author

R. B. (Rufus Benton) Peery

b. 1868

An American Lutheran missionary and educator, he wrote from close experience in Japan at a moment of major change. His best-known book, The Gist of Japan, blends travel, culture, and mission history for readers curious about the country in the late 19th century.

1 Audiobook

The Gist of Japan: The Islands, Their People, and Missions

The Gist of Japan: The Islands, Their People, and Missions

by R. B. (Rufus Benton) Peery

About the author

Born in Burkes Garden, Virginia, in April 1868, R. B. Peery trained for church work before building a career that crossed ministry, education, and writing. Contemporary biographical sources describe him as a Lutheran minister and missionary, and later as president of Midland College in Kansas.

Peery is best remembered as the author of The Gist of Japan: The Islands, Their People, and Missions, first published in 1897. The book reflects his years in Japan and introduces readers to the country’s society, religion, and daily life as he understood them, along with the growth of Christian mission work there.

He died in 1934. While not a widely famous literary figure today, his writing remains of interest to readers exploring older English-language accounts of Japan and the history of Protestant missions.