Life Meets Faith - Japan 2: The White Angel of Tokyo
The Emperor of Japan once awarded a certain
Caroline Macdonald the Sixth Order of
the Sacred Treasure. In 1925 she became the
first woman to receive an honorary Doctor of
Laws degree from the University of Toronto.
Last week I wrote about Christianity in the
history of Japan. This week I want to focus
on one of the most impressive missionaries
to serve there.
Annie Caroline Macdonald was born in 1874 in the small town of Wingham, Ontario. Peter Macdonald, her father, was a physician and an elected federal politician who was for a time Deputy Speaker of the House. Her mother, Margaret, was a leader in groups such as the Women's Foreign Mission Society, the Women's Christian Temperance Union and the Wingham Children's Aid Society.
Caroline went to school in Owen Sound, in London and at the University of Toronto. Inspired no doubt by the Christian activism of her parents, she joined the Young Women's Christian Association, eventually becoming the secretary for the Ottawa chapter. She had the board meet for an hour to pray every morning. And her daytime hours often found her working to improve the lives of young women working as telephone operators, textile workers, office clerks and domestic staff. She traveled with the Student Volunteer Movement whose purpose was to communicate the Christian story of Jesus Christ to the world in "this generation."
Then, in 1904, she began a path that changed the lives of many people. She accepted a YWCA challenge to move to Tokyo and begin an outreach to non- Christian women there. She spent the first few years immersing herself in Japanese culture, mastering among other things, the language.
In the words of John Vaudry (Channels, 2001), Macdonald began "opening her home to young women, teaching Bible classes to both men and women and teaching English literature in a college. Caroline pioneered in establishing YWCAs in mission schools and colleges. She set up hostels for women students so that there might be a safe alternative to the cheap dormitories that often left women vulnerable to harassment."
One of the fascinating episodes in Macdonald's service in Japan involved a young man named Yamada Zen'ichi, a member of her Sunday evening Bible class. He murdered his wife and two sons. Macdonald felt responsible for what had happened because she had not spent (in her view) enough time getting to know this man.
She spent a night in prayer about the situation. That morning, though it was a cold winter day, she visited Yamada in prison and reflected on a relevant section of the Bible with him. As he waited to go to court, Yamada told Macdonald, "I am trusting in God's grace, but the dark days come over me. I can only keep trusting even then."
An American missionary helped Caroline find a very good lawyer who argued that, although the murders were terrible acts, Yamada's total repentance and changed life were indications that he had already genuinely reformed, which was the true goal of punishment. Thus a severe punishment was not necessary. Yamada indeed did receive mercy from the court; he was sentenced to 17 years of prison. Again in the words of Vaudry, "In prison, Yamada's 'marvelous sense of God's forgiveness' (as Macdonald put it) astonished a number of prisoners and guards and led to several conversions (to Christianity)."
From that point on, Macdonald served prisoners in Japanese detention centres. Supported by Canadian churches, she sought not only to acquaint prisoners with the acceptance and love of Jesus Christ, but she also addressed the social conditions that contributed to crime. She drew the conclusion that the main social cause of crime was the "neglect of children."
Macdonald left behind a book published in 1922 called A Gentleman in Prison, the story of another murderer who also was restored by Macdonald's work. She established a house in Tokyo for the poor and neglected. She became known as the White Angel of Tokyo.
At the age of 56 she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She returned to Canada that year, 1931, and died on July 17. Her remains are buried in Wingham and her grave can be seen to this day.
This article is based on the John Vaudry article mentioned.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
Annie Caroline Macdonald was born in 1874 in the small town of Wingham, Ontario. Peter Macdonald, her father, was a physician and an elected federal politician who was for a time Deputy Speaker of the House. Her mother, Margaret, was a leader in groups such as the Women's Foreign Mission Society, the Women's Christian Temperance Union and the Wingham Children's Aid Society.
Caroline went to school in Owen Sound, in London and at the University of Toronto. Inspired no doubt by the Christian activism of her parents, she joined the Young Women's Christian Association, eventually becoming the secretary for the Ottawa chapter. She had the board meet for an hour to pray every morning. And her daytime hours often found her working to improve the lives of young women working as telephone operators, textile workers, office clerks and domestic staff. She traveled with the Student Volunteer Movement whose purpose was to communicate the Christian story of Jesus Christ to the world in "this generation."
Then, in 1904, she began a path that changed the lives of many people. She accepted a YWCA challenge to move to Tokyo and begin an outreach to non- Christian women there. She spent the first few years immersing herself in Japanese culture, mastering among other things, the language.
In the words of John Vaudry (Channels, 2001), Macdonald began "opening her home to young women, teaching Bible classes to both men and women and teaching English literature in a college. Caroline pioneered in establishing YWCAs in mission schools and colleges. She set up hostels for women students so that there might be a safe alternative to the cheap dormitories that often left women vulnerable to harassment."
One of the fascinating episodes in Macdonald's service in Japan involved a young man named Yamada Zen'ichi, a member of her Sunday evening Bible class. He murdered his wife and two sons. Macdonald felt responsible for what had happened because she had not spent (in her view) enough time getting to know this man.
She spent a night in prayer about the situation. That morning, though it was a cold winter day, she visited Yamada in prison and reflected on a relevant section of the Bible with him. As he waited to go to court, Yamada told Macdonald, "I am trusting in God's grace, but the dark days come over me. I can only keep trusting even then."
An American missionary helped Caroline find a very good lawyer who argued that, although the murders were terrible acts, Yamada's total repentance and changed life were indications that he had already genuinely reformed, which was the true goal of punishment. Thus a severe punishment was not necessary. Yamada indeed did receive mercy from the court; he was sentenced to 17 years of prison. Again in the words of Vaudry, "In prison, Yamada's 'marvelous sense of God's forgiveness' (as Macdonald put it) astonished a number of prisoners and guards and led to several conversions (to Christianity)."
From that point on, Macdonald served prisoners in Japanese detention centres. Supported by Canadian churches, she sought not only to acquaint prisoners with the acceptance and love of Jesus Christ, but she also addressed the social conditions that contributed to crime. She drew the conclusion that the main social cause of crime was the "neglect of children."
Macdonald left behind a book published in 1922 called A Gentleman in Prison, the story of another murderer who also was restored by Macdonald's work. She established a house in Tokyo for the poor and neglected. She became known as the White Angel of Tokyo.
At the age of 56 she was diagnosed with lung cancer. She returned to Canada that year, 1931, and died on July 17. Her remains are buried in Wingham and her grave can be seen to this day.
This article is based on the John Vaudry article mentioned.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
