“More important than the storage of the family’s possessions was the love,
friendship, and generosity extended to the family …”
Rev. Carl Melton Sweazy
(1896-1986)
Pastor of the Calvary Baptist Tabernacle, Los Angeles
Aiding the family of Rev. Paul Yorishige Watanabe
by Kathryn Kimura Mlsna,
granddaughter of Rev. Paul Yorishige Watanabe
As former head pastor of a number of Baptist churches in Los Angeles before becoming the founding pastor of the Fundamental Baptist Mission to the Japanese, Reverend Paul Yorishige Watanabe had accepted God’s plan for him. He knew that the cancer would overtake him soon, and that his family, living at Poston, would need certain possessions when they were released, and so he contacted a good friend, Rev. Carl Melton Sweazy, longtime pastor of the Calvary Baptist Tabernacle at 10451 S. Hoover, Los Angeles, to ask if his family could store their small inventory at the church.
Without hesitating, Rev. Sweazy agreed.
Rev. Watanabe lay in the Los Angeles hospital in June 1942, comforted in the knowledge that his wife and three young daughters would be able to resume their lives in at least one important way.
Rev. Sweazy’s support during this difficult time demonstrated special courage. More important than the storage of the family’s possessions was the love, friendship, and generosity extended to the family in light of the pervasive racism on the West Coast and other regions. The support that he and others gave the family enabled and inspired the daughters to earn college degrees at a time when most people did not attend college, and to make a difference in their communities as adults.
Rev. Sweazy was a renowned evangelist, author, and speaker, born October 10, 1896. His 1968 book Evangelism That Evangelizes and his 1952 book, The Ministry of the Saints: Effective Visitation Evangelism, continue their print sales to this day. He passed away January 10, 1986. His work includes many other written documents.
© 2026, Kathryn Kimura Mlsna
Kathryn Kimura Mlsna recently completed six years of research to create historical biographies of her parents, Grace Watanabe Kimura and Eugene Tatsuru Kimura, and her issei grandparents: Rev. Paul Yorishige Watanabe, Chie Watanabe, and Kasaburo and Masano Kimura.
With three children and seven grandchildren, Kathryn and her husband look forward to a time when future generations will also read about their ancestors’ courage and accomplishments, and appreciate the debt of gratitude to them, and Rev. Sweazy — who, as Kathryn learned, had stored family possessions at his church, primarily important documents, that could then be passed down to their descendants.