Meishu-sama’s Hymns How precious it is thatThe Christ descends from heaven.Listen to the voices of celebration,To the voices of Hallelujah!Oh, the joy I feel!In darkness,A light has descended.It will spread to the very ends of the earth!The time has comeWhen we purify and return the civilizationThat was born in the west and came to the east.Now,It is an auspicious timeWhen the Messiah who has overcome the worldEnters the city in the west!The people of Israel will cheer with joyWhen the true MessiahWhom they have long been yearning for appears! Meishu-sama’s Sacred Word“Sermon on October 18, 1952, at Nagoya Kanayama Gymnasium” While there are many things to consider, there is at least one that is clear: Japan is located in the east of the world. As people use the term “Far East,” Japan is undoubtedly located in the east. The east of Japan is Tokyo. Tokyo means “the capital in the east,” so Tokyo is undoubtedly located in the east. The east of Tokyo is Asakusa. The east of Asakusa is a place called Hashiba, and I was born in this place, Hashiba. I was born there and then moved many times, always westward. First, I moved to a place called Senzokubashi, then to Nihombashi, then to Naniwacho, then to a place called Kobikicho in Kyobashi district, then to Ōi, now called Ōi of the Ōta ward. From there, I moved to Ōmori and then to Tamagawa. Next was to Hakone, then Atami and this time around, Kyoto. When I counted the number of times, it was eight. I moved westward eight times. Next is where? Kyushu. We need to wait a little more, but in time, a paradise on earth will be constructed in Kyushu. After that, it will be constructed in China. Then it will be in Jerusalem, and that’s it. So it will continue to go westward. The construction of a paradise on earth in Jerusalem marks the beginning of a paradise on earth for the world. From that time onward, the world will be unified.A Collection of Teachings, no. 15 BibleLuke 1:26–38, 2:6–14, 25–32 GNT In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth. He had a message for a young woman promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of King David. Her name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, “Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you!” Mary was deeply troubled by the angel’s message, and she wondered what his words meant. The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary; God has been gracious to you. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was, and he will be the king of the descendants of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end!” Mary said to the angel, “I am a virgin. How, then, can this be?” The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and God’s power will rest upon you. For this reason the holy child will be called the Son of God. Remember your relative Elizabeth. It is said that she cannot have children, but she herself is now six months pregnant, even though she is very old. For there is nothing that God cannot do.” “I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary; “may it happen to me as you have said.” And the angel left her. . . . . . . while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby. She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger—there was no room for them to stay in the inn. There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, but the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. This very day in David’s town your Savior was born—Christ the Lord! And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great army of heaven’s angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!”. . . At that time there was a man named Simeon living in Jerusalem. He was a good, God-fearing man and was waiting for Israel to be saved. The Holy Spirit was with him and had assured him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s promised Messiah. Led by the Spirit, Simeon went into the Temple. When the parents brought the child Jesus into the Temple to do for him what the Law required, Simeon took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God: “Now, Lord, you have kept your promise, and you may let your servant go in peace. With my own eyes I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples: A light to reveal your will to the Gentiles and bring glory to your people Israel.”