Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-01
OMAHA JAPS ARE CONVERTED
They Are Addressed by One Of Men
and Religion Experts.
ORGANIZE AN ASSOCIATION
Packing Plant Employees Secure
Large Hall and spend Their
Time Reading the Bible
and TeachinK

'FNoreign missionary Work al our doors
is an expression sptly demonstrated
among the Japanese OF South Omaha.
who are being converted from the belief
IN the god Buddha 70 the worship OF
Jesus Christ.
Y. Y. Minsehuchi expert on missions
OF the team connected with the Men and
Religion Forward Movement. now ad-
dressing platform and Institute meetings
in Omaha, went to South Omaha Friday
evening and after addressing q gathering
Of the japanese spoke encoursSinsly Of
the work now going on. led at present by
II. Iura, a Japanese employe OF the
Cudahy packing house
Iurs was one OF seven who were brought
over 70 the Christian faith i've years
ago BY Miss Olive Blunt, q foreign mis-
slonary worker in japan. OF these orig
inal seven all but i've have left Ne
braska. two returning 10 Nippon. two
now on the Pacific coast and one Ii re-
ported dead.
Dsrmftory Is Secured.
The nps employed at the Cudahy
packing plant organized into band ano
took over a large deserted building and
have made II into a dornitory which 70
called the camp" Its location 10 near
ThIrty-seyenth and N streets.
While there were but two OF these con-
fessed Christians among the little yellow
men, two men OF their race came from
Chicago, NJ. Shimad.u, secretary OF the
Chicago japanese Young Mems Christian
association. and NJ. Shimlxu OF the NC
Cormick Theological seminary. and heid
evangelical meetings among them, with
the result eight OF their number forsook
the legends Of their former god and con-
feSsed to the newer faith. still another
IL holding out, but It is believed he viii
soon turn with the others.
While the foreign born visitors were
al the camp, two weeks ago, they or
xaniEed a Bible class OF which lurs was
made leader. Iura Ia determined he
will devote himself religiously TO his duty
as a teacher, looking forward to visit
TO his own land and to missionary work
there. While the class numbers ten Of
the present time. II is hoped by Iura and
Minachuch that there will b others OF
the camp turn to the teachings Of Christ
and that with added evangeistic work
there Is hope Of making II Christian
colony.
They Join Churches.
Two OF the converted men have become
members Of the First Baptist church Of
South Omaha, OF which the Rev. Mr.. C.
T. Ilsley Ia tho pastor. These are Iurs
and Ishikawa. who are very devoted "a
tho church. Iura Is Learning the English
language even yet and has taken tho
Bible for his text book. Not only this,
but he uses the Scriptures In teaching
his class the Angio-Saxon. finding no DIFF
ficlty. apparently. In dlfforontsting the
phraseology and word-endinss Of the
Bible with that Of the modern tongue.
Y. Mina1huchi. who spoke before the
class Friday evening. said that he thought
Iura was a good man for the class aud
held forth hopes Of the man eventually
making q showing for himself in the
work he desires 20 follow. Minaohuohi
will again speak before the class at the
dormitory Sunday afternoon At O'Clock
with an effort Of bringing more Of the
Nipponese into the care and keeping Of
Christ