John McKim was an American missionary who became Anglican Bishop of Tokyo and Chancellor of Rikkyo University, which was part of the infrastructure he helped rebuild after a severe earthquake in 1923.
McKim was ordained to the diaconate and priesthood in 1879 and immediately set sail for Japan. Upon arriving in 1880, Rev. McKim began working around Osaka. He became chaplain to St. Agnes School in Kyoto. In 1881, bishop Channing Moore Williams announced his upcoming retirement. Two years later, the General Convention announced McKim would succeed Williams. McKim returned to the United States and was consecrated Bishop of Tokyo on June 14, 1893 at St. Thomas Church, New York City. During the same service Frederick Rogers Graves was consecrated bishop of Shanghai. During his 42 year episcopate, McKim traveled all over Japan, including rural and mountain districts. He saw the nation develop from a feudal state into a great power. Christianity grew from a dozen native Christians and a reputation for being political emissaries trying to break Japanese from loyalty to their Emperor, into a constructive force within the nation. By 1928, the nation had 400,000 Japanese Christians and about 2000 native clergymen. The diocese was divided four times, and had six bishops by the time McKim resigned in 1935. He oversaw the organization of the Japanese Anglican church two years before Japan adopted a constitution. McKim became best known in missionary circles for his cable to New York after the Great Kantō earthquake of September 1, 1923: "All gone but faith in God." On December 7 and 9 of that same year, he officiated at the consecration of the first two native Bishops: Motoda and Naide. Bishop McKim then charged them to rebuild the church in the capital and established himself in the diocese of North Tokyo. Soon, he sailed to the United States for fundraising. Rebuilt church properties after the earthquake included St. Luke's Hospital and St. Paul's University. McKim, together with Edward Bickersteth, Bishop of South Tokyo, participated in the Fourth Lambeth Conference at Canterbury in 1897.
Death and legacy
McKim attempted to resign in 1934 due to ill health, but the House of Bishops urged him to remain. He managed to retire to Honolulu in November, 1935, and died at his home on April 4, 1936. A funeral was held at St. Andrew's Cathedral in Honolulu and the body returned to Nashotah House for burial. A memorial service was also held that November in St. Thomas's Episcopal Church in New York, led by that church's rector as well as Joseph Marshall Francis of Indianapolis and John W. Wood, then returned to Japan to work at St. Luke's Hospital with her sister in 1947. Nellie McKim was interned first in Sagada in northern Luzon, and then at Camp Holmes near Baguio. Her language proficiency helped mediate between the prisoners and their guards. She remained in Manila at the request of bishop Norman S. Binsted to assist the Office of War Information, and later as his secretary.
