BACKGROUND: Atherton Baptist Homes is a retirement community in Alhambra, CA. Atherton was the dream of Hannah Atherton Baldwin, a deeply devout Christian philanthropist, who along with her husband, Osgood, helped fund several Christian churches and ministries in Los Angeles during the early decades of the 20th century. When Hannah was a little girl growing up in Vermont, she heard some older missionaries praying about their future while staying in her home. From this prayer came an idea to build a retirement home for ministers and missionaries at the end of their earthly lives. The home was born in 1917 in Burbank, CA when Hannah and Osgood gave $35,000 to build the home. In 1926 the community moved to Alhambra, CA and for the last century has sought to fulfill Hannah’s dream of honoring ministers and missionaries in the later years of life.
Doctor William Axling was one of the leading missionaries of his day. He and his wife, Lucinda, pioneered a missionary strategy of cultural centers dedicated to a three-fold philosophy of evangelism, education, and public welfare. The center in built in Tokyo became a model of effective Christian work in the Far East. Dr Axling’s work was so influential it is mentioned in Robert Torbet’s Venture of Faith: The History of American Baptist Foreign Missions Society and the Women’s American Baptist Foreign Missions Society, 1814-1954. Dr. Axling married his wife on May 21, 1901, as they left for the missionary field of Japan. They were married for 58 years, and she preceded him in death on January 7, 1960, at Atherton. Dr. Axling died on February 24, 1963, also at Atherton. They had lived in the community since 1955.
This article was originally written in the Atherton Reporter on October, 1962.
Dr. William Axling was born in Omaha, Nebraska on August 9, 1873, and was educated at the University of Nebraska and Colgate Divinity School at Rochester. He was called by our Mission Board (ABFMS) to serve in Northern Japan, 1901, and the same year he was married to Lucinda Burrows. The young couple left at once for their mission as rural evangelists to Northern Japan. Here they served for five years and suffered much persecution and continuous attempts by Buddhist priests to close and end their mission.
After these five years, Dr. Axling broke down and was furloughed home to recuperate. In 1908 they returned to Tokyo, where the Mission Board asked them to establish an evangelistic center – a challenge to the Japanese as a worthy educational, welfare and evangelistic enterprise.
The nation took its cue from Tokyo; while Dr. Axling outlined and carried forward a three-fold program – evangelistic, educational and public welfare, and this new center became the first model of effective Christian work in the Far East. They ministered not only to the individual, but to the whole community.
At first, in Tokyo they faced an attitude of indifference, but the Great Famine in Japan gave them the opportunity for relief work which awakened the interest and gratitude of the nation. In Tokyo they erected a large building which three times was, wealthy and the city furnished the lumber and supplies. Here now was cooperation, a surprising change from the earlier opposition.
During the World War II, the Axlings were separated in stockades fifty miles apart, but in the middle of the war, they were repatriated to the United States and later returned to their great work.
After their first retirement, Dr. Axling spent eight years in evangelistic work under the direction of the Japanese Christian Church and witnessed miracles with large audiences and a response of some 20% of the people attending.
The Axlings retired in 1955, but for many years. Dr. Axling continued deputation work and traveled over 135,000 miles across our land and spoke over 1,000 times.
The picture below shows the honored star – Japan’s Second Order of Merit, given by the emperor and the “Pigeon Cane” which signifies freedom to all parts of the city including the Emperor’s palace.
Mrs. Axling was called home a couple of years ago, while now Dr. “Uncle Will” Axling resides at 216 So. Atlantic Blvd., Alhambra – Atherton Baptist Homes. Truly he is one of our great missionary statesmen and worthy of our highest honor.
Of Atherton Baptist Homes, Dr. Axling says, “It’s a wonderful home far from home!”
Story collected by Rev. Craig Statton for Atherton Baptist Homes.
