Listed in The Preachers of Ligon's Portraiture.
Biographical Sketch On
Life Of William J. Bishop
William J. Bishop (1872-1912) [1872-1912] was greatly influenced by James A. Harding while attending Nashville Bible School. Harding believed and taught dependence on God for financial support. Bishop was the first foreign missionary trained by Harding to implement fully Harding's "trust theory" in church planting. Often supporting himself and working closely with the Japanese, Bishop demonstrated faith beyond reason that ultimately led to his untimely death. Little is known about his childhood except that he attended Nashville public schools and served in an apprenticeship in the printing business before entering Nashville Bible School. Bishop wrote about this period: "I attended school in the morning, worked in a printing office in the afternoon, and studies at night the first year 'til the burden became heavier than I could bear." Turning to the Lord, Bishop promised that if he were allowed to receive a Christian education, he would become a foreign missionary. He married Alice Davis, a young widow, and began planning to go to Japan. Before acquiring enough funds for travel and support, he resigned his job. After he found his efforts had not produced enough money, he and Alice determined to go as far as their funds allowed. Having made this decision, he received the necessary funds and even more for his planned printing work. Upon arrival in Japan, despite Alice's sickly condition, they threw themselves into the work. Their rented house gave them no protection from the elements, and Alice soon took sick and died only nine months after their wedding. Two years after Alice's death, he began a correspondence with Clara Elliot, a former acquaintance. Recognizing the divine providence by which they had made each other's acquaintance, by letter William and Clara secretly made plans for marriage, and Bishop promised to come and marry her in the spring of 1902. "As he had promised, he arrived in the early spring and the two were wed by Bishop's best friend, Jessie P. Sewell, on April 1, 1902." Returning to Japan, Clara became his partner in the work. Their work prospered, although he and Clara had to bury their firstborn child in the grave of his first wife. A marker was recently placed on their grave. Bishop greatly desired to publish McGarvey's Commentary on Acts in Japanese. Requests for funs were sent to churches in the States, but little was given. Determined to continue, Bishop gathered the necessary funds by selling his printing press and hiring himself out to the largest Christian publishing house in Japan. Graciously, he distributed the commentary free of charge to Japanese evangelists of all denominations throughout the country and even made it available in Shinto temples and priests. By 1912, Bishop's labors and sacrifices destroyed his health. Authorities in that day said the lack of nourishment, excessive mental worries and the strain to earn a living could contribute to tuberculosis. Bishop's situation made him a prime candidate. With the beginning of the new year, he decided to go back to the States for treatment. His last act was appointing elders in one of the churches. Using money borrowed from J.M. McCaleb and promised by Nashville churches, Bishop traveled to Los Angeles. Friends took him to a sanitarium "where his case was so hopeless the doctors did not expect him to survive 'til morning." Word was sent to Clara for her and the children to come as quickly as possible. She left Japan on April 6, 1912, not knowing William had died two days earlier. Brethren in Japan and the States decided not to tell her until she arrived. Her father said telling her the news was the hardest thing he had ever done. In keeping with Bishop's spirit, Clara and her daughters returned to Japan, where she stayed several years. Few people in the Restoration Movement exemplify Christian devotion as did the Bishops. —Excerpt, Ancil Jenkins, Gospel Advocate, Vol. CXLIX, No.7, July, 2007, page 21.
Biographical Sketch On
Life Of William J. Bishop
William J. Bishop (1872-1912) [1872-1912] was greatly influenced by James A. Harding while attending Nashville Bible School. Harding believed and taught dependence on God for financial support. Bishop was the first foreign missionary trained by Harding to implement fully Harding's "trust theory" in church planting. Often supporting himself and working closely with the Japanese, Bishop demonstrated faith beyond reason that ultimately led to his untimely death. Little is known about his childhood except that he attended Nashville public schools and served in an apprenticeship in the printing business before entering Nashville Bible School. Bishop wrote about this period: "I attended school in the morning, worked in a printing office in the afternoon, and studies at night the first year 'til the burden became heavier than I could bear." Turning to the Lord, Bishop promised that if he were allowed to receive a Christian education, he would become a foreign missionary. He married Alice Davis, a young widow, and began planning to go to Japan. Before acquiring enough funds for travel and support, he resigned his job. After he found his efforts had not produced enough money, he and Alice determined to go as far as their funds allowed. Having made this decision, he received the necessary funds and even more for his planned printing work. Upon arrival in Japan, despite Alice's sickly condition, they threw themselves into the work. Their rented house gave them no protection from the elements, and Alice soon took sick and died only nine months after their wedding. Two years after Alice's death, he began a correspondence with Clara Elliot, a former acquaintance. Recognizing the divine providence by which they had made each other's acquaintance, by letter William and Clara secretly made plans for marriage, and Bishop promised to come and marry her in the spring of 1902. "As he had promised, he arrived in the early spring and the two were wed by Bishop's best friend, Jessie P. Sewell, on April 1, 1902." Returning to Japan, Clara became his partner in the work. Their work prospered, although he and Clara had to bury their firstborn child in the grave of his first wife. A marker was recently placed on their grave. Bishop greatly desired to publish McGarvey's Commentary on Acts in Japanese. Requests for funs were sent to churches in the States, but little was given. Determined to continue, Bishop gathered the necessary funds by selling his printing press and hiring himself out to the largest Christian publishing house in Japan. Graciously, he distributed the commentary free of charge to Japanese evangelists of all denominations throughout the country and even made it available in Shinto temples and priests. By 1912, Bishop's labors and sacrifices destroyed his health. Authorities in that day said the lack of nourishment, excessive mental worries and the strain to earn a living could contribute to tuberculosis. Bishop's situation made him a prime candidate. With the beginning of the new year, he decided to go back to the States for treatment. His last act was appointing elders in one of the churches. Using money borrowed from J.M. McCaleb and promised by Nashville churches, Bishop traveled to Los Angeles. Friends took him to a sanitarium "where his case was so hopeless the doctors did not expect him to survive 'til morning." Word was sent to Clara for her and the children to come as quickly as possible. She left Japan on April 6, 1912, not knowing William had died two days earlier. Brethren in Japan and the States decided not to tell her until she arrived. Her father said telling her the news was the hardest thing he had ever done. In keeping with Bishop's spirit, Clara and her daughters returned to Japan, where she stayed several years. Few people in the Restoration Movement exemplify Christian devotion as did the Bishops. —Excerpt, Ancil Jenkins, Gospel Advocate, Vol. CXLIX, No.7, July, 2007, page 21.
Listed in The Preachers of Ligon's Portraiture.
Biographical Sketch On
Life Of William J. Bishop
William J. Bishop (1872-1912) [1872-1912] was greatly influenced by James A. Harding while attending Nashville Bible School. Harding believed and taught dependence on God for financial support. Bishop was the first foreign missionary trained by Harding to implement fully Harding's "trust theory" in church planting. Often supporting himself and working closely with the Japanese, Bishop demonstrated faith beyond reason that ultimately led to his untimely death. Little is known about his childhood except that he attended Nashville public schools and served in an apprenticeship in the printing business before entering Nashville Bible School. Bishop wrote about this period: "I attended school in the morning, worked in a printing office in the afternoon, and studies at night the first year 'til the burden became heavier than I could bear." Turning to the Lord, Bishop promised that if he were allowed to receive a Christian education, he would become a foreign missionary. He married Alice Davis, a young widow, and began planning to go to Japan. Before acquiring enough funds for travel and support, he resigned his job. After he found his efforts had not produced enough money, he and Alice determined to go as far as their funds allowed. Having made this decision, he received the necessary funds and even more for his planned printing work. Upon arrival in Japan, despite Alice's sickly condition, they threw themselves into the work. Their rented house gave them no protection from the elements, and Alice soon took sick and died only nine months after their wedding. Two years after Alice's death, he began a correspondence with Clara Elliot, a former acquaintance. Recognizing the divine providence by which they had made each other's acquaintance, by letter William and Clara secretly made plans for marriage, and Bishop promised to come and marry her in the spring of 1902. "As he had promised, he arrived in the early spring and the two were wed by Bishop's best friend, Jessie P. Sewell, on April 1, 1902." Returning to Japan, Clara became his partner in the work. Their work prospered, although he and Clara had to bury their firstborn child in the grave of his first wife. A marker was recently placed on their grave. Bishop greatly desired to publish McGarvey's Commentary on Acts in Japanese. Requests for funs were sent to churches in the States, but little was given. Determined to continue, Bishop gathered the necessary funds by selling his printing press and hiring himself out to the largest Christian publishing house in Japan. Graciously, he distributed the commentary free of charge to Japanese evangelists of all denominations throughout the country and even made it available in Shinto temples and priests. By 1912, Bishop's labors and sacrifices destroyed his health. Authorities in that day said the lack of nourishment, excessive mental worries and the strain to earn a living could contribute to tuberculosis. Bishop's situation made him a prime candidate. With the beginning of the new year, he decided to go back to the States for treatment. His last act was appointing elders in one of the churches. Using money borrowed from J.M. McCaleb and promised by Nashville churches, Bishop traveled to Los Angeles. Friends took him to a sanitarium "where his case was so hopeless the doctors did not expect him to survive 'til morning." Word was sent to Clara for her and the children to come as quickly as possible. She left Japan on April 6, 1912, not knowing William had died two days earlier. Brethren in Japan and the States decided not to tell her until she arrived. Her father said telling her the news was the hardest thing he had ever done. In keeping with Bishop's spirit, Clara and her daughters returned to Japan, where she stayed several years. Few people in the Restoration Movement exemplify Christian devotion as did the Bishops. —Excerpt, Ancil Jenkins, Gospel Advocate, Vol. CXLIX, No.7, July, 2007, page 21.
Biographical Sketch On
Life Of William J. Bishop
William J. Bishop (1872-1912) [1872-1912] was greatly influenced by James A. Harding while attending Nashville Bible School. Harding believed and taught dependence on God for financial support. Bishop was the first foreign missionary trained by Harding to implement fully Harding's "trust theory" in church planting. Often supporting himself and working closely with the Japanese, Bishop demonstrated faith beyond reason that ultimately led to his untimely death. Little is known about his childhood except that he attended Nashville public schools and served in an apprenticeship in the printing business before entering Nashville Bible School. Bishop wrote about this period: "I attended school in the morning, worked in a printing office in the afternoon, and studies at night the first year 'til the burden became heavier than I could bear." Turning to the Lord, Bishop promised that if he were allowed to receive a Christian education, he would become a foreign missionary. He married Alice Davis, a young widow, and began planning to go to Japan. Before acquiring enough funds for travel and support, he resigned his job. After he found his efforts had not produced enough money, he and Alice determined to go as far as their funds allowed. Having made this decision, he received the necessary funds and even more for his planned printing work. Upon arrival in Japan, despite Alice's sickly condition, they threw themselves into the work. Their rented house gave them no protection from the elements, and Alice soon took sick and died only nine months after their wedding. Two years after Alice's death, he began a correspondence with Clara Elliot, a former acquaintance. Recognizing the divine providence by which they had made each other's acquaintance, by letter William and Clara secretly made plans for marriage, and Bishop promised to come and marry her in the spring of 1902. "As he had promised, he arrived in the early spring and the two were wed by Bishop's best friend, Jessie P. Sewell, on April 1, 1902." Returning to Japan, Clara became his partner in the work. Their work prospered, although he and Clara had to bury their firstborn child in the grave of his first wife. A marker was recently placed on their grave. Bishop greatly desired to publish McGarvey's Commentary on Acts in Japanese. Requests for funs were sent to churches in the States, but little was given. Determined to continue, Bishop gathered the necessary funds by selling his printing press and hiring himself out to the largest Christian publishing house in Japan. Graciously, he distributed the commentary free of charge to Japanese evangelists of all denominations throughout the country and even made it available in Shinto temples and priests. By 1912, Bishop's labors and sacrifices destroyed his health. Authorities in that day said the lack of nourishment, excessive mental worries and the strain to earn a living could contribute to tuberculosis. Bishop's situation made him a prime candidate. With the beginning of the new year, he decided to go back to the States for treatment. His last act was appointing elders in one of the churches. Using money borrowed from J.M. McCaleb and promised by Nashville churches, Bishop traveled to Los Angeles. Friends took him to a sanitarium "where his case was so hopeless the doctors did not expect him to survive 'til morning." Word was sent to Clara for her and the children to come as quickly as possible. She left Japan on April 6, 1912, not knowing William had died two days earlier. Brethren in Japan and the States decided not to tell her until she arrived. Her father said telling her the news was the hardest thing he had ever done. In keeping with Bishop's spirit, Clara and her daughters returned to Japan, where she stayed several years. Few people in the Restoration Movement exemplify Christian devotion as did the Bishops. —Excerpt, Ancil Jenkins, Gospel Advocate, Vol. CXLIX, No.7, July, 2007, page 21.
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