Our first missionary to Japan was Masazi Kakihara, a native Japanese. Having been converted and sanctified and made to know the joys of salvation himself his heart burned with a desire to have his people know the new life into which he had entered. At the time of his baptism as a Christian he had taken the name “Paul” and by this name he was known among our people. The writer met him while in attendance at the General Conference held at Greenville, Illinois in October, 1894. “Paul” was then a student in Greenville College. The writer’s most vivid recollection of him is the persistency with which he talked of Japan to all who would listen to him. One year later he was accepted by the board. Early in the winter following he went to Japan and began work among his people. October 23, 1896, Rev. Teikich Kawabe and Mrs. Kawabe were accepted on trial as missionaries by the directors of the Missionary Board. In the fall of 1898 Masazi Kakihara came to America and attended the General Conference in October of that year, returning to Japan soon after. Not long after this he left the employ of the board, and, engaging in business in Osaka, with two other Japanese, they lost money and failed. Sometime during the winter of 1899-1900 he came again to America. The last heard of him he was at a “Japanese Christian Home” in New York. In the meantime Mr. Kawabe was pushing on in the work. For some time, until we could see our way clear to send other missionartes to assist him, our work was supervised by Christian Alliance missionaries on the field. At the Missionary Board meeting held in October, 1902, Rev. W. F. Matthewson and Mrs. Minnie Matthewson were accepted and appointed to Japan. Later the directors of the board accepted Mr. August Youngren and Mrs. Anna M. Youngren of Seattle, Washington, and appointed them to go out with Mr. and Mrs. Matthewson. They sailed for Japan from Vancouver, B. C., January 26, 1903. At the meeting of the Missionary Board in October, 1905, Professor S. E. Cooper and Mrs. Rose L. Cooper were accepted and appointed to Japan. They soon after sailed for their field of labor. At the annual meeting of the Missionary Board in October, 1907, Rev. W. L. and Mrs. Meikie were accepted and appointed to Japan. At the same time Mr. and Mrs. Matthias Klein who were already on the field were accepted as missionaries on trial. Miss Minnie K. Hessler was accepted by the directors and went out during this year. There are eleven American missionaries working in Japan. There are twenty-nine native workers. There are three principal stations, Osaka, Sumoto and Akashi. There are about four hundred and fifty native communicants and property valued at about $10,000. For some time past the hearing of Mrs. Matthewson has been seriously impaired so that fears have been entertained that if she remained in Japan she would become totally deaf. During the last year Mr. Matthewson’s health has failed and in view of this and the condition of Mrs. Matthewson’s hearing they have been granted a furlough and expect soon to return home. Their coming will be a serious loss to the mission. Notwithstanding this however, the outlook for our work in Japan is encouraging.

Sometime during the year 1885 a young woman in western New York who had been an invalid from childhood was instantaneously healed in answer to prayer. About the same time she entered into the experience of entire sanctification and united with the Free Methodist church. Feeling that God had saved and healed her that she might work for him she began to enter every open door where she might do service for him. For several years she taught school, and, either usually held meetings in the school houses where she taught, or secured others to conduct services. For some time she labored as a supply on circuits in the Pittsburg conference. Feeling the call of God upon her to go to China as a missionary and no way at that time being open in the Free Methodist church she offered herself to the China Inland Mission and was accepted. On January 6, 1896, she sailed from Tacoma, Washington, for China. Seven years were spent in that land in the far interior, laboring for the redemption of its benighted people. She passed through the troublous times of the Boxer uprising being marvelously preserved from injury and death. In March, 11903, having been granted a furlough, she left her station for the homeward journey, reaching Seattle, Washington, in May. She was in attendance at the General Conference at Greenville, Illinois, in June of that year and none who were present and met her or heard her speak will ever forget the impression made and the enthusiasm aroused on that occasion by Clara Leffingwell.

In connection with this General Conference was held the first general gathering of the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society composed of regularly elected delegates. Miss Leffingwell attended many of the meetings of this body, creating a strong impression and arousing much enthusiasm for missions in general and for China in particular. Ever since she had said “Yes” to the voice calling her to China she, as a loyal Free Methodist, had desired to see a mission in China under the direction and control of her own church. She felt that the time had come for the church to act, and she succeeded in impressing this conviction upon many others. In settling up their affairs the women of the W. F. M. S. found they had a surplus in their contingent fund amounting to about $4,000, and they voted to turn this sum over to the general board for the purpose of establishing a mission in China whenever it was thought best to do so. At the same time a Mr. Peterson of Seattle, Washington, offered to the board property valued at about $5,000, to be used for the same purpose. The newly elected Missionary Board immediately after the adjournment of the General Conference met and decided to establish a mission in China, and appointed Miss Leffingwell as the first missionary. At the regular annual meeting held in October the board decided to send out at least seven missionaries in addition to Miss Leffingwell. C. Floyd Appleton was accepted for China at this meeting. At different times the following were accepted either by the board or by the directors: George H. Schofield, Rev. N. S. Honn and Mrs. Alice Honn, Miss Florence B. Myers, Miss Edith Graves, Miss Lillie Peterson. Mr. Appleton and Mr. Schofield, that they might begin the study of the language at once, sailed for China November 18, 1904, reaching Shanghai, December 31, when under the direction of the China Inland Mission they immediately began the study of Chinese. April 8, 1905, Miss Leffingwell, Miss Myers and Miss Graves sailed for China. Miss Leffingwell had been sick for several days but with the indomitable courage which characterized her, insisted upon going. The ladies reached Shanghai May 7, and, as soon as necessary preparations could be made, proceeded inland. Cheng Chow (pronounced Jung Jo) in time northern part of the province of Honan had been selected as the location of the mission. The ladies reached this place the last of May. Miss Leffingwell immediately secured a place for a mission and a residence and entered upon the work. Her letters to friends at home indicate that she was very happy at this time in seeing the realization of her desire in. the establishing of a mission in China. Only about one month was allowed her in which to enjoy the fruition of her labor. July 4, she was taken violently ill and on July 16, she passed over to be with the Lord. Her death was a great shock to her companions oh the field and to the church. But no voice counseled retreat. Those on the field were there to stay, and those at home gathered new courage to stand by the work. Mr. and Mrs. Honn soon after went to their field and since then Mr. and Mrs. Frank R. Millican, Miss Lucy A. Tittemore, Miss Laura E. Millican (now Mrs. Appleton) and Miss Edith F. Jones have gone out and the work is being carried on. Mr. Schofield and Miss Myers were married soon after she arrived in China. They are located at Hsing Kieh Hsien, in the same province. The others are engaged in the work at Cheng Chow. Since this work was begun Miss Peterson was obliged to return home on account of failing health. She tas just lately gone to be with the Lord. Twelve American missionaries and five native workers are still at work on the field. May we not confidently expect that there shall yet be a harvest gathered in China as the result of the life of that young woman in western New York who laid all at Jesus’ feet?

In April, 1893, at a meeting of the Missionary Board S. E. and Mrs. S. E. Mills, who had been laboring as “faith missionaries” in Santo Domingo were, at their request, recognized as Free Methodist missionaries, but with no claim on the board for support. In 1894 Miss Esther D. Clark went to their assistance remaining about five years. In 1898, S. E. Mills and wife severed their connection with the board but Miss Clark wished still to be recognized as a Free Methodist missionary. In 1900 because of the civil war on the island Miss Clark returned to this country for a time. At the board meeting in October, 1904, Miss Clark was regularly accepted and appointed to Santo Domingo where she has been laboring since. The missionary secretary visited the island in the summer of 1907 and spent some time there. On his recommendation at the annual meeting in October of that year provision was made for sending Dr. W. C. Willing to that field. He has since gone and with J. W. Winans, who preceded him, is laboring in conjunction with Miss Clark.

In the fall of 1906 Mrs. Kittie Wood Kumarakulasinghe, who had spent some years in India as a Salvation Army missionary, and, after some time spent in this country, was about to return to the Island of Ceylon was recognized as a Free Methodist missionary in that field and an appropriation made for her support. She is now in the island.

At different times various independent missionary movements have sprung up in the church. Robert L. Harris was the leader of one of these. In November, 1885, he sailed for Africa, landing at Liberia. After some time spent in holding meetings among English speaking people and explorations he returned to America in May, 1886. With a party of several others he again started for Africa October, 1886. He came back to America again in April, 1887, leaving the missionaries he had taken over on the field. He never returned to Africa.

Another movement in connection with the Pentecost Bands before they separated from the church began in 1890. Several missionaries were sent out to Monrovia on the west coast of Africa. Some of these died soon after landing and others returned. Rev. V. A. Dake, founder and leader of the Pentecost Bands went out to Africa in the fall of 1891 to visit this mission. January 2, 1892, he died on the west coast of Africa and was buried there. Soon after those who remained returned and the mission was discontinued. A short time after this the Pentecost Bands withdrew from the church and became a separate organization.

No account of the missionary work of the Free Methodist church would be complete which did not devote some space to the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society. The first local society was organized by Mrs. Ella L. McGeary at Verona, Pennsylvania, in December, 1889. Two years later Mrs. McGeary organized another society at New Castle, Pennsylvania. In 1891 Miss Emma Freeland (now Mrs. Clark Shay),organized a society in Brooklyn, New York. This same year the New Castle district society of the Pittsburg conference was organized by Mrs. McGeary, and the Wisconsin conference effected a conference organization, the Pittsburg conference following one year later. The movement continued to “move,” and at the General Conference held in Greenville, Illinois in October, 1894, representatives of the societies from different sections met and formulated a constitution and organized the General Society. The work is now organized throughout the church and is an invaluable factor in carrying on our missionary work. During the quadrennium closing June, 1907, $140,000 was raised for foreign missions throughout the church, of this amount $110,000 being raised by the W. F. M. S. For the year 1907, $55,201.58 was raised for missions. Of this amount the W. F. M. S. raised $39,242.60, nearly seventy-five per cent of the whole amount. Their general meeting held in connection with the last General Conference was composed of forty-six members including the general officers of the society. They are represented on the General Missionary Board by three members whom they choose at their quadrennial meeting. One of these is a member of the board of directors. No more careful, painstaking members participate in the deliberations of the board or of its directors.