,illustration3 ,,sentinel ,,gate ,,at ,,palace4 ,frontispiece ,,fifteen ,,years ,,among ,,the ,,top-,,knots ,,or ,,life ,,in ,,korea ,by ,l4 ,h4 ,,underwood1 ,m4,d4 ,with ,introduction by ,,frank ,f4 ,,ellinwood1 ,d4,d41 ,,ll4,d4 ,,second ,,edition ,,revised ,,and ,,enlarged ,illustration ,,young ,,people',s ,,missionary ,,movement ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,,and ,,canada ,,new ,,york ,copyright1 #aijd1 ,,by ,,american ,,tract ,,society4 99 99 99 99 99 ,copyright1 #aijh1 ,,by ,,american ,,tract ,,society4 ,,this ,,little ,,volume ,,is ,,gratefully ,,dedicated ,,to ,,my ,,husband ,,in ,,memory ,,of ,,fifteen ,,happiest ,,years ,,introduction ,it may be said at once1 that ,mrs4 ,underwood's narrative of her experience of 8,fifteen ,years ,among the ,top-,knots0 constitutes a book of no ordinary interest4 ,there is no danger that any reader having even a moderate sympathy with the work of missions in the far ,east will be disappointed in the perusal4 ,the writer does not undertake to give a comprehensive account of missions in ,korea1 or even of the one mission which she represents1 but only of the things which she has seen and experienced4 ,there is something naive and attractive in the way in which she takes her readers into her confidence while she tells her story1 as trustfully as if she were only writing to a few relatives and friends4 ,necessarily she deals very largely with her own work1 and that of her husband1 as of that she is best qualified to speak4 ,everywhere1 however1 there are generous and appreciative references to the heroic labors of associate missionaries4 ,nor does she confine these tributes to members of her own mission4 ,some of her highest encomiums are given to members of other missions1 who have laboured and died for the ,gospel and the cause of humanity in ,korea4 ,mrs4 ,underwood1 then ,miss ,lillias ,horton1 of ,chicago1 went to ,korea as a medical missionary in #ahhh4 ,as a ,secretary of the ,presbyterian ,board1 accustomed to visit our candidates before appointment1 ,i found her a bright young girl of slight and graceful figure in one of the ,chicago hospitals1 where she was adding to her medical knowledge some practical experience as a trained nurse4 ,there was nothing of the consciousness of martyrdom in her appearance1 but quite the reverse1 as with cheerful countenance and manner she glided about in her white uniform among the ward patients4 ,it was evident that she was looking forward with high satisfaction to the work to which she had consecrated her life4 ,the story of her arrival at ,chemulpo1 of her first impressions of ,korea1 is best told in her own words4 ,the first arrival of a missionary on the field is always a trying experience4 ,the squalid appearance of the low native huts1 whose huddled groupings ,mrs4 ,underwood compares to low-lying beds of mushrooms1 poorly clad and dull-eyed fishermen and other peasantry1 contrasting so strongly with the brighter scenes of one's home land1 are enough to fill any but the bravest with discouragement and despair4 ,but our narrator passed this trying ordeal by reflecting that she was not a tourist in pursuit of entertainment1 but an ambassador of ,christ1 sent to heal the bodies and enlighten the souls of the lowly and the suffering4 ,as a young unmarried woman and quite alone1 she found a welcoming home with ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,heron1 and began at once a twofold work of mastering the language1 and of professional service at the hospital4 ,not long after her arrival she was called to pay a visit to the queen1 who wished to secure her services as her physician4 ,the relation soon grew into a mutual friendship1 and ,mrs4 ,underwood from that time till the assassination of the unfortunate queen was her frequent visitor1 and in many respects her personal admirer4 ,she does not hesitate to express her appreciation of the queen1 as a woman of kind-hearted and generous impulses1 high intellectual capacity1 and no ordinary diplomatic ability4 ,of stronger mind and higher moral character than her royal husband1 she was his wise counsellor and the chief bulwark of his precarious power4 ,though ,mrs4 ,underwood's book is of the nature of a narrative1 yet its smoothly running current is laden with all kinds of general information respecting the character and customs of the people1 the condition of the country1 the native beliefs and superstitions1 the social degradation1 the poverty and widespread ignorance of the masses4 ,the account of missionary work is given naturally1 its pros and cons set forth without special laudation on the one hand1 or critical misgiving on the other4 ,it is simply presented1 and left to speak for itself1 and it can scarcely fail to carry to all minds a conviction of the genuineness and marked success of the great work which our missionaries in ,korea are conducting4 ,mrs4 ,underwood's marriage to ,rev4 ,h4 ,g4 ,underwood1 who had already been four years in the country1 is related with simplicity and good sense1 and the remarkable bridal tour1 though given more at length1 is really a story not of honeymoon experiences1 but rather of arduous and heroic missionary itineration4 ,it was contrary to the advice and against the strong remonstrances of their associates and their friends in the ,u4 ,s4 legation that the young couple set out in the early spring of #ahhi for a pioneering tour through ,northern ,korea4 ,fortunately for the whole work of our ,protestant missions1 the most favorable impression had been made upon the ,korean ,court and upon the people by the striking and most valuable service which had been rendered by ,dr4 ,h4 ,n4 ,allen1 our first medical missionary1 and now ,u4 ,s4 ,minister in ,korea4 ,he had healed the wounds of some distinguished ,koreans1 who had been nearly killed in a midnight conflict between the ,chinese and ,japanese garrisons at ,seoul4 ,although there were strong prohibitory decrees against the admission of foreigners in the interior1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,underwood ventured to presume upon the connivance of the officials at their proposed journey to the far north4 ,traveling as missionaries and without disguise1 it was a plucky undertaking for the young bride1 since1 so far as known1 she was the first foreign woman who had made such a tour4 ,the journey was a protracted one and involved all kinds of hardship and privation4 ,nothing worthy of a name of inn was to be found1 but only some larger huts in which travelers were packed away amid every variety of filth and vermin4 ,the curiosity of the people to see a foreign woman was such that the mob everywhere scrupled not to punch holes through the paper windows and doors to get a peep4 ,after having been borne all day in a chair1 not over roads1 but through tortuous bridle paths1 over rocks and through sloughs1 it was found well-nigh impossible to rest at night4 ,all sorts of noises early and late added to their discomfort4 ,as to food1 the difficulty of subsisting on such fare as the people could furnish may be well imagined4 ,they were not wholly free from the fear of wild animals1 for some districts through which they passed were infested by tigers and leopards4 ,but their greatest danger was that of falling into the hands of roaming bands of robbers4 ,mrs4 ,underwood's account of one experience of this kind will be read with thrilling interest4 ,fortunately1 ,mr4 ,underwood had already made one or two shorter tours through the country alone1 and had baptized a few converts here and there4 ,the passports also which he carried with him secured the favor of some of the district magistrates1 so that the two were not exposed wholly to hostile influences4 ,it is impossible in few words to do justice to the story related in this interesting book1 which was prepared by ,mrs4 ,underwood at the request of the ,american ,tract ,society1 or do anything more than commend in general terms its various presentations4 ,one of these relating to the experiences of a severe cholera season1 during which missionaries1 not only medical but also clerical1 remained faithfully at their posts1 unmindful of the personal risks and of the heat1 filth and discomfort of an unsanitary city in the most sickly months1 in order to do all in their power to save the lives and mitigate the sufferings of the poor and despairing people4 ,the account is given with great simplicity1 and without ostentatious claims of heroism1 and may be regarded as a true representation of the faithful service often rendered by our missionaries in times of trial and great suffering4 ,mrs4 ,underwood's book will be read with peculiar interest at this time1 when all attention is turned to the far ,east and especially to ,korea1 which seems likely to be the battleground in the war between ,russia and ,japan4 ,the position of the poor ,koreans1 government and people1 is calculated to elicit the sympathy of all ,christians and all philanthropists4 ,every one wonders what will be the outcome for poor ,korea4 ,it is indeed a time for earnest prayer that the ,god of nations will overrule all current events for the best good of this beleaguered people and for the advancement of ,christ's ,kingdom4 ,f4 ,f4 ,,ellinwood4 ,,new ,,york1 ,feb4 #bj1 #aijd4 ,,preface ,the chapters which are here given to the public are simply reminiscent1 a brief story of a few years of the writer's life in one of the most unique and interesting of all the ,eastern countries1 among a people who are singularly winning and lovable4 ,i beg that in reading these pages it may be remembered that this book makes no pretense whatever to being a text or reference book on ,korea1 or in any respect a history of ,korean missions4 ,the writer has simply strung together a few events which have fallen under her own personal observation during the last fifteen years4 ,if more frequent reference is made to the work carried on by my husband and myself than to others1 it is simply because it is only with regard to that which has been woven into the web of my own experience that ,i can speak with exactness and authority4 ,all it is hoped to accomplish is1 that sufficient insight into the customs and character of the people1 and their moral and political atmosphere1 with the results1 opportunities and possible limitations of mission work1 may be given to induce the reader to study further1 and perchance to question what his relation to it all is4 ,i must acknowledge my great indebtedness to ,dr4 ,h4 ,n4 ,allen's chronological index1 by which ,i have been able to verify many dates4 ,i am also indebted to the 8,korean ,repository10 and to the 8,life of ,dr4 ,james ,hall10 for part of the story of the events connected with his work in ,pyeng ,yang1 both before and after the war1 and for the official report of the trial of the queen's murderers at ,hiroshima4 ,more than all1 ,i am obliged to my husband1 by whose assistance ,i have obtained from ,koreans the particulars relating to the ,emeute of #ahhd1 the ,tonghaks1 the ,pusaings1 the ,independents1 and the ,romanists4 ,he has also given me many of the anecdotes of native ,christian life1 and as we lived it all out ourselves1 this volume is as much his as mine4 ,,lillias ,h4 ,,underwood4 ,,contents ,,chapter ,i ,,page ,first ,arrival--,first ,impressions--,the ,city of ,seoul--,korean ,houses--,mission ,homes--,personnel of ,mission in #ahhh--;,beginnings of ,work--,difficulties in ,attaining the ,language--,korean ,religions--,palace ,women--,first ,interview with ,palace ,women--,entertainment ,given in my ,honor by ,president of ,foreign ,office--,the ,interdict--,confidence ,exhibited by ,government in ,protestant ,missionaries--,the 8,baby ,riots0--,babies ,reported to ,have ,been ,eaten at ,foreign ,legations--,restoring ,confidence--,the ,signal--,first ,invitation to ,palace #a ,,chapter ,,ii ,the ,palaces--,the ,stone ,dogs--,the ,fire ,god's ,defeat--,the ,summer ,pleasure ,house--,royal ,reception ,hall--,court ,dress of ,noblemen--,first ,impression of the ,king--,appearance of the ,queen--,the ,queen's ,troubles--,the ,queen's ,coup d'tat--,the ,verb ,endings--,the ,queen's ,generosity--,stone ,fight--,gifts--,the ,quaga--,poukhan--,its ,impregnability--,picturesque ,surroundings of ,seoul--,pioneer ,work--,progress of ,work--,the ,queen's ,wedding ,gift--,our ,wedding--,opposition to my ,going to the ,interior--,my ,chair--,the ,chair ,coolies #bj ,,chapter ,,iii ,we ,start on our ,wedding ,journey--,songdo--,guards at our ,gates--,crossing the ,tai-tong--,difficulties in ,finding an ,inn--,korean ,launderings--,an ,old ,man ,seeks to be ,rid of ,sin--,mob at an ,inn--,a ,ruffian ,bursts ,open my ,door--,fight in the ,inn ,yard--,pat ,defies the ,crowd--,convenience of ,top-,knots--,a ,magistrate ,refuses to ,shelter ,us--,the 8,captain0 to the ,rescue--,pack-ponies--,we ,lay a ,deep ,scheme--,torch ,bearers--,a ,mountain ,hamlet--,tiger ,traps--,tigers--,a ,band of ,thirty ,conspire to ,attack us--,guns ,used by ,native ,hunters--,a ,tiger ,story #ch ,,chapter ,,iv ,leaving ,kangai--,we ,choose a ,short ,cut--,much ,goitre in the ,mountains--,a ,deserted ,village--,the ,jericho ,road--,we are ,attacked by ,robbers--,a ,struggle in the ,inn ,yard--,odds too ,great--,our ,attendants are ,seized and ,carried ,off--,the ,kind ,inn-,keeper--,inopportune ,patients--,a ,race for ,life--,a ,city of ,refuge--,a ,beautiful ,custom--,safe at ,last--,the ,magistrate ,turns ,out to be an ,old ,friend--,the ,charge to the ,hunters #fj ,,chapter ,v ,our ,stay in ,wewon--,we ,give a ,dinner--,our ,guests--,magistrates ,propose that we ,travel with a ,chain-,gang--,our ,trip ,down the ,yalu--,the ,rapids--,contrast ,between ,korean and ,chinese ,shores--,we ,enter ,weju--,the ,drunken ,magistrate--,presents and ,punishments--,unpleasant ,experiences with ,insincere ,people--,rice ,christians--,the ,scheming ,colporter--,the ,men ,baptized in ,weju--,the ,lost ,passport--,another ,audience at the ,palace--,queen's ,dress and ,ornaments--,korean ,summer ,house--,the ,pocket ,dictionary--,our ,homes #gg ,,chapter ,,vi ,an ,audience at the ,palace--,dancing ,girls--,entertainment ,given after the ,audience--,printing the ,dictionary and ,grammar--,a ,korean in ,japan--,fasting to ,feast--,death of ,mr4 ,davies--,dr4 ,heron's ,sickness--,mrs4 ,heron's ,midnight ,ride--,dr4 ,heron's ,death--,difficulty in ,getting a ,cemetery ,concession--,forced ,return to ,america--,compensations--,chemulpo in ,summer--,the 8,term ,question0 in ,china1 ,korea and ,japan--,difficulties in the ,work #ic ,,chapter ,,vii ,the ,mission in #ahic--8,the ,shelter0--,opening of ,japanese ,war--,seoul ,populace ,panic ,stricken--,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,hall in ,pyeng ,yang--,heroic ,conduct of ,native ,christians--,condition of ,pyeng ,yang after the ,war--,dr4 ,hall's ,death--,preaching the ,gospel at the ,palace--,the ,queen ,seeks to ,strengthen ,friendly ,relations with ,europeans--,her ,majesty's ,generosity--,a ,little ,child at the ,palace--,the ,slaves of the ,ring--,a ,christmas ,tree at the ,palace--,the ,queen's ,beneficent ,plans--,the ,post-office ,emeute of #ahhd--;,a ,haunted ,palace--,the ,murder of ,kim ,oh ,kiun #ajf ,,chapter ,,viii ,mr4 ,mc,kenzie--,the ,first ,church ,built by ,natives--,mr4 ,mc,kenzie's ,sickness--,his ,death--,warning to ,new ,missionaries--,the ,tonghaks--,mr4 ,underwood's ,trip to ,sorai in ,summer--,native ,churches--,our ,use of ,helpers--,christians in ,seoul ,build their ,own ,church--,epidemic of ,cholera--,unhygienic ,practices--,unsanitary ,condition of ,city #abc ,,chapter ,,ix ,difficulty of ,enforcing ,quarantine ,regulations--,greedy ,officials 8,eat0 ,relief ,funds--,americans ,stand ,alone to ,face the ,foe--,the ,emergency ,cholera ,hospital--,the ,inspection ,officers--,we ,decide to ,use the 8,shelter0--,a ,pathetic ,case--,the ,jesus ,man--,gratitude of the ,koreans--,the ,new ,church--,the ,murder of the ,queen--,testimony of ,foreigners--,the ,official ,report #acf ,,chapter ,x ,the ,palace after the ,murder--,panic--,attitude of ,foreign ,legations--,the ,king's ,life in ,hourly ,danger--,noble ,refugees--,americans on ,guard--,mistakes of the ,new ,government--,objectionable ,sumptuary ,laws--,a ,plan to ,rescue the ,king--,one ,night at the ,palace--,forcing an ,entrance--,our ,little ,drama--,escape of ,general ,yun #aec ,,chapter ,,xi ,customs ,centering around the ,top-,knot--,christians ,sacrificing ,their ,top-,knots--,a ,cruel ,blow--,beginning of ,christian ,work in ,koksan--,a ,pathetic ,appeal--,people ,baptize ,themselves--,hard-,hearted ,cho--,the ,king's ,escape--,people ,rally ,round ,him--,two ,americans in the ,interior--,in the ,midst of a ,mob--,mob ,fury--,korea in the ,arms of ,russia--,celebrating the ,king's ,birthday--,patriotic ,hymns--,lord's ,prayer in ,korean #afg ,,chapter ,,xii ,a ,korean ,christian ,starts ,work in ,haing ,ju--,changed ,lives of ,believers--,a ,reformed ,saloon-,keeper--,the ,conversion of a ,sorceress--,best of ,friends--,a ,pleasant ,night on the ,water--,evidence of ,christian ,living--,our ,visit in ,sorai--,a ,korean ,woman's ,work--,how a ,king ,acts at ,times--,applicants for ,baptism--,two ,tonghaks--,in a ,strait betwixt ,two--,midnight ,alarms--,miss ,jacobson's ,death #ahc ,,chapter ,,xiii ,our ,mission to ,japan--,spies--,one ,korean ,summer--,the ,queen's ,funeral--,the ,procession--,the ,burial by ,starlight--,the ,independents--,the ,pusaings--,the ,independents ,crushed #bja ,,chapter ,,xiv ,itineration ,incidents--,kaiwha--,christian ,evidences--,buying ,christian ,books instead of an ,office--,seed ,sowing--,moxa's ,boy in the ,well--,kugungers ,again--,pung ,chung--,pyeng ,yang--,the ,needs of the ,women #baf ,,chapter ,,xv ,another ,itineration--,christians in ,eul ,yul--,a ,ride in an ,ox-,cart--,keeping the ,cow in the ,kitchen--,ox-,carts and ,mountain ,roads--,the ,island of ,white ,wing--,a ,midnight ,meeting--,thanksgiving ,day in ,sorai--,the ,circular ,orders--,new ,testament ,finished--,all in the ,day's ,work--,the ,korean ,noble--,meetings of the ,nobility #bcg ,,chapter ,,xvi ,furloughs--,chong ,dong ,church--,romanists in ,whang ,hai--,missionaries to the ,rescue--,romanists ,annoy and ,hinder the ,judge--,results--,interview between ,governor and ,priest--,the ,inspector's ,report--,women's ,work in ,hai ,ju--,death of ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,johnson and ,mrs4 ,miller #bed ,,chapter ,,xvii ,historical ,review--,korean ,characteristics--,football between ,japan1 ,china and ,russia--,ill-advised ,movements--,unrest and ,excitement--,korea ,allied to ,japan--,japanese in ,korea--,po an ,whai--,kaiwha--,railroad ,extension--,japanese ,protectorate--,petition to ,president ,roosevelt--,removal of ,american ,legation--,education in ,korea--,righteous ,army--,true ,civilization #bgb ,,chapter ,,xviii ,present ,status of ,missions--,wonderful ,progress--,education for ,girls--,medical ,missions--,denominational ,comity--,christianity ,spreading--,individuals at ,work--,christian ,heroes--,character of ,korean ,christians--,how the ,work ,grows--,christian ,influence--,training ,classes--,circuit ,work--,statistics--,rapid ,extension--,evangelistic ,work--,joy and ,triumph--,the ,nation being ,evangelized #cjj ,,chapter ,,xix ,pentecostal ,blessing--,special ,meetings--,prayer ,answered--,confession of ,sin--,revival in ,schools--,great ,meetings--,bible ,study--,effects of ,blessings--,transforming ,power--,holy ,spirit ,revival--,comparative ,statement of ,growth--,features of the ,great ,work--,union of ,christians in ,korea #cce ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations ,,sentinel ,,gate ,,at ,,palace ,frontispiece ,,city ,,of ,,seoul ,opposite page #a ,,main ,,entrance ,,to ,,palace 8 8 #aj ,,korean ,,official ,,in ,,chair 8 8 #af ,,korean ,,stone ,,dog ,,in ,,front ,,of ,,palace ,,gates 8 8 #bj ,,the ,,king ,,of ,,korea 8 8 #bd ,,the ,,great ,,market ,,at ,,cheenju 8 8 #cb ,,surroundings ,,of ,,seoul 8 8 #cb ,a ,,street ,,crowd 8 8 #cf ,,tai-,,tong ,,river 8 8 #dd ,,ferry ,,boat 8 8 #dd ,,method ,,of ,,ironing 8 8 #dh ,,prince ,,yu ,,chai ,,soon1 ,,cousin ,,of ,,king 8 8 #fj ,,high ,,korean ,,official1 ,,kim ,,yan ,,sik 8 8 #fj ,,carrier ,,ox 8 8 #fd ,,the ,,ox-,,cart ,,or ,,talgoogy 8 8 #fd ,a ,,korean ,,village 8 8 #fh ,a ,,butcher ,,shop 8 8 #hb ,,basket ,,shop 8 8 #hb ,,pleasure ,,house 8 8 #ij ,,gate ,,in ,,the ,,wall ,,of ,,namhan 8 8 #ih ,,house ,,used ,,by ,,missionaries ,,on ,,top ,,of ,,namhan 8 8 #ajd ,,deserted ,,royal ,,dining ,,hall 8 8 #aab ,,mr4 ,,chay ,,cho ,,si 8 8 #abj ,,elder ,,yang ,,and ,,family 8 8 #abj ,,party ,,starting ,,out ,,in ,,morning ,,from ,,thatched ,,inn 8 8 #abd ,,church ,,at ,,sorai 8 8 #abd ,,the ,,three ,,stages ,,of ,,man ,,in ,,korea 8 8 #abh ,,the ,,round ,,gate1 ,,seoul 8 8 #adf ,a ,,korean ,,top-,,knot 8 8 #aff ,,russian ,,legation ,,house 8 8 #agb ,,independence ,,arch 8 8 #agb ,,korean ,,women ,,at ,,work 8 8 #ahh ,,school ,,boys 8 8 #aib ,,girls ,,sewing ,,and ,,writing ,,with ,,native ,,teacher 8 8 #aib ,,korean ,,street 8 8 #aih ,,horses ,,in ,,an ,,inn ,,yard 8 8 #aih ,,candy ,,boy 8 8 #bah ,,elder ,,saw ,,of ,,sorai ,,and ,,his ,,family 8 8 #bcd ,,mrs4 ,,kim ,,of ,,sorai ,,and ,,her ,,family 8 8 #bdb ,,carriers ,,with ,,jikays 8 8 #beh ,,woman ,,with ,,bundle ,,of ,,washing ,,on ,,her ,,head 8 8 #beh ,illustration3 ,,city ,,of ,,seoul4 ,,page #c ,,fifteen ,,years ,,among ,,the ,,top-,,knots ,,chapter ,i ,first ,arrival--,first ,impressions--,the ,city of ,seoul--,korean ,houses--,mission ,homes--,personnel of ,mission in #ahhh--;,beginnings of ,work--,difficulties in ,attaining the ,language--,korean ,religions--,palace ,women--,first ,interview with ,palace ,women--,entertainment ,given in my ,honor by ,president of ,foreign ,office--,the ,interdict--,confidence ,exhibited by ,government in ,protestant ,missionaries--,the 8,baby ,riots0--,babies ,reported to have been ,eaten at ,foreign ,legations--,restoring ,confidence--,the ,signal--,first ,invitation to ,palace4 ,i landed in ,korea at the port of ,chemulpo on a cloudy1 windy ,march day1 in #ahhh4 ,my eyes fell on a rocky shore1 back of which the bare sharp outline of low hills1 whitened with patches of snow1 was relieved by no trees to break the monotony of the scene4 ,dreary mud flats1 instead of a sandy beach1 lay reeking and slimy along the water's edge4 ,as our boat neared the shore1 for there was and is no pier1 and ships even at high tide cannot approach very near1 wild and strange-looking men1 uttering wild and strange-sounding speech1 came hurrying down the hill to inspect us4 ,their coarse black hair was long and dishevelled1 in some instances braided in a single pigtail1 in most cases1 however1 tied on top of the head1 where a careless attempt at a top-knot had been made1 but elf-locks straying round the neck and face gave a wolfish and unkempt appearance4 ,they were ,mongolians with all the race features1 not differing much from ,chinese or ,japanese except in dress1 and being in the main rather taller than the latter people4 ,their garments appeared to consist of a short loose jacket and long baggy trousers1 of a dirty white native cloth4 ,these garments among the poorer classes are never changed oftener than twice in a month4 ,these were the people among whom ,i had come to work--this the country which ,i had chosen instead of the 8groves and templed hills0 of my own dear native land4 ,my heart swelled1 and lifted up an earnest prayer that it might not be in vain4 ,in justice to the ,koreans1 however1 ,i ought to say here1 that the people whom ,i saw that morning were of the lowest and roughest class1 their dress the poorest sort1 and that ,chemulpo1 especially in ,march1 is perhaps the most forbidding and unsightly place in ,korea4 ,being the main port for the capital1 it is made up1 as ports often are1 very largely of a mixture of various nationalities4 ,many sailors and traders1 and especially ,chinese and ,japanese merchants1 have built their poor houses and shops in the main town4 ,the trip from ,chemulpo to ,seoul1 about twenty-eight miles1 was made the following day1 in a ,sedan-chair carried by four coolies4 ,the road1 although a much traveled one1 was very bad1 but is now replaced by a railroad which accomplishes the distance in about two hours and a half4 ,the country ,i found pleasantly rolling--comparatively few trees were seen1 and the population thereabout seemed quite sparse4 ,here and there were squalid mud huts thatched with straw4 ,i found on inquiry that this little land1 lying west of ,japan1 attached at its northern extremity to ,china and ,siberia1 has an area of about ninety thousand square miles and a population of over fourteen millions of people1 with a climate varying from that in the north1 like northern ,new ,york1 to that in the extreme south1 like southern ,virginia4 ,we approached ,seoul about four o'clock in the afternoon1 and ,i was thrilled at the sight of the first walled town ,i had ever beheld4 ,the walls are very picturesque--built of great blocks of stone--hung with ivy1 and give an impression of great age4 ,at the time of my arrival1 and for some few years after1 a very interesting custom was in vogue with regard to the closing of these gates4 ,korea had for centuries a signal fire service1 by which news of peace or war was with telegraphic rapidity conveyed to ,seoul1 and by number1 frequency of repetition and other expedients a tolerably useful code had been established4 ,on the south mountain1 within the walls1 were four beacons1 one for each point of the compass1 to which these lines converged4 ,every evening as soon as the sun had set1 when the bright glow of these four beacon fires published the fact that all was well in his majesty's dominions1 four officials1 whose business it was to report to the king the message of the fires1 presented themselves at the palace1 and with low obeisance1 each announced that all was well in the north--in the south--the east--and the west4 ,on this1 the palace band struck up its gayest airs1 and when this music was heard1 the signal was given for the tolling of the great curfew bell in the center of the city4 ,when the extremely sweet and solemn1 low and yet penetrating tones of this bell were heard1 the ponderous gates were swung to and barred1 not to be reopened till the ringing of the same bell at the first streak of dawn gave the signal to the keepers4 ,entering through these gates1 fortunately not yet closed1 we saw narrow1 filthy streets1 flanked by low mud houses1 either thatched with straw1 or tiled4 ,it has been aptly said that the city looks like a vast bed of mushrooms1 since none of the ,korean houses are built more than one story high4 ,the common people are very poor and their homes seem to an ,american wretchedly poor and comfortless1 and yet1 compared with the most destitute of ,london or ,new ,york1 there are few who go cold or hungry in ,seoul4 ,each dwelling is so arranged that the part of the house occupied by the women1 which is called the anpang1 or inner room1 shall be screened from sight from the street and from those entering the gate--for every house has at least a tiny courtyard1 part of which is also screened off 7either by another wall1 or by mats1 or trees and bushes7 for the women's use4 ,many of the homes of the poor consist of but one room1 with a sort of outer shed1 which is used as kitchen4 ,such a place often has no window1 or at most only a tiny one1 and both window and door are covered with white paper instead of glass4 ,these doors are usually very low and narrow1 so that even a small woman must stoop to enter1 and within it is not always possible to stand upright except in the center1 where the roof is highest4 ,these small rooms are easily heated by means of a system of flues built under the floor1 which consists of stone and mud4 ,a fire of brush and twigs is kindled under one side of the house1 and as the chimney opens at the other side1 the draft naturally carries smoke and heat through the flues1 the floor becomes very hot1 and the whole room is quickly warmed4 ,the fireplace is built in with pots for boiling the rice--so that a great advantage is obtained in the matter of economy1 the one fire booth cooks and warms4 ,wherever it can be afforded1 a sarang1 or men's sitting room1 which opens directly on the street or road1 or upon the men's court1 is part of the establishment4 ,here any man may enter2 male guests are entertained1 and fed1 and here they sleep4 ,no men not members of the family or relatives ever enter the anpang4 ,it is needless to say that everything in connection with these houses is fearfully unsanitary1 and many of them are filthy and full of vermin4 ,all sewage flows out into the unspeakable ditches on either side of the street4 ,of late years efforts have been made to alter this state of things1 better streets have been laid1 and the open sewers1 which have existed for many years1 are sluiced out by the summer rains1 which are the salvation of the city4 ,it was a great and delightful surprise when suddenly1 entering a gate in a mud wall1 we left behind us these dirty streets and saw around us a lovely lawn1 flower beds1 bushes and trees1 and a pretty picturesque mission home4 ,it was like magic4 ,i found our mission in possession of native houses which had been occupied in past years by wealthy but now ruined or banished noblemen4 ,they had been purchased at a ridiculously low price in a condition of dilapidation1 repaired at little expense and the interiors more or less ,europeanized4 ,the one which ,i entered had1 with great good taste1 been left without other ceiling than its quaint and massive beams and rafters of blackened wood1 the walls were prettily papered1 and rugs and comfortable furniture and a few pictures and ornaments gave a homelike air4 ,the rooms were spacious1 and having been the dwelling of the rich1 they were not so low or dark as those ,i have just described4 ,our mission1 which at that time had been established about four years1 was high in favor with the government4 ,dr4 ,allen first1 and later ,dr4 ,heron1 were the official physicians to the king1 who had established a government hospital1 over which he had placed them in charge4 ,miss ,ellers1 lately married1 had been appointed medical adviser to the queen and had been placed in charge of the women's department of the hospital1 both of which positions she had resigned after her marriage1 and to both of which ,i had been appointed to succeed4 ,the members of the mission whom ,i found were ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,heron1 ,rev4 ,h4 ,g4 ,underwood and ,mrs4 ,bunker 7formerly ,miss ,ellers74 ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,allen had returned to ,america on an official mission4 ,work had been well started1 the hospital was daily crowded with patients1 in addition to which ,dr4 ,heron had a large foreign and native practice1 as well as a hospital school for the instruction of future drug clerks and medical students4 ,mr4 ,underwood had established an orphan boys' home and school1 had assisted ,dr4 ,allen in his clinics till the arrival of ,dr4 ,heron1 and was at that time1 in addition to the entire care of the orphanage1 teaching in the government hospital school1 which it was hoped might be the stepping stone to a medical school4 ,he was holding regular religious services1 and about thirty had been baptized4 ,he had made a long trip into the interior1 up to the northern borders1 selling tracts and preaching everywhere4 ,language helps were in preparation1 and the ,gospel of ,mark in a tentative form had been translated4 ,miss ,ellers was in charge of women's medical work up to my arrival1 and was high in favor with the queen1 who had bestowed rank upon her1 and many costly presents4 ,she had also begun to work and train the first member of the girls' school4 ,i found that help was much needed on all sides4 ,the day after my arrival saw me installed at the hospital with an interpreter at my side4 ,here work usually lasted about three hours4 ,my home was with ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,heron1 who with warmest kindness had fitted up a sunny room for me4 ,here ,dr4 ,heron and ,i had a joint dispensary1 and here ,i was besieged at all hours by women desiring medical attention4 ,i soon found that language study was continually interrupted very seriously by these applicants1 who respected not times or seasons4 ,i was of course called upon to visit patients in their homes1 one of whom1 the wife of the ,chinese minister of state1 ,prince ,uan 7now a very prominent personage in ,chinese matters71 must be seen every day with an amount of ceremony which took not a little of my precious time4 ,however1 finding that others were being overworked1 ,i consented to give two hours each day to teaching the little orphans arithmetic and ,english4 ,of course we made slow progress1 and floundered not a little when the teacher knew no ,korean1 and the pupils no ,english4 ,this institution had the unqualified favor of the king1 and except the hospital was the first institution in ,korea which illustrated the loving-kindness of the ,lord4 ,we hoped it might become a successful school1 where souls might be saved1 ere they had been steeped for years in vice1 and the first steps taken in the preparation of evangelists and preachers4 ,our duty and chief desire was of course to acquire the language1 but this was much interrupted by this other work4 ,as we stood there1 such a little company among these dying millions1 we could not realize that hours of preparation then meant doubled usefulness in years to come1 and so time and energy1 that should have been spent mainly in study1 were poured out in hospital1 dispensary and schools4 ,the new missionaries of these later days are put in a language incubator as soon as they arrive and kept there till they emerge full-fledged linguists1 who have passed three searching examinations by the language committee of the missions4 ,then we sat down with an ,english-,chinese dictionary 7most scholarly ,koreans know a little ,chinese71 a ,korean-,french dictionary1 a ,french grammar and a ,korean reader with a small ,english primer on ,korean1 the ,gospel of ,mark and a ,korean catechism for text books4 ,we were presented to a ,korean gentleman knowing not one syllable of ,english1 or the first principles of the constructions of any language on earth1 or even the parts of speech1 and without the glimmering of an idea as to the best methods or any method of teaching1 who yet was called1 probably ironically1 8a teacher10 from whom we were expected to pump with all diligence such information on the language as he was able to bestow4 ,with scanty knowledge of ,french1 more than rusty from long disuse1 ,i labored and floundered1 trying now this plan1 now that1 with continual interruptions and discouragements4 ,before ,i could more than stammer a few sentences ,i was called upon to begin religious teaching1 so undertook a ,sunday school service with the little boys1 using a catechism which ,i could not yet translate1 but 7knowing the sounds7 could hear the boys recite4 ,soon after ,i began holding a ,bible class with a few women1 with the aid of a little native boy who had learned ,english and a former sorceress who could read the ,chinese ,scriptures4 ,this woman would read the chapter1 we all united in the ,lord's prayer and in singing the few hymns then translated1 and ,i talked to the women through the medium of my little interpreter4 ,i struggled and stumbled4 ,the women were patient and polite1 but to our ,father it must have looked the spoiled tangled patchwork of the child who wished to help1 with ignorant1 untaught hands1 and made a loving botch of it all4 ,perhaps right here a few words about the ,korean religions may be in place4 ,confucianism1 ,buddhism and ,taouism all hold a sort of sway over the natives1 and yet all have lost1 to a great extent1 the influence they once had4 ,the majority have very little faith in any religion4 ,confucianism1 otherwise a mere philosophical system of morals1 has the strongest hold upon the people in the laws it enjoins for ancestor worship4 ,this custom1 enforced by the strongest and most widespread superstitions in the minds of the ,koreans1 binds them with fetters stronger than iron4 ,if ancestors are not worshiped with most punctilious regard to every smallest detail of the law1 dire calamities will befall1 from the wrath of irate and neglected spirits4 ,the servitude thus compelled is hard and wearisome1 but not one jot or tittle must be omitted1 and woe to the wretch who1 embracing another doctrine1 fails to perform these rites4 ,he or she is looked upon as more than a traitor to home and friends1 false to the most sacred obligations4 ,buddhism has fallen low1 until very lately its priests were forbidden to enter the capital1 and they rank next to the slayer of cattle1 the lowest in the land4 ,a few ,buddhist temples are maintained at government expense or by endowment1 and women and children1 and all the more ignorant1 still worship and believe1 to some extent4 ,the same classes also worship and fear an infinite number of all sorts of evil deities--gods or demons1 who infest earth1 air and sea1 gods of various diseases1 and all trades2 these in common with ,satan himself must be propitiated with prayers and sacrifices1 beating of drums1 ringing of bells and other ceremonials too numerous to mention4 ,over all other objects of worship1 they believe1 is the great ,heavens1 the personification of the visible heavens1 who1 as nearly as ,i can discover1 is identical with the ,baal referred to in the ,old ,testament2 but everywhere their faith waxes more and more feeble in these old worn-out superstitions4 ,in many cases only respect for ancient customs and public opinion keeps them even in appearance to the outward forms of worship4 ,they are as sheep without a shepherd1 lost in the wilderness1 8faint and hungry1 and ready to die10 and so when the gospel comes1 it finds many weary souls1 ready to take ,christ's yoke upon them and find his rest4 ,and yet how hopeless looked the task we had before us in those days1 a little company of scarce a dozen people1 including our ,methodist brethren1 many of us able to stammer only a few words of the language as yet1 attempting to introduce ,christianity into a nation of fourteen or more millions of people1 in the place of their long established religions2 and beginning with a few poor farmers and old women4 ,but the elements of success1 the certainty of victory1 lay in the divine nature of the religion1 and in the ,almighty ,god who sent us with it4 ,this knowledge inspired us and this alone4 ,a few days after my arrival in ,seoul a messenger came from the queen1 to bid me welcome1 and inquire if ,i had had a pleasant journey1 and shortly after ,mrs4 ,heron asked some of the queen's attendants to meet me at luncheon4 ,these women are not1 as in other courts1 ladies of high rank1 for such could never1 under ,korean customs1 endure the publicity of the palace1 but are taken as children and young girls from the middle and lower classes1 and entirely separated from all others1 to the service of their majesties4 ,they usually hold no rank1 and are treated with respect1 only on account of their relations to the royal family4 ,they wear on all state occasions immense quantities of false hair1 which gives them a peculiarly grotesque appearance2 are much powdered and perfumed1 with pencilled and shaven eyebrows2 wear long flowing silken robes1 gilded ornaments in their hair and at their waists2 and present the sad spectacle of women whose very decorations seem only to add to and emphasize their painful uncomeliness4 ,illustration3 ,,main ,,entrance ,,to ,,palace4 ,,page #bj ,korean women as a rule are not beautiful4 ,i1 who love them as much as any one ever did1 who look upon them as my own sisters1 must confess this4 ,sorrow1 hopelessness1 hard labor1 sickness1 lovelessness1 ignorance1 often1 too often1 shame1 have dulled their eyes1 and hardened and scarred their faces1 so that one looks in vain for a semblance of beauty among women over twenty-five years of age4 ,among the little maids and young wives 7saixies71 who do not yet show the effects of the heavy hand of care and toil1 one often finds a sweet bright gentle face that is pretty1 winning1 and very rarely even beautiful4 ,but these poor palace women come not under that class2 hardened1 coarse and vulgar1 their appearance only calls forth compassion4 ,i found to my surprise that they were all smokers1 and they were equally surprised that ,i would not accept their invitation to join them in this indulgence4 ,they examined my dress and belongings with childish curiosity1 and deluged me with questions as to my age1 why ,i had never married1 whether ,i had children1 and why not1 and other things equally impertinent and hard to answer2 but were after all good natured1 friendly and well meaning4 ,this was my first introduction to ,korean officialdom1 and following this within a very short time came another1 in the form of a luncheon and acrobatic entertainment given for me by the ,president of the ,foreign ,office1 ,kim ,yun ,sik4 ,this invitation came for the following ,sunday--and troubled me1 because ,i was afraid the official 7who was quite ignorant of our customs and was offering me a flattering evidence of courtesy and good will7 would be hurt by my refusal to accept an invitation for that day1 and would very likely misunderstand it4 ,however1 there was nothing else to be done1 and with suitable explanations1 ,i announced my extreme regret at being obliged to refuse his kindness4 ,with great good feeling1 he then changed the day1 and ,i was given carte blanche to invite my friends1 and of course asked the ladies of the ,methodist mission1 as well as our own4 ,several ,korean gentlemen of high rank1 including those in connection with the hospital1 and others1 had also been invited by my host4 ,the table1 for in deference to our foreign custom1 one long table1 instead of a number of small ones1 had been arranged--was piled high with ,korean dainties4 ,chicken1 pheasant and other cold meats1 fish1 eggs1 nuts and fruits prepared in many fanciful ways1 ,chinese preserved fruits and candies1 a gutta-percha-like delicacy called 8dock10 made of rice and oil pounded well together1 an alcoholic native beverage called sl1 and champagne and cigars4 ,it is needless to say that we ,americans did not partake of these latter additions to the menu4 ,a vast crowd from the streets poured into the large courtyard1 to see the acrobats1 who were a strolling band hired for the occasion4 ,their performance consisted chiefly in tight-rope walking and tumbling1 and was in no way remarkable4 ,it lasted1 however1 nearly three hours1 during all of which time we listened to the monotonous whining of the ,korean band1 more like a ,scotch bagpipe 7dear cousins1 forgive7 than anything else ,i know of2 and learned the ,korean verb 8anchera0 7sit down71 which ,i heard that day repeated a thousand times1 in all its moods1 tenses and case endings1 in tones of exasperation to the irrepressible ,korean boy1 who would stand up to see1 just for all the world like some boys of whiter skin1 nearer home4 ,just before this1 ,mr4 ,underwood and ,mr4 ,appenzeller had started on a long itinerating trip toward the north1 the second ,mr4 ,underwood had undertaken4 ,while they were absent the wrath of the ,korean king and cabinet against the ,romanists reached the boiling point1 and culminated in a decree forbidding the further teaching of foreign religions in the ports4 ,the country was not open to us 7as it is not to-day1 except by special passports74 ,the ,romanists1 with their well-known love of chief seats and high places1 failing to profit by their former experiences of trouble from similar causes in ,china1 insisted upon choosing as the site for their future cathedral one of the highest points in the city1 overlooking the palace1 and adjoining the temple holding royal ancestral tablets4 ,the property had been obtained unknown to the king1 through the medium of ,korean agents1 and though he used his utmost endeavors1 both with the priests and with the ,french legation1 to induce them to change this for any other site1 they remained obdurate1 utterly refused to yield1 and proceeded to lay the foundation of their church4 ,the decree immediately followed1 and the ,american minister advised1 nay ordered1 us to recall our missionaries1 who most unwillingly returned4 ,there were1 indeed1 those who asserted that this early attempt to carry the ,gospel into the interior had been1 at least in part1 the cause of the obnoxious decree1 which made it look as if our work was1 for a time at least1 at an end4 ,that this was not so was proved by the fact that ,mr4 ,underwood had hardly returned ere he was waited upon by a committee consisting of high ,korean nobles and members of the cabinet1 offering him the entire charge of their government school1 with a generous salary1 and with the full understanding that he would not hesitate to teach ,christianity to the pupils4 ,this offer1 displaying the great confidence1 instead of the displeasure and suspicion which foreigners assured us was the feeling of the ,koreans toward our evangelistic workers1 was taken into serious consideration1 but was finally refused on account of its interference with other work1 and for other reasons equally important4 ,it remained to us all to decide upon our course of conduct with regard to the prohibitory decree4 ,some of our number--the majority--argued1 that as it was the law of the land1 nothing remained for ,christian law-abiding people but to obey it1 to stop holding even morning prayers in our schools1 to hold no religious services with ,koreans1 but to wait and pray1 until ,god should move the king's heart1 and have the decree rescinded4 ,by this course they believed we should win favor with the authorities1 while defiance or disobedience might cause our whole mission to be expelled from the country4 ,a small minority1 however1 ,mr4 ,appenzeller1 now with the ,lord1 his wife1 ,mr4 ,underwood and myself1 held that the decree had never been issued against us or our work1 and that even if it had1 we were under higher orders than that of a ,korean king4 ,our duty was to preach and take the consequences1 resting for authority on the word of ,god1 spoken through ,peter1 in ,acts1 #d3ai1 to the rulers who forbade the apostles to preach1 8,whether it be right in the sight of ,god1 to hearken unto you1 more than unto ,god1 judge ye1 for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard40 ,others might stop1 as they did1 with sorrow1 conscientiously believing that to be the best course2 we continued to teach and preach1 in public and private1 singing hymns1 which could be heard far and near1 in the little meeting-house4 ,no attempt was ever made in any way to hinder us4 ,christians and other attendants on services came and went unmolested4 ,christianity has grown much since then1 and is acknowledged as a factor in the politics of more than one province4 ,no one ever thinks now of disguising or in any way concealing our work1 yet that law has never to this day been rescinded4 ,this is exactly in accord with ,eastern customs4 ,laws become a dead letter1 and pass into disuse2 they are not often annulled4 ,another event of interest1 which occurred during these first months after my arrival in ,korea1 was the excitement culminating in what were called 8the baby riots40 ,similar troubles in ,tientsin1 ,china1 had some years previously resulted in the massacre of a number of foreigners1 including ,jesuit priests1 nuns and two or three ,french officials4 ,some person or persons1 with malicious intent1 started a rumor which spread like wild-fire1 that foreigners were paying wicked ,koreans to steal native children1 in order to cut out their hearts and eyes1 to be used for medicine4 ,this crime was imputed chiefly to the ,japanese1 and it was supposed the story had been originated by ,chinese or others especially inimical to the large numbers of ,japanese residents in the capital4 ,mr4 ,underwood acquainted the ,japanese minister with the rumors1 in order that he might protect himself and his people2 which he promptly did by issuing1 and causing to be issued by the government1 proclamations entirely clearing his countrymen of all blame in the matter1 which it was left to be understood was an acknowledged fact1 and consequently the work of other 8vile foreigners10 namely1 ourselves and the ,europeans4 ,the excitement and fury grew hourly4 ,large crowds of angry people congregated1 scowling1 muttering1 and threatening4 ,koreans carrying their own children were attacked1 beaten1 and even killed1 on the supposition that they were kidnapping the children of others2 and a high ,korean official1 who tried to protect one of these men1 was pulled from his chair1 and narrowly escaped with his life1 although he was surrounded by a crowd of retainers and servants4 ,it was considered unsafe for foreigners to be seen in the street4 ,marines were called up from ,chemulpo to guard the different legations1 and some ,americans even packed away their most necessary clothing and valuables1 preparatory to fleeing to the port4 ,the wildest stories were told4 ,babies1 it was said1 had been eaten at the ,german1 ,english1 and ,american legations1 and the hospital1 of course1 was considered by all the headquarters of this bloodthirsty work1 for there1 where medicine was manufactured and diseases treated1 the babies must certainly be butchered4 ,one day1 when returning from my clinic1 my chair was surrounded by rough-looking men1 who told my bearers that they should all be killed if they carried me to the hospital again2 and such was the terror inspired1 that these men positively refused to take me thither the following day4 ,so ,i rode on horseback through the city to the hospital1 ,mr4 ,underwood1 who also had duties at the hospital school1 acting as my escort4 ,we went and returned quite unmolested1 and it has been my experience then and later1 that a bold front and appearance of fearlessness and unconcern in moments of danger impress ,asiatics1 and act as a great safeguard for the foreigner4 ,in the meanwhile1 however1 the ,european foreign representatives had awakened to the fact that a very real danger threatened our little community1 and might ripen at any moment into destruction4 ,proclamations from the ,foreign ,office were posted everywhere1 but the earliest of these were mistakenly worded1 leaving the impression still that possibly some 8vile foreigner0 had instituted these awful deeds1 and that should he be discovered sore punishment would follow4 ,at last1 however1 a notice appeared1 written at the dictation of these same 8vile foreigners10 in which it was positively stated that not only had no such thing been done by any foreigners1 but that should any one be caught uttering these slanders1 he would be at once arrested1 and unless able to prove the truth of his tales1 be punished with death4 ,detectives and police officers were scattered everywhere through the city1 people were forbidden to stand in groups of twos and threes1 a few arrests were made1 and the riots were at an end4 ,illustration3 ,,korean ,,official ,,in ,,chair4 ,,page #af ,before calm was restored1 however1 we had some uncertain1 not to say uneasy1 hours4 ,on the evening of the day when the excitement had been at its highest1 we received word from the ,american legation that should there be evidence that the mob were intending to attack our homes1 a gun would be fired in the legation grounds as a signal1 and we were then to hasten thither for mutual safety and defense4 ,it was a calm starlit ,july night4 ,we sat in the little porch leading into our compound1 enjoying the cool evening air1 when suddenly a terrific illumination of blazing buildings lit up the horizon1 and a fearful hubbub of a shouting1 yelling mob assailed our ears4 ,with beating hearts we watched and listened4 ,some one said ,korean mobs always began by burning houses1 and while we waited1 wondering what it all meant1 the air was rent by the sharp1 quick report of a gun from the ,american legation4 ,this seemed to leave no doubt as to the real state of affairs1 and ,mr4 ,underwood and ,mr4 ,hulbert at once repaired to the legation to make sure that there was no mistake1 but soon returned1 with the welcome news1 that the firing of the gun had been accidental4 ,the burning buildings also proved to have been only a coincidence1 and the noise nothing more than common with a ,korean crowd round a fire4 ,in a way that still seems to be miraculous1 the raging of the heathen was quieted1 ,god was round about us1 the danger that looked inevitable passed away1 and all was calm4 ,not long after this came the first request from the palace for me to attend on the queen1 to which ,i responded not without some anxiety1 lest through some unlooked-for occurrence some misstep on my part1 the work of our mission so auspiciously begun should be hindered or stopped4 ,as yet somewhat uncertain of our foothold1 ignorant to a large extent of the people with whom we had to deal1 we trembled lest some inadvertence might close the door1 only so lately and unwillingly opened4 ,i had been told ,i must always go in full court dress1 but when ,i came to open the boxes1 which contained the gowns prepared for this purpose1 ,i found that both had been ruined in crossing the ,pacific and could not be worn4 ,alas6 how inauspicious to be obliged to appear before royalty in unsuitable attire1 which might be attributed to disrespect6 ,but a far more serious trouble than this weighed upon my mind as my chair coolies jogged me along the winding streets and alleys to the palace grounds4 ,i had been strictly warned not to say anything to the queen on the subject of religion4 8,we are only here on sufferance10 it was urged1 8and even though our teaching the common people may be overlooked and winked at1 if it is brought before the authorities so openly and boldly1 as it would be to introduce it into the palace1 even our warmest friends might feel obliged to utterly forbid further access to the royal family1 if not to banish us altogether from the country40 8,wait10 it was said1 8until our footing is more assured2 do not risk all through impatience40 ,i saw the logic of these words1 though my heart talked hotly in a very different way2 but ,i went to the palace with my mouth sealed on the one subject ,i had come to proclaim4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,the ,palaces--,the ,stone ,dogs--,the ,fire ,god's ,defeat--,the ,summer ,pleasure ,house--,royal ,reception ,hall--,court ,dress of ,noblemen--,first ,impression of the ,king--,appearance of the ,queen--,the ,queen's ,troubles--,the ,queen's ,coup d'tat--,the ,verb ,endings--,the ,queen's ,generosity--,stone ,fight--,gifts--,the ,quaga--,poukhan--,its ,impregnability--,picturesque ,surroundings of ,seoul--,pioneer ,work--,progress of ,work--,the ,queen's ,wedding ,gift--,our ,wedding--,opposition to my ,going to the ,interior--,my ,chair--,the ,chair ,coolies4 ,the palaces1 of which there were at that time three1 and are now four1 within the city walls1 consist of several groups of one-story bungalow buildings1 within large grounds or parks1 which are surrounded by fine stone walls1 twelve or fifteen feet high1 of considerable thickness4 ,within these in closures were barracks for soldiers1 and quarters for under-officials and servants4 ,a special group of houses stood separated from the others for women's apartments1 and here might be seen the aged and rather infirm dowager queen1 who died about a year after my arrival4 ,the main gates in the walls of the palace ,i was about to visit are three1 facing on the great main thoroughfare of the city4 ,the central one1 larger than the others1 was used only for royalty2 even ministers of foreign states are expected to enter by one of the two smaller ones on either side4 ,the fact that on one occasion the central gate had by special royal order been thrown open for the ,american minister is an illustration of the kindness and favor always shown to our representatives4 ,these entrances are approached by broad1 stone steps and a platform with handsome1 carved stone balustrade1 which is surmounted as well as the lofty gates by crudely chiseled stone images of various mythological animals4 ,some ten or more paces in front of these steps1 and on either side1 are the great stone dogs1 so called for want of a better name1 for they no more resemble dogs than lions4 ,the story of their origin is as follows3 ,the fire god1 it was said1 had a special enmity against this palace1 and repeatedly burned it down2 various efforts had been made to propitiate or intimidate him with little success2 at length an expensive dragon was brought from ,china and placed in a moat in the grounds4 ,while he lived all was well1 but one ill-fated day an enemy poisoned this faithful guardian1 and that night the palace was again burned4 ,finally some fertile brain devised these animals1 no poison could affect their stony digestion1 no fear or cajoling could impress their hard hearts2 so there they stand on their tall pedestals--fierce and uncompromising1 facing the quarter whence the fire god comes1 always on guard1 never sleeping in their faithful watch1 and1 as might be expected1 he has never been able to burn the buildings thus protected4 ,illustration3 ,,korean ,,stone ,,dog ,,in ,,front ,,of ,,palace ,,gates4 ,,page #ba ,i was conducted1 however1 through neither of these three main gates1 but as a very strict rule was then in existence that no chair coolies should be allowed within the palace walls1 my chair was carried to a small gate1 much nearer the royal apartments1 so that we should not be obliged to walk so far4 ,mrs4 ,bunker and ,dr4 ,heron accompanied me1 and we were met by gentlemanly ,korean officials1 and taken to a little waiting room1 furnished with ,european chairs1 and a table1 upon which were little cakes1 cigars and champagne1 all of which were offered to us ladies1 though after a better acquaintance with us1 tea was substituted in place of the tobacco and wine4 ,it would take far too long to describe all that engaged my eager interest as we walked through the palace grounds4 ,a beautiful and interesting summer pleasure house--perhaps one of the most unique and remarkable in the world--stands in the center of a large lotus pond4 ,it has an upper story and roof supported on forty-eight monoliths1 the outer row being about four feet square at the base2 the inner columns are rounded1 of about the same diameter1 and sixteen or eighteen feet high2 the upper story is of wood1 elaborately carved1 and brightly decorated2 most of these buildings are covered with a beautiful green glazed tile1 peculiar to royal edifices4 ,there were many other interesting buildings1 among which the royal reception hall was probably the finest4 ,we saw a great number of officials1 eunuchs1 chusas1 noblemen and soldiers1 each kind and grade wearing a different attire from all the others4 ,the dress of the common soldiers was intended to be an imitation of ,european military costume adapted to the ideas of the ,koreans4 ,the result was a hybrid which had neither the dignity nor the usefulness of the one or the other4 ,it consisted of a loose blouse jacket1 and badly fitting1 baggy trousers1 made of thin black cotton cloth1 with scarlet trimmings4 ,the jacket was belted in1 and a black felt hat surmounted the top-knot1 and was fastened insecurely beneath the chin by a narrow band4 ,this unbecoming uniform has now been changed1 and the ,emperor's soldiers are as well dressed as those of any ,european nation4 ,korean noblemen when in attendance at the palace wear a dark blue coat1 with a belt which is far too large and forms a sort of hoop in front of the person4 ,an embroidered breastplate is worn over the chest1 representing a stork for civil office and a tiger for military rank4 ,the head-dress is a kind of hat woven of horsehair1 with wings at either side1 curved forward1 as it were in order to catch every word uttered by royalty4 ,nobles and officials wear on the hat band1 just back of the ears1 buttons of various styles made of gold or jade1 which indicate the degree of the wearer's rank4 ,when the royal family were ready to see us1 ,mrs4 ,bunker and ,i were conducted through the grounds a short distance1 passed through several gateways1 and at length stood at the entrance of an anteroom half filled with nobles1 eunuchs and palace women1 beyond which1 in a very small inner room1 were the king and queen1 and their son1 a youth about sixteen years of age4 ,we passed forward to the audience-room1 bowing frequently and very low to the smiling party of three who awaited us4 ,never before had ,i1 an ,american--a descendant of colonial ancestors who had cast off the shackles of tyranny--bowed so low4 ,never had ,i thought to feel as ,i felt when first entering the presence of a real live king and queen4 ,the royal family had most graciously risen to greet us1 and at once invited us to be seated4 ,at that time1 at least1 ,korean nobles never entered the royal presence without prostrating themselves to the ground1 and such a piece of presumption as sitting was never dreamed of2 so we refused the offered chairs1 having been especially warned that not to do so might awaken jealousy and make enemies to the cause of ,christianity4 ,the point1 however1 was insisted upon to such an extent that we could no longer with politeness refuse1 and so we found ourselves sitting face to face in a chatty sort of way1 in a little eight by ten room1 with the king and queen of ,korea4 ,the king impressed me at that and every subsequent meeting as a fine-looking genial gentleman4 ,he was attired in a long touramachi1 or coat of rich red silk 7the royal color71 with a cap or head-dress like those worn by the noblemen1 except that the wings turned back rather than forward like theirs4 ,the queen1 of course1 excited my deepest interest4 ,slightly pale and quite thin1 with somewhat sharp features and brilliant piercing eyes1 she did not strike me at first sight as being beautiful1 but no one could help reading force1 intellect and strength of character in that face1 and as she became engaged in conversation1 vivacity1 navet1 wit1 all brightened her countenance1 and gave it a wonderful charm1 far greater than mere physical beauty2 and ,i have seen the queen of ,korea when she looked positively beautiful4 ,she possessed mental qualities of a high order1 as ,i soon learned1 and although1 like all ,asiatics1 her learning consisted chiefly in the ,chinese classics1 she possessed a very intelligent idea of the great nations of the world and their governments1 for she asked many questions1 and remembered what she heard4 ,she was a subtle and able diplomatist and usually outwitted her keenest opponents2 she was1 moreover1 a sovereign of broad and progressive policy1 patriotic1 and devoted to the best interests of her country and sought the good of the people to a much larger extent than would be expected of an ,oriental queen4 ,in addition1 she possessed a warm heart1 a tender love for little children1 a delicacy and consideration in her relations1 at least with us missionaries1 which would have done honor to any ,european lady of high rank4 ,the queen1 though a ,korean who had never seen the society of a foreign court1 was a perfect lady4 ,it was with surprise that ,i learned that as much difference exists in ,korea between the people of high birth and breeding and the common coolie as is found between the ,european gentleman and the day laborer4 ,their majesties kindly inquired about my trip to ,korea1 my present comfort1 and my friends and family in ,america1 showing the kindest interest in what concerned me most4 ,the conversation was carried on through an interpreter1 who stood behind a tall screen1 his body bent nearly double in reverence1 never raising his eyes4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,king ,,of ,,korea4 ,,page #bc ,i learned later that ,korean doctors1 always men1 who had treated the queen1 felt 787 her pulse by using a cord1 one end of which was fastened about her wrist1 and the other carried into the next room was held in the doctor's fingers4 ,the royal tongue1 ,i was told1 was protruded through a slit in a screen for the physician's observation4 ,i found the queen's trouble nothing more serious than a small furuncle which needed lancing2 but as the mere suggestion of approaching her sacred person with any sort of surgical instrument was looked upon with unspeakable horror and indignation by all who surrounded her1 and was flatly forbidden by the king1 patience and slower measures were necessarily resorted to4 ,it was hardly to be wondered at that all the queen's friends were so over-cautious and fearful for her safety4 ,she had suffered long and malignant persecution at the hands of a cruel father-in-law1 whose wicked ambitious schemes and greed of power she had balked1 and nothing that a fertile brain and hate combined with wealth and influence could contrive was left undone to bring about the ruin of this unhappy lady4 ,slander1 assassins1 insurrection1 fire1 conspiracy with hostile nations--were all resorted to2 many and thrilling were her hairbreadth escapes4 ,once disguised and carried on the back of a faithful retainer1 she was taken from one end of the city to the other1 and once in a common native woman's chair she was borne to a place of concealment and safety4 ,nearly her whole immediate family were destroyed at one fell blow1 by means of an infernal machine cunningly devised1 sent as a present of great value from a supposed hermit1 to be opened only in the presence of every member of the family4 ,through some fortunate circumstance the queen was detained away1 but all present were instantly killed and horribly mutilated4 ,to understand the reason for this ferocious enmity1 one needs to know a little of the royal history4 ,the present king was the adopted son of a former childless king4 ,his widow appointed the present king's father to act as regent until the majority of his son4 ,the older man was greedy of power1 keen and crafty1 and not inclined to hand over the reins of government2 he therefore selected a wife for his son from a family of his near friends1 choosing a woman he supposed he could easily control2 but he was mistaken in her character and gifts4 ,years slipped by and time had long been over-ripe for the king to assume the government1 and yet the 8,tai-won-kun0 gave no sign of relinquishing his clutch upon the reins of power2 but the king1 gentle and submissive to his father1 as all ,koreans are taught to be1 was unwilling to force a resignation4 ,one morning1 however1 through a coup d'tat of the queen1 the old man found himself displaced1 and a new cabinet and set of advisers selected from the friends and cousins of the queen4 ,his rage knew no bounds1 and from that time forth he planned her destruction4 ,how he finally succeeded in carrying out his malicious intentions must be related later4 ,thus far1 the queen1 equally shrewd and fortunate1 had escaped his toils4 ,to return to our palace visit1 however4 ,after examining into her majesty's trouble1 and prescribing a course of treatment1 we took our leave1 backing and bowing ourselves out of the royal apartments as if we had been born and bred hangers-on of courts4 ,i soon learned that all my verbs must wear a long train of 8simnaitas10 8simnikas10 and 8sipsios10 the highest honorific endings when visiting the palace4 ,each ,korean verb has a generous collection of these endings1 from which the confused and unwary stranger must select at his peril1 when addressing natives of different ranks2 but there is no doubt1 fortunately1 about what must be used at the palace1 and one feels quite safe if every verb is tipped with a 8simnaita0 or 8simnika40 ,to be sure1 there are high ,chinese-derived words1 which natives always use there1 instead of the simpler ,anglo-,saxon--,i should say1 ,korean--but uninitiated foreigners are not expected to know them1 and are really most generously excused for all mistakes4 ,koreans are in this respect models of kindness and politeness1 and will often hear newcomers make the most laughable and absurd mistakes without a single spasm of countenance to show that they have taken note of the blunder4 ,not many days after this visit to the palace1 an official appeared at my home with a number of interesting and beautiful gifts from the queen1 including a fine embroidered screen1 embroidered pillow1 and bed cushions1 native silks1 linens1 cotton materials1 fans1 pockets and various other articles4 ,her majesty was extremely generous1 and it was nothing unusual for her thus to bestow in most munificent fashion gifts upon the members of our mission whom she had met1 and upon the ladies of the legations4 ,every ,korean ,new ,year's day any of us who were in the slightest way connected with the palace or government institutions received many pheasants1 bags of nuts1 pounds of beef1 large fish1 hundreds of eggs and pounds of dried persimmons4 ,on the royal birthdays1 too1 dainties were sent to us1 and at the beginning of each summer dozens of fans and jars of honey water were presented4 ,this open-handed generosity indicated not only the queen's kind disposition1 but the favor with which all ,americans were regarded by the ,korean authorities1 due largely to the favorable impression which ,dr4 ,allen had made1 and also perhaps to the fact that we belonged to a large and powerful nation1 which had no object in interfering in ,eastern politics in any way to the detriment of ,korea1 and which might become an efficient ally and defender4 ,during my first year ,i had the exciting and doubtful privilege of being present at a native sectional or stone fight1 an experience which few covet even once--and which the wise and informed1 at least of womankind1 invariably forego4 ,once a year at a certain season1 where two neighborhoods or sections have grievances against each other1 they settle them by one of these fights4 ,they choose captains1 arrange the opposing parties1 and begin firing stones and tiles at each other4 ,as one crowd or the other is by turns victorious1 and the pursued flee before their enemies1 and as those who are at one moment triumphant are often the very next the vanquished1 hotly chased1 it is almost impossible to find any safe point of vantage from which to view the conflict4 ,at any instant the place one has chosen1 as well removed and safe1 may become the ground of the hottest battle4 ,very large stones are often thrown1 and people are fatally injured1 though not as frequently as one would think4 ,it is a wonder that hundreds are not killed or wounded4 ,in going from my home to visit a friend one day1 a few weeks after my arrival1 ,i was obliged to pass a large crowd of men1 who seemed divided into two parties1 and were very noisy and vociferous4 ,i remarked upon this to my friend1 and sending to inquire1 we found it was the preliminaries of a stone fight which ,i had witnessed4 ,her husband said it would not be safe for me to return alone1 and therefore to my lasting gratitude offered to see me through it4 ,we soon found that the stones and missiles were coming our way1 and were forced to run for shelter to a ,korean house4 ,for a few moments the fight was hot around us1 and then as it seemed to have passed on--quite far down the street--we ventured forth1 only to find that the tide had again turned1 and the whole mob were tearing in our direction4 ,mr4 ,bunker1 for it was he1 said there was nothing for it but to scale a half-broken wall into an adjacent compound1 and run for it to the house of ,mr4 ,gilmore1 not far distant4 ,so1 reckless of my best gown1 ,i scaled the wall with great alacrity1 and we ran for it quite shamelessly4 ,missiles of considerable size were raining around us1 and the possibility1 or rather probability1 that one would soon light on our heads1 accelerated our speed to no small degree4 ,these affairs are often funny in retrospect1 but smack strongly of the tragic at the time1 while the outcome is so decidedly uncertain4 ,however1 by much dodging and circling1 frequently sheltering ourselves under the wall1 we at length reached ,mr4 ,gilmore's house1 when1 in a somewhat ruffled and perturbed condition1 ,i waited till the coast was quite clear and found my way home1 a wiser and deeply thoughtful woman4 ,on one occasion not long since an affair of this kind threatened very serious results for a hot-headed young compatriot of ours1 who went to photograph one of these fights4 ,a cool-headed ,american recently snapped his camera on a tiger here before shooting it1 and it may have been in emulation of him1 that our young friend made this attempt4 ,he soon became convinced that he was the object at which all the missiles were sent1 and that the bloodthirsty ruffians were all seeking his life4 ,being unfortunately as well as unlawfully armed with a six-shooter1 over-excited and alarmed1 he fired into the crowd and fled4 ,his bullet entered the fleshy part of the leg of one of the natives1 who fell1 as most of them supposed1 mortally wounded2 and now indeed the wrath of the crowd on both sides was directed at its hottest against the thoroughly frightened young man4 ,he ran for his life--the crowd pursuing with yells of fury4 ,camera and overcoat were flung away--he had nearly a mile to go to reach shelter in the ,american legation1 which he at length managed to do1 panting and almost exhausted4 ,as his victim was not seriously hurt1 he escaped with the payment of a fine1 a few weeks' imprisonment1 a most severe reprimand1 and a polite request to leave the country4 ,the ,koreans often evince considerable military skill in the tactics of these civil battles4 ,sharpshooters armed with slings will take possession of some high point1 and others are sent to take them by surprise and dislodge them1 suddenly creeping upon them from the rear1 or scaling the rampart in the face of the enemy's fire4 ,these natives repeatedly prove themselves good fighters and no cowards1 when armed and facing not too unequal numbers4 ,during this my first summer in ,korea ,i was invited to attend a royal ,quaga4 ,this was a very interesting assemblage of ,korean scholars1 who met in the palace grounds1 and there in little tents or booths wrote theses in ,chinese on some subject given by the king4 ,those whose papers passed a successful examination were rewarded with some civil rank1 supposed to be proportioned to the excellence of their standing4 ,i should think that more than a thousand men from all parts of the country were gathered in these grounds1 busily writing or copying their papers1 some of which were then being handed to the judges4 ,i was told1 however1 that in nearly all the successful cases money was necessary to aid the judgment and clarify the minds of the judges4 ,we were treated with great kindness1 invited to a fine pavilion1 and later offered refreshments in the royal dining hall4 ,this old-time 7shall ,i say1 dishonored7 institution has now fallen into disuse for some years4 ,no doubt in its honest beginnings a truly competitive examination for office1 it was good and useful1 but abuses creeping in1 rendered it an empty form to be finally abolished as a useless and effete remnant of ancient days4 ,another event of the summer was a little trip made to ,poukhan1 or the northern fortress1 about ten miles distant from ,seoul4 ,it is said by ,koreans that a secret underground road leads from it to the palace in ,seoul1 so that in case of any danger1 or the investment of the city by enemies1 the royal family could flee hither for safety4 ,it is in truth an ideal spot for such a purpose4 ,european soldiers have said that properly fortified it would be for months1 perhaps years1 impregnable4 ,our visit was made in ,korea's loveliest season1 the month of ,may1 which is1 if possible1 more beautiful than in any other land4 ,wild flowers of the most exquisite hue and odor abound everywhere1 but at ,poukhan they seemed to be in greater quantities and lovelier colors4 ,the mountain rises bold and rugged in outline1 and its scenery is wild and in places almost forbidding1 but a beautiful brook dashes down its sides1 leaping over huge boulders and turning everything into luxuriant beauty1 like the lovely maids of fairy lore1 in whose footsteps the sweetest flowers sprang and from whose lips dropped fairest gems4 ,this brook flows from a spring which bubbles up in the top of the mountain1 so that any garrison stationed there need never surrender for want of water1 nor indeed of food1 for after a steep ascent of about a mile1 the path suddenly pierces the rocks1 and entering a picturesque gate in a more picturesque wall1 all hung with ivy1 dips into a verdant valley surrounded on all sides by lofty barriers of rock4 ,here are fertile fields where food can easily be raised and stored against an evil time4 ,some of our missionaries often come here1 and spend the hot and unhealthy summer weeks among the cool shades of these lofty rocks--in some of the ,buddhist temples4 ,there are some delightful little pavilions1 near clear1 cool pools of water1 with scenery on all sides very wild1 beautiful1 and picturesque4 ,at that time1 in the history of our mission nearly every foreigner possessed a horse1 most of them ,chinese ponies1 very gentle and easy to ride4 ,utterly unacquainted with the nature of the people1 it was feared by many that danger might suddenly arise1 and that we ought to have means of escape at hand4 ,we found them very useful and pleasant accessories1 and often when the hot afternoon sun was low we explored some of the pretty and interesting surroundings of ,seoul4 ,this city lies encircled by low mountains1 whose treeless and bare outlines cut the blue horizon with a bold abruptness4 ,among the hills and mountain passes are pretty woods and groves--and here lies nestled many a little hamlet1 entered through some charming lane1 bordered with blossoming bushes of clematis1 eglantine1 hawthorn or syringa1 in richest profusion4 ,mr4 ,underwood was often my guide on these excursions2 sometimes we walked on the city wall1 and saw the distant mountains and the sleeping villages beneath us1 bathed in glorious moonlight1 and thanked ,god for casting our lives in a land of so much beauty and among a people so kindly and teachable4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,great ,,market ,,at ,,cheenju ,illustration3 ,,surroundings ,,of ,,seoul4 ,,page #cb ,during all these months and the following winter foundations were still busily laying1 language helps and ,bible translations were under way1 and through hospital and school1 as well as by direct evangelistic effort1 people were being reached4 ,the number of attendants upon the services in the little chapel was daily increasing1 and reports came from the natives working in the country of inquirers and converts there1 which made it seem necessary to make another extended trip as soon as possible4 ,a second trip had already been made by ,mr4 ,underwood1 selling books and simple medicines1 and gathering in here and there a little handful of converts4 ,he met with great encouragement1 but baptized few4 ,during his first trip he traveled to the northern border of ,korea1 stopping in all the large towns1 ,songdo1 ,anju1 ,pyeng ,yang1 ,kangai1 ,haiju1 ,ouiju4 ,during the entire year less than twenty-five were baptized1 and from the first altogether up to that time hardly fifty1 while ,methodists and ,presbyterians together up to #ahhi numbered only a little over one hundred4 ,in ,april of #ahhh he baptized seven men at ,sorai1 a village in ,whang ,hai1 where the ,gospel had been brought in from ,china by a ,mr4 ,saw ,sang ,hyen1 a convert of ,mr4 ,ross'4 ,some of these men had come to the capital in the spring of #ahhg and three had been baptized after careful examination4 ,the seven who were received in their own village had been for more than a year in preparation1 and then were baptized only after ,mr4 ,underwood had spent ten days in their village1 talking with and examining them4 ,this is mentioned to show that extreme caution was used in making the first admissions to the native church1 in order that its foundations might be laid securely1 if slowly4 ,in the trip made in ,november1 #ahhh1 certain ,koreans had been placed in a few localities to instruct1 sell tracts and pave the way for the work of the foreigner on a succeeding visit4 ,one of these men was stationed at ,pyeng ,yang1 one at ,chang ,yun1 and one at ,ouiju4 ,extremely encouraging1 but in some cases exaggerated reports came from all these places as to the increasing number of hopeful inquirers1 and it seemed imperative that a trip should be taken as soon as spring opened1 for the examination1 encouragement and instruction of these new believers1 and to oversee the work of the employed agents1 who were necessarily unproved as yet4 ,mr4 ,underwood and ,i had been engaged since the early fall1 and we had arranged to be married1 and to start for the country on the fourteenth of ,march4 ,the whole foreign community seemed to vie with each other in tokens of kindness and good will towards us on that occasion4 ,on the morning of the eventful day1 the jingling bells of many pack-ponies was heard in our courtyard1 and ,i soon discovered that quite a train of the little animals had arrived with the gift of her majesty4 ,one million cash6 ,it sounds like 8,arabian ,nights10 but as at that time #b1ejj to #c1jjj cash went to the making of the dollar1 it was not1 after all1 more than a generous ,korean queen might easily give1 or a missionary easily dispose of4 ,their majesties arranged for several people from the palace to be present at the ceremony1 the army was represented by ,general ,han ,ku ,sul1 a nobleman of the highest rank1 and the cabinet by ,min ,yeng ,whan1 a near relative of the queen1 and in highest favor with their majesties4 ,a number of palace women were also present1 behind screens1 and of course some of the native ,christians4 ,the whole foreign community gave us their good wishes1 and cable messages were put in our hands just after the ceremony1 from each of our respective homes in ,america4 ,early on the morning of the #adth of ,march1 #ahhi1 we set out on our wedding trip4 ,everything except force had been resorted to by missionaries and foreigners residing in ,seoul to prevent my taking this journey4 ,no ,european woman had1 as yet1 ever traveled in the interior of ,korea1 and not more than four or five men had ever ventured ten miles outside the walls1 except to the port4 ,tigers and leopards were known to exist in the mountains2 the character of the natives was not well understood by most people2 contagion in the inns1 the rudeness of mobs1 the difficulty of obtaining good water1 no means of speedy communication with ,seoul1 the necessity at times of long marches1 were all possible dangers1 but were greatly overestimated4 ,it was freely and frequently predicted1 that if ,i came back at all1 it would be in my coffin1 and my poor husband fell under the heaviest of public censure for consenting to take me4 ,as he had made two trips and saw no difficulty1 ,i felt ,i could trust his judgment1 and as country work was exactly what ,i had longed to do1 and what had been my ideal from the first1 ,i looked forward with the greatest pleasure to a journey through a lovely country1 to be filled with blessed service2 it seemed to me no honeymoon so rich in delight could ever have been planned before4 ,it was arranged that ,i should go in a native chair1 which consisted of a sort of box frame1 high enough for me to sit in ,turkish fashion2 it had a roof of bamboo covered with paper oiled and painted1 the sides were closed in with blue muslin1 and there were little windows of stained glass on either side4 ,a curtain in the front could be raised or buttoned down to keep out the chill or the disagreeable piercing eyes of the curious sightseers or kugungers1 as they are called in ,korea4 ,my conveyance was made more comfortable by cushions beneath and behind my seat1 a shawl was draped around the inside to keep out draughts1 and with a hot-water bottle and foot-muff at my feet1 ,i felt positively steeped in luxury1 and quite too much babyfied for a hardy missionary4 ,i was carried by a couple of strong chair coolies1 the poles on which the chair was placed resting in straps1 which hung from the shoulders of the carriers1 so that its main weight came on them1 rather than on the hands1 which grasped the poles4 ,there were four bearers1 two who carried1 and two who1 by placing a strong rod under the chair1 lifted its weight from the tired shoulders1 for half a minute or so1 once every ten minutes4 ,at the end of every three miles these lifting men and the others changed places1 and so we easily made thirty miles or more every day1 without much fatigue on the part of these hardy men1 whose profession this had been for years4 ,i'm afraid they were a very rough set of customers1 and undoubtedly got us into trouble on more than one occasion4 ,they were full of fun and spirits1 and told long and fishy yarns1 to the country folks1 and occasionally played off practical jokes on these simple swains1 to beguile the tedium of the road4 ,they aroused the awe and admiration of the natives in the country villages1 by telling them what wonderful things we carried in our packs4 ,there was nothing1 according to them1 that we could not do1 or had not got4 8,why1 even a boat10 said they1 8is in that trunk4 ,it folds up very small1 but one blows into it1 and it gradually grows hard and large1 and lo6 a boat40 ,thus was magnified our rubber bath tub4 ,that we finished our trip with so little difficulty with such companions speaks well for the gentle good nature of the natives4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,street ,,crowd4 ,,page #ce ,of course1 ,i walked as much as possible1 but many weary miles must be endured in the chair1 with its tiresome jogging1 interrupted regularly with an upward jolt of several inches4 ,the ordinary road soon came to be quite tolerable1 but when the bearers in the half light of early dawn 7or worse still1 the evening1 when tired with a long day's march7 picked their way over the narrow foot-paths1 slippery with clay1 between half-submerged rice fields1 or jumped across intervening ditches1 the rear man going wholly by faith1 ,i must say it was not easy or pleasant4 ,we had quite a little train4 ,mr4 ,underwood was on his horse1 with a mapoo to lead and care for it4 ,these horses are all fed on a hot food of beans and chopped hay1 and very carefully attended to4 ,we had two or three pack-ponies which carried medicines1 tracts1 at that time mostly ,chinese1 which only scholars could read1 our blankets and bedding1 a few cooking utensils1 and foreign food and our clothing4 ,the question of money and changes of horses was a difficult one1 but it had been solved by an order from the ,korean ,foreign ,office1 to the country magistrates1 to accept our receipt for any amount of money that we might need1 and also for horses in exchange for ours1 all of which bills we were to pay in ,seoul on our return4 ,the money was so extremely bulky1 it was impossible to take more than a couple of days' supply on our ponies4 ,on previous trips ,mr4 ,underwood had carried large lumps of silver1 which were exchanged in the towns for cash4 ,the little inns along the road never charge for rooms2 the number of tables of rice and the number of horses fed are usually the only items in the landlord's bill4 ,in addition to chair coolies and mapoos1 we had a young ,christian helper1 a cook1 and a kesu4 ,the two latter left us at ,pyeng ,yang and returned home4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,we ,start on our ,wedding ,journey--,songdo--,guards at our ,gates--,crossing the ,tai-tong--,difficulties in ,finding an ,inn--,korean ,launderings--,an ,old ,man ,seeks to be ,rid of ,sin--,mob at an ,inn--,a ,ruffian ,bursts ,open my ,door--,fight in the ,inn ,yard--,pat ,defies the ,crowd--,convenience of ,top-knots--,a ,magistrate ,refuses to ,shelter ,us--,the 8,captain0 to the ,rescue--,pack-ponies--,we ,lay a ,deep ,scheme--,torch ,bearers--,a ,mountain ,hamlet--,tiger ,traps--,tigers--,a ,band of ,thirty ,conspire to ,attack ,us--,guns ,used by ,native ,hunters--,a ,tiger ,story4 ,we started on our trip at early dawn1 turning directly north1 on the road passing under the arch1 which then marked the spot where the representatives of ,korea yearly met the ,chinese ambassadors who came to receive tribute4 ,this custom was maintained until ,korea's independence was declared2 in honor of which the old arch was then taken down and a finer one erected4 ,beyond this arch lay the pass1 a narrow1 muddy and stony way1 leading through the mountain4 ,it was crowded with oxen and pack-ponies1 going to and from ,seoul4 ,shouting mapoos and coolies added to the confusion1 great rocks seemed just ready to fall from above and crush the unlucky passers1 and many which had fallen from time to time impeded the road4 ,now a fine road has been made across the hill1 and the old way of danger and discomfort is closed up4 ,from its darkness1 its fiendish noises1 gruesome odors and bad going it would not have been an unfit image of ,bunyan's ,valley of the ,shadow of ,death4 ,the snow still remained in sheltered places1 for it was only ,march1 and the morning air was sharp and chill1 but we found a very fine road all the way to ,songdo4 ,we made our first halt at noon1 at a small village between ,seoul and ,songdo1 and ,i had my first experience of a native inn4 ,the ,korean inn is second only in filth1 closeness1 bad odors and discomfort to those in the interior of ,china4 ,there is usually only one room for women1 which has from one to four or five paper-covered doors or windows--they are nearly always the same size and bear the same name--opening into the kitchen1 the court and the sarang4 ,this room is often not more than eight by ten or twelve feet large1 and very low4 ,the paper which covers the door is commonly blackened with dirt1 so that few indeed are the rays of light which manage to struggle in a disheartened way into these gloomy little apartments4 ,they boast little or no furniture1 perhaps a chang or ,korean cabinet 7most unique and antique-looking chests1 much ornamented with brass or black iron hinges1 locks1 etc47 stands against the wall1 upon which are piled a great many bright-colored quilts and pillows1 not the wooden ones sometimes described and much used1 but like old-style long sofa pillows1 and very much more comfortable4 ,at the center of the ceiling1 just under the roof tree1 may be seen a bunch of dirty rags1 feathers and sticks1 where the household ,lares and ,penates are supposed to roost4 ,a wharrow or charcoal fire-pot with a smouldering fire probably stands somewhere on the floor4 ,this should be promptly removed1 as its presence often causes severe headache1 and sometimes asphyxia1 from which one of the missionaries was only resuscitated after repeated fainting and hours of effort on the part of a companion4 ,in most of the inns very picturesque tall brass or wooden lamp-stands are seen4 ,they consist of a rod about two and a half feet high1 on a good solid base with a little bracket at the top for a saucer of castor oil1 and an ox horn hanging below containing the main supply of oil4 ,the lamp or saucer contains a small wick which yields a very tiny light1 just enough to emphasize and make visible the darkness4 ,often these lamps have a special niche1 or little cupboard in the wall1 where they are enclosed during the day4 ,nearly always a stout bar crosses the room about a foot from the wall1 and three or four feet from the floor1 on which garments may be hung1 and as commonly there is a wide shelf running around two or three sides of the apartment1 very near the roof1 on which are sundry household utensils1 winter vegetables1 very likely piles of yeast cakes for the manufacture of beer1 and1 in fact1 a heterogeneous collection1 too numerous and varied to mention4 ,here lies a dusty old book1 there a work basket1 and further on the wooden block and clubs used for ironing1 a bottle of medicine1 a pile of rice bowls1 or a box of matches4 ,the mats which are placed over the oiled paper1 or more likely directly on the earth floor1 are full of dust and vermin of all descriptions1 which run riot everywhere4 ,it is best not to begin to think how many people have1 in that room and lying on these identical mats1 been ill1 and died1 of dysentery1 small-pox1 cholera or typhus fever1 since the room was even swept or the mats once shaken4 ,a 8really truly0 cleaning they are ignorant of4 ,fumigation and disinfection are as far beyond the flights of their wildest imagination as the private life of the man in the moon4 ,the miracle over which we never cease to wonder and admire is that so many people of clean antecedents who travel through the interior are able to resist the microbes1 bacteria1 germs and all similar enemies under whatsoever name which1 according to all modern science1 ought to attack and destroy them in short order4 ,in most of the inns1 tall earthen jars1 from two to three1 or rarely four feet high1 and two or three feet in diameter1 in which ,ali ,baba's cutthroat thieves could easily hide1 are ranged along the side of the wall1 but more frequently in the courtyard4 ,they contain various kinds of grain1 pickles1 beer1 wine1 and there are always several holding kimchi 7a sort of sauerkraut71 without which they never eat rice4 ,numbers of dogs1 cats1 chickens1 pigs and ducks are under foot in the courtyard1 oxen and ponies are noisily feeding in the stalls1 under the same roof with ourselves1 only just outside the paper door1 and if one is to sleep it must be in spite of a combined grunting1 squealing1 cackling1 blowing and barking1 anything but conducive to repose4 ,most of the hotels have1 as has been said1 only one inner room1 where it is proper for a woman to stay4 ,our helper1 chair-coolies1 mapoos and other travelers use the sarang1 packed very likely like sardines in a box1 and the host's family turn out1 and go to a neighbor's for the night1 unless the inn is a large one on the main road4 ,a large and fashionable inn in ,korea would have perhaps five1 or even six1 sleeping apartments--though ,i do not recollect having seen so many4 ,now we travel with cot-beds which roll up and slip into heavy canvas bags1 and take up very little room on the pack4 ,these blessings keep us off the dirty floors1 which are usually much too hot for health1 unless1 indeed1 one has come in wet1 cold1 and aching from a long tramp1 when they are a specific preventive of colds and rheumatism4 ,on that first journey1 however1 we had nothing of this sort1 but we sent out for some bundles of fresh clean straw used for thatch--one thing1 at least1 of which there is plenty in every village--and piled them at least a foot high4 ,we spread thereon our bed1 to the confusion and defeat of our little enemies1 ploughing their weary way uselessly through the mazes of that straw all night4 ,in this way we slept peacefully1 except when the floor became intolerably hot1 and our bed correspondingly so1 then we rose1 piled our straw in another place1 remade our couch1 and composed ourselves again to slumber4 ,we never did this more than three times in one night1 and it was a mere diversion4 ,the situation1 however1 develops into something quite beyond a joke1 as was hinted in a former chapter1 when one is forced to travel in hot weather4 ,the rice and beans for men and animals must be cooked1 which means--in nine cases out of ten--that a fire must be built under your room1 and you must sleep on the stove1 although the thermometer is already in the seventies before it is kindled4 ,the room1 you remember1 is small and low1 the windows opening to the court probably few4 ,you look longingly at the open porch or maru1 but there are leopards and tigers that prowl at night1 or wanting these1 no lack of rats1 ferrets1 and snakes2 there are foul smells and rank poisonous vapors1 pools of green water and sewage all about1 a famous place in the damp night air to soak a system full of malaria1 more deadly than wild beasts2 so with a sigh you turn again to your oven1 prepared for the worst4 ,up1 up1 steadily climbs the thermometer1 your pulses throb1 your head snaps1 you gasp and pant for breath1 and at length toward morning1 when the fire is dead1 and the hot stones a little cooled1 you fall into an exhausted feverish sleep4 ,but an early start is necessary to make the next stage1 and by four o'clock at least a new fire is built to cook more rice1 and you rush out of doors1 to draw a whiff of pure air and cool your burning temples4 ,so even if it were not for the rains1 flooded roads1 and overflowing1 unbridged rivers1 we should not travel except from dire necessity in the summer4 ,tents have not been found practicable among the missionaries in the rainy season1 and their use has been followed in several instances by severe and even fatal illness4 ,one of the chief annoyances1 especially on this our first trip1 at the inns were the kugungers or sightseers4 ,the paper doors are speedily made available as peep-holes for the foe4 ,from all quarters the word 8foreigner10 and above all 8foreign woman10 spreads like wildfire4 ,never did a lion or an elephant create such excitement in an ,american village4 ,the moment we entered an inn the house was instantly thronged1 besieged1 invested4 ,every door was full of holes made by dampening the finger and placing it with gentle pressure against the paper4 ,it was dismaying1 when we fancied ourselves quite alone1 to see all those holes filled with hungry eyes4 ,never since have ,i cared to visit a show of wild animals or human freaks4 ,i sympathize with them so fully1 that there is no pleasure in the satisfaction of curiosity at such a cost4 ,we wished to meet the people1 but we could not talk with such a mob1 in any satisfactory way1 as their frantic curiosity about us made it impossible for them to attend to what we had to tell until they were in some measure satisfied4 ,but to return to our trip4 ,some twenty miles this side of ,songdo the road crosses the ,imgin river1 where a ferry boat is in readiness to carry the traveler and his belongings to the other side4 ,a story is told here of the patriotism of a nobleman who lived in a magnificent summer house on the bluff overlooking the river1 at the time of the ,hedioshi rebellion4 ,his king1 fleeing from the ,japanese1 arrived here at midnight1 and to light him and his escort to the ferry this man set fire to his beautiful home4 ,as a result of this1 the king crossed in safety1 and escaped his enemies4 ,in token of his gratitude1 he therefore ordered that a summer house should be kept perpetually in memory of his loyal friend on the site of the one which had been sacrificed1 and loaded him with honors and rewards4 ,the city of ,songdo is one of the largest in ,korea1 and from a ,korean standpoint probably the most important commercially1 as well as the richest4 ,here is grown the ginseng1 so highly prized by ,koreans1 ,chinese and ,japanese1 and sold--the best--at forty-five dollars a pound2 more than its weight in gold4 ,though ,songdo was formerly the nation's capital1 a successful rebel general1 making himself king1 established his seat of government in ,seoul4 ,we arrived in this ancient city about sundown1 and shortly afterwards met ten ,christian inquirers4 ,in a few days we sold all our books1 and medicines1 which we expected would last for the entire trip1 and had to send back to ,seoul for more4 ,we were besieged by large crowds of people during our stay1 so that we were obliged to ask for a guard at the gate4 ,we admitted fifty at a time1 and when their curiosity had been sated1 their diseases treated1 and they had bought as many books as they wanted1 they were dismissed1 to make room for another pushing1 struggling1 eagerly curious fifty4 ,mr4 ,underwood baptized no one1 but met1 examined and instructed inquirers1 and directed and corrected his native helper's work4 ,songdo is about forty-five miles from ,seoul1 and has about two hundred thousand inhabitants4 ,thus far the ,southern ,methodists are the only ones who have a station there1 though just why we other missionaries never started work in so important a center it would be hard to say2 except that it did not seem to develop there at first as promisingly1 shall ,i say1 as insistently1 as in some other places1 where need was so pressing we never could obtain workers enough to supply the demand1 far less start new centers4 ,illustration3 ,,tai-,,tong ,,river4 ,,page #de ,illustration3 ,,ferry ,,boat4 ,,page #dc ,songdo has no gates4 ,it is said that they were removed1 with the privileges as well of the ,quaga1 because the people of that city so persistently continued to despise and treat with contempt the authority of ,seoul4 ,whereas it is the custom to speak of going up to ,seoul1 they would refer to going down to that city2 they would not measure their grain from right to left1 as in ,seoul1 but from left to right2 and worst of all1 from having constantly referred to the king as a pig1 they came to speak of a pig by the king's name6 ,from ,songdo1 we proceeded north1 by short stages to ,pyeng ,yang1 which was the next place of importance1 where ,mr4 ,underwood looked for inquirers and where there were already a few ,christians4 ,we reached the ,tai-tong ,river1 which lay just below the city gates between us and it1 in a driving snow storm4 ,long and loudly did the various members of our party try their lungs in the effort to obtain a boat1 but at length1 when patience was quite exhausted1 the ferryman1 or one of them1 arrived with a great flat-bottomed boat1 which accommodated us all--ponies1 packs1 coolies1 chair1 helpers and missionaries--and landed us in mud and safety on the other side for a few cash4 ,i had almost forgotten1 however1 to speak of the beautiful road leading up to this ferry1 with its noble overarching trees and its variety of beautiful bushes and flowers4 ,even at that bleak and wintry season it was lovely1 and a month later1 when we returned1 it was charming1 with its green woodland shade and its wealth of sweet-scented blossoms4 ,now1 alas6 it is quite shorn of its beauty1 for during the ,japanese-,chinese war1 the trees were all cut down4 ,we were no sooner within the city gates than a very noisy and constantly increasing crowd followed close at our heels1 growing ever more annoying and demonstrative1 till its dimensions and behavior were altogether too much like a mob4 ,respectable and frightened inn-keepers one after another turned us from their doors until the uncomfortable possibility of being obliged to spend the night in the streets suggested itself4 ,however1 after a time we found a refuge1 and with the aid of a policeman from the magistracy we managed to keep the mob at bay1 seeing only a stated number at a time1 as in ,songdo4 ,it rained during most of our stay1 and ,i could with no comfort or safety go out even in a chair to see the town1 for if ,i so much as peeped out1 some one caught sight of the foreign woman1 and at once a crowd gathered which made it impossible to move or to accomplish anything4 ,once before we left ,i accompanied ,mr4 ,underwood to a pleasant spot outside the gates1 which he thought would be a good site for a sub-station1 and we made a visit to the mother of one of our ,christians4 ,she was extremely sick1 and as she recovered not long after we were very happy in having left a good impression and a grateful family behind us4 ,i had a practical illustration of the inconvenience of ,korean methods of laundry in this town1 for giving out a number of articles to the tender mercies of a ,korean woman1 they were returned minus all the buttons4 ,they had pounded the garments on a stone in some stream1 and as a precaution had removed all these little conveniences before doing so4 ,there was no starch1 no bluing1 and no ironing4 ,korean clothes before ironing must be ripped1 and are then pounded for hours on a smooth piece of wood until they obtain a beautiful gloss4 ,koreans are1 however1 not without iron irons4 ,they have quite a large one1 which holds hot charcoal1 and two sorts of small ones1 not more than half an inch wide by two or three inches in length1 with a long handle1 for pressing the seams of sleeves1 and of garments which it is only desirable to press on the seam4 ,after a stay of about a week in ,pyeng ,yang1 during which time we saw a great many visitors1 most of whom came from curiosity1 but none of whom went away without a printed or spoken word about the gospel1 we again started out on our journey north4 ,oh1 if one prophetic vision might have been granted us of what was to be in such a few years6 ,if we could have seen those dreary and heart-sickening wastes of humanity transformed into fields of rich grain waiting in harvest glory for the sickle1 if we could have seen the hundreds now gathered yearly into the garner1 how our hearts would have burned within us6 8,but the love of ,god is broader than the measure of man's mind10 and though we saw visions and dreamed dreams1 we hardly dared hope they would all be fulfilled4 ,god kept the future hidden as a sweet surprise4 ,just after leaving this city an old man of seventy-six came three miles to inquire of us 8concerning the religion by which a man could be rid of sin10 one of the first fruits of that later harvest1 which ,god permitted us to reap4 ,ernsan1 one of the small villages at which we spent the night1 turned out to be a very rough sort of place4 ,we were obliged in many of these towns to use the ,foreign ,office letter to obtain the shelter of the magistracies1 as often the inns would not receive us or would prove no defense against the rudeness of the curious mobs1 and we had no ,christian constituency to fall back upon4 ,at this particular place the magistrate was away1 and the 8chabin duli0 7roughs7 were not under ordinary restraint4 ,in the morning1 as the time for leaving drew near1 a crowd of about one hundred men and large boys assembled in the little courtyard waiting for a kugung 7sight7 of the two curiosities4 ,my husband1 well aware that a woman who permits herself to be viewed by strange men is not respected or respectable in ,korea1 had my chair brought into the house1 and the door closed1 so that ,i might be shut in there and pass out unseen4 ,on finding themselves thus balked of perhaps the one great opportunity of their lives to behold these strange1 wild animals1 some of the baser fellows could not restrain their curiosity1 and one of them1 probably egged on by the others1 broke open the door of my bedroom4 ,than this1 no greater breach of law or propriety is recognized in the land1 and the guilty wretch is amenable to almost any punishment the injured woman's friends may choose to inflict4 ,my husband1 standing near the door1 lifted his foot as the proper member with which to express his sentiments--the tongue being incapable of sufficient vigor and the hand too good--and this1 though only a demonstration--the man was not touched--was sufficient encouragement to my chair coolies1 who1 considering their own honor bound up with mine for the time being1 rushed forth to punish the 8vile creature0 who had insulted us all4 ,one of them1 a brawny fellow whom we called ,pat1 from his resemblance to gentlemen of the nationality which favors that name1 at a bound had singled out his prey from the midst of the crowd and dragged him forth from his encircling friends and protectors4 ,he dragged him forth in the usual approved ,korean method1 under such circumstances1 by the top-knot1 a very convenient and effective handle1 for a man once in the grasp of his enemy in this way is practically at his mercy4 ,he was soon on the ground being pummelled4 ,but it must be remarked that we were but a little party1 four coolies1 one helper1 one missionary1 one woman1 and they were a hundred or more strong4 ,our calling and dearest hopes forbade our using severe measures1 nor would they1 even firearms1 have availed for long1 but would only have served to make enemies for us on all sides1 supposing we had frightened this crowd into order4 ,so it behooved us to make peace1 and speedily1 for there were black looks and angry and threatening murmurings as the friends of the culprit drew near1 preparing to defend him4 ,illustration3 ,,method ,,of ,,ironing4 ,,page #df ,so ,mr4 ,underwood rushed down into the crowd1 drew off our exasperated coolie1 and quieted the rising storm4 ,but ,patrick could not depart without giving some expression to his indignation1 and waving his chair rod like a shillalah in the air around his head1 he stood at the top of the steps1 his back to the crowd 7the pure ,korean method in quarrels71 vociferously announcing to whom it might concern his opinion of such actions in general1 and this one in particular1 and bidding them1 in the spirit of ,james ,fitz ,james at the ford 8,come one1 come all1 this rock shall fly ,from its firm base as soon as ,i40 ,but my husband saw that it would be best to get away while we could without exasperating them further1 and before the temper of the crowd should change again for the worse4 ,a similar occurrence in either ,china or ,japan would almost certainly have ended very differently for us4 ,the ,koreans do not bear malice1 nor are they very revengeful or cruel without great provocation4 ,we merely had to do with a rough crowd1 who gathered thinking we were probably a base sort of people2 and when they saw that we behaved as quiet1 decent ,koreans would do1 they respected our reserve and curbed their curiosity1 though a few boys threw stones and hooted1 and they all followed us a few rods outside the village1 but we soon found ourselves peacefully alone4 ,before passing on ,i must say a few words on the general effectiveness of the top-knot method4 ,it is a great pity men do not wear their hair in this way in ,america4 ,we women who favor women's rights would soon find it a mighty handle by which to manage them1 for in the hands of a discerning woman it is indeed an instrument of unlimited possibilities4 ,who would care to wield a scepter abroad1 who could wield a top-knot at home8 ,by one of these well-tied arrangements have ,i beheld a justly irate wife dragging home her drunken husband from the saloon2 and firmly grasping this1 ,i have seen more than one indignant female administering that corporal punishment which her lord and master no doubt richly deserved4 ,the ,korean wife stands and serves her husband while he eats1 she works while he smokes1 but when family affairs come to a certain crisis1 she takes the helm 7that is to say1 the top-knot7 in hand1 and puts the ship about4 ,at another of our stopping places on this road we found a magistrate who had been so long in the interior and who was so ignorant and illiterate that he neither knew the uses of a passport1 nor could read it when presented4 ,this was serious1 indeed1 for here with a rough and curious crowd to be refused the shelter of the magistracy might mean our being subjected to mob violence1 and would almost certainly insure our passing the night on the road4 ,here we must exchange exhausted pack-ponies for fresh ones1 here we must obtain money for the next stage1 and food and fire for our tired coolies and ourselves4 ,so when our helper returned with the disquieting news that the magistrate would none of us1 8the captain0 donned his harness1 and passport in hand1 strode into the presence1 gesticulated1 ,i am afraid1 stamped1 waved the passport in the air1 flung it to the ground1 and by dint of noise and vehemence succeeded in impressing the astonished little official with a sense of the dignity and importance of the ,foreign ,office passports in the hands of strenuous ,westerners4 ,he promptly and politely gave us rooms1 money1 ponies1 everything we needed1 in order to rid himself of us and our arguments1 ,i suppose1 and no doubt he still recalls us as the most remarkable and alarming intruders who ever disturbed his quiet and uneventful life4 ,but although sheltered by the magisterial walls our annoyances were not over4 ,word had been passed far and near of the arrival of foreigners1 and the crowds gathered thicker and thicker4 ,they were only rude and good-naturedly curious1 but curiosity is a strange passion when really aroused1 as only those who have been its victims know4 ,men will travel miles1 will undergo unheard-of fatigues and surmount great difficulties1 and will pay very little regard to the convenience1 comfort or even safety of those who try to oppose them in their desires to gratify this passion4 ,aware that we were besieged1 we hung shawls and rain coats round the room1 before the doors and windows1 hoping to prevent the usual peep-show made by perforating fingers1 and thus fortified1 seated ourselves in front of our trunk1 which served for a table1 to partake of our meal during the short respite thus gained4 ,a smothered titter made us look quickly around4 ,long slender rods had been pushed through the peep-holes1 the curtains lifted1 multitudes of eyes applied to new holes1 and we were well in view4 ,i must honestly confess that in some of these baffled moments1 in the hot fire of the enemy's ungenerous triumph1 ,i have thought with glee of the execution which could be done with a syringe well aimed at those eye-filled holes1 if we were just common travelers and not longing to win all hearts and ready to bear all such small annoyances with patience for the love of these poor people1 even the most annoying of them4 ,and now that ,i am more fully seasoned1 ,i endure these rude intrusions into my privacy with more sang froid1 excusing and understanding it4 ,about this stage in our journey our provisions ran very low1 and among other things sugar gave out4 ,natives do not have this article of food1 but we were able to get the ,korean buckwheat honey1 than which ,i have never tasted any more delicious1 and we found that it improved the flavor of the finest tea4 ,here in these far recesses of the interior1 where we were uncertain of the temper of the people1 and where many more than doubtful characters were known to be in hiding1 the magistrates thought it necessary to send at least one1 sometimes two1 officials with us4 ,at the town of ,huiju we found the scenery growing quite wild1 the hills rising into mountains 7though not very high ones71 the road zig-zagging up and up1 while a brawling1 hurrying brook ran noisily below4 ,here we found the first spring flowers under the lingering snow1 and above the snow were butterflies darting about in the sunshine1 quite sure that they were in the right place1 since the ,father sent them1 even though it did look a little cold and bleak2 and then if one only looked up1 there was the sun4 ,just here in the steepest1 dizziest and most difficult part of the ascent1 two of those poor little pack-ponies which ,i had been pitying all along for the terrible way their relentless mapoos overloaded them1 began fighting 7loads and all71 and after kicking each other in the liveliest fashion for some time1 squealing like little fiends1 while the poor mapoos were dancing and vociferating around them trying to bring about a truce1 they finally scampered off in different directions1 and then and there my heart hardened1 and never since has pity for these animals entered it4 ,they are1 ,i firmly opine1 as self-willed1 spoiled1 obstinate1 quarrelsome1 uncertain1 tricky and tough little beasts as ever carried a load4 ,among many other people treated at this little village1 a woman came sixteen miles for medicine1 and carried away as well the news of the ,great ,physician4 ,thus the mission to the body proves effective to the soul1 and the seed is scattered far and wide4 ,how that little seed prospered ,he only knows who has promised that those who cast it upon the water shall find it after many days4 ,here1 after we had eaten our supper1 ,mr4 ,underwood and ,i conceived a deep scheme to escape the stuffy little cage-like room and take a walk by moonlight in the midst of that lovely scenery4 ,it would of course be futile to go out of the gate1 for then the alarm would be given1 and we should be hounded by the entire able-bodied portion of the populace4 ,but the wall was low1 and waiting till we supposed every one had retired for the night1 we stealthily crept like a couple of criminals out of our quarters1 surmounted the wall1 and were at last free1 and for once alone1 away from staring eyes1 to enjoy the sweet air and each other's company4 ,but alas6 we had hardly gone twenty paces when a ,korean cur 7than which only a ,korean pig is more detestable7 espied or nosed us1 and at once set up a loud and continuous bark4 ,we hurried on1 hoping to escape1 but it was not to be2 one white form after another appeared at the doorways1 soon a quickly swelling stream of people were in our wake1 and the game was up4 ,we returned and retraced our steps1 attended by a long retinue1 entered by the gate1 and hid our discomfiture within the walls of our little dungeon4 ,from ,huiju our road led up farther1 over a still higher mountain1 and here we were provided1 according to the conditions of our passport1 with oxen instead of ponies to carry our loads 7being stronger and surer footed71 and also1 as for all travelers belated and overtaken by darkness1 torches of blazing pine knots or long grass carried by some of the villagers to a certain distance1 where it was the business of others to meet us with new ones4 ,the men who provide the oxen and torches are given the use of certain fields by the government in payment for such services1 but often they are unfaithful4 ,the belated traveler pounds long at their gates in vain4 ,some neighbor appears to say the man is sick or away4 ,at length1 when a reward has been given1 and when patience has not only ceased to be a virtue1 but ceased to exist at all1 he or his wife appears and deliberately prepares the long-desired torch4 ,on the other side of this mountain1 as we descended into the valley1 we found a village which presented a very different aspect from any we had yet seen4 ,the houses were not made of a basket work of twigs filled in with mud1 like the ordinary native dwellings1 but of heavy logs4 ,the little compounds surrounding each house were enclosed with high fences made of strong timbers1 each sharpened to a point at the top and firmly bound together1 instead of the usual hedge of blossoming bushes or tile-covered mud wall4 ,it all looked as if these farmers and foresters were prepared for a siege1 but from what enemy8 ,there were no ,indians or wild tribes here4 ,it was a most picturesque place4 ,the mountains rose grandly above us1 all around were woods1 and a beautiful stream rippled along between them and the village4 ,it was a glorious moonlit night1 the atmosphere seemed fairly to sparkle with brilliancy4 ,again1 after supper1 we prepared to take a walk4 ,few indeed had been our opportunities for such honeymoon observances as this1 which are supposed to be the peculiar privilege and bounden duty of all the good newly married4 ,as has been noted already1 the large crowds which watched our every movement1 and from whose observation not the smallest motion was lost1 precluded any such folly on our part1 but here1 far off in the wild recesses of the woods and mountains1 in a village whose inhabitants seemed nobly exceptional in the praise-worthy habit of keeping at home1 here we might wander at will1 in the enchanting light1 listening anon to the silvery cadences of the stream4 ,so we sauntered along in the most approved fashion of honeymooners until a few steps beyond the confines of the village1 where woods closed in on all sides4 ,we had observed here and there as we passed along what looked like a sort of huge pen made of logs1 weighted with great stones on top1 strangely constructed1 as if for the housing of some large animal4 ,now as we stood on the edge of the brook trying to decide whether to cross into the woods1 a sound as of heavy and yet stealthy footsteps on the dry leaves in the shadow of the trees arrested our attention4 ,an uncanny mystery seemed to hang over everything4 ,slightly startled by the sound1 we awakened to the fact that the pens we had seen must be tiger traps1 that this was a famous tiger tramping ground 7they would naturally come to the brook to drink71 that the enemy against whom the village was so strongly fortified were these beasts of prey1 and that it would be in every way profitable to us to postpone our moonlight rambles for some more propitious time and place4 ,so with a less lover-like and more business-like pace we returned to the prosaic but welcome shelter of the huts4 ,korean tiger skins are very fine when the animal has been killed in the winter1 but unfortunately the natives do not understand the proper method of preserving them1 and those which are taken away1 as well as the leopard skins1 very soon become denuded of hair4 ,the natives prize the claws very highly1 and often remove them as soon as the beast is killed4 ,they are found from the ,manchurian border through the whole country1 among the mountains2 more than once have they been seen in the capital since my arrival1 and only a few months after ,i landed a leopard was seen in the ,russian legation compound next to our house4 ,as our homes were all bungalows1 and the extreme heat of summer nights necessitated open windows1 ,i often lay awake after this for hours at night1 certain that ,i heard the stealthy1 heavy tread and deep breathing of one of these creatures in my room4 ,but to return to our experiences in the tiger valley1 which were not yet done4 ,while ,mr4 ,underwood and ,i were taking a walk together that evening we heard in the valley below us the sharp report of a gun4 ,the house in which we were was on the side of a hill1 while our servants' quarters1 and indeed most of the village1 was in the valley just below4 ,shortly some one came running to tell us that a tiger had just been shot4 ,this was slightly exciting1 but turned out later to have been a mere excuse to quiet any alarm ,i might have felt on hearing the explosion of the gun4 ,the real facts were1 it seemed1 that a band of some thirty men1 probably fugitives from justice1 and robbers1 had conspired to visit us that night at midnight and destroy the vile foreigners who had dared to intrude into the sacred precincts of this mountain land1 and thus warned1 no more strangers should trouble their shores4 ,they had drunk together to the success of their plot1 and the leader had rather overdone this part of it4 ,far gone in intoxication1 he had been too much fuddled to keep to the plan1 had come several hours in advance of the time1 had loudly boasted in the little inn of their intentions1 and fired his gun in a fit of bravado4 ,at the command of the head of the village he was immediately seized and locked up and his gun taken away4 ,it was a poor old-fashioned affair1 arranged with a long fuse wound around the bearer's wrist1 lighted when ready to fire1 and inserted in an arm held up by the trigger1 the pulling of which raised and removed a small cap which protected the priming powder and dropped the fuse upon it1 thus firing the gun4 ,it is with these awkward and clumsy weapons that the cool ,korean hunters face and shoot the most formidable leopards1 tigers1 wild boars and bears which abound in the mountains of ,korea4 ,the ,korean nobles use tiger and leopard skins on their carrying chairs1 and the teeth and claws for ornaments1 while the bones1 when ground up1 are supposed to be unrivalled as a tonic4 ,many are the tiger stories told by ,koreans2 their folklore abounds with them4 ,one very brief one is all ,i have time to insert4 ,once upon a time a fierce tiger crept stealthily into a village in search of prey4 ,but every one was in bed1 the cattle and pigs well guarded behind palisaded walls1 not a child1 a dog1 or even a chicken lingered outside4 ,he was about to retire in despair of finding a supper there when he spied through the small aperture at the bottom of a gate1 such as is found in all gates for the egress of dogs and cats1 a small and trembling dog4 ,his majesty tried in vain to squeeze through this hole1 and finding it hopeless1 took a careful survey of the wall4 ,it was high1 it is true1 and sharply spiked1 but sharply set too was the royal appetite1 and he resolved to try the leap1 after carefully reckoning the height to be surmounted and his own strength4 ,he was a great agile fellow1 and with the exertion of all his might he jumped1 barely escaping the spikes1 and landed safely inside the inclosure1 quite ready for his supper1 well aware that he must snatch it quickly and be gone ere the hunter in the cottage should espy and shoot him4 ,but puppy had gathered his tail between his legs1 and with loud and long kiyies had slipped through the opening to the outer side of the wall4 ,nothing remained for our hungry prowler but to try another leap1 only to find that his supper had again given him the slip4 ,alas1 that his brains were not equal to his perseverance and industry6 ,i grieve to be obliged to relate that this greedy fellow vaulted back and forth in pursuit of his meal1 his anger and appetite growing with every leap1 until he died of exhaustion and fell an ignominious prey to his small and elusive foe1 illustrating the fact that might does not always win and that the small and weak need not always despair in the contest with size and strength4 ,in the little hamlet where we met the adventure with the man who meant to kill us we were treated to fine venison and delicious honey4 ,all through the woods we found anemones and other spring flowers and saw specimens of the beautiful pink ibis1 belonging to the same family as the bird so often worshiped in ,egypt4 ,on the road hither and all around us we saw stacked and ready for sale cords of fine dark hard woods1 of which we did not know the names1 but much of which looked like black walnut4 ,no one who has traveled through this part of the country could possibly say there was a dearth of trees in ,korea1 or of singing birds1 or sweet-scented flowers1 or gorgeous butterflies4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,leaving ,kangai--,we ,choose a ,short ,cut--,much ,goitre in the ,mountains--,a ,deserted ,village--,the ,jericho ,road--,we are ,attacked by ,robbers--,a ,struggle in the ,inn ,yard--,odds too great--,our ,attendants are ,seized and ,carried ,off--,the ,kind ,inn-,keeper--,inopportune ,patients--,a ,race for ,life--,a ,city of ,refuge--,a ,beautiful ,custom--,safe at ,last--,the ,magistrate ,turns ,out to be an ,old ,friend--,the ,charge to the ,hunters4 ,our next stopping place of importance was the town of ,kangai4 ,this was a walled city of between ten and twenty thousand inhabitants in the northern part of the province of ,pyeng ,an ,do4 ,being in the center of a rather turbulent and independent community1 at least at that time--and when were mountaineers not so8--and quite near the ,chinese border1 its governor was invested with almost provincial authority1 had a large number of soldiers always under arms1 and surrounded himself with the greatest possible show of power and state1 having a numerous and obsequious body-guard1 a gun fired whenever he left his office1 and a great retinue of menials and officials who constantly attended him4 ,he told us that all this was necessary to overawe the people and establish his prestige and dignity4 ,he was a relative of the queen1 and ,i had met him at the palace4 ,as we approached the city and about three miles outside of it1 we saw in the distance a little company of soldiers with flying banners and sounding trumpets1 awaiting us apparently at the foot of a hill4 ,what this might portend we were at a loss to guess4 ,it might mean fetters and warder for intrusive foreigners1 it might mean an order to return1 it might mean our immediate extinction1 but so kind had been our reception everywhere1 barring sightseers1 that we did not entertain any serious misgivings1 although greatly puzzled as to what the demonstration could possibly signify4 ,however1 we marched right up1 as if this martial array concerned us not in the least4 ,as soon as we came within saluting distance the leader of the little company made us the most profound obeisance and announced that he had been sent to escort us to the city4 ,so we proceeded with this rather cumbersome addition to our modest suite1 and not only this1 for small boys are the same all the world over1 and a motley throng of them1 attracted both by the soldiers and the circus 7or1 shall we say1 the menagerie871 closed in around us4 ,a mile farther on a second attachment of military1 with its inevitable corps of small boys1 was awaiting us1 and on we went1 the hubbub ever increasing1 drums beating1 trumpets sounding1 flags flying1 wooden shoes clattering over the stones1 louder1 it seemed to me1 than all the rest1 as ,i cowered in the shelter of my closely curtained chair4 ,illustration3 ,,prince ,,yi ,,chai ,,soon1 ,,cousin ,,of ,,king4 ,illustration3 ,,high ,,korean ,,official1 ,,kim ,,yan ,,sik4 ,,page #bc ,momentarily the formidable dimensions of the crowd increased1 while other bands of soldiers joined us at intervals1 for which ,i was devoutly thankful1 for while the crowd seemed good-natured and simply wildly curious1 at the same time we were strangers1 to whom ,koreans had the reputation of being inimical4 ,with so large a crowd a small matter may kindle a blaze of fury1 and as we were rather inexperienced and ignorant of the character of the people1 ,i felt that whatever the intentions of the magistrate might be1 the hand of the responsible official would be gentle compared with the hands of the mob4 ,and yet looking back on it all now1 in the light of all that has since occurred1 it was not altogether inappropriate but in a way fitting1 that the first heralds of the gospel and the advent of ,christianity to this province should be with banners1 trumpets and great acclaim4 ,the ,kingdom had come1 if only in its smallest beginnings1 and had come to stay4 ,the wonder of it1 which will grow1 ,i think1 more and more through the eternal ages1 is that ,god should allow us1 his poor creatures1 to share with him in a work far greater than the creation of a universe1 even the founding of an eternal and limitless kingdom of holiness1 glory and peace4 ,but to return to our noisy procession4 ,within the city the noise and excitement 78yahdan0 the ,koreans would say1 and nothing expresses it so well7 were far greater than ever4 ,dancing girls and hoodlums of every description swelled the crowd1 laughing1 shouting1 pushing1 jostling4 ,high points of vantage were occupied to the last inch with small boydom1 booths or screened seats had been rented for the use of the ladies1 and the streets were hardly passable4 ,i shivered4 ,i felt like a mouse in the power of a playful tiger4 ,it is not a pleasant thing to feel one's self the object of desire--even if merely in a sightseeing way--of thousands of strange people4 ,many in that crowd had come more than ten miles to behold us4 ,my husband to protect me from the unpleasantness1 to say the least1 of falling into the hands of so large and eager a mob1 hastened to the gates of the magistracy1 quickly dismounted and bade the guards be ready to close them the instant my chair had entered4 ,this was promptly done1 the gates well bolted and guarded1 and proud of our victory over the small boys1 we hastily retired to our rooms4 ,but hark6 what noise was that1 like thundering of a waterfall1 or of a river dashing away its barriers8 ,alack6 it was the boys4 ,they had scaled the wall on each other's shoulders1 and were literally pouring over it into the compound4 ,i looked around the little room for some means of escape1 like a hunted animal4 ,its windows and doors were double1 the inner one sliding into the wall1 but both were composed simply of a light frame of slender sticks covered with stout paper1 and already the dancing girls and boys were tearing away the outer coat preparatory to forcing an entrance4 ,suddenly ,i espied a small door1 which ,i found opened into a long dark closet1 full of the dust and dirt of unclean centuries4 ,hither ,i fled1 cowering in its farthest recesses4 ,those who looked in the windows1 and saw nothing of the strange animal genus ,americanum1 concluded she must be in some other place1 and so a short respite was granted1 which ,mr4 ,underwood and the deputy magistrate made good use of in guarding our house doors4 ,the deputy himself was obliged to take his station there1 and threatening with awful penalties any soldier who should permit the 8chabin duli0 7roughs and crowd7 to enter uninvited4 ,henceforth during my stay in that town ,i was comparatively untroubled4 ,a very epidemic of diseases1 however1 seemed to have smitten the place4 ,every one needed the doctor1 and old1 almost forgotten complaints were resurrected and rubbed up1 or if none existed new ones were invented to furnish an excuse for an introduction4 ,people stood in long rows from morning till night to see this popular doctor1 and had ,i been medicining for money1 ,i might have charged almost any price and filled high our coffers2 but ,i was only too glad to be able to tell them of the great ,physician1 whose unspeakable gift is without money or price4 ,the magistrate treated us very kindly1 and one day made a dinner for ,mr4 ,underwood at a little summer house outside the city4 ,here1 after partaking of various ,korean dainties1 he asked him a great many questions about ,america and ,americans4 ,my husband had thus a fine opportunity to enlighten the man on our own mission and work4 ,he of course listened politely1 but the ,korean noble is very difficult to reach4 ,he is bound so rigidly by so many social1 religious and political fetters1 that he usually will not allow himself to consider for a moment the possibility of casting them off4 ,we were much disappointed at not finding here any of the inquirers of whom we had been told so much1 and to examine and instruct whom ,mr4 ,underwood had turned so far aside from the main road to his final destination1 ,weeju4 ,we could only conclude that they had either been too shy to approach us in the public quarters in which we were located or that we had been entirely misinformed1 and we were forced very reluctantly to accept the latter as a fact4 ,the magistrate sent a number of presents to us ere we left--a box of cigars1 though we were not smokers1 another of candied ,chinese ginger1 honey1 flour1 beef1 vinegar and potatoes4 ,these were articles which they found by diligent inquiry from our attendants that we were fond of4 ,they scoured the country for potatoes1 though except in the mountains1 where rice will not grow1 few ,koreans cultivate or eat them4 ,on leaving ,kangai we could either take a long road around the mountains1 well known and much traveled1 or a short cut through and over them1 much less frequented1 but which the magistrate assured us was now quite safe1 as he had recently passed through there himself and believed that everything was now quiet and orderly4 ,the locality had a bad reputation1 being off the main lines of travel in the recesses of the mountains1 where escaped criminals were wont to hide1 and where a band of robbers were said to have made their lair4 ,but time pressed1 work was urgent1 the magistrate's statements were reassuring1 and we decided to take the shorter road4 ,we were provided with a police official and a soldier1 who1 our host told us1 would be respected and feared1 and our entire safety would thus be assured4 ,illustration3 ,,carrier ,,ox4 ,,page #ed ,illustration3 ,,the ,,ox-,,cart ,,or ,,talgoogy4 ,,page #aig ,our road on leaving ,kangai passed directly over the mountains1 through a region more sparsely populated and more wildly beautiful than anything we had yet seen4 ,there were a few stray farms where sparse crops of potatoes were raised1 but the mountains hemmed us in closely on all sides4 ,they were covered with magnificent trees2 here and there a woodcutter was seen or heard1 but the evidences of human life were few4 ,we had noticed with interest through the mountain districts a large number of people for these sparsely settled regions who were afflicted with goitre4 ,at night we reached a small village of scarce a half dozen houses1 established by the government as a place of rest for travelers1 since there was no other place within convenient marching distance4 ,a subsidy was given in return for which these natives were bound to provide refreshments1 horses1 oxen1 or torches for those who bore passports or official orders4 ,but travel was rare and they had come to consider their duty a tyrannical exaction1 their subsidy as their right2 so when we arrived an ominous silence reigned over the place1 and we found it had been completely deserted and that not long since everything had been dropped and the people had fled and hidden4 ,this inhospitable reception was a very definite sign of ill will1 a plain refusal to give the shelter and assistance they were so well paid to bestow4 ,of course it did not auger well1 but there was nothing to be done for the present but to try to supply our needs4 ,fires were built1 horse provender found1 and rice for coolies1 mapoos and attendants cooked1 while for ourselves we fared well on the contents of our box of stores4 ,some of the villagers returned that night to their homes4 ,early next morning1 having paid for what we had used1 we started away4 ,but the necessity for haste1 as our stage that day was a long one1 and our want of suspicion of any serious danger led us into making a mistake2 we divided our small party1 ,mr4 ,underwood1 the soldier and myself hurrying on ahead on what we afterwards called the ,jericho road1 leaving helpers and constable with the pack-ponies and mapoos1 which traveled more slowly1 to follow at a distance of several miles4 ,we planned to reach our noon rest place early1 and order food and provender 7which it always takes an hour to cook7 in advance1 so that all might be ready on their arrival and a speedy departure insured4 ,the day was a very fine one1 the mountain air exhilarating and delightful1 and there were no sightseers1 so that ,mr4 ,underwood and ,i walked together a long distance1 laughing and chatting and gathering the pretty spring flowers1 of which there were many1 especially the sweet-scented violets1 which ,i was surprised to find growing thus wild in the mountains4 ,we arrived early at the little hamlet which was our destination1 and were immediately installed in the one tiny inn the place could boast4 ,i am not sure how much time elapsed before our loads appeared1 but it was not very long1 and when word was brought that they were coming my husband slipped a small revolver 7our only weapon7 from our traveling-bag into his pocket4 ,i understood too little of the language to know what message he had received1 but he told me that some rough fellows were coming with our party and that there might be trouble1 in which case he might need the revolver4 ,he had received a message1 while on the way to the inn1 that robbers had overtaken our people and were following us4 ,it seems that as soon as we were out of sight a number of men had overtaken our loads and charged one of our mapoos with theft1 saying that they had come to reclaim their stolen property4 ,they bound his hands1 took possession of our ponies and loads1 and followed us to our inn4 ,i peeped out through a crack where the door stood ajar1 and saw what was not reassuring1 a party of twenty or thirty country fellows1 wilder and ruder looking than any ,i had yet seen1 their hair falling in matted locks around their evil faces instead of being fastened in the usual rough top-knot1 and their angry eyes fierce and bloodshot4 ,each carried a short stout club1 and they were all shouting in angry tones at once1 while our mapoo1 his hands bound1 my husband1 the constable1 soldier and helper stood in the midst of this wild throng4 ,the tiny place seemed filled with the men and the hubbub1 while the frightened villagers peeped in at the gate or over the wall2 our brave chair coolies had hidden away1 for which we were later extremely thankful4 ,the attacking party with loud and angry voices accused our mapoo of having stolen their money1 a hat and a bowl2 and when asked for evidence1 pointed to the man's own shabby old hat1 then on his head1 to a rice bowl1 placed on top of the packs 7he said by their hands71 and to our own large and heavy bag of ,korean cash1 fastened and sealed just as we saw it placed on the pony's back in the morning4 ,they refused to release the mapoo unless these things were delivered up4 ,mr4 ,underwood told them that the hat and money were ours1 but that he would go with them before a ,korean magistrate and leave the whole matter to his decision1 only they must unbind our mapoo4 ,this they would not hear to and continued to insist on our giving them the money4 ,my husband absolutely refused to do this4 ,meanwhile1 having placed himself1 with the brave little soldier at his side1 in a narrow space wide enough only for two1 between the wall of the compound and the house1 he bade the latter cut the mapoo's bands4 ,the mob threatened to kill him if he did so1 but he turned to ,mr4 ,underwood and said1 8,does the great man bid me cut80 and receiving the affirmative reply1 he at once cut the ropes which bound the mapoo4 ,the ruffians made a rush1 but ,mr4 ,underwood1 hastily pushing the mapoo behind him1 managed with the aid of the soldier at his side in that narrow place to push one man back against the others and keep them off for some time4 ,while his whole attention was thus engaged1 however1 with those in front1 some of the party found a way to the rear1 and coming up quietly behind1 suddenly pinioned his arms back and held him helpless1 while the others carried off our poor mapoo away outside the village1 their voices dying away in the distance4 ,in the awful silence that succeeded the uproar we waited what would follow4 ,after what seemed an age of suspense they returned without the man and seized and carried off our constable4 ,again that fateful silence1 that agonizing suspense2 again another raid1 and our other mapoo was dragged away4 ,if these and our other companions had shown half the courage of the little soldier and made any effort to defend themselves and us1 and especially had the chair coolies stood by us1 the ruffians would very likely have been beaten off4 ,as it was1 we were practically helpless1 the only question was who was to be attacked next4 ,mr4 ,underwood was very doubtful of the wisdom of producing the little revolver until the very last extremity4 ,one by one they carried away the members of our party till only ,mr4 ,underwood1 the little soldier and ,i were left4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,korean ,,village ,we learned afterward that they were a set of wild men1 many of them fugitives from justice1 probably an organized band of robbers1 into whose hands we had fallen1 and the fear that lay like ice at my heart was that when all our friends and defenders were one by one removed they would carry away and murder my husband too4 ,so ,i waited1 scarcely breathing1 for the next return4 ,what ,i dreaded they did in fact propose to do1 saying it was the right way to treat foreigners4 ,they said they had robbed and killed a ,japanese officer some years ago1 and having never been punished1 would be quite safe in treating us in a similar way4 ,on our return to ,seoul we found by inquiry that this was true1 that while the government had been forced to pay a heavy indemnity1 they had never been able to identify and punish the murderers4 ,had we been overtaken before we reached the village perhaps our fate would have been that of the ,japanese2 but when the affair reached this point the villagers interfered and forbade4 ,they said they had allowed them to carry off our ,korean servants and our money1 but should we1 foreigners1 known at the palace and carrying a passport1 be killed there1 their village would have to bear the penalty1 and we must be spared4 ,they were only a few men1 but probably people who1 knowing the haunts of the criminals and able to identify them1 had them to some extent in their power4 ,the men therefore sullenly filed away1 or at least most of them4 ,one or two of the fiercest and most repulsive still hung about1 and one of them walked into my room 7an insult in the eyes of all ,koreans7 and insolently stared until my husband1 entering1 ordered him out4 ,the inn-keeper was a little man not five feet high1 who did all in his power to reassure and make me comfortable1 as if such a thing were possible with our poor friends in distress1 if not dead1 and our own fate only too uncertain4 ,it was twenty-five ,english miles to the nearest magistracy1 and doing our best1 it would be difficult to reach it that night2 but we knew that if any help was to be had for the captives it must be secured at once1 aside from the fact that we had no assurance of safety with so small a party until within the walls of the yamen4 ,so it was decided to start as soon as possible4 ,my scared chair coolies had sneaked out of their hiding places in a sufficiently well-preserved condition to be able to partake of a hearty meal1 and were soon ready to start4 ,my husband had a ,korean pony which possessed the rare virtue of kicking and biting every one who attempted to touch him1 except his mapoo and his master2 to which quality we were indebted for his being left us that day4 ,one other pony we were able to obtain1 but as it of course could carry only our rugs and bedding1 the rest of our belongings we were compelled to leave behind4 ,we asked the host to take them into his house and take charge of them1 to which he willingly consented4 ,his son1 in an agony of terror1 begged him not to do so1 as the robbers had threatened to come and burn down his house if he sheltered either us or our goods4 ,the stout-hearted little fellow1 whose soul was much too large for his body1 laughed at the threat1 and bidding one of the very men who had attacked us give a lift1 he carried our trunks into his house and said he would take good care of them for us until we should send for them4 ,in the meanwhile ,mr4 ,underwood had been urging me to eat1 which ,i tried in vain to do1 as a large lump of something hard had become fixed in my throat1 would neither go up or down and no food could pass that way4 ,in fact1 ,i may as well admit ,i was a very much frightened woman1 and my whole desire was to run away as fast and as far as possible from that dreadful locality4 ,it sounds1 and is1 disgraceful1 but as this is a narration of facts it may as well be confessed4 ,my chief grief was that we must leave our poor friends behind4 ,that1 indeed1 seemed cruel and unthinkable1 yet there appeared to be no other way to relieve or help them4 ,just as we were ready to start two or three country people came and asked for medicines for trifling complaints4 ,was anything ever so ill-timed8 ,surely we could not wait then1 when the lives of our poor people as well as our own perhaps depended on our speedy departure4 ,but not so1 counseled my husband4 ,these men and women needed help which we could give4 ,it was our duty to show that we1 as the servants of ,jesus1 had come in a spirit of brotherhood and love1 and it gave us a fine opening to deliver a message and to distribute the printed ,word--it would not take long1 and in any case were we not in ,god's hands8 ,so not knowing what moment the ruffians might return to drag us away to share the unknown fate of our attendants1 perhaps death1 surely torture1 ,i prescribed4 ,alas6 ,i hope none of my patients were poisoned2 but with so distracted a mind did ,i work that it was very difficult to fix my thoughts on afflicted eyes1 ears and throats1 etc4 ,at length all had been seen1 the medicines repacked1 when another patient appeared2 again we waited1 ,i diagnosed and prescribed and ,mr4 ,underwood prepared the medicine2 but still another and yet another appeared1 till ,i began to think we should not be able to leave that day at all4 ,at last1 however1 all were satisfied1 and we started with our race with time1 considerably after two o'clock4 ,we had twenty-five ,english miles to travel before we could reach the nearest magistrate1 on a road leading through and over the mountains4 ,it was wild and exceedingly beautiful1 but correspondingly rough and difficult4 ,sometimes it was only the narrowest foot-path1 running along a ledge of rocks overhanging the stream2 sometimes it was almost lost among great boulders1 which must be skirted or surmounted4 ,the loveliest wild flowers were all around us1 but for once they did not tempt us to linger4 ,we had barely left the confines of the village before we saw in the road before us the prostrate and apparently inanimate body of a man1 whom we soon recognized as our constable4 ,he proved to be not dead1 but simply fainting from the cruel beating he had received4 ,he soon revived a little and begged us to hurry on for aid4 ,he was too much exhausted and bruised to be carried on with us1 unless we abandoned our purpose of reaching the magistracy that night1 which it seemed for the best good of all to do2 so most reluctantly we left him to the mercy of the villagers4 ,it was a sore alternative1 but otherwise help for the others would have been delayed many hours4 ,when we had proceeded two or three miles farther we saw a line of armed men half kneeling barring the road in front of us1 with their guns aimed apparently at us4 ,i of course concluded that my last hour had come1 but we decided that to advance with no signs of fear or doubt was the only course to pursue1 and found a few minutes later that our formidable-looking opponents were only some hunters waiting game that was being driven towards them by others4 ,our road steadily ascended1 and was more and more difficult4 ,where it was worst ,i walked to relieve the tired coolies1 for even with four men and a light burden it is no easy matter to carry a chair up the mountain side on a warm ,april afternoon4 ,when sunset was almost due1 and we had many miles yet to go1 the coolies insisted on waiting for supper4 ,i dreaded the possible necessity of being obliged to spend a part of the night unsheltered in a country that seemed so hostile1 added to which the other thought of the necessity for speed made it seem impossible and wicked to delay for such a paltry thing as food4 ,why the men who had seemed so bitter and cruel at noon had not followed and attacked our weakened party ,i have never been able to entirely explain4 ,i can only surmise that1 like most ,asiatics1 they were firmly convinced that ,mr4 ,underwood1 in common with all foreigners1 always went heavily though secretly armed1 and that any attempt to injure our persons would result in awful calamity4 ,in addition1 our passport and the well-known fact that we were on very friendly relations with the palace may have made them fear the consequence of harming us1 even though they were more than half resolved to do so4 ,more than this1 the villagers who forbade them to touch us probably knew their haunts and would be able to hunt them out2 and lastly1 the fact that ,mr4 ,underwood stoutly resisted them and showed no signs of fear undoubtedly had a marked effect upon their treatment of us4 ,witness the fact that even the little soldier1 the only man of our native party who fought them and showed no fear1 was the only one of the ,koreans who escaped unhurt4 ,if we had at any moment shown ourselves afraid of them they would have taken it as sure proof that we were defenseless4 ,had they seen our little revolver1 and known it for our only weapon1 they would have counted us1 as we were1 practically helpless1 and our fate might have been decided very differently4 ,at the time ,i felt certain they were not through with us1 but having weakened our party1 they would attack us in the lonely road1 far away from the friendly village1 and finish their work4 ,we could scarcely hope to distance them1 handicapped as we were1 but ,i felt we could not put too much space between them and us1 and many a backward glance ,i cast1 expecting to see them emerge any moment from some rock or tree4 ,good for man or woman it is to feel one's self cast utterly on ,god's mercy1 and entirely in his hands1 to know one's self beyond all human aid1 with him alone to look to for succor4 ,as ,i turned to my husband that day and said1 8,well1 there's nothing left to do but to trust the ,lord10 it flashed over us both how commonly we only trust him when there is nothing else to do1 as if his help were the last we should ever invoke1 a last forlorn hope4 ,how far1 far too much1 we fall into the habit of trusting in an arm of flesh and all the frail little human makeshifts with which we encompass ourselves and fancy we are safe4 ,but how near he seems1 how strong the uplift of the 8everlasting arms10 when the soul is left alone to him4 ,we were forced to wait some time while our tired coolies fed1 the darkness meanwhile coming on rapidly4 ,at length1 rather than waste any more time1 ,i started1 walking in advance and leaving the coolies to follow2 eat ,i could not4 ,soon the road divided into two1 one a short cut over the mountain1 the other a much longer one around it2 we decided to take the shorter road1 which also leading through the woods became extremely dark1 so that in a short time we were obliged to call for torches1 the road too turning out to be very bad4 ,it was barely a foothold1 circling and twisting down the precipitous mountain side4 ,mr4 ,underwood soon concluded that he would rather trust his own feet than his pony's1 as we heard the displaced stones go rattling down into depths far below2 but as for me1 though ,i would have much preferred to descend from my chair1 which had some time before overtaken us1 ,i was now so tired that it would have delayed us too much and added nothing to my safety4 ,still it was rather an uncomfortable thing to be carried along on the brink of a precipice1 down a slippery1 uncertain path1 in a darkness which was scarcely relieved1 only made visible1 by the flickering torchlights1 especially as they invariably burned out before the next came up1 and we were obliged at times to proceed a quarter of a mile or more--it always seemed more--in total darkness2 and yet worse than this is probably often experienced by people traveling in the mountains for pleasure4 ,at last1 however1 after nine o'clock1 ,mr4 ,underwood came to the chair and bade me look up4 ,there above us on a hill in relief against the starlit sky stood the walls and gate of the little city4 ,a city of refuge indeed1 and we realized that night1 a little at least1 of the joy of the hunted1 who1 closely pursued by the avenger of blood1 found himself safe within protecting walls4 ,the gates were hospitably open as our messenger had arrived1 and we were expected4 ,we were told that it was a custom in many towns in the north to set a lamp in each doorway as a token of welcome to expected guests who for any reason were persons of importance4 ,as we passed down the street and saw these bright little beacons before each door our hearts were deeply touched4 ,although it was too late for a formal audience1 and the gate of the magistracy was closed1 my husband insisted on being admitted at once4 ,the request was granted and he hurried in and began the usual ceremony of introducing himself1 when a familiar voice exclaimed1 8,and don't you know me80 ,then for the first he looked closely into the face of the official before him1 and found that he was an old friend from ,seoul1 who had often been entertained at our house4 ,all was now easy4 ,the events of the morning were carefully related1 with the request that the police should be sent at once to rescue and bring back our people1 reclaim our goods and arrest1 if possible1 the criminals4 ,this he promised to do at once1 and in fulfillment1 immediately ordered up the hunters1 a guild of brave men who know the woods and mountains for miles around1 and who fear nothing4 ,his spokesman then called out to them in loud tones1 which thrilled through the clear starlit night1 the order to go at once1 find and arrest the robbers1 and bring safely our attendants and goods in three days' time1 or lose their heads4 ,to which they replied in a sort of chant in a minor key that they would so arrest1 reclaim1 and bring back in three days' time or would lose their heads4 ,the last syllable long drawn1 rolled1 rippled1 and re-echoed1 seeming to die away somewhere among the stars4 ,the condition about the loss of their heads was1 of course1 merely for rhetorical effect1 or very likely the echo of an old custom1 the address and reply being probably a form hundreds of years old4 ,at any rate1 though they returned after three days had passed1 their mission not fully accomplished1 there was no talk of beheading1 or thought of it in any quarter4 ,it may be noted that not much has been told in this chapter of ,christian work and its results1 but it must be remembered that conditions were somewhat unfavorable4 ,owing to the fears of our ,american minister1 ,mr4 ,underwood had been forbidden to preach in the country at this time1 so that his work was limited to studying the country and the people and their possibilities1 laying plans for future work1 examining1 instructing and encouraging converts and supervising and testing the work of native helpers4 ,as for me1 the effort to make a favorable impression through the treatment of the sick and the distribution of tracts was the limit of my usefulness4 ,,chapter ,v ,our ,stay in ,wewon--,we ,give a ,dinner--,our ,guests--,magistrates ,propose that we ,travel with a ,chain-,gang--,our ,trip down the ,yalu--,the ,rapids--,contrast between ,korean and ,chinese ,shores--,we ,enter ,weju--,the ,drunken ,magistrate--,presents and ,punishments--,unpleasant ,experiences with ,insincere ,people--,rice ,christians--,the ,scheming ,colporter--,the ,men ,baptized in ,weju--,the ,lost ,passport--,another ,audience at the ,palace--,queen's ,dress and ,ornaments--,korean ,summer ,house--,the ,pocket ,dictionary--,our ,homes4 ,here1 then1 in the hospitable little town of ,wewon we rested1 made friends whom we hoped to draw into the friendship of our ,leader1 and ministered to sick bodies and souls1 as opportunity was given4 ,here in a few days were brought our boxes and a few of the men who had attacked us4 ,still later1 for they were unable to travel for some time1 came our poor attendants1 who had twice been cruelly beaten with clubs and left tied up all night in a painful and agonizing position4 ,the mapoo's arm was broken1 and our helper never entirely recovered from the injury his back had suffered4 ,those of the criminals who were found were sent up to the provincial capital to be punished by the governor4 ,before leaving ,wewon we gave a dinner to the magistrate in order to gratify his curiosity and that of his friends4 ,we wished to show in some way our appreciation of his kindness and hospitality1 and ,mr4 ,underwood1 who had considerable experience and much skill in camp and bachelor cooking1 undertook1 in the face of some odds1 to manage the matter2 and we found our ingenuity well taxed in evolving a feast from the now scanty remnants of our larder and the few obtainable native articles out of which a foreign meal could be manufactured4 ,however1 we prided ourselves that we did quite well1 with some six courses1 including soup1 fish1 a bewitching little roast pig1 well decorated with wreaths and berries1 served with apple sauce and stuffed with potatoes1 chestnuts and onions4 ,our dessert1 marmalade spread on crackers1 was sufficiently light to please the most sthetic1 and we introduced a novelty1 coffee sweetened with honey1 never whispering that our sugar was gone4 ,the magistrate came with a huge crowd of retainers1 who filled our tiny room and flowed over into the kitchen1 peered into and fingered everything1 and nearly wrecked the courses1 which our overtried servant was attempting under many difficulties to serve4 ,with nothing but a bowl of charcoal in lieu of a stove1 and no proper kitchen utensils1 it was by no means easy to achieve such a feat of culinary art in the far interior of the hermit kingdom1 but we did not stop to consider a little inconvenience or bother1 nor regret a little extra work where we could thereby make or strengthen friendship with ,koreans4 ,trifling as it may look for missionaries to be planning menus and giving dinners to country magistrates1 there are more ways of furthering the cause than preaching only4 ,the hearts of the people must be won1 and he who wins most friends wins the readiest and most attentive audience1 one inclined in advance to favor and accept what he has to teach1 and nothing is trifling which helps4 ,after the return of our men and belongings1 and as soon as the former were able to travel1 we felt we must hurry on to ,weju4 ,the magistrate of ,wewon proposed that when we departed1 the eight criminals who had been captured should be chained together1 two and two1 and led in advance of our company during the rest of our journey4 ,thus should we march through the land like conquerors1 instilling awe and terror in all hearts1 and none who looked on this tableau would ever again dare assail a foreigner4 ,now this was of course exactly the impression that we wished to produce as missionaries6 ,we pictured ourselves going about preaching the cross1 with such an object lesson as this1 trying to win the hearts of the people1 while driving their compatriots before us in chains1 and we enjoyed the vision hugely4 ,it would hardly have been possible to have obtained the relief of our ,koreans without the arrest of the criminals1 several of whom were identified as notorious men1 whose seizure was necessary to the peace and safety of the community4 ,but we never would have had them punished on our own account or to gratify revenge1 so we politely thanked the magistrate for his tactful suggestion1 but begged to be excused4 ,we found the town of ,chosan1 where we stopped on the evening after leaving ,wewon1 quite a unique and interesting little place4 ,it is situated near the ,yalu1 or1 as the ,chinese call it1 the ,amno ,river1 which forms the boundary line between ,korea and ,china4 ,two 8kisus10 a sort of soldier police1 were sent out three miles to meet us1 and preceded us into the town1 blowing trumpets all the way1 to our helpless annoyance and disgust1 for they either could not or would not understand that this sort of demonstration was most distasteful to us both4 ,as at ,kangai1 more and more soldiers met us at intervals4 ,there were flags1 music1 crowds1 and again we entered the town like a circus4 ,the crowds1 however1 were kept well back1 the place was much smaller1 and we were undisturbed at the magistracy4 ,as soon as we entered the house a small tray was brought1 with cups of hot ginger tea1 most restful and refreshing1 the kind thought of the magistrate1 who1 unlike others1 did not force himself at once upon us1 but considerately waited until we were a little rested and refreshed4 ,we found here a custom which we had not met elsewhere1 that of sounding a bell every morning at a certain hour1 when all morning fires must be extinguished1 not to be relit until late in the afternoon4 ,we were compelled to go on some miles farther to obtain a boat for our short trip down the ,yalu4 ,in rainy weather the rapids between this point and ,weju are rather dangerous1 but at this time it was only a swift current1 which made the trip the pleasanter4 ,we found a ,korean junk1 which served our purpose as well as any that were to be had1 which was flat-bottomed1 and thirty feet long by three wide4 ,this would carry our attendants1 our packs1 two or three boatmen and ourselves4 ,some mats were rigged on bamboo poles above us for an awning1 and others stretched across the middle of the boat for a partition1 which left one half for the use of the natives1 while we reserved the other for ourselves4 ,here we spent three days and nights2 during the latter1 however1 we always anchored near the shore4 ,provisions in plenty were obtained from the villages we passed1 when a great many people came out to kugung2 but here we had the advantage1 and while quite able to talk to them from the boat1 were not forced to permit more than we liked to examine us and our belongings4 ,one night we were wakened with the cry of 8,pull1 pull60 8,fire1 fire60 and found the boat was on fire4 ,some one had fallen asleep while smoking and dropped hot ashes among combustibles2 but we were close to the shore1 there was plenty of water and people to use it4 ,the blaze was soon out1 and nothing thrilling came to pass4 ,thus was it ever with our adventures4 ,while danger in one form or another made itself known1 as if to prove beyond a doubt our ,father's care1 we were kept as safe and unharmed as a child in its mother's arms2 and were we not with the everlasting arms underneath us8 ,as we drifted down the ,amno those lovely spring days1 with ,china lying on one side of us and ,korea on the other1 the contrast was wonderfully marked1 almost as much1 indeed1 as if the two nations had been separated by oceans rather than a river4 ,this difference too was almost as marked in the physical features of the country as in national customs4 ,on the ,korean shore the trees were mostly of pine2 on the ,china side1 of oaks and other deciduous varieties4 ,the ,korean peasants' huts were of mud1 straw thatched2 the ,chinese houses of brick or stone1 roofed with tile4 ,koreans dressed in white were plowing with oxen2 ,chinese farmers in blue were plowing with horses4 ,rhododendrons gave a lovely roseate tinge to the rocks and hills on either side4 ,it was easy for the passing traveler to see which country bore the greater appearance of prosperity and thrift4 ,on the evening of the #bgth of ,april we reached ,weju4 ,fortunately no official notice had gone before1 and there were no trumpets1 drums1 harps1 sackbuts1 psalteries and all kinds of music at hand to make our lives a burden4 ,a chair was hired for ,mr4 ,underwood1 and in the kindly protection of the deepening twilight we surreptitiously entered these conveyances and were carried into the city as quietly and unobtrusively as happy common folks4 ,and now1 to return a little1 soon after leaving ,pyeng ,yang we had met a ,mr4 ,yi1 of ,weju1 an agent of the ,bible ,society1 then on his way to ,seoul2 but when he heard where we were going he concluded to return with us4 ,mr4 ,underwood was at that time trying to decide whether ,weju or ,pyeng ,yang would be the better place for a sub-station1 with a half-formed plan to purchase a house1 to which we could go when itinerating1 in charge of which we might place a care-taker1 who would also be helper1 intending to select from among the converts in that region1 if possible1 one of the most capable and earnest4 ,this plan was in part communicated to ,mr4 ,yi1 and seemed to strike him most favorably4 ,he shortly proposed to precede us to ,weju and select such a place4 ,mr4 ,underwood1 however1 told him plainly that he must on no account purchase or promise to purchase any such house for us2 that1 as our plans were indefinite1 we could not buy until we had seen the city and the ,christians1 and1 in a word1 until we had some data by which to decide whether we needed such a house there at all4 ,and even then the locality and the house must first be seen by us4 ,we1 however1 consented that he should go in advance and arrange at some inn or ,christian home for our entertainment1 so that we could be quietly and quickly housed on entering the town4 ,we also consented that some inquiries should be made as to what houses in localities convenient for work were purchasable1 and at what price1 so that we might have something definite to consider on reaching there4 ,accordingly he left us before we reached ,kangai and hurried on to ,weju4 ,when we arrived1 therefore1 he met us and conducted us with much clat to a very commodious and nice bungalow1 which he said was his own4 ,here we were introduced to his consumptive wife1 his aged father1 and his little children4 ,according to custom1 we sent our passport to the magistrate as soon as we arrived4 ,this scarcely reached his office before an order was sent out for the arrest of our servants and helper1 who were forthwith dragged off to the yamen1 beaten and locked up4 ,we had hardly received this disconcerting news when it was announced that some messengers had arrived from his excellency with a very generous present of chickens1 eggs1 nuts1 fruit and other edibles4 ,these articles again had barely been received and the messengers not well out of sight when officers arrived with orders to arrest our host and have him beaten4 ,this very contradictory conduct was certainly disquieting1 and we were at a loss to conjecture what it meant4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,butcher ,,shop ,illustration3 ,,basket ,,shop ,however1 we had not long to wait4 ,the deputy or vice-magistrate was shortly afterwards announced1 and before he left1 he gave ,mr4 ,underwood to understand that his honor the magistrate had been imbibing rather freely and was not altogether responsible for his honorable 787 conduct1 and that he1 the deputy1 hoped1 therefore1 that we would overlook his slight playfulness in arresting and beating our poor innocent people4 ,these little aberrations were1 he said1 quite frequent1 and of course when once we understood what was to be expected and the reason1 no concern need be felt4 ,we were1 of course1 immensely comforted and soothed by this explanation1 and rested with quiet minds in the happy consciousness that it was entirely uncertain what sort of magisterial and honorable earthquake or cyclone might strike us next2 assured it would be all right1 as he intended no harm in his sane moments4 ,the poor deputy1 in a strait betwixt two 7the magistrate near at hand1 and the ,foreign ,office in ,seoul1 represented by our passport71 had been trying to smooth over the magistrate's uncivil reception of the passported foreigners1 by offerings of said chickens1 eggs1 etc41 and this was the explanation of the strange combination of presents and punishments4 ,drunkenness is1 ,i am sorry to say1 very common in ,korea4 ,the people do not1 as in ,japan and ,china1 raise tea1 and even the wealthiest have apparently only recently learned the use of either tea or coffee1 which the common people are far too poor to buy4 ,milk1 strange to say1 they have never used1 and they are therefore without a harmless beverage which they can offer their friends on convivial occasions4 ,as it is1 they resort only too generally to wines and some very strong alcoholic drinks1 which they make themselves4 ,we had had ,christian workers at ,weju for some months1 one of whom ,mr4 ,underwood had appointed and two who had constituted themselves such1 of whom we were doubtful then1 and later had cause to be more so1 and who now hoped to prove themselves so useful to us that we would give them some good-paying position in the mission4 ,several of our experiences at ,weju were very bitter and disappointing to us1 for the insincerity of men whom we trusted was made clear1 and yet at the same time they were instructive1 for they taught us to be very slow and cautious in investing men with responsibility1 and to be very guarded both in receiving converts and in using money1 and helped to strengthen us in those ideas of rigid self-support which ,mr4 ,underwood had already1 from the study of ,dr4 ,nevius' book1 begun to consider deeply and to some extent follow4 ,one of the self-appointed begged us to start a ,christian school in a place where as yet there was no opening for it1 and to put him in as teacher with a good salary4 8,but10 ,mr4 ,underwood objected1 8we are not yet ready for such a school1 and ,i cannot start a school merely to give you a living40 ,such unconcern for his material interest grieved him sorely4 ,long he pleaded his need and begged with great navet that we would then inform him how he was to subsist1 with refreshing guilelessness rolling the whole of the responsibility of his existence upon us4 ,we were obliged to tell him with some emphasis that we were not here to provide incomes for indolent men1 but to further the gospel4 ,another man whom we had trusted had given us altogether exaggerated1 and we feared intentionally false1 accounts of the interest in ,kangai1 of which we had failed to find any signs4 ,he did not suppose we would go there to verify the reports which were to accrue to his credit4 ,but another and still more annoying experience awaited us4 ,the agent ,yi told us that the house we were in belonged to us1 that in spite of our repeated injunctions he had bought it for us1 and had sold his own little home in part payment and installed his family here4 ,this was now the only shelter of his aged father1 his sick wife and his helpless little ones4 ,the scheming fellow had indeed placed us in a serious predicament4 ,to turn these weak and helpless people into the street for the sins of this man was not to be thought of2 to allow the man to profit by his dishonest trick would be to encourage every covetous hypocrite who sought to make gain out of the church and to misuse consecrated funds4 ,fortunately within ten days after a sale the money or deeds may be demanded back1 and so we made him ask back his own house and return the one we had used1 with a slight extra payment1 to the original owner4 ,it is due to the ,british ,bible ,society to say that they were of course deceived in this man1 as we are all liable to be at times1 no matter how careful4 ,the distance from his employers at which he was working made supervision almost impossible4 ,we were visited by a great many people1 mostly men1 who seemed deeply interested in ,christianity and eager for baptism4 ,over one hundred such applicants presented themselves4 ,mr4 ,underwood examined them with great care1 and found that all had studied the ,scriptures and tracts with great assiduity1 and nearly all were well informed in the cardinal truths of the gospel4 ,one man was quite a phenomenon of a rather useless kind of ,biblical erudition4 ,he knew the number of chapters and verses in the ,old and ,new ,testament 7,chinese1 of course71 the number of characters1 the number of times the name of ,god and ,christ occur1 and a variety of similar facts1 showing he had an extremely facile memory1 but proving nothing with regard to his conversion4 ,i could not help regarding the poor man with compassion4 ,it seemed too bad that he should have taken so much pains and spent so many hours of toil to gain non-essentials when the sweet bread of life and honey out of the rock might have been had so simply and easily1 had he only really wanted them1 had he learned enough of their wondrous value to desire them4 ,i am afraid that this man and some of the others that we questioned had no inkling of what ,christianity really is1 but supposed it was a philosophy1 fine and good1 no doubt1 which if adopted would bring them in touch with rich and influential foreigners1 and find them speedy employment as teachers1 helpers and what not4 ,what we anxiously1 longingly sought for in these applicants were the signs of a sincere change of heart1 of a real love for the ,god who was crucified to save them1 and of the fruit of this belief in a change of life and character4 ,out of the hundred applicants we selected thirty-three1 not those who answered most glibly or showed the greatest information1 but those who gave almost unmistakable evidence of sincerity of heart and true knowledge of ,jesus4 ,i say almost1 for it is well-nigh impossible not to make mistakes at times4 ,we had been forbidden to baptize in ,korea1 under our passport1 and we all crossed the river into ,china1 and there held a communion service1 a very solemn and deeply felt occasion to us1 and ,mr4 ,underwood baptized these men1 the only ones baptized during the whole trip1 a larger number than he ever received before1 or after that1 for some years4 ,these numbers1 rather large so early in the history of the mission1 were afterward much exaggerated by rumor4 ,no one was able to visit this little company of newborn souls for two years4 ,no response from the church at home to urgent pleas for help2 exacting demands of work in ,seoul1 sickness which took us to ,america1 made it impossible for any one to go and strengthen1 encourage and uphold them4 ,with no pastor1 few books but ,chinese1 they were sadly neglected1 and humanly speaking1 it would hardly be surprising if they were scattered and lost as sheep without a shepherd4 ,we had hoped to visit them at least once a year1 but had no idea how the work near home would grow and how impossible it would be to leave4 ,these men were not of the city of ,weju1 but from some little hamlets at some distance1 some of them fifteen or twenty miles away4 ,several of the men were already well known to ,mr4 ,underwood and had been under instruction for more than a year1 and some had been reported ready for baptism by ,mr4 ,saw1 who had been employed by ,mr4 ,ross when he came to ,seoul three years before4 ,this is to show that a horde of new professors1 of whom we knew nothing1 were not rashly baptized in zeal to increase the list of church-members1 as was stated by persons who were ignorant of the real facts4 ,all were rigidly examined1 all had been long prepared1 and although two missionaries who paid a visit to ,weju on their way to ,china two years later1 and one who made a long stay eight or nine years later1 said they found none of these ,christians1 we believe ,god was able to keep his own4 ,it would not be easy1 knowing neither the names of the men nor the villages where they lived1 to find them1 especially when we remember the roving1 almost nomadic character of the people1 most of whom had probably moved quite away1 the ,japanese war having worked marvelous changes4 ,more than half of the population of ,weju and vicinity seemed to melt away during that disastrous war4 ,when our work in ,weju was done we started on our return trip to many waiting duties in the capital4 ,the magistrate had not restored our passport1 so we sent for it1 but it was not forthcoming4 ,we waited some time1 and again meekly requested it2 still it was withheld1 and at length we learned that on the night of our arrival the magistrate had been in such an irresponsible condition that he had no recollection to whose care he had confided it1 and1 in fact1 the passport was lost4 ,this was indeed a serious state of affairs6 ,to travel without one would involve great risk1 to wait for another from ,seoul would take more time than we could afford to spare4 ,and1 indeed1 whether we should believe that it was really lost1 or that this was only the excuse of an inimical magistrate who meant to detain us there for some dark purpose1 was a question4 ,after some annoying delay1 however1 it was found and duly returned1 and with sad farewells from our friends1 but with the hope and intention of returning soon to feed these lambs of ,god's fold we left ,weju1 to which we have never as yet been permitted to go back4 ,mr4 ,underwood and ,i discussed long and earnestly on our return trip the comparative merits of ,pyeng ,yang and ,weju for the establishment of a sub-station4 ,in the one the opening was more hopeful1 the other held the more advantageous position4 ,we at length concluded to leave the matter open and allow future events to decide where we should start our station4 ,we returned to ,seoul by the main road1 with as few delays as possible1 and had an uneventful trip1 troubled by no mobs or robbers4 ,the season was somewhat advanced and the inns were very hot1 but the country was beautiful1 with many varieties of the loveliest flowers4 ,lilies of the valley we found growing in masses not ten feet from the roadside1 lilacs1 eglantine1 sweet violets and quantities of other sweet-scented flowers filled my chair4 ,we found ourselves safely at home near the middle of ,may1 having been absent over two months1 traveled more than a thousand miles1 treated over six hundred patients1 and talked with many times that number4 ,we were dismayed to find on our return that one of the too loyal missionaries had1 in supposed obedience to the edict1 closed the little room1 where services had been held with the natives1 and they were worshiping secretly in one or another of their own little homes4 ,we at once threw open our own house and regularly gathered the ,christians there1 till all the mission were willing to use the little chapel again4 ,shortly after our return the queen invited me to a private audience1 in order to give me a very unique pair of gold bracelets1 which she had ordered made for a wedding present1 and which had not been ready before we went to the country4 ,she also gave a ring set with a beautiful pearl for my husband4 ,she kindly asked about our trip1 and was1 as usual1 all that was friendly and considerate4 ,i wish ,i could give the public a true picture of the queen as she appeared at her best1 but this would be impossible1 even had she permitted a photograph to be taken1 for her charming play of expression while in conversation1 the character and intellect which were then revealed1 were only half seen when the face was in repose4 ,she wore her hair like all ,korean ladies1 parted in the center1 drawn tightly and very smoothly away from the face and knotted rather low at the back of the head4 ,a small ornament 7indicating her rank1 ,i suppose1 as ,i have never seen any other woman wear one7 was worn on the top of the head2 fastened by a narrow black band4 ,one or two very ornamental long hairpins of gold filigree set with coral1 pearls or jewels were stuck through the knot of hair at the back4 ,she usually wore a yellow silk chogerie1 or jacket waist1 like those worn by all ,korean women1 fastened with a pearl or amber button and a very long flowing blue silk skirt4 ,all her garments were of silk1 exquisitely dainty4 ,her majesty seemed to care little for ornaments1 and wore very few4 ,no ,korean women wear earrings 7except young girls in the north1 who wear a large silver hoop71 and the queen was no exception1 nor have ,i ever seen her wear a necklace1 a brooch1 or a bracelet4 ,she must have had many rings1 but ,i never saw her wear more than one or two of ,european manufacture1 set with not so many nor so large diamonds as numbers of ,american women of moderate means and station often display4 ,she had any number of beautiful watches1 which she never wore4 ,according to ,korean custom1 she carried a number of filigree gold ornaments decorated with long silk tassels fastened at her side4 ,so simple1 so perfectly refined were all her tastes in dress1 it is difficult to think of her as belonging to a nation called half civilized4 ,on the occasion of this visit she gave me a fresh proof of her thoughtful kindness4 ,i was wearing my wedding dress and very thin satin slippers1 and as ,i was leaving it suddenly began to rain4 ,my chair was nearly half a mile distant1 waiting outside the gate1 according to rule4 ,the queen1 whom nothing escaped1 noted the rain1 and my difficulty4 ,she came in person to the window and imperatively ordered word to be sent to the gate for my chair to be brought to the waiting room4 ,illustration3 ,,pleasure ,,house4 ,,page #bb ,but this was too much4 ,the officials who attended me there said that such an exception as this in my favor would awaken bitter criticism and jealousy1 that one of the highest officials in the land was at that moment waiting at the gate for the shower to pass so that he could attend at an audience1 and would be obliged to walk through the rain4 ,they therefore begged that ,i would wave the fulfilment of the queen's order and walk to my chair4 ,i saw the reason and the good sense in their protest1 and of course at once consented1 as much comforted by the queen's kind intention as if my slippers and silk gown had been well protected4 ,this rule for the exclusion of chair coolies was changed soon after1 and my chair was brought close to the royal apartments4 ,that summer was passed on a high bluff on the banks of the river1 in a ,korean summer house1 which belonged to the king1 which their majesties had allowed our mission to use a previous year1 and which favor was now extended to us4 ,it was situated on the rocks about fifty feet above the water1 and was one of those charming1 cool and picturesque summer refuges which ,koreans understand building to perfection4 ,its roof1 with artistically upward curving corners1 was supported on several stout pillars1 but its walls were all windows of light wood1 in fancy open-work designs1 which were covered with paper on one side1 and which1 being made to swing out and hook to the roof1 formed a very effective awning4 ,here with a breeze always sweeping through1 effectively screened from the sun1 with a perfect view of the mountains and the ,han ,river1 with its lovely green valley1 ,mr4 ,underwood worked nearly all summer on his small dictionary1 ,mr4 ,gale or ,mr4 ,hulbert giving him much useful help at times4 ,my husband had been at work on a larger dictionary1 which he planned to make a very full and complete one1 for nearly three years1 and had already many thousands of definitions of words with synonyms4 ,it was to be both ,korean-,english and ,english-,korean1 not like the ,french1 merely the ,korean into the foreign tongue4 ,it was a darling scheme of his heart1 on which he was putting all the time that could be spared from direct mission work2 but persuaded by his brethren that something was sorely needed immediately by missionaries now beginning to arrive1 he laid his magnum opus aside for the present1 not without regret1 but without a backward look1 and working without cessation from early dawn into the night hours all that long summer1 prepared and finished the small dictionary1 for the convenience at the present indigent moment of those who were struggling with the language4 ,the following fall1 the loved secretary1 ,dr4 ,mitchell1 and ,mrs4 ,mitchell visited our mission and gave us all much advice and help1 for which we were most grateful4 ,we were not then quite so well housed as now4 ,our homes were mud-walled and rather damp1 often leaking badly in rainy season and admitting much frosty air through numerous cracks in the winter4 ,many of our windows were not glazed1 but merely covered with paper4 ,during the doctor's visit there came one night a heavy storm of wind and rain1 which beat against the window near our bed1 and thoroughly demolished it1 the rain pouring in on the floor4 ,the roof leaked over us1 but with umbrellas and waterproofs we kept quite dry4 ,in the morning1 however1 at the sight of the flooded floor and the paper windows hanging in shreds1 ,dr4 ,mitchell gave us a severe reprimand for our carelessness1 warning us that missionaries are far too expensive commodities to be so ill protected4 ,a lesson it were well for all young missionaries to learn1 but which1 as a rule1 alas6 they are too slow to heed4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,an ,audience at the ,palace--,dancing ,girls--,entertainment ,given after the ,audience--,printing the ,dictionary and ,grammar--,a ,korean in ,japan--,fasting to ,feast--,death of ,mr4 ,davies--,dr4 ,heron's ,sickness--,mrs4 ,heron's ,midnight ,ride--,dr4 ,heron's ,death--,difficulty in ,getting a ,cemetery ,concession--,forced ,return to ,america--,compensations--,chemulpo in ,summer--,the 8,term ,question0 in ,china1 ,korea and ,japan--,difficulties in the ,work4 ,early in the fall of #ahhi ,i was invited to another audience at the palace1 with some of the foreign state officials and their wives4 ,after the audience a dinner was served1 and later1 a performance by dancing girls was given4 ,and right here ,i must say1 that although on several occasions at the palace ,i have seen dancing girls in these entertainments1 ,i have never beheld anything at such times in their actions that was improper or even undignified4 ,their motions are graceful1 usually slow1 circling around hand in hand or in various combinations of pretty figures4 ,they wear high-necked and long-sleeved jackets or coats1 and long skirts1 the figure quite concealed by the fashion of the dress4 ,and yet1 thus to appear in public1 allowing their faces to be seen by strangers1 is the gravest breach of propriety in the eyes of all ,koreans1 and these girls are1 alas6 as depraved as women can be4 ,like those of their class in all countries1 they are the most pitiable and hopeless of women1 but unlike those who have thrown themselves away1 they deserve small blame mixed with the compassion one feels for them1 for these poor girls have been sold by their parents into their awful lives1 and were given no choice of their destiny4 ,many a poor little ,korean child is sold into slavery for a few bags of rice1 to be trained as a dancing girl1 used as a common drudge1 or married to a man she has never seen1 while she is hardly larger than our little ones playing with their dolls in the nursery4 ,but to return to our palace entertainment1 from which ,i have made a rather long digression4 ,the guests were seated on the veranda1 or 8maru10 in front of the dining hall1 and in the grounds before us appeared a pretty boat with wide spread sails1 in which were seated some gaily dressed girls4 ,others now appeared1 dancing to slow native music1 a stately figure1 almost in minuet fashion1 with waving of flowing sleeves and banners4 ,they were evidently the spirits of the wind1 and the boat was waiting the favoring breeze4 ,the music grew quicker1 while faster and faster stepped the dancers1 more and more swiftly fanning the sails with sleeves1 skirts and scarfs1 till at last the boat slowly moved forward1 and with its attendants moved out of sight4 ,when the boat had been thus gracefully fanned away1 a couple of mammoth lotus plants were brought out1 with great closed blossoms seen among the leaves4 ,following them came a pair of gigantic storks1 extremely well simulated4 ,the birds came forward slowly1 advancing1 retreating1 sideling1 mincing1 waiving their heads and long bills about1 all in tune to the music1 wavering and uncertain1 yet evidently with some definite1 not to be resisted1 purpose in mind4 ,at length1 after long hesitation1 one of them plucked up courage and gave a vigorous peck at a lotus bud1 which forthwith burst open and released a pretty little child1 who had been curled up at its heart4 ,the other stork1 with similar good fortune1 discovered another little one4 ,i was much interested to find this stork and baby myth here in ,korea1 centuries old2 but those hoary nations of the ,east are ever reaching down into the apparently limitless depths of their remote past1 and dragging forth some fresh surprise whereby to convince us there is nothing new under the sun4 ,late in ,november of the same year we went to ,japan to publish ,mr4 ,underwood's grammar and dictionary1 as there were no means of printing such books in ,seoul4 ,in ,japan we were forced to wait while type was made1 and during this delay ,mr4 ,underwood perfected the grammar1 adding what is now the first part4 ,a ,korean teacher or scholar accompanied us1 but great was his distaste for ,japan and all her ways1 and herculean our toils and efforts1 as each steamer sailed to prevent his returning to ,korea4 ,rice is the staple article of food in ,china1 ,korea and ,japan1 but it is cooked and eaten differently in all three countries1 and no one of either will1 except under dire necessity1 eat the rice prepared by one of the other nationalities4 ,our literary assistant was of the ,yangban1 or noble class1 he had never soiled his hands in labor1 or cooked anything for himself1 but after enduring a ,japanese hotel with many and doleful complaints for a very short time1 he begged us to find him a room and let him keep house for himself4 ,that a ,yangban should make a proposition like this showed to what straits he had been brought1 so we at once complied with his request1 and from that time on he prepared his rice with his own gentlemanly hands4 ,he was a ,chinese scholar of fine attainments1 and his learning was much respected in high ,japanese circles4 ,he was often invited out1 and was distinguished by an invitation to the house of the governor of the city4 ,now1 when ,koreans attend a feast1 they expect to finish an incredible amount of food on the spot 7nor is it altogether unusual1 in addition1 to carry away as much in their sleeves and hands as strength will permit74 ,sometimes they fast for several days previous in order to do full justice to the entertainment1 and generally1 ,i believe1 quantity is considered of far more import than quality4 ,not so with the ,japanese1 among whom our teacher visited4 ,if his word was to be believed1 they had developed the sthetic idea quite to the other extreme1 and provided a few tiny cups and dishes of supposedly delicate and rare viands for their guests4 ,so on this occasion to which ,i refer1 it was almost pathetic1 the poor ,korean fasting to feast1 with visions of quarts of rice and vermicelli soup1 pounds of hot rice bread1 nuts1 fruits1 fresh1 dried and candied2 meats with plenty of hot sauce1 8kimchi10 or sauerkraut1 etc41 etc4 ,alack the day6 ,a few microscopic cups of tea1 a few tiny dishes of articles which knew not ,korea 7among them no doubt raw fish71 and for the rest1 a feast of reason and flow of soul4 ,next day1 a wiser and a thinner man1 he sadly told ,mr4 ,underwood that he now understood why ,japanese prospered1 while ,koreans grew poor4 8,koreans10 said he1 8earn a hundred cash a day and eat a thousand cash worth1 while ,japanese1 on the contrary1 earn a thousand cash a day and eat a hundred cash worth40 ,never were truer words spoken1 with regard to the ,japanese at least4 ,if these people have a virtue1 which their worst enemies cannot gainsay1 it is their industry and thrift4 ,just what is the ordinary number of slight earthquakes in ,japan per month or year1 ,i do not know1 but during the six months of our stay they averaged one every three days4 ,during one twenty-four hours of our experience there were eleven4 ,they were not1 of course1 severe1 but sufficient to swing doors1 set chandeliers clattering and rocking chairs in motion11 and to convince me more than once that the house was on the point of tumbling about our ears4 ,just before we returned to ,korea we were shocked to hear of the sudden death by smallpox of ,rev4 ,mr4 ,davies1 a brother greatly beloved in the ,lord1 who had arrived early the previous summer and had made phenomenal progress in the language1 whose gifts and learning were unusual1 but were all excelled by his spirituality and consecration4 ,his zeal never permitted him to spare himself in the least4 ,he seemed to link himself at once1 heart to heart1 with ,mr4 ,underwood1 and together they planned1 studied1 worked and prayed for the salvation of the people4 ,it was as if death had entered our own family when news came of his loss1 and a black pall seemed to lie across our path4 ,we knew ,god does all things well1 and his ways are not our ways1 nor his thoughts ours1 and yet in the weakness of the flesh1 which cannot see1 with all those unsaved millions dying around us1 we felt we could not spare ,mr4 ,davies1 and to us1 to whom he had been confidant1 sympathizer1 counselor and friend1 the personal loss was bitter4 ,but we have learned that often when we think1 or come in any way to feel that his cause depends on a man1 ,god removes him1 to teach us that his cause depends on no man1 that he can bless the efforts of the weakest and poorest and feed five thousand from the basket of a little boy4 ,on ,april #bf1 #ahij1 the books were finished1 and we started at once for ,korea1 reaching here in ,may4 ,soon after our return from ,japan we were visited by ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,nevius4 ,we all recognized ,dr4 ,nevius as a king among men1 with a mind so clear and broad1 a spirit so genial1 a heart so full of charity and with a record of such long years of faithful labor that we were glad to sit at his feet4 ,the sense of ignorance1 incompetence1 inexperience1 combined with a realization of awful responsibility1 is almost overwhelming to the young missionary on a new field1 and it is only by constantly leaning on the almighty arm that he is kept from despondence and despair4 ,at such times the advice of such an elder brother is invaluable4 ,the little missions had by this time been reinforced by several arrivals1 and the following summer1 which was very warm1 many of them went to ,namhan 7,southern fortress7 to spend the hot months4 ,seoul lies in a basin1 encircled by mountains1 and is extremely unhealthy in summer1 its festering pools and ditches overflowing with filth1 steaming a very witches brew of evils upon the sickened air1 with odors unspeakable and undreamed of in civilized lands4 ,namhan is about seventeen miles distant from ,seoul1 on top of a mountain1 not quite two thousand feet high4 ,it lies on the further side of the ,han ,river1 but is fairly easy of access1 reached by a steep road winding up the mountain4 ,dr4 ,heron had taken his family there1 and frequently traveled back and forth to his duties in ,seoul1 which was doubtless too much for his strength in those hot and humid days4 ,he was soon attacked by dysentery1 which did not at first seem serious1 and was consequently ignored too long4 ,it finally developed into the most malignant form of the disease1 which resisted every effort of the physicians1 ,drs4 ,scranton and ,mac,gill1 who were unremitting in the struggle in which they were steadily worsted4 ,as soon as the symptoms began to look grave ,mrs4 ,heron was sent for4 ,in great distress and alarm1 she set off that very evening1 in a terrible storm of rain and wind1 a very carnival1 no torch or lantern could be kept alive1 the wind howling around the frail chair as if to tear it from its bearers' hands4 ,the roads1 steep and difficult in pleasant weather1 were really dangerous when slippery with mud and water1 in darkness so absolute that not one step in advance could be seen1 while in the woods and valleys the coolies were sometimes up to their waists in water4 ,drenched to the skin1 this poor afflicted young wife arrived at her home near morning1 after traveling all night in this terrible storm1 to find her husband fatally ill4 ,after a little more than three weeks' sickness and great suffering1 ,dr4 ,heron passed away1 to the grief and loss of the whole foreign community1 as well as that of the ,koreans 7and they were many7 with whom he had come in contact1 to all of whom he had endeared himself by untiring kindness4 ,illustration3 ,,gate ,,in ,,the ,,wall ,,of ,,namhan4 ,,page #ih ,the government had never set aside any land for a foreign cemetery near ,seoul1 although in accordance with the treaty they should have done so long before4 ,a strong superstition and very rigid law forbid the burial of the dead within the city walls1 and hitherto the few ,europeans who had died had been buried in the cemetery near ,chemulpo4 ,but to carry remains thirty miles in the heat of ,july1 to the port1 with no conveyances but chairs1 to be forced to bury our dead so far away1 was unnecessary1 inconvenient and expensive1 as well as an additional trial to hearts already sore4 ,as soon1 therefore1 as ,dr4 ,heron's death seemed inevitable1 a request was made that the government would set apart a place near the city for this purpose4 ,this1 with characteristic procrastination1 they failed to do4 ,on the day of ,dr4 ,heron's death they offered a place which we found altogether impossible1 beyond the sand beds across the river1 a long distance off1 in very low ground4 ,it was then decided that as something immediate must be done1 we would make a temporary resting place on a piece of ground belonging to our mission1 where there was a small house1 occupied just then by ,mr4 ,underwood's and ,dr4 ,heron's literary helpers4 ,as soon as they heard of this plan they objected most strongly1 saying it was against the law1 and as the body must be carried through the streets to reach there1 there would probably be a good deal of excitement and trouble4 ,we then ordered the grave dug on ,dr4 ,heron's compound1 back of his house1 sending word to the ,foreign ,office that as they had provided no other place1 we were forced temporarily at least to make this disposal of the remains4 ,the time for the funeral was set for three o'clock1 and about a half hour before the literary helpers again came to us in a state of the wildest excitement and terror1 tearing their hair1 weeping and trembling4 ,they averred that the people in that quarter were planning to mob us all1 to burn down their house1 beat and kill them1 and very likely kill us too1 if the body was buried within the walls4 ,it seemed cruel that no place could be found where we could lay our dead4 ,our hearts were torn with grief for the poor burdened sister1 who ought to have been able to claim a quiet and decent burial for her dear one's remains1 as well as the sympathy of every one1 that she must be refused a place for his repose1 and assailed by all this wrangling and confusion4 ,we were hotly indignant with the teachers1 who we thought ought to have risen above heathen superstition on their own part and kept the secret from the people4 ,it was now uncertain where ,dr4 ,heron's remains could be laid1 and they were therefore embalmed and hermetically sealed4 ,the ,foreign ,office1 however1 on hearing that it was our intention to bury on the compound1 at once came to terms and gave us a large field on a fine bluff overlooking the river1 about five miles from ,seoul4 ,this was obtained through the indefatigable efforts of ,dr4 ,allen of the ,united ,states legation1 who besieged the foreign office and insisted on this concession4 ,during all these months the work was steadily going forward2 more than we had dared to hope were added to the number of believers and inquirers2 a ,bible translating committee1 of which ,dr4 ,w4 ,b4 ,scranton of the ,m4 ,e4 ,mission and ,mr4 ,underwood were members1 had been appointed2 a girls' school in each of the two missions had been started long before1 and both were steadily growing 7though the ,methodists were far in advance here71 the boys' orphanage had been changed to a boys' school1 and hospital and dispensary work in both missions was flourishing2 with an increase of confidence of the people in our friendship and trustworthiness4 ,in the early fall a new member of the mission appeared in our family1 making life richer1 in a measure absurdly disproportionate to his dimensions and weight4 ,some months after this1 sickness1 growing more and more threatening and intractable1 followed1 until the doctors' verdict was that a return to ,america was the only condition1 and 7that a doubtful one7 on which life could be saved4 ,the kindness and goodness of the whole community shown to me were beyond expression4 ,here in the ,east1 where the ordinary conveniences of large cities are not to be had for money1 where we are very dependent on each other's kind offices1 mutual love and service draw and bind us very closely together4 ,i was nursed1 and friends and neighbors helped my husband pack away our goods1 for a year's absence means that everything must be nailed or locked or sealed up from mildew1 moth1 rust1 rats and robbers4 ,furniture must be compactly stowed away so that the house may be occupied by other homeless missionaries waiting for an appropriation for a house4 ,they sewed for baby and me1 and spared neither pains nor trouble to help us4 ,two of the ladies1 ,mrs4 ,bunker and ,miss ,rothweiler1 went with us to ,chemulpo1 a journey which ,i made1 carried by six coolies to ensure steadiness1 on a long steamer chair1 stopping over night1 half way1 at a primitive ,japanese hotel4 ,i can never tell with what regret1 shame and pain ,i left ,korea4 ,i had looked forward with pleasure to a return after a long period of years1 when the work had been well begun and the appointed time had come1 when something had been accomplished1 but to go now1 a failure1 to leave my work scarcely begun1 perhaps never to return1 was bitter4 ,but more bitter still was the thought that ,i was dragging my husband1 in the freshness of his health and vigor1 back from a life of usefulness1 where workers were pitiably few and calls for help from all sides were many and loud4 ,christian tracts and hymn books were needed1 the ,bible1 as yet not translated1 the dictionary not half finished1 schools to be established1 a fast growing band of ,christians to be nourished and taught1 and when ,i thought of it all1 it looked dark4 ,but ,god brought a blessing out of it1 as he always does from every seeming misfortune1 for through that return to ,america several missionaries were obtained1 a new mission established and greater interest in ,korea aroused in the minds of ,american1 ,canadian and ,english ,christians4 8,man's weakness waiting upon ,god its end can never miss1 ,for man on earth no work can do more angel-like than this4 ,he always wins who sides with ,god--to him no chance is lost2 ,god's will is sweetest to him when it triumphs at his cost4 ,ill that he blesses is our good1 and unblest good is ill1 ,and all is right that seems most wrong1 if it be ,his sweet will40 ,on our return to ,korea most of the summer was spent at ,chemulpo1 as our baby was very sick4 ,we stopped in a so-called 8hotel10 kept by ,chinamen4 ,the long hot nights were rendered almost intolerable by the noise and odors of such a place4 ,from early in the evening till past midnight we were tortured by the high falsetto singing of the actors in a ,chinese theatre across the street4 ,the sailors returning to the gunboats in the bay kept the dogs in fits of frenzied barking1 which would have effectually murdered sleep had it ever ventured near4 ,by the time the dogs had begun to regain their composure1 the ,japanese venders of vegetables1 fish1 etc41 with a devotion to business which under any circumstances ought to have won high praise1 began with loud strident voices to call their wares under my window until it was time to rise and face a new day4 ,all day ,i brooded over my starving little son with an aching heart1 looking out across the long reaches of dreary mud flats to the sea1 watching for the steamer that was bringing the only food that he could digest1 and prayed it might not come too late4 ,day by day the little life trembled in the balance1 but at last the ship came in1 and never was argosy from the ,indies laden with gems and treasures untold half so welcome4 ,never could ship come to me with half so precious a cargo as that which brought my baby strength and life4 ,in the meanwhile ,mr4 ,underwood toiled in the city1 overseeing the repairs on our house1 for we must be builders1 contractors1 carpenters1 gardeners and jack of all trades1 and throughout the summer working unremittingly on a hymn book which the little church now greatly needed4 ,the 8term question0 is a vexed problem which as yet has failed to find a solution that secures the assent of all missionaries4 ,this question relates to the proper word to be used for ,god4 ,china1 ,japan and ,korea alike use the ,chinese characters and have words which mean 8gods10 or things worshiped1 but they do not have either a definite article or capitals1 such as those by which in ,english we can change 8gods0 into 8the ,god0 or 8,god40 ,they also have names 7quite a different matter7 signifying the chief god of heaven 7,sangchai or ,hannanim71 the god of earth 7,tangnim7 and others4 ,some missionaries hold that by using this name of the chief god of heaven and explaining it by instructing the people in the character and attributes of him whom they ignorantly worship1 they will more easily understand and more readily accept our teaching4 ,many also believe that the name really refers to the great ,god of heaven1 although of course it is impossible to claim that it refers to the one only ,god1 since all the heathen who worship this one also worship countless other smaller deities4 ,on the other hand are those who conscientiously believe that the personal name of a heathen deity should not in any way be applied to the ,eternal ,jehovah1 that such a course is in direct conflict with ,god's own word4 ,then aside from their convictions on this matter they believe that the use of a heathen cognomen of one of these gods1 be he of heaven or earth1 applied to the great 8,i am0 may1 in addition to being forbidden1 lead to dangerous mistakes in the minds of the members of the infant native church4 ,they believe1 in short1 that a false thing can never be right1 and that to address ,jehovah by a name not his1 but another's1 cannot be right or result well in the end4 ,this view has been adopted by missionaries of all creeds in ,japan1 a large minority of ,protestants1 and all ,romanists in ,china1 and by all the ,episcopalians and ,romanists in ,korea4 ,they use the name ,jehovah for ,god4 ,illustration3 ,,house ,,used ,,by ,,missionaries ,,on ,,top ,,of ,,namhan4 ,,page #ih ,almost the entire body of the ,presbyterian and ,methodist missionaries in ,korea1 and a majority of them in ,china1 belong to the other party1 although quite essentially different words are used by the ,chinese missionaries from those used in ,korea4 ,the ,chinese use ,sangchai2 the ,koreans1 ,hannanim4 ,it is with no controversial intent that this matter is referred to here4 ,it is indeed a vexed question1 but one whose satisfactory settlement is to be devoutly hoped for4 ,no little feeling has been awakened1 because it is a question which has involved in the minds of many some very deep principles4 ,the only reason for referring to this matter is that men and women in ,christian lands may gain a little glimpse of some of the difficult and perplexing problems which confront the workers in some of the mission fields4 ,these problems vary in different countries1 but they all have their difficulties4 ,immediately after our return ,mr4 ,james ,gale's ,grammatical ,forms was published1 and about a year later his ,korean-,english dictionary1 so that the mission was now supplied with several language helps4 ,much stress had been laid from the first upon securing a thorough mastery of ,korean1 and each missionary was required to pass three very rigid annual examinations4 ,a course of study for first1 second and third grades was made out for each year1 to assist students1 and members of the examination committee and others were appointed to oversee and aid the language study of the newcomers4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,the ,mission in #ahic--8,the ,shelter0--,opening of ,japanese ,war--,seoul ,populace ,panic ,stricken--,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,hall in ,pyeng ,yang--,heroic ,conduct of ,native ,christians--,condition of ,pyeng ,yang after the ,war--,dr4 ,hall's ,death--,preaching the ,gospel at the ,palace--,the ,queen ,seeks to ,strengthen ,friendly ,relations with ,europeans--,her ,majesty's ,generosity--,a ,little ,child at the ,palace--,the ,slaves of the ,ring--,a ,christmas ,tree at the ,palace--,the ,queen's ,beneficent ,plans--,the ,post ,office ,emeute of #ahhd--;,a ,haunted ,palace--,the ,murder of ,kim ,oh ,kiun4 ,in the fall of #ahic we moved too early into a house recently repaired and not yet completed1 with wet mud walls and no windows fitted in some of the rooms4 ,it seemed a necessity1 but resulted in continued sickness through the entire winter for the little one and myself1 so that ,i was largely debarred from the good work going on among the ,koreans4 ,many of the middle and lower classes were coming into the church1 men's and women's meetings were well attended1 and even the little boys in the school seemed full of ,christlike zeal1 and spent some of their holiday and play hours in telling the good tidings and distributing tracts4 ,one of our missionaries1 ,dr4 ,moffett1 had been appointed to ,pyeng ,yang1 other appointments of ,presbyterians to the same place soon following1 as well as that of ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,hall from the ,methodist ,mission4 ,on my own part1 a little1 very interrupted medical work was done1 and women's meetings were begun and carried on with great difficulty on account of deficient knowledge of the language1 but little by little1 in trying ever so lamely to use what ,i had1 ,i rapidly gained more and more1 so that ,i could soon talk and pray with freedom1 if not always with perfect elegance and correctness1 and as my chief aim was to be understood by the ,koreans1 not to display myself as an accomplished linguist1 ,i was satisfied and happy when ,i had proof of this4 ,other women by this time were prepared to do this work well1 in all three missions2 and our poor native sisters were being reached in various quarters4 ,i had been invited to the palace several times1 my child was also asked there1 and petted and loaded with kindness4 ,the ,bible translating committee had been enlarged and now included ,rev4 ,h4 ,g4 ,appenzeller 7,m4 ,e47 and ,mr4 ,james ,s4 ,gale 7,presby471 in addition to ,dr4 ,scranton and ,mr4 ,underwood4 ,lesson leaves were prepared for our ,bible classes1 and a number of tracts were being translated by various missionaries4 ,before our return to ,america in #ahia1 and for some years after1 it was the cruel custom among wealthy natives to put servants1 dependents or strangers at once on the street1 if afflicted with any infectious disease1 and it was the commonest occurrence to find poor people lying by the roadside1 either exposed to the bitterest blasts of winter or the blazing heat of midsummer4 ,sometimes a friend or relative had erected a rude hut of thatch over the sufferer1 sometimes a whole family together occupied such a hut1 the dead and living lying together4 ,it was our heart's desire to obtain in some way the means to buy or build a hospital for such cases4 ,while we were in ,america small sums were put at odd times into our hands 8for the work10 and as these sums increased we decided to use the money for this long-cherished purpose4 ,soon after our return1 we were able1 at a very low price1 to buy a beautiful piece of ground on a breezy hillside1 covered with fine trees and with a good tiled house having six or seven rooms4 ,this was large enough for our present purpose1 and money in hand was not sufficient to build the sort of hospital of which we dreamed4 ,so we repaired the old building and added a caretaker's quarters4 ,we made the institution undenominational1 arranging that any one might place cases of infectious disease there1 which should be attended by any doctor desired4 ,at the same time a little dispensary1 given in memory of her only son by ,mrs4 ,hugh ,o',neil1 of ,new ,york1 was opened not far from the 8,shelter10 as it was called1 on the main road to the north4 ,here1 in addition to medical work in a small way1 women's ,bible classes were held1 men's and women's evening prayer meetings1 and often ,sabbath morning services4 ,july of #ahid saw the beginning of the ,china-,japan war in ,korea1 and the capture of ,seoul by the ,japanese4 ,we were awakened one morning by the sound of firing1 and soon learned that the palace was in possession of the ,japanese4 ,excitement rose quite high among both foreigners and natives4 ,all the legations ordered up troops from the port where our gunboats lay1 for our protection1 although it is difficult to see how1 in a case of serious danger1 such small numbers would be of any service4 ,there were fifty ,russians1 forty ,americans1 forty ,english and nine ,german marines4 ,the natives1 high and low1 were in a state of panic4 ,the nobility fled from their homes in large numbers and in all sort of disguises1 and sought refuge at the foreign legations1 or in the country2 and to the country the common people started en masse4 ,every shop was closed1 the city had the look of a plague-infested place4 ,a solemn procession of men1 women1 chairs1 pack-ponies1 a continuous throng1 in dead silence1 with rapid steps1 and set1 terror-stricken faces1 poured through the main thoroughfares and out of the gates4 ,many pathetic little groups were to be seen2 little children1 whose parents in wild fear had deserted or lost them in the crowd1 trotting along with tear-stained faces1 alone2 women with babies on their backs and babies hanging at their skirts2 men carrying all their worldly goods on their shoulders1 here and there coolies with the chair of some frightened rich man or fine lady1 shoving aside the crowd4 ,high and low1 rich and poor1 hurrying away from the dreaded ,japanese1 the ancient enemy of their nation4 ,how it made one realize the great multitude of unsaved peoples1 pushing its way along the broad road and through the wide gate that leads to destruction4 8,and when he beheld the multitudes he had compassion on them as sheep having no shepherd40 ,the servants in every family gave notice2 they dared not stay1 they said1 since to remain would be to be killed by ,chinese or ,japanese4 ,we reminded them that we were neither afraid nor making any preparations for flight1 and at last only persuaded some of them to remain by promising that we would never go and leave them1 which we had fully decided upon on account of the native ,christians4 ,some very exciting and trying events had in the meanwhile been taking place in ,pyeng ,yang4 ,in the previous ,may ,dr4 ,william ,james ,hall of the ,m4 ,e4 ,mission took his wife and baby to that city to start a station1 and to take up a permanent residence4 ,they were almost mobbed by the curious throngs1 whom they were unable to control4 ,no police could be obtained from the governor1 who in addition1 on the second or third day after their arrival1 arrested and threw into jail ,dr4 ,hall's helper and the man from whom he had bought his house4 ,this is the approved method of forcing a man to give up a house or piece of ground to which he holds a good title1 but which ,korean officials object1 for any reason1 to his keeping4 ,dr4 ,hall had selected this property because it was in a thickly populated part of the town1 where he believed he could do most good1 but he had positively refused to pay a tax1 which former owners had always paid to a certain devil-worship and sorceress house in the vicinity4 ,dr4 ,moffett's helper and the former owner of his house were also cast in jail1 and his native ,christians cruelly beaten1 at the time when ,dr4 ,hall's men were seized4 ,it was evident missionaries were not to be tolerated in ,pyeng ,yang4 ,one or two other ,m4 ,e4 native ,christians were then also arrested and beaten4 ,dr4 ,moffett was in the capital1 and the ,halls were quite alone in this large town1 among many enemies1 several days' journey from ,seoul and help4 ,the situation was grim4 ,dr4 ,hall was obliged to leave his helpless wife and baby alone in the unprotected house while he visited the governor1 or the ,chinese telegraph office 7both long distances away71 or in trying to relieve or help the ,christians in the jail4 ,as soon as his first message arrived in ,seoul1 a general meeting of all the missionaries was called at our house for united prayer for the ,halls and our poor tortured native brethren4 ,dr4 ,scranton1 ,dr4 ,moffett and ,mr4 ,underwood at once hastened to the ,american and ,english legations1 and obtained through them an order from the ,foreign ,office to the governor1 to release the ,christians and pay damages for the injured property4 ,although this was wired at once to ,pyeng ,yang1 the only apparent result was that the natives were more cruelly beaten and water-carriers forbidden to take water to the ,halls1 their house stoned and the walls torn down4 ,the natives bore their cruel treatment heroically1 and refused to give up their faith2 they were then removed to the death cell1 and the governor sent them word of his intention to execute them4 ,two despatches from ,seoul had been received by the governor1 but still no signs of change4 ,in the meanwhile it was decided that some of the missionaries from ,seoul should go to ,dr4 ,hall's help4 ,mr4 ,moffett claimed the right to go1 as his native ,christians were there in trouble1 and ,mr4 ,mc,kenzie1 from ,canada1 was allowed to accompany him1 being an unmarried man1 although several others stoutly urged the best reasons why they should go1 like boys begging for a holiday rather than men going to face a very serious and doubtful situation4 ,we all feared that ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,hall1 as well as the ,christians' lives1 would be sacrificed to the malice of the mob and the governor before sufficient influence could be brought to bear by our legations through the ,foreign ,office to save them4 ,by the time the two men from ,seoul had arrived there1 however1 five days later1 the ,christians had been released1 after being again badly beaten and stoned4 ,dr4 and ,mrs4 ,hall for a month following treated patients and preached the ,word1 but when war seemed imminent they were ordered back to ,seoul1 where they returned1 as well as ,mr4 ,mc,kenzie1 ,dr4 ,moffett following somewhat later1 having lingered as long as possible to encourage and hearten the ,christians4 ,pyeng ,yang was now in the hands of the ,chinese1 and ,seoul in those of the ,japanese4 ,the summer was a very hot and unhealthy one1 and there was scarce a family among the foreigners where there was not one or more cases of severe and prostrating sickness4 ,two little ones died1 and there were long hours of agonized watching1 when dear lives seemed for hours to be slipping over the brink4 ,none of us could leave the city to seek for purer air or water1 no pure milk could be had1 and one poor young father1 whose little child was literally starving for digestible nourishing food1 remembering his father's farm with its good milk cows1 remarked pathetically1 8,in my father's house there is food enough and to spare1 while ,i perish with hunger40 ,on the first of ,october1 after the defeat of the ,chinese1 the ,presbyterian missionaries and ,dr4 ,hall returned to ,pyeng ,yang to look after the interests of the stations left so long1 in a city which had passed through such a hard experience4 ,pyeng ,yang was in a fearfully unhealthy condition4 ,one of the missionaries wrote1 8,the decaying bodies of men1 horses and cattle were so numerous1 that no matter whatever direction we went we came across them constantly1 so that the atmosphere was foul beyond expression40 ,another wrote1 8,in one place ,i counted over twenty bodies1 literally piled one on top of another1 lying just as they had been shot down4444 ,in another place1 where a body of ,manchurian cavalry ran into an ambush of ,japanese infantry1 the carnage was frightful1 several hundred bodies of men and horses lying just as they had fallen made a swath of bodies nearly a quarter of a mile long and several yards wide4 ,it was three weeks after the battle and the bodies were all there unmolested40 ,according to a native superstition that the city is a boat1 and to dig wells would sink the boat1 there were no wells in ,pyeng ,yang2 but a large number of bodies of men and horses were lying in the river1 polluting for weeks the only water supply4 ,in this dreadful situation our brave missionaries remained and worked1 and on ,october #agth ,dr4 ,hall wrote the following cheerful words1 8,we have very interesting services1 the hymns of praise that less than a year ago brought cursing and stones are now listened to with delight1 and carry with them a feeling of security similar to the sound of a policeman's whistle in ,new ,york4 ,comparatively few of the ,koreans have returned to their homes1 but every day brings fresh additions4 ,every day numbers of those who have returned and those from the surrounding villages and towns visit us4 ,they buy our books and seem far more interested in the gospel than ,i have ever seen them before40 ,illustration3 ,,deserted ,,royal ,,dining ,,hall4 ,,page #aba ,very soon after writing these words ,dr4 ,hall returned to ,seoul2 the boat on which he came was full of sick ,japanese soldiers4 ,there were cases of typhus fever and army dysentery1 the water was doubtless poisoned1 and he reached ,seoul1 after numerous most trying vicissitudes1 fatally ill with typhus fever4 ,quite early1 articulation became very difficult1 but every halting sentence spoke of perfect peace and joy1 and almost his last words were1 8,i'm sweeping through the gates40 ,tears dim my eyes while ,i write1 for we all not only loved1 but reverenced ,dr4 ,hall1 and we felt that he possessed a larger share of the ,master's spirit than most of us4 ,his very entrance into a room seemed to bring the ,lord nearer1 and his looks1 words and conduct unexceptionally revealed the power and beauty of ,christ4 ,no one ever heard ,dr4 ,hall speak a harsh or bitter word1 no one ever heard him criticise a brother ,christian1 no one1 to the best of my information1 ever knew of him anything that was not noble1 true1 faithful and ,christlike4 ,his face beamed with a celestial light1 and without his ever assuming to be in any way better than others1 we all felt he was a holy man4 ,europeans and natives alike testified to the same impressions of him1 the same love for him1 his sweet spirit drew all hearts to him1 so that he was both universally loved and honored4 ,while we who were in ,seoul had all suffered more or less from ill health1 everything was quiet and orderly1 and the ,japanese deserve great credit for the fine discipline of the army1 and the good order and comfort of natives and foreigners in a city entirely at the mercy of the victorious troops of an ,eastern nation4 ,during the fall and winter of '#id and spring of '#ie the queen sent for me very often1 asking many questions about foreign countries and their customs1 and chatting most affably4 ,frequently we dispensed altogether with the formality of an interpreter1 and the king and crown prince1 who were often present1 were quite as frequently elsewhere1 so with her majesty so friendly and kind1 ,i at times almost forgot that ,i was not having a tte tte with an intimate friend4 ,i of course felt my great responsibility heavily1 and was overwhelmed at times with the thought of my duty and inefficiency4 ,at length ,i asked the prayers of the missionaries that an opportunity to speak to the queen about ,christ might be given me1 and that ,i might realize it and make the best use of it4 ,and now my anxiety and trouble of mind passed away and a restful contentedness took its place4 ,i felt sure that ,i was to be guided and led at the right time4 ,on the day before ,christmas the queen sent for me and asked me to tell her about our great festival1 its origin and meaning1 and how celebrated4 ,could any one ask clearer guidance or a better opportunity8 ,it would be impossible not to tell the gospel story under such circumstances1 and so ,i told her of the angels' song1 and the star1 and the little babe that was laid in a manger1 of the lost world to be redeemed1 of the one ,god who so loved the world1 and the ,redeemer who came to save his people from their sins4 ,she listened intently1 and with deep interest1 turning from time to time and repeating it in a most animated and sympathetic way to the king and prince1 who did not understand my accent so well4 ,a few days later1 after asking many questions about my own country1 she said rather sadly1 8,oh1 that ,korea were as happy1 as free and as powerful as ,america60 ,here was another opportunity which ,i tried to improve by saying1 that ,america1 though rich and powerful1 was not the greatest or the best1 attempting to picture that better land without sin1 pain or tears2 a land of endless glory1 goodness and joy4 8,ah60 exclaimed the queen1 with unspeakable pathos1 8how good it would be if the king1 the prince and myself might all go there60 ,poor queen6 her kingdom threatened on all sides1 at that time in the hands of an ancient foe1 traitors and relentless enemies among her own people and kindred1 and some of the men whom she had raised and advanced ready and plotting then to betray her to death4 ,no wonder she sighed for that haven of peace and rest4 ,but ,i was forced to tell her very sadly1 that no sinners might enter there4 8,no sinners60 ,her face fell1 the bright look faded1 for she knew1 accustomed though she was to almost divine honors1 that she was a sinner4 ,then as silence fell in the room1 ,i told her the good tidings1 that all who would trust in ,jesus were forgiven and purified through him1 and so made holy and fit for that country4 ,she listened very thoughtfully1 and though no other opportunity came to talk further on this subject1 ,i was unspeakably thankful that ,i had been permitted on these occasions to point out clearly the way of salvation4 ,i think that in this time1 when her nation's helplessness and weakness were emphasized1 the queen sought to strengthen friendly relations with ,european and ,americans4 ,she gave several formal audiences to ,european and ,american ladies1 and all who met her felt her powerful magnetic charm and became at once her friends and well-wishers4 ,twice during that winter the queen bade me ask all my friends to skate on the pond in the palace gardens1 graciously asking me to act as hostess in her place and serve tea in the little pavilion near-by4 ,on ,christmas day her majesty sent a beautiful sedan-chair1 which had been her own1 covered with blue velvet and lined with ,chinese brocaded silk1 and with it any number of screens1 mats1 rolls of cloth and interesting and curious articles of ,korean manufacture1 with great quantities of eggs1 pheasants1 fish1 nuts and dates1 and on the ,korean ,new ,year's day five hundred yen1 which the queen requested me to use in the purchase of pearls1 or something similar1 for myself1 and a gift as well for my little son4 ,he was then between four and five years of age1 and the palace women were constantly urging me to bring him with me to the palace4 ,this1 of course1 ,i would not do without a special request from their majesties1 and at length one day the queen asked why ,i had never brought him1 expressed surprise that ,i considered an invitation necessary1 and bade me bring him next day4 ,i therefore took him to the palace1 and no sooner had the coolies lowered my chair than the women1 who were evidently on the watch for us1 clutched him up and bore him away in triumph1 ,i1 his mother1 knew not whither4 ,some few minutes elapsed before ,i was asked to go from the waiting room to the audience1 during which ,i employed my time in lively conjectures as to what was happening to my kidnapped son4 ,when ,i was called for a little later ,i found him with the royal party1 the center of an admiring circle4 ,both the king and queen have always shown a passionate fondness for children4 ,only a few months ago the king spent nearly four hundred thousand dollars on sorcerers and temples in trying to mollify the smallpox god1 which had attacked the youngest son1 a boy of about six4 ,so no wonder they were kind to the small ,american4 ,the queen ordered nuts and candies brought in1 and insisted on his eating then and there1 although1 knowing that it was bad form in the eyes of ,koreans as well as of foreigners to eat in the royal presence1 and fearing for his health as well 7for he had never as yet eaten nuts71 ,i begged her majesty to allow this treat to be postponed4 ,his looks and actions were praised far beyond their deserts1 and every expression noted and remarked upon4 ,the queen drew the child to her side in a motherly fashion1 placing her hand on his forehead1 remarked anxiously that it was too hot4 ,when we were ready to go1 the king1 to my amazement1 actually knelt down in front of the baby1 and with his own 8jade0 fingers buttoned on the little coat and made a brave attempt to tie the cap strings1 one of which1 ,i blush to confess1 in the unfamiliar tug was quite torn from its moorings4 ,of course ,i was overwhelmed with confusion over the bad conduct of the ribbon on such an occasion1 but the king overlooked it1 and farewells were said and again the child was spirited swiftly away by the palace women4 ,i found him in the women's quarters handed round like a curio from one to another1 petted1 caressed1 discussed1 half-frightened1 but demure4 ,poor palace women6 with no homes or children1 living such an aimless1 shut-in life1 a child in their midst was a godsend indeed4 ,but all ,koreans are extremely fond of children4 ,a child is an open sesame to their hearts and homes at all times4 ,god blesses the missionary babies1 and these little preachers open doors that yield to no other touch than their little dimpled fingers4 ,from palace to hovel ,i never found a woman whose heart would not soften1 whose eyes would not brighten1 whose interest could not at once be enlisted by the sight of a child4 ,that evening as we returned home through the narrow and winding streets of ,seoul we were quite an imposing procession4 ,a number of palace lantern bearers accompanied us1 each carrying the gayly-colored silk official lanterns of their majesties1 and preceding us were a train of servants1 carrying on their heads great trays of oranges1 nuts1 dried persimmons and candies4 ,it took little imagination1 looking at those men in their ,eastern attire1 at the lanterns and streets1 and even our own chair with its oriental splendor1 to transport ourselves into the middle of a chapter of the ,arabian nights1 with a little ,aladdin sitting in my lap and the slaves of the ring attending us home4 ,soon after ,christmas ,i dressed a ,christmas tree for the royal family1 but to my great vexation1 the effect was quite spoiled because their majesties were too impatient to wait till dark to view it1 and one cannot lock the doors on kings and queens and forbid them to do as they will in their own palaces4 ,there were no heavy hangings or means of darkening the room1 and so the poor little candles flickered in a sickly way in the glaring daylight1 and ,i felt that ,western customs were lightly esteemed in the critical eyes of the ,east4 ,indeed1 in our superb self-satisfaction we often deceive ourselves in fancying that ,orientals view with open-mouthed admiration everything ,european or ,american4 ,i am reminded of a ,korean nobleman1 who1 on being asked1 after his return to ,seoul from ,america1 how he liked ,new ,york1 replied1 8,oh1 very well1 except the dirt and the smells1 which were horrible40 ,another similar instance was that of one of the ,koreans who went with us to ,chemulpo and ,fusan1 who saw the two-story houses1 the ships in the harbor and various wonders of civilization1 and exclaimed1 8,poor ,korea1 poor ,korea20 but when he heard a foreign band play at the ,japanese consulate1 remarked with delight1 8,at least there is one thing in which ,japan cannot rival or compare with us1 our music60 ,through the whole winter ,i was at the palace very often1 as were the ladies of the ,american and ,russian legations1 and ,dr4 ,avison of our mission1 who was physician to the king1 was frequently consulted1 and the recipient also personally of many royal favors4 ,in the spring the prime minister came1 saying the queen had sent him to ask ,mr4 ,underwood to draw up plans and estimate the cost of a school for the sons of the nobility4 ,the site selected was between the east and west palaces4 ,her majesty proposed to erect dwellings for the teachers1 whom my husband was asked to recommend and send for to ,america4 ,the queen was prepared1 the minister said1 to give at once thirty thousand dollars for the school1 and twenty or thirty thousand dollars a year for the running expenses4 ,mr4 ,underwood drew up the first plans and made estimates1 which were sent for her majesty's criticism and approval4 ,these were again referred to ,mr4 ,underwood1 the final plans were being prepared1 and only two weeks before they were to be sent for the queen's approval the great blow fell which put an end to all her beneficent and enlightened schemes for the advancement of her people4 ,before proceeding further ,i must go back a few years and recall one or two events which occurred before my arrival1 in #ahhd1 in order that my readers may understand more clearly some of the events which are to be related in the next two or three chapters4 ,in that year the progressive or reform party in ,korean politics was led by a man called ,kim ,ok ,kiun1 but they were continually foiled in all their attempts towards advance and reform by the conservatives1 and at length received reliable information 7so they claimed7 that a plan had been formed to murder all their prominent leaders at midnight1 on ,december the fourth4 ,on this evening a banquet was to be given in honor of the opening of the ,korean post-office1 and the progressives resolved to forestall the plans of their opponents1 and just before the dinner they cut down ,min ,yung ,ik1 the queen's cousin1 and the most influential man in the kingdom4 ,he would have died had it not been for the prompt assistance given by ,dr4 ,allen1 then of our mission4 ,the other conservative leaders were then ordered to the palace1 as they supposed1 by royal command1 but were there 7five of them7 assassinated by the progressive party1 who1 headed by ,kim ,ok ,kiun1 then seized the palace4 ,the post-office was burned on the same night1 and with it the new stamps which had been used only once4 ,the ,japanese minister and other foreign officials were now invited to the palace1 which invitation was accepted only by the former1 who brought one hundred and forty soldiers4 ,here the ,japanese and the progressive party were attacked by three thousand ,koreans and between two and three thousand ,chinese4 ,as the event grew more than doubtful1 the king was allowed to go over to the other party1 in the belief that if he was released the fighting would cease4 ,although this was not the case1 the little party of ,japanese fired a mine1 dispersed a large number of the allies1 and then forming a square1 with the progressive leaders and the ,japanese minister in the center1 fought their way through the enemy1 and the hostile streets1 first to the ,japanese legation1 and after that to the river1 with the loss of only five men4 ,after much difficulty in obtaining boats1 they crossed the river1 made their way to ,chemulpo1 and from there escaped safely to ,japan4 ,the picturesque palace1 with the remarkably beautiful park which surrounds it1 was not occupied again by the queen4 ,her majesty averred that it was impossible to sleep there at night for the mournful wailing of the voices of her murdered friends1 which she heard continually crying1 8,why was ,i killed1 why was ,i killed80 ,so now the wind whistles and moans through the deserted rooms1 grass and weeds push their way through the crevices of the beautiful marble steps1 green mould grows thick on the once lovely lotus pond1 and the charming little summer pavilions are falling to ruins1 while snakes and lizards slide about the stone seats4 ,the wide reaches of lawn are overgrown with long grass1 and tigers and leopards are said to make their lairs in the noble woods and grottoes4 ,the gateways fashioned in various charming designs to form frames as it were for the beautiful vistas beyond1 are choked with a wild overgrowth of vines and weeds4 ,fancy has not to look far1 or listen long1 to read in all this deserted and neglected beauty the story of that one night of blood and horror1 and to hear in every chilled whisper of shuddering foliage the word 8haunted40 ,illustration3 ,,mr4 ,,choy ,,cho ,,si ,illustration3 ,,elder ,,yang ,,and ,,family ,ten years had passed1 the refugees were still in ,japan1 but ,eastern vengeance does not tire or sleep1 least of all forget4 ,a man named ,hong1 probably employed by the government1 went to ,japan1 ingratiated himself with ,kim ,ok ,kiun1 decoyed him to ,shanghai1 and there murdered him1 and on ,april the #abth1 #ahid1 a ,chinese gunboat brought the assassin and his victim's remains to ,chemulpo4 ,arrived in ,korea1 the body of the murdered man was divided and sent through the eight provinces4 ,two of the other refugees had gone to ,america1 and one ,pak ,yung ,ho remained in ,japan4 ,all three are to be heard from again4 ,while we all shuddered at and deplored this revolting deed1 a stain upon any government1 it must be remembered that the man was a political criminal of the blackest dye1 and that while any nation would under similar circumstances1 if possible1 have executed him as a traitor and assassin1 the ,korean government was that of unenlightened ,eastern people who have not learned that revenge has no place in just punishment4 ,,chapter ,,viii ,mr4 ,mc,kenzie--,the ,first ,church ,built by ,natives--,mr4 ,mc,kenzie's ,sickness--,his ,death--,warning to ,new ,missionaries--,the ,tonghaks--,mr4 ,underwood's ,trip to ,sorai in ,summer--,native ,churches--,our ,use of ,helpers--,christians in ,seoul ,build their ,own ,church--,epidemic of ,cholera--,unhygienic ,practices--,unsanitary ,condition of ,city4 ,in the meanwhile1 in the fall of #ahid1 ,mr4 ,mc,kenzie1 who had arrived from ,canada in the winter of #ahic1 and1 as we have said1 had gone to ,dr4 ,hall's relief1 after his return decided to go to the interior1 the better to learn the language and people1 and to live there as much as possible in every way like a native4 ,mr4 ,underwood advised him to go to the village of ,sorai1 or ,song ,chun1 then under his care1 where he had baptized almost the first converts ever received in the ,korean church4 ,here he found a few ,christians who received him as a brother4 ,he made his home with one of them1 and at once began to preach ,christ by example4 ,long before the people understood his broken ,korean they read his beautiful life1 and little by little a change came over the whole community4 ,we all thought of him often in his loneliness in that far-off hamlet1 where1 though he was a great light to the people1 there was no real companionship for him4 ,at ,christmas we sent him a box of home-made bread1 plumb-cake1 canned fruits and vegetables1 tea and milk and sugar1 for we knew he had no foreign food and that he was living solely on ,korean diet1 but we did not know that it consisted of rice chiefly1 with a chicken once a week1 and occasionally a few eggs4 ,when our box reached him1 he handed the contents all over to the ,koreans4 ,he wrote that he dared not taste them1 knowing that if he did it would be impossible to go back to native food4 ,meanwhile one and another of the villagers and people in the vicinity were giving up their old heathen idols and turning to ,christ4 ,some years before the ,christians of that village had asked ,mr4 ,underwood to give them a church1 but1 like the young man who came to ,jesus1 they went away sorrowful1 when told they must build it themselves4 ,now1 however1 they again took up the idea in a different spirit4 ,near the village was a rising piece of ground on which stood a little grove1 in midst of which had been for many years the shrine where the village deities were worshiped4 ,this had long been neglected and destroyed1 and here it was decided to build the new church4 ,every one gave as the ,lord had prospered him1 gladly1 enthusiastically1 and a heathen master builder undertook to direct the erection of the building on half pay1 because it was for the great 8chief ,god of heaven10 as he understood4 ,very likely he knew little enough of the one only ,god for whose service it was raised1 but not very long after he learned both to know and love him4 ,the little meeting house was not a very imposing or lofty structure4 ,it could boast nothing of the magnificence of our ,american churches1 no doubt it would blush to be called a church at all in such a stately company1 so ,i will call it a chapel1 and even then it was an humble and unpretentious one1 but it was the best building in the place4 ,the poor people put into it their best wood1 stones and tiles1 the loving labor of their own hands1 with fervent prayer4 ,when it was finished no debt hung over it1 and ,god1 who does not see as man sees1 blessed and honored it by filling it to overflowing with simple-minded1 sincere1 earnest people1 who came with hearts ready to receive with meekness his word4 ,illustration3 ,,party ,,starting ,,out ,,in ,,morning ,,from ,,thatched ,,inn4 ,,page #aii ,illustration3 ,,church ,,at ,,sorai4 ,,page #abd ,in the early summer of #ahie1 ,mr4 ,mc,kenzie wrote1 asking ,mr4 ,underwood to go and dedicate the church and receive a number of applicants for baptism4 ,this he promised to do1 but just before he was to start1 one sad day in ,july1 when a number of us had met to hold a day of fasting and prayer1 a messenger came with the news of the deadly illness of our dear brother1 ,mr4 ,mc,kenzie4 ,the pitiful letter1 written with his own trembling fingers1 showing in every sentence the evidence of terrible suffering and of a mind already unhinged1 was followed immediately by the shocking news of his death4 ,the blow fell like a thunderbolt4 ,such zeal1 consecration and usefulness cut short so soon6 ,it was strange1 and yet there was a lesson in it for the noblest class of missionaries4 ,and here let me say just a few words of warning to some who may have the foreign field in view1 and to some who are perhaps already on the field4 ,there are men and women1 who1 being ,john the ,baptist sort of people1 enter the work with such zeal and enthusiasm and allow themselves to become so overwhelmed with the awful responsibility for these dying millions 7which indeed every true missionary feels only too heavily71 that they forget the just demands of the body of this death4 ,they forget that a solitary life gradually unseats the intellect1 and that a body which has reached maturity1 fed on plenty of nutritious food1 cannot suddenly be shifted to a meagre1 unaccustomed and distasteful diet of foreign concoction1 and retain its power to resist disease1 and to accomplish the heavy work they mercilessly exact from it1 like ,egyptian taskmasters demanding brick without straw4 ,they forget that the spirit cannot remain united to the body unless the claims of the latter 7in which are included those of the brain7 are satisfied1 and so they drop1 one by one1 our noblest and most needed laborers4 ,but even so1 they do not die entirely in vain1 they leave an example of ,christlikeness and devotion which preaches eloquently1 and is an inspiration to all their brethren4 ,and yet if they could only have gone on living and preaching1 as they might1 had they been able to mix with their enthusiasm and consecration1 wisdom and temperance6 ,during my short experience ,i have seen several illustrations of what ,mr4 ,mc,kenzie's death brought home so startlingly to us all4 ,we learned afterwards that he had been sick for some weeks1 his mind had been somewhat affected early in the history of the disease1 the progress of which had not been very rapid1 but as he had no companion who could observe the danger signals1 and no doctor to help1 his invaluable life was lost4 ,the more intelligent natives urged him to send for a doctor1 but he hesitated to call others from their work to undertake a long difficult trip in the unhealthy summer season1 lest it should prove to be only a passing temporary ailment4 ,and so he went on doctoring himself 7just as any missionary alone in the interior is tempted to do71 delaying to call for help1 from his very unselfishness and conscientious fear of giving trouble4 z8,take care of your head4 ,don't work too long in the sun10 he said to an old woman by the roadside1 8or you may lose your mind as ,i have40 ,he related to his friend1 the ,korean leader1 accounts of long nights of anguished struggle with ,satan1 and then again of hours of ecstatic joy with his ,saviour4 ,the intolerable agony in his head grew steadily worse1 until the end4 ,the ,koreans felt the terrible blow deeply1 but they have never ceased to love and revere ,mr4 ,mc,kenzie's memory4 ,they cannot speak of him now after a lapse of several years without tears4 ,their loving hands prepared him for the grave and covered his bier with flowers4 ,they held a funeral service as best they knew1 after our custom1 with prayers and hymns1 and laid his loved remains in a quiet place1 not far from the little church which he had been the instrument in ,god's hands of building4 ,his influence is still felt in the village and for miles around4 ,he lived ,christ and laid the foundations of that church on a rock4 ,he had a reputation for great courage and prowess1 and it is said that his presence alone saved ,sorai from invasions of ,tonghaks4 ,this society played a conspicuous part in the opening of the ,china-,japan war1 its name means literally ,eastern doctrine1 and its aim was in brief1 8the ,east for ,easterners10 or 8,korea for ,koreans40 ,they declared their desire and intention to down all ,westerners1 ,western ideas1 reforms and changes1 and to restore and re-establish old laws and customs4 ,the sudden organization and wonderful popularity of this society was doubtless caused by the outrageous conduct of many corrupt officials1 who ground down the people mercilessly with unjust taxation and brought about a general feeling of unrest and bitter discontent4 ,they were in many respects like the ,boxers of ,china1 and believed they had immunity from death and could not be hurt by bullets4 ,they soon spread all over the land1 a terror to officials1 and the ,korean government was powerless to stop them4 ,they gave up the worship of all minor deities and honored only the ,lord of the heavens4 ,they forced people everywhere to join their ranks and subscribe for their support1 levying taxes on small and great4 ,starting like many other movements1 in a good and patriotic determination to do away with abuses and institute reforms1 it grew into a great evil and terror in the whole land4 ,bad and unprincipled men1 of whom there are plenty in all climes1 who are restless and ready to throw themselves into anything which promises a change1 knowing that no change can be for the worse for them1 joined in large numbers1 and many companies of ,tonghaks differed only in name from bands of robbers4 ,as has been said1 the government could make no headway against them1 and whether or not the aid of ,china was officially sought1 ,i am not prepared to say1 but the fact that ,china did send troops to ,korea1 nominally to control this uprising1 was used by the ,japanese1 who claimed that a mutual agreement existed between ,japan and ,china that neither should introduce troops into ,korea without the consent of the other1 as a casus belli1 and they forthwith sent an army to ,korea1 seized the palace1 and sunk a transport bringing ,chinamen to ,chemulpo4 ,so much for a brief explanation of the ,tonghaks4 ,large companies of these men threatened on three different occasions to raid ,sorai while ,mr4 ,mc,kenzie was there4 ,to show that he leaned on no earthly defense1 but only on the arm of the almighty ,god1 he took his gun all to pieces when he heard of their approach4 ,they were told of this1 and were deeply impressed2 and were so thoroughly convinced that if he was leaning on some mysterious power with such strong confidence1 it would be useless and worse to attack him1 that they gave up their plan4 ,the third time they decided to attack the place they were said to be ten thousand strong1 but after coming part way1 they turned back1 and never again threatened ,sorai1 which was the only village in that section which was never raided4 ,one day ,mr4 ,mc,kenzie heard that a tiger was prowling around in the vicinity1 and started out with his shotgun to hunt the beast1 but fortunately did not have a chance to try conclusions with that weapon1 which1 however useful in killing partridges1 would not be likely to do more than tease a tiger4 ,as soon as we received news of his death1 ,mr4 ,underwood and ,dr4 ,wells started that very day for ,sorai1 to arrange his effects1 make sure the death had been as reported1 and comfort and encourage the native ,christians4 ,before they returned1 ,mr4 ,underwood dedicated the little church1 which was packed almost to suffocation1 with crowds standing around the doors and windows4 ,he baptized on that day quite a little company1 as well as admitted a large number of catechumens and held a memorial service for ,mr4 ,mc,kenzie4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,three ,,stages ,,of ,,man ,,in ,,korea #a4 ,,married ,,man #b4 ,,engaged ,,boy4 #c4 ,,young ,,boy ,mr4 ,underwood was kept longer than ,i expected on this trip1 and there were no means of postal or telegraphic communication4 ,we women1 whose husbands go hundreds of miles into the interior1 realize that we must take strong hold on ,god1 and learn patience and faith4 ,when the time for ,mr4 ,underwood's return had passed1 and no news came1 ,i remembered flooded rivers1 bands of ,tonghaks1 the various forms of deadly disease that may attack the man who travels in the country in ,july or ,august1 and the waiting and suspense grew harder every day4 ,every morning ,i looked up the road1 where it curves around the hill1 to see if he were coming4 ,every evening when the hateful twilight hurried into darkness1 ,i strained my aching vision along the awful emptiness of that road1 and all night long ,i listened for the plash of oars on the river1 or almost fancied ,i heard his voice as the boats rounded the point1 for he might come in a boat4 ,sometimes ,i saw ,japanese coming in the distance1 and deceived by their dark clothes1 thought it was he4 ,once a native chair came up the road near the house1 and they told me he had come1 but it was only a stranger1 and the chair passed on4 ,yet my case was not harder than that of many women in the homelands who must all learn what anxious suspense and long vigils mean1 but at length1 fearing he was seriously sick1 ,i concluded that ,i would go and find him4 ,to do this secrecy was necessary1 for none of my foreign friends would allow me to go at that season1 if they were informed of my intention4 ,so ,i called up ,mr4 ,underwood's trusted literary assistant1 and arranged with him to hire ponies4 ,i planned to start from our house in ,seoul 7we were then at the river cottage71 and as nearly every one was out of town1 expected to be able to get away without any one's knowledge4 ,but on the very day1 word came that he had already started1 and was well on his way home1 his ponies had returned1 and he1 coming by water1 was almost due4 ,no use to go now1 and in a day or two he was safe among us again1 and again in contrition ,i heard the gentle rebuke1 8,oh ye of little faith1 wherefore did ye doubt80 ,the church in ,sorai was the first built and paid for by the natives1 was in fact the first ,presbyterian church built in ,korea4 ,the ,christian natives in ,seoul had met in a little guest-house on our place1 and in similar rooms in other sub-stations4 ,so1 ,sorai in the van set the marching order1 and all others1 with almost no exceptions 7in the ,presbyterian missions71 have followed in their lead4 ,paid pastors none of them have1 but all the stronger ones employ evangelists1 whom they often pay in rice or fields or wood1 to systematically carry the gospel to their heathen neighbors4 ,it is our custom to select in each church the most earnest and intelligent of the ,christians as a leader1 who takes charge of the services1 and oversight of the flock1 and reports progress to the missionary in charge4 ,the leaders are gathered once a year1 at the time when farmers have most leisure1 at some central place1 and instructed in the doctrines of the ,bible1 church government and history1 and careful exegetical ,bible study4 ,they are carefully trained in conducting religious services and in preparing illustrated ,bible readings4 ,in every way possible the missionary tries to fit these men for their duties4 ,mr4 ,underwood is accustomed to hold one of these classes in the city for those who live near enough1 and one in the country for those who are at too great a distance to attend the city class1 and ,i believe nearly all the others do the same4 ,such is the interest felt in the gatherings and the thirst for more light1 that many who are not invited1 and who hold no office in the church1 travel many miles1 bringing their own rice1 to attend these classes1 which are often crowded to overflowing4 ,the church leaders are rarely paid any salary1 even by the natives4 ,each missionary engaged in evangelistic work is allowed one paid helper1 at five dollars a month4 ,this man employs his whole time in this way1 and some missionaries who have a large field under their care are allowed two such assistants4 ,mr4 ,underwood has always had a good many men1 who freely gave the greater part of their time to the work1 or who were paid by the native ,christians1 or were provided by him with some means of gaining their living which would admit of their giving much time to the work4 ,some would peddle quinine1 at sufficient profit to make a good living4 ,each bottle is wrapped with a tract1 and pains were taken to insure only the best article being placed in the hands of these dealers4 ,some of these men are placed in charge of little book shops1 without any salary1 some in charge of a chapel or dispensary1 the privilege of occupying the house their only pay4 ,there are always a number of young men around him glad and proud to be asked to serve on a special mission here or there1 and the young men's missionary societies band themselves together for systematic gospel work1 so that they each week visit some village1 distributing tracts and preaching4 ,all these1 with the leaders1 who are always at his disposal for work in their own vicinity1 form a valuable corps of helpers4 ,this plan1 or something like it1 ,i believe1 is carried out by all the evangelistic missionaries in the ,presbyterian missions4 ,mr4 ,underwood1 also1 copying from the ,methodists1 established a circle of class meetings among the ,christians under his care in and around ,seoul4 ,the class leaders meet with him once a week1 each bringing his book1 make a report of attendances1 absences1 sickness1 removals1 backslidings1 deaths and conversions4 ,the class leader1 being1 as far as we know1 the best man in his class1 and in a way responsible for it1 becomes again a very useful helper4 ,during the spring of #ahie the ,presbyterian church in ,chong ,dong1 ,seoul1 decided to build themselves a place of worship4 ,the people were all of them poor1 even according to ,korean ideas1 paper-hangers1 carpenters1 small retail shopkeepers1 farmers1 policemen1 soldiers1 interpreters1 writers1 copyists1 even chair coolies1 gardeners and peddlers1 the richest of them rarely earning more than five dollars in gold a month4 ,so we missionaries decided to raise the most of the two thousand yen necessary among ourselves1 encouraging the natives to give as much as they could4 ,mr4 ,underwood1 however1 in trying to impress them with the duty of supporting the ,lord's work liberally1 was met one day with the remark1 that this was called a foreign religion1 and so it was difficult to convince natives that foreigners should not pay its way4 8,and so it will continue to be regarded10 said my husband1 8just as long as you allow foreign money to be used in carrying it forward4 ,when you build and own your churches1 send out your own evangelists1 and support your own schools1 then both you and others will feel and realize it is not a foreign affair1 but your own40 8,then10 said the deacon1 8we will build the ,chong ,dong church ourselves40 ,mr4 ,underwood was astonished4 8,how can you build such a church80 said he4 ,the deacon replied1 8,does the pastor ask such a question of what relates to ,god's work8 ,with ,god all things are possible40 ,nothing1 of course1 remained to be said4 ,the missionaries decided that it would be wiser for them to own the land1 in case of possible political complications1 but the building itself would cost the whole of one thousand yen4 ,the people went to work with a will1 the pastor and one or two other missionaries took off their coats and lent a hand at the work1 boys hauled stones1 ,korean gentlemen1 scholars1 and teachers who had never lifted anything heavier than a pen1 set themselves to work on the building1 carpenters gave their skilled labor every alternate day1 working for their own living only one out of every two1 women saved a little rice from each bowl prepared for the family until enough was laid aside to be sold1 and gave the money thus earned1 and so in manifold ways the money came in and the work grew4 ,at length1 however1 there were no more funds and the building came to a standstill4 ,no one was willing to go into debt1 even to borrow of the missionaries1 and it was decided to wait until the way opened4 ,just when everything seemed hopelessly blocked1 the epidemic of ,asiatic cholera broke out4 ,why ,koreans do not have this every summer raging through the whole country is one of the unsolved problems4 ,all sewage runs into filthy1 narrow ditches1 which are frequently stopped up with refuse1 so as to overflow into the streets1 green slimy pools of water lie undisturbed in courtyards and along the side of the road1 wells are polluted with drainage from soiled apparel washed close by1 quantities of decaying vegetable matter are thrown out and left to rot on the thoroughfares and under the windows of the houses4 ,every imaginable practice which comes under the definition of unhygienic or unsanitary is common4 ,even young children in arms eat raw and green cucumbers1 unpeeled1 acrid berries and heavy soggy hot bread4 ,they bolt quantities of hot or cold rice1 with a tough1 indigestible cabbage1 washed in ditch water1 prepared with turnips and flavored with salt and red pepper4 ,green fruit of every kind is eaten with perfect recklessness of all the laws of nature1 and with impunity 7and ,i must say1 an average immunity from disastrous consequence7 which makes a ,westerner stand aghast4 ,any of us would surely die promptly and deservedly if we presumed to venture one-tenth of the impertinences and liberties with ,dame ,nature which a ,korean smilingly and unconcernedly takes for granted as his common right4 ,the only solution ,i have ever reached1 and that ,i hold but weakly1 is1 that in accordance with the law of the survival of the fittest1 none but exceptionally hardy specimens ever reach adolescence1 or even early childhood1 and that having survived the awful tests of infancy1 they are able to endure most trials which befall later4 ,but even these1 so to speak1 galvanized-iron interiors are not always proof4 ,it takes time1 but every five or six years1 by great care and industry1 a bacillus develops itself1 so hardened1 so well armed1 so deeply toxic1 that even ,koreans must succumb1 and then there is an epidemic of cholera4 ,eight years before1 in #ahhg1 the plague swept through the land1 and thousands fell4 ,christians1 both missionaries and natives1 united in prayers that ,god would stay the scourge4 ,physicians pronounced it contrary to the laws of nature that it should stop before frost came to kill the bacilli1 but1 in wonderful justification of faith1 the ravages of the plague were abruptly checked in the midst of the terrible heat of the last days of ,august and the first of ,september4 ,chapter ,,ix ,difficulty of ,enforcing ,quarantine ,regulations--,greedy ,officials 8,eat0 ,relief ,funds--,americans ,stand ,alone to ,face the ,foe--,the ,emergency ,cholera ,hospital--,the ,inspection ,officers--,we ,decide to ,use the ,shelter--,a ,pathetic ,case--,the ,jesus ,man--,gratitude of the ,koreans--,the ,new ,church--,the ,murder of the ,queen--,testimony of ,foreigners--,the ,official ,report4 ,and now again the rod was to fall4 ,the disease began with terrible violence1 men in full vigor in the morning were corpses at noon1 several members of the same family often dying the same day4 ,it cropped out in one neighborhood after another with a steadily marked increase every day1 that was frightful in its unrelenting1 unswerving ferocity4 ,the ,japanese and many of the more enlightened ,koreans took the alarm early1 and seeking the counsel of ,european and ,american physicians planned to establish quarantine and sanitary regulations for the whole country1 but as an astute young ,korean sadly remarked1 8,it is easy enough to make the laws1 it is more than doubtful whether they can be enforced40 ,if officials and soldiers are sent to enforce quarantine1 there is little doubt among those who know customs and people that only too many of them will be susceptible to a very small bribe4 ,when the necessity for quarantining ,seoul from ,chemulpo was mentioned1 the high officials themselves said it would be impossible on account of the importance of the trade between the two places4 ,one instance will show the hopelessness of the attempt to carry out sanitary regulations4 ,in the effort to prevent the enormous and insane consumption of green apples1 melons and cucumbers1 the sale of these articles was forbidden with a penalty for buyer and seller1 and notices of the law posted everywhere4 ,and yet1 soon after1 my husband passed a stand where they were being sold in large numbers1 over which one of these very notices was hung1 and several policemen among the buyers were munching the forbidden fruit with a calm relish1 edifying to behold4 ,it is due to the government to say that they seemed thoroughly awakened to the situation and were doing all in their power1 but were handicapped by the deplorable corruption of many officials4 ,twenty thousand yen 7ten thousand dollars7 were granted to fix up a temporary emergency cholera hospital1 enforce sanitary laws and prevent the advance of the plague1 but this money was1 to use a common ,korean phrase1 8eaten0 by greedy underlings on all hands4 ,in the preparation of the hospital1 more than twice the number of carpenters needed were employed1 and these men passed their time making little articles for private sale1 or in standing about doing nothing4 ,a number of petty officials were hired to do little1 and improved on their commission by doing nothing but receive their pay4 ,at a general meeting of the physicians then in the city1 ,european1 ,american and ,japanese1 ,dr4 ,avison having been chosen by vote director of this emergency hospital and the sanitary work1 the ,japanese all withdrew1 saying they did not care to work under a ,westerner1 and in the end the ,americans only were left to face the foe4 ,after many discouragements and hindrances an old barracks building was roughly prepared to receive patients1 and a corps of nurses and doctors1 composed of quite a number of missionaries 7,methodists1 ,baptists and ,presbyterians1 with the assistance of hired ,koreans7 was formed4 ,the building was very poorly fitted up for such an exigency1 the haste with which it was necessary to get it ready1 and the character of the place1 precluded the possibility of making it very suitable for the purpose4 ,it was open1 damp and chilly1 with no means of warming or secluding the patients4 ,it was only scantily furnished with such absolute necessities as could be had at short notice in the city4 ,and think not1 ,oh civilized medical community in ,america6 that 8necessities0 according to your ideas are synonymous with 8necessities0 according to our possibilities in ,asia4 ,perhaps you have a fossilized idea that beds and sheets and pillows are necessities4 ,by no means4 ,our patients lay on the floor1 covered with small cotton wool rugs1 and back-breaking business it was to nurse them4 ,but the discouragements connected with our work was not merely the lack of conveniences and almost dire necessities1 or the want of proper enforcement of sanitary regulations and of co-operation1 and although ,dr4 ,avison and the foreign staff under him worked heroically1 and with unwearied devotion1 it was an unequal struggle4 ,the majority of natives are not willing to go to hospitals1 and it would have been dangerous to try to force them1 while many will not permit foreign doctors to treat them even in their homes1 or else use ,korean medicines with ours4 ,but alas6 in many cases the disease is so violent as to defy all that science1 aided by every advantage1 can do4 ,it is the most desperately1 deadly thing ,i ever saw1 and often medicines seem useless to do more than slightly defer the ultimate result4 ,the poison attacks the nerve centers at once1 and every organ is affected4 ,terrible cramps contract the muscles1 the heart fails1 the extremities grow cold1 the pulse becomes imperceptible1 the mind wanders1 or suddenly1 without previous symptoms1 the victim falls and dies at once4 ,or1 after the most violent symptoms of the disease have disappeared1 vomiting and pain have ceased1 the pulse has become almost normal and the patient nearly ready to be discharged1 a mysterious change comes1 and the poor victim dies of pneumonia1 urmic convulsions1 or some of the other sequell of this frightful disease4 ,mr4 ,underwood was placed in charge of inspection offices1 which were opened in different districts over the whole city1 and all cases reported there received immediate attention4 ,several of his young ,christians were trained by him to carry on this work1 he himself at first going out with them1 hunting up infected localities1 using disinfectants1 and teaching the helpers and residents how to purify the premises4 ,these young men worked indefatigably1 with intelligence1 enthusiasm and courage4 ,the inspectors and all the doctors and nurses wore a badge1 consisting of the red cross over the ,korean flag1 so that even in heathen ,korea the sign of the cross was carried everywhere1 and dominated the emblem of the ,korean government4 ,the people picked up the idea that lime was a mysterious agent in preventing disease1 so it was not uncommon to see a handful of it scattered1 a few grains here and there1 along the edges of some of the filthiest ditches1 or a gourd whitewashed with lime hanging by the door as a sort of charm to drive away cholera4 ,koreans call it 8the rat disease10 believing that cramps are rats gnawing and crawling inside the legs1 going up till the heart is reached2 so they offer prayers to the spirit of the cat1 hang a paper cat on the house door1 and rub their cramps with a cat's skin4 ,they offered prayers and sacrifices in various high places to the heavens--,hananim--and some of the streets in infected districts were almost impassable on account of ropes stretched across1 about five feet high1 at intervals of about every twenty-five feet1 to which paper prayers were attached4 ,as my coolies1 trying to pass along with my chair1 broke one of these1 ,i could not help admonishing the owner who came to its rescue1 8,better put them up a little higher40 ,aye1 put them up higher1 poor ,korean brother1 they are far too near the earth6 ,one of the most pathetic sights in connection with this plague were these poor1 wind-torn1 rain-bedraggled1 paper prayers1 hanging helplessly everywhere1 the offering of blind superstition to useless dumb gods who can neither pity nor hear4 8,they reach lame hands of faith and grope ,and gather dust and chaff40 ,early in ,august it was decided1 as the plague seemed on the increase1 to fill the 8,shelter0 with cholera patients1 and ,dr4 ,avison assigned to ,dr4 ,wells1 ,mr4 ,underwood and myself the supervision and care of this place4 ,the 8,shelter10 situated on a good high site outside the walls1 with a number of comfortable rooms1 with the possibility of hot floors 7which proved an unspeakable benefit to the poor cold1 pulseless sick71 seemed an ideal place for the purpose4 ,it was not very large1 it is true1 but as most of our patients were either quickly cured or quickly succumbed1 we were able to receive a goodly number4 ,mr4 ,underwood and ,dr4 ,wells worked indefatigably1 stocking it with everything obtainable which could be of use4 ,my husband arranged for a corps of voluntary native nurses4 ,as the only missionaries available were at work elsewhere1 and we had seen too much of hired native official nurses1 he decided to ask some of his ,christian helpers to do this service for the love of ,christ4 ,cholera is a loathsome disease1 only love makes it easy to nurse faithfully and tenderly these poor afflicted creatures1 without overwhelming disgust4 ,some of the men thus approached belonged to the scholar and gentlemen class1 who had never done manual work of any kind1 and at first they hesitated4 ,however1 they at last decided to undertake the task1 and with willing hands and a little training1 they turned out to be very satisfactory nurses1 faithful and devoted1 never shirking the most difficult and repelling work4 ,every evening a service of prayer and song was held in the central court of the ,shelter1 where all who were conscious could hear1 and we believe that the blessing on that work came in answer to these united prayers1 and the public acknowledgment of absolute dependence in ,god4 ,here1 too1 the workers gained new enthusiasm and the strength born of faith and hope4 ,dr4 ,wells' brilliant management deserves the highest praise4 ,the necessity of caring for my little one1 lying sick five miles away1 allowed me only alternate nights of service at the hospital1 so the labor for the other two members of our trio was severe1 but while the need lasted strength was given4 ,unspeakably pathetic were many of the scenes we were forced to witness4 ,one poor woman1 only that day widowed1 with three little ones to care for1 was brought in cold and almost pulseless4 ,we spent the night trying to save this poor mother4 ,early in the morning her eldest1 a dear little fellow of eleven1 came to watch with and take care of her4 ,to see the anxious little face 7a child's face in the shadow of a great sorrow is the saddest thing on earth7 as he chafed her hands and affirmed1 half interrogatively1 how much warmer they were now than before1 and as he looked eagerly to us1 every time we entered saying1 8,will she live1 will she live80 was enough to make one ready to die for that life4 ,we felt that woman must live4 ,and yet--4 ,after a long contest the pulse revived1 the extremities grew warm1 nearly all untoward symptoms disappeared1 we all dared to hope4 8,she will live now10 joyfully said the child4 8,oh1 if ,i could live1 it would be good60 said the now conscious mother4 ,but alas6 next day the three little ones were motherless and fatherless1 and another sad funeral1 with one drooping little mourner1 joined the awful procession1 which nightly filed through the city gates1 and covered the surrounding hills with new-made graves4 ,one poor old father watched and tended his boy of fourteen with agonized devotion4 ,the only one left to his old age of what was a few days before a large family4 ,we all worked over the lad with strong hopes1 so young1 and many of the old had recovered1 so much needed1 surely he would be spared1 but at length the cold young form grew a little colder1 the tired little pulse ceased to flutter1 and a broken old man followed his last hope to the grave4 ,and yet we had great cause for devout thankfulness that so many of our patients were spared4 ,sixty-five per cent of recoveries is almost unheard of1 and yet this was our record at the ,shelter4 ,under ,god we ascribed this large percentage of cures1 mainly to the three following causes3 ,the use of salol as early and in as large doses as possible4 ,keeping the patients on the very hot floor till warmth returned and circulation improved4 ,and the conscientious and untiring nursing by the native ,christians4 ,of course this is not the place1 nor have ,i the time1 to go into a minute description of the various remedies and forms of treatment used4 ,we believed we were reaching the case with salol1 but various other remedies also were used to control the symptoms4 ,in fact1 everything we knew was done1 and all must be done quickly or not at all4 ,many of the cases brought to us were in a state of collapse when they arrived4 ,often the pulse was not perceptible1 and yet repeatedly1 where we felt that treatment was hopeless1 the hot floor and vigorous chafing1 with hypodermic administration of stimulants1 brought about sufficient reanimation to make it possible to take the salol1 and this seemed to act miraculously4 ,it was in obedience to ,dr4 ,wells' suggestion that we tried this drug which proved such a blessing4 ,in one case1 that of a young man of high rank1 his family despaired of his life from the first1 and finally went home to prepare his grave clothes1 but on returning with them in the morning1 found him1 to their joy and amazement1 quite out of danger4 ,another striking case was that of an old lady nearly seventy years of age4 ,her son and daughter1 as a last resort1 but quite hopelessly1 brought her to us4 ,she was far gone1 unconscious1 and almost pulseless4 ,we rubbed her cold extremities with alcohol1 keeping her quite warm on a fine hot floor 7she lay practically on a stove all night71 and to the astonishment of all1 after a few hours1 steady improvement began and she was soon restored to her delighted friends4 ,i insert here our medical record1 for the benefit of medical readers1 giving all the uninterested the privilege of skipping4 ,we received altogether #agc patients1 of whom #fa died2 of those received1 #ah arrived dying or dead2 #ie were taken in rigid1 of whom only #db died2 #ce were verging on collapse1 of whom #b died2 #d were in partial collapse1 of whom none died2 #bj were in the first stage1 of whom none died4 ,of those who died1 #be never reacted1 #b had puerperal complications1 #b were already affected with tuberculosis1 #c developed cerebral meningitis1 #a complication of chronic cystitis1 #a chronic nephritis1 and #b received no salol4 ,all these recoveries made no little stir in the city1 especially as elsewhere nearly two-thirds of those affected died4 ,proclamations were posted on the walls1 telling people there was no need for them to die when they might go to the ,christian hospital and live4 ,people who watched missionaries working over the sick night after night said to each other1 8,how these foreigners love us1 would we do as much for one of our own kin as they do for strangers80 ,some men who saw ,mr4 ,underwood hurrying along the road in the gray twilight of a summer morning remarked1 8,there goes the ,jesus man1 he works all night and all day with the sick without resting40 8,why does he do it80 said another4 8,because he loves us10 was the reply4 ,what sweeter reward could be had than that the people should see the ,lord in our service4 ,surely the plague was not all evil when it served to bring the ,lord more clearly to the view of the souls he died to save4 ,a tolerably fair count of the deaths inside the walls each day was possible1 since all the dead are carried through two or three gates4 ,the numbers rose gradually to something over three hundred a day and then gradually declined1 the plague lasting not quite six weeks4 ,the extra-mural population is probably as large as the intra-mural1 including the people within the two miles radius outside the walls4 ,all taken together there are between three and four hundred thousand people4 ,when the plague was nearly over the following very grateful letter of thanks from the ,korean office of ,foreign ,affairs was sent through the ,american minister4 ,,the ,,department ,,of ,,foreign ,,affairs4 #ejdth ,year1 #gth ,moon1 #c;d ,day4 ,august #bb;d1 #ahie4 ,kim1 ,minister of ,foreign ,affairs1 to ,mr4 ,sill1 ,united ,states ,minister4 ,,sir3 ,i have the honor to say that my government is deeply grateful to ---------- and his friends who have spent a great deal of money for medicines and labored in the management of cholera1 resulting in the cure of many sick people4 ,i trust your excellency will kindly convey an expression of thanks to them on behalf of my government4 ,i am1 etc41 etc4 7,signed7 ,,kim ,,yun ,,sik4 ,gifts were sent to the missionaries1 who had assisted at the hospitals1 of rolls of silk1 fans1 little silver inkstands1 having the name of the ,home ,office and the recipient engraved upon them1 and most interesting of all1 a kind of mosaic mats made of a peculiar sort of reeds grown for the purpose at the island of ,kang ,wha4 ,these mats have bits of the reeds of different colors skilfully inlaid to form the pattern1 and that on those which were given to us was at one end the national emblem1 at the other the red cross and the name of the ,home ,office4 ,this was of course extremely gratifying4 ,no1 more1 it was a thing for which to be profoundly grateful that government and people recognized that we1 the representatives of our ,lord 7however inefficient and unworthy71 were their friends1 and1 as far as in us lay1 their helpers4 ,the best1 however1 was to come4 ,the names of the ,koreans who had nursed and served at the ,shelter and inspection offices were asked for1 and the intention to pay them stated4 ,we told them that the men had done this with no expectation of pay1 but to this they would not listen and insisted on rewarding them handsomely4 ,on the receipt of this unexpected1 and1 for them1 large sum1 almost all the ,christians 7quite voluntarily1 and to our surprise7 put it all into the fund for the new church1 considering it a gift of ,god1 specially sent in answer to prayer1 to help them in the enterprise undertaken in faith4 ,they were1 therefore1 now able to go on and finish the church1 which accommodates1 with crowding1 two hundred people4 ,it is an unpretentious building1 entirely native1 substantial as possible with mud walls1 tiled roof and paper windows1 yet built and finished much in the style of the best ,korean houses1 none of which knew1 at that time1 what it was to boast of a pane of glass1 or brick or stone walls4 ,into it the little congregation flocked1 and with glad hearts dedicated to ,god the work of their hands1 which through sacrifice1 love1 faith and prayer was more costly and precious in his sight than gold or ivory1 which had not been so sanctified4 ,not long after the cholera epidemic1 and the events connected with it1 occurred the tragedy at the palace--the murder of the brilliant and progressive queen1 the friend of progress1 civilization and reform4 ,her majesty was a brilliant diplomatist1 and usually worsted her opponents4 ,the ,japanese1 after the war1 had indeed proclaimed the independence of ,korea1 yet seemed in practice to desire to establish a sort of protectorate and to direct her policy at home and abroad4 ,many public offices were filled with citizens of ,japan1 or ,japanese sympathizers as far as possible1 and a large body of the ,korean troops were drilled by and under the command of ,japanese officers4 ,realizing that in the patriotic and brilliant queen they had to meet one who would not readily submit to their plans for the ,japanizing of ,korea1 they objected to her participation at all in the affairs of government1 and were promised1 under compulsion we were told1 that these orders should be obeyed4 ,naturally this was not done1 and the queen continued to be a source of confusion and rock of offense to them and their plans4 ,finally a decided change was made in the personnel of the ,japanese embassy4 ,count ,inoye1 who1 in the name of his government1 had hitherto promised to the queen the support and protection of ,japan was recalled4 ,he was replaced by ,count ,miura1 who was a man of very different tendencies4 ,count ,miura was a very strong ,buddhist1 and passionately devoted to the supposed interests of ,japan as against those of any other nation4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,round ,,gate1 ,,seoul ,one morning1 the #hth of ,october1 #ahie1 we heard firing at the palace4 ,this was in time of peace1 and such sounds we knew must be portents of evil4 ,all was confusion1 nothing definite could be learned1 except that certain ,japanese troops had arrived at about three in the morning1 escorting the ,tai ,won ,kun 7the king's father and the queen's bitter enemy71 and had driven out the native royal guard under ,general ,dye 7an ,american7 and were now guarding the palace gates4 ,the air was full of ominous suspicions and whispers1 but nothing more definite could we learn till afternoon1 when meeting a ,korean noble1 he told us with face all aghast1 that it was currently reported that the queen had been murdered4 ,in a few hours this news was confirmed with particulars4 ,the ,tai ,won ,kun was at that time under guard1 in exile from the court1 at his country house1 for conspiracy against the king in favor of his grandson1 and he of course readily consented to become the leader of the plotters against the queen1 to enter the palace at the head of their troops and take possession of the persons of their majesties 7and the government incidentally71 necessarily1 of course1 doing away with the queen4 ,the troops therefore marched with the old man in his chair to the palace gates1 where all had been made ready4 ,ammunition had been secretly removed1 native troops trained by ,americans had been mostly exchanged for those trained by ,japanese1 and after a few shots1 and scarcely a pretence of resistance1 the attacking party entered4 ,it was some distance to the royal apartments1 and the rumor of disturbance reached there some time before the attacking party4 ,her majesty was alarmed4 ,she was a brave woman1 but she knew she had bitter1 powerful and treacherous foes1 and that1 like ,damocles1 a sword suspended by only too slight a thread hung over her life4 ,the king's second son1 ,prince ,oui-wha1 begged her to escape with him by a little gate which yet remained unguarded1 through which they might pass disguised to friends in the city4 ,the dowager queen1 however1 was too old to go1 and her majesty nobly refused to leave her alone to the terror which occupation of the palace by foreigners would insure1 trusting no doubt to the positive assurances of protection that had been made to her through ,count ,inoye1 and the more so1 as one of the courtiers in waiting1 a man by the name of ,chung ,pung ,ha1 had assured her that whatever happened she might rest confident that the persons of their majesties would be perfectly safe4 ,this man was a creature of low origin1 whom the queen had raised and bestowed many favors upon1 and in whom she placed great reliance4 ,he advised her not to hide1 and kept himself informed of all her movements4 ,with no code of honor wider or higher than his pocket1 he of course became a ready tool of the assassins1 and there is much evidence to show he was a party to the conspiracy4 ,the queen therefore remained in a good deal of uneasiness and anxiety1 but only when the ,tai ,won ,kun and the hired assassins rushed in1 calling for the queen1 did she attempt1 alas6 too late1 to hide4 ,there was some confusion1 in the numerous verbal reports which reached us1 but two foreigners1 a ,russian1 ,mr4 ,sabbatin1 and an ,american1 ,general ,dye1 who were eye-witnesses of nearly all that occurred1 both agreed in the statement1 that ,japanese troops under ,japanese officers surrounded the courtyard and buildings where the royal party were1 and that the ,japanese officers were in the courtyard1 and saw the outrages which were committed1 and knew all that was done by the ,japanese soshi or professional cutthroats4 ,about thirty of these assassins rushed into the royal apartments crying1 8,the queen1 the queen1 where is the queen80 ,then began a mad and brutal hunt for their prey1 more like wild beasts than men1 seizing the palace women1#a dragging them about by their hair and beating them1 trying to force them to tell where the queen was4 ,mr4 ,sabbatin was himself questioned and threatened with death4 ,the soshi and officers who wore the ,japanese uniform passed through the room where his majesty stood trying to divert attention from the queen4 8,one of the ,japanese caught him by the shoulder and pulled him about1 and ,yi ,kiung ,chick1 the minister of the royal household1 was killed by the ,japanese in his majesty's presence4 ,his royal highness1 the crown prince1 was seized1 his hat torn off and broken1 and he was pulled about by the hair1 the soshi threatening him with their swords while demanding where the queen was40#b ,at length they hunted the poor queen down1 and killed her with their swords4 ,they then covered her body1 and bringing in various palace women1 suddenly displayed the corpse1 when the women shrieked with horror1 8,the queen1 the queen60 ,this was enough2 by this ruse the assassins made sure they had felled the right victim4 #a 8,korean ,repository10 #ahie4 #b ,from official report of 8,korean ,repository40 ,soon after1 the remains were taken to a grove of trees not far off1 kerosene oil poured over them1 and they were burned1 only a few bones remaining4 ,later developments all went to prove that the murderers were actually guilty of the inconceivable folly of imagining that by this means it would be possible to conceal the crime and their share in it4 ,stories of all sorts were circulated1 as that her majesty had escaped and was lying concealed1 or that she had simply been removed for a time by the ,japanese1 who could bring her back at any moment4 ,in the official account of the murder1 and of the trial of ,count ,miura and the soshi1 held in ,hiroshima1 ,japan1 for which ,i am indebted to 8,the ,korean ,repository0 for #ahie1 the following words occur3 8,the accused ,miura ,gow assumed his official duties 444 on ,september #a1 #ahie4 ,according to his observation1 things in ,korea were tending in the wrong direction1 the court was daily growing more and more arbitrary1 and attempting wanton interference with the conduct of ,state affairs4 ,disorder and confusion were in this way introduced into the system of administration that had just been reorganized under the guidance and advice of the ,imperial government4 ,the court went so far in turning its back upon ,japan that a project was mooted for disbanding the ,kurentai troops 7,koreans under ,japanese officers7 and punishing their officers4 ,moreover1 a report came to the said ,miura that the court had under contemplation a scheme for usurping all political power by degrading some and killing others of the cabinet ministers suspected of devotion to the cause of progress and independence4 ,under these circumstances he was greatly perturbed1 inasmuch as he thought that the attitude assumed by the court not only showed remarkable ingratitude towards this country1 which had spent labor and money for the sake of ,korea1 but was also calculated to thwart the work of internal reform and #8jeopardize the independence of the kingdom4'0 ,the report then proceeds to state that the accused felt it necessary to apply a remedy which would on the one hand 8secure the independence of the ,korean kingdom1 and on the other maintain the prestige of this empire in that country60 ,the report further proceeds to state1 that conferences were held with the ,tai ,won ,kun and with ,japanese officials1 at one of which1 ,october #crd1 8,the decision arrived at on that occasion was that assistance should be rendered to the ,tai ,won ,kun's entry into the palace by making use of the ,kurentai1 who1 being hated by the court1 felt themselves in danger1 and of the young men who deeply lamented the course of events1 and also by causing the ,japanese troops stationed in ,seoul to offer their support to the enterprise4 ,it was further resolved that this opportunity should be availed of for taking the life of the queen1 who exercised overwhelming influence in the court40 ,after further particulars in the completion of the plan the ,japanese document continues3 8,miura told them 7the men who were to escort the ,tai ,won ,kun7 that on the success of the enterprise depended the eradication of the evils that had done so much mischief to the kingdom for the past twenty years1 and instigated them to despatch the queen when they entered the palace40 ,the report then goes on at some length1 describing the various steps taken in carrying out the conspiracy1 and continues3 8,then slowly proceeding toward ,seoul the party met the ,kurentai troops outside the west gate of the capital1 where they waited some time for the ,japanese troops4444 ,about dawn the whole party entered the palace through the ,kwang-hwa gate1 and at once proceeded to the inner chambers4 ,notwithstanding these facts there is no sufficient evidence to prove that any of the accused actually committed the crime originally meditated by them4444 ,for these reasons1 the accused1 each and all1 are hereby discharged4444 ,the documents and other articles seized in connection with this case are restored to their respective owners4 ,given at ,hiroshima local court by ,,yoshida ,,yoshida1 ,judge of ,preliminary inquiry1 ,,tamura ,,yoshiharu1 ,clerk of the court4 ,dated #bjth day of the first month of the twenty-ninth year of ,yeiji4 ,this copy has been taken from the original text4 ,clerk of the local court of ,hiroshima40 ,this document needs no comment4 ,count ,miura was recently restored to all his titles and dignities which had been temporarily removed4 ,,chapter ,x ,the ,palace after the ,murder--,panic--,attitude of ,foreign ,legations--,the ,king's ,life in ,hourly ,danger--,noble ,refugees--,americans on ,guard--,mistakes of the ,new ,government--,objectionable ,sumptuary ,laws--,a ,plan to ,rescue the ,king--,one ,night at the ,palace--,forcing an ,entrance--,our ,little ,drama--,escape of ,general ,yun4 ,in the meantime the king and crown prince were held prisoners in their own palace by a cabinet composed of ,koreans who were favorable to the ,japanese government4 ,immediately after the death of the queen1 before the soldiers and assassins had dispersed1 the ,japanese minister had come to the palace and requested an audience4 ,according to the official report1 ,count ,miura1 with his secretary1 ,mr4 ,sugimma1#c the ,tai ,won ,kun1 and a ,japanese1 who had led the soshi1 were all present at this audience1 and presented three papers to the king for signature1 one being that the cabinet should henceforth manage the affairs of the country1 one that ,prince ,yi ,chai ,miun should be minister of the royal household1 and the other appointing a vice-minister of the household4 ,the king shaken by the events of the night1 and helpless in the hands of his enemies1 signed all three4 ,then the ,japanese troops were withdrawn1 and the ,kurentai alone left on guard4 ,soon after the ministers of war and police departments were changed for pro-,japanese1 8so that all the armed forces of the government1 and even the personal attendants of his majesty0 were under the control of the opponents of the royal person and family4 #c ,see 8,korean ,repository0 official account of the murder of the queen4 ,mr4 ,waeber1 the ,russian minister1 and ,dr4 ,allen1 ,charg d',affaires of the ,united ,states1 having heard the firing1 arrived at the palace1 while the ,japanese minister was still there1 and were made acquainted by the king to some extent concerning the occurrences which had just taken place4 ,the poor king was in a state of shock amounting to almost complete prostration1 which was pitiable to behold1 after the awful experiences of the night and the brutal murder of his idolized queen4 ,the friends and connections of the royal family1 officials1 soldiers1 servants and hangers on about the palace1 of whom there were several thousands1 were all in the wildest panic4 ,every one was rushing in mad haste to escape from the confines of the palace grounds1 and uniforms or anything that could distinguish men as belonging to the court were recklessly torn off and thrown away4 ,the ,american1 ,russian and ,english legations were thronged with people1 anxious for shelter from the hands of those who composed the band of ,korean traitors4 ,the foreign representatives felt and showed much indignation over the cruel assassination of her majesty and sympathy for the king4 ,for some time they visited the palace every day4 ,as they refused to recognize the rebel government1 they probably felt obliged to see his majesty personally1 in order to know his wishes and policy1 and it is also most likely that1 feeling much uncertainty as to the intentions of the persons in whose hands the king was1 they wished to keep themselves informed1 and perhaps to keep in check any plans of violence toward the remaining members of the royal family4 ,mr4 ,underwood was requested to accompany the ,united ,states minister as interpreter1 while the ,french bishop acted in the same capacity for the representative of ,france1 since none of the native interpreters could be trusted under such circumstances4 ,and right here ,i would stop to ask1 why is it that in matters of such extreme importance as the affairs of state between our own government and ,eastern nations1 there have been up to this time no trained ,american interpreters1 and our highest officials are obliged to depend upon the more than doubtful native interpreters1 who even when not wilfully for their own purposes1 or through their own cowardice1 misrepresenting communications of the greatest importance1 may through incapability entirely misconceive the idea to be expressed1 or through carelessness omit the most significant part of the whole sentence8 ,the king was to be seen only under the strictest surveillance of the cabinet1 and apparently was under extreme coercion1 so that he did not consider it expedient to say anything contrary to their orders and policy4 ,on rare occasions1 when their attention was called for a few moments by some of the visiting party1 his majesty contrived to convey to ,mr4 ,underwood a whispered message1 a sign1 a tiny note slipped in his palm1 by which he briefly communicated his desires1 or plans1 or his real replies to questions which had already been answered publicly in accordance with the views of his enemies4 ,as the king stood in hourly fear of poison1 and not without reason1 since his unscrupulous and unnatural father1 the ,tai ,won ,kun1 was most desirous to replace him by his grandson1 through another son1 and as so many of the conspirators surrounding the king had now so much at stake1 were in so dangerous a position1 and were men who had already proved they would stop at nothing where their own interest was concerned1 he would take no food for some time but condensed milk brought in sealed cans and opened in his presence1 or eggs cooked in the shells4 ,hearing of this1 and glad to take advantage of an opportunity however small to show our sympathy1 the ladies from one of the ,european legations and myself alternated in sending specially prepared dishes1 such articles as contained the greatest amount of nourishment1 as well as of agreeable taste4 ,they were sent in a tin box1 provided with a ,yale lock4 ,mr4 ,underwood1 who was now going as interpreter and messenger between the legations and palace1 sometimes twice a day1 carried the key1 and placed it in the king's own hand1 while the box was carried in at any convenient time by the ordinary officials4 ,it was only a small service1 but it was to some extent a relief to be allowed to do anything for those who had a claim upon our loyalty1 and who had been so shockingly outraged4 ,one day as ,mr4 ,underwood was going in to his majesty he met the old ,tai ,won ,kun1 who said1 8,why do you take all that good food in to him8 ,he doesn't need it4 ,i am old1 my teeth are gone1 ,i need it far more than he40 ,the crafty and cruel old human tiger's teeth and claws were still only too serviceable1 alas6 ,for a long time after the death of the queen1 nearly seven weeks1 ,americans1 one or two at a time1 were asked to be at the palace every night1 as it was thought that with foreigners there as witnesses1 the conspirators1 whoever they might be1 would hesitate to commit any further outrages4 ,there is little doubt that had they thought it necessary to commit regicide1 the lives of the witnesses would have been sacrificed as well1 but ,easterners stand in considerable fear of the wrath of the ,western nations1 when their citizens are killed1 and no doubt the chances of violence to his majesty and the crown prince were somewhat diminished by the presence of the missionaries1 who night after night1 two and two1 left the congenial task of preaching the gospel of peace to insure the continuance of it 7or that small fraction which at that time was left to poor ,korea74 ,we wives at home1 keeping lonely vigil1 while our husbands sentineled the palace1 listened with sharpened ears for sounds of ill-omen from that direction4 ,but both they and we were glad of this service1 rejoicing to prove that we were the friends of the people and the rightful ruler1 from highest to lowest1 and we were specially glad that those who had been called disloyal1 because they refused to obey the decree which forbade preaching the gospel1 were now able to show themselves the most active and unwearied in serving the king4 ,the day after the assassination1 the king's second son1 ,prince ,oui-wha1 sent to ask refuge in our house1 where1 this being ,american property1 he would be safe from arrest4 ,the legations were all full of refugees of high rank1 and several were staying in our ,korean sarang or guest room4 ,we were1 of course1 delighted to receive the young prince1 and also to have this further opportunity to prove our regard for him4 ,in consequence of the presence of these refugees we were honored by being kept under continual espionage by the pseudo-government1 our compound constantly watched by spies at all exits1 by day and night4 ,it seemed monstrous to me1 who had never known any of the class whose movements are watched by detectives1 nor ever dreamed of coming in any way into collision with any government 7much less of being of sufficient importance to do so71 but perhaps it was the spirit of revolutionary forefathers which made me believe1 that if governments were wrong1 right-minded people must oppose them1 and that if sheltering the friends of the just and lawful ruler from a company of conspirators and traitors was standing in an attitude of hostility to the powers that be1 it was both right and our unavoidable duty to do what we could to shield them from violence and death4 ,in the meanwhile the new government was appointing new officials1 trying1 torturing and executing innocent people as the accused murderers of the queen1 in order to shield themselves--useless crimes which deceived no one--making a number of new offices and placing ,japanese in them on large salaries1 and making new and farcical1 as well as injurious and objectionable1 laws4 ,women were not to be allowed to go on the street with covered faces1 pipes must be of a certain length1 sleeves must be shortened and narrowed1 coats must be of a particular color1 and hat brims a certain width4 ,this was called 8,kaiwha0 or reform4 ,large numbers of ,japanese flocked to this country and made their way to the capital or into the interior1 in the industrious pursuit of wealth1 which we were informed was not always limited to legitimate measures1 or the possession of sinecures4 ,missionaries returning from the interior reported that they had heard lamentable tales on all hands1 of farmers strung up by the thumbs1 for the extortion of money or deeds of lands and of women dealt with brutally4 ,the poor country people were like sheep in the midst of wolves1 their shepherd gone1 their fold broken down4 ,one of the measures taken by the pro-,japanese government1 which excited great feeling and probably did more than anything else to arouse protest1 because so cruelly calculated to wound the desolate and stricken king1 was a decree sent through the whole land in the king's name declaring the queen a wicked woman and degrading her to the lowest rank4 ,this they asked the king to sign and seal1 but shaken as he was1 he absolutely refused so to insult his dead consort1 and the cabinet were obliged to forge his signature1 and seal the paper themselves4 ,this act bore the stamp of the ,tai ,won ,kun1 whose insatiable hate was not satisfied with the murder of the queen1 but followed her with insults to the grave4 ,in the midst of these days of confusion and excitement1 the loyalist party1 or at least some of them1 made an attempt to rescue the king4 ,this all his friends ardently desired1 but it was very difficult to accomplish1 as his majesty was surrounded constantly by spies and guards1 whose interest as well as whose business it was to keep him under the strictest surveillance4 ,numbers of ,koreans came to my husband with various schemes for the accomplishment of the king's release1 seeking his advice and aid1 but while he was very willing to express his sympathy with their object and his disapproval of the rebel government1 he did not consent to any part in any of their projects1 partly because he did not know whom to trust1 and partly because none were such as he1 a missionary1 could take part in or support4 ,i do not doubt1 however1 that if he could have seen a way to do so1 he would gladly have sacrificed much to have assisted the king to escape to a place of safety1 where he could establish his own government without fear of the combinations formed against him4 ,the plans of the rescue party were made very secretly1 so that none of the missionaries at least knew anything of them1 though two of the leaders1 ,general ,yun and another1 were in our house till a late hour the previous night1 and perhaps to this fact was due the conviction which a number of people entertained that my husband was concerned in the loyal but unfortunate plot4 ,the enemies of the king1 however1 got wind of the plans of his friends1 and through spies and treachery ferreted it all out1 and prepared themselves fully4 ,one of the traitors1 an army officer1 who pretended to be ready to open the gates and assist the rescue party from within1 really disclosed everything to the false cabinet1 and was prepared with troops to receive and repel the loyalists4 ,on the evening set for the rescue of the king1 just before my husband's return from the palace1 where he had been all the afternoon1 he found ,dr4 ,avison1 of our mission1 here at his home1 with news that the ,koreans were preparing to attack the palace that very night1 as he had just learned from one of the party4 ,mr4 ,underwood was hardly willing to credit the idea1 sure that all his feelings and sympathies were so well understood1 he would have been informed had this been the case2 but while ,dr4 ,avison was still in the house1 the secretary of the ,american legation called1 at the request of the ,american minister1 to say that they had authoritative information of the same thing1 and as the king would no doubt be much alarmed1 and would be in great danger from the traitors1 should the attack succeed1 the ,american minister asked that ,mr4 ,underwood would spend the night near the king's person4 ,as the gate would probably be closed and admittance refused to every one1 the minister had sent his card for ,mr4 ,underwood to present in order to gain admission4 ,it was of course understood that this was only a suggestion1 and that ,mr4 ,underwood was perfectly at liberty to refuse1 but he was really glad to go1 and felt honored in being selected for this service1 so he at once consented1 and asked ,mr4 ,hulbert1 now of the government school1 to accompany him4 ,dr4 ,avison having been called for professionally1 also joined them1 and the three men met at the palace gates1 where the guard at once refused to admit them1 positive orders having been sent forbidding the entrance of any one4 ,our minister's card was shown to no apparent effect1 except that the officer on guard offered to go up to the palace with it and obtain permission4 ,this ,mr4 ,underwood knew would be futile1 for the cabinet would almost certainly refuse1 so he replied1 8,no1 ,i must be admitted at once and without delay1 ,i came at the request of the ,united ,states minister1 and if you choose to refuse his card1 and his messenger1 you must take the responsibility2 ,i shall return at once and give him your reply40 ,as an officer had been severely punished only a few days before for refusing entrance to a foreign diplomat1 who had left the palace gates in awful wrath1 the men now on guard hesitated4 8,decide1 and at once10 said ,mr4 ,underwood sternly4 ,this conquered1 and the ,americans hurried in4 ,they went directly to the king1 and making known that they had come for the night1 asked his wishes1 and were requested to wait in ,general ,dye's rooms1 close at hand1 to be ready on the first alarm to take their places near his person4 ,the three guardsmen then repaired to the general's room to await developments1 where ,mr4 ,underwood had some conversation with ,general ,dye1 and the traitorous ,korean officer1 who even then suspecting that ,mr4 ,underwood had some part in the friendly plot1 tried to entrap him and to induce him to betray himself and the others4 ,but as my husband knew nothing of the persons engaged1 or any of their plans1 and was himself quite innocent of any complicity in their scheme1 it was impossible for any information to be elicited from him4 ,suddenly at twelve o'clock the report of a gun was heard1 springing up1 he ran to the king's apartments1 followed closely by the other two4 ,a line of soldiers was drawn up1 standing shoulder to shoulder along the path1 who called 8,halt10 sharply1 as he approached2 paying no attention he ran swiftly past them1 and before they had time to realize1 or to decide what to do1 ,dr4 ,avison and ,mr4 ,hulbert had followed4 ,at the door just beyond stood a couple of officers with drawn swords crossed4 ,mr4 ,underwood struck the swords up with his revolver and rushed through1 the other two men entering immediately behind him1 just as they heard the king calling1 8,where are the foreigners1 call the foreigners40 8,here1 your majesty4 ,here we are10 replied the three men1 entering the room1 where the king grasped them by the hand1 and kept them on either side of him the whole night4 ,as for the poor half-armed party of the king's friends1 they were allowed to proceed until well within the prepared ambush1 and when they discovered the trap1 it was almost impossible to escape4 ,many were captured1 some killed1 the rest fled in all directions4 ,this of course seated more firmly in power the rebels whose position had till now been more than questionable4 ,many arrests were made1 and executions and the severest punishments meted out to those who were convicted of having dared to attempt the restoration of the king4 ,while ,mr4 ,underwood was at the palace we were having our own little drama at home4 ,a new missionary1 a tall ,westerner1 had undertaken the protection of the household1 and armed with a big six-shooter1 we doubted not1 he was more than equal to any ordinary emergency4 ,our chief source of anxiety 7as far as our home was concerned7 was the safety of the prince1 who with one attendant only1 occupied a room in an ell at the further end of the house1 distant from our apartments4 ,what if when all attention was concentrated upon the palace1 he should be carried away or murdered in our home1 by the enemies of the country6 ,we felt we were a lamentably small party of defense1 still we hoped our nervous fears were groundless4 ,just as we were about to retire1 however1 at about ten thirty1 a sharp rap came at the door of our missionary guest's room1 which opened to the garden4 ,this was evidently some stranger1 as any of our acquaintances would have come to the main entrance4 ,i was called at once1 with the added information that a ,japanese officer was waiting to see me6 ,i found a fully armed ,japanese in uniform1 who asked for the prince4 ,my suspicions were of course aroused1 especially as ,i could only conjecture how many battalions he might have concealed around the corner of the house4 ,i inquired who he was and why he came at that hour to see the prince4 ,he replied in good ,korean1 that he was his particular friend1 and gave me a name which was that of a ,korean whom ,i knew to be a friend of our guest1 adding that he had dined at our house that day1 handing me a card engraved with ,chinese characters4 ,this was palpably false1 as the friend of the prince had long hair1 done in a top-knot1 with a ,korean hat above it1 this man's hair was cut short like a ,japanese4 ,the ,korean wore white silk garments1 this man was from head to foot a ,japanese soldier4 8,this card is ,chinese1 ,i cannot read it10 ,i replied coldly4 8,you are a ,japanese officer whom ,i have never seen before1 you cannot see the prince at this hour1 you must go away and return in the morning if you have business with him40 ,the man1 however1 was very insistent on seeing the prince then1 in fact he seemed determined to take no denials1 and the more he persisted1 the more ,i became convinced that once acquainted with the prince's whereabouts in our house1 he would call up his concealed assassins and arrest or kill him4 ,with the strengthening of suspicion1 my temper rose1 and my verbs took on lower and lower endings1 until ,i finally ordered him with the most degrading terminations in the grammar1 to leave on short order4 ,all through this conversation our ,westerner1 who understood no ,korean1 had been repeating at intervals1 8,shall ,i shoot1 ,mrs4 ,underwood8 ,if you say so1 ,i'll shoot10 brandishing his big revolver in an excited way1 dangerous to all concerned4 ,so at last our visitor considering his attempt to find the prince hopeless1 reluctantly went away4 ,we felt we had won a great victory1 and covered ourselves with glory1 in thus dispersing the enemy4 ,in the meanwhile the prince1 whose door opened also in the garden1 just opposite the one where we stood1 heard the arrival1 the long conference1 the clash of a sword against the steps1 and stood guarding his chamber door1 while his attendant with drawn sword guarded that of the closet1 which happening to be locked they supposed also opened on the garden4 ,next morning1 when ,i showed the prince the card1 he recognized with high glee the name of his ,korean friend1 and shortly afterwards the individual himself appeared4 ,he had for purposes of disguise cut his hair that very day1 and had donned garments which completely changed his appearance4 ,it was owing to the success of this disguise that he had been ordered from our door with most injurious verb endings4 ,i did not apologize very abjectly1 however1 for aside from the fright he had put me in1 he had robbed me of all my glory1 and the occasion of all its romance1 and dropped it to the level of low comedy1 and while the laughter of the family was ringing in my ears1 ,i felt ,i could not forgive him4 ,the morning after the attack on the palace found ,general ,yun1 the leader and promoter1 in our sarang1 whither he had fled for shelter1 well knowing it would be worse than useless to go to his own1 or any ,korean house4 ,he inquired who had been captured1 and on learning how many there were1 remarked1 8,then ,i am a dead man10 well knowing the most merciless torture would be used to extract from the prisoners the names of all concerned1 and if his whereabouts were known1 the ,american minister would be compelled to give search warrants to the police4 ,he was an old friend of my husband1 who promised to conceal him as long as possible1 and get him out of the country soon4 ,the ,russian minister1 who espoused the king's cause as warmly as any of us1 and who had refused to recognize the new government1 was consulted1 and a plan was formed to get ,general ,yun to ,china4 ,next to our house lay that of another ,presbyterian missionary1 and adjoining that the ,russian legation1 just beyond which is a kind of diplomatic club-house1 and only a few steps further one of the smaller city gates4 ,so ,mr4 ,yun was lodged in the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,m----'s gate-quarters 7between his house and ours71 and that night ,mr4 ,underwood shaved and dressed the general and his friend in ,mr4 ,m----'s and his own clothes1 a fur cap well drawn down concealed his face4 ,mr4 ,underwood conducted the two men thus disguised through the ,russian legation1 the club grounds and then through the gates1 where they were never suspected to be other than what they looked4 ,a short distance beyond the gates chairs were in waiting4 ,mr4 ,m---- and a ,bible ,society agent met them and escorted them to ,chemulpo1 where they were met by a guard from a ,russian gunboat1 on which they were conveyed to ,chefoo1 and there transhipped1 and finally landed safe in ,shanghai1 where they were gladly received and hospitably entertained in the house of a ,m4 ,e4 missionary1 until the king was restored to power4 ,mr4 ,underwood was bitterly accused in ,japanese newspapers of having promoted1 and even led the harmless attack on the palace1 and though as he was not only absolutely innocent1 but ignorant of it1 and not one particle of evidence could be found1 he was obliged to endure a great deal of slander1 which he would not have considered worth a second thought had it not been made to reflect on his profession and the cause he lives only to forward4 ,the two facts that ,general ,yun was at our house the night before1 and that ,mr4 ,underwood1 at the request of our minister and the king1 was at the palace on the eventful night1 were used to give a show of probability to stories widely circulated1 and allowed to remain uncontradicted by those who knew the facts4 ,the conspirators having defeated the restoration party1 now carried things with a high hand indeed1 and among the other obnoxious and tyrannical sumptuary laws1 which they proclaimed as furthering 8,kaiwha10 they ordered the summary removal of all top-knots1 from the palace to the hovel1 and it was reported that even the highest personages were compelled1 in spite of useless protests1 to undergo this humiliating treatment1 and certain it is that the attempt was made to shear every sheep in the flock4 ,the explanation of what this meant must be reserved for another chapter4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,korean ,,top-,,knot4 ,,page #afg ,,chapter ,,xi ,customs ,centering around the ,top-,knot--,christians ,sacrificing their ,top-,knots--,a ,cruel ,blow--,beginning of ,christian ,work in ,koksan--,a ,pathetic ,appeal--,people ,baptize ,themselves--,hard-hearted ,cho--,the ,king's ,escape--,people ,rally around ,him--,two ,americans in the ,interior--,in the ,midst of a ,mob--,mob ,fury--,korea in the ,arms of ,russia--,celebrating the ,king's ,birthday--,patriotic ,hymns--,lord's ,prayer in ,korean4 ,many of the most revered1 common1 and firmly settled of the customs and superstitions of the people of ,korea are1 as it were1 woven1 braided1 coiled and pinned into their top-knots1 on which1 like a hairy keystone1 seem to hang1 and round which are centered society1 religion and politics4 ,the pigtail of ,china is nothing like as important1 for it is really a mark of servitude1 or was such in its origin1 a badge laid on the conquered by the conquering race4 ,but not so the top-knot1 which is many centuries old1 and which1 according to ancient histories1 pictures1 pottery and embroideries1 goes as far back as the existence of the nation4 ,when a boy becomes engaged1 or is on the point of being married1 a solemn ceremony is performed4 ,in the presence of proper witnesses1 and at the hands of proper functionaries 7among whom are astrologers or soothsayers71 the hair1 which has hitherto been parted like a girl's and worn in a long braid down the back1 is shaved from a small circular spot on the top of his head1 and the remaining long locks combed smoothly upward1 and tied very tightly over the shaved place4 ,they are then twisted and coiled into a small compact knot1 between two and three inches high and about one in diameter4 ,an amber1 coral1 silver1 or even gold or jewelled pin is usually fastened through it4 ,the ,mangan1 a band of net1 bound with ribbon1 is then fastened on round the head below the top-knot and above the ears1 holding all stray hairs neatly in place 7when a man obtains rank a small open horse-hair cap is placed over the top-knot71 and over all the hat1 which 7being also of open work1 bamboo splints1 silk or horsehair7 permits it to be seen4 ,fine new clothes are then donned1 especially a long coat1 and the boy has become a man6 ,a feast is made1 and he goes forth to call upon and be congratulated by his father's friends4 ,either on that day or the following he is married1 although1 as has been said1 some boys have their hair put up when they become engaged4 ,no matter how old one is1 without a top-knot he is never considered a man1 addressed with high endings1 or treated with respect4 ,after assuming the top-knot1 no matter how young1 he is invested with the dignities and duties of a man of the family1 takes his share in making the offerings and prayers at the ancestral shrines1 and is recognized by his ancestors' spirits as one of the family who is to do them honor1 and whom they are to protect and bless4 ,and right here1 to digress a little1 it is interesting to note that so intimately is this custom concerned with their religion that many of the ,christian converts are now cutting off their top-knots when they become converted1 regarding that as the one step 7after destroying their idols7 which most effectually cuts off the old life and its superstitions1 and marks them as having come out from their family and acquaintances as men set apart4 ,they have begun doing this quite of their own accord1 with no suggestion from the missionaries1 and in some cases in opposition to the advice of some of us1 who dislike to see them laying aside old customs needlessly4 ,but it is growing more and more general among new believers to sacrifice this dear object of pride and veneration1 and one young fellow told my husband it was impossible to break away from his old evil associates until he cut his hair4 ,they then believed he was in earnest and let him alone4 ,but it costs much1 and in these cases is done quite voluntarily1 not in forced obedience to the mandates of conquerors and traitors1 which is a very different matter4 ,again1 far down in the social scale1 lower than the boy with the pigtail1 whom every one snubs1 ranking next to the despised butcher1 who daily defiles his hands with blood and gore1 and with the touch of dead bodies1 is the ,buddhist priest who wears his hair shaved1 a creature so low1 that he was not at that time allowed to defile the capital city by entering its gates4 ,to this grade were all the sons of ,korea now to be reduced4 ,tender associations of early manhood1 honored family traditions1 ghostly superstition1 the anger and disgust of ancestral spirits1 the iron grip of long custom1 the loathing of the effeminate1 sensual and despised ,buddhist priests1 all forbade this desecration4 ,their pride1 self-respect and dignity were all assailed and crushed under foot4 ,sullen angry faces were seen everywhere1 sounds of wailing and woe were heard continually in every house1 for the women took it even harder than the men4 ,farmers and carriers of food and fuel refused to bring their produce to market1 for guards stood at the gates1 and cut off with their swords every top-knot as it came through4 ,men were stationed also in all the principal streets1 cutting off every top-knot that passed1 and all public officials and soldiers were at once shaved4 ,there was a voice heard1 lamentation and mourning and great weeping4 ,it was a cruel blow at personal liberty1 which ,anglo-,saxons would die rather than suffer1 and which the helplessness of this weak nation made the more pitiful and inexcusable4 ,it was struck shrewdly too1 at one of the specially distinguishing marks of ,koreans1 setting them apart from ,japanese and ,chinese1 designed1 we could not help thinking1 as one of the first and important parts of a scheme to blot out ,korea's national identity1 and merge her into one with ,japan2 but if this was the intention1 never was anything more mistakenly planned4 ,it was hotly resented to the very heart of the country1 and added still deeper dye and bitter flavor to the long-nourished hatred ,koreans felt for their ancient conqueror and foe4 ,as for us 7some of us71 we put ourselves in the ,korean's place1 recalled our national experience and harbored numbers of ,koreans on our place1 protecting them from the knife as long as possible4 ,the cup of iniquity was nearly full4 ,the queen1 looked upon as the mother of her people1 had been murdered1 the king virtually imprisoned1 the country ruled by the dictum of conspirators and tools of her conquerors1 and now this last blow at every family in the nation was too much4 ,a deep spirit of anger and revolt stirred the whole country2 yet they had no leaders1 no arms1 no organization and knew not what to do1 a poor down-trodden simple folk1 who knew not on whom to lean for help1 and who had not learned to cry to him who hears1 defends and takes up the cause of the poor and needy4 ,bands of ,tonghaks again ranged the country1 insurrections broke out in various localities1 some of the shaved magistrates who went to the country were sent back by the mobs1 who refused to receive them as rulers1 some were actually killed1 and the magistracies destroyed1 the soldiers were powerless to subdue the disturbances1 and things seemed to be growing from bad to worse4 ,marines were ordered to the legations from ,chemulpo 7where there were many foreign gunboats and war vessels71 and no one knew what next to expect1 when suddenly an entire change in the whole situation took place4 ,but now ,i must return for a while to other matters4 ,in the district of ,koksan1 in northern ,whang ,hai ,do 7,yellow ,sea ,province71 about two hundred miles north from ,seoul1 a very interesting ,christian work had started1 as so much of our work has1 through ,god's own direct dealings with the people1 by his word and ,spirit4 ,a man from that place having come up to ,seoul on business1 and receiving some small kindness from ,mr4 ,underwood1 which he desired to acknowledge1 felt that he could do nothing more delicately complimentary and grateful than to make a show of interest in his 8doctrine10 and so bought four gospels in ,chinese1 which he took home in his pack1 and forthwith shelved unread4 ,here they remained for months1 ,i am not sure how long4 ,finally one day1 a friend noticed them1 took them down1 all grimy with dust1 and asked what they were and whence they came4 ,the owner replied that he had never read them1 but that they were books containing a new doctrine taught by foreigners in ,seoul4 ,dr4 ,cho's curiosity was aroused1 he borrowed1 took them home and fell to reading with more and more avidity the further he proceeded4 ,i would not give up the priceless heritage of ,christian ancestry1 the struggles1 prayers and victories of godly forefathers1 and all that ,christian training from one generation to another for centuries means1 but yet ,i would give much to have been able once to read the four gospels as that heathen read them1 with no preconceived opinions1 no discolorations of red1 green or even blue theological glasses1 no criticisms or commentaries of 8,worldly ,wisemen10 or bigoted fanatics1 reading their own ideas between the lines1 but with an absolutely unbiased mind so as to be able to receive that wonderful revelation as a sweet glad surprise2 sentence after sentence1 truth after truth blooming into sudden glory1 where the darkness of ignorance had reigned4 ,one almost envies that heathen his compensations4 ,he received the word with joy1 wondered and adored4 ,here was a man well read in the philosophical teachings1 the empty husks of ,confucianism and ,buddhism1 but who had never heard one word from any ,christian teacher4 ,here was a mind free from prejudice1 and this was the result of contact with ,god's ,word4 ,he believed and accepted it for ,god's truth with all his heart1 and gave himself unreservedly to ,christ1 turning completely away from his old superstitions and systems of philosophy4 ,quickly the good news spread1 not more from his glad telling of his new-found joy than from the wonderful change in the man himself4 ,others also soon believed1 and an appeal was sent to ,seoul for some one to come and teach them more1 lest something should remain misunderstood1 or unfulfilled of their dear ,lord's commands4 ,but in ,seoul1 and elsewhere1 workers were few1 hands were reaching out from all directions for help1 the ,macedonian cry was ringing pathetically from many quarters1 the harvest great1 the laborers few4 ,the ,bible must be translated1 work already started must be cared for and watched1 in a word1 there was no one who could go4 ,again and again came that call1 and at last a letter which brought tears to our eyes4 8,why10 said they1 8will no one come to help us1 is no one willing to teach us1 have we so far sunk in sin that ,god will not allow us to have salvation80 ,mr4 ,underwood started almost at once1 with ,dr4 ,avison1 about one month after the promulgation of the laws for cutting the top-knots4 ,the excitement had somewhat abated in the city1 and the call from ,koksan admitted of no delay4 ,making short stops along the road for medical and evangelistic work1 going on foot1 they reached ,koksan about three weeks after leaving ,seoul4 ,illustration3 ,,russian ,,legation ,,house4 ,,page #agd ,illustration3 ,,independence ,,arch4 ,,page #ch ,they found a little company of earnest simple-hearted believers1 who had thrown away their idols1 ceased their ancestor worship1 and were in all things1 as far as they knew1 obeying the ,lord4 ,but 8the washing rite10 as baptism was translated1 puzzled them4 8,he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved40 ,what then was this8 ,they pondered and studied4 ,god showed them it was in some way a sign of washing from sin1 and when after long waiting1 no teacher came1 they agreed that each going to his own home should wash himself in the name of the ,father1 the ,son and the ,holy ,ghost1 praying for himself and his brethren1 that if in anything they had sinned in this rite1 ,god would forgive them4 ,and so the missionaries found them1 and though for the sake of due order they were baptized in the prescribed way1 it was felt that in ,god's sight it had already been done4 ,when for the first time they all sat down to commemorate the ,lord's death in the service of bread and wine1 there was not a dry eye in the room4 ,tears streamed from the face of ,dr4 ,cho1 and later one of his neighbors said1 when speaking in an experience meeting1 8,old ,cho1 known as #8hard-hearted ,cho1' who as a boy never uttered a cry when his father flogged him1 who never wept when he laid his aged mother in the grave1 whose eyes never moistened when his beloved wife died1 or when he buried his eldest son1 on whose cheek man never saw a tear1 ,cho weeps4 ,what miracle has brought tears to his eyes80 ,while ,dr4 ,avison and ,mr4 ,underwood were in ,koksan1 wondering and worshiping over the proofs of how ,god blesses his word1 applied to simple hearts1 startling things were taking place in ,seoul4 ,the king1 who had now been four months helpless in the hands of his enemies1 suddenly made good his escape to the ,russian legation6 ,the story1 as we heard it from one near the king1 was as follows3 ,wearied and sick at heart of affairs of state1 his majesty retired to the women's apartments1 where he spent his entire time1 escaping thus to some extent the detestable espionage of his enemies1 who delegated two elderly women1 one the wife of the ,tai ,won ,kun1 and another1 whose duty it was to watch his majesty in turn1 one by day1 the other by night4 ,their vigilance was1 however1 in some way sufficiently eluded1 so that a plan for the royal prisoner's escape was arranged with two of the palace women1 which was successfully carried out as follows3 ,on a certain birthday festival1 both of the duennas who1 as was said1 took turns1 watching and sleeping1 were invited to celebrate with the king1 and to partake of a great feast1 with plenty of wine and prolonged amusements4 ,all night the king's watchers revelled1 both falling into a heavy sleep before dawn4 ,this is the story1 but ,i like to think that as one of the women was probably the king's mother1 her heart was tender toward her unhappy son1 and that she purposely relaxed her watch4 ,it would gild a little the long dark tale of all that preceded to find a touch of sweet human affection right here4 ,at any rate1 when every one in the palace was off guard1 supposing the king and crown prince asleep1 they entered a couple of women's chairs which were waiting4 ,the bearers of these chairs had been specially selected and paid with a view to their carrying two1 and thought nothing of it1 as the palace women often went out to their homes in this way4 ,so in each chair a woman sat in front of its royal occupant1 screening him from view should any one glance in4 ,the sentinels at the gate had been provided with hot refreshments and plenty of strong drink1 and were so fully occupied that the chairs with their valuable burden passed out unnoticed and unhindered4 ,they were expected at the ,russian legation1 where one hundred and sixty marines from the port had just been called up1 and there they speedily made their way1 arriving at about seven or eight in the morning of ,february #aa1 #ahif4 ,this meant the downfall of the usurpers4 ,with the king's person went all their claim to authority and power1 and it also meant that ,japanese influence in ,korean affairs was over for a time1 and that the country had been almost thrown into the arms of ,russia1 by the short-sighted policy of the minister1 who had desired to 8establish the prestige of ,japan40 ,as our compound was very close to the ,russian legation1 and fronting on the same street1 we were soon aware that something very unusual had occurred4 ,the whole road1 as far as the eye could reach1 was filled with a surging mob of soldiers1 commoners1 and the chairs and retainers of the nobility4 ,guards and sentinels were stationed every few paces along our street1 and there was a loud and almost terrifying babel of shouting voices1 in the din and confusion of which it was impossible to distinguish anything4 ,i sent at once for one or two of ,mr4 ,underwood's writers and literary helpers1 who told me that the king had arrived a short while before at the ,russian legation1 and had assumed the reins of government1 and that the army1 officials and people were rallying around him1 each anxious to precede the other in protestations of loyalty and devotion4 ,then ,i thought rather busily for a few seconds4 ,my first reflection of course was1 8,how will this affect the absent missionaries80 ,how would it affect ,japanese 7now distrusted7 and through them all foreigners in the interior8 ,would the people in the country not be likely to wreak the vessels of their wrath upon them1 and would they discriminate between them and others wearing similar clothing8 ,i feared not1 and that the probabilities were that ,dr4 ,avison and ,mr4 ,underwood might be in considerable danger1 as soon as the news of the king's escape1 and the fall of the pro-,japanese party became known4 ,word must then be sent1 and soon1 in order if possible to reach them before the news reached the natives4 ,i sent a letter to our very kind friend1 the ,russian minister1 with a message to his majesty1 inquiring whether anything could be done for the protection and safe return of the two missionaries4 ,i knew an immediate reply could hardly be expected1 such was the rush of business1 and the number of visitors and claimants on their time1 so1 to leave no means untried1 ,i called up one of the copyists1 informed him of the necessity for speed1 and had the satisfaction of seeing him start that very hour with a letter and warning message to my husband4 ,a short time after1 fearing that something might occur to detain one messenger1 ,i sent another by a different road4 ,the second man was stopped by ,tonghaks1 looking for foreigners1 who for some reason suspected him1 searched him1 ripped open his clothes1 where they found my letter 7which of course they could not read71 and forced him to go back to ,seoul4 ,on the day following that on which my messengers had started1 a kind letter from the ,russian legation came1 saying that the king would at once send a guard to ,koksan to bring back the two ,americans1 and at about the same time1 a wealthy nobleman in ,songdo1 a friend of both1 and brother-in-law of ,general ,yun1 knowing where they were1 and fearing for them1 also sent a special posse of men to see them safely home4 ,having done all that ,i could1 the most difficult of all tasks1 that of waiting1 remained1 but ,i remembered that ,i had a sister in the same situation1 only that she probably was not quite as well informed as myself of the exact state of affairs1 and did not know that any word had been sent to our husbands4 ,the street running in front of our house was packed with excited people1 but ,i decided to make my way through them in my chair and go down to ,mrs4 ,avison1 where she was living at a long distance from the rest of us1 and try to set her mind at rest by telling her what measures had been taken for the safety of the absentees1 and of what was happening at our end of the town4 ,i soon passed the crowd in our neighborhood1 who were in no way concerned with me1 and in a little while reached the great street1 which runs toward the palace1 and crosses that on which the hospital and ,dr4 ,avison's home stood4 ,as we reached the corner1 ,i saw a great mob of the roughest and wildest looking men1 with flushed faces and dishevelled hair4 ,they came tearing towards us shouting to each other1 8,the ,japanese soldiers are coming1 they are firing4 ,run1 run1 run60 ,i did not fancy the company of these gentlemen any more than their looks1 nor did ,i care to be a target for ,japanese troops1 who were supposed to be chasing them4 ,so ,i also adjured my chair coolies with some emphasis to 8run40 ,the whole mob came sweeping round the corner1 into the thoroughfare on which we were4 ,it was not a dignified or desirable situation1 a ,presbyterian missionary in the midst of a wild scramble1 and with a panic-stricken crowd of roughs escaping for dear life1 from the avengers of justice1 but there was no help for it4 ,my coolies needed no urging1 they were as anxious to get away as any of us1 but they certainly deserved great credit1 that under the circumstances they did not leave me to my fate1 and try to save only themselves4 ,a few moments running brought us to the hospital gates1 where we turned in hastily1 and were safe4 ,it was not cold1 and yet ,i found myself shivering like an aspen4 ,strange6 ,mrs4 ,avison and ,i were soon laughing1 however1 over my late escapade1 and as soon as my errand was finished ,i hurried home another way1 none too soon1 for the streets were full of angry-looking men1 some of whom scowled at me1 and muttered1 8foreigner40 ,that night we learned that two of the pro-,japanese cabinet had been killed on the street and torn to pieces by the mob2 that mob which1 having finished its awful work1 accompanied me down the street that afternoon4 ,a young ,japanese was also stoned to death on the street that day4 ,in a few days ,dr4 ,avison and ,mr4 ,underwood were with us quite safe4 ,my faithful and fleet-footed messenger had taken a short cut1 and reached ,koksan in an amazingly short time4 ,the news filled our husbands with anxiety for us1 not knowing how far mob violence might go1 and they made the distance of near two hundred miles in sixty hours1 walking nearly all the way 7the pack-ponies go much too slow71 sleeping only an hour or so at night1 and eating as they walked4 ,they missed both the king's guard and the posse from ,songdo1 which had taken a different road1 but met many poor frightened natives along the road1 who knew not where to turn or to whom to look for protection1 with ,tonghaks on the one hand and pro-,japanese on the other4 ,later we heard of many sad tales of ,japanese citizens1 overtaken in the country1 who were very summarily dealt with by the exasperated people4 ,japanese troops were sent by their minister to bring back all who could be found1 and large sums were demanded from the ,korean government in payment for the lives thus sacrificed4 ,to which demand1 it has been suggested1 the reply might have been made1 8,who is to indemnify ,korea for the life of her queen80 ,thus ended for a time the unhappy reign of the ,japanese1 which1 after their victories over the ,chinese1 had seemed to begin so auspiciously1 and which1 had they been contented with a temperate and conciliating policy1 would probably have grown stronger and stronger4 ,the king remained for a year at the ,russian legation1 where he was treated with the truest courtesy1 for instead of being in any way coerced or influenced for the benefit of ,russian interests1 he was allowed the most perfect liberty and interfered with in no particular4 ,to such an extent did the true gentleman who acted as the king's host carry his scruples1 that he refused to advise his majesty in any way even when requested to do so4 ,on the occasion of the king's birthday1 which came in ,september1 it occurred to my husband that it would be a good opportunity to give the ,christians a chance to express their loyalty1 and at the same time advertise ,christianity more widely than ever before at one time4 ,the idea did not occur until a day or two before the time when we were reminded that the royal birthday was close at hand4 ,the time was short1 but permission was obtained to use a large government building near the ,independence ,arch1 which would hold over one thousand people1 and advertised widely that a meeting of prayer and praise would be held there by the ,christians to celebrate the king's birthday4 ,a platform was erected1 the building draped with flags1 and speakers obtained1 among whom were members of the cabinet1 several gifted ,koreans1 and foreign missionaries4 ,he sat up all night preparing tracts1 of which thousands were printed at the ,m4 ,e4 ,mission ,press for that special occasion1 and also a hymn1 to be set to the tune 8,america40 ,i4 ,for my dear country's weal1 ,o ,god to ,thee ,i pray1 ,graciously hear4 ,without ,thy mighty aid ,our land will low be laid4 ,strengthen ,thou this dear land1 ,most gracious ,lord4 ,,ii4 ,long may our great king live1 ,this is our prayer to-day ,with one accord4 ,his precious body guard1 ,keep it from every ill4 ,heavenly ,lord and ,king1 ,grant him ,thy grace4 ,,iii4 ,by ,thy almighty power1 ,our royal emperor ,has been enthroned4 ,thy ,holy ,spirit grant ,our nation never fail4 ,long live our emperor1 ,upheld by ,thee4 ,,iv4 ,for this ,thy gracious gift1 ,our independence1 ,lord1 ,bless we thy name4 ,this never ceasing be1 ,while as a people we1 ,nobles and commons all1 ,united pray4 ,v4 ,to ,thee1 the only ,lord1 ,maker and ,king ,divine1 ,we offer praise4 ,when all shall worship ,thee1 ,happy our land shall be1 ,powerful1 rich and free1 ,beneath ,thy smile4 ,early in the day ,christian men and boys were distributing copies of the tract and hymns throughout the whole city1 and long before the hour of meeting men of all classes began flocking toward that vicinity1 and when the speakers and missionaries arrived it was almost impossible to obtain access4 ,the building was soon packed with a solid mass of standing people1 and all the wide exits were thronged1 the steps and the immediate vicinity4 ,the services were opened with prayer1 addresses 7mainly religious7 were made1 hymns were sung1 and finally were closed by the ,lord's prayer1 repeated in concert4 ,it was thrilling to hear those words repeated reverently by so large a number of people4 ,i will give an interlinear translation of the prayer1 so that readers may know just what are the words used by ,korean ,christians3 ,hanalau ,kaysin oori abbachi-sin jah yeh1 ,ihrahme keruk ,our ,father1 who art in heaven1 hallowed hahsime natanah op se myh1 narahhe im haopse myh1 tutse be ,thy name4 ,thy kingdom come4 ,thy ,hanalaya-saw chirum dahaysoh deh iroyohgeita1 onal nal will be done on earth as it is in heaven4 ,give oori ai gay il young hal yang sik eul1 choo apsego1 oori ga us this day our daily bread4 ,and oorigay teuk chay han charal1 sah hayah choonan kot forgive us our debts as katchi1 oori chayral1 sah hayah chu up se myh4 ,oori ga we forgive our debtors1 and lead seeheumay teul jee mal kay hah up seego1 tahman1 ooriral1 us not into temptation1 but heung ak ay saw1 ku ha ap soh soh4 ,tai kay1 nara wha1 deliver us from evil1 for ,thine quansay wha1 eing guanqhi1 choo kay1 eng wani it is the kingdom1 and the power1 and the glory1 sa-ap-nay-ita ,amen4 for ever4 ,amen4 ,,chapter ,,xii ,a ,korean ,christian ,starts ,work in ,haing ,ju--,changed ,lives of ,believers--,a ,reformed ,saloon-keeper--,the ,conversion of a ,sorceress--,best of ,friends--,a ,pleasant ,night on the ,water--,evidence of ,christian ,living--,our ,visit in ,sorai--,a ,korean ,woman's ,work--,how a ,kang ,acts at ,times--,applicants for ,baptism--,two ,tonghaks--,in a ,strait betwixt ,two--,midnight ,alarms--,miss ,jacobson's ,death4 ,in the late fall of the same year ,mr4 ,underwood and ,i started again on a trip to the interior1 the first we had made together since our wedding journey1 but now we were accompanied by our child1 six years old1 and a native woman1 who acted as cook1 nurse and general assistant4 ,she rode in a native 8pokyo0 or chair with the child1 ,i in another1 while ,mr4 ,underwood walked or rode his bicycle1 as opportunity permitted4 ,our first destination was ,haing ,ju1 a dirty little fishing village on the river1 about ten miles from the capital4 ,work had started here just after the cholera in the fall of #ahie through the teaching of a native named ,shin ,wha ,suni1 a poor fellow who had1 according to his own confession1 been hanging around us for some time1 pretending to be interested in ,christianity1 in the hope of getting some lucrative employment in connection with church work4 ,after the cholera hospital was opened1 he was there on several occasions1 and was much surprised to find that foreign women would spend whole nights nursing sick ,korean coolies4 ,when he chanced to see one weeping over a poor man1 whom all her efforts had failed to save1 he went away astonished and impressed with the idea that 8there is something in that religion that makes them love us like that1 something that forgets self1 something that ,i have never dreamed of before1 something mysterious1 glorious1 oh1 that it were mine60 ,he hungered and ,god fed him4 ,he sought and found the ,saviour1 and when he had found him1 he set forth at once to tell the good news to others4 ,taking a jikay1 the frame which ,koreans wear on their backs to facilitate the carrying of heavy loads1 and which all native carriers use1 he started forth to the country to earn his living in this humble way while chandohaoing or 8passing on the ,word40 ,he went as far as ,haing ,ju1 and there on the sand of the river bank he talked to scoffing people all day4 ,at night1 when it was dark1 one of the men who had seemed to treat his message lightly1 came and asked him to come to his house and talk the matter over at more length4 ,he went1 and soon another believer was gained4 8,oh1 it was good1 the taste of a soul saved10 said the new preacher4 8,now it seemed to me ,i could never be satisfied with anything else2 could never rest until ,i had more40 ,the man who had been converted offered the use of his house as a preaching place4 ,the men gathered in one room1 the women in another1 and ,shin read the gospels and the tracts and taught them the catechism and hymns4 ,the number of ,christians grew from week to week1 and the little meeting place became too small and had to be enlarged4 ,the whole tone of the village gradually changed1 and from being known as one of the hardest and most disreputable places on the river1 it now became a model of decency and respectability4 ,testimony to this effect was offered by some farmers1 who appeared one day in my husband's study and asked him if he had anything to do with the ,christians in ,haing ,ju4 ,he replied in the affirmative1 half afraid the people had come with some charge against them4 8,well10 the strangers said1 8we should like to buy the books which teach the doctrine they are practicing there1 we want to learn that doctrine in our village too40 ,their village1 ,sam ,oui1 was not quite three miles away1 and in former times they had been much troubled by the brawls and bad character of ,haing ,ju4 ,their vegetables had been stolen from the fields1 their fruit and chestnuts from the trees1 8but now10 said they1 8the people not only do not climb the trees for the nuts1 but the boys leave those on the ground untouched40 ,here was power in a faith which kept hungry boys from carrying off even nuts lying temptingly in reach4 ,this was something the like of which they had never seen or heard2 they had been taught not to steal1 especially if likely to be discovered1 but a power that could prevent men and boys from wishing to steal was miraculous4 ,one of the saloon-keepers of ,haing ,ju1 a man whose only source of livelihood was in this trade1 became thoroughly converted1 and at once realized that he could no longer sell drink to his neighbors1 nor could he conscientiously dispose of his stock in trade at wholesale to other dealers1 so he emptied it all on the street4 ,he was able to obtain a little work now and then1 but he was not strong enough for coolie labor4 ,he had no trade and no farm1 and at times his need was great1 and often the family were on the verge of starvation1 but the man's faith never failed1 he never gave up his hold on ,god4 ,finally sickness attacked him1 he became very lame1 and hearing of the hospital in ,seoul1 managed to be conveyed thither1 and while there we heard his story1 and as ,i needed just then a caretaker for my dispensary1 we engaged him and his wife to live on the place and do the light work necessary4 ,his leg did not improve much at the hospital1 nor did the doctor give him much hope1 but this1 too1 he made a subject of prayer and faith1 and erelong rejoiced in a complete recovery4 ,this is the character of the faith of these hardy fishermen and farmers on the river4 ,as we approached the village we were astonished to hear the strains of a ,christian hymn1 8,happy day1 happy day1 when ,jesus washed my sins away40 ,it was a band of little boys whom ,shin had been training1 and who had come out to meet us4 ,we spent two or three days in this place1 women and men crowding into the little building to every meeting4 ,mr4 ,underwood baptized thirty-eight people1 a young couple were married1 one hundred and thirteen catechumens were received1 and some babies baptized4 ,speaking of babies reminds me of a sad little incident which occurred while ,i was holding the first meeting there with the women4 ,hoping to win their interest1 knowing how many little dead babies are carried away from ,korean homes1 ,i told them of the ,saviour's love for little ones1 that he held them in his arms and caressed them when on earth1 and had said that the spirits of these little ones do always behold the face of the ,father2 so that would they only believe and give their hearts to him1 they should see their little ones again in heaven4 ,a great sob broke from one of the women who commenced passionately weeping4 ,as soon as she could speak1 she told me1 her voice broken with violent emotion1 that she had been a sorceress1 and in a moment of frenzy had dashed her only child1 a baby1 to the floor and killed it4 ,she1 a mother1 had killed her child1 and could she ever be happy again1 could ,god forgive such as she1 could she ever be permitted to see her murdered child again8 ,she feared she was too wicked4 ,all of us wept with her1 and she was told of the great mercy and pardoning love of ,god1 and found peace in ,christ4 ,mr4 ,underwood also visited ,sam ,oui1 the village which had learned of ,christ through the example of ,haing ,ju1 and baptized a handful of ,christians there1 enrolling a number of catechumens4 ,when people do not seem quite ripe for baptism1 yet have put away idolatry1 keeping the ,sabbath1 putting away concubines1 and living a life of apparent conformity with the ten commandments1 they are enrolled in this class of catechumens4 ,while ,i was engaged during the morning with the women1 the 8amah0 was charged to take care of our little boy1 but when the service was over1 as he was nowhere to be seen1 we started out to find him4 ,as we walked down the lane we saw coming toward us a row of some seven or eight boys of his age 7the dirtiest in the town1 ,i am sure71 he in the center1 an arm around one on either side1 all chatting and laughing together in the merriest mood possible4 ,how could we help laughing1 how help being half pleased1 even while horrified at what such contact might portend1 how many varieties of microbes1 not to mention other things4 ,from ,haing ,ju we took a ,korean junk down the river to ,pai ,chun4 ,we went on board at night1 and as it was bitterly cold1 we were told we must go down under the deck1 as there was absolutely no sheltered place above where we could sleep4 ,the hole to which we were relegated was not attractive4 ,there were odors of fish ages old1 the space was not high enough even to sit upright in1 and barely wide enough for ,mr4 ,underwood1 our child1 our 8amah0 and myself to lie packed side by side 7no turning or moving about7 in the stern4 ,a lantern glimmered at the other end1 it looked very far4 ,there was water there1 and perhaps rats1 and certainly great water beetles and cockroaches1 and sometimes1 hours and hours after we had been packed in that gruesome place1 a boatman came and crawled over us1 and dipped out buckets of water4 ,men were tramping back and forth over our heads all night4 ,i felt sure that some of them would come through1 and there seemed to be enough racket to indicate a storm at sea1 a collision or a fire--at times ,i was almost convinced it was all three4 ,if it had been1 we certainly could never have made our escape from the trap in which we were wedged like sardines4 ,however1 as we were merely sailing down a broad1 but not very deep river1 and could easily have neared the shore before sinking in most circumstances1 things were not so bad as they seemed1 and next morning when we emerged into the bright sunlight what had been a night fraught with awful probabilities was now simply an amusing episode4 ,all day ,sunday we sat on the deck in the sun1 singing and enjoying the brilliant atmosphere4 ,from ,pai ,chun we proceeded on foot or in chairs to ,hai ,ju1 and thence to ,sorai1 where a theological leader's class was waiting for ,mr4 ,underwood4 ,everywhere the warm-hearted welcome which awaited us was a delightful surprise to me4 ,people1 even women and children1 came out miles to meet us1 and followed us in crowds when we left1 as if they could not bear to let us go4 ,there were only a few beginnings of work in ,hai ,ju at that time4 ,it is the capital of the province and rather a demoralized town1 even in a heathen country1 full of hangers-on of government officials1 people accustomed to getting a living out of the people through fraud1 bribery1 oppression1 8squeezing0 and all sorts of political dirty work and corruption2 evil men and still more evil women spreading the cancerous disease through the little town1 until every one appears to be steeped in 8the lust of the flesh1 the lust of the eyes1 and the pride of life10 and worshipers of the god of this world4 ,illustration3 ,,korean ,,women ,,at ,,work4 ,,page #aia ,as a special day had been set for the beginning of the class in ,sorai1 and people were coming from all directions to meet us there1 we hastened on to be in time4 ,walking along the main road thither1 ,mr4 ,underwood overtook a young farmer1 with whom he opened conversation in a friendly way1 and asked if he had heard of the ,jesus religion4 8,yayso ,kyo80 8,oh1 yes10 was the reply1 8,i have heard much of it1 many people in this province do that doctrine1 it is very good40 8,do you believe also80 said my husband4 8,oh1 no1 ,i cannot be a believer10 replied the man4 8,these ,christians spend their time and money doing good to others1 ,i must do for myself1 ,i cannot afford to practise this doctrine40 ,this was unintentional witness borne to the fair fruit of ,christianity in the man's believing friends and neighbors4 ,a little further on1 as my chair was set down to rest the coolies1 an old woman ran out of a neighboring shanty to kugung the foreigner4 ,i told her who ,i was and why ,i had come1 and asked if she knew of this doctrine4 8,oh1 yes1 it was good1 very good40 8,then why do you not believe80 8,oh1 ,i sell liquor1 that is my business4 ,i cannot do that and be a ,christian40 ,another involuntary testimony to the lives of the ,christians of ,whang ,hai1 and to the sincerity of those who had been taught that the way must be made straight and clean for the coming of the ,lord4 ,when we arrived at ,sorai ,i found the ,christian women all gathered to meet me in the house of one whom ,i had known before in ,seoul4 ,they offered refreshments of their best1 persimmons1 pears1 chestnuts and eggs1 and expressed their pleasure over our coming in the most cordial and heart-warming way4 ,most of them ,i had never seen before1 but we seemed to love each other at first sight1 for the bond in ,christ is a very strong one4 ,mr4 ,kim ,yun ,o1 the wealthy man of the village1 one who had been a great sinner but was now one of the strongest and most earnest of the leaders1 had invited us to occupy his new sarang or guest room4 ,it was quite a commodious sunny room1 and we were pleased to find it was quite new1 so we need fear few of our little enemies4 ,while ,mr4 ,underwood was holding his classes with the men in the church all day1 patients of all kinds came to me in the mornings for several hours4 ,then ,i taught the girls and boys how to sing the hymns1 for they had never known what it means to sing1 and though they made a joyful noise to the ,lord1 it was not joyful to the fleshly ear at all1 but a most awful combination of discords1 flats and sharps1 mixed up in the most hopeless confusion1 whole bunches of keys on one string1 moanings1 groanings1 sounds of woe as if all the contents of the pit had come forth before the time1 or all the evil spirits exorcised from the village had returned to spoil their praise4 ,the young people were the most hopeful to begin with1 and were soon doing remarkably well4 ,every afternoon we women had a ,bible class together4 ,most of those who came were baptized ,christians or catechumens1 though some unbelievers were always present4 ,about twenty-five crowded into ,mr4 ,kim's anpang each day4 ,it is delightful to be allowed to teach such women1 so hungry for truth1 so eager to learn1 so full of humble loving interest in every word1 with such a spirit of childlike faith4 ,mrs4 ,kim1 in whose house we were staying1 was a busy woman1 and her life was not an easy one4 ,she was small and frail1 with two children1 her husband and old mother to work for1 with one servant to help4 ,the preparation of food for her own family and many ,korean guests 7for a ,korean gentleman's guest house is always well filled at meal time7 was in itself no light matter4 ,the rice comes in very rough1 only partly husked1 and must be pounded a long while in a great wooden vessel1 with a heavy club1 larger at either end1 which is almost all that a woman can lift 7a fine exercise for athletic women's clubs74 ,water is usually brought in on the head from quite a distance1 brass bowls and spoons kept bright1 garments must be washed and smoothed1 with what pains ,i have already described1 animals cared for1 fires made4 ,but the country women work in the fields1 too1 helping to sow the cotton1 tobacco1 rice and barley4 ,when the cotton is ripe they pick and prepare it1 and only after much toil is it ready for use4 ,then they weave their own cloth and make up their own garments1 in the dark little rooms in which the women live and work4 ,they prepare and dry certain vegetables for winter's use1 and with much labor1 themselves press out the castor oil which they use in their tiny lamps4 ,in the fall they make their kimchi for the whole year4 ,timely hints dropped now and then1 and the example of a ,christian husband's care for his wife1 have done wonders among the native ,christian homes1 and much lightened the hard lot of the women4 ,of course we did our own cooking in all these little villages1 our personal entertainment adding nothing to the work of the poor house wife4 ,the people at ,sorai are extremely generous and were constantly bringing us presents of chickens1 eggs1 persimmons1 etc4 ,we were much embarrassed by all this bounty1 for we knew the people were poor and that such gifts cost a large sacrifice on their part4 ,when one's wages are not more than ten cents a day a chicken means quite a good deal of money4 ,yet we could not refuse their offerings1 for when we tried to do so they felt so hurt we found it was impossible4 ,the people already at that time were paying the running expenses of a ,christian day school1 which they had endowed1 by setting apart the income from certain fields for this purpose1 and if the crop was poor and the income insufficient1 they made it up to the required amount4 ,while here in ,sorai we had a new and rather unpleasant experience with the working of the ,korean kang1 which we thought we knew well4 ,in the midst of winter the wind suddenly turned in the wrong direction for our fires4 ,the fire being built at one side of the house and the chimney opening at the other1 we made the very chilling discovery1 that when the wind blows into the smoke vent a fire cannot be coaxed to light4 ,our room was bitterly cold1 and it is surprising how a floor1 which can become intolerably hot1 can also under the proper circumstances become so cold and damp4 ,i was obliged to wrap my rheumatic frame in furs and rugs1 while they brought in a great bowl or wharrow full of glowing charcoal fire1 with which ,i was comparatively unacquainted4 ,however1 that night the room began dancing about in the giddiest kind of way1 all grew dark--and my husband spent several hours with me in the cold night air outside our room1 in the effort to ward off successive fainting attacks4 ,when our child1 too1 complained of headache and giddiness1 we no longer questioned the cause1 and henceforth preferred pure cold air to carbon dioxide4 ,it was interesting in the cold1 sleety1 snowy weather to see how the ,christians managed to attend church1 even from long distances4 ,the women would fold up their clean skirts and put them with their shoes and stockings on their heads1 roll up their pajies or divided skirts quite high out of the reach of wet1 and with a thin cotton apron1 or no outer wrap at all over their heads and shoulders1 trudge miles through snow and mud1 facing a cutting wind4 ,quite a number of people were examined for baptism while we were there4 ,one old woman1 whose case seemed rather doubtful on account of her ignorance1 was asked what was her dearest wish4 8,that ,i may be with ,jesus always0 was the reply4 8,and how do you know you will always be with him80 8,because ,i am holding close to him now1 and will hold close all the way40 ,she had at least learned that ,jesus supplies the soul's whole need1 that to be in his felt presence is heaven1 and that to hold and be held by him is the only way to reach and be kept there4 ,surely she had the end and aim of all theology in a nutshell4 ,illustration3 ,,school ,,boys4 ,illustration3 ,,girls ,,sewing ,,and ,,writing ,,with ,,native ,,teacher4 ,,page #aia ,i will copy a few notes from my diary on the testimony given by some of the people who applied for baptism at this time4 ,no4 #ae1 ,mrs4 ,kim3 ,said her relatives and friends had all been trying to induce her to believe1 but her heart had grown harder and harder1 and she had determined she would not be a ,christian2 but suddenly one night she saw herself with awful clearness1 a great sinner1 had that moment yielded her heart1 almost involuntarily 7so irresistible was the impulse71 to ,christ1 and from that time had had perfect peace and blessedness4 ,asked if she had spoken on this subject to unbelievers1 replied in affirmative4 ,has now been trusting ,christ a year and three months4 ,this woman has done since then much devoted voluntary service for her ,master4 ,another3 ,at a time when those who wished for prayer were asked to raise their hands1 she says she raised hers1 and at that moment felt as it were a knife through her heart4 ,from that time she has felt that she belonged to ,christ1 and since then her mind has been at peace4 ,she prays regularly three times a day1 but is praying all the time in her heart4 ,while she is praying she never falls into sin1 but if through some inadvertence and lack of prayer she sins1 she asks ,god to pardon1 knowing that he will4 ,another1 ,no4 #e3 8,why do you believe80 8,because ,jesus forgave me and died for me40 8,how do you know you are forgiven80 8,because the ,bible says he will forgive all that come to him40 ,said he used to have a wicked heart and worshiped devils1 but now his heart and mind were quite changed4 ,asked what repentance is1 replied that it 8was mending one's conduct and eating a new mind40 ,asked if he had told the good news to others1 said he had1 but no one in his neighborhood yet believes4 ,he cannot read1 and asked who ,jesus is1 says he is ,god's only son4 ,asked why he died for us1 says he doesn't know4 8,do your neighbors know that you do not sacrifice any more80 8,yes40 8,do you know you cannot have a concubine80 8,yes40 8,have you suffered anything for ,christ80 8,they abuse me behind my back40 7,he was the richest and chief man of his district47 8,if you have to suffer severely what will you do80 8,i will bear it1 ,god will help me40 ,he pays the expenses of well-taught ,christians to go to his home and preach to his neighbors4 ,he comes a long distance to ,sorai to church and seems anxious about his neighbors' souls4 ,he came to the class bringing his own rice4 ,no4 #f3 ,says he trusts ,jesus because he knows he has forgiven his sins4 ,knows they are forgiven because his heart is changed1 his old covetousness is all gone1 it is now easy to do what ,jesus commands4 8,do you ever forget ,jesus80 8,how could ,i forget him8 ,how could ,i forget my ,lord80 ,another3 ,says that since spring1 when ,christ came into her heart1 all has been at peace4 ,asked1 8,who is ,jesus80 ,replies1 8,god's only son40 8,what is he to you80 8,we are brethren since we have one ,father40 8,how is ,god your ,father80 8,all believers are now his children40 8,are your sins forgiven80 8,entirely forgiven40 8,how do you know it80 8,my mind is now at peace4 ,i am entirely happy40 8,are you not sad since your husband died80 8,since after death we shall all live again at ,god's right hand ,i feel no anxiety40 8,what if difficulties should arise80 8,i don't know about the future1 but ,god takes care of me now1 and ,i think he will continue to do so4 ,i'll tell ,jesus and ask his help40 8,do you commit sins now80 8,on account of the flesh ,i cannot escape from sin1 ,i cannot say ,i do no sin40 ,her father-in-law is not a believer1 but though she lives in his house she keeps the ,sabbath and attends worship regularly4 ,no4 #cg was a ,tonghak1 rebel and robber4 ,has believed nearly two years4 8,who is ,jesus80 8,he is ,god's son40 8,what has he done for us80 8,he died on the cross1 and through his precious blood my sins are forgiven40 8,do you know this80 8,i know it40 8,how do you know it80 8,i cannot read the ,bible1 but as ,i was a criminal1 and ,jesus has made me live1 ,i know ,i am forgiven40 8,where is ,jesus80 8,at ,god's right hand40 8,anywhere else80 8,there is no place where he is not40 8,what is ,jesus doing for us80 8,i don't know1 ,i only know ,i am saved40 8,have you told others about ,jesus80 8,i am always saying1 ,here was ,i a criminal1 and ,jesus forgave me1 and saved me from punishment1 and gave me peace of mind1 how can ,i help but believe40 ,this man comes ten miles to church in all weather4 ,even when twenty miles away at work1 he would come in late ,saturday night to be at church1 stay all day1 without his food1 and go back at night over a high mountain pass4 ,he was one of two rebels1 who came to the leader and said they wanted to be followers of ,christ and be baptized4 ,the leader said that if they were sincere ,christians they must make restitution by giving themselves up to justice4 ,one of the two then went to the ,romanists1 and is now one of the most notorious of the gang of robbers and desperados under the lead of ,father ,wilhelm4 ,the other1 this applicant1 gave himself up1 was thrown into jail and condemned to death4 ,while in jail he astounded the jailers and prisoners by continually singing hymns of joy and praise4 ,the prisoners declared he was mad1 as no one could sing like that in such a case4 ,while he was in jail the king escaped to the ,russian legation1 all prisoners were set free and he was released4 ,he has been a happy1 consistent ,christian ever since4 ,another is a young man of nineteen1 has only lately begun to trust in ,christ4 ,his father is a believer1 his mother and wife are not4 ,baptism1 he says1 is a sign of faith in ,christ4 ,he thinks it would never do not to be baptized1 but insists he is saved now4 ,says he knows and feels it in his heart4 ,he has destroyed all idols1 and keeps the ,sabbath4 ,he goes over the mountain three miles to church and allows no laborers to work for him on ,sunday1 though he is obliged to pay them for the day's work as though they had4 ,he comes at his own expense to attend the class4 ,the above are given merely as a few specimens of the kind of questions and replies commonly heard at these examinations4 ,only those whose changed lives were witnessed to by leading ,christians who know them were baptized4 ,after a delightful stay with these simple-hearted ,christians1 where the world and all its evils seemed far removed1 and ,god very near1 we were obliged at the close of the class to start back to the capital4 ,our three temporarily hired coolies had forsaken us1 disliking to wait so long 7about three weeks7 without work1 and it was an impossibility to replace them in that neighborhood1 where nobody ever rides in a chair4 ,so we had to hire an ox-cart or talgoogy1 the most primitive of all possible wheeled conveyances1 and in it1 with our loads tucked in with all our mattresses1 quilts1 rugs and pillows1 was placed our little treasure1 our only child1 with the woman servant4 ,with great difficulty a man was found who consented to help my own servant carry my chair4 ,but soon an unlooked-for difficulty arose4 ,i found the ox-cart had gone by a different road from that on which ,i had come in my chair1 for the former could not cross the narrow bridges 7mere footpaths for one7 over the rivers1 but must take the fords1 far too long a distance for the chair coolies4 ,nor could the cart take the narrow paths over precipitous passes1 which the chair must follow to shorten the road for the carriers4 ,i was assured that all would be well1 the helpers and ,christians were with the child1 and was forced to submit to what could not now be helped4 ,mr4 ,underwood1 after seeing me well started1 paced at a flying rate across to the other road to see that all was well with the boy1 and then back again to the wife4 ,at about five o'clock we reached a place where the two roads meet1 but no signs of the talgoogy4 ,it was fast growing dark1 a mountain pass lay yet before us1 the road was wild and lonely1 we wished our little one was with us4 ,at length we went on to the village just beyond the pass and waited4 ,time passed1 but no tidings of the cart and its precious contents4 ,darkness fell1 the cold was bitter4 ,koreans were sent out with lanterns to light the way for the belated1 or render any needed help4 ,still no word4 ,at length ,mr4 ,underwood himself1 unable to wait longer1 went out to look for the party4 ,and now with them both in the lonely mountain1 and night upon us1 ,i had double need to trust in ,god4 ,one always knows that all will be well1 will be for the best1 but as one cannot see whether that best means ,god's rod or his staff1 the heart will flutter in dread of the pain4 ,just to wait without fear upon him1 takes a calm1 strong soul1 and a full measure of grace4 ,at last1 thank ,god1 they both came back quite unharmed1 only hungry and cold1 but the thought of tigers1 leopards and robbers1 that might have met them1 only made me realize more fully the mercy which brought them safe to my arms4 ,that night we slept in a small ,korean inn quite like all the rest1 only a little smaller and dirtier than most1 with domestic animals and fowls of all sorts quartered round us1 the paper door of our room only separating between them and us4 ,suddenly1 about two or three in the morning1 we were startled out of our sleep by the most terrific roaring1 and the sounds of a general panic in the inn2 the excited shouts of men1 women shrieking1 and such a chorus of barking1 yelping1 cackling1 squealing as cannot be described4 ,but the awful roaring1 and a stamping and hustling distinguishable above all1 made it seem probable that one or more wild animals of some sort had invaded the hostel4 ,mr4 ,underwood hastily extinguished our light1 which shining through our door1 might attract notice1 and went out to discover the cause of the uproar4 ,he soon came back1 saying that a couple of oxen1 usually so meek and tractable1 had been fighting1 had pulled themselves loose from their stalls1 and had now escaped1 one chasing the other out of the inn4 ,they are enormous creatures1 at times like this as dangerous as any wild beast1 and it was remarkable that no one in the inn was seriously hurt1 as they could hardly have escaped being1 had the oxen remained fighting in the cramped confines of that little place4 ,illustration3 ,,korean ,,street4 ,,page #ah ,illustration3 ,,horses ,,in ,,an ,,inn ,,yard4 ,,page #aih ,nothing worthy of note occurred during the remainder of our return trip1 except one night1 when camped in the tiniest and most comfortless little room1 we were again wakened by an awful roaring4 ,the sort of roar that every mother hears with a quaking heart1 and knows right well what it imports4 ,she knows it comes from a wild beast in her child's throat1 and jumps to the rescue4 ,croup in a hut with paper doors and windows full of cracks and holes1 where the wind steals in on all sides1 many miles from home1 is not too easily defied4 ,but we soon had a wharrow fire and hot water1 a croupy child's mother always has ipecac and flannels close at hand1 and while we changed hot applications for an hour or so1 we were forced to draw on our benumbed inventive faculties for novel stories to interest the half-suffocated child4 ,the following day we were obliged to continue our journey1 for exposure and discomfort there exceeded what must be met on the road1 but the child1 usually slow in rallying from those attacks1 on this occasion made an especially quick and favorable recovery4 ,in ,april of this year1 #ahif1 ,dr4 ,j4 ,mc,leavy ,brown1 of the ,english ,custom's ,service1 was placed in charge of the nation's finance by a royal decree1 a post which he continued to fill for a long time to the benefit of all concerned1 except the squeezing officials1 who1 now that their opportunities in that line were curtailed1 proceeded to squeal lustily instead4 ,in the summer of #ahif1 ,miss ,jacobson1 an enthusiastic young missionary nurse1 who had learned the language with wonderful quickness1 and won the hearts of ,koreans on all sides1 was very ill with dysentery for several weeks4 ,she recovered apparently and returned to her work1 but was soon attacked by violent fever1 which refused to yield to the usual remedies1 until at length the existence of a local organic disease was developed1 which in spite of every effort carried our dear sister away4 ,but her deathbed was a place of rejoicing rather than mourning4 ,more than one exclaimed it was good to be there4 ,bitterly as we knew we should feel the loss of so helpful and sympathetic a sister later1 we could but enter into her joy at that hour4 ,her bedroom seemed like the ante-room to the throne-room itself4 ,her face was wreathed in smiles1 and a look of unearthly glory lay upon it4 ,her words were all of joy and hope1 and full of the rapture the realized presence of the ,lord only can give4 ,we felt we had no right to make place for selfish mourning there1 she was so manifestly happy1 and to depart was so far1 far better4 ,when her remains were taken to the cemetery1 now becoming rich with much precious dust1 her casket was carried on the shoulders of the native ,christians1 who sang joyful songs of the better land all the way4 ,it was like the return of a conqueror1 and the country people1 as they saw and heard1 asked what kind of death or funeral was this1 all triumph and joy8 ,where were the signs and sounds of despair that follow a heathen corpse8 ,to carry a dead body is looked upon as very degrading4 ,so the fact that the native ,christians insisted on doing this1 and would not allow hired bearers to touch the dear form1 showed how they all loved and honored ,miss ,jacobson2 and ,i have told it to show the kind of feeling which exists between the people and their foreign teachers1 as well as to lay a little tribute to the memory of a noble and devoted fellow-worker4 ,,chapter ,,xiii ,our ,mission to ,japan--,spies--,one ,korean ,summer--,the ,queen's ,funeral--,the ,procession--,the ,burial by ,starlight--,the ,independents--,the ,pusaings--,the ,independents ,crushed4 ,in the following spring ,mr4 ,underwood was asked to go to ,japan1 with instructions to assist his highness1 the second prince1 to leave for ,america4 ,it was thought best that he should there1 under ,christian tutors1 prepare for college1 or a military training1 and my husband1 realizing of what immense importance this plan well carried out might be to ,korea in the future1 gladly consented to accept the mission4 ,all arrangements were made by the government in ,seoul1 and ,mr4 ,underwood was instructed exactly as to the wishes of his majesty4 ,to our combined amusement and indignation1 we soon discovered we were followed everywhere by spies from the day we left home4 ,mr4 ,underwood's letters to gentlemen in ,tokyo1 although mailed with care and secrecy1 were read by others before they reached the hands of those to whom they were addressed4 ,we were shadowed everywhere1 and even had the creepy pleasure of knowing that a detective slept on the landing just below our room4 ,thus for the second time in our lives were we honored by being made the special objects of espial1 connected in the respectable mind with criminal courts1 jails and all sorts of ill odors and combinations of the unutterable4 ,however1 as we had nothing on our consciences1 ,i believe we rather enjoyed our detectives1 aside from a slight indignant sense of insult4 ,we certainly took a mischievous pleasure in the hunt4 ,there were undoubtedly those who considered it to their interest to keep the prince in ,japan1 but when the king's commands were fully understood1 no further difficulty was made1 and the long-desired end was gained1 as far as a departure for ,america was concerned1 but as through influence beyond our control1 and without our knowledge till later1 a ,romanist interpreter was sent with him1 the plans and hopes for his royal highness in ,america were destined to disappointment4 ,in the following summer sickness entered our home1 a debilitating fever which would not yield to treatment kept my husband week after week confined to his bed4 ,his strength of course steadily failed1 he became extremely emaciated and unable to retain nourishment in any form4 ,we were at the river ,han1 in a house on a bluff1 where we usually spend the hot and rainy season2 but it was several miles distant from the city1 advisers and remedies4 ,it was lonely work1 not knowing what turn the disease might take1 with friends and helpers so far away4 ,at length1 one night my trials seemed to reach a climax4 ,the rain poured down1 more like a foe with iron blows besieging a fort than water from the clouds4 ,the wind blew with almost hurricane fury and the lightning was constantly accompanied by terrific claps of thunder4 ,my husband was too ill to notice and in a heavy stupor4 ,soon1 however1 the poor thatched roof began leaking like a sieve1 while water flowed in around the window and door casements4 ,the invalid lay in a heavy bed1 extremely difficult at any time to move1 still more so with his weight and the necessity of moving it as gently as possible4 ,our cousin1 a lady of no great size or strength1 and ,i managed by exerting all our combined force to shove the lumbering piece of furniture to a place where water did not drip on it and the invalid2 and then ran to find pieces of sacking1 bath towels1 sheets1 waterproofs1 etc41 to soak up the flood that was constantly pouring in everywhere and dripping through from the second floor to the first4 ,the kitchen was almost emptied of utensils1 which were placed under the waterfalls all over the house4 ,while every now and then my husband's bed must be pushed or dragged to a new place4 ,the frail house rocked as if it must surely fall before the fury of the storm4 ,it was one of those occasions which probably every one experiences1 once or twice in a lifetime1 when inanimate nature seems to join with untoward circumstance1 and even ,god himself seems to have hidden his face1 and all the seen and unseen powers of the universe to have combined against body and soul4 ,but he who has drunk the very dregs of every bitterness we ever taste never forsakes us no matter how dark things look1 and ,i knew on that awful night we were not as desolate as we seemed4 ,in the morning ,dr4 ,avison came out from the city and kindly invited me to have ,mr4 ,underwood taken there to his home1 which was on a hill with plenty of breeze1 and where ,i should have advice and medicines close at hand4 ,so our sick man1 placed on a long cane chair with poles attached to each side1 covered with waterproofs1 blankets and umbrellas1 and carried by eight coolies1 was taken back to ,seoul4 ,not more than a week later our little one was stricken with the same fever4 ,both father and child were desperately sick for another fortnight1 but both were spared1 and after weeks of prostration moved about like pale skeletons1 whom nobody found it easy to recognize4 ,about this time a great deal of uneasiness was beginning to be felt among certain classes over the king's long stay in a foreign legation1 especially by all pro-,japanese1 and in ,october1 #ahif1 the king was formally requested by a ,council of ,state to change his residence4 ,in the following ,february1 at about the time when ,mr4 ,waeber was leaving the country and another ,russian representative coming to take his place1 the royal household was removed to the ,chong ,dong palace1 near the ,english consulate and ,american legation4 ,russian officers were in charge of all ,korean troops1 and ,russian influence predominant4 ,in ,october of #ahig the king assumed the title of emperor1 and immediately after the dead queen's rank was raised to that of empress4 ,in the following ,november1 her imperial highness' funeral took place4 ,it is common among people of high rank to keep the honored remains embalmed and sealed for months1 or even years1 until a suitable time and place for burial has been pronounced by soothsayers1 and so two years after decease1 after repeated consultations with these costly and ghostly advisers1 who repeatedly changed their directions1 a grave site was finally decided upon and prepared and a day set4 ,two weeks before this1 daily sacrifices were offered in ,kyeng-won palace1 and on the first and fifteenth of each month since her death special sacrifices had been offered4 ,all court officials wore heavy mourning and all citizens wore half mourning4 ,the grounds selected for the grave site were about three or four miles from the east gate outside the city1 and many acres in extent4 ,money flowed like water1 and no pains or expense were spared to make the service and everything connected with it as magnificent and stately as the queen's rank and the king's devotion to her memory required4 ,the grave was prepared of solid masonry at the summit of a mound fifty feet high1 a costly temple for the temporary shelter of the remains1 where the last rites were to be performed1 was erected near its foot1 and a number of other buildings were put up for the accommodation of the court1 the foreign legations and other invited guests1 for the funeral was to be held at night4 ,refreshments and entertainment was provided for ,koreans and foreigners1 officials1 friends1 soldiers and servants to the number of several thousands4 ,a courteous invitation was sent from the ,foreign ,office to the legations1 inviting the private residents 7foreigners7 of ,seoul to share this hospitality4 ,the casket in a catafalque was carried from the palace at eight o'clock on the morning of the #bast of ,november1 attended by five thousand soldiers1 four thousand lantern bearers1 six hundred and fifty police1 and civil and military dignitaries of innumerable grades4 ,the scene was one of extreme and varied interest4 ,thousands of people crowded the streets1 arches were erected over the road at intervals4 ,there were numberless scrolls recounting the queen's virtues1 magnificent silk banners1 beautiful small chairs1 wooden horses 7for use in the spirit world71 which1 with all the varied accoutrements of ancient and modern arms1 and the immense variety in the dress and livery of court and other officials1 retainers1 menials1 chair coolies and mapoos1 made a scene quite beyond description4 ,the emperor and crown prince did not follow the bier until one o'clock in the afternoon4 ,his majesty had sent us a special invitation to be present and go in the procession1 but we preferred to go quietly later1 as humble private mourners for a loved and deeply lamented friend1 in a spirit which had nothing in common with the brilliant procession4 ,when we arrived at nearly eight o'clock in the evening1 we found the extensive grounds lighted by red and yellow 7the royal and imperial colors7 native lanterns1 not two feet apart1 in double rows1 along a winding and circling road for a distance of three miles4 ,brilliant banners streamed forth on the air1 and here and there all over the field were brightly blazing fires of fagots1 where groups of soldiers stood warming themselves1 for it was bitterly cold4 ,it was a starlit night of crystal1 sparkling clearness4 ,there is much that is fitting in this custom of holding funerals in these calm and holy hours of night1 when things of time and sense dwindle and look insignificant1 when the world's bustle is all hushed1 when the unsympathetic glare of happy day is veiled1 and only the soothing balm of the quiet and darkness in harmony with the sorrow-stricken heart is to be felt4 ,in that hour the divine presence seems to be most imminent1 or more fully realized1 and eternity and the spirit world close around us4 ,after six sets of prayers and sacrifices1 and a final ceremony of farewell1 the remains were to be interred4 ,at three o'clock ,a4,m4 everything was in readiness4 ,a beautiful yellow silk imperial carrying-chair1 for the use of the royal spirit1 was first taken up the hill in great state1 by the appointed bearers4 ,then followed another of green silk1 and lastly the royal casket on its bier4 ,long ropes were attached to the latter1 held by men standing as closely as possible to each other1 along the whole length1 in order to insure the greatest steadiness4 ,in addition1 of course1 were the regular bearers1 while one stood on the front of the bier directing and guiding all4 ,everything was done with beautiful precision1 there was not a misstep nor a jar4 ,it is said that on such occasions a bowl filled to the brim with water is placed on the bier1 and if a drop overflows severe punishment and disgrace falls upon the carriers4 ,a solemn and stately procession of soldiers and retainers1 bearing banners and lanterns of alternate red and yellow1 accompanied and followed the casket1 marching in double file on either side and in close ranks1 all uttering in unison a low and measured wailing as they advanced4 ,thus all that remained of our brilliant queen was carried to its rest4 ,nothing could be more impressive1 solemn and beautiful than this procession1 circling up the hill1 beneath the clear faithful watch of the stars and the fathomless depths of limitless space1 in that dark hour just before day4 ,after the bier followed the king and prince1 who personally superintended the lowering of the precious remains into the tomb1 even entering the crypt to see that the casket was well rolled back under the great block of granite which covered it4 ,sacrifices and prayers were again offered1 the gigantic wooden horses were burned1 and the mourners retired4 ,an audience given to all the diplomats and invited guests1 for the expression of farewells and condolences1 ended the ceremonies at about eight o'clock in the morning4 ,for some time before and after the removal of the king to his own palace in ,chong ,dong1 a growing feeling of anxiety and distrust was felt over the preponderance of ,russian influence1 which found expression in the formal request made to the king to leave the legation4 ,while his majesty was still residing there1 and before the uneasiness with regard to ,russia had arisen1 the 8,independent ,club0 had been organized by ,mr4 ,so ,jay ,peel1 with the consent of the king1 to emphasize ,korea's independence of ,china4 ,the old columns1 where tribute collectors from that nation were received1 were pulled down and a new ,independence ,arch erected1 as well as a large building for the official business of the club1 called ,independence ,hall4 ,the crown prince contributed a thousand dollars for this purpose4 ,the club was immensely popular with all classes and many of the nobility as well as the commoners were members4 ,but the real object of the club was to keep ,korea independent of all foreign powers in general1 and of ,russia and ,japan1 as well as ,china1 in particular2 to protest against1 and prevent1 if possible1 the usurpation of office and influence by foreigners1 to stand for the rights of the people1 the autonomy of the nation1 its gospel being in a word1 8,korea for the ,koreans40 ,so that now1 when the menace seemed to shift its quarters from the west to the north1 the ,independence ,club began to make itself heard against ,russia4 ,a word with regard to one or two of its leaders may be of interest4 ,mr4 ,so ,jay ,peel had previously belonged to the progressive party1 and had been obliged to flee to ,japan1 where after a short residence he went to ,america4 ,he was of very high rank and a wealthy family1 but his property having been confiscated he worked his own way1 graduating from a first-class college with highest honors4 ,then taking a civil service examination1 he had become an ,american citizen4 ,he obtained a government position1 which gave him light work with sufficient salary to enable him to take a course in medicine1 after which he received a very fine government medical appointment1 on a competitive examination4 ,but his heart turned to his country1 and after the ,japanese war and the establishment of ,japanese prestige1 he returned to ,korea1 where he became adviser to the king1 and soon after started a newspaper called the 8,independent10 which was printed half in ,english and half in the native character4 ,mr4 ,so proved himself a gifted1 brilliant and eloquent man1 full of enthusiastic devotion to the emancipation and welfare of his country1 perhaps too impatient and precipitate in trying to hasten the accomplishment of these great ends1 a fault common with young and ardent patriots4 ,mr4 ,so was the first president of the club1 and was succeeded by ,mr4 ,yun ,chee ,ho1 a son of ,general ,yun1 who had led the attack on the palace for the rescue of the king4 ,like ,mr4 ,so1 he had been for some years away from ,korea1 having been educated partly in ,china in an ,american ,methodist ,mission school1 and partly under the same auspices in ,america4 ,both he and ,mr4 ,so are members of ,american ,protestant churches4 ,mr4 ,yun1 who1 however1 still retains his ,korean citizenship1 is also both a fine writer and speaker1 and an enthusiastic patriot and progressionist4 ,he afterwards succeeded ,mr4 ,so in the editorship of the 8,independent40 ,their following consisted quite largely of impulsive1 eager young men1 many of them ,christians1 very many of them students1 and probably included the majority of the brilliant1 energetic1 and sincerely patriotic young men of the capital4 ,as has been said1 after ,mr4 ,waeber's removal and the king's departure from the ,russian legation1 and a new ,russian minister had arrived1 ,korea became more than ever subject to ,russian influence4 ,russians swarmed in the palace1 the army and the treasury were completely in their hands1 and their absolute supremacy seemed only a question of a few brief weeks or months4 ,at this time1 ,february1 #ahih1 the ,independence ,club offered a petition to the king asking the removal of all ,russians from the army and government offices4 ,the ,russian minister requested the king to state his wish in this matter1 and soon after1 being informed in the affirmative1 the ,russians were all withdrawn for the time4 ,april #ab1 #ahih1 coincident with this1 ,port ,arthur was ceded to the ,russians by ,japan1 a fact which it was thought by many had much to do with the retirement from ,korea4 ,it is most improbable that the action of ,russia was in this case out of consideration for the preferences of ,koreans4 ,the ,independence ,club now grew more and more popular and held frequent loud and clamorous meetings1 at which public affairs were discussed with great freedom1 the wrong doings of high officials severely censured and held up to public scorn1 and unpopular laws sharply criticised and bitterly inveighed against4 ,they were full of hope and patriotism1 their aim and expectation seeming to be to have all wrongs righted1 all abuses done away with1 and ,korea remade in a day a free government and people4 ,the ,independence ,club held large mass meetings4 ,the shops were closed1 the whole population was stirred1 and even women held meetings1 incredible as it may seem4 ,as a result of which a written petition was sent to the government1 asking for seven reforms1 abolishing torture and other objectionable customs1 and granting more liberties4 ,the cabinet approved the request1 the king added six more new rules for reform1 and ,yun ,chee ,ho was made vice-president of the ,privy ,council4 ,at once another general meeting of the public was held1 and a committee appointed by them printed tens of thousands of copies of the new laws1 and distributed them everywhere4 ,among the thirteen new rules1 it was suggested and consented to that there should be established a sort of popular congress1 a law-making body1 with powers advisory 7certainly very limited71 composed of one hundred people1 fifty of whom were to be elected by the popular vote1 and fifty to be appointed by the king4 ,but now the government began to take the alarm and to realize that they had opened the sluice gates of a flood which threatened to overwhelm them4 ,the night before the first election to this body was to have taken place at ,independence ,hall1 seventeen leading members of the club were arrested4 ,it was the intention of the minister of law to put these people to death1 but the populace rose en masse1 crowded and excited meetings were held everywhere1 and so much feeling shown1 that the decision was changed1 and they were sentenced to banishment instead4 ,but the populace continued to rage4 ,large masses of people1 who1 while they did not arm themselves or resort to violence1 were angry and threatening1 gathered in front of the government offices in all public places1 demanding the release of the seventeen or that they themselves should be arrested4 ,at length1 after five days' of threatening demonstrations and angry mobs1 the seventeen were released4 ,now1 indeed1 the ,independents felt they had gained a victory1 the government had been defeated1 and the people henceforth could accomplish anything4 ,the demand for the fulfilment of the king's still unfulfilled promises of thirteen reforms was again renewed4 ,on this the officials in person presented themselves before the crowds1 commanding them to disperse and promising everything that was asked if they would do so1 as a result of which the people quietly dispersed4 ,after long and patient waiting1 without result1 no promises kept or reforms instituted1 and on the contrary1 the bad officials who had been put out of office again reinstated1 the people assembled again one month later at ,chong ,no 7the great thoroughfare7 to renew their demands4 ,the police were then called up by their chief and told to go to ,chong ,no1 and regardless of consequences draw their swords and put to death all of the unarmed multitude who would not disperse4 ,almost to a man1 the police began throwing off their official badges1 saying they were one with the people1 and absolutely refusing to obey such orders4 ,the soldiers were then called out1 large bodies of troops stationed in the main thoroughfares1 and the crowds dispersed at the point of the bayonet4 ,the ,independents then asserted it must be bad officials1 and not the king1 who were thus oppressing them1 and that their petitions could never have reached his majesty4 ,they1 therefore1 according to long-established custom with petitions for royal favors1 all convened in front of the palace4 ,thousands of men sat there quietly1 night and day1 for fourteen days waiting to be heard4 ,it was a thrilling and impressive sight4 ,there was nothing laughable about those rows of silent1 patient1 determined citizens4 ,many had their food brought to them1 some had little booths or tents where they prepared meals or slept1 while others watched and waited1 a few went away to take food1 only to return as speedily as possible4 ,the people had come to the palace to stay1 until an answer could be had from the king4 ,after the ,independents had been camped for some days thus in front of the palace1 the 8,pusaings10 or 8,peddlers ,guild10 gathered and camped in another part of the city1 with the avowed intention of attacking them4 ,the 8,pusaings0 are1 as their name indicates1 a guild of peddlers1 bound together as a secret society for mutual benefit and protection4 ,they have connections and branches all over the country1 and are sworn to render each other assistance whenever needed4 ,like the ,masons1 they have secret passwords and signs1 by which they make themselves known to each other1 and any member of this great guild meeting another1 even for the first time1 is bound to help him to the full extent of his ability4 ,in this way they soon become extremely powerful1 and feared by high and low1 rich and poor4 ,they could assemble a formidable army at short notice1 and their reputation as a ruffianly body of men has long been established4 ,during the reign of the ,tai ,won ,kun1 that crafty and astute old politician decided to make friends of this dangerous guild1 rather than antagonize them1 and accordingly granted them a number of special privileges1 one of which was the right to collect taxes of certain kinds of merchandise1 in return for which they were to be regularly organized by the government and to place themselves under the control of governors of provinces and other officials1 holding themselves ready for service at any time4 ,they wear a peculiar straw hat and a somewhat different dress from other ,koreans1 so that they are easily recognized where ever seen4 ,on the appearance of this large body of 8,pusaings0 the king sent word to the people1 in order to calm their suspicions1 that they need have no fear of the ,peddlers1 as the police should be ordered to keep them back1 and a cordon of police was therefore drawn around the petitioners4 ,at length1 however1 the 8,pusaings0 made an attack one day at an early hour in the morning1 when some of the ,independents1 who had retired during the night or had gone to their breakfast1 were away1 and the number considerably reduced4 ,the police were immediately withdrawn1 and the whole assemblage of ,independents were driven away1 and many of them seriously injured4 ,when they attempted to return the way was barricaded by soldiers1 and their enemies1 the 8,pusaings0 were being feasted with food sent out from the palace4 ,the populace then assembled in large numbers1 with the determination to drive away the ,peddlers1 which they did1 wounding and killing a few4 ,shortly after1 however1 a second battle was fought1 in which the people were forced to retreat and one of the ,independents was killed4 ,the people's party then again assembled at ,chong ,no1 when the king again sent1 promising he would give all they asked if they would disperse1 which they accordingly did once more4 ,ten days later the king called them to meet before the palace4 ,on that occasion he came out to them1 standing on a platform built for the purpose1 with his officials around him1 and the members of the foreign legations occupying a tent at one side1 and a large number of other foreigners also present4 ,this was indeed a new thing in the history of so hoary a nation for the king to come out to confer with the populace on matters of state4 ,the president of the ,independents at that time1 ,kung ,yung ,kun1 and the ex-president1 ,yun ,chee ,ho1 were called up and presented by the king with a document printed on yellow imperial paper1 in which he solemnly promised the establishment of the thirteen reforms4 ,the meeting then dispersed1 and the people waited another thirty days1 but nothing came to pass4 ,with wonderful determination and persistence1 worthy of success like the widow in our ,lord's parable1 who waited long on the unjust judge till by continual coming she wearied him and obtained her desire1 they again assembled at ,chong ,no and renewed their demands4 ,had they only possessed a ,hampton1 a ,cromwell1 a ,washington1 or a ,roland1 history might have repeated itself once more4 ,and yet perhaps it was no more the want of leaders of the right fearless stamp1 than the need of thousands of such determined dauntless1 unconquerable souls as those who stood back of ,cromwell and ,washington4 ,they1 however1 renewed their requests1 and insisted they would allow no government business to be done until the king's promises were fulfilled4 ,soldiers were sent out from time to time and dispersed them1 but they gathered again and again4 ,at length the government accused them of scheming to establish a republic and elect a president1 and bodies of soldiers and police were placed all over the city4 ,wholesale arrests were made1 little groups of even three or four were dispersed by the use of detectives and a very wide system of espionage1 meetings were prevented1 the ,independents crushed1 and their buildings and property confiscated4 ,thus1 for the time at least1 ended what looked like the beginnings of a revolution1 but the people were not ready and the time not ripe4 ,,chapter ,,xiv ,itineration ,incidents--,kaiwha--,christian ,evidences--,buying ,christian ,books instead of an ,office--,seed ,sowing--,moxa's ,boy in the ,well--,kugungers ,again--,pung ,chung--,pyeng ,yang--,the ,needs of the ,women4 ,another long trip into the interior was taken the following year1 some newly arrived missionaries from ,canada who wished to study methods and people accompanying us4 ,just before this ,mr4 ,underwood had revisited the river villages where there were ,christians under his oversight1 and found as usual a steady growth everywhere1 not that there are no drawbacks1 none who have backslidden or proved insincere1 but that such instances are marvelously rare1 and that the encouragements far exceed the discouragements1 that the little groups are steadily growing in numbers1 in enlightenment and the home life is vastly higher in tone4 ,at ,haing ,ju a commodious new chapel had been built1 a fact which the people had kept as a surprise for the missionary4 ,as usual he found new groups of believers which had sprung into life since his previous visit4 ,the beginning of one of these at ,kimpo1 as related by ,mr4 ,shin1 was very interesting4 ,mr4 ,shin said that one night as he lay asleep he thought he saw the ,moxa come up to him1 with the long walking-stick in his hand which he uses on his country trips4 ,prodding the sleeper vigorously with it1 he said1 8,come1 come1 why don't you go to work2 get up and go over there 7pointing across the river to ,kimpo7 and pass on the ,word40 ,shin woke up1 but fell asleep again1 and again the ,moxa came back and even more urgently bade him get up1 and go and carry the gospel to ,kimpo4 ,again he awoke1 and the third time fell asleep1 and dreamed as before4 ,he knew no one at ,kimpo and had no reason to think there was any more hopeful opening there than elsewhere1 but the dream impressed him so strongly1 that he felt he must go4 ,when he reached there1 he found one or two families whose interest had become awakened through some books1 and who were longing for some one to come and teach them more4 ,one man1 once a burly and notorious prize-fighter1 is now the leader among the ,christians in that vicinity1 and one of the shining lights among the river villages1 and this same ,kimpo is one of the most promising centers of work4 ,the training class1 the instruction of which was part of ,mr4 ,underwood's business in the interior that fall1 was to be held in ,hai ,ju4 ,the class was taught five hours each day1 and women who would come were met and taught by me in my room4 ,one hour after the men's class in the afternoon was given to street preaching1 our ,canadian friends1 ,dr4 ,grierson and ,mr4 ,mc,rae1 helping immensely with music and singing and in the distribution of tracts4 ,a general meeting for prayer and ,bible study was held in the class room every evening4 ,when the class had adjourned1 we proceeded to make the usual circuit of the part of the province under our care4 ,as on the river1 so here along the sea and in the mountains1 the numbers of new centers of gospel growth were amazing4 8,it springeth up he knoweth not how40 ,in one place a couple of old men1 travelling along rather weary1 sat down by the roadside and as they rested sang a hymn4 ,a farmer whose house was near1 overhearing the strange words of the song1 came and questioned1 and ere long became a believer1 with his family4 ,from this household the blessing overflowed for neighbors and friends4 ,in another case a young bride made a strong stand for ,christ in the heathen family into which she had married1 until she had won over the entire family to the same faith1 and they again had brought others4 ,these are only a couple of examples that were paralleled in many communities4 ,some of the answers of these poor half-taught people when catechised were given in a previous chapter1 another that of an old woman ,i thought significant and touching4 ,when asked where ,jesus was1 she said promptly1 8,he's right here with me all the time40 8,yes1 but where else is he80 ,confused and troubled that she could not satisfy the ,moxa1 she said1 8,i'm only a poor ignorant old woman1 ,i don't know where else he is1 but ,i know he is right here in my house all the time40 ,the devotion of the people to us1 because through our hands had come the bread of life1 was to me exceedingly affecting1 and everywhere the relation existing between the people and their ,moxas is a peculiarly close and tender one4 ,when one of the missionaries was sick for some time1 the women in the country villages through a large section held united daily prayer for her for several weeks4 ,this without her knowledge1 quite spontaneously1 and without prearrangement among the different localities4 ,the following year ,i was providentially hindered from making the trip to the country with my husband1 but in #aijj1 with ,dr4 ,whiting1 ,mr4 ,underwood and our little son1 ,i was again able to go to ,whang ,hai province4 ,we started in ,february1 and as there was now a little steamer which had begun to ply between ,hai ,ju and ,chemulpo1 we decided to profit by it1 as this would be both easier and cheaper than the old way4 ,kaiwha 7as they call progress7 had 8twessoed0 7become7 considerably since our last trip4 ,a railroad had been laid between ,seoul and ,chemulpo1 with trains traveling about fifteen miles an hour4 ,the steamers referred to are a marvel also as specimens of said kaiwha4 ,about the size of an ordinary despatch boat1 or small tug1 they are not too commodious4 ,illustration3 ,,candy ,,boy ,there are two cabins1 neither of which is high enough for tall people to stand erect in1 one of which1 with hardly room for three or four to occupy it with comfort1 is packed with the unhappy second-class passengers4 ,the other is somewhat larger1 about twelve feet long by six wide4 ,this room contains a table and six chairs1 and in it are often stowed from ten to twenty first-class passengers4 ,here one meets 8the world40 ,korean officials1 ,korean1 ,chinese or ,japanese merchants1 ,french ,romanist priests1 strolling acrobats1 singers1 dancing girls1 and ,protestant missionaries4 ,all except the latter smoke until the air will slice nicely1 and many of them indulge in native or foreign liquor till their society is almost past endurance4 ,the boat follows the river northward past the historical island of ,kangwha1 with its picturesque walls and gates1 till it flows into the sea1 an arm of which our course crosses at this point to reach the shore on which lies the little village which is the port for the city of ,hai ,ju4 ,on the day in question1 when we profited for the first by all these contrivances of kaiwha1 the ice was still in the river1 ours being only the second trip made since it began to break4 ,nothing could be seen on all sides but great blocks of ice1 much larger than our little craft1 and all in a conspiracy apparently to prevent our advance1 banging and pushing us1 now on one side and now on the other4 ,with much panting and puffing1 occasionally sustaining a pretty severe shock but quickly gaining advantage lost and shoving aside her clumsy opponents1 our boat steadily forced her passage onward and gradually gained the clear waters of the sea4 ,this trip lasted only sixteen hours1 while it would have taken three days overland4 ,we landed at half past eight on the edge of a long stretch of mud flats1 covered with slimy boulders and stones1 all of which now lay under a foot of half frozen snow1 which hid the rocks and made the going very precarious in the darkness4 ,there was only one warm room to be had and no food1 while the 8warm room0 was only a little less cold than out of doors4 ,thoroughly chilled1 tired and hungry1 and somewhat dispirited1 as hungry folks are apt to be1 we all retired to the floor1 to rest finely1 and waken in a better mind next morning1 none the worse for our seafaring4 ,at ,hai ,ju the believers gathered around us with the warmest welcome4 ,they were all mourning the loss of a beloved leader who had died a short time before4 ,we of course held meetings with them during the two days1 which were all we could spare at that time1 saw and talked with all who would come1 trying to strengthen and comfort the believers1 and promising if possible to remain longer with them on our return4 ,one poor young wife whose husband had given up ,christianity and gone back to the his old life1 and whose heathen mother-in-law was persecuting her cruelly1 excited our pity4 ,pale1 emaciated and tearful1 she came begging our advice and help4 ,from ,hai ,ju we proceeded to ,chang ,yun ,eub1 where the training class of leaders was to be held this year1 and where ,dr4 ,whiting and ,i had planned to hold a somewhat similar class for women4 ,on the way a stranger1 seeing my husband was an ,american1 asked if he knew 8a certain ',un ,moxa' 7,preacher ,underwood7 who sometimes came down that way and taught people to be good and kind to each other10 showing that he had been reading from the book of native ,christian practice4 ,all along this road1 where only a few years before there was absolute ignorance of the gospel1 we found evidences of the dawning light4 ,here and there in a wayside inn we found a ,christian book1 or a family half timidly beginning to believe4 ,everywhere they had heard of 8the doctrine10 and heard well of it4 ,everywhere there was a pleasant welcome for us and a ready ear for our story4 ,at ,chang ,yun ,eub1 quite a number of ,christian women had gathered to meet and welcome us4 ,one or two days after reaching there ,i took a ten-mile ride in a bitter wind to visit a sick woman1 which resulted in severe influenza and bronchitis1 which1 though ,i managed to fight off for five days1 at length confined me to my room and bed for three long weeks4 ,many of the women had come from five to twenty miles on foot to study with us1 so it was bitterly disappointing1 but ,dr4 ,whiting did her own part and mine1 too1 nobly4 ,nearly all the villages in that district were represented by the local leaders and pastors at ,mr4 ,underwood's class4 ,they at this time organized a missionary society1 which they themselves originated and planned in part1 before our arrival4 ,they perfected their scheme with ,mr4 ,underwood's advice4 ,taking a map of the district1 they arranged to work in couples1 and to each man was assigned four heathen villages1 each to be visited once a month1 each man pledging himself to do this work every ,sunday during the year4 ,two superintendents were appointed to oversee the general work1 advise and help these missionaries1 and report to ,mr4 ,underwood4 ,all were to go at their own expense4 ,by the time the class was over ,i was able to be carried along the road in my chair1 and only one who has been shut in for three weeks1 in a tiny room not eight feet high1 without a pane of glass in it1 quite alone most of the time1 can realize how glad ,i was to be released into the fresh1 sweet air and sunshine4 ,before leaving ,chang ,yun we bade a long farewell to one of the ,christian women1 who with a smile and the sweet words1 8,it's all grace1 it's all love10 fell gently asleep in ,jesus4 ,dr4 ,whiting1 in accordance with previous plans1 did not go with us further1 but returned to ,seoul4 ,after leaving ,chang ,yun1 our first stop was made at the village of ,on ,chang1 where we met quite a little handful of believers4 ,one of these1 a woman who was the first convert in that place1 had been much troubled and burdened with a sense of guilt4 ,at length she heard that in ,chang ,yun there were people that could tell her of ,one who could forgive sins4 ,she went forthwith and learned of ,jesus and found peace and pardon1 and came back to spread the good tidings and 8pass on the word0 to her neighbors4 ,one of these women was a peddler1 a class who have to make some sacrifices to keep the ,sabbath4 ,nearly all their business is done at the little fairs or market days1 which take place every five days at one or another of the hamlets in a certain circuit4 ,quite often one of these days falls on a ,sunday1 and so a whole five days' profit is lost4 ,but this makes no difference1 the day is cheerfully kept2 another who kept an inn as cheerfully decided to sell no more liquor1 her chief source of profit4 ,our next stopping place was at ,cho ,chun1 and as soon as we neared the vicinity1 we were met by men1 women and children1 who had walked out to meet us and conduct us to the home of the leader1 in this case the richest and chief man of the whole neighborhood4 ,people professing ,christianity gathered here from several small villages1 were examined and many baptized4 ,it seemed too hard that we had only so short a time to stay in these places where we were needed so much4 ,most of the women actually wept when we were obliged to say farewell1 and the men and boys followed us miles1 sometimes to the next stage in our journey4 ,they are touchingly grateful for the little we do for them1 while we thank ,god for allowing us to learn from them1 their simple childlike faith and entire dependence on him4 ,mrs4 ,ha1 the wife of the leader1 was the only one in the village who could read1 and she taught the other women beautifully4 ,calm1 strong1 intelligent1 she seemed to me a rare type of a ,korean woman1 and one who was destined to be very useful if she were only better instructed4 ,she was well acquainted with the ,gospels and ,acts1 the only ,scriptures till quite lately in their hands1 and with nearly all the hymns4 ,but her opportunities for study and instruction were also very few4 ,after leaving ,cho ,chun nearly twelve miles distant was our next destination1 a little country town of about two thousand people1 which we reached after a few hours' travel4 ,here we lodged in a neat and comfortable little building consisting of two rooms1 with a lean-to kitchen1 which the natives had built for us near to the church1 half at their own expense4 ,the steps by which we ascended to our rooms were the family ancestral worship stones1 which the ,christians had once greatly treasured1 but for which they had no further use4 ,the women flocked in to greet me1 and next day ,i had the larger room1 sixteen by twenty-four feet1 crowded with heathen women who came to see the foreign woman and child1 but were willing to hear about ,christ4 ,gifts of candies1 fruits and other food poured in as usual4 ,many were examined for baptism1 and gave most satisfactory evidence of conversion1 but among them all one deaf old woman interested me most4 ,she was very deaf and stupid4 ,it seemed almost impossible for even the ,korean leader to make her hear or understand the questions4 ,she was most anxious to be baptized1 but how to learn whether she knew enough of the gospel1 we were at a loss to discover4 ,at last a question seemed to reach her1 8,where are you going when you die80 ,her face brightened and the answer came1 8,i'm going to ,jesus40 ,mark1 not heaven1 but ,jesus4 ,this is the keynote that is always struck1 ,jesus1 their stay now1 and hope hereafter1 their wisdom1 righteousness1 and sanctification4 ,the first news of the gospel was brought here to ,eul ,yul by a man of high family1 considerable wealth and official connections1 who went to ,seoul with the intention of buying an office4 ,he heard about ,christ1 however1 while there1 and instead of an office1 bought a donkey load of books1 which he took back to ,eul ,yul1 and there distributed among his neighbors4 ,about the same time a certain magistrate1 just appointed1 and going down there to his office1 who was a friend of my husband's1 invited him to visit him at ,eul ,yul when in the country4 ,mr4 ,underwood thanked him1 but replied1 8,you know if ,i go it will be only with the one purpose of preaching40 8,certainly1 come and preach10 was the answer4 ,so ,mr4 ,underwood promised he would do so if his friend1 the magistrate1 would see that a large and convenient official building was placed at his disposal for services while there4 ,this was willingly promised at once1 so the class was appointed to be held there that year1 and with the rally of ,christian leaders1 and the earnest preparatory work of the man who had preferred ,christ to an office 7of which ,mr4 ,u4 had not previously been informed71 ,christianity in ,eul ,yul began most auspiciously4 ,up to the present time1 however1 he who had been so earnest in preaching the gospel1 and so generous in supporting it1 had never been baptized4 ,the difficulty was that he had two wives1 with neither of whom could he bring himself to part4 ,these concubines have a strong hold1 and justly so1 on the men who had made them part of their family1 and on whom they are dependent4 ,all a man's magnanimity1 generosity and tenderness are appealed to on behalf of these women1 who1 unlike the dancing girls1 have in the eyes of the community a certain share of respectability1 and are usually not bad or unprincipled1 but have been taught to look with toleration and complaisance on such a life1 the common custom4 ,however1 now1 at last1 he decided while we were there to take the step and put away the second wife1 providing her with a home and fields enough to give her a good income4 ,so he and his wife and baby1 and his grown son with his wife and little one1 in company with a number of others1 were baptized4 ,the people of ,eul ,yul had built their own church1 as well as one-half of the guest house1 for their missionary4 ,when we left1 every believer who could walk came to bid us farewell1 8,pyeng anikasio0 7,go in peace74 ,we had a last prayer and praise service1 and parted with mutual good wishes and regrets1 a long train of men and boys as usual streaming out along the road1 with and behind us4 ,our next station was ,pak ,chun1 six miles away 7the distances used to be twenty and thirty miles1 now six1 eight or twelve71 but before we reached there we must stop and meet a little band of ,christians at a farm where seed had been dropped by passing believers and where a whole family had been converted4 ,here we met a young bride from another hamlet not far distant1 who with her husband had lately become a believer4 ,at ,pak ,chun we were received with the usual hearty welcome4 ,here ,i found ,mrs4 ,kim of ,sorai like a ministering angel going her rounds of self-appointed1 unpaid ministration of the ,word1 teaching the gospel to these poor women1 not one of whom could read4 ,a good many from neighboring villages were examined here1 and we held a baptismal and communion service just before leaving4 ,the church was as yet unfinished and extremely damp and cold1 as well as uncomfortably crowded1 so ,i sent our little son out of doors to play until we should finish4 ,but scarcely had the meeting well begun when word came that 8the ,moxa's child had fallen in the well40 ,mr4 ,underwood rushed to the rescue1 giving out a long hymn as he started1 to keep the crowd occupied4 ,however1 by the time we reached the scene he had emerged from his cold bath and been taken to our room4 ,the ox-cart with all our packs was standing at the door1 just about to start for the next place4 ,it was the work of a few moments to pull down the whole load1 open our trunks1 and get out dry garments1 only too thankful that it had not already trundled several miles on4 ,i found a dripping1 shivering little animal awaiting me as ,i rushed into our quarters1 but no harm was done1 he was soon quite dry and warm1 his wet apparel dangling from the ox-cart acting as an excellent road sprinkler4 ,just before leaving ,i saw a child quite naked1 covered with smallpox pustules in full bloom1 standing near our door4 ,i asked one of the natives if there was much of that disease in the village at present4 8,in every house10 was the concise reply4 8,why there is none in the house we are in10 said ,i1 with confidence4 8,oh1 no1 they took the child out the day you came in order to give you the room10 was the reassuring answer4 ,we had eaten and slept in that infected little room1 our blankets all spread out there1 our trunks opened1 everything we had exposed4 ,we had even used their cooking utensils and spoons and bowls before our own packs had arrived4 ,for ourselves we had been often exposed1 and believed ourselves perfectly immune4 ,mr4 ,underwood had nursed a case of the most malignant type1 and ,i had been in contact with it among my patients1 but our child6 ,so we sent a swift messenger with a despatch to the nearest telegraph station1 twenty-four hours away1 to ,dr4 ,wells1 in ,pyeng ,yang4 ,he at once put a tube of virus into the hands of a speedy runner1 who arrived with it a week later4 ,we found the country full of smallpox1 measles1 and whooping cough1 and added to our smallpox experience1 an exactly similar one with measles4 ,the record of one of these little villages is much like another4 ,at ,pung ,chun1 a place with a magistracy1 we found the crowds almost unbearable1 especially as the magistrate was away and his substitute unwilling to help us4 ,no foreign woman or child had ever yet been there1 and we were fairly besieged by people who after any fashion1 lawful or otherwise1 were determined to see the curiosities4 ,too tired that night to do more than hold a brief meeting with the few ,christians who lived there1 we barred1 barricaded and curtained ourselves in4 ,how often under such circumstances ,i have been able to sympathize as never before with our blessed ,lord1 who was forced to withdraw to the mountains and desert places for a little rest and quiet from the importunity of the eager selfish crowds1 who thronged him and followed him even there in thousands4 ,we read 8,they had no leisure as much as to eat10 and that he forbade the people he healed to spread the news abroad4 ,quite uselessly4 ,what weariness1 what longing he must at times have felt for a few hours of quiet and peace1 only the hunted can realize1 yet how patient1 gentle and compassionate he was6 ,the next day ,i talked to a room packed full of heathen women1 those who could not force an entrance crowding around the doors and windows1 as many as could get a view or hearing4 ,they listened with interest and attention for more than an hour1 asking intelligent questions occasionally1 and treating me with perfect respect4 ,in the afternoon ,i had another and smaller company of those whom ,mrs4 ,kim of ,sorai had culled from among those she had been visiting and teaching as the most hopeful cases4 ,with these we talked1 sang and prayed1 trying as usual to make the most of the few hours we could be with them4 ,a few people were examined and two or three baptized of those who had been believing for some time4 ,from ,pung ,chun we passed through a lovely valley and over a beautiful mountain pass to a village nestled right up in the mountains4 ,here the interest had extended to two villages of hardy mountaineers1 all of which had been started by an old woman from ,sorai4 ,she cannot read1 but she continually preaches ,christ to every one whom she meets4 ,her son is the local leader1 and his family are all ,christians4 ,thus far ,mr4 ,underwood had during our circuit examined one hundred and fifty people and baptized seventy-five4 ,about half of the other seventy-five were received as catechumens4 ,at ,pung ,chun we were greatly interested to learn that the ,koreans have a custom of sprinkling blood on the door posts1 and above the door of the home to drive away evil spirits4 ,when ,i told my class at ,chang ,yun how the ,jews did this before leaving ,egypt1 and what it meant1 they looked at each other and exclaimed with surprise1 8,why1 that is our custom1 too40 ,but at ,pung ,chun we found that it had only recently been done at the very inn where we stopped1 and were told that it was quite a common custom in that part of the country4 ,the natives also have a cold rice festival1 much like the feast of unleavened bread4 ,the scenery from ,chil ,pong to ,won ,tong is very beautiful4 ,the road winds through the mountains1 accompanied by a charming little river most of the way4 ,there is a wonderful restfulness in the quiet of these mountains1 where no rattle of the world intrudes to break the divine silences1 or to interrupt the voices of nature1 which only emphasize the peacefulness that envelops one4 ,one feels ,god near and communion with him easy4 ,the heart lifts itself with no effort in scenes like these4 ,from ,won ,tong we passed to ,sorai or ,song ,chun1 to which reference has already been often made in these pages4 ,we were lodged in the school room next the church1 a sunny1 pleasant apartment4 ,this ,sorai school was already famed through all the country round1 and ,christians were sending their boys from other villages to obtain the advantage of ,christian teaching4 ,next morning early a company of little girls and boys were waiting outside my door1 dressed in new clean garments of the brightest possible colors 7starched1 dyed1 and pounded to a miraculous crispness1 gloss and glory of tint1 chiefly scarlet1 green and yellow71 especially for this occasion4 ,we had a singing class with them every morning after that1 and a ,bible story was told and explained1 too4 ,the women's class was held immediately after the children's1 but many women came to the children's class1 and most of the children came to that held for the women4 ,in the afternoon the women came again for another ,bible lesson1 and in the evening men1 women and children met for united prayer1 praise and ,bible study with ,mr4 ,underwood4 ,i was again taken very sick here at ,sorai1 but recovered when that result seemed most unlikely1 through ,god's answer to the prayers of our native ,christians1 one of whom1 ,mrs4 ,kim1 spent the whole night in prayer for me4 ,such love and devotion makes the tie between pastor and people very strong4 ,as soon as ,i was able to travel we hurried back to ,hai ,ju and ,seoul1 for word had come1 bringing the sad news of the death of ,mr4 ,gifford in one of the country villages about sixty miles from ,seoul4 ,he had gone alone with a ,korean helper1 and after a brief illness had passed away suddenly at night1 probably scarcely aware that he was seriously ill4 ,he was loved by all the ,koreans1 who could not fail to recognize his spirituality and consecration4 ,mrs4 ,gifford was then in an extremely weak state1 having never recovered her strength after a violent attack of ,asiatic dysentery the preceding summer4 ,she had just begun to improve a little1 and we to hope that at last we might look for her return to perfect health4 ,a native messenger1 all unannounced1 rushed into her presence and told her that her husband was dead4 ,she never saw his face again1 or had the sad comfort of a message1 or one of these little souvenirs which women prize and console their aching hearts withal4 ,she wilted like a lily1 rudely snapped from the stem4 ,when the first shock was over and her mind became a little composed1 several days later1 after friends had left her for a peaceful soothing night's rest1 a ,korean servant entered the room and told her that her husband had been neglected and slighted in his last illness1 and had died alone quite uncared for4 ,she never rallied from this blow4 ,sweet1 calm1 uncomplaining1 she grew weaker and weaker1 and only one month after her beloved husband passed away her gentle spirit followed4 ,they had been extremely congenial and well suited1 and it seemed a gracious providence that they were so soon reunited4 ,mrs4 ,gifford was a woman greatly beloved by every one1 and one of the most effective and consecrated women workers on the field1 with a modest unassuming quiet spirit1 but with untiring devotion and self-effacement4 ,she worked here ten years for ,christ4 ,the ,koreans1 whom she had loved so well and served so faithfully1 bore her to her grave and laid her beside her husband4 ,we all felt that the loss to the work was beyond expression1 and from a human view point irreparable4 ,in the following fall we visited ,pyeng ,yang for the first time since our wedding journey in #ahhi4 ,the annual meeting of all the mission 7now grown quite extensive7 for the discussion and settlement of plans for work for the coming year was to be held there2 so we all risked our lives on a crazy little steamer1 which1 however1 contrary to probabilities1 landed us safely not far from our destination4 ,great were the changes we beheld4 ,missionaries in comfortable pleasant homes1 a large church 7paid for with native money71 newly built1 able to accommodate nearly two thousand people1 and great gatherings of simple earnest farmer folk1 which it did one's soul good to see and hear4 ,to us1 who on our last visit looked on that great waste of heathenism1 and discussed the advisability1 or otherwise1 of starting a sub-station there1 it was almost overwhelming4 ,to us1 one of whom at least had come to the country in the very beginning of the history of our ,protestant missions1 and to whom in the light of the records of work in other fields the task looked so stupendous1 so overwhelming1 to find here in the far interior the wonderful evidences of the power and goodness of ,god filled our hearts with joy and awe4 ,how could we ever shrink or doubt1 or fear again1 or do aught but ascribe 8glory and honor1 dominion and power1 to him who sits upon the throne and to the lamb for ever40 ,i regret that ,i have not personally seen more of the work of ,god in northern ,whang ,hai and in ,pyeng ,yang provinces1 so that ,i might give interesting incidents which would put my readers more in touch with the ,christians there1 but ,i copy from the reports of ,pyeng ,yang and ,syen ,chyun stations for the year #aija and #aijb the following3 8,in the whole territory covered by this station1 ,pyeng ,yang1 there are #c1ajj baptized adults1 #c1gcg catechumens enrolled1 and over #ab1jjj who attend more or less regularly and in various ways come in touch with the gospel4 ,the total number baptized this year is #fdb1 and the number of catechumens received #a1cfc4 ,there are in the ,pyeng ,yang city church #a1aec members and catechumens1 with a congregation of from #a1bjj to #a1fjj on the ,sabbath4 8,there are besides this eight country circuits1 including ,ool ,yul circuit1 in the ,seoul station work1 and #ahd out-stations1 with #e1fhd members and catechumens4 8,there are #dj primary schools1 one academy and #db teachers--#cg men and #e women--with an attendance of #gdj pupils4 ,thirteen schools were organized this year4 ,all the country schools but one are self-supporting1 and that nearly so4 ,there were #i1jid persons in attendance at the hospital1 also a medical class consisting of #d members4 8,apart from those held in ,pyeng ,yang1 #ajg special ,bible classes were held1 bringing about #b1cjj under instruction2 #bj were taught by the missionaries1 #hg by native helpers and leaders4 ,all these classes were carried on at the expense of the ,koreans4 8,there are now #acf chapels1 #ba having been built this year1 at a cost of #e1cfg nyang contributed by the ,christians unaided4 8,the total native contributions for all purposes 7excluding the hospital7 amount to #dc1idi nyang1 about #e1hfj yen 7or #b1icj ,united ,states gold74 8,the working force to look after and carry on this work consists of #g ordained missionaries 7one on furlough and one newly arrived on the field71 one medical missionary1 #d single lady missionaries and #g wives of missionaries4 8,there are also #ba unordained native preachers or helpers1 #g ,bible women and #ae colporters and other assistants doing evangelistic work40 ,from the general report of the ,syen ,chyun station for #aija-b ,i also quote1 8,we now have organized groups in #ae of the #ba counties of the province1 and believers in at least #d more of the other #f4 ,the groups that have been organized by a missionary's visit1 and organized with a separate roll and church officers1 number #dd1 but there are at least #h other places where ,christians gather for worship every ,sabbath1 and where the helpers visit regularly4 8,the number of persons baptized during the year1 ,july to ,july1 was #bfg1 which is the largest ingathering we have yet been permitted to see in one year4 ,all of these #bfg1 with the possible exception of #c or #d old persons1 had been catechumens on probation for at least a year4 ,the harvest would have been much larger had it been possible to visit the western ,eui ,ju ,circuit this spring1 where a very large number of candidates are waiting for baptism4 8,the number of infants baptized was #ae4 ,the number of catechumens received amounted to #fif4 ,all of these had been believers at least for two months1 and in most cases for a very much longer time1 and were received only after a very careful examination1 under which1 at the very lowest estimate1 #aej candidates were deferred4 ,during the same time #e church members were suspended and #e excommunicated1 and #af catechumens dropped4 8,july first1 therefore1 there were on the church rolls #fgg church members1 #be baptized infants and #a1cdj catechumens1 or a total of #b1jdb enrolled ,christians1 who with the unenrolled believers make a total of #c1dbi adherents in all4 ,but of the above church members1 #aa are under suspension1 and #h more1 unless they show signs of repentance1 will be disciplined when the missionary next visits their groups4 ,these #ai amount to #b4h per cent of the church membership4 ,amongst the #a1cdj catechumens there are #aji1 or #h4a per cent1 whose names are retained on the books1 although at present they have lost their interest in ,christianity4 ,experience has taught us that it is well to retain such for at least three years1 unless they have been guilty of some grave sin whereby the church is brought into disrepute1 as many of them coming under some new influences are often won back to a ,christian life40 ,the above quotations show how the church is growing1 and1 especially the ,pyeng ,yang report1 how well they are giving both in labor and money for the support of the gospel1 and for its advancement among their heathen neighbors4 ,i will also insert a paragraph taken from the above report for the same year1 on the subject of self-support4 8,just as soon as the native church produces ordained pastors she must support them4 ,for this the church is being prepared4 ,in this station but one helper is entirely supported with foreign money1 and four or five receive a part only2 all the rest of our unordained preachers or helpers are entirely supported by the native church4 ,with a single exception1 all of the thirty-five country schools are entirely supported by the native groups where such schools are carried on4 ,it has long since been the rule for the native ,christians to provide their own house of worship1 the only exception being a few cases where a little help seemed wise4 ,every possible means is being employed to develop the same idea in the academy1 thus putting the highest possible value upon education1 creating the sentiment that it is an acquirement for which the student may well labor or pay4 ,it is being appreciated1 too1 so far as it has been acquired at a respectable cost4 ,even the hospital is on a fair way to become self-supporting to the extent of paying for medicines and treatment4 ,illustration3 ,,elder ,,saw ,,of ,,sorai ,,and ,,his ,,family4 ,,page #bcj 8,in every way the ,korean ,christians have shown themselves not only able1 even during a famine year1 but also willing to bear their share along the line of support4 ,they have not only borne the running expenses of the various groups1 supported their own country primary schools1 contributed to the academy1 paid the salaries of the unordained preachers1 sent representatives to the training classes at ,pyeng ,yang1 and delegates to the council at ,seoul1 but have given a considerable amount to help the poor and contributed liberally to the ,committee of ,missions40 ,one more extract from these reports1 that of ,miss ,chase of ,syen ,chyun1 ,i feel must not be omitted4 ,it ought to touch the heart of every ,christian woman who reads it4 ,it is as follows3 8,there are #aii baptized and #ehh catechumen women1 and as a conservative estimate #a1bjj ,christian women1 in north ,pyeng ,an province4 ,i have been able to go to the merest fraction of this number4 ,those whom ,i have met are much that we desire to have them be1 and much not to be desired1 but as ,i think of them individually and collectively1 every other thought is eclipsed by the deep impressions they have made upon me by their yearning to be taught4 ,the need for another for this field speaks for itself4 ,we request the mission to consider the urgent need4 ,in some places there has been manifest murmuring among the people4 ,they say they have waited long for a visit from their pastor1 they have waited long to receive the examination for the catechumenate1 they have waited long for a woman to teach them4 ,every time that women come in from distant places they beseech me to promise to visit their groups the next time ,i leave ,syen ,chyun4 8,many a woman who has attended my classes has said with tear-stained face1 #8,as for believing1 ,i believe4 ,i am clinging to ,christ for salvation4 ,i have no desire for any trust but in him1 but ,i am so ignorant4 ,i know so little about my ,bible4 ,i know not how to read its thoughts with my dark mind4 ,i know so little about the great ,jesus doctrine4 ,how can ,god be pleased to call me his child1 when ,i know not how to glorify him8' ,they say the men stand out far on the other side of the curtain#d and teach great and wonderful things which they cannot comprehend1 but a woman can sit in their midst and listen to all of their unlearned questions1 and they are not ashamed to let a patient woman see how little they know6 ,it is not easy to hear these heart-felt burdens and be helpless to meet their need in any adequate manner40 #d ,churches are divided by a curtain down the center1 with men on one side and women on the other4 ,the preacher can see both sides4 ,,chapter ,,xv ,another ,itineration--,christians in ,eul ,yul--,a ,ride in an ,ox-,cart--,keeping the ,cow in the ,kitchen--,ox-,carts and ,mountain ,roads--,the ,island of ,white ,wing--,a ,midnight ,meeting--,thanksgiving ,day in ,sorai--,the ,circular ,orders--,new ,testament ,finished--,all in the ,day's ,work--,the ,korean ,noble--,meetings of the ,nobility4 ,we left ,pyeng ,yang about the #bfth of ,september1 #aijj1 by one of the toy ,japanese steamers1 and reached ,chinampo1 a half-,japanese1 half-,korean port1 at night4 ,we were accompanied by three young ladies1 one of whom1 a new arrival1 wished to study methods2 one who needed the bracing effect of out-of-door country life in the north for a few weeks2 and one who had previously arranged with me to carry on a women's training class in ,eul ,yul that fall4 ,we were obliged to spend the night in ,chinampo1 but arriving late1 we did not know where to find an inn1 till we met an old friend1 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,smart1 of the ,church of ,england mission1 who kindly found us a ,japanese hotel4 ,here1 after telling them our nationality1 our ages1 our condition1 past lives and future intentions1 and having been forced in spite of all protests to remove our shoes1 they condescended to receive us as guests1 at an outrageous price4 ,we must not use our own camp beds1 but the mats which had served no one knew whom before us2 nor might we have water in our rooms1 but must perform all our ablutions in the public hall on the lower floor4 ,next morning we gladly bade our too particular hosts farewell1 and crossed the river in a wretched old junk1 which looked as if it were on the brink of dissolution4 ,fortunately1 the weather was fine and mild1 and the river calm1 else ,i am sure we should all have been dipped1 for even ,i had never yet beheld so dilapidated a craft4 ,we were all day on the river1 only able to land after dark1 thanks partly to the nature of our vessel and partly to the tides1 for which we were forced to wait before landing4 ,the following night was hot1 the inns nothing more or less than ovens1 and morning found us all in an unusually wilted condition1 and to add to the general misery1 the young ladies of our party had made important additions to their luggage1 which threw us all four into the utmost consternation4 ,that evening we reached ,eul ,yul1 where both men's and women's classes were to be held4 ,as usual the people crowded in to meet us as soon as we arrived4 ,although harvesting was on and it was one of the busiest times of the year1 quite a number of women came to study with us4 ,they were so bright and receptive1 it was a pleasure to teach them4 ,i had some very interesting visits with the women in their own homes1 and was edified to see the bright and practical way in which the ,christian who accompanied us talked with some of the unbelievers4 ,one woman was hesitating1 fearing she was too ignorant or too wicked to receive salvation1 to which our native friend said1 8,why1 if you are hungry1 and a bowl of rice is set before you1 you eat right then1 and just so if you want salvation1 you have only to take and eat40 ,the listener's eyes filled with tears1 it seemed too good4 ,all the time we were talking1 another ,christian woman sat with bowed head asking ,god's blessing on the word4 ,in the examination of applicants for baptism1 ,i was much interested to see how carefully our native leaders questioned them4 8,you say you sin daily1 but ask ,god to forgive1 and so have a happy and calm mind4 ,is it then no matter that you sin80 ,again1 to a woman who said her past sins were forgiven1 and her present sins were confessed every day1 he said1 8,well1 then1 what sin have you committed to-day80 ,she could or would only speak in a general way1 and after various questions1 mentioned nothing in particular4 8,but10 said ,kim1 8is that honoring ,god1 to go and confess you have sinned1 and ask him to forgive you know not what80 ,on ,sunday twenty people were baptized4 ,during the communion service all eyes were streaming1 and some sobbed like children at the thought of what the ,lord had suffered for them4 ,in the afternoon our native elder1 ,mr4 ,saw1 gave us a delightful illustrated ,bible lesson on the ,christian armor1 with illustrations drawn and colored by himself1 and with most appropriate references4 ,the native ,christian was first represented in ordinary dress all unarmed1 and in succeeding pictures1 one after another of the needed articles1 helmet1 shield1 sandals1 breastplate and sword were added4 ,these illustrations were unique to the last degree and extremely well drawn4 ,in the evening an experience meeting was held1 when one after another told what the ,lord had done for them4 ,some had been the slaves of drink1 and had fallen again and again after repeated attempts to resist1 in their own strength1 but now for years had been free men in ,christ1 and were looked upon as miracles of grace by their friends and neighbors4 ,one man told something of his home life4 ,he had been a dissolute gambling fellow1 whose reputation was well known through all the surrounding counties4 ,when he went home at night1 after days of absence and dissipation1 his angry wife would scold and reproach him1 and he in return would beat and maltreat the poor little woman4 8,it was all misery and discomfort1 but now1 all peace and love40 ,a neighbor who came in often remarked on this exceptionally happy home life1 wishing hopelessly for something like it in her lot4 ,she could not believe the happy wife when she told her it had once been so different1 and that all this came through ,jesus4 ,then ,mrs4 ,kim called in her husband and bade him tell if this was true4 8,why10 said he1 8,i'll do more1 ,i'll give my bond for it1 bring paper and pen and ,i'll write a bond to any amount you choose to name1 that if ,jesus comes into your home there'll be peace there40 8,why10 said he1 8people say if the ,lord were only here now to do some of his miracles every one would believe1 but ,i tell you the ,lord is doing greater miracles now than he ever did on earth when he takes a vile wretch like me and changes his heart40 ,one man had been afflicted with an apparently incurable disease for over forty years1 and now the ,lord had healed him2 and one had been such a liar that no one believed his honest statements1 and yet now was implicitly trusted by every one4 ,it was decided before we left ,eul ,yul that the native ,christians of that district should employ two helpers or evangelists to work among the ignorant believers of that vicinity1 and that twelve ,bible or training classes should be held in the different districts in that province during the year1 six to be in charge of ,mr4 ,saw1 and six taught by ,mr4 ,kim ,yun ,oh1 our most intelligent leader4 ,from ,eul ,yul we went to ,pung ,chun1 while ,mr4 ,underwood visited several smaller places more difficult of access4 ,miss ,chase and ,i divided the meetings1 and were most thoughtfully and attentively heard1 the little room being packed whenever we announced a service4 ,our quarters were not of the best1 as the only place assigned us for preparing our food was a little corner of the cow's stable4 ,we have heard of people who 8keep the pig in the kitchen10 but to keep the cow there was certainly a degree worse than our flightiest fancy1 and we at length rebelled1 with the result that a more sanitary place was found for our culinary performances4 ,after ,mr4 ,underwood arrived1 eleven people were baptized here4 ,the first public service for all was held in a hired room in the largest inn in the place4 ,the chief man1 after listening to all that had been said1 arose and spoke to the crowd as follows3 8,we all know that what we have heard is true1 there is nothing left for us to say but that from to-day on we will believe40 ,some of the men who attended this meeting remained outside the door at first1 unwilling to be seen in such company1 as they were respectable gentlemen4 ,after listening awhile they condescended to step inside1 and before the service was over they had seated themselves in the front row1 and admitted it was very good4 ,aside from our kitchen arrangements1 and a little anxiety lest the cow should conclude to visit us in our bedroom at night1 and the persistent cock crowing at my head from two in the morning1 we had a lovely time at ,pung ,chun4 ,again at one of the little villages up in the mountains some of our chair coolies deserted us1 and there was nothing left for it but for our two young ladies to ride in an ox-cart4 ,they were a little doubtful about this new mode of procedure1 but the ,koreans assured us it was quite safe1 and as our little son had traveled miles that way1 we encouraged them to try it1 especially as it was a last resort4 ,so with many misgivings they perched themselves on top of the loads1 and the ox1 a great spirited animal1 was brought up4 ,when ,miss ,chase asked if he was to be trusted1 they assured her with the statement that he could fight any ox in the country4 ,it was supposed a good deal of harnessing would follow1 but when a noose was merely slipped over a hook1 and with no warning the steed literally galloped off1 we were all somewhat startled1 and the young ladies gave themselves up1 with such a team running away4 ,the ox-cart is extremely primitive1 its two wheels have only the clumsiest attempt at heavy wooden tires4 ,the soft mud roads are full of deep ruts1 so that under the most favorable circumstances the bumping and jolting are unspeakable4 ,when therefore their mettlesome animal was at length of a mind to pause a little in his mad career1 they lost no time in the order of their descent from that vehicle1 and started off at a brisk pace1 evidently decided to walk all the way back to ,seoul rather than jeopardize their lives in such a contrivance and behind such a creature again4 ,however1 the way was long1 and before night they changed their minds and resigned themselves to the ox-cart1 when his bovine spirits were a little subdued by his journey1 and he was somewhat less light and frisky than in the morning4 ,we arrived at ,chil ,pong1 one of the villages perched up in the mountains1 early in the evening1 but not so our loads1 which the country people manage in some miraculous way to drag up the steep mountain roads on the ox-carts4 ,it turned out that the ox-cart in use that day was a very weak one and gave out entirely1 breaking down half way up the mountain4 ,another had to be brought from a distance1 and long delays ensued1 where the average speed is a snail's pace1 in spite of the experience with the lively animal the day before4 ,fortunately by this time we had obtained more coolies for the young ladies1 so that our party were all together2 the little son having become such a walker that he seldom patronized either chair or cart1 and often walked twenty miles a day4 ,one of the helpers1 ,mr4 ,shin1 said1 as he came up with the loads1 supperless and quite tired out1 at twelve o'clock that night1 that had it not been that he was determined the pastor's wife must not go without her bed and pillows1 the cart would not have arrived at all4 ,so tenderly do the people care for the needs of their teachers4 ,illustration3 ,,mrs4 ,,kim ,,of ,,sorai ,,and ,,her ,,family4 ,,page #bdd ,we found the mountains more beautiful1 if possible1 than ever4 ,it was ,october1 and hills that in the previous spring were rosy with rhododendrons and peach blossoms1 were now scarlet1 gold and purple with the magnificence of autumn foliage1 asters and golden-rod4 ,there was displayed on all sides some of the most brilliant coloring ,i ever saw4 ,there were quantities of bitter-sweet wreathing all over trees and rocks1 berries of many varieties1 and bushes reminding me of that which ,moses saw in ,horeb1 burning but not consumed4 ,and though in a different way1 still ,i too felt that the ground was holy with the unseen but felt presence1 and that it would be well to remove one's worldly shoes1 which figuratively ,i did4 ,a few days later we crossed a mountain pass at over two thousand feet elevation1 where we found the scenery more and more beautiful and wild4 ,the gallant and unwearied 8,captain0 almost carried the rheumatic partner of his travels up the last steep ascent4 ,the alternative was to sit in a chair and trust one's self to a couple of tired coolies1 who might stumble and dash one to atoms2 or with chipangi 7alpenstock7 in hand1 slowly drag one's self up and then down over the rocks and steep slippery road4 ,arriving at the foot on the other side1 we were once again in dear ,sorai1 where a good hot floor soon took out all the pain and weariness4 ,it had been decided that from ,sorai we were to visit a certain island called ,pang ,yeng1 or 8,white ,wing10 where quite a number of people were believing through the teaching of some of the natives4 ,the story is worth telling4 ,a man1 who had been banished to this island for a political offense1 had received a ,christian book from his nephew1 a ,methodist1 just before his departure4 ,the young man told his uncle that this religion was the basis of all civil liberty and civilization1 so that the banished man in his loneliness proceeded to read it1 and to publish and teach its doctrines among the islanders4 ,he had been informed that on the opposite shore at ,sorai lived people who could further explain the book and its doctrines1 so one of the natives1 the oldest and most honorable in the village1 made a trip to ,sorai1 and begged ,elder ,saw to return with him and teach them4 ,they were lamentably ignorant1 and while believing in ,jesus were still carrying on heathen worship2 they were as blind people only partly restored1 who saw men as trees walking4 ,saw was not able to go at once1 but after some time1 when he visited them1 he found the whole village assembled with all preparations made for offering their heathen sacrifices4 ,he talked to them very earnestly and faithfully1 and they then at once gave up all their idolatrous worship1 and in a body promised only to serve the one true ,god4 ,the elder could not1 however1 remain long1 and several months later1 when ,mrs4 ,kim1 the indefatigable voluntary evangelist1 visited them1 she found that many of them seemed to have fallen back almost completely into old practices and beliefs4 ,at first no one would receive her in their homes1 but she talked to the women outside the houses so sweetly and winningly1 that they at length invited her in1 and gathered around her to listen4 ,a great change was wrought through her teaching4 ,we made the trip in a little ,korean sailing junk1 which was rather small and uncomfortable for bad weather1 but not at all out of the way on such a day as that on which we started1 with blue sky above1 blue and sparkling water below1 and charming islands studding the sea like jewels4 ,we found that ,white ,wing measured about twenty miles round the coast line and was nine miles long1 with a capital and several hamlets4 ,it is extremely beautiful and fertile1 well fortified by bold picturesque cliffs along the coast1 with delightful valleys and gently rolling country snugly nestled behind them4 ,the people are all farmers1 living in the simplest and most primitive way4 ,money is rarely seen1 there is indeed no need for it1 with no fairs or stores4 ,their wants are few1 they raise what they need for food1 clothing1 warmth and light on their little farms1 bartering among each other to supply such simple articles as their own labor has not provided4 ,all appeared to have plenty of rice and firewood1 and to be quite content4 ,drunkenness and dishonesty are almost unknown4 ,the magistrate told us they rarely needed even the slightest punishment1 but were as they seemed to us1 a gentle1 kindly1 simple1 honest farmer and fisher folk4 ,we found a small church built on the hillside1 and a little company of believers1 who were waiting for examination and baptism4 ,although very ignorant1 they were most anxious to be taught1 and ,mrs4 ,kim1 who had gone with me from ,sorai1 and ,i were kept busy instructing the women4 ,like the women everywhere in ,korea1 they especially enjoyed the hymns1 and were most eager to learn them4 ,the words were comparatively easy1 but the tunes were quite another matter4 ,we realized the advantage in their learning them1 both as a means of fixing divine truth and publishing it to others4 ,we were to leave very early in the morning to catch the tide1 and the night before we had a farewell service in the little church4 ,when this was over1 and good-byes said1 ,i went to the tiny room to pack our belongings1 and ,mr4 ,underwood to one of the ,christian houses to give last directions and counsel with the leaders4 ,about ten o'clock ,mrs4 ,kim came to my door with one of the women1 asking very humbly if ,i would go to one of their homes and teach them a little more this one last time1 though it was late4 8,we are so ignorant and have none to guide and teach us10 said they pathetically4 ,of course ,i was delighted to go1 and followed them to a farmer's thatched cottage4 ,it was one of the poorest and rudest of the native homes2 in one corner a farm hand was lying asleep1 in another a tiny wick burning in a saucer of oil was the only light in the room4 ,we sat down under this1 and the poor1 rough1 hard-working women clustered round us as closely as possible4 ,their faces and hands bore the marks of care1 toil1 hard lives and few joys1 but they were lighted with a glorious hope which transformed them1 and this with the awakening desire for knowledge had banished the look of wooden stolidity1 which so many ,korean women wear4 ,while we talked of our ,lord and his teachings and conned again and again the hymns1 a cough was heard at the door1 and it was found that a number of 8the brethren0 were standing out there in the cold1 frosty air of the ,november night1 listening to such scraps of good words as they could catch4 ,so when one of the women asked if they might come in1 although generally out of regard for ,korean custom and prejudice1 ,i not only teach no men1 but keep as much out of sight as possible1 there were on this occasion no two ways about it1 they must come1 and in they thronged4 ,it was a picture which ,i shall never forget1 the dark eager faces1 every one leaning forward in eager attitude1 all seeking more knowledge of divine truth1 hungering and thirsting after righteousness4 ,a little dim humble room1 and only such a poor feeble wick to light them all4 ,such a poor feeble wick was ,i1 and all were looking to me for ,god's light4 8,feed my lambs10 was his last command1 and yet in many a hut and hamlet his hungry little ones are starving4 ,next morning at the first streak of dawn they again came1 and with tears streaming down their faces1 begged me to come soon again4 8,oh1 we are so ignorant1 and so weak1 how can we escape the snares of ,satan1 with no one here to lead and teach us60 they exclaimed4 ,our return trip was very different from our first crossing4 ,a severe storm of wind and rain came up1 the little ship was tossed about on the waves like a plaything1 and ,mrs4 ,kim and ,i were miserably sick1 not to mention being drenched with rain4 ,it was impossible to make our port1 and we were obliged to attempt the nearest coast1 which offered no shelter from the wind1 in addition to which1 the tide being out1 our boat was bumped about mercilessly on the rocks and stones with no chance of a landing for some hours4 ,however1 all things come to an end sometime1 and we at length effected a safe landing1 and were soon dried1 warmed and fed in a fishing village at hand1 and reached ,sorai next day4 ,before we left ,sorai1 the ,christians held their annual ,thanksgiving service4 ,the church being too small to hold all the people1 a tent was spread outside4 ,after thanking ,god for their bountiful harvests and growing prosperity1 they offered thanks for the spiritual harvest he had given4 ,during the year over two hundred and fifty people of the neighboring villages had been baptized through the missions and labors of this one little church1 not counting a much larger number of catechumens received4 ,they had enlarged and repaired their church and school rooms1 built a house for their school teacher1 one for their evangelist and another for the entertainment of strangers1 who come from a distance to the ,sabbath services4 ,they are an open-handed people1 and when they read of the famine in ,india they took up a collection1 amounting to fifty yen4 ,as their daily wage rarely amounts to more than ten cents gold1 and as the community is small1 this was a large gift4 ,several of the women who had no money put their heavy silver rings in the plate4 ,these rings are in many cases their only ornaments1 and are most highly prized1 so that when they were given1 we knew that our people were giving till they felt it deeply4 ,in the famine so severe in many counties last year1 ,sorai1 which was more blessed1 helped many of its sister communities4 ,on our return to ,hai ,ju we had some interesting visits with the women both in their own homes and at our rooms4 ,we were allowed to help prepare the 8dock10 or bread1 which we found them making in one of the houses1 for a prospective wedding4 ,they were having a 8bee10 a number of friends had come in to help1 and they seemed much amused and pleased when we asked to be allowed to assist4 ,we were very clumsy and awkward1 but we gained our end by making them feel we were one with them4 ,later we were invited to the wedding1 and forced to swallow an amount of indigestible food1 which at other times we should consider as simply suicidal4 ,but when it is a duty1 one simply shuts one's eyes to consequences1 takes all risks1 and comes through with an immunity which ,i verily believe is miraculous4 ,one old woman1 who attended the meetings very regularly and was very devout1 is quite a character4 ,with a loud strong voice1 but not the remotest glimmering of a notion of harmony1 time or tune1 she shouts away several lines and bars before or behind the rest1 no consequence which1 and quite often1 if the hymn chosen is not in her book or according to her mind1 she chooses another and proceeds as zealously as ever4 ,when gently remonstrated with1 she replies1 8,oh1 that is no matter1 ,i'm not following you1 ,i'm singing 787 by myself40 ,we had only been in ,hai ,ju a few days when a fleet-footed messenger from ,eul ,yul arrived with a letter containing the news that a secret royal edict was being sent round to the various magistracies in that province1 commanding all ,confucianists to gather at night on the second of the next month 7about fifteen days later71 each at his nearest worshiping place in his district1 and from thence to go in a body and kill all ,westerners and followers of ,western doctrine1 and destroy their houses1 churches and schools4 ,a friend in the magistrate's office1 holding some petty position1 happened to be present when this arrived1 noted the excitement and agitation which the official evinced on reading it and the care with which it was guarded1 and determined to learn its contents4 ,he contrived an opportunity to read it unseen1 and as some of his near relatives were ,christians1 he at once communicated the terrible news to them4 ,one of the same family1 a young man who was a fleet-footed runner1 was instantly sent to us with a copy of the edict4 ,no words can express our state of mind on receiving the news4 ,thought flew back to one peaceful little community after another1 which we had so lately visited1 all rejoicing in the beautiful new life1 all growing up toward ,christ1 like flowers reaching up to the sun1 with the light of a glad hope in their faces1 happy1 harmless1 kindly people1 the aged1 the little toddling children1 helpless women1 unsuspecting farmers1 all consigned to utter destruction4 ,as for ourselves1 we were in one of the worst of ,korean cities1 it was impossible to make the slightest movement without attracting the notice of every one1 for we were constantly the center of the observation of the whole town4 ,it would be impossible to make our escape if any one wished to detain us4 ,to make matters much worse1 we had two young ladies and a child in our party4 ,probably little danger threatened us personally1 as the governor was friendly1 but our first duty was to send word to the ,american minister in ,seoul1 and it must be done quickly4 ,to send a dispatch in any ,eastern or ,european language would be futile1 as1 if suspicion was aroused1 there were means of interpreting any of them4 ,we at length concluded to send a ,latin message1 not to our minister1 but to one of our mission1 as less likely to attract attention either in ,hai ,ju or ,seoul4 ,this was done1 and the message was at once carried to the ,american legation4 ,the news was at first received with incredulity1 so friendly had the attitude of the government always been1 but when it was remembered that recent ,boxer disturbances in ,china might have suggested a similar course here1 and that there were strong ,buddhists high in influence at the palace who might have caused this strange measure1 and when at the ,foreign ,office1 through admissions and contradictions1 it was made evident that the circulation of such an edict was not unknown to them1 all doubt was over4 ,not long after it developed that from similar sources 7that is1 friends of ,christians or of missionaries7 the news had been carried to missionaries in ,kang ,wha and in ,pyeng ,yang4 ,that it was unadvisedly done1 and speedily repented1 was proved by the fact that a few days later another edict rescinding the first was sent everywhere4 ,nevertheless and notwithstanding1 ,i breathed freely and slept well for the first time since hearing the bad news1 when ,i found myself on the little ,japanese steamer well started on my way back to ,seoul4 ,the supposed authors of the order were put under arrest1 and ,i believe punished1 the ,korean officials vigorously protesting that it was all a mistake and sent without the knowledge of the king or the government4 ,these trips to ,whang ,hai province usually occupied six or eight weeks of our time1 and full of delightful incidents and experiences as they always were1 did not represent more than a fraction of the work4 ,in the fall of #aijj the whole ,new ,testament was given to the people4 ,to celebrate this event a large meeting was held in the ,methodist church1 the largest audience hall in ,seoul1 composed of as many natives and ,christians as could be packed within its walls4 ,a suitable thanksgiving service was held1 and the board of translators and their native literary helpers were presented by the ,american minister with copies of the book1 with very kind remarks on their work4 ,the board now consisted of ,rev4 ,h4 ,g4 ,appenzeller1 ,dr4 ,scranton1 ,rev4 ,w4 ,d4 ,reynolds1 ,rev4 ,james ,s4 ,gale and ,mr4 ,underwood4 ,in addition to the editorship of a weekly religious newspaper1 ,bible translation1 preparation of tracts and hymns1 city training classes1 weekly religious services and meetings1 supervision of schools and language class for missionaries1 ,mr4 ,underwood felt that a special effort ought to be made for the nobility and gentry1 the hardest people in the country to reach with the gospel4 ,this is the case1 partly because officials who would retain office must go at regular intervals and offer certain prayers and sacrifices at royal shrines1 partly that the ideas of caste are so strong that the nobility are unwilling to seat themselves on the floor in our churches among farmers1 peddlers1 coolies1 merchants or even scholars1 to listen to the gospel2 and in addition1 that their family life is grounded and interwoven on and in the concubine system4 ,all of them have two or more families1 some of them many4 ,these numerous wives1 their parents and progeny would make life intolerable should the husband put them aside4 ,his friends and relatives would look upon him as too evil to live should he neglect to worship the ancestral tablets1 and the spirits of his ancestors themselves would follow him like harpies1 with all sorts of misfortunes and diseases4 ,each man1 too1 looks forward with great complacency to being honored in his time as he has honored his dead parents1 and seems to be overwhelmed with something like terror at the idea of having no one to worship his memory and offer sacrifices before his tablets1 so that childless men usually adopt sons to keep their memory green4 ,the ladies of this class1 the first wives1 are1 as ,i think ,i have said before1 very closely secluded1 and are never seen except in their own apartments or the anpang of their kin1 whither they are carried in closely covered chairs4 ,in such a state of affairs it is not strange that men should hesitate to listen to the doctrines of a religion which would turn their whole social world upside down1 wreck their homes1 cast upon them the blackest stigma1 turn them outside the pale of court and official life1 rob them of their income1 and rank them with the common people4 ,knowing that it was almost impossible to induce them to attend church1 an invitation was therefore issued1 asking a large number of them to come to our house to talk over religious matters4 ,to our surprise the call was most heartily responded to1 and two large rooms were crowded with high ,korean gentlemen1 all of whom came no doubt from politeness or curiosity4 ,there were princes1 generals1 members of the cabinet1 all men of the highest rank and birth4 ,all listened with the closest attention1 many of them asking thoughtful questions1 which showed their real interest in what was said by the missionaries who came to assist ,mr4 ,underwood in receiving and talking with them4 ,some asked for books1 and many came repeatedly to talk over these matters in private4 ,meetings were held regularly ,sunday afternoons1 and a stereopticon exhibition was given1 showing a series of scenes from the life of ,christ4 ,one result of these meetings was that ,mr4 ,underwood was approached with the suggestion that he should establish a ,presbyterian state church4 ,we were told that a large number of officials would prefer 7if they were to be forced into giving up their own religion and joining a foreign church1 as at that time seemed likely7 to make it one of their own choosing1 and connected with ,americans rather than ,russians4 ,they were1 of course1 informed that we could not organize churches in that way1 nor baptize men for state and political purposes4 ,the suggestion was not official1 but if we had been willing to use opportunities of this sort1 the roll-call among the high class of nominal members might have been greatly swelled4 ,,chapter ,,xvi ,furloughs--,chong ,dong ,church--,romanists in ,whang ,hai--,missionaries to the ,rescue--,romanists ,annoy and ,hinder the ,judge--,results--,interview between ,governor and ,priest--,the ,inspector's ,report--,women's ,work in ,hai ,ju--,deaths of ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,johnson and ,mrs4 ,miller4 ,in #aija we took another furlough1 during which we were brought in touch with ,american ,christians in nearly every large city in the country1 and thus were able to make the church aware of ,god's wonderful dealings in ,korea and to enlighten the public on the needs of this country4 ,on our return1 we missed among the faces of dear old friends who came to welcome us that of our work-fellow and beloved brother1 ,rev4 ,h4 ,g4 ,appenzeller4 ,mr4 ,appenzeller1 the first evangelistic worker of his mission1 had labored with my husband1 heart and hand1 for over sixteen years1 and they had taken their earliest itinerations to the country in company4 ,the loss fell heavily upon both native and foreign community1 and seems to grow1 as we feel the need of the enthusiastic and ready service everywhere4 ,on our return our first attention was given to our dear ,chong ,dong 7city7 church1 the members of which have from the first been marked as energetic1 generous and full of faith4 ,with a membership1 as has been said1 of two hundred and nineteen1 they carry on five missions near the city1 within a radius of five miles4 ,these are places where chapels have been built--but they have also several other missions in districts where services are held in private dwellings4 ,the church members conduct and take charge of all these services4 ,they have contributed during the past year 7#aijb-aijc71 reckoned in gold dollars3 ,for their school #ge4hj ,church running expenses #ge4dj ,evangelistic work #de4hb ,charity #bj4ff ,gifts of ,city ,mission ,society #ej4ej ------- ,total #bfh4ah ,this total1 however1 is not a complete report1 not including the gifts of the largest mission1 that of ,chandari1 a 7from a ,korean standpoint7 prosperous little farming community outside the city4 ,for the women and girls1 beside ,sabbath services and regular prayer meetings1 six weekly ,bible classes are held in different neighborhoods1 all but two of which are well attended4 ,there are a number of these women well fitted for ,christian teaching1 and one or another of them has repeatedly gone off on a six-weeks' trip1 with some of the lady missionaries1 asking nothing more than her bare expenses4 ,they often go away on evangelistic trips quite at their own instance1 visiting village after village1 distributing tracts which they themselves have bought for the purpose1 and teaching the country women who cannot read4 ,very soon after our return to ,korea my husband was requested by the ,american minister and the members of our mission to visit ,hai ,ju1 in the province of ,whang ,hai1 on a mission of very serious importance4 ,we were sent to ,hai ,ju in ,february1 and since the preceding ,september1 it had come to be a matter of common report that the native ,romanists 7of whom there are said to be twenty thousand in that province7 had1 under the lead of the ,french priests1 been robbing1 torturing and blackmailing the poor people of the province 8for money to build churches10 resisting with arms1 maiming1 beating and even imprisoning officers of the law sent to stop them1 and establishing a veritable reign of terror through the whole district2 so that the weaker magistrates dared not lift a finger against any criminal favored by the priests1 or belonging to that church1 and fairly trembled for fear of them1 obeying with the alertness of terror their slightest behest4 ,the state of affairs grew so bad at length that the governor sent a manifesto to ,seoul1 saying he could no longer carry on the government of the province in such a state of insurrection and anarchy4 ,the following is a translation1 made for the ,korea ,review1 of the official copy of a part of the governor's complaint3 8,in the counties of ,sin-ch'un1 ,cha-ryung1 ,an-ak1 ,chang-yun1 ,pong-san1 ,whang-ju1 and ,su-heung1 disturbances created by the ,roman ,catholics are many in number1 and petitions and complaints are coming in from all quarters4 8,in some cases it is a question of building churches and collecting funds from the villages about4 ,if any refuse to pay1 they are bound and beaten and rendered helpless4 ,when certain ones1 in answer to petition1 have been ordered arrested1 the police have been mobbed and the officers of the law have been unable to resist it4 ,while investigating a case on behalf of the people1 ,i sent police to arrest ,catholics in ,cha-ryung4 ,they raised a band of followers1 beat off the police1 arrested them1 and dismissed them with orders not to return4 ,then ,i sent a secretary to remonstrate with them4 ,at that the ,sin-ch'un ,catholics1 a score or more of them1 armed with guns1 arrested the secretary1 insulted him1 etc40 ,one of the priests1 who is apparently most influential and has been most notorious1 whose ,korean name is ,hong1 and who is known among foreigners as ,father ,wilhelm1 told my husband that the native ,romanists were not to be blamed for all this1 for they had only obeyed his orders4 ,mr4 ,underwood had had a slight acquaintance with this priest for some years1 meeting him occasionally and knowing little of his life1 but supposing he was doing an earnest if mistaken work of self-sacrifice1 he was unable to believe that the priest was cognizant of all that was being done by his followers1 until he had both written and had a personal interview with him1 when he was sorrowfully forced to see that rumor had not misrepresented his conduct4 ,this sad condition of things might have gone on1 no one knows how long1 but some of the people so robbed and tortured were ,presbyterian ,christians1 and there is something about ,protestant ,christianity that resists oppression and favors a growth of sturdy independence and a love of freedom and fair play4 ,one of these men was a particularly determined fellow who had been persistently seeking justice ever since1 and would not be discouraged or daunted4 ,he first went to the missionaries1 who told him to take the matter to the ,korean courts1 but as the provincial courts were quite helpless against such a giant evil1 he went up to the capital4 ,the officials at the capital1 probably in awe of the ,french1 dared not interfere4 ,he and his companion1 another sturdy farmer like himself1 went from one missionary to another in ,seoul1 all of whom put them off1 disliking to take up native quarrels1 and on principle opposed to using influence with ,korean officials1 and none of them realizing to what threatening dimensions the affair had grown4 ,these poor men were not eloquent1 they could only tell a plain1 simple story1 but they knew that they and thousands of others were deeply wronged and were able to do one thing well1 namely1 to persist4 ,persist they did with unwearied resolution4 ,failing to obtain any help or satisfaction1 they at length decided to go directly to the ,french legation and seek justice and relief there4 ,they were received1 attentively heard1 carefully questioned1 given a promise of redress1 and sent politely away4 ,they waited long and patiently1 but no redress came1 nor any sign of it4 ,again and again they sought the fulfilment of the promises of the representative of ,france1 only to be put off repeatedly with fair words and indefinite assurances4 ,so at length they published their whole story in the leading ,korean newspaper in ,seoul4 ,then the ,french minister did indeed begin to act4 ,he immediately requested the ,korean ,foreign ,office to have the men beaten and imprisoned1 on the ground that conduct like theirs had caused the ,boxer trouble in ,china4 ,when affairs came to this crisis1 the ,protestant missionaries awoke to the situation4 ,rev4 ,mr4 ,gale and ,mr4 ,underwood went to the office of ,foreign ,affairs and pled for the men1 and also laid the matter before the ,american minister1 ,dr4 ,allen4 ,he gave it his careful attention and succeeded in having a commission appointed by the ,korean government to go to ,hai ,ju and investigate the charges4 ,dr4 ,moffett1 of ,pyeng ,yang1 and ,mr4 ,underwood were also requested to be present and attend the trials4 ,from the beginning to the end of this attempt to bring the truth to light1 the ,french priests by every art in their power tried to block and delay the proceedings of the judge1 to annoy and overawe him in ,hai ,ju1 and 7we were informed7 by letters1 special messengers and telegrams1 to limit his power1 hinder his plans1 and undermine him in ,seoul4 ,illustration3 ,,carriers ,,with ,,jikays4 ,,page #ahd ,illustration3 ,,woman ,,with ,,bundle ,,of ,,washing ,,on ,,her ,,head4 ,,page #bdf ,he was a sturdy1 clear-headed1 determined man1 who had had long intercourse with ,europeans in his post in the ,foreign ,office1 and held his own with much self-possession and sang-froid4 ,it was said of him that he carried on the trials more fairly and more in accordance with equity than had ever been seen before in ,korea4 ,the priests arrested and tortured a policeman who had been sent to bring some of the accused to the court1 hanging him by his wrists4 ,they used all the influence they possessed in ,seoul1 through the ,french1 to force the ,korean government to order the commission to yield to their demands for the release of prisoners already in the hands of the law1 and for the remittance of punishment as they should dictate4 ,they induced the commissioner to promise that he would not try to arrest any one for a week1 on the solemn assurance that they would themselves bring all the accused to court1 and then1 although they had two of the most notorious malefactors in their house for several days before the week expired1 they allowed them to escape4 ,they forced themselves into the commissioner's presence and with bluff and reiterated demands wearied him into sending his resignation to ,seoul1 which1 however1 the king refused to accept4 8,father ,wilhelm's0 church is in a valley about ten miles from ,hai ,ju1 entirely surrounded by high hills4 ,the entrance to the valley at that time was guarded by sentinels1 and the points of vantage on the hill tops were occupied in the same way4 ,when any one is seen approaching1 a signal is given1 and the people 7for the village is full of fugitives from justice7 flee into the church1 which it will be seen serves the triple purpose of a court with torture chamber1 a citadel1 and a place of worship4 ,when police were sent there with warrants of arrest for some of the worst miscreants1 ,father ,wilhelm met them at the door with a revolver1 demanding what they wanted4 ,when told1 he requested to see the warrants1 denied that any such persons were there1 would not allow them to enter1 nor would he return the warrants1 but with threats bade them begone4 ,on more than one occasion posses of armed men were sent by him to rescue criminals who had been seized4 ,the cruelest forms of torture1 such as are used only by ,korean officials in cases of murder and treason1 were used by the priests in their churches to force poor peasants to give over their money or the deeds of their houses and farms4 ,mr4 ,underwood and ,dr4 ,moffett spent some weeks in ,hai ,ju1 carefully studying these matters and in close attendance at the trials4 ,in addition to the above facts they discovered that this was not a persecution waged upon ,protestants by ,catholics1 but a system of blackmail laid on the whole community1 and that the number of complaints brought in by non-,christian natives were1 compared to those from ,christians1 as twenty to one4 ,again1 that the ,french priests were 7in the present instance1 at least7 demanding1 as in ,china1 a right to sit with a judge in a court of justice and modify sentences4 ,we learned further that the people were tormented to the verge of insurrection1 and had planned to rise on a certain day1 when the news that a commission had been appointed1 and that the missionaries had come down to see fair play at the investigations1 calmed and decided them to await further developments4 ,the results of the trials were very unsatisfactory4 ,with the small force of men at his command1 with the priests foiling every effort to make arrests1 few men were apprehended4 ,those who were brought to trial1 by their own admissions and self-contradictions1 and by the consistent and overwhelming testimony of many witnesses1 were all proved guilty of the charges laid against them4 ,the priests1 and by far the majority of the miscreants1 including the ringleaders1 who could not be caught1 went scot free4 ,the commissioner made a report to the ,korean government1 asking for the deportation of the two priests1 ,wilhelm and ,le ,gac1 which the ,korean government did not ask1 but which it would have been thought should hardly have been necessary4 ,were not the ,koreans long suffering to a remarkable degree1 as well as a feeble power1 they would long since have risen and cast out all foreigners from their desecrated shores4 ,in the light of what we have seen and heard here1 the cause of the ,boxer troubles in ,china is not far to seek4 ,thus is national sentiment aroused against us2 for long persistence in conduct similar to this was foreign blood spilled like water there1 and for such reasons are the gates of ,thibet barred to the gospel4 ,the following official report of the interview between the priest and the governor of ,whang ,hai province1 in the presence of the inspector sent by the king1 will show what a state of affairs existed4 8,translation of the official report of the interview held between the governor of ,whang ,hai ,do and ,father ,wilhelm1 in the presence of the ,inspector ,yi ,eung ,ik4 ,eighth day #b;d ,moon ,koang ,mu4 8,in the seventh year of ,quang ,mo in the second moon and eighth day1 the governor of ,whang ,hai ,do1 ,yi ,yung ,chick1 and the ,french teacher1 ,hong ,sok ,ku 7,mons4 ,wilhelm71 conferred4 ,hong ,sok ,ku said1 #8,the controversy between the governor and myself arose from the governor's not appeasing my wrath by arresting ,mr4 ,pak ,chang ,mou of ,whang ,ju1 and punishing him4 ,this ,pak1 at night after dark1 had thrown stones at the church of ,han ,sinpu 7a native ,korean priest71 and ,i therefore had spoken to the local magistrate of ,whang ,ju and asked to have him arrested and imprisoned1 but ,pak1 through his local influence1 had returned undisturbed to his home1 and as there seemed no other means of having him punished1 ,i wrote a letter to the governor1 asking that he would have ,pak brought up to the provincial town of ,hai ,ju and severely punished4 ,the governor replied that he could not have the people of local magistracies brought up to ,hai ,ju1 and ,i therefore supposed that the governor had no power to arrest the people of outside local magistracies1 and when ,i learned to my surprise that there was an order for the arrest of some of the ,christians 7,romanist7 of ,shinampo by the governor1 feeling sure that it was a false order1 ,i released by force all those whom the police were arresting1 and at once ordered all my ,christians1 if any one came out to arrest them again1 to resist it utterly4'0 ,the governor replied3 8,as for the business of ,pak of ,whang ,ju1 since he had been already arrested and imprisoned in ,whang ,ju1 and there was therefore no reason why he should be brought up to ,hai ,ju1 ,i did not do so as you had asked1 and as for my reply in my former letter1 that ,i could not arrest him1 it was in accordance with the ,chibang ,cheido 7,book of ,laws7 in regard to local and provincial jurisdiction1 and the reason why1 after my people have appealed1 ,i can order them arrested to try the case1 is in accordance with the ,chaipan ,chang ,chung1 or book of rules for courts of justice1 and if you had any doubts about the earlier or later affair1 while it would not have been out of the way to have asked a question1 is it right with your followers to gather a crowd and organize a band to arrest and carry off policemen1 to release and set free those who have broken the laws1 and to order your followers to resist authority1 so making your people fall into sin1 and making it impossible for the appointed authorities to administer justice8 8,desirous of instructing these ignorant people1 ,i sent one of the ,chusas 7high official next to the governor7 attached to this governorship1 but you sent out a company of men with firearms1 twelve miles1 and after dark seized and carried off this official4 ,a ,chusa is a national government officer1 military arms are outrageous things2 leaning upon what authority did you do such things as these1 and by whose authority do you arrest and carry off ,koreans and try to administer justice80 ,mons4 ,wilhelm replied3 8,i myself know that these things are not right1 and did them purposely4 ,as far as the book ,chaipan ,chang ,chung is concerned1 ,i know nothing about it1 but ,i simply relied upon the previous letter which you had sent4 ,i desired to understand the matter1 and sent you another letter1 and because you sent my letter back to me ,i still feel very angry40 ,the governor replied3 8,but your saying that you only recognized my first letter shows you simply know one thing and cannot know two2 as for your letter and my returning it without an answer1 it was because1 after the arrest of my ,chusa1 ,i had sent by special messenger a letter to you1 and you had given no answer and sent the man back emptyhanded1 ,i was indignant4 ,as ,i had no reply to my letter to you in regard to the ,chang ,yung affair1 why should ,i only answer letters8 ,because ,i thought it would be wrong for me to keep your letter that ,i did not answer1 ,i returned it40 ,father ,wilhelm replied3 8,because in the governor's last letter on the envelope he had written ,saham ,i did not answer the letter40 ,saham is written outside of letters which are replies from one slightly superior in rank4 ,the governor replied3 8,is it right to allow questions to go unanswered2 is it because you have nothing to say that you fail to answer all these questions80 ,father ,wilhelm replied3 8,when ,pak ,chang ,mou's wrong-doings had not yet been punished1 is it right that he should have been made one of the tax collectors8 ,when you have arrested and brought him to ,hai ,ju and severely punished him1 then only will my wrath be appeased40 ,the governor then said3 8,in the eighth moon of last year when ,i went to ,whang ,ju1 ,i looked carefully into this affair of ,pak's4 ,although it was stated that he had thrown stones1 there was no sure proof1 and yet he had been locked up in the local jail and had been punished1 during the investigation1 how1 then1 can you say that he has gone unpunished8 ,how can you claim that giving him a petty office several months later is an injustice8 ,then1 too1 you took this man to your church and there beat him1 and still claim that your wrath has not been appeased4 ,would you have me arrest him1 bring him here and make him and the complainants face each other80 ,pre ,wilhelm answered3 8,although ,i did have him beaten with ten strokes1 it was not a punishment for his main crime1 but because when his magistrate sent ,pak to confess his sins he was on the contrary impudent1 and therefore ,i punished him1 but his former offence still existed40 ,the governor replied3 8,when you are not a ,korean official1 is it right that you should arrest and beat ,koreans80 ,father ,wilhelm said3 8,it is because if ,i did not beat them ,i could not hold my position as superior that ,i do it40 ,the governor answered3 8,you1 a private citizen1 arresting and beating ,koreans and doing wrong1 and your written orders to your people1 have caused them to break the laws in eight different ways4 ,they resist the authority of the government1 beat the underlings1 and refuse to pay their taxes4 8,in addition1 at their churches and meeting places they establish courts of justice4 8,still further1 without order1 in companies they rush into the presence of magistrates to terrify them4 8,still again1 of their own accord they arrest1 beat and imprison the people4 8,again1 calling it money for the building of churches1 they extort contributions by force from the people4 8,furthermore1 at their own desire they cut down trees used for ,korean spirit worship1 they organize bands to forcibly bury the dead and move graves2 and still further1 they force people1 who have no desire to do so1 to enter their church40 ,father ,wilhelm replied3 8,i will with great care stop these eight offences and will not allow them to do as before2 have no fear40 ,thus ends the report of this unique interview between the governor of one of the most populous provinces of ,korea and the ,french missionary4 ,it is to be regretted1 however1 that his ready promise in regard to nearly all the eight offenses was repeatedly broken within a very short time after it was made4 ,i will add one or two other transcriptions from the official documents1 which came directly from the commissioner's office to our hands1 and which translations appeared in the ,korea ,review1 ,march1 #aijc4 ,the first report of the imperial inspector to the government3 8,i have looked carefully into the disturbances among the people in the different counties1 and the various crimes up to this date noted in the public records are only one or two in hundreds4 ,outside of two or three counties1 all the magistrates have been under this oppression1 and with folded hands1 are unable to stir4 ,the poor helpless people sit waiting for doom to overtake them4 ,receiving imperial orders to look into the matter1 ,i have undertaken the task1 and daily crowds with petitions fill the court4 ,there are no words to express the sights one sees1 the stories one hears4 ,depending on the influence of foreigners 7,french71 the ,catholics' issuing of orders to arrest is of daily occurrence2 their runners are fiercer than leopards1 and the torture they inflict is that reserved for only thieves and robbers2 life is ground out of the people1 goods and livelihood are gone4 ,unless this kind of thing is put down with strong hand1 thousands of lives will be lost in the end4 8,a ,french priest by the name of ,wilhelm1 living in ,chang-ke-dong in ,sin-ch-un1 a retired spot among the hills1 has gathered about him a mob of lawless people4 ,their houses number several hundred4 ,many of them carry foreign guns1 so that country people are afraid1 and dare not take action4 ,a number of those already arrested have been set free by this priest4 ,most of those who have slipped the net have escaped there1 and now form a band of robbers4 ,there is no knowing where trouble will next arise1 and it is a time of special anxiety4 ,those who assemble there at the #8call of the whistle' 7bandit7 are outlaws1 and must be arrested4 ,they may1 however1 make use of dangerous weapons1 so we cannot do otherwise than be prepared for them4 ,this is my report4 ,look carefully into it4 ,send word to the office of generals4 ,wire me permission to use soldiers1 and as occasion offers lend me a helping hand40 ,while this painful business was on1 and my husband was daily attending the trials and listening to the harrowing tales of the poor1 tortured and robbed people1 and seeing heartrending evidences of the cruelties inflicted upon them1 ,i was holding meetings with the ,christian women who came every morning to study the ,bible4 ,one visit only was made to a small village a short distance outside the city1 where there were quite a number of ,christian families4 ,all the ,christian women quickly assembled at the house of my hostess1 a wholesome farmer's wife1 who came out to the road to welcome me1 took both my hands in hers with a long gentle pressure1 and a look of gladness as bright as if ,i had been a radiant angel from heaven1 or a returned apostle4 ,her small rooms were soon filled with ,christians and others1 who listened while we held a service and talked of the things concerning the kingdom4 ,then they1 with bounteous hospitality1 brought in a store of the best their homes contained of dainties4 ,they feasted my two native companions and myself and all the visitors1 both ,christians and mere sightseers1 and even my chair coolies were given as much as they could eat1 which is no mean amount4 ,one woman said that her eldest son had just returned from ,sorai and was urging his father to sell his good farm and home and move there with his family1 so that he and his brothers might attend that school and church and learn more about ,god and his will4 ,the work in this hamlet all started through the instrumentality of a young girl in ,hai ,ju1 not seventeen years old1 who1 having formerly lived here1 after her marriage into a ,christian household in the city1 and after her conversion1 often returned to her old home and begged her family to believe and accept ,christ4 ,though they scoffed and reviled at first1 after a while they began to listen1 and finally one1 then another1 yielded their hearts4 ,after the manner of ,korean ,christians1 they 8passed on the word10 and so at length seven families were trusting ,christ4 ,after seven weeks in ,hai ,ju we returned to ,seoul1 having done all that was possible in the matters we had been sent there to look after1 and having made it plain that ,americans would not stand by and see the natives persecuted and wronged without a strong protest2 for while we try not to interfere between them and their rulers 7and this is at times extremely difficult71 we do not feel the same obligation in the case of ,french priests4 ,our hope now is that these outrages will henceforth be somewhat restricted and that ,protestants will at least remain unmolested1 as the mere advertisement and bringing to the light of the evil would do much to prevent its repetition1 the children of darkness having an ancient dislike of the light4 ,before we returned from ,hai ,ju we learned of the death by smallpox of our dear brother1 ,mr4 ,w4 ,v4 ,johnson1 who had arrived early in ,february of that year1 his consecrated young wife having died on the way to the field1 in ,kobe1 ,japan4 ,we all felt the sweet devoted spirit of the earnest young brother1 and knew that these two valuable lives were not given in vain1 but that ,god has accepted their sacrifice as if they had done all they planned1 and has chosen to call them to reward a little earlier1 because they will better so fulfil his purpose1 for1 through and in them4 ,again1 only a few months later1 we were all called to part with a dear sister1 ,mrs4 ,f4 ,s4 ,miller1 whose loving sympathy and patient endurance of sickness and pain had endeared her to missionaries and native ,christians alike4 ,not a month before her own death1 her hands prepared the casket for the cold little form of one of the dear little missionary babies1 of whom so many are now in heaven4 ,and so1 as was said at the time of her release1 8,korea seems a gate to heaven40 ,sure it is good to go from service to the vision of the ,king4 ,this little chain of reminiscences is now at an end4 ,its object has simply been to interest ,christian people in this most interesting country1 and to show what ,god is working here4 ,it has been necessarily limited1 mainly to the experience of one pair of missionaries1 because the writer has neither the knowledge nor the liberty to speak freely of the lives and work of all1 and neither the ability nor the space to write a complete history of mission work in ,korea4 ,it is hoped that although so restricted1 as to be a mere glimpse of a small fraction of what is being done1 it will serve to make plain what grand opportunities are theirs 7at present7 who would lead a nation out of bondage into liberty1 the only liberty worth calling the name1 or that sinful mortals can use1 8the liberty of ,christ40 ,korea1 lying as she does so close to ,china 7whose future is fraught with such mighty possibilities of good or evil to the whole world71 with such close affinities and wide sympathies for that people1 is1 we hope1 to be a polished shaft in ,god's quiver in conquering that great nation for his kingdom4 ,but whatever his eternal purpose may be1 there is no doubt as to our present privilege and 8power to the last particle is duty40 ,if in these pages you have seen much that leads you to think the land is a difficult one in which to live1 if you have read of political unrest1 bad government1 riots1 robbers and plagues2 if you have learned that missionaries have died of typhus fever1 smallpox1 dysentery and other violent forms of disease1 this will only serve to remind you that the more valuable the prize to be won1 the greater the difficulty and cost4 ,if you desire to share in the joy of this great harvest1 and are worthy1 you will fear no danger1 shrink from no obstacles1 either for yourselves or for your loved ones1 whom you are asked to give to the work4 ,god placed an angel with a flaming sword which turned every way at the gate of paradise4 ,is the kingdom still thus guarded8 ,must we all who would enter follow him who was made perfect through suffering8 ,what was our ,lord's meaning when he said1 8,the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence1 and the violent take it by force40 ,some of us are ready to pray that ,god would place another such flaming sword at the gate of our mission fields1 so that no man or woman who could or would not brave such baptism of fire should enter4 ,there is no more place on the mission field for the fearful and unbelieving than in heaven itself4 ,like ,gideon's army1 let the applicants be reduced till only the resolute1 the consecrated1 those who believe in ,god1 the people and themselves1 are accepted for this mighty privilege1 this high calling4 ,let it only be remembered by all who would enter the ,lord's army to wrest the kingdom of heaven from the rulers of darkness1 that he1 whose we are1 and whom we serve1 he who never faltered on the thorny road that led to ,calvary1 who trod the wine press alone1 who came with dyed garments through the conflict to victory1 has bidden those who profess to love him1 as one of his last commands1 thrice repeated1 feed his sheep4 8,lovest thou me8 ,feed my sheep40 8,lovest thou me8 ,feed my sheep40 8,lovest thou me8 ,feed my lambs40 ,i4 ,oh1 never swear thou lovest me1 ,who lovest not my sheep2 ,for he who would my servant be ,my treasured flock will keep4 ,,ii4 ,oh1 never vow thou lovest me1 ,as follower leal and true1 ,who shrinkest in my paths to be1 ,or fearest my will to do4 ,,iii4 ,oh1 never weep thou lovest me1 ,my lambs who feedest not2 ,who wouldst my crowning glory see1 ,but hast the cross forgot8 ,,iv4 ,nay1 if thou lovest1 feed my sheep1 ,on desert moors astray2 ,the charge ,i gave thee surely keep1 ,until the final day4 ,v4 ,yea1 if thou lovest me1 thy ,lord1 ,my feeble lambs feed thou2 ,they wander o'er the world abroad1 ,many lie fainting now4 ,,vi4 ,then never swear thou lovest me1 ,who loves not these of mine2 ,who would my true disciple be1 ,shall prove his love divine4 ,,chapter ,,xvii ,historical ,review--,korean ,characteristics--,football between ,japan1 ,china and ,russia--,ill-advised ,movements--,unrest and ,excitement--,korea ,allied to ,japan--,japanese in ,korea--,po an ,whai--,kaiwha--,railroad ,extension--,japanese ,protectorate--,petition to ,president ,roosevelt--,removal of ,american ,legation--,education in ,korea--,righteous ,army--,true ,civilization4 ,before making a brief review of events which have taken place during the five years that have elapsed since the previous chapters were written1 let us look a little further at the character of the ,korean people so that we may understand them perhaps somewhat better and judge them a little more fairly as we scan their actions in reference to the conditions that follow4#e #e ,i have to thank ,mr4 ,homer ,b4 ,hulbert for many of these facts and dates1 having refreshed my memory by frequent reference to his 8,history of ,korea0 and 8,the ,passing of ,korea40 ,although through the influence of their progressive ,queen the country had been opened to foreigners in #ahhb1 and although missionaries had been there since #ahhd1 the impression made upon the people as a whole was very slight1 owing to the lack of newspapers and other means of appeal to the public1 and though in the capital a few progressionists had begun to feel the need of reform1 the nation as such was still in a kind of stupor under the baleful charm of the example of ,china1 and the influence of her classics and her civilization4 ,shut up for long centuries in complete seclusion--even ,japan had been open twenty years to the stimulating influences of the civilization of the ,west--still ,korea in her belated 8,morning ,calm0 slept on2 while ,japan had been up and catching her worms with the 8,rising ,sun10 and the first rude shock which startled her from this slumber and made her begin to look about was the defeat of ,china by her little neighbor4 ,coincidentally with the rapid march of political events1 the ,gospel was making advances with constantly increasing momentum and where the ,spirit of the ,lord is there is liberty of thought and action1 and to-day1 stung into life by the sharp lash of adversity1 ,korea is awake1 wide awake1 to sleep no more1 for her ,macbeth has effectually murdered sleep4 ,the ,koreans have been frequently spoken and written of as listless1 dull1 stupid1 lazy1 an inferior race2 but ,i submit this has been said mainly by travellers who did not know them1 or by those who were their enemies and had an object in making the world think them worthless1 or by those who had contented themselves with looking merely on the surface and had not studied them with a wish to know them at their best4 ,there is a certain excuse for these views1 if one observes only the rough coolies in the ports or the idle worthless 8boulevardiers0 who lounge about the streets of ,seoul1 or live by sponging on the generosity of some relative better off than themselves4 ,but such a class can be found almost anywhere1 even among the most advanced ,european nations4 ,to the writer it seems that there is a close parallel between the ,irishman and the ,korean4 ,both are happy-go-lucky1 improvident1 impulsive1 warm-hearted1 hospitable1 generous4 ,take either in the midst of his native bogs1 untutored1 without incentive--he is thoughtless1 careless1 dirty2 drinking1 smoking and gambling away his time with apparently little ambition for anything better4 ,remove this same man1 be he ,irishman of ,great ,britain1 or ,irishman of the ,east--,korea--place him in a stimulating environment1 educate him1 instil the principles of ,protestant ,christianity1 give him a chance to make a good living1 and a certainty that he may keep his own earnings1 and you will not find a better citizen1 a more brilliant scholar1 a finer ,christian4 ,look at the men of ,north ,ireland and tell me if this is not so8 ,look at the ,christian ,korean1 self-supporting1 independent1 sober1 faithful1 industrious1 eager to study4 ,hear the testimony of the missionaries of all denominations4 ,hear the testimony even of the foreign mining companies1 who avow the ,koreans are the best workmen of any nationality they have employed4 ,hear the testimony of the ,american planters in ,hawaii1 who say that the ,koreans are the best workmen1 the most sober1 well-behaved1 cleanly1 domestic1 peaceful and thrifty they have ever used1 far superior to the ,japanese1 who are quarrelsome and unstable--or even the ,chinese4 ,witness the young ,koreans who have graduated from our ,american colleges and medical schools side by side with ,americans1 often carrying away the honors4 ,let us keep these facts in mind and remember that if ,korea has been caught in the toils and has allowed her country to be usurped1 she was caught napping4 ,the whole nation was still in the bogs1 and twenty-five years behind the rest of the world1 in a time when a thousand years is as one day and one day as a thousand years4 ,when ,china1 the ,titan1 found herself helpless in the hands of the new rgime1 what could be expected of little ,korea when she suddenly awoke to find herself shut in a trap with a foreign army in her capital and foreign guns at her palace gates8 ,the most brilliant speaker at the great international conference in ,tokio two years ago was unanimously by ,japanese newspapers conceded to be a ,korean1 and an ,american told the writer that the grandest sermon he had ever listened to--and he had heard ,john ,hall and the great ,western divines--was preached in ,korea by another ,korean4 ,the writer also recalls at this moment still two others who are capable of carrying any audience along enraptured1 and whom she would not hesitate to rank with the best1 most inspiring public speakers she has ever listened to4 ,we know many ,koreans who have been given opportunity1 environment1 advantage1 who have ability1 energy1 initiative and resource equal to that of the foremost ,americans and ,europeans4 ,they are not1 perhaps1 par excellence1 fighters like the ,japanese or merchants like the ,chinese4 ,they have not the volatility and headlong impulsiveness of the one nor the stolid conservatism of the other1 but they are the equals if not the superiors of either4 ,which of the three evolved an alphabet and a constitutional form of government8 ,this is the conscientious opinion of one who has known them for twenty years1 closely1 in every-day contact1 through all sorts of circumstances1 in city and country1 and it is an opinion almost the opposite of that which was formed during the first years of acquaintance with them4 ,it is the result of the developments of character seen in individuals and the nation4 ,that they are friendly1 hospitable1 long-suffering1 patient1 any one who studies them without prejudice for a short time will admit1 but those of us who know them best know that they have brilliant gifts and a high grade of intellectuality4 ,the old simile of the rough diamond is a good one to apply to ,koreans who seem perhaps worthless stones to the ignorant careless observer1 but1 when polished1 they shine as brilliant jewels for the ,redeemer's crown4 ,considerable space has been given to this question of ,korean ability because much has been made of the other side1 as an excuse for what might be thought otherwise inexcusable1 and because it is right that the public should know they are not unworthy of its sympathy and interest4 ,nor should they be called cowardly because taken unaware by the rapid succession of cataclysmic political events which have whirled them along during the last few years4 ,the 8,morning ,calm0 is forever gone4 ,korea has for many years been in a diplomatic way a sort of football between ,japan1 ,china and ,russia1 and in #aijc affairs were rapidly culminating toward the ,russo-,japanese war4 ,yi ,yong ,ik1 the ,korean prime minister1 who had then lately returned from ,port ,arthur and was zealously pro-,russian1 like most of the court and officials1 now began a series of attacks on ,japanese interests4 ,koreans had always regarded their neighbors on the ,east with the distrust which their not infrequent invasions warranted1 and they believed that ,russia1 while she might invade1 would not seek to ,russianize2 while she might plunder1 would not colonize1 or interfere at least more than incidentally or occasionally with personal right or private concerns as the others were almost certain to do4 ,whenever trouble seemed brewing between ,japan and other powers1 whatever may have been the reason1 the ,korean government at least almost invariably went with the other side1 and at this time ,korea and her royal family counted a long score of injuries and wrongs from ,japan4 ,the murder of their ,queen1 the cutting of the top-knots1 and the hard and burdensome laws enacted at that time1 the indignities the ,emperor had suffered in practical confinement and the insults heaped upon the dead ,queen could not be forgotten4 ,on the other hand ,russia had sheltered and protected the ,king on his escape1 had favored his complete freedom of action even while he resided in her ,legation1 and when patriotic ,koreans had complained that ,russian influence was becoming too great1 had withdrawn all the causes of complaint1 removed her bank1 and the obnoxious officials1 favored the departure of the ,king to his own palace and left everything in the hands of the ,koreans4 ,such conduct1 whatever its motive1 could not but excite gratitude1 and add to this the degree of certitude with which nearly the whole ,east awaited the speedy defeat of the ,japanese by mighty1 all-powerful ,russia1 it is not hard to see why the ,korean government were so strongly pro-,russian4 ,this1 then1 by way of partial explanation of the attitude of ,yi ,yong ,ik and the ,korean court and government and in fact of a great many of the ,korean people1 though just here it may be said that multitudes of the ,koreans with all the ,americans and ,europeans1 except perhaps the ,french1 were pro-,japanese1 believing that they would prove the saviors of ,korea from all-absorbing ,russia1 that reform and progress1 good government and order would follow in their train1 and warm were our good wishes and hearty the delight with which we witnessed ,japanese successes at the opening of the war4 ,this attitude of the ,korean government continued without change from the beginning to the end of the war1 and now was the time when they might venture to show their real feeling and attempt some reprisals upon ,japan4 ,first of all1 then1 the minister took the ill-advised measure of forbidding the use of the notes of the ,japanese bank in ,seoul1 causing a run which came very near wrecking it4 ,as the ,japanese were in a position to retaliate1 this resulted in apologies and withdrawals by the native government1 but left a debt uncancelled for the ,japanese to remember by and by4 ,the ,russians were next given a concession to cut timber along the ,yalu and soon after1 on their asking the privilege of the use of the port of ,yengampo in using this concession1 it was granted4 ,as is well known1 ,japan and the foreign powers now urged the opening of this port to all foreign trade1 ,russia opposing1 and the ,korean government steadily refused4 ,when1 in addition1 they soon after refused also to open ,wi ,ju in accordance with the objections of ,russia1 it became quite evident that war alone would ever make ,russia retire from ,korean soil4 ,in ,october1 ,japanese merchants in ,korea began calling in outstanding moneys and from this time on the ,koreans were in daily1 hourly suspense1 awaiting the war which could bring1 in any event1 nothing but disaster and loss1 the only thing which they might hope for1 being a degree less of distress1 humiliation and misery1 in one case than the other4 ,their country was to be the spoil of war1 as well as its probable seat1 and devastation1 rapine and bloodshed loomed darkly before them4 ,the action of the ,korean pawnbrokers1 refusing to lend money at this time1 added to the general distress1 for many of the poor are obliged to pawn some of their belongings in the fall1 in order to provide fuel and clothing for the winter1 and it was now feared that an uprising against all foreigners would take place1 so great was the excitement and discontent4 ,guards were called to the different ,legations to protect their countrymen1 and missionaries and others were warned to come in from the country4 8,there was a great deal of disaffection among the poorly paid ,korean troops in ,seoul4 ,the ,peddlers' ,guild were threatening and capable of any excess and the unfriendly attitude of ,yi ,yong ,ik toward western foreigners except ,french and ,russians was quite sufficient reason for these precautionary measures40#f #f ,hulbert's 8,history of ,korea40 ,it was at this time that an ,american vessel was sent to a northern port with a message from the ,legation to the missionaries to come to ,seoul1 but while a few1 for various very good reasons1 did this1 most of these devoted men and women decided to remain and brave what war might bring in order to encourage1 help and comfort the native ,christians4 ,the same unrest and excitement which were evident in ,seoul1 were felt in the country and a serious movement began in two southern provinces where it was reported that a formidable insurrection was brewing4 ,reports came from the north as well of the banding together of the disaffected1 and many wealthy natives in ,seoul began removing their valuables and families to the country4 ,and now the distraught and corrupt government took another step at the bidding of ,russia1 and quite in keeping with the traditions of the ,east and the self-defensive1 evasive diplomacy of the weak4 ,they announced a neutrality which seemed from subsequent developments to have been a mere pretense in order to keep ,japan out4 ,while this neutrality was being insisted upon the ,japanese announced the arrest of ,koreans at different times1 said to be carrying messages from the ,korean ,emperor and his government to ,russia1 asking for aid in the form of troops and ammunition of war4 ,this is not at all unlikely1 yet such are the dark ways and devious devices of the ,east1 that it would have been quite as possible for those who wished to make an excuse to prove that the neutrality was a mere pretense1 to have made it1 if necessary4 ,there is nothing more certain1 however1 than that at that time the ,korean government was at heart wholly pro-,russian1 of whatever overt acts she may or may not have been guilty in breaking her neutrality4 ,whatever were the facts1 a most laudable excuse for the direct invasion of her neighbors' soil was now presented to ,japan4 ,the beginning of #aijd was marked by the making of ,japanese military stations every fifteen miles between ,fusan and ,seoul and the sending of a well-known ,japanese general to ,seoul as military attach to the ,japanese ,legation4 ,notices were posted in the city assuring ,koreans that their property and personal rights would be respected1 promising immediate justice if any complaint were made1 and from this time on ,chemulpo harbor was blocked4 ,korean students had previously been recalled from ,japan and now the ,japanese began rapidly landing troops in two southern ports of ,korea4 ,after the battle of ,chemulpo1 which soon took place1 the ,japanese landed all their troops further north and work was rapidly pushed on the ,seoul-,fusan railway and also begun on the road to ,wi ,ju4 ,on ,february #bc;d a protocol was signed by ,japan and ,korea1 by virtue of which ,korea practically allied herself with ,japan4 ,she granted the latter the right to use her territory as a road to ,manchuria and engaged to give them every possible facility for prosecuting the war4 ,on the other hand1 ,japan guaranteed the independence of ,korea and the safety of her imperial family4 ,it was1 of course1 on ,korea's side a case of necessity1 though many ,koreans really accepted the ,japanese as their friends and believed they would preserve their independence4 ,however1 willy-nilly1 there was nothing to do under the circumstances but to acquiesce for the time being1 though the government and court were still assured that ,russia would undoubtedly be the ultimate victor and the ,russians were continually making use of corrupt ,korean officials who served only to complicate affairs with ,japan4 ,it is more than doubtful whether this protocol1 backed by arms1 wrung out of the unwilling ,koreans1 was ever worth the paper on which it was written1 even to keep up appearances to a people so unsophisticated at that time as the ,koreans4 ,the ,japanese were ready at almost any moment during the war to enforce it and punish its violation1 and the native government were very likely quite as ready to avail themselves of every opportunity which might offer to break it openly1 could either ,russia or ,china have been depended on to assist4 ,but let us not forget that these were the acts of a corrupt government and not of the people1 and that their sprightly neighbor had long odds1 thanks to the almost forcible opening of their country thirty years earlier4 ,mr4 ,hulbert says1 8,the ,japanese handled the situation in ,korea with great circumspection10 which they certainly did4 ,the expected punishment did not fall on the pro-,russian officials4 ,the perturbation of the court was quieted and ,marquis ,ito was sent with friendly messages to the ,emperor4 ,the northern ports of ,wi ,ju and ,yonganpo were opened and soon ,yi ,yong ,ik who was a large factor in the conspiracies against ,japan was invited to visit that country4 ,the ,japanese soldiers were remarkably orderly and well behaved1 a great contrast in this respect to the ,cossacks and ,russian guard who had been at the ,legation1 who conducted themselves most outrageously1 so that they won the hate and fear of the whole native community1 and the disgust and horror of all western foreigners4 ,the ,japanese soldiers1 we are told by ,mr4 ,hulbert1 all belong to the upper middle classes4 8,no low class man can stand in the ranks10 and this being the fact1 the wide difference between their behavior and that of the colonists can be well understood4 ,suffice it to say that in the main they did great credit to their country and their conduct reassured the ,koreans and won for them as a rule tolerance and often real good will4 ,however1 the reforms which the pro-,japanese had so hopefully expected did not come4 ,the monetary affairs about which the ,japanese had complained as being so bad were not altered when they came into power1 and in addition they now began to demand all sorts of privileges which became no small hardship to the ,koreans4 ,in ,fusan the ,japanese ,board of ,trade asked their government to secure the maritime customs service1 permission for extra territorial privileges1 the establishment of ,japanese agricultural stations1 etc4 ,in the meanwhile the tide of ,japanese immigration was daily rising higher and higher as to quantity1 but the friends of ,japan would certainly like to think that the people who came could have represented only her worst classes4 ,this is not the place1 nor are missionaries the people to animadvert upon them or their conduct2 nor perhaps did it seem possible with the war on their hands at first1 and a hostile native people to keep in check later1 for the few ,japanese officials to look into the cases brought before them1 and deal out justice to their own offending countrymen4 ,but ,i do say that had they been able to do so1 their task in ,korea would be an easier one to-day1 for ,koreans are a long-suffering people4 ,moreover1 when loud complaints concerning the ,koreans' unwillingness to yield to 8legally constituted authority0 787 are heard1 let the reader bear in mind that this same 8legally constituted authority0 seldom1 if ever1 so far as the writer is aware1 has protected the ,korean in his rights1 or made him safe and inviolate in his home1 when a home was left to him4 ,we are not accusing the ,japanese4 ,they have undertaken a difficult task1 in which older and more civilized1 more ,christian nations have failed1 and when we look at ,poland and elsewhere1 we do not see that they are more to be blamed than the illustrious examples they have followed1 but we do say1 8,do not judge the ,korean too hardly if he rises in self defense to do what he can to make reprisals on invaders and to defend his own rights40 ,in connection with the laying of the railroads1 large tracts of some of the best land in the country were practically confiscated1 and in ,seoul large blocks of the most valuable property in the city were taken at a merely nominal price1 and hundreds of people lost practically all they had in the world4 ,in the north1 where soldiers were quartered on ,koreans1 many of the women1 whose custom it is never to be seen by strangers1 fled to the mountain recesses at a most inclement season and incurred untold suffering4 ,still the ,koreans bore all these trials with remarkable patience and few complaints4 ,many1 however1 of the malcontents and those who had suffered loss joined the robbers1 and large bands made frequent and destructive raids upon the smaller towns and villages1 adding to the general distress of the poor people who actually had no one to look to but the missionaries and ,americans whom they regarded as their only friends1 who could do little enough1 alas1 to help1 but who could point them to ,god who pities the helpless1 and bid them hope in ,him4 ,although many of the best ,koreans who had trusted in the ,japanese had been disappointed to see none of the promised reforms1 great was their added anger and alarm when on the seventeenth of ,june the ,japanese authorities made the suggestion 8that all uncultivated land in the ,peninsula as well as all other national resources should be open to the ,japanese4 ,the ,koreans now indeed raised a storm of protest4 ,the time was unpropitious4 ,koreans recognized that the carrying out of this would result in a ,japanese protectorate1 though the latter had probably not believed the ,koreans capable of following out the logic of this40#g #g ,hulbert's 8,history of ,korea40 ,they however1 not being prepared at that time to carry matters to extremes1 after repeated attempts at a compromise1 at length temporarily dropped it4 ,the ,koreans1 in order to oppose the encroachments of the ,japanese1 had organized a society 8for the promotion of peace and safety0 7,po an ,whai7 and many exciting discussions took place as to how to defeat the purposes of the ,japanese1 while continually a stream of memorials poured in to the ,emperor1 beseeching him not to yield to the demands of the invaders4 ,the latter1 therefore1 forcibly broke in on one of the meetings and carried leading members to the police station1 and at other times raided the meeting-place1 arrested other members and confiscated their papers4 ,they further warned the ,korean government that these doings must be firmly put down1 and insisted that those who kept on sending memorials against the ,japanese must be arrested and punished4 ,the position of the ,emperor at that time1 as ever since1 was certainly not an enviable one1 and then if ever was it true that 8uneasy lies the head that wears a crown40 ,indeed the poor ,korean ,emperor's crown was sitting very loosely just then and there seemed no way in sight to keep it from rolling quite away4 ,japanese troops in ,seoul were increased at this time to six thousand4 ,the members of the ,po an ,whai1 on the other hand1 sent circular letters throughout the country4 ,news spreads in a marvellous way in ,korea1 faster than by mail1 almost as by telegraph the human wireless flies from mouth to mouth1 from hand to hand1 and thousands of members were enrolled in every province4 ,in ,august ,japanese military authorities asked for six thousand coolies to work on the railroad at handsome wages1 but the report got out that these men were to be on the fighting line4 ,perhaps they distrusted their employers1 but1 whatever the reason1 only two thousand men could be obtained and there were frequent bloody fights in the villages when the effort was made to force men to work4 ,the tide of public opinion was now running high against them on account of the waste land measure and the violation of the right of free speech1 which had hitherto rarely been interfered with by their own government in spite of all its faults4 ,the ,po an ,whai still continued to carry on its propaganda1 so the ,japanese started another1 called the ,il ,chin society1 protected by ,japanese police and having only such members as were properly accredited by them2 and following this another society was organized as the ,kuk ,min or ,national ,people's ,club4 ,although their plans were good1 having no means whereby to carry them out they were laughed at by some1 but nevertheless they served to strengthen and unify patriotic feeling1 develop progressive ideas1 and sow broadcast through the land a general desire for advance and reform2 to bid the people awake to the dangers threatening them and to stir up a general spirit of inquiry as to the best method to strengthen their country and finally deliver her4 ,perhaps not much wisdom was wasted here4 ,the members were all more or less ignorant of such things1 of almost anything1 in fact1 but ,chinese classics1 but nevertheless a beginning must always be made1 and this was at least something4 ,and now in connection with the societies and the universal cry of 8,kaiwha0--progress--one began to see everywhere a distressing admixture of foreign and native dress4 ,koreans had been for some time cutting their hair4 ,now hundreds were wearing foreign caps and shoes which with their own long white coats gave the painfully ridiculous appearance of some one going abroad in night attire1 having stopped only for foot and head gear4 ,some wore no coats at all but very gaily colored foreign vests1 with their baggy white trousers below4 ,the transition stage in the dress of eastern peoples is sad to a degree to the foreigner who loves them and holds their dignity and respectability dear as his own4 ,the more he cares for the people the more bitterly does he resent the harrowing and pitiful variety of incongruities evolved by the natives in their zealous efforts to imitate the foreigner4 ,thus progress and pro-,japanese societies--names by some considered synonymous--multiplied1 but the poor common people were as sheep without a shepherd1 a prey to the wolves and robbers on all hands4 ,during that summer the ,japanese made their first suggestions that ,korea should recall her foreign representatives and that all ,korean diplomatic business be transacted through the ,japanese ,legation4 ,this was not1 however1 pushed at this time1 but was simply a forecast of what was in store4 ,a little later a ,mr4 ,stevens1#h an ,american citizen1 was nominated by them as adviser to the ,korean foreign office4 ,this was a move of great discernment1 for ,americans have always been particularly favored by the ,korean court and people from the ,emperor to the coolie1 and the advice of an ,american would meet a far readier hearing at that time than that of a ,japanese4 ,this man1 being the ,japanese appointee and dischargeable only by them1 was more than likely1 as it chanced1 to advise ,koreans according to the wishes of the ,japanese1 indeed1 for what other purpose could his patrons have placed him there8 #h ,on ,march #bc1 #aijh1 a ,korean member of the ,religious ,army attempted to assassinate ,mr4 ,stevens at ,san ,francisco1 wounding him so seriously that he died a few days later4 ,in accordance with this advice the ,korean ,emperor disbanded and dismissed most of the fifty thousand troops he then had under arms1 as he was reminded they were a needless expense4 ,the ,japanese had assured ,korea's independence and a small body-guard was all that was needed4 ,about this time1 partly in response to the fast growing feeling of the ,koreans themselves that one of their heaviest drawbacks was a lack of knowledge of ,western sciences1 a number of foreigners1 including nearly all the missionaries1 formed an educational association of ,korea1 their object being to prepare text-books for ,korean schools4 ,a little later a large number of ,koreans also founded an educational society which did not attempt to do with politics but gathered together those who believed education must be one of the important factors in putting ,korea on her feet4 ,in ,september1 #aijd1 the twentieth anniversary of the founding of ,protestant ,missions was celebrated4 ,the ,seoul-,fusan ,railroad was completed during this year and the ,seoul-,wi ,ju ,railroad well under way1 and although they were put through in the interests of the ,japanese1 missionaries cannot but believe that unconsciously they were the agents of the ,almighty making straight paths for ,his own kingdom4 ,the missionaries of the ,cross were1 with the ,japanese troops1 the first people to use these roads while they were still in construction4 ,as the year advanced ,japanese kept at work gathering the material resources of the country4 ,the offices of the high ,japanese officials were said to be literally besieged by their insistent countrymen who had no doubt come to ,korea to make a great fortune one and all under the gis of their own victorious troops and there is little doubt that the task of these officials1 between their own rapacious nationals on the one hand and the ,koreans who must be kept quiet for a time at least1 till the army had done with ,russia1 was not too easy4 ,fishing rights along the whole coast were demanded and given1 and next trading and riparian rights were seized4 ,the signing of the treaty of peace with ,russia was the signal for a still more active policy in ,korea1 and then immediate steps were taken for the establishment of a protectorate4 ,it is a well understood and by a certain class of politicians well practised proverb that 8,to the victor belong the spoils10 and had ,japan simply seized ,korea at this time1 it would neither have surprised nor greatly shocked the world at large1 or the readers of universal history4 ,but the somewhat clumsy attempt to place the ,koreans in the position of suing for this1 was on the part of the usually astute ,japanese a strange proceeding4 ,it seems as incredible that they could have expected to hoodwink the world as it was unnecessary4 ,they may have wished to produce a certain impression1 to create a given effect on the large party among their own best people who desired the practical independence of ,korea to be preserved and faith kept with them4 ,whatever their reasons1 the sheep's clothing was inadequate1 and the grim fact was only too patent to those who were concerned to know about the matter4 ,early in the autumn of #aije the ,emperor had been approached with the suggestion of a protectorate4 ,he was willing to recognize ,japanese predominance in ,korea1 even acquiesced in ,japanese advisorships1 but when it came to turning the whole country over he refused4 ,he knew that if he remained firm it could not be done without arousing indignation and perhaps some interference in his favor4 ,he determined to lodge a protest at ,washington1 turning naturally1 as all ,koreans do1 first to ,america and ,england1 but ,england's treaties with ,japan were so sweeping that he knew it would be useless to look there4 ,america's treaty1 however1 has the following clause1 8,that if either of the contracting parties is injured by a third party1 the other shall interfere with her good offices to effect an amiable settlement40 ,this could not be done through the regular channel of the ,foreign ,office1 as the before mentioned ,american agent of the ,japanese was in charge there4 ,a personal and private letter was therefore sent direct to the ,president1 asking him to investigate and help4 ,this message was carried by an ,american resident1 but the ,japanese1 probably surmising what was being done1 hurried on the completion of their plans4 ,marquis ,ito was sent to ,seoul with definite instructions4 ,korea was to be induced or forced to sign away her existence 8voluntarily0 7874 ,though many conferences with the ,cabinet took place1 there was no result4 ,the ,koreans stood fast for the treaty of #aijd in which ,japan guaranteed independence4 ,not a member of the ,cabinet consented4 ,it is unnecessary to go into all the painful details1 but at last by surrounding the ,cabinet and the palace with soldiers1 by having previously secured the consent of two or three men who were venal1 after repeated efforts and long discussions1 show of armed force and having forcibly removed ,han ,kyu ,sul1 the strong ,prime ,minister 7without whose signature no measure can be legally passed7 they managed to gain a majority of one1 and the seal being illegally fixed by the envoy1 the fact was declared accomplished and the authorities immediately announced in ,washington that ,korea had voluntarily entered into an agreement granting ,japan a protectorate4 ,the ,american government almost immediately recognized ,japan's claim and removed the ,legation from ,seoul4 ,the petition of the ,emperor arrived in ,washington before action had been taken1 but though its arrival was announced to the ,president1 it was not received till too late4 8,for twenty-five years ,american representatives and residents had been reiterating that we stood for right against mere brute force1 and ,korea had a right to regard our government as the one above all others to demur at any encroachment on her independence4 ,but when the time of difficulty approached we deserted her with such celerity1 such cold-heartedness and such refinement of contempt1 that the blood of every decent ,american citizen boiled with indignation4 ,while the most loyal1 patriotic1 cultured of ,korean nobility were committing suicide one after another1 because they would not survive the death of their country1 the ,american ,minister 7,mr4 ,morgan7 was toasting the perpetrators in bumpers of champagne1 utterly indifferent to the death throes of an empire which had treated ,american citizens with a courtesy and consideration they had enjoyed in no other ,oriental country40#i #i ,hulbert's 8,passing of ,korea40 ,news of this action was carried that night to the editors of one of the ,korean dailies4 ,they worked all night1 well knowing that the result of their action would be confiscation of their presses and imprisonment at least1 but thousands of copies of the paper containing a detailed report of all that had happened were in the hands of the people scattered broadcast beyond possibility of recall before the ,japanese were aware4 ,every effort was made to destroy this publication and to prevent the spread of this story to other countries but it was too late4 ,members of the ,cabinet and ,court told the story to ,americans1 and though there existed a rigid censorship of telegraph lines and mails1 it was carried by foreigners to ,china1 so that even in the minds of those who lend the most willing ear to the story told by the ,japanese1 there must always remain at least a moiety of doubt4 ,when1 as soon as the fact of the protectorate was announced1 the ,american ,legation was so suddenly removed1 there went up as it were a great cry from the heart of the people1 8,et tu1 ,brute40 ,it seemed the seal of their misfortunes1 the certainty that their best friend remorselessly and with hopeless finality had deserted them4 ,strong men were sobbing1 moaning1 crying like women or little children4 ,many committed suicide4 ,shops were closed with emblems of mourning4 ,a nation was in sackcloth and ashes1 on its face in the dust4 ,it was a bitter hour for ,korea and for the humiliated ,americans who for once were not proud of their government so far as its policy in ,korea was concerned4 ,well was it for the cowards who had signed the agreement that when they ventured through the streets it was with a strong guard of ,japanese1 for the people would have torn them to pieces1 and as it was1 numerous attempts were made on their lives4 ,one of them attempted or pretended to attempt suicide1 and to this step they were all advised by their compatriots4 ,japanese troops and artillery were paraded through the capital1 with great show of power4 ,heavy guards were stationed at various points1 though no attempt at resistance was made by the unarmed1 unorganized1 uncaptained mass of the citizens1 against the victorious conquerors of ,russia4 ,pro-,japanese societies and clubs suddenly collapsed4 ,the party that had believed all along that ,japan would keep her treaty and help ,korea maintain her independence1 was now disillusioned1 horror-struck and indignant4 ,the missionaries unanimously did all in their power to quiet the unhappy people1 to prevent useless uprisings and bloodshed1 and to comfort them in their sore distress4 ,some of them were inclined to resent these efforts to prevent revolt and to think and say that these missionaries were false friends who did not care for the welfare of the nation4 ,who could blame them for casting such a reproach upon us1 when our own government had deserted them without even a word of commiseration or regret8 ,to add to the distress an epidemic of malarial fevers with typhus and typhoid1 took place1 on account of the way in which the city drains had been closed4 ,the city had always been drained by open ditches which empty into a large drain flowing out under the walls4 ,these small ditches were1 in addition1 periodically cleaned out by men who gather fertilizers2 and1 purified by sun and air1 and washed out by the rains1 they were not so great a source of evil as they looked4 ,but the new-comers1 by way of reform1 and with the inevitable eye to appearances1 ordered all these ditches covered4 ,a protest1 private and public1 went up from every physician in ,seoul4 ,appeals were made1 but in vain4 ,the ditches were covered with boards and sod and left to ferment and breed countless colonies of germs1 with the result just mentioned4 ,japanese colonists were still pouring into the country by thousands#aj and the class who came1 and came as conquerors1 was such 7as has been noted7 as to entail inevitable hardships on the natives4 ,there is an impression abroad that all ,japanese are now civilized4 ,this is a great mistake4 ,while in the cities there are large schools and universities of ,western learning1 it must be remembered there are forty million of people1 most of whom live in the country and are very poor1 who have never been touched by the wave of civilization that has swept over ,tokio1 ,yokohama1 ,osaka1 ,nagasaki and the great cities4 ,they are little if any different from their grandfathers as ,commodore ,perry found them1 and their customs of dress1 their ideas as to the seclusion of women1 their morals1 their habits of thought1 their animus is in every way diametrically opposite to that of the ,koreans4 ,easier would it be to mix oil and water than these peoples4 #aj ,there are now over #ajj1jjj ,japanese in ,korea and they are coming at the rate of #ej to #ajj a day 7#aijh74 ,some ,japanese schools were started by the protectors but the ,koreans were hardly prepared to profit by these1 as the teaching was in ,japanese1 a language they could not understand1 and yet it has been said that the ,koreans did not care for education and were not willing or fit to make use of the advantages offered them4 ,but every little village has its schools1 and among the ,christians nearly every little group has its self-supporting parochial school1 where the elements of ,western learning are taught and the people are eagerly begging ,american missionaries for colleges and high schools which1 as fast as provided1 are thronged with students and could be easily thronged were the capacity doubled4 ,the attitude of the people toward ,christianity is stated in another chapter4 ,let it suffice to say that now is the accepted time to push forward with the standard of the ,cross in ,korea4 ,a young woman graduate of one of our largest ,american women's colleges wrote1 8,of one thing ,i am certain1 that ,christianity is the force for good and for enlightenment in ,korea1 in spite of all that may be said concerning ,japanese reforms1 governmental1 educational1 social40 ,another writes from ,korea3 8,the whole country is ripe for the picking4 ,the direful political conditions have turned the people toward the missionaries and their message is the only succor in sight4 ,the leaders are openly declaring that in ,christianity alone is to be found the political and social salvation of the nation4 ,in their extremity the ,koreans are ready to turn to the living ,god4 ,it may not be so two years hence4 ,conditions of which ,i dare not write are changing the character of ,korea4#aa ,if the ,christian ,church has any conception of strategy and appreciation of opportunity1 any sense of relative values1 she will act at once--not next year1 but now40 #aa ,morphine is being introduced with fearful success by ,japanese1 hundreds of immoral characters are plying their trade and the character of the people seriously changed4 ,l4 ,h4 ,u4 ,just before the meeting of ,the ,hague the ,emperor decided to send an appeal thither for ,korea4 ,he was warned that if he did so it would result in his death or abdication1 but he held firm4 ,he replied that he knew that would be the case but that the appeal must be made4 ,this was done and the abdication followed as predicted4 ,since then the rebellious among the people1 many of those who have sore grievances1 who have lost their homes1 perhaps their all1 and have been driven to desperation1 have joined hands with the bandits1 and form large companies of insurrectionists1 called the ,righteous ,army1 who keep up a kind of guerrilla warfare1 giving the ,japanese no rest4 ,a newspaper correspondent writes 8,the whole country is ablaze with eui-pyung 7righteous soldiers47 ,their professed object is to protest against ,japanese rule and free the land from it4444 ,as ,i take up to-day's paper it reads #8,modol 7twenty miles west of ,seoul7 ,dec4 #g4 ,company fifty-one of the ,japanese fought with one hundred and fifty rebels 7eui-pyung7 and drove them off4 ,su ,won 7twenty miles south of ,seoul7 ,dec4 #b4 ,eui-pyung entered the town1 robbed1 plundered and made off toward ,namyang4 ,idong 7twenty-five miles southeast of ,seoul7 ,dec4 #d4 ,eui-pyung entered and carried off the two chief men4 ,puk-chung 7three hundred and seventy miles north of ,seoul7 ,dec4 #d4 ,after much effort on the part of government 7,japanese7 troops1 the eui-pyung have been dispersed4 ,chechun 7one hundred miles south of ,seoul7 ,dec4 #b4 ,three hundred eui-pyung were followed1 brought to a fight and thirteen killed4 ,changyim 7seventy miles north of ,seoul7 ,dec4 #a4 ,fifty eui-pyung were encountered and in the fight six were killed4 ,eumsung 7thirty miles southeast of ,seoul7 ,dec4 #d4 ,an attack was made on the eui-pyung1 two were killed and five wounded1' etc40 8,all the while every ,japanese wayfarer is marked1 followed and done to death4 ,the eui-pyung are everywhere4 ,in the twinkling of an eye they gather1 they separate4 ,to-day five hundred are here4 ,to-morrow no one knows where they have been spirited away to4 ,seoul and the larger cities alone are safe from their attack4444 ,the task before the government grows daily more formidable40 ,it has been reported that along the line of some of the railways the ,japanese have been obliged to establish a continuous line of fortified posts with resident troops to prevent the constant destruction of the bridges and road bed by the eui-pyung1 but in these reports coming from the government we are not told the numbers of their troops killed and wounded in these encounters1 presumably too small to be worth mentioning4 ,it is nevertheless evident that there is in the minds of a large number of ,koreans objection to the present order which they are taking this means of recording4 ,as for the large body of ,christians1 they remain the most orderly1 reliable and peaceable of the whole native population4 ,the missionaries1 one and all1 whether from a wish to uphold ,japanese rule1 or a desire to save useless bloodshed1 are unanimous in using all their influence to quiet the ,christians and to induce them to prevent uprisings and revolts1 and after the abdication the ,christians in ,pyeng ,yang went through the streets counselling forbearance and patience4 ,these ,christians are1 however1 no less patriotic than their more demonstrative compatriots4 ,they are eager for progress1 for education1 for uplift1 because they believe and openly declare that in ,christian education and ,christianity alone is to be found the political and social salvation of the country4 ,they are seeking 8,kaiwha0 more diligently than ever1 and they are learning that progress and civilization do not consist in altering the cut and color of a man's coat or the length of his hair2 that it is not a matter of tramways1 wide streets1 tall houses1 gunboats1 well drilled armies1 factories1 arts1 luxuries1 hideous ,european clothes1 etc4 ,most ,eastern countries have all or many or some of these things1 but even where they are in greatest profusion one feels that something is wanting4 ,it is as like true civilization as a graphophone is like the true voice of a friend4 ,there is a hollow1 brassy ring about it4 ,it does not come from a warm1 living heart but is only a poor caricature out of an empty shell4 ,they are learning that true civilization is not a veneer2 it is the solid ringed growth of centuries reaching its leaves and blossoms unto ,heaven4 ,some of its outgrowths are the things these people copy so marvellously in paper and wax that we can scarcely tell the difference4 ,at a great fte given in an ,eastern city they built most cunningly out of boards and canvas a grand old tree2 they painted it with wonderful skill and crowned it with paper leaves and blossoms4 ,it was a marvel whereat the world stood open mouthed for a day1 but the rain descended and the floods came and the wind blew and beat upon the tree and it fell for it had no roots4 ,the ,korean ,christians are learning fast1 we hope1 that better civilization of which our dictionaries give but one or two definitions3 8,the humanization of man in society2 the satisfaction for him in society of the true law of human nature10 and 8,the lifting up of men mentally1 morally and socially40 ,this never was1 never will be done by tramways and new clothes4 ,it can never be brought about by armies and men of war4 ,it will not follow in the train of art and of luxuries1 though they follow it4 ,men1 however well dressed and well informed1 may be after all no better than the manufactured tree1 without the vital principle of life that is in ,christianity to 8lift them up mentally1 morally and socially0 above the material and sensual and hold them there unshakenly rooted in the rock4 ,they are learning that all that is best in ,western civilization1 the motor power that stirs the energies of men and brings out the choicest results is ,christian faith and love4 ,christian principle1 and that where this principle is implanted1 this spirit breathed1 there is a civilization made or making1 for the choice things of which heathenism has often not even a word whereby they may be expressed4 ,test them by such words as ,god1 ,heaven1 ,home1 ,love1 ,faith or ,sin--where do they stand8 ,this is the reason that to-day ,korean statesmen are saying that in ,christianity is the only hope for ,korea's national salvation4 ,and here let me quote ,dr4 ,j4 ,d4 ,davis of ,kyoto who says1 8,if this work of ,christianity can go on unchecked and unchilled ,korea will be rapidly evangelized and filled with millions of happy1 enlightened ,christian homes and this little kingdom1 despised though it has been1 will give to the world a priceless example of the way and the only way that the ,gospel can be carried to the whole world during the present generation40 ,again ,mrs4 ,curtis1 another ,american missionary to the ,japanese1 writes1 8,by ,god's blessing1 within the next ten years1 if the ,church in ,america will do its part1 this whole nation 7,korea7 may be reached with the ,gospel4 ,korea is fast becoming ,christian1 and1 if ,japan does not soon respond to ,god's call to her1 there is the prospect of a ,christian people1 producing the first-fruits of true life1 brought under the sway of a nation yet dead1 who have appropriated the fruits of centuries of ,christian growth1 but who refuse to share the life which alone can make those fruits sweet and wholesome and bring them to perfection4 ,a ,christian nation ruled by another whose real ,god is ,national ,glory6 ,it will be laid to the charge of the ,christian ,church if this becomes a fact4 ,every man and woman who is #8looking for the kingdom of ,god' and faithfully seeking to hasten its coming ought to consider this40#ab #ab ,missionary review1 ,march #aijh4 ,books which may be relied upon to give trustworthy accounts of conditions in ,korea during the period above referred to are3 ,hulbert's 8,passing of ,korea10 ,doubleday1 ,page ,co42 ,mc,kenzie's 8,unveiled ,east10 ,hutchinson ,co42 ,story's 8,to-morrow in the ,far ,east10 ,chapman ,hull1 ,h4 ,g4 ,underwood's 8,the ,call of ,korea10 ,revell 7,mission study book72 ,hulbert's 8,history of ,korea40 ,,chapter ,,xviii ,,present ,,status ,,of ,,missions ,,in ,,korea4 ,present ,status of ,missions--,wonderful ,progress--,education for ,girls--,medical ,missions--,denominational ,comity--,christianity ,spreading--,individuals at ,work--,christian ,heroes--,character of ,korean ,christians--,how the ,work ,grows--,christian ,influence--,training ,classes--,circuit ,work--,statistics--,rapid ,extension--,evangelistic ,work--,joy and ,triumph--,the ,nation being ,evangelized4 ,what has been previously written in this book regarding missions has become ancient history already in the swift onward march of events in ,korea4 ,great political changes have occurred1 referred to elsewhere1 and these have doubtless been used in the ,providence of ,god to turn the people toward the ,american teachers whom they have learned to trust4 ,they have been humiliated1 afflicted1 distressed and perplexed and in their trouble and anxiety they have been eagerly searching on all sides for some light on a dark problem4 ,their cry has been1 8,what shall we as a nation do to be saved80 ,some of their advisers have said1 8,educate your people20 others1 8,make friends with ,english and ,americans20 others again have said1 8,our old religions have never helped us4 ,perhaps this doctrine taught by the missionaries is the truth4 ,if so1 we have for centuries been offending the ,almighty4 ,he has permitted this curse to fall upon us4 ,let us hasten to repent and obey and worship only ,him and perhaps ,he will be gracious and restore to our nation her ancient place and name and deliver us40 ,but whatever the remedy suggested1 the relief seemed to lie1 for one cause or another1 as was said in a previous chapter with the missionaries1 and so the people have been groping1 reaching out lame hands of faith towards what seemed to them the only hope1 and turning in increasing numbers to the missions1 to those who are there to 8bind up the broken-hearted1 to bid the oppressed go free1 and to publish the acceptable year of the ,lord10 and those who come to find help have found far more than they sought2 for earthly freedom1 fellow-citizenship with the saints of the household of ,god2 for their ignorance they receive the wisdom that knows the love of ,christ that passeth knowledge2 and instead of their poverty and emptiness1 all the fullness of ,god4 ,as we try to give some idea of the religious status of the people1 perhaps it would be as well to consider the field at first station by station4 ,let us begin1 then1 with ,seoul1 the oldest station1 the largest city1 and looked at from many points1 the most difficult1 and also in some respects the most interesting4 ,it is most difficult because here for centuries have been the headquarters of a corrupt government4 ,here reside numberless officials with their retainers and sycophants1 their concubines and dancing girls1 and round them seems to revolve most of the political1 social1 religious and business life of the majority of the citizens4 ,graft plays a large part in the life of ,seoul4 ,multitudes of its people are living in the hope of making money out of the government or some of its officials1 the idle and the wicked of all classes and both sexes seem to gravitate naturally toward the capital and now it is crowded with thousands of foreigners of the most depraved morality4 ,yet here the first missionaries settled1 perhaps as much because no other center was then open as for any other reason4 ,here the ,presbyterians have now three flourishing churches1 the ,northern ,methodists have four1 the ,southern ,methodists two1 the ,english ,society for the ,propagation of the ,gospel have a ,mission and the ,romanists also two or three churches4 ,none of these churches would be recognized to-day for those which were in existence five years ago4 ,they are all far too small for their congregations1 though these are divided1 the men worshipping at one hour1 the women at another4 ,if we are a little late in visiting them we shall not be able to enter1 for doors and windows are crowded and there is not an inch of space anywhere within hearing of the speaker's voice4 ,in this city the largest congregation is probably that of the ,yun ,mot ,kol church1 which numbers eleven hundred people4 ,the growth here is remarkable because not four years ago this was the weakest of the ,presbyterian churches1 not only numerically but in the character of its people4 ,they seemed jealous1 quarrelsome and niggardly4 ,they were apparently unable to work in full harmony with the other ,presbyterian churches of the city and unwilling to give in proportion to their numbers as the others gave1 either for the support of their own work or of the general work of the three carried on in city and country4 ,but now all is changed4 ,this is now the largest church in the city and what rejoices all hearts is that it is gathering in large numbers of the nobility1 most of whom live in that quarter4 ,this class of people we have almost despaired of reaching for many reasons4 ,the habit of keeping concubines is general among them and it is a terrible ordeal to wrench away from a woman dearly loved as a wife1 and her little ones1 for ,koreans are exceedingly fond of their children and family ties are strong4 ,again1 the ,korean noble feels more than the lower classes1 as a religious duty due to family and clan1 the obligation of ancestor worship1 and he is cutting himself loose from his place in social and family life when he abjures this4 ,still further1 all officials holding office or attending the court must bow before certain royal tablets1 and perform religious duties on certain national holidays4 ,if this is given up his office must also be resigned4 ,so we see that for a nobleman to become a ,christian he must break the ties of family1 of social and of political life and sacrifice whatever emoluments he is gaining thereby1 and to some of these men it is all their living4 ,yet during the last three years a large number of the nobility have taken this step and their women1 who have always been bound by the custom of seclusion1 go in their chairs or even on foot1 well veiled1 to the ,sabbath services4 ,the three ,presbyterian churches1 as has been said1 work together as one for the evangelization of the heathen population of the city and surrounding country districts4 ,as for schools1 both boys' and girls'1 they are all overcrowded2 many applicants must be sent away4 ,the churches have their own parochial primary schools for girls and boys which they1 of course1 support as well as their own church work1 and there are boarding schools more advanced1 corresponding to academies1 connected with the different missions1 for the reception of pupils who graduate from the lower schools and also for the children of ,christians from the country4 ,a noted feature of the change in the spirit of the people is the way in which all are demanding education for their girls4 ,twenty years ago it was almost impossible to get any girls into our schools except the friendless and sick1 little homeless waifs and orphans whom no one else cared for or wanted4 ,it is interesting to see the way in which these changes have taken place4 ,little by little the daughters of ,christians were allowed to attend if the ,mission paid all expenses2 then the country ,christians began paying for the board and clothing of their daughters2 then the unbelievers began to ask us to take in their girls and now the nobility are insisting on schools for their young women and are allowing some of them to mix with the lower caste girls in the ordinary schools4 ,mrs4 ,campbell1 in charge of the girls' school of the ,southern ,methodist ,mission1 who lives in a neighborhood where dwell a great many of the upper classes1 has been literally besieged by wealthy and high caste ladies who beg her to establish a school for their young women and girls4 ,two such schools have been established in the city under non-,christian auspices and so determined are the people for education that they will provide it for themselves in these ways if we do not give them ,christian schools4 ,there are now three large mission boarding-schools for girls in ,seoul1 which cannot accommodate half the girls who are applying for admittance4 ,the story of the boys' school is much the same4 ,the ,english ,episcopalians as well as the ,presbyterians and ,methodists have established boys' schools1 although the former are near the river1 and there are also government native schools and ,japanese schools of a non-,christian character4 ,it has been and still is the hope that these schools of the ,methodists and ,presbyterians may in the future be united and thus effect a considerable saving in money1 time and effort4 ,there is little doubt that in the future the strategic point for our largest colleges and academies must be in or near ,seoul1 which is geographically1 politically and socially the center of the peninsula1 and with great fields of mission work north1 south and east of it1 and of easy access from all parts of ,korea both by rail and water way4 ,the medical mission work centers in the ,severance ,hospital1 just outside the ,south ,gate4 ,this is a modern hospital1 fitted up in every way according to the usages of modern medical and surgical science4 ,there is a corps of nurses and assistants under the care of an ,american trained nurse4 ,young men are being prepared to practice medicine under the instruction of our doctors and the hospital and dispensary are crowded with patients1 most of whom pay something for their medicine4 ,here again we see the change in the attitude of the people2 for whereas at first people were not often willing to pay anything1 and the women of high class not only would not visit the male physicians1 but would not see them in their own homes except in the direst straits1 now most of them are willing to see the doctors1 many of them will go to the hospital1 and gentlemen of high rank are willing to go there for treatment or operations1 take private rooms1 pay well for their care and often express themselves with overflowing gratitude for the kindness shown them1 sending handsome presents1 in addition1 to their physicians and nurses1 but what is far more important1 go away either converted men or strongly favoring ,christianity and the mission work4 ,the woman's hospital and dispensary under the care of the ladies of the ,methodist ,mission has been just as flourishing1 only it has not been favored by having so generous a patron as the ,severance ,hospital1 but it is doing a good work and is known far and wide4 ,the devoted women in charge of it are heart and soul in favor of union and undenominational mission work and they and we hope that all the medical work in ,korea may be united under one medical committee and carried on in harmony with one plan1 for the better economy of time1 money and effort1 and for the better and happier spirit1 the avoidance of small jealousies and frictions1 the uplift that comes to those who are working together as one1 according to our ,lord's will and command4 ,for the same reasons1 until the happy time when there shall be in all ,korea but one united church of ,jesus1 the various missions have gradually been coming to a certain degree of agreement as to division of territory in ,korea4 8,beginning from the south1 we find the provinces of ,north and ,south ,chulla1 together with a few counties in the southern part of ,chung ,chong assigned exclusively to the ,southern ,presbyterians4 ,the ,southern province of ,kyeng ,keui is divided by counties between the ,australian and ,american ,northern ,presbyterians1 but ,north ,kyeng ,keui is left exclusively to the ,northern ,presbyterians4 ,the provinces of ,north and ,south ,chung ,chong fall jointly to the ,american ,northern ,presbyterians and ,methodists and a careful division of the territory by counties is under consideration4 ,kang ,won is divided between the ,southern ,methodists and ,northern ,presbyterians and the ,church of ,england1 but even here there are mutual arrangements to prevent overlapping4 ,the provinces of ,north and ,south ,ham ,kyeng have been left almost entirely to the care of the ,canadian ,presbyterian ,church1 while the other three provinces of ,whang ,hai and ,north and ,south ,pyeng ,an are jointly worked by the ,american ,northern ,presbyterian and ,methodist churches1 a division according to counties having been arranged for most of this section and under advisement for the balance40#ac #ac ,from 8,call of ,korea0 by ,h4 ,g4 ,underwood4 ,we find then that ,seoul is the center for a very large and important country work1 divided between the missions of the ,northern and ,southern ,methodists and the ,northern ,presbyterians and includes parts of the ,southern province of ,kyeng ,keui with all of ,kyeng ,keui ,north and ,south ,chung ,chong and ,kang ,won1 giving a population of considerably over three million people1 that assigned to the ,presbyterians of ,seoul alone having #a1ejj1jjj inhabitants1 and consists of a belt practically covering the whole width of the peninsula1 comprising an area slightly less than that of ,west ,virginia and about the same latitude4 ,the ,presbyterians have #abc self-supporting churches1 #agh places of regular meeting1 #afab communicants1 of which #cae were added last year1 and #gejj adherents1 and in #dd schools1 they have an enrolment of over #gej scholars4 ,for the care and oversight of all this they have eight clerical men1 two doctors and four single ladies1 but it must be remembered that three men must give the most of their time to ,bible translation and literary work and ,seoul being in a way the center for the whole field no small amount of technical business and committee work of the ,mission devolves on these men1 as well as the ,mission schools4 ,the ,tract ,society and ,young ,men's ,christian ,associations and the ,bible ,societies have their agencies here and all these societies must claim a good deal of the time of ,seoul missionaries1 so that we may say that not more than five men are able to look after the needs of the great ,bishopric of over #a1ejj1jjj souls1 the share of the ,northern ,presbyterians4 ,chong ,ju1 though as yet considered part of ,seoul station and its reports of work given there1 will be in the near future a separate station and is now occupied by two clerical missionaries1 one of whom is married4 ,the work there is increasingly promising and the new station is in a very populous district4 ,mr4 ,f4 ,s4 ,miller writes1 8,the year has been one of lengthening cords1 so that instead of #bf groups and meeting places we have now #dd1 instead of #df communicants there are now #ajb1 instead of #fh catechumens there are now #bfj1 instead of five church buildings there are now fourteen1 instead of #bfd4aj gold contributions there are #djh4fc4 ,the work now extends eighty miles north1 sixty miles south1 seventy miles west and thirty-three miles east4 ,we have groups and meeting places in twelve of the seventeen counties of the northern province and are working in twenty counties of the southern province4 ,it takes two months of solid itineration to make the round of the established work alone4 ,the ,christians received much benefit from the revivals which the ,spirit worked first in the city church and then in a succession of country classes till even the most conservative helper found himself in charge of a revival where he saw such conviction of sin as he had not thought possible before40 ,the ,northern ,methodists connected with ,seoul station have oversight of nearly #ajj churches with #dbhc members and some #bhea seekers4 ,more than one million people inhabit the territory of this ,mission around ,seoul and for the care of all these together with charge of their publishing house1 which undertakes work for the whole country1 and for the schools and ,women's ,hospital1 they have only six men and seven single ladies4 ,at ,seoul the ,southern ,methodists have four ordained men and four single ladies4 ,the last statistics of this ,mission show #aha churches with #hi church buildings1 #diih members4 ,before turning to some of the other large centers of ,mission work we must not forget to mention the ,methodist ,mission ,press1 which is the only mission press in ,korea except a small one in ,pyeng ,yang1 and the ,y4 ,m4 ,c4 ,a41 which is accomplishing great things for the large numbers of young men of wealth and rank as well as for those of poorer families4 ,early in the history of the work we began to realize the need of some means of reaching the very large class of young men who would not go to the churches or the schools1 to provide a pleasant and attractive gathering place where they could find simple and innocent amusement and instruction1 to make it all sufficiently attractive to be a means of reaching these young men with the gospel4 ,this of course was its first1 last and only raison d'tre4 ,forthwith the ,y4 ,m4 ,c4 ,a4 in ,america were approached4 ,shortly after an agent was sent and from the first this association has been an untold blessing and a great success4 ,hundreds of young men belong2 thousands attend and receive the gospel2 the ,koreans themselves have given thousands of dollars towards its support4 ,one ,korean gentleman from whom we wished to purchase land made a present of it to the ,association and last year so great was the number attending one of the meetings that even the new temporary building was insufficient and the great throng were obliged to meet under a tent temporarily put up for the purpose4 ,it must be remembered that ,koreans have no theatres1 concerts1 operas1 lectures1 or any other evening entertainments4 ,they haven't even any attractive saloons or gambling places4 ,they gamble and drink1 it is only too true1 but in their own homes1 so that an attractive place for evening entertainments like the ,y4 ,m4 ,c4 ,a4 met one of the very most crying needs of the public4 ,there are classes here for the study of music1 ,english and ,japanese1 and other branches of learning4 ,there are games1 newspapers1 books and frequent entertainments1 musical and literary1 and so this institution is reaching out widely among the best families of the land1 winning a place and a hearing for the missionary and the gospel he proclaims1 reclaiming lost young men1 yes1 whole families1 and bringing them into the true fold4 ,whether it may or may not be the best thing elsewhere1 it is certainly a necessity in ,seoul1 and it has had so long and far a start of ,satan's man-traps that we believe they will never be able to overtake it in the race4 ,and now let me give a few quotations from the letters of some of the ,seoul missionaries before turning to another part of the field4 ,a ,methodist missionary from ,seoul writes to 8,the ,korea ,field0 of #aijg4 8,in the early spring of #ahii ,i itinerated through the southeastern section of the ,kyeng ,keui province and baptized a man and two of his family4 ,it was like putting a match to dry prairie grass4 ,thereafter until the present day it has been a constant hustle to gather in the groups of believers springing up all over the territory and organize them into churches4 ,before ,i left on furlough in #aije the number of believers had already reached into the thousands2 since my return last fall it has been a continual struggle to organize the work and man it with efficient leaders and get it ready for a grand rally all over the district4 ,the little group composed of a man and his family baptized in an obscure village was the first of a mighty host1 for the work begun there has spread into five provinces and now1 as it stands on our rolls1 numbers #bih groups1 besides a number of those that are not yet counted1 enrolling #af1bjb believers4 ,daily new groups are coming into existence and pleading for guidance and instruction4 ,chapels have been built all over the district by earnest believers who never think of asking for foreign aid 7in money74 ,school buildings have been secured and schools are being conducted on a modern plan4 ,in this short while ,i cannot tell all the wonders that ,his grace has wrought in this part of the field1 when ,i think of all the things that ,i have seen during the last six months1 my heart grows warm and glad within me4 ,for the best part of it is that people are being saved and are entering into a live experience of redeeming grace40 ,this district has a second time within two years been deprived of the care of its missionary1 the one who wrote this letter having been laid low by violent sunstroke1 and now this great district is in the hands of a new young missionary who has not yet learned the language4 ,here are a few extracts from the letter of one of the ,presbyterian missionaries at ,seoul1 written to 8,the ,korea ,field0 of ,july1 #aijg4 ,his district is in ,north ,kyeng ,keui4 8,the first place visited was a village twenty miles south of ,seoul where no missionary has ever been before4 ,i found a group of over fifty believers1 all an outgrowth of the work of native ,christians4 ,i was further surprised to find a chapel almost completed4 99 99 99 ,from morning till late in the evening we spent examining men1 women and children for admission as catechumens and accepted most of them40 ,he continues1 8,ten miles north is my ,soti group1 noted for its missionary zeal4 ,only a year ago the people built a fine big church with a room adjoining it especially for the use of the foreign missionary on his visits4 ,during the past year1 through the efforts of the four leading men and chiefly of deacon ,paik three groups of ,christians have grown up within a radius of three miles4 ,one of these groups numbers about twenty-five and has already purchased a house to be used for worship4 ,another group was just started and consists of eighteen adherents1 while about forty men and women make up the third group that will soon have a church building of their own4 ,every ,sunday one or two men are detailed from ,soti for each of these three groups to lead the morning and afternoon services40 ,the leading man1 deacon ,paik1 is of untiring missionary zeal and great earnestness4 ,he has been blessed with a big1 strong body and does not hesitate to use it for the church4 ,to carry heavy loads of lumber for miles on his back and to spend days in making mortar and plastering when the church was being built1 to walk forty miles in the winter to ,seoul for the sake of getting material for preparing the church1 to start out ahead of me to the next group1 ten miles away1 to prepare them for my visit1 to carry my heavy country boxes himself when no coolie could be found--all these tasks are looked upon by him not as burdensome duties but a pleasant privilege40 ,at ,tang ,mok ,kol for several years past there had been but one ,christian4 ,every ,sunday he went three miles to the nearest church to worship4 ,a year ago three more men became believers and last winter the gospel began to spread very rapidly among the villages4 ,one of the new converts was especially impressed with the necessity of getting a place large enough to accommodate all the worshippers4 ,rather than wait until the new converts would be able to build a church he sold his big fine working bull 7a bull is a farmer's chief dependence and most valuable possession7 and purchased with the proceeds a meeting place4 ,when ,i asked him what he would do when farming time came1 he told me he had a young animal and by its aid he hoped to manage his work4 ,what would we think of a farmer who would sell all his working teams for the sake of buying a church8 ,and yet no one among the ,koreans thought this act very wonderful1 even though the giver had been professing ,christianity only a few months and was not even a catechumen4 ,the self-sacrifice of this man produced the natural result and when shortly after my winter's visit the church became too small1 the people at once obtained the necessary timber and with their own hands enlarged the building4 ,on this visit ,i found a house seating sixty people and comfortably filled40 ,mr4 ,pieters continues1 8,in another village composed largely of inns a group was formed and shortly after a building purchased for a church4 ,one of the ,christians worked so enthusiastically that their numbers grew rapidly4 ,people who had all their lives been making their living by selling whiskey gave up this means of livelihood and turned to farming4 ,further on1 deep in the hills1 is an isolated village where a number of men have been led to ,christ by a boy4 ,the latter had heard the gospel in one of our churches and by his own words as well as by the aid of ,christian books he led his parents to believe4 ,then he began to invite people to their house1 talked and read his books to them until one by one the neighbors accepted ,christ4 8,all last winter these converts went down every ,sunday to the church where the boy had been converted ten miles away but since this spring one of the church members has been sent up there to conduct the ,sunday services there4 ,it is quite unusual in ,korea for a boy to take the lead1 for the ,confucian ethics require a boy in the presence of older people to be silently respectful4 ,thus came true the prophet's words1 #8,a little child shall lead them4' ,in my next church there were a year ago only a few believers4 ,the need of a school for their children was felt most keenly and ,i recommended as the teacher an earnest ,christian1 an old man4 ,he went for a very meagre salary1 but spent his spare time preaching to the people and teaching a number of people to read4 ,the group grew by last winter to about fifty men and women4 ,most of the winter they met for their services in two rooms and on the open porch of the house of one of the ,christians4 ,when the freezing weather came1 it became trying to sit for an hour and a half in the open air during the services1 and the people decided to build a church4 ,by buying trees in the hills and cutting them and carrying them down1 by collecting loose stones1 by preparing other materials and doing all the work with their own hands and by other very strenuous efforts1 the people succeeded in putting up a fine church that will seat #abj persons4 ,one part was partitioned off and fitted for a school1 but it can be thrown open during the services4 ,four boys of this school1 each less than ten years old1 came every day a distance of three miles to study4 ,last winter ,i met one day the four little figures trudging along the muddy road carrying in their mittless hands bowls of cold rice for their dinner4 ,they were cheerful and seemingly quite content to walk the six miles every day since it gave them the opportunity of study that so many boys did not have4 8,the average earning capacity of the majority of families that make up the ,christian constituency of this district is about thirty dollars a year for a whole family4 ,keeping these facts in mind1 we can easily see10 says ,mr4 ,pieters1 8how a contribution of two dollars1 which is quite common here when a church is being built1 gives forty-fold measured by standards of values in ,america4 ,in addition1 none of these have been professing ,christianity more than two years and none of them are yet baptized4 ,these are the catechumens and adherents40 ,but we must turn away from these incidents illustrating so thrillingly as they do the wonderful work of ,god among the people and the kind of ,christians ,he is calling into ,his fold there4 ,their liberality1 their consecration1 their zeal1 their faith1 all proclaim them preeminently the work of the ,spirit1 and these particular provinces do not abound more in these examples1 than others of which every missionary can tell4 ,these1 in fact1 have never been considered so hopeful and progressive as those in the ,north4 ,time and space will not suffice to describe as carefully the work of every station as of the larger centers and we must hasten on4 ,fusan ,station was started next after ,seoul1 but a series of deaths and removals from one unavoidable cause after another almost seemed to indicate that the will of ,god was that the station itself should be removed to some other place4 ,but houses and a fine hospital having been built1 the brave missionaries have endured discouragement and disappointment1 not in the natives1 but in the constant depletion of their forces1 and to-day as everywhere in ,korea the work is rapidly growing and spreading4 ,the ,presbyterian ,hospital here1 built by some generous ,christians in ,america1 is absolutely up-to-date1 and the physicians' work is an immense factor in spreading the knowledge of the love of ,christ through all the surrounding country4 ,during the year there have been added to this comparatively small church an increase of almost fifty per cent4 ,the territory of this station comprises the ,province of ,south ,kyeng ,seng and considering the ,australians who share the work1 there are left to be evangelized by the ,american ,presbyterian ,mission here #gej1jjj people4 ,there are #dg self-supporting churches1 #ebj communicant members1 with #bjag adherents4 ,all this work is under the care of two clerical workers and the assistance of an overworked doctor who sees thousands of patients and performs hundreds of serious operations with no assistants but ,koreans4 ,the ,australian ,presbyterian ,mission who share this work here have a good local church and girls' school at ,fusan and have started a new station at ,chin ,ju4 ,they have three clerical missionaries1 one of whom is a doctor1 and three single ladies4 ,after ,fusan1 ,pyeng ,yang was the next station to be established in ,korea4 ,its history in the early times has been already given in another chapter4 ,perhaps because of the many trials its people have had to endure in the course of the two ,japanese wars and subsequent colonization by aliens1 perhaps because from the earliest times1 first from ,manchuria and then from ,seoul the gospel seeds were most persistently and continuously sown here1 perhaps because the people of the north are more ready and receptive1 we know not1 but the work during the last fifteen years has multiplied and spread with far more amazing rapidity in the north than in the middle and southern portions of ,korea4 ,the same can hardly be said much longer4 ,witness ,mr4 ,swearer's letter1 just quoted1 and the wonderful percentage of growth in other places4 ,the south has at last taken fire1 too1 but nevertheless1 even to-day1 the greatest fruits of mission efforts are being gathered in our northern stations4 ,this station was started in #ahic and has under its care the province of ,south ,pyeng ,yang which1 though small1 is thickly populated1 and a portion of ,north ,whang ,hai1 including about #hjj1jjj people to be evangelized4 ,there are seven ordained ,presbyterian ministers on whose shoulders in addition to this evangelistic work rests a large share of theological instruction1 two large educational institutions1 the preparation of school text-books and books of all kinds as well as the care and direction of eleemosynary institutions such as a school for the blind and home for the friendless4 ,the institutional work for women is largely under the care of two ladies and the evangelistic work for women is ably undertaken by the wives of the missionaries who all devote to it a great deal of time and faithful work4 8,one part of the province of ,whang ,hai1 at first coming under the care of ,pyeng ,yang station1 about two years ago was set off with a part of that belonging to ,seoul station to form the new station of ,chai ,ryong1 and a part of ,northern ,pyeng ,an province which also was at first a part of ,pyeng ,yang territory1 was set aside to form the ,syen ,chun station as the work grew too heavy and was too distant to receive the careful constant oversight needed from ,pyeng ,yang city4 ,the territory and work in this province is shared with the ,northern ,methodists4 ,a division according to counties has been arranged between these two denominations for most of this section and a similar division is now under advisement for the balance4 ,the ,methodists have at present only three ordained clerical missionaries and one physician to care for their share of the evangelistic work in this district which includes the province of ,south ,pyeng ,an with the entire province of ,whang ,hai1 making this mission's share of the population in the neighborhood of one million1 for whom there are only four ordained men1 one of whom must give his entire time to educational work4 ,as with the ,presbyterians1 the wives of the missionaries take a full and active part in the evangelistic work4 ,in #ahic1 when these two denominations planted their stations and organized their two churches neither could have counted more than twenty baptized members--not seventy-five baptized persons in the whole province1 not four chapels in the extent of their district4 ,now1 #aijg1 the ,presbyterians have #afd self-supporting churches with #beh regular meeting places1 #fjhi communicants of whom #aajf were added during the year and #bjdad adherents4 ,for the instruction of the children in those churches there are #aaa parochial schools of which #aaj are entirely self-supporting1 with an attendance of #cjge pupils4 ,in the city are four churches1 ,central1 ,south1 ,north and ,east1 with another church to be set off in the ,west almost at once4 ,although three other churches have already been set off from the ,central ,church it is still too small and they are compelled to hold two services for the accommodation of the one congregation1 packing the building first with men1 later with women4 8,it is here that the great prayer-meetings of between eleven and twelve hundred are held1 while on the same night similar meetings are held in the other churches1 giving some three or four thousand people for the week night services4 ,this has also become an institutional church1 with its church house in the center of the city with recreation and reading rooms1 night schools and classes for educational training and a large book shop for the dissemination of the printed ,word40#ad #ad 8,korea's ,challenge10 by ,h4 ,g4 ,underwood4 ,to a large extent the better class of the people of the city have been reached and to-day the whole city feels the effect of ,christian influence4 ,a ,christian sentiment rules and the actions of church members have a reflex influence on the whole community4 ,not only is this the case within the city walls but this influence reaches far into the country4 ,its own evangelists sometimes paid by the native church1 sometimes voluntarily at their own expense1 go freely everywhere1 preaching1 establishing groups of ,christians1 which become self-supporting churches1 and holding ,bible classes4 ,most of these groups have their schools and in their turn as they gain strength send out evangelists and workers1 thus multiplying the influence of the gospel and everywhere that this influence prevails saloons are closed1 the ,sabbath is kept holy1 gambling and vice of every kind is suppressed and first of all idolatry is abolished4 ,let me here quote a few lines from the letter of an ,american young lady who visited some of the services held in ,pyeng ,yang4 8,we visited eight ,sunday ,schools--,sunday ,schools of small boys and small girls1 of big boys and older girls1 of married women and of married men1 varying from one to three hundred pupils respectively4 ,every room was flooded with sunlight and crowded with white1 spotless linen-dressed men or women1 though nothing had been said to them on the subject of their appearance or their dress2 the ,christians have all adopted the custom of making valiant efforts1 no matter how poor they are1 to appear in clean clothes each ,sunday4 ,you can imagine what this means for women who toil all day every day but ,sunday1 and who wear voluminous white dresses and white handkerchiefs tied around their heads like ,dutch caps4 ,the effect is wonderful4 ,their faces shone like the morning1 their clothes glistened like white satin4 ,there were six hundred gathered in one church for special women's service at eleven o'clock4 ,seated close together on the floor1 facing me 7,i was at the organ on the platform71 with their black hair securely tied back under their handkerchiefs1 their dark eyes full of expression1 their white teeth glistening as they smiled at me or the speaker--they were truly beautiful40 ,the country work is divided into seven circuits and in both local and city work those whose assignment is educational or medical assist also4 ,one of these city churches will accommodate about fifteen hundred4 ,in the others about eight hundred to one thousand can be received4 ,the ,methodists have two large city churches1 one of which is the ,first ,church of ,pyeng ,yang and the other the ,drew-,appenzeller ,memorial ,church4 ,they have four country circuits with a total membership of #dieh to which we must add #ecjh seekers4 ,they have #dc primary schools with #adje pupils4 ,in medical work the ,presbyterians in charge of the ,caroline ,a4 ,ladd hospital and the ,methodists have almost complete union1 and the evangelistic opportunities of these hospitals and dispensaries can scarcely be overestimated4 ,thousands of patients are treated here every year4 ,mrs4 ,r4 ,s4 ,hall1 ,m4,d41 ,methodist1 has charge of the ,hall ,memorial ,hospital for women4 ,women's work is carried on by the ,methodists through their married ladies and four single lady missionaries1 one of whom is a native ,korean1 educated in ,america and having received the degree of ,m4,d4 in an ,american university4 ,these ladies are constantly engaged in giving ,biblical and secular teaching both in the city and in the country districts4 ,in both the ,presbyterian and ,methodist missions one of the strongest features here as indeed all through ,korea1 is the system of training classes 8which are similar to a ,bible ,institute in ,america and range from those who are just learning to read to those who have studied their ,bibles for years4 ,in the ,presbyterian ,mission the class for #aijg from the country districts of ,pyeng ,an1 meeting in ,pyeng ,yang ,city1 reached an enrolment of about #ajjj1 the classes for the men of the city about #hjj hundred1 that for country women #efj1 that for city women #cjj4 ,in addition to these classes which in the case of the men was mainly for leaders1 #ahb classes were held in central places in the country1 the women missionaries having charge of ten with an enrolment of #fhe men1 making altogether #aib of these classes with an enrolment of #ifej4 ,we are sorry not to be able to give the figures of similar classes held by the ,methodists4 ,we thus have a complete system of ,bible instruction which is illustrated by the following simple diagram4 ,illustration ,the large spots at the end of the radii represent the country centers and to these the people from the little villages round1 represented by the small dots1 gather to the country classes1 while the leaders from all these places1 large and small1 and many laymen1 go up to ,pyeng ,yang once a year to the leaders' ,bible training classes4 ,in this station is the theological seminary for all the ,presbyterian missions working in ,korea4 ,here students carefully selected from all over the country are in regular attendance three months of each year1 the rest of their time being spent in active evangelistic work4 ,the instructors here are missionaries from all the stations and from each ,presbyterian ,mission1 but those residing in ,pyeng ,yang do a greater portion of this work than others4 ,a much more extended and complete union in educational work between ,methodists and ,presbyterians has been attained in ,pyeng ,yang than elsewhere4 ,in the college and academic work of this section there has been a tentative union1 but those engaged in this believe it will soon be a fixed arrangement4 ,this educational work is under the especial charge of the ,presbyterian missionaries assisted by other members of the station and by one of the ,methodist missionaries4 ,the growth during the last year1 especially1 has been very great4 ,two single ladies have charge of the institutional work of the ,presbyterians4 ,there are girls' schools and women's ,bible classes in both city and country districts4 ,a letter very recently received1 ,february1 #aijh1 giving a few reports from the country circuits1 will show something of the present progress of missions there4 ,mr4 ,swallen1 reporting for his itinerating work from ,october to ,december1 #aijg1 says in substance1 8,during a trip in which ,i visited every point except one or two of the smallest ones ,i found the work exceedingly encouraging4 ,especially through the central west all the churches are growing rapidly4 ,i made one visit to ,pastor ,seng's1 holding a circuit class--,bible--in the latter section attended by two hundred men and a leaders' meeting with an attendance of nearly one hundred4 ,the work of the circuit is so great that it has been divided and hereafter there will be two leaders' meetings and two circuit classes4 ,last year the district supported eleven helpers at a cost of twelve hundred nyang each1 thirteen nyang more than this sum being in the ,treasurer's hands at the end of the year4 ,since then two of the helpers have become pastors and are receiving thirty-six hundred nyang1 but in addition to this the people propose to support ten helpers and have increased the salaries of all who are helpers of experience4 ,still more1 they have given enough money to send a helper to the new mission field in the island of ,quel ,part1 the mission field of ,chu ,chu4 ,i feel strongly the need of instruction for the multitudes coming in4 ,i preached every day and night but what is that when the need is so great and much of my preaching is special instruction at the commemoration of the ,lord's ,supper4 ,even the helpers cannot spend much time in instruction2 there are so many places to visit they can scarcely know all the people4 ,there must be lay instruction and ,i feel very strongly that we must do something at once in the matter of teaching those who are to give it4 ,at one class twenty of the leaders and deacons alone expressed their desire to study for a month in ,pyeng ,yang in preparation for this work4 ,during the three months ,i have baptized #ejj adults and #ad children and have received #gii catechumens4 ,thirty women's classes have been arranged for aside from the circuits in charge of the two pastors1 and during the first two weeks of the ,korean ,new ,year forty-four classes for men will be held in the district40 ,these classes are from a week to ten days' duration4 ,the same letter goes on to say that 8,mr4 ,bernheisel during fifty-five days in the country travelled about #fej miles1 visiting #dc groups of ,christians4444 ,there are now five helpers in this district4 #afd adults were received in baptism and #bgg catechumens4 ,in ,october ,mr4 ,lee baptized #eg adults in his ,whang ,chu circuit and found great advance in educational lines4 ,there are now eleven boys' schools and one academy1 seven night schools and four schools for girls4 ,the church in ,whang ,chu purchased for three thousand nyang a fine tiled building1 formerly a ,roman ,catholic church to be used as their school4 8,early in ,november ,mr4 ,moffett made his first visit to his ,eastern circuit in company with the newly ordained ,pastor ,han1 they together receiving in baptism #gc adults in three churches4 ,in their district four classes for women had an aggregate attendance of #abc40 ,tai ,ku1 being the third largest city in ,korea1 in the midst of a very densely populated province1 that of ,north ,kyeng ,seng1 of which it is the capital1 a station was opened here1 in #ahii4 ,the missionaries had taken their residence there in #ahig4 ,this province is said to contain #a1gej1jjj people and is left entirely to our mission and here in this city is a fairly well equipped hospital1 a church with an average attendance of between seven and eight hundred and an academy which it is expected will meet the needs of ,tai ,ku and ,fusan for some years to come4 8,it is still pioneering work in this district4 ,the work is divided into that of the city and four country districts4 ,in the latter they have #he entirely self-supporting churches with #efd communicants--of whom #bhj were added during the year--and #fade adherents4 ,these churches have #di schools1 #df being entirely self-supporting1 with an enrolment of #dcc pupils4 ,the numbers of applicants and baptized have been nearly doubling themselves in this station yearly for the past three or four years4 ,all this work with the responsibility for nearly two millions souls is on the shoulders of four ordained men and one physician1 their wives and one single woman4 8,the responsibility10 ,i said1 humanly speaking1 for could they not cast this burden on the ,lord it would certainly crush them1 but in addition to the knowledge1 the inspiring knowledge that they are workers together with ,him1 they also realize that they have the earnest prayers of brother missionaries and of ,christians in home lands4 ,the members of the ,southern ,presbyterian ,mission arrived in #ahic and have always worked in harmony with the ,northern church4 ,they assisted the ,northern ,mission for a few years while studying the language and finally started their first station in ,chun ,ju1 the adjacent territory for which they are responsible having a population of five hundred thousand4 ,there are #fj out stations1 #chf communicants1 #djjj adherents and there are ten schools of which nine are self-supporting4 ,there is only one missionary and his wife to work this territory4 ,kun ,son is really the port of ,chun ,ju and with its surrounding population has a territory inhabited by five hundred thousand people with four clerical men1 one of whom is married1 to care for them4 ,they report #bg out stations1 #cha communicants1 #aaej adherents1 six schools and #abe pupils4 ,mok ,po and ,quang ,ju should be considered as one station1 the one being the port1 the other the capital of this southern province and this station has entire charge of the province of ,south ,chulla ,chulla1 with a population something over one million4 ,here are four missionaries1 three of whom are married and one single lady4 ,they report #ec out stations1 #bhd communicants1 #cbfj adherents and carry on three schools with #ff pupils4 ,two million people are here left to be evangelized by eight missionaries4 ,says the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,preston1 8,the number of recognized stations on my circuit has grown from seven to fourteen4 ,a chain of stations within easy distance of each other has been effected4 ,the growth has been very gratifying4 ,i examined in all #cca people of whom #gd received baptism and #aic were received as catechumens4 ,the total number in these groups is #abj baptized and #ahh catechumens1 as against #di baptized and #ge catechumens last ,september4 ,it seems hard to realize that only a year and a half ago this work consisted of ,mok ,po with #bg baptized and #ag catechumens1 ,soo ,yung with six catechumens and ,sadong with none4 ,mok ,po is in a flourishing condition1 the growth having been more than fifty per cent in the last nine months4 ,this1 too1 is in the south1 where it was said by some only a few years ago that the people were so different from those in the north we could never expect similar results among them40 ,the ,canadian ,presbyterians1 arriving in #ahih1 have by mutual agreement been assigned the northern province of ,ham ,kyeng and have stations at ,won ,san1 ,ham ,eung and one point still further north4 ,they have at present six clerical workers1 one male physician1 one lady doctor and one other single woman4 ,they have #fb self-supporting churches with #had members1 adherents #chcj1 who gave last year #b1egc4cd4 ,almost the entire population of this province is left to their care4 ,syen ,chun was set aside as a station in #aija1 when the work in ,north ,pyeng ,yang was growing so rapidly that it was impossible to care for it from the old center4 ,the territory is about three hundred miles long by one hundred and fifty wide and includes a population of about eight hundred thousand1 of whom fully five hundred thousand are the ,presbyterian allotment1 for the ,methodists located at ,yeng ,byen have divided this with them4 ,when this station was opened1 the enrolled membership including catechumens was #ahjj4 ,there are now in charge three married clerical missionaries1 one doctor and his wife and two single women4 ,a new church to accommodate fifteen hundred people has just been erected in this town which1 with a men's ,sunday ,school numbering eight hundred and a women's numbering seven hundred thirty-three1 is only a part of the results since the station was established4 ,the country work is divided into twenty-one circuits and during the year twenty-four new groups have been started4 ,included in this territory is the ,kang ,kei district to the north east4 ,here there are three circuits with three helpers1 thirteen school teachers1 three home missionaries and two colporteurs1 all entirely supported by the native church4 ,the difficulty of access and the great distance make it imperative that a new station should be started here at ,kang ,kei as the people are eager1 intelligent and among the most responsive and progressive in the province4 ,for this new station at least two ordained men and a physician will be necessary4 ,during the past year1 #aijf-g1 this station reports #ajb churches1 all self-supporting1 with #d1fci communicants1 of whom #ajhe were added last year and a total of adherents of #ae1cdh4 ,these churches support #ajc schools with an enrolment of #b1bij pupils4 ,the rapidly increasing number of graduates from primary schools who demanded further instruction and the insistence of their parents have made it necessary to open temporary academies in various parts of the province but these will be now united at ,syen ,chun1 the necessary funds having been generously given by a ,christian woman in ,new ,york4 ,the two single ladies with the missionaries' wives have women's work in charge which includes women's training classes1 girls' schools and two girls' academies to be opened for a part of the year4 ,chai ,ryong station was started like ,syen ,chun because the rapidly increasing work made it seem necessary to place resident missionaries in their midst1 so this station was opened in #aije-f with three married clerical men and one doctor and his wife4 ,in this city the natives have built and paid for a new church with a seating capacity of one thousand4 ,the missionaries report #ih self-supporting churches1 #b1bee communicants1 of whom #dag were added during the year and #g1dbj adherents4 ,these churches carry on #de parochial schools with #gga pupils4 ,it was this district with regard to which much that has been written in previous chapters of this book had reference and here are some of the oldest of the ,christian communities4 ,a summary of the missions of the ,northern ,presbyterian ,church in ,korea shows that she is solely responsible for six million seven hundred thousand people and in carrying out this work she has one embryo theological seminary1 one college1 three academies1 three hundred thirty-nine primary schools for girls and boys1 and here we are speaking rather of teachers and scholars than of buildings and equipment4 ,they have #fai self-supporting churches1 carrying on meetings in #gfg places1 have enrolled #ae1jgi communicants1 of whom #c1dba were admitted last year1 giving a total of adherents of #ei1ghg4 7,the others1 making about eighty thousand1 belong to the other ,presbyterian ,church47 ,the ,southern ,presbyterian ,church has six hospitals and asks for two more at once and an immediate reinforcement of missionaries4 ,as has been said1 all the different missions of the ,presbyterians working in ,korea form one united native church of ,jesus and work in every way as one mission1 having a ,council of ,missions meeting annually4 ,with the consent of the governing bodies of these missions an advance was made in #aijg1 when a ,presbytery was organized to take oversight of all the ,presbyterian churches and was constituted with ,dr4 ,s4 ,a4 ,moffett in the chair at the city of ,pyeng ,yang on the seventeenth of ,september1 #aijg4 ,he writes1 8,the ,presbytery had as its representatives elders from thirty-six fully organized churches1 at least two other churches with elders not being represented4 ,the ,presbytery then elected its officers and as its first work began the examination of the seven men who had finished the theological course of five years and proceeded to their ordination4 ,at the night meeting1 in a very impressive service1 the seven men were ordained4 ,the ,presbytery consisted1 after the ordination1 of these men1 of thirty-two foreign missionaries and forty ,korean ministers and elders4 ,it has ecclesiastical jurisdiction over a church with #ag1hij communicants1 #ba1dhb catechumens1 #ch fully organized churches1 #ihd churches not fully organized1 adherents numbering #fi1jih1 and day schools #djb with #h1faa pupils4 ,this church contributed last year for all purposes #dg1aac4ej4 ,the ordained men were appointed as pastors or copastors over groups of churches except two1 one of whom was called by the ,central ,church of ,pyeng ,yang1 and one was sent as a missionary to ,quel ,part1 the whole church to provide the money to send with him one or more helpers4 ,thus the infant church1 needing sorely more helpers at home1 sends its first foreign missionary abroad4 ,the ,methodist ,church has centered its work for ,north ,pyeng ,an in the city of ,yeng ,byen and has divided it into six circuits4 ,the territory is about three hundred miles long by one hundred fifty wide and has a population of about eight hundred thousand1 and of these at least three hundred thousand are the ,methodist allotment4 ,there are at the present time #eea members with #dje seekers4 ,they have nine primary schools with #ahe pupils and for the care of all this work only one man and his wife have been assigned4 ,the whole allotment1 then1 according to division of territory1 of the ,methodist mission in ,korea is about three million people to be reached4 ,there are several hospitals and dispensaries but not enough4 ,the ,methodist ,churches ,north and ,south have united along educational lines in establishing the ,biblical ,institute of ,korea for theological instruction4 ,the ,northern ,church unites with the ,presbyterian in ,pyeng ,yang in college and academic work1 and it has established a college at ,seoul and has a large number of primary schools that center in a normal institute meeting annually at the capital4 ,in the development of her evangelistic work there are #bc1dee members and probationers1 #af1aeh seekers and #aac schools with #d1bfg pupils4 ,the ,southern ,methodist mission have already been frequently referred to but their work at ,song ,do and ,won ,son has not yet been mentioned1 because it has been the desire to speak of the work of all denominations as far as possible together1 to show the force and the strength of the whole church of ,christ in these sections where more than one mission was at work4 ,but1 as has already been said1 the ,southern ,methodists have a compact piece of territory1 triangular in shape1 with ,song ,do1 ,seoul and ,won ,son at each apex1 and ,seoul being the only place where they have work with other missions1 ,won ,son and ,song ,do have not yet been mentioned4 ,song ,do was the objective point of this mission at the start and there they contemplate having their largest plant4 ,there are two married men and one single man for evangelistic work and two clergymen1 one of whom is a ,korean gentleman educated in ,america1 for their educational institutions1 and two doctors and three single ladies4 ,they intend to make this city the seat of large educational institutions for girls and boys4 ,they have in ,song ,do at present in their advanced school one hundred and fifty students4 ,at ,won ,son1 the most northeasterly point of their territory1 they have two evangelistic workers1 one educational1 one medical worker and three single ladies4 ,they have here one city church with a large number of country churches1 a day school for boys1 a boarding school for girls and a dispensary4 ,the last statistics of the mission show #aha organizations with #hi churches or chapels1 and #d1iih members1 who gave last year #b1chj4bf4 ,the ,english ,society for the ,propagation of the ,gospel has already been mentioned4 ,besides their work in ,seoul they have evangelistic and medical missions at ,chemulpo and ,kang ,wha and a substation at ,su ,won4 ,their workers are fine1 earnest and efficient people and we only regret that they are so few and that we have not been able to get their statistics in time for these chapters4 ,we hope that although our forms of worship are so different they and we may at no distant date be able to enter into the same union in which we believe every true church of our blessed ,lord must come4 ,a few incidents have been related to show the attitude and characteristics of the native ,christians1 and the manner in which the gospel is being carried among the ,koreans4 ,one point which is very marked is that they consider the work their own4 ,they do not depend on missionaries or leaders alone to preach and spread it abroad1 but each man1 woman and child feels that it is his or her business as far as possible to 8pass on the ,word40 ,while some of these people are ignorant1 some are well educated and some are brilliant young men who have refused various inducements to accept high positions in the political and mercantile world and who are devoting their best strength and much or all of their time at tremendous sacrifice to serve their ,saviour4 ,the attitude of the ,christians everywhere is that of joy and triumph4 ,purified in the cleansing fires of the ,holy ,spirit during the great revivals of a year ago1 they are going forward with new enthusiasm1 devotion1 consecration1 aroused faith1 as one man1 to win and save all their countrymen4 ,the missionaries1 too1 were never so much one in heart1 thought and action1 never so fully aroused and alert1 never so full of assurance and gratitude4 ,not a man or woman but thanks ,god that they are privileged to live at this day and work with ,him in this place and see the glorious things that ,he is doing4 ,not one but feels certain ,god has far greater things in store in the future than in the past4 ,not one but believes more than ever in the power of prayer1 but believes that through prayer ,korea may be1 shall be won for ,christ in the near future4 ,pulses are quickening1 blood is tingling with the wonder and the glory of it and we ask ourselves how it is that we1 we are permitted to see and hear these things4 8,for the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose40 ,in the days of ,moses ,god led ,his people out of ,egypt and through the desert with a series of awful judgments and wonderful miracles1 and established them in ,canaan1 under ,his own divine laws1 as an object lesson to the age of ,his mighty power and of ,his ideal of a nation1 a symbol and example to ,his ,church4 ,and it looks altogether possible and probable that now1 when faith seems to be growing cold1 when sceptics are so openly questioning the power of ,god's pure ,gospel1 ,he is intending to use one of the weakest and most despised of the peoples to illustrate what the ,gospel pure and simple can do to evangelize a whole nation4 ,one of the men of the ,new ,theology asked me anxiously whether we 8were teaching the ,koreans a theology that would soon need revising40 ,thank ,god the theology the ,koreans are being taught is not man made or man revised4 ,thank ,god ,he is vindicating the 8old time religion10 the old time theology1 the old time ,bible1 as good enough for ,korea1 powerful to the pulling down of heathen strongholds1 powerful to change wicked men into good men1 heathen communities into righteous1 pure and good ones4 ,unto ,higher ,critics--a stumbling block1 unto liberal ,new ,theologians--foolishness1 but to those who take ,him simply as little children and ,his ,word--the power of ,god and the wisdom of ,god unto salvation1 because the foolishness of ,god is wiser than men1 the weakness of ,god is stronger than men1 and ,he is choosing the foolish things of the world to confound the wise2 ,he is choosing the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty1 and ,he is saying to the men who stand as the ,jews and ,greeks of our ,western ,churches1 8,here is base1 despised ,korea4 ,behold what the old ,bible1 the old ,gospel1 with the teaching of the ,spirit1 received and believed1 can do for her40 ,it is in this way the finger of ,god is pointing1 it is in this way ,he is leading1 and we are following after1 if we may apprehend that for which we were apprehended by ,christ ,jesus2 reaching forth1 we press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of ,god for the whole nation of ,korea in ,christ ,jesus4#ae #ae ,all the facts and statistics given in this chapter are taken from 8,the ,call of ,korea10 by ,h4 ,g4 ,underwood1 8,the ,korea ,field10 and personal letters1 and recollections and ,mission ,official ,reports4 ,,chapter ,,xix ,pentecostal ,blessing--,special ,meetings--,prayer ,answered--,confession of ,sin--,revival in ,schools--,great ,meetings--,bible ,study--,effects of ,blessings--,transforming ,power--,holy ,spirit ,revival--,comparative ,statement of ,growth--,features of the ,great ,work--,union of ,christians in ,korea4 ,the story of 8,how the ,spirit ,came to ,korea0 reads more like an extract from the ,acts of the ,apostles than an account of what could have happened in our modern matter-of-fact world4 ,more than twenty-four years ago mission work was begun in this country1 but before we relate that story of first beginnings1 let us turn to the last page and look a little1 as best we may at a distance1 and see how ,god had been crowning and perfecting ,his work of grace there4 ,it seems to the writer1 in looking back over the history of events for beginnings and causes1 that the beginning as far as can be told was at the conference for prayer and consecration held by all the ,american missionaries of both ,methodist and ,presbyterian denominations in ,seoul1 ,august1 #aijd4 ,there had then come upon all present1 unexpectedly1 overwhelmingly1 a powerful impulse toward closer fellowship and entire union in work1 and the conviction that the native ,church in ,korea ought emphatically to be one4 ,men were swept away with an irresistible tide of enthusiasm4 ,no one wished or attempted to resist the mighty movement of the ,spirit4 ,all who were present testified to the blessed sense of the presence of the ,spirit of ,love4 ,hearts glowed2 brother drew nearer to brother2 misunderstandings1 differences1 divergencies of method1 of creed1 seemed trifling and insignificant2 difficulties vanished away or were brushed aside2 and they voted unanimously for a ,council of ,union of all the missions working in ,korea1 and for a ,united ,native ,church of ,christ4 ,it was a blessed experience1 but1 as might have been expected1 the powers of evil would never quietly submit without interference to a measure so calculated for their overthrow1 so in keeping with the ,lord's will1 and there forthwith sprang up in the minds of a few1 difficulties1 doubts1 mistrusts and hindrances4 ,nevertheless1 a similar meeting was held in ,august1 #aije4 ,a ,union ,council was then regularly organized with officers and rules4 ,plans were made and various committees formed to forward and perfect the organization of one ,united ,native ,church of ,christ in the near future4 ,again one ,spirit seemed to fill all hearts4 ,one impulse of holy love to our ,lord and to each other seemed to move us all to one supreme consummation--obedience to the dying command of the ,master1 and we all felt that ,he would follow this with still greater blessings4 ,in the fall of that same year1 ,dr4 ,hardie and other missionaries of ,won ,san received a baptism of the ,holy ,spirit with power1 characterized by a deep and searching sense of sin and ,god's awful holiness and majesty4 ,this experience was extended to the native ,christians as well1 and with deep repentance came a new feeling of peace and a greater zeal and consecration than ever before4 ,to the other mission stations and communities of native ,christians the news of this came1 as well as thrilling accounts of what ,god was doing in ,wales1 in ,india and in other parts of the world1 and a great longing filled all souls4 8,bless me1 even me1 also1 oh1 my ,father10 was the continued cry of their longing hearts4 ,dr4 ,hardie came to ,seoul and held meetings with some of the native ,christians and the missionaries4 ,many felt that they had received a blessing1 but there was no very marked or general revival4 ,at the annual meeting of our ,mission1 #aije1 there was one afternoon set apart for a special meeting of the women missionaries for mutual conference as to the best means of bringing ,koreans and themselves into closer and fuller walk with ,god1 and to pray for renewed consecration4 ,it was a solemn heart-searching time4 ,they seemed to realize that all their efforts and prayers and desires had hitherto been but half-hearted compared with what they should have been1 and ere they parted1 they1 on their knees1 joined in a mutual promise to pray by name every day for the quickening and full sanctification of each other4 ,it is not possible to put into words the deep impression made on the minds of most of the women present by the ,holy ,spirit1 in that little meeting4 ,not long after1 a little printed pledge to pray daily for the outpouring of the ,spirit on the ,korea missionaries1 on the native ,christians and on the heathen communities1 was sent by one of the ,southern ,presbyterians to each missionary in ,korea to be signed and kept if he wished4 ,it was simply putting into definite form the leading of the ,spirit in all our hearts1 a united cry1 8,bless me1 even me1 also1 oh1 my ,father40 ,it was the cry heard in our little circles of prayer4 ,it was the continued petition of our closets1 the principal thought and desire filling our conscious moments4 ,the natives were moved as one man with us4 ,some of the little churches held nightly meetings of prayer for this blessing4 ,for months1 even years1 some had been holding these meetings before the foreigners began4 ,the women in some of the churches met regularly to pray for this4 ,it was the chief theme of their requests at all their services4 ,how they prayed in secret none but ,god knows1 but each man and woman knew how he or she was led to besiege the throne1 with a spirit that would not be denied1 that with fasting and strong crying1 continued in supplication before ,god4 ,it was prayer divinely led1 for even as the blessing was demanded1 as it were1 the weak flesh wondered how such large things as we were irresistibly impelled to ask could possibly be expected4 ,we prayed that there should be ,pentecostal outpourings2 that thousands should turn to ,christ2 that the great class of the nobility1 7as yet untouched71 so bound down by caste1 by custom and social usage1 by political requirements and family duties and bonds1 should come into the kingdom2 that the church should be spiritualized2 that ,koreans1 intellectually converted1 should realize the hideousness of sin2 and that we1 natives and foreigners1 might 8comprehend with all saints what is the height and depth and breadth and length and to know the love of ,christ that passeth knowledge and be filled with all the fulness of ,god40 ,these were the prayers that had been unitedly offered by all the missions at the conferences held every year since ,august1 #aijd1 at the churches1 native and foreign1 at family worship1 in little neighborhood prayer-meetings1 in the closet and as they walked the streets or went about their work4 ,as has been said1 the first blessings had fallen upon ,won ,san4 ,the next report of which ,i have note is from ,mokpo1 where ,mr4 ,gerdine held services in ,october1 #aijf1 twice a day for a week1 from whence the report came1 saying3 8,the word was like a scalpel1 laying bare the secret sins and hidden cancers of the soul4 ,strong men wept like children1 confessing their sins1 and as they realized the ,saviour's forgiveness and peace with ,god1 their faces shone and the church rang with hymns of triumph4 ,men stood six deep waiting to testify of blessing received1 sins forgiven1 differences healed1 victory over self1 and baptism of the ,spirit4 ,from the beginning the spirit of prayer1 intercession and confession was poured out in a remarkable way40 ,in ,august1 #aijf1 a ,bible and prayer conference was held at ,pyeng ,yang1 by the missionaries of that station1 for the deepening of their own spiritual life4 ,dr4 ,hardie1 of ,won ,san1 was present and 8helped them greatly10 and ,mr4 ,lee writes that there was born in their hearts the desire that ,god would take complete control of their lives and use them mightily in ,his service4 ,immediately after this1 at ,seoul1 during the ,annual ,meeting of the ,presbyterian missionaries1 many of them received much blessing and aid in meeting ,dr4 ,howard ,agnew ,johnson1 who had already been greatly used in helping the ,seoul missionaries4 ,he went to ,pyeng ,yang later and stirred up fervent desire in the hearts of native ,christians by telling them of the wonderful blessing poured into ,india1 8and from that time natives and missionaries were praying for the blessing1 till it came10 says ,mr4 ,lee4 ,to one looking back over the whole history of events1 it had already begun4 ,all the previous fall and winter we had seen that something wonderful was happening4 ,a new spirit was abroad4 ,there was a shaking and rustling among the dry bones4 ,christians were not only praying but working4 ,even those who had never done much hitherto1 would go out into the country and spend several days or even weeks at a time1 preaching to unbelievers and teaching ,christians1 the letters that came from other missions and other stations in all parts of ,korea to the capital as booksellers and native helpers sent in their reports1 all were of the same nature2 8,not enough books1 tracts and hymn books for those who want to buy10--8,the ,bibles all gone4 ,unpublished new edition all sold in advance10--8,churches and chapels crowded10--8,inquirers multiplying10--8,numbers of baptized and newly enrolled catechumens far in advance of any previous time10--8,missionaries over-worked10--8,hospitals paying their own running expenses better than ever before10--8,many new groups formed10 till our hearts thrilled and we felt 8this is surely the ,lord's doing and it is marvellous40 ,god was answering the prayers of ,his people4 ,in our churches the sight of the increasing crowds every ,sunday deeply stirred us4 ,to see the throngs which not only filled to suffocation the little buildings but stood crowding the windows and doors1 was to us who had seen the first feeble timid beginnings of a little handful of men and women1 beyond power of description1 glorious and thrilling4 ,we knew that this eager1 anxious throng were there because ,jesus of ,nazareth was passing by4 ,at every service ,christians came to the missionaries bringing those who had made their decision for ,christ2 from one or two to whole families4 ,idols were cast away and ,christ was chosen4 ,we could hear the ,master's stately steppings and we felt that the place whereon we stood was holy ground4 ,in ,pyeng ,yang1 fervent prayer was continually offered for a special manifestation of ,god's power1 by natives and missionaries in special daily meetings as well as in private4 ,just before ,christmas special noon meetings were held by the missionaries for the ,men's ,bible ,training ,class4 ,these men from the country1 said by ,mr4 ,swallen1 who had charge of the enrolment1 to number about one thousand1 had come up for the winter ,bible class1 from many villages and distant districts4 ,some had walked many miles1 most of them bringing their supplies of rice with them4 ,on ,january #fth1 evening meetings for the ,class and the people of the city began in the large ,central ,church which holds about fifteen hundred4 ,as it would have been much too small for an audience of both sexes1 it was arranged for the men only to meet in this building and the women were asked to meet separately in four different places1 and the schoolboys in the ,academy chapel4 ,the ,central ,church was full of men every night4 ,the meetings grew in power until ,saturday1 which was best day of the whole week4 ,sunday evening the expected blessing was withheld1 but on ,monday night the wonderful manifestation of ,god's ,presence came4 ,it was marked1 as had been those in ,won ,san and ,mokpo1 by 8a spirit of prayer10 conviction of sin1 confession and intercession4 ,awful and overwhelming conviction of sin was its most marked feature4 ,men wept1 groaned1 beat their breasts1 falling to the ground and writhing in agony4 ,mr4 ,lee1 speaking of one of those who confessed said1 8,in a broken voice he began to pray and such a prayer ,i never heard before4 ,we had a vision of a human heart laid bare before its ,god4 ,as he prayed1 he wept4 ,in fact he could hardly control himself1 and as he wept1 the audience wept with him4 ,we all felt as if we were in the presence of the living ,god40 ,monday1 ,tuesday and ,wednesday evenings1 the same wonderful manifestations1 the same overwhelming sense of the immediate presence of the awful glory of ,god4 ,mr4 ,hunt says of them1 8,two or three most earnest prayers were followed by such an outpouring of the ,spirit as ,i had never before witnessed--great strong men1 half a dozen at a time1 pleading for forgiveness and confessing their sins in great agony of spirit4 ,from that day on there was not a day without some new proof of ,his presence with us individually and collectively4 ,there was public confession of sin that brought agonized groans from the entire congregation4 ,there were private confessions to ,god which brought strong men to tears4 ,there were similar confessions to men1 accompanied by restoration or other real mending of wrong4 ,it was a time of praying such as we had never known before4 ,the prayer meetings were crowded4 ,the meetings held each evening in the big church were crowded1 men only being admitted4 ,whole companies were reduced to tears4 ,in the boys' schools the work spread and to those at first most sceptical came the most bitter suffering4 ,between these schools had sprung up some bitter rivalry4 ,by reason of the ,spirit's work among them1 love and an earnest spirit of intercession has taken its place40 ,on the ,wednesday1 ,thursday and ,friday the same manifestations of power were felt in the advanced school for girls and women1 and at the ,central ,church ,boys' ,school1 which had been experienced in the men's meetings4 ,on ,thursday the ,spirit fell on the primary school for girls4 ,mrs4 ,bernheisel went down to the girls' school in the city and found the ,spirit there also2 she wrote1 8,the ,spirit of ,god literally fell on us1 and we couldn't help but weep and confess our sins40 ,saturday night the power fell upon the women of the church4 8,all through the class1 the women had been meeting separately10 says ,mr4 ,lee1 8but there had been no special manifestation among them1 and it was decided to hold special meetings for them also in the ,central ,church on the ,thursday1 ,friday and ,saturday evenings following4 ,on ,saturday night the power was felt and the women agonized over their sins and confessed as the others had done1 and on ,monday and ,tuesday evenings the meetings for women being continued1 ,god's mighty power continued to be manifested4 ,so great was the strain that one of the women became unconscious40 ,mrs4 ,baird writes that 8it was a matter of regret to all that the ,pyeng ,yang college and academy was not in session at the time of the gracious visitations described by ,mr4 ,lee4 ,several of the resident students were led through a very wonderful experience1 and on all sides the earnest hope was expressed and the prayer offered that the beginning of the spring term might witness another wonderful manifestation of ,god's power and that not one of the students might be left unvisited40 ,several days before the opening of the school1 8informal prayer meetings1 attended as well by several of the ,korean members of the school faculty were held in the ,principal's study4 ,one morning1 feeling burdened1 he sought out his fellow 7missionary7 worker who had been much exercised in prayer and the two knelt together and prayed for the descent of the ,spirit upon the school4 ,it was at that hour that the storm broke in the study4 ,cries and sobs of anguish filled not only the room but the whole house40 ,for two wonderful weeks the work went on among the boys1 with whom meetings were held every day at four4 8,no attempt was made to lead these meetings4 ,indeed1 leadership would have been impossible4 ,all were prostrate on their faces and all alike except those who had already received a blessing were in an agony of repentance4 ,sometimes they beat their foreheads and heads against the floor1 sometimes they literally writhed in anguish1--then when there seemed no more power of resistance left they would spring to their feet and with terrible sobs and crying pour out their confessions4 ,no human power could have dragged these confessions to light40 ,at the beginning of the school term the usual curriculum was laid aside1 the first week was devoted to ,bible study and prayer1 reserving the evenings for devotional services with the whole school4 ,on the first evening one young man after another sprang to his feet and testified to a sense of pardon1 peace and joy4 ,but these were only a small part of the three hundred young men and boys present1 and many remained 8cold and lumpish as ice40 ,the battle was between our ,god and ,his forces on one hand and all the hosts of ,satan on the other4 ,students who had received a blessing spent hours of every day in prayer and some spent whole nights on their faces before ,god4 ,at the meeting of the second evening1 before ever the leader took his place1 the tide of prayer began rising and though three young men arose one after another and attempted to lead in prayer1 their voices were not heard in the tumult of intercessory supplication that broke out4 ,as prayer continued1 the building began to resound with groans and cries4 ,many fell forward on their faces on the floor4 ,at this meeting and two that followed it was noted that while most of the ,presbyterian students had been reached1 the body of ,methodist students was still largely untouched4 ,the local ,methodist preacher1 an unusually able man had from the first been opposed to union in the school or in any other way1 and had used his influence against it4 ,he had longed for a blessing on his people and when it fell first on the ,presbyterians was jealous and displeased1 and it was feared in several quarters that he was using his influence both in the pulpit and the class room to throw discredit on the movement4 ,special prayer was therefore made for him by native and foreign members of both denominations4 ,on ,friday evening the break in the ,methodist ranks began4 ,one young man after another1 members of a band who had agreed together that they would stand out against the prevailing influences1 gave up all pretence of resistance and cast themselves on the ,lord for mercy4 ,at midnight there were as many as fifty risen to their feet awaiting their turn to confess their sins4 ,during the evening many threw themselves on their knees before the preacher and confessed that they had done wrong in yielding to his influence4 ,conviction seized upon him and at the close of the meeting this proud man was weeping in the arms of the missionaries and sobbing out penitent confessions of coldness1 wilfulness and jealousies4 ,during the remaining evenings there was little disposition to resist the ,holy ,spirit4 ,then the ,lord began pouring out ,his blessings upon the ,methodist congregations in the city and the same wonderful manifestations were exhibited here that had been seen elsewhere4 ,mr4 ,mc,cune said of the men's meetings4 8,the room full of men was filled with voices lifted to ,god in prayer4 ,i am sure that most of the men in the room were praying aloud4 ,some were crying and pleading ,god's forgiveness for certain sins which they named to ,him in prayer4 ,all were pleading for the infilling of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,although there were so many voices there was no confusion at all4 ,it was all a subdued perfect harmony4 ,i cannot explain it with words40 8,we missionaries had our union meetings with the ,methodists one week before the class began4 ,they were a source of the richest blessing to all of us and when we were closing ,thursday evening it being suggested that we continue the meetings for the next week or so at noontime1 we decided to do so4 ,daily we have been waiting there and praying for the ,holy ,spirit4 ,we have no leader for the meeting4 ,each one who enters the room quietly kneels down and as he is led prays40 8,we find that these meetings of ours are blessed just in proportion as we spend the whole time from first to last on our knees in prayer or proffering requests for prayer or thanksgiving1 precluding much conversation or discussion1 even upon the progress or incidents of the revival40 ,the blessing fell on both ,methodists and ,presbyterians1 on missionaries and natives4 ,mr4 ,noble1 of the ,m4 ,e4 ,church of ,pyeng ,yang says1 8,we are having the most wonderful manifestations of the outpouring of the ,holy ,spirit on the native churches that ,i have ever seen or heard4 ,perhaps there has been no greater demonstration of ,divine power since the ,apostles' days4 ,at every meeting the slain of the ,lord are laid out all over the church1 men and women are stricken down and become unconscious under the power of conviction4 ,the whole city is mourning as people mourn for their dead4 ,many spend whole nights in their homes agonizing in prayer1 either for their own pardon or in behalf of others4 ,the people break out in spontaneous prayer4 ,hundreds of voices fill the church with a murmur that has no more discord than would the notes from so many instruments of music40 ,from ,syen ,chun ,miss ,samuels writes of the coming of the ,spirit in power in ,january4 ,mr4 ,clark wrote from ,seoul1 8,during the past month1 ,february1 the most marvellous working of the ,holy ,spirit in the hearts of ,christians in this city has been the subject of daily conversation4 ,revival meetings have been in progress in all the churches4 ,i am reminded of the history which records the wonderful results that followed the preachings of ,whitfield and ,wesley40 ,so the power spread like wildfire from station to station and from little country group to group1 at the country classes and among both ,methodists and ,presbyterians1 time and space failing here to give extracts from all the thrilling reports that were sent4 ,and now what were the results of this wonderful revival8 ,was it a mere wave of emotionalism8 ,korea had known ,christianity for many years but never before had anything been seen like this4 ,what results can it show as a seal to its divine origin8 8,by their fruits ye shall know them10 said our ,lord4 8,men do not gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles40 ,satan does not cast out ,satan1 and here on all sides we see following these revivals sinners converted1 those who had done wrong making confession and restitution of money and goods1 the churches crowded to overflowing with inquirers and new believers1 the coffers of the ,lord's treasury filled1 and men of different denominations lovingly joining hands1 putting away old jealousies1 forwarding the ,lord's kingdom shoulder to shoulder4 ,let me quote again a few particular instances mentioned by men working in different denominations in various parts of the field4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,z4 ,moore1 writing to 8,the ,korea ,field10 says1 8,many incidents could be told but two must suffice4 ,a young man who had been a ,christian for some time received a strange new fire into his life and went to his parents1 who were not ,christians1 pleading with them in tears4 ,they gave up keeping the saloon they had had for twenty years and are now earnest followers of ,christ4 ,in two large towns about a half mile apart there were two quite strong groups4 ,ever since ,i have had the work ,i have been trying to get them to unite and build a church1 but a church quarrel has always frustrated not only our plans for the church but the ,lord's work in that section as well4 ,the revival came and there was great confession in agony and tears1 of pride1 jealousy and hatred1 and now they are united in the building of a large tile-roofed church4 ,besides the ,bible study classes1 nearly every one of the larger churches and some of the small ones have had revival services lasting from one to three weeks4 ,the native preachers having taken part in the ,pyeng ,yang revival took the lead in this work1 which has resulted in transforming churches all over the circuit4 ,these meetings were times of heart-searching prayer1 confession of sin and restoration and straightening up of the past in so far as was possible4 ,this was followed by a real sense of sins forgiven1 joy in the assurance of the new birth and baptism of the ,holy ,spirit in cleansing and power for service40 8,these revivals10 he continued1 8have taught me two things4 ,first1 the ,korean is at heart and in all fundamental things at one with his brother of the ,west4 ,in the second place these revivals have taught me that in the matter of making all life religious1 in prayer and in a simple childlike trust the ,east not only has many things but profound things to teach the ,west and until we learn those things we will not know the full-orbed ,gospel of ,christ4 ,best of all10 he adds1 8this revival has written another unanswerable chapter of ,christian evidences4 ,the old gospel of the cross and the blood and the resurrection now has become a free1 full and perfect salvation to multitudes and has taken literally hundreds of lazy1 shiftless and purposeless ,koreans and turned them into very dynamos of evangelistic power4 ,not only this1 but it is proven that ,christianity does satisfy the spiritual needs and hunger of the people40 ,mr4 ,clark writes from ,seoul3 8,the most conspicuous thing1 in the whole church life for the year was the great ,holy ,spirit revival in ,february4 ,the church was shaken as never before and1 purged as by fire1 now under the guidance of the ,spirit they are reaching out for others4 ,the three city congregations were never so much one in thought as now4 ,it has been a beautiful year of growing together40 ,mr4 ,cram writes from ,song ,do3 8,i thank ,god that ,his mighty transforming power is realized by the ,korean heart in definite expression40 ,mr4 ,mc,cune writes3 8,we have not been counting the new believers as we did in previous years4 ,there will surely be in all four churches1 ,methodists and ,presbyterian1 in ,pyeng ,yang1 at the close of the meetings not less than two thousand new believers1 if we may judge from the way they seem to be coming now40 ,mr4 ,gerdine1 of the ,southern ,methodist ,mission1 wrote1 ,september1 #aijf1 8,the past year has been one of large increase in numbers throughout the church in ,korea4 ,it is probable that thirty thousand new believers have come in during that time4#af ,our own church has shared in the general prosperity and advancement4 ,this is true not only of the district as a whole but each circuit will show a good increase over last year4 ,here is a comparative statement of growth3 #af ,this refers to the whole ,church1 the #bjjj above referred to being in ,pyeng ,yang alone4 ,october #aije #aijf ,number of societies #df #abi ,adult baptisms #bja #fjf ,total membership #gei #abbg ,probationers #deg #afid ,applicants #agab ,total number on rolls #abaf #dfbc ,in #aijg there was an increase in membership of #gef1 in probationers of #acca1 and there were forty-seven new churches4 ,this is the growth in one church after the revival spirit had fallen upon many of its leaders in ,won ,san and it has not been less wonderful in many of the others40 ,mr4 ,j4 ,z4 ,moore says there has been a gain of at least one third in membership over the last year1 7in many churches it has been #ej per cent74 ,mrs4 ,baird says1 8,the night schools in the city were shaken4 ,there were meetings in all the churches for the unconverted and between twelve hundred and two thousand came out at that time for ,christ among the ,presbyterians in ,pyeng ,yang alone4 ,at the meetings of the missionaries there were sacred times1 all hearts melted in a wonderful solvent of love4 ,work spreads to the country classes and churches like holy fire40 ,the money given by the churches of the ,presbyterian missions nearly doubled the amount contributed the previous year4 ,pledges for a certain number of days of evangelistic work have become common and at one of the ,bible classes held in ,seoul1 men promised in addition to other ,christian work and precious pledges1 an average of seventeen days apiece for the coming year1--enough in all to make one man's entire time for six years1 and the rule is that these pledges are more than kept1 most of the people exceeding the time promised4 ,these are simply a few of the results of this great work of ,god in ,korea4 ,in every station and village1 in large cities and country districts1 the fruits are being gathered4 ,let those who are permitted a share in it thank ,god4 ,before finishing this very incomplete review1 there are several features of it which should be noted4 #ast4 ,it was preceded1 as has been noted1 for a period of three or more years1 by a constantly increasing desire and fervent united prayer of missionaries and natives--desire and prayer undoubtedly inspired by ,him who intended to give--for the ,gift of the ,spirit4 #b;d4 ,it simply fell upon the people waiting before ,god in insistent1 believing prayer1 without having been worked up in any way by exciting appeals to emotion4 #c;d4 ,it came to a people who1 during a knowledge of ,christianity of some twenty odd years1 have never had anything of the kind in their religious life1 and have never shown signs of great excitability in their deepest ,christian experiences4 #dth4 ,it was marked1 everywhere the same1 by a realization of the awful blackness of sin1 consequent upon an acute sense of the immediate ,presence of the terrible ,majesty of the ,most ,high and followed by agonizing repentance1 confession and restitution4 #eth4 ,wonder and regret have been expressed at the kind of sins confessed by some of these native ,christian people4 ,it must be remembered that they were ,christians who had come out of heathenism with no previous ,christian training and breeding1 that they were living surrounded by heathenism1 but poorly instructed1 and some of them1 no doubt1 had never been more than intellectually converted4 ,it must be remembered also that the ,apostle ,paul addressed admonitions to early ,christians1 whom he evidently considered real ,christians1 who had had the benefit of his inspired teaching and who had seen the miracles1 and perhaps been present at ,pentecostal outpourings1 who were guilty of the darkest sins on the calendar4 ,again1 is it not a fact that when we come to ,god or our brother and confess in a general indefinite sort of way to general indefinite sort of sins1 when nothing in particular seems to us to be an intolerable burden of sin1 there is little genuine repentance1 only a half pleasurable sentimental feeling of regret that we are not as perfect as we could wish8 ,this repentance means nothing4 ,when men confess particular sins they are really repentant4 ,and again1 one of our most well known pastors in a large city said with deep emphasis1 when this wonder was expressed1 that were the ,spirit of ,god to come with the same power to our ,american churches1 the revelations of depths of sin would not be one whit less appalling than those in ,korea4 ,it is1 however1 greatly to be deprecated that those who have heard these confessions should make them a subject of idle gossip4 ,they belong only to the confessor and his ,god and1 perchance1 the one who was wronged4 ,it seems to the writer an awful thing to meddle in such a matter1 sacred to the ,holy ,ghost4 #fth4 ,and this seems to the writer an intensely significant fact4 ,this revival was preceded1 accompanied and followed by a burning desire on the part of the great majority of all ,christians of every denomination and nationality in the country1 for union1 for one ,church of ,christ in ,korea1 an uncontrollable1 ,heaven-inspired conviction that there in ,korea1 then1 at once1 if possible1 the ,lord's last prayer while on earth for ,his ,church must be fulfilled1 and that we must be one in effort1 in aim1 in name1 as we were already in heart1 that the differences and old worn-out historical divisions of the ,occident must not be foisted upon the ,orient1 that in the words of the devoted ,bishop ,harris1 we missionaries had not gone across the ,pacific to establish a ,methodist or a ,presbyterian church1 but to advance the kingdom of the ,master1 that native ,christians were not converted to ,presbyterianism1 ,methodism or any other sect but to the ,lord ,jesus4 ,this was the spirit which preceded and followed the revival and which in ,pyeng ,yang1 where the power was felt by the greatest number of people and perhaps in the most overwhelming way1 seemed more general than elsewhere1 and right here ,i feel impelled to quote the words of ,mrs4 ,baird in regard to the daily prayer-meeting of the missionaries alone of both denominations4 8,all denominational lines seem wiped out forever and we wonder that we could ever have attached importance to them or have allowed ourselves to be cramped by them40 ,but everywhere small jealousies have to a great extent been put aside and a beautiful spirit of mutual love and generosity prevails4 ,thus hath ,god wrought4 ,he has made bare ,his mighty arm and shown ,his mercy to one of the weakest and most despised of the peoples1 for that is ,his will and way4 ,he made ,his ways known unto ,moses1 a poor shepherd of a despised race1 ,his acts unto the children of ,israel1 a nation of slaves1 and ,he has glorified ,his ,holy ,name in little1 enslaved1 despised ,korea4 8,for ye see your calling1 brethren1 how that not many wise men after the flesh1 not many mighty1 not many noble1 are called3 but ,god hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise2 and ,god hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty2 and base things of the world1 and things which are despised1 hath ,god chosen1 yea1 and things which are not1 to bring to nought things that are3 that no flesh should glory in ,his presence40 ,,the ,,end4 ,transcriber's ,note3 ,inconsistent spelling and hyphenation are as in the original4