Obituary - Willis Norton Whitney 1919

英語版の『日本基督教年鑑』に記載されたウィリス追悼記事のご紹介。
著者は義弟のジョージ・ブレイスウェイト。

The following obituary was published on the 1919 issue of The Japan Christian Year Book. The contributor, George Braithwaite was Willis' brother-in-law.

The Christian Movement in the Japanese Empire 

including Korea and Formosa, A Year Book For 1919, 

Seventeenth Annual Issue, 
Published for the Conference of Federated Missions, Japan, 1919, 

https://archive.org/stream/thejapanchristia17unknuoft#page/274/mode/2up
pp.275-77.

JAPAN Part VIII / OBITUARIES

X. WILLIS NORTON WHITNEY, M. D. 

BY GEORGE BRAITHWAITE 

Dr. Willis Norton Whitney was born at Newark, New Jersey, October 18th, 1855. He had two sisters, both of whom spent many years in Japan. The younger one, who was instrumental in founding the Japanese Branch of the Scripture Union, lies buried at Hakodate. She was the wife of the Rev. David M. Lang of the C. M. S. 

Dr. Whitney's parents were earnest, God-fearing people with no thought of going abroad until one day they met two or three Japanese and very soon felt that their Master would have them give up their happy home at Newark and go and live for Him in what was then, forty-four years ago, the far-off land of Japan, not in connection with any Missionary Society but as self-supporting workers, so that some at least of the Japanese people might have the opportunity of seeing what a Christian home was like. Obedient to this divine call, the family reached Tokyo in 1875. The father became a teacher in what is now the Higher Commercial School. The son, Dr. Whitney, who was then about twenty, studied medicine at what has since become the Tokyo Imperial University, and was one of the first foreigners to enroll in that institution. For some time too he was teacher of English, Chemistry and Physiology at the Middle Normal School at Kanazawa. The late Count and Countess Katsu rendered much kind help to the whole family, not only at this time but also during the whole period of their stay in Japan. 

After some years Dr. Whitney returned to America with his parents for a visit. While there he resumed his medical studies at the University of Pennsylvania, these having been broken off when he went to Japan. He graduated from there in 1881. He afterwards took British medical degrees. The family left America about 1881 on their return journey to Japan, going by way of London, where the father died, leaving his son, the subject of this little sketch, responsible for the whole support of the family. They continued their journey to Tokyo, but the mother's health soon failed and she passed away in Akasaka, Tokyo, in the spring of 1883.
 Dr. Whitney's devotion to his mother during this period deeply impressed the Japanese and did much to remove the mistaken idea that Christianity did not teach due respect to parents. In 1883 Dr. Whitney became interpreter, at the American Legation in Tokyo. This position which he held for more than twelve years brought him into touch with many of the Japanese statesmen of the middle Meiji period. 

On December 29th, 1885, Dr. Whitney was married to Mary C., daughter of Joseph Bevan and Martha Braithwaite of London. To them were born seven children, five of whom are still living. One son is in Mesopotamia, one in New York, and two in France. The only daughter is married and lives in Ireland. 

Dr. Whitney was an indefatigable worker and one who seemed to be always thinking of new and larger plans for the spread of the Gospel of Christ. He founded the Akasaka Hospital in Tokyo in 1889 in memory of his mother and continued as its Foreign Director until he left Japan in 1911. In 1895 he resigned his position at the American Legation so that he might give his mornings to the Hospital and be free to devote his whole life to Christian work. In addition to his Hospital responsibilities and his private medical practice, he devoted much time and thought to the Scripture Union Work, the Police Mission, the Railway Mission and the Post and Telegraph Mission, all of which he greatly assisted in founding. 

His service to the cause of medicine in Japan is indicated by the fact that from 1896 to 1906 he was Vice-President of the Society for the Advancement of Medical Science in Japan. His large interests outside of his medical profession is evidenced by some of the following publications: “Blood Changes in Erysipelas,” 1881; “Dictionary of Roads and Chief Towns in Japan,” 1885; “Notes on the Medical History of Japan,” Asiatic Society Transactions, 1885; Index of Chinese Characters in Hepburn's Dictionary, 1888; Editorials in the English Department of the Japanese Se-I Kwai Medical Journal; Correspondence and Contributions to the Philadelphia Medical Times and the New York Medical Record. 

Dr. and Mrs. Whitney left Japan in April 1911, hoping to be back before the end of the year, but he had a serious breakdown soon after reaching London, followed about two years ago by a slight apoplectic stroke, from which he never fully recovered. The last eighteen months were spent at Mrs. Whitney's mother's old home at Banbury and were a time of much quiet enjoyment. 

His was a cheery Christianity. By the grace of God he was wonderfully enabled to overcome his natural tendency to despondency and to carry the sunshine of the Lord's presence wherever he went. He was a devoted member of the Society of Friends and a recorded minister, and it was not at all unusual for Dr. Whitney and his family throughout their long residence in Tokyo, to walk over from their home in Akasaka to the Friends meeting in Mita. He was remarkably faithful in passing on to others any fresh blessings which he himself had received. 

Images are cut out and processed by the editor.

Thanks for the those prepared the original data on the net.

Last updated 25 Jan. 2015