the world. The antipoliomyelitis vaccine, called Salk vaccine, was discovered and produced by an American physician and bacteriologist named Jonas E. Salk, who was born in New York City on October 28, 1914, 84 years ago today. After graduating from the Medical School of New York University, he went to the University of Michigan where he did research on the influenza virus. He continued his research at the University of Pittsburgh and produced a vaccine against poliomyelitis in 1952. Since this vaccine was not patented, Dr. Salk has received no personal gain from its use. Dr. Salk once said, "I feel that the greatest reward for doing is the opportunity to do more." -------Because of certain calamities that occurred on certain days of the week, the word "black" has been added to the names of those days in certain countries on certain dates. For example, this 29th day of October is sometimes called Black Tuesday in the United States for it was on Tuesday, October 29,1929, 69 years ago, that the stock market crashed, bringing ruin to the financial world and generating what is called the Great Depression. A terrible bush fire occurred in Victoria, Australia, on Thursday, February 6, 1851, so that date is called Black Thursday in Australia. On Monday, February 27,1865, a destructive wind caused havoc in Melbourne, so that date is known as Black Monday there. Because a violent storm occurred in Scotland on Saturday, August 4, 1621, while Parliament was deciding to force an episcopal church government on the people, that date has been called Black Saturday in Scotland. Finally, there are three different dates that have been called Black Friday in England because of unlucky events that occurred on certain Fridays there in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Nevertheless, we should remember the truth that African-Americans have emphasized--that black can also be beautiful. -------Last Sunday, October 25, was the last Sunday of October, so people in the United States turned their clocks back one hour to what is called "standard time". During the summer months, Daylight Saving Time, or Summer Time, has been in effect in order to have more daylight hours to enjoy various activities. The first person to suggest that shops open earlier in the summer to save the cost of lighting was Benjamin Franklin back in 1776, but it was not until the First World War that his suggestion was adopted, first in Europe and then in the United States. After the end of that war, the custom was discontinued until the Second World War when it was introduced again on a year-round basis and called War Time. Now, Daylight Saving Time in the United States lasts from the last Sunday of April to the last Sunday of October. After the Pacific War, during the U. S. Occupation, Daylight Saving Time was introduced into Japan also, but it was not popular among the people, so it was discontinued after the Occupation Forces left. It has been humorously suggested that Daylight Saving Time was a system invented by an old Indian who cut off his blanket at one end and sewed it onto the other to make it longer. -------As my wife and I were leaving the passenger area of the airport in Jacksonville, Florida in the early evening of June 25th, we saw a man holding a sign with our name on it. He was a resident of the Penney Retirement Community which we had come to visit. That community, located in the town of Penney Farms, is about 50 kilometers south of Jacksonville in the northern part of Florida. We had informed the director of the retirement community of our schedule and he had promised that someone would meet us at the airport and take us there. The man who met us is a retired minister who often provides transportation for people who arrive at the airport. Since we had not had dinner, he kindly stopped at a restaurant along the way where we ordered a simple meal. He joined us at the table and imbibed a soft drink while telling us about the community and of the support the residents gave him when his wife passed away. He took us to the guest room which had been reserved for us. There we took showers and watched television for a while before going to bed. This was our second trip to the Florida panhandle. Years ago, we had driven into the westernmost part of the state in our camping car on our way back to Japan. -------A vessel, spelled v-e-s-s-e-l, is a utensil used as a container. In the New Testament, this word is sometimes used in a figurative sense to denote human beings. In II Timothy 2:20-21, it is written that there are various kinds of vessels in a large house. Some expensive ones are made of gold and silver; others are made of cheaper material, such as wood and clay. Needless to say, the common vessels made of cheaper materials are used more often. The expensive ones are only used on special occasions and some of them may be considered ornaments to be seen and admired rather than practical utensils to be used. But the common vessels need to be cleansed or purified before they are used. So Timothy is exhorted to keep himself pure in order to be useful to "the master of the house", who is God. In the case of the common vessels, the content of the vessel is more important than the vessel itself. According to II Corinthians, chapter 4, verses 5 and following, Christians are pictured as clay jars, or earthen vessels, into which divine truth has been put. Even though we are made of earth and have many limitations, we have an important function to share with others the light from God that has shone into our hearts. -------The word "quick", spelled q-u-i-c-k, has different meanings, but the basic meaning of the word in Old English was "alive" and that is the meaning in the classical translation of the Biblical phrase, "the quick and the dead", as in I Peter 4:5, for example. Nowadays, the most common meaning is "swift" or "fast", whether in a physical or mental sense. A person may be quick in running on a race track or in learning in a classroom. As a noun, it may denote the sensitive flesh under one's fingernail or the most sensitive aspect of one's emotions, so to be "cut to the quick" is a very painful experience, emotionally. "Quicksand" is a bed of loose sand mixed with water that sucks a heavy object and "quicksilver" is another name for the silver mercury used in thermometers. -------Today, November the 3rd, is a national holiday in Japan. One hundred and forty-six years ago today, in 1852, the man who became one of this nation's most illustrious rulers was born. He became 'tenno', which is translated "emperor", when he was 16 years old. During the 44-year reign of Emperor Meiji, Japan greatly changed. Following his death, this day was called 'Meiji-setsu', Meiji-season, or Meiji-festival, until the end of the Pacific War. It was on this day in 1946 that the new Constitution of Japan was promulgated and the name of the holiday was changed to 'Bunka no Hi', Culture Day. It is now a day to appreciate and seek to promote culture. On this day, medals are awarded to people who are considered to have made significant contributions to cultural progress in Japan. The English word "culture" is related to "cultivate" and both words were originally related to agriculture, preparing land for raising crops, but now, they are also related to a high degree of taste and refinement. We tend to measure culture by a person's outward appearance, how one is dressed, how one speaks and what one's interests are, but there is a difference between the culture that is a facade and that which is rooted in a cultivated heart. -------I am embarrassed when I think of the mistake I made when I first composed the "Daily Word" message for October 20th, the birthday of Japanese Empress Michiko. Because I seldom see her name in Japanese, I forgot how it was written and alluded to the common meaning of 'michi', or "road". Fortunately, I was able to change the message before I recorded it and introduced the correct meaning of "beauty" and "wise". Reflecting on the reason for my mistake, I recognized a difference in Western and Japanese language customs. In an article related to her birthday in a Japanese newspaper, her name did not appear once. She was only called 'kogo-sama', the Empress. In the West, the name of the wife of a king or president would certainly be clearly stated on such an occasion. I am reminded of another embarrassing mistake I made over 15 years ago in a message about Japan's oldest citizen, Shigechiyo Izumi. Reading about him in a Japanese newspaper, I thought he was a woman because I knew a Japanese lady named Chiyo, using the same Japanese characters as those in his name. In the article, his gender was not specified, but in an English message, gender-specific pronouns, such as he/she, his/her must be used. -------Some small animals are called rodents. This word, spelled r-o-d-e-n-t, is rooted in a Latin word, meaning "gnaw" and one characteristic of a rodent is the large front teeth they have that are adapted to gnawing or nibbling. Rodents are found all over the world, in all kinds of climates from the shores of the Arctic Ocean to the hottest deserts. Included in this rodent classification are mice, rats, squirrels, chipmunks, woodchucks and beavers. The names of some of these creatures are interesting. In Japanese, the same term, 'nezumi', may be used for both mice and rats. A "squirrel" has a long, bushy tail and that word comes from Greek words meaning "shadow tail". When its tail is raised, it may become a kind of sunshade. The Japanese term for "squirrel", 'risu', literally means "chestnut rat". The English word "chipmunk" comes from a Native American word meaning "head first" for that is the way chipmunks (and squirrels) come down from trees. In Japanese, it is called a 'shima-risu', or "striped squirrel" because it has a stripe on its back. Squirrels may live in trees or in the ground. Woodchucks, or ground hogs, live in holes in the ground, but the industrious beavers build dams in rivers and ponds for their homes. -------The word "phone", spelled p-h-o-n-e, is a shortened form of "telephone". Derived from the Greek word for "sound" or "voice", it is found in many English words, including earphone, headphone, megaphone, gramophone and phonetics. There are two musical instruments that end with this word: saxophone and sousaphone. Both of them are wind instruments, but the former has a single-reed mouthpiece similar to a clarinet. Both of these instruments were named after the musicians who invented or suggested them. And both of these musicians were born on this 6th day of November. Adolphe Sax was born in 1814 in Belgium. His father was a maker of musical instruments and the son carried on that work and invented a number of brass instruments with valves that are called saxhorns, of which the saxophone is one. John Philip Sousa was born in Washington, D. C. in 1854. After serving as the leader of the U. S. Marine Band for 12 years, he formed his own band and toured many countries with great success. He composed about 100 marches, including "The Stars and Stripes Forever". The sousaphone is a large brass instrument with a flaring bell which is usually played in the last row of a band or orchestra. -------James C. Penney, born on a farm in the U.S. state of Missouri, developed a chain of more than 1600 department stores located throughout the country. His father was a Christian minister. To provide a suitable place for retired ministers, missionaries and other Christian workers, J. C. Penney established the Penney Retirement Community about 50 kilometers south of Jacksonville, Florida. My wife and I visited that community on our trip to the States last June. After spending a night in the Guest House, we walked over to the dining room and ate our breakfast with residents of the community. Meals in the dining room are served daily at mealtime for those who wish to eat there. Other residents eat their meals at home. There are many individual homes, duplex houses and apartments located along the tree-lined streets. There is also a clinic, a nursing home and a facility for patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. During our one-day visit, we spoke with the director and were given a guided tour of the community. At the center of the community is the chapel where regular services are held, but attendance is voluntary. There is no pastor who preaches regularly there, for the retired ministers take turns preaching. -------The first four books of the New Testament are called Gospels. "Gospel" means "good news" and these Gospels contain many stories about the life and teaching, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ which is "good news" to those who believe them. In the fifth book of the New Testament, called The Acts of the Apostles, we find stories of how the Gospel of Jesus Christ was proclaimed to the world of that day. Lacking the communication devices of our day, the "good news" had to be communicated by words and actions of Jesus' disciples. In chapter 16 of the book of Acts, we read how the Gospel was introduced into Europe from Asia where it originated. As a result of the ministry of the Apostle Paul and Silas, his companion, in the Roman colony of Philippi, they were beaten and thrown into prison. But persecution did not dampen their spirits, for it is written that "about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them". Many years later, Paul wrote a letter to the Christians in Philippi from another prison, and that letter to the Philippians also is characterized by joy. Joy is a basic characteristic of Jesus' disciples, regardless of their circumstances. -------Are you acquainted with the term "coleslaw", spelled c-o-l-e-s-l-a-w? If you enjoy Western food, you may have eaten some. Coleslaw denotes a particular kind of salad. As you may know, a "salad" is a cold dish, usually consisting of raw vegetables or fruit, mixed with a kind of salad dressing, that is served along with the main dish. This word is rooted in the Latin word for salt. Some people think that the "cole" of "coleslaw" is derived from "cold", but that is a mistake. Rather, it is rooted in the Dutch word for "cabbage". Coleslaw is a salad of finely shredded raw cabbage mixed with a dressing, such as mayonnaise. And the dressing called mayonnaise is made from beating together raw egg yolks, olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar along with some seasonings. -------Many people these days are concerned about their health. In order to keep healthy, people watch their diets and try to eat foods that are good for their health and avoid those that are not. They also try to get an appropriate amount of exercise and keep mentally alert by reading or engaging in some form of meaningful activity. A new study sponsored by Duke University of Durham, North Carolina in the United States indicated that older people who have an active faith are less likely to have high blood pressure. Researchers studied four thousand North Carolinians over 65 years old and found that those who participated in religious activities were 40 percent less likely to have high blood pressure. Other studies have found that people with an active faith have healthier immune systems and are less likely to be depressed or addicted to harmful substances. Researchers suggested that faith may serve as a source of comfort for older people, lowering the effects of stress in their lives. On Sunday, November 29th at 1:30, we will hold a meeting of listeners to or readers of these "Daily Word" messages at the Nagoya City Kokaido in Tsurumai Park. The theme for that meeting is "Thinking about the Future" and you are invited to attend. -------It is customary, both in the West and in Japan, for a newly married couple to go on a "honeymoon". This word may imply that the first month of a marriage is very sweet, but actually, it denotes a trip taken by the newlyweds. The present economic slump in Japan is reflected in the average amount spent for a honeymoon this year. According to a poll taken by the Japan Travel Bureau of 3,059 couples who made honeymoon reservations at its 12 branches in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and other cities, spending on honeymoons dropped six percent from last year to a record low average of ¥533,000. Since the JTB began recording such statistics in 1983, the record high was an average of ¥868,000 in 1990. The favorite overseas destination for honeymooners from Japan is Hawaii, chosen by 25 percent of the newlyweds, followed by 23 percent for the continental United States and 20 percent for Australia. Domestic honeymoons cost an average of ¥272,000 and accounted for 3.3 percent of all honeymoon reservations at the JTB branches, an increase of 1.7 percentage points from last year. If "honey" denotes the sweetness of mutual love between a married couple, in a happy marriage, honey is more important than money. -------There are a number of English words to express the sound made by certain birds. Sparrows chirp, crows caw, doves coo, ducks quack, owls hoot and turkeys gobble. It is from the "gobble-gobble" sound made by turkeys while strutting in a pompous manner that the word "gobbledygook" was coined to denote the unclear, wordy jargon often used by bureaucratic government officials and verbose politicians. For example, some American bureaucrats have used the term "fiscal underachievers" to mean poor people, and in the Pentagon, bombs have been called "vertically deployed antipersonnel devices". To oppose such language which common people cannot understand, a Plain English Campaign was founded in England in 1971 by Chrissie Maher, who only learned to read and write at the age of 14. Last month, her son and another "language policeman" flew from England to India to campaign against difficult-to-understand bureaucratic language in that country. Their tour also includes South Africa and the United States, where gobbledygook is said to be most common. If government officials, politicians and pastors really want to be understood, they must use words and expressions that people understand. -------Today is Friday, the 13th day of November. Some superstitious people consider Friday the 13th an unlucky day because there were thirteen present at the Last Supper of Jesus with his twelve disciples and he was crucified on a Friday. But that sad day is now called "Good Friday" in the church calendar because of the good effect of his atoning death for those who believe. In Japanese tradition, an unlucky day, "butsumetsu", or Buddha's death, occurs every six days, but Friday falls on the 13th day of the month only about twice a year. Superstition is a belief that well-educated people know to be irrational, but many well-educated Japanese continue to consider whether days are lucky or unlucky when they make plans for special events--including weddings and funerals. In 1850, November the 13th fell on a Wednesday and it was on that day that the Scottish novelist, essayist and poet, Robert Louis Stevenson was born in Edinburgh. From his youth, he was handicapped by poor health and he struggled against tuberculosis all his life. Yet, he left us this encouraging word: "Even if the doctor does not give you a year [to live], even if he hesitates about a month, make one brave push and see what can be accomplished in a week." -------On our trip to the United States last summer, my wife and I spent two nights and one full day at the Penney Retirement Community near Jacksonville, Florida, which was founded in 1925. Nearby the Guest House, where we stayed, was a large apartment complex called the Quadrangle. From its name, you can guess its shape. It has four sides and four angles. Along with 75 apartments, it also houses the dining room, where we ate our meals, the community's offices, a library and a bank. On the way to the dining room for our breakfast, we met a resident who had served in the Tokyo office of a missionary organization we were well acquainted with. After breakfast, we met the community's director in his office and asked questions about the community. We had received printed information about it and its activities while still in Japan, but personal contact and actual observation of its facilities were required for us to make a wise decision about the place to live in retirement. The friendly director, a Methodist minister, gave us a short tour of the community. We went by the golf course, looked into an apartment, visited homes along the tree-lined streets and stopped in to see the library and the bank. -------One of the problems faced by students of English is the irregular pronunciation of certain letters. The word "debt", for example, is spelled d-e-b-t, but the "b" is not pronounced. It is a silent "b". A debt is something owed to someone, but debts are not limited to financial matters. We also have moral debts or obligations. Children are indebted to their parents, students are indebted to their teachers, and all people are indebted to God. In the New Testament Letter to the Romans, chapter 13, verse 8, it is written: "Let no debt be outstanding, except for the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law." Love for others, which is inspired by God's love for us, is the basic Christian characteristic. During Jesus' last supper with his disciples, he told them, in John 13:35, that all people will know that they are his disciples by their love for one another. Unfortunately, in some areas of Christendom, agreement with certain doctrinal statements or performing certain rituals are considered the mark of a Christian, but according to the New Testament, the basic characteristic is love, apart from which verbal professions and ceremonial observances are insufficient. -------When spelled with a capital B, the word "Bible" denotes the Jewish/Christian scriptures which include the Old and New Testaments. This word is rooted in the Greek word 'biblia', the plural form of 'biblion', meaning "little book". Although the Bible is now one book, it consists of a number of "little books". In the Christian Bible, there are 66 books, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. The Greek word is derived from the name of a Phoenician city. In that city of Byblos, books were made from the stems or bark of a papyrus plant which was called biblos. A recent study indicated that 91 percent of all households in the United States have at least one Bible and 80 percent of American adults name the Bible as the most influential book in human history. -------Walking is a kind of exercise that most people can enjoy. It is more enjoyable to walk in a scenic area where the air is fresh than in a crowded city with buildings all around while breathing polluted air. On May 2nd, a 31-year-old Canadian lady began a walk across the continent of Australia. She started her walk in the city of Perth, the 4th largest city, located on the west coast of the country. She continued walking, while pushing a small, three-wheeled vehicle in which she kept her supplies, for six months. On October 28th, she reached the beach in the country's largest city of Sydney on the east coast of the continent after walking for 5000 kilometers, averaging about 40 kilometers a day. Now she plans to write a book about her experience. It is a good feeling to reach one's goal after a determined effort. You are invited to attend the final meeting of listeners to or readers of these daily messages to be held at the Nagoya Kokaido in Tsurumai Park on Sunday afternoon November 29th, at 1:30. The theme for the meeting is: "Thinking about the Future". Those present may give a short talk on this theme, whether related to personal, national, international, economic, technological, cultural or religious matters. -------A sultan, spelled s-u-l-t-a-n, is the ruler of a Moslem country. The country ruled by a sultan is called a sultanate -- even as the area ruled by an emir is an emirate and the country ruled by a king or queen is called a kingdom. In the United Nations, there are a number of countries called "kingdoms", but there is only one "sultanate". It is the Sultanate of Oman. Located on the southeastern part of the Arabian peninsula and sharing a border with Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, today is a national holiday in Oman, celebrating the 56th birthday of its monarch, Sultan Qabus bin Said. Previously under the control of Portugal, Turkey and Britain, it was formerly known as Muscat and Oman. The name of the country was officially changed in 1970 after the present sultan forced his father from the throne. What do you suppose the wife of a sultan is called? She is called a "sultana", which is formed by adding an "a" to "sultan". But this same word is also used for the mother, sister or daughter of a sultan as well as for a "small, yellow, seedless raisin". Dates, fruits, vegetables, wheat and bananas are produced in the Sultanate of Oman, but the major product is oil, which is the main source of its income. -------A small town in the south-central part of the U. S. state of Pennsylvania is named for the man, James Gettys, who originally owned that site and laid out that town. An area near that town of Gettysburg, became the site of the greatest battle of the Civil War which lasted for three days in July 1983, in which over 4,000 troops of the Confederate Army and 3,000 men of the Union Army lost their lives. There is now a national cemetery located there in which over 4500 men are buried, almost a thousand of which are unidentified. That cemetery for Union soldiers was dedicated 135 years ago today on November 19, 1863. At the dedication ceremony, President Abraham Lincoln made a short speech, now known as the Gettysburg Address, which included these words: "It is for us, the living, rather, to be here dedicated to the unfinished work which they who fought here so nobly advanced." "It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." -------There are a number of men in the New Testament named John, which means "the Lord is gracious". A common nickname for John is Jack, which has also been used to mean any man or boy. "Jack" is also found in many nursery rhymes and children's stories. Here are a few examples. "Jack Sprat could eat no fat, His wife could eat no lean, And so betwixt the two of them, They licked the platter clean." "Little Jack Horner sat in a corner, Eating his Christmas pie, He stuck in his thumb, Pulled out a plum and said, 'What a good boy am I'". "Jack and Jill went up a hill, To fetch a pail of water; Jack fell down and broke his crown, And Jill came tumbling after." In the story of "Jack and the Beanstalk", Jack exchanged his poor mother's cow for a handful of beans. When the beans were planted, however, the beanstalk grew up high into the sky. Jack climbed up the stalk, entered the realm of a cruel ogre and stole a bag of gold, a wonderful lamp and a hen that laid golden eggs. So he and his mother were no longer poor. A meeting of "Daily Word" fans will be held on Sunday afternoon, November 29th beginning at 1:30 at the Nagoya City Kokaido in Tsurumai Park. You are invited to attend and share your thoughts about the future. -------On the one full day we spent at the Penney Retirement Community in Penney Farms, Florida, last June, we ate all three meals at the community's cafeteria. We enjoyed the food and chatting with some of the other diners. To make my call to Japan to record the "Daily Word" message for the following day, I was permitted to use a telephone in an office after talking with the director. As usual, I used the special international calling card provided by NTT so there was no telephone charge. In the afternoon, however, I wanted to make a local call from a public telephone. In Japan, even in small communities, public telephones are easy to find--along streets, outside or inside of stores or other buildings. I was surprised that I could not find a public telephone anywhere as I walked around the community. I thought certainly the post office would have one, but it did not. I asked the postmistress where I could find one and she could not tell me, but she let me use the telephone in her office to make my call. When I asked about a public telephone at another place, I was told that the only one was near the guest house where we were staying, but it was on the opposite side of the area where I had walked so I had not seen it. -------There are two different words in Japanese that are translated "sword" in English: 'katana' and 'tsurugi'. 'Katana' is usually used for a sword with one cutting edge while 'tsurugi' denotes a double-edged sword. 'Tsurugi' is the term used in Japanese translations of the Bible. In the account of Jesus' arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, Simon Peter, one of his disciples, cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Then Jesus told Peter to put his sword back in its place, "for all who draw the word will die by the sword" (Matthew 26:52). But a different kind of sword is noted in the Letter to the Ephesians, chapter 6. There, Christians are urged to put on spiritual armor in the battle against the spiritual forces of evil. That armor includes "the belt of truth", "the breastplate of righteousness", shoes ready to spread "the gospel of peace", "the shield of faith", "the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God". And according to Hebrews 4:12, the word of God is " sharper than any double-edged sword". It is this kind of spiritual sword, "the word of God", which Christians are to wield in the eternal battle for justice, righteousness and genuine peace. -------Today, November 23rd, is a holiday in Japan. Since 1948, it has been called 'kinro-kansha no hi', Labor Thanksgiving Day. It is a day to recognize the importance of labor and to give thanks for the products resulting from faithful work. Until the end of the war, this day was called 'niiname-sai', New Taste Festival. It was a harvest festival day when the emperor offered newly-harvested rice to the gods of heaven and earth and ate some himself. A "festival" is a "festive" occasion which may include some "festivities" and a special meal called a "feast". The two Chinese characters used in the Japanese word for "feast", 'chiso', both mean "to run" and originally implied a host "running around" to entertain a guest. As we enjoy our sumptuous meals today, let us give thanks and remember those who are starving. -------There is a river in northern Nagoya named Kurokawa, which means "Black River". A volunteer organization called Kurokawa Dream Club is working to bring back the fireflies which were commonly seen along the river bank years ago. A couple of weeks ago 20 members of that club met to initiate the process of making the river once again hospitable to those insects that glow in the dark. Into the river they lowered 30 kilograms of a certain kind of chopped rock preferred by a certain kind of snail. Then they poured in 300 snails which will provide food for the firefly larvae which they plan to put into the river next March in hopes that the larvae will develop into fireflies that will brighten up the area next June. These club members are thinking about the future. "Thinking about the Future" is the theme for the final meeting of listeners to or readers of these "Daily Word" messages which will be held next Sunday afternoon beginning at 1:30 at the Nagoya City Kokaido in Tsurumai Park. You are invited to attend and to share your thoughts about the future--whether about yourself and your family, your country, the world at large, the economy, social, technological, religious developments or anything else. -------A small piece of cloth may be called a "rag", spelled r-a-g. Old, worn clothes may also be called "rags" and the phrase "from rags to riches" is used for someone who was once very poor and later became very rich. A well-known example of such a person is Andrew Carnegie, who was born in into a poor family in Scotland 163 years ago today, on November 25, 1835. When Andrew was 12 years old, his mother sold all their possessions and borrowed money to pay for a trip to the United States for their family. There, Andrew began working in a textile factory and then became a messenger for a telegraph office. He worked for a railroad during the Civil War, after which he concentrated on producing steel. His steel company became the major steel producer in the world and when he retired, he was one of the world's richest men. After his retirement, he devoted himself to philanthropy in the belief that a man with excess riches was "the mere trustee and agent for his poorer brethren". By the time of his death in 1919, he had given away 311 million dollars. Echoing the teaching of Jesus, Andrew Carnegie said, "The secret of happiness is renunciation" and "the man who dies rich dies disgraced." -------In Japan, the holiday for thanksgiving is observed on November 23rd. In the United States, Thanksgiving Day is now observed throughout the country on the fourth Thursday of November, which is today. It was soon after settlers from Europe arrived in the so-called new world in the 17th century that thanksgiving days were observed in the various settlements on different days. Following the Revolutionary War and the adoption of the Constitution, the newly-elected president, George Washington, proclaimed Thursday, November 26, 1789, 209 years ago today, a national day of Thanksgiving and urged people to gather in churches to give thanks to God. It was during the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November 1863 as a national Thanksgiving Day. Since that time, it has been observed annually and in 1941, Congress designated the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day. All of us have much to be thankful for. In the American Thanksgiving Day tradition, the thanksgiving is directed to God, our loving heavenly Father. On Sunday afternoon at 1:30, we will hold a meeting of "Daily Word" listeners/readers at the Nagoya Kokaido in Tsurumai Park and you are invited to attend. -------A penny is a coin with little value. In traditional British currency, 12 pennies, or pence, equaled one shilling and 20 shillings equaled one pound. In America, the coin worth 1/100 of a dollar, or one cent, is called a "penny". There are a number of English sayings that include the word "penny". "A penny for your thoughts" means "tell me what you are thinking about". "A penny saved is a penny earned" is meant to encourage thriftiness along with the adage, "Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves". If we concentrate on saving small amounts, in time we will have a large amount, but people who are "penny wise and pound foolish" are thrifty in small matters but careless over large ones. In the 12th chapter of the Gospel of Mark, when Jesus was questioned about paying taxes to a foreign ruler, he asked to see a small coin that had Caesar"s likeness on it and told his questioners to "give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's". You are invited to the final meeting of " Daily Word" listeners/readers on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 at the Nagoya City Kokaido in Tsurumai Park. The theme is "Thinking about the Future" and we would be happy to hear your thoughts on this theme. -------Last summer, following our retirement from the church in Takahama and the international school in Nagoya, my wife and I made a trip to the United States. Our reduced-fare plane ticket permitted us to make four stops in the U. S. and required us to return to Japan within 60 days. Our first two stops were at Los Angeles, California and Jacksonville, Florida. Our reason for stopping at those cities was to visit two retirement communities located in nearby areas. After spending two nights and one full day at the Penney Retirement Community, about 50 kilometers from Jacksonville, we planned to take a bus to Charlotte, North Carolina to visit my sister who lives near that city. We were scheduled to take a plane from Charlotte to Chicago, Illinois four days later. The bus was scheduled to leave from the Jacksonville bus station at 7:00 o'clock in the morning and we were told to be at the station an hour earlier to purchase our tickets. Since we needed to allow an hour for the ride from the retirement community to the bus station, we asked the resident who had come to meet us at the Jacksonville Airport to pick us up at the guest house at 4:30 a.m. to take us to that station and he agreed to do so. -------In the traditional Christian Church Calendar, all the Sundays of the year have a certain designation. The Church Year begins on the Sunday nearest November 30th which is designated Andrew's Day, because it was said to be on this day that Andrew, one of Jesus twelve apostles was martyred. The Sunday nearest November 30th, which is today this year, is the first day of a season called Advent, which is the season preceding Christmas Day, celebrated on December 25th. Thus, there are always four Sundays in Advent. "Advent", rooted in a Latin word meaning "to come", may be used to mean any important coming or arrival, but when spelled with a capital A, it denotes the coming of Christ, whether as a baby born over 2000 years ago or as a glorified ruler at his anticipated "Second Coming" at the end of time. These four Sundays before Christmas are a season of preparation for the celebration of Jesus' birth. All of the New Testament Gospels include the ministry of John the Baptist, which was to " prepare the way of the Lord" and during this Advent season, Christians once again seek to prepare themselves for the coming of their Savior into the world and into their hearts. ------- |