On the front cover is the home in Japan of the pioneer missionary from among churches of Christ, John Moody McCaleb (1861-1953). The house is now a historic site known as the Zoshigaya Missionary Museum. It is Tokyo’s oldest standing, Western-style, wooden building. Built in 1907, this Gothic two-story house was built by McCaleb who had the material shipped from Tennessee.

Just as McCaleb’s house influenced Japanese architecture, McCaleb himself exposed the Japanese to Christ by establishing schools and church missions. The J.M. McCalebs and others journeyed to Japan in 1892. McCaleb remained there 50 years.

McCaleb was influenced to be a missionary by the noted leader J. W. McGarvey, but he was convinced by James A. Harding that God’s providence would bring financial support. He allowed no missionary society to send him, and at first made no appeals to the churches for funds. Though he never changed his view about societies, he later made appeals to the brotherhood for funds for his work and for the work of others.

McCaleb did much to publicize mission work all over the world. On his furloughs home he spoke to numerous students about becoming missionaries. He spent his last days in Los Angeles, and is buried in the famous Englewood Cemetery.