THE EMMAUS WALK PRESENTS:
Paul Ariga's Testimony:
"THE GODS WERE SILENT"
Chapter 3,
"The Tortured Missionary"
Many of the Christian leaders of Japan were first saved in English Bible classes. They came to learn English, but they also found the Savior. Our of these seventy came three full time workers for God. For two years I worked as his interpreter without pay. I did it out of my love for Jesus.
Missionary Gustafson had to return to Sweden because of sickness. He was a godly man. Every time I visited his home I found him either praying or reading his bible.
One and half years after returning home he died in Sweden. One of his last prayers was for the salvation of Japan. Surely his prayers were not prayed in vain. God is going to send revival to Japan in answer to his prayers. The fragrance of his challening life lives on within my heart. "He being dead, yet speaketh."
Another Swedish missionary who inspired me was Miss Nany Frederickson. She was on her way to Formosa but because of visa problems stayed in Japan for one year.
She had been a missionary in China. The Japanese soldiers arrested her during the Chinese-Japanese War. They called her a spy for the Chinese. She was arrested and put into prison. They tried to brainwash her for she had told them that Jesus was the true God and not their human Emperor.
They stripped her of her clothes, after a week of not feeding her, and tortured her. They forced a hose into her mouth and caused her stomach to swell. Then they put a board on her bare stomach and see-sawed on it. Still she remained true to Jesus. Her testimony was carried by a large English paper in Japan.
A soldier, who had helped to torture her, read the articles, and wrote a letter to her. With her I traveled to his home in Yokohama. On his knees he begged her forgiveness. She explained the way of salvation to him. Then she prayed for her former enemy. Only the love of Christ could cause such love to be manifest. Jesus said, "Love your enemies," and this is exactly what she did.
It was through her testimony and spiritual challenge that I began to think about dedicating my life to God's service.
