Leaving His Parents…..Anthony 2

As he said those words, he loudly sang the Psalm 113 with Louis Ibaraki next to him. They intoned,"..O children, praise His holy name….."
Their voice just like the ringing of silver bells echoed throughout the Nishizaka hill.  At that time the venue for execution to villainous criminals was covered with the Lord's presence who came down from heaven.  Those observing there estimated 4000 started to praise together following them.
The big chorus,"Hallelujah" arose. The heavens appeared in the place planned to be hell by execution. Grief existed no longer.  It was filled with the joy of boys who would triumph to march to heaven as winners.  And, the inside of people there got filled with the joy.

Anthony turned his face to heaven and sang praises loudly. The boy, Anthony had a belief.  God would absolutely reward his parents.

When we, a couple, were sent to Nagasaki, we visited this Nishizaka at first and prayed.  Then, I shared Anthony with my wife. The parents of my wife didn't believe in Jesus, yet at that time.  While my wife was an only child and daughter, she got married to me and got to come to Nagasaki, the mission field directed by the Lord, not the place of her parents.  After listening to me, she said,"I feel I am able to understand a little how Anthony thought."

Anthony was aware of that.  In spite of tearing hearts of his parents apart, it's to obey God that was the greatest goodness he could do for his parents.  If he would take the cross, this martyrdom, with his being submissive to God, the Lord Himself, absolutely might give his parents precious eternal life, he believed. He was expecting not temporary earthly reconciliation but eternal heavenly reward.

Leaving His Parents..........Anthony 1

He is a thirteen-years-old boy, Anthony, who was martyred on the cross side by side with Luis Ibaraki who had chosen God in Yamamoto village, Saga.  His home town was Nagasaki with his Chinese father. His parents weren't believers in Jesus Christ yet.  Then, government officials permitted his parents to come to beneath the cross of Anthony in his execution.  They eagerly wanted him to abandon the Christian faith somehow. The parents of Anthony shouted.
"It's a terrible thing for parents to outlive their child, isn't it? Please, please come down.  Anthony, please, please abandon Christ and come down."

Clinging desperately the cross, his parents was partly frantic to cry out.  But, Anthony told toward his parents.
"My father, my mother.  Please rejoice. I am going to heaven from now. Father and mother, please don't cry.  I go to heaven first and am waiting for your coming, Father and Mother. Therefore, please believe in Jesus, my father and my mother, and come to heaven after me.  Be glad, please. Please be glad."