Evening star., 1897-03-31
JUST HOME FROM COREA
Observations of Mr.. James A. Gale in the
Land of Calm.
Conservative Tendencies of the CO.
rean+-Costly Worship of the
Dcad-The Kings Escape.

Mr.. James A. Gale. who has been resi-
dent of Corea for the last nine years is
in Washington with his wife and children,
and is visiting relatives on Chaplin street
Mr.. Gale went TO Corea in 1888 as a Y. NJ
c. y worker but more recently has been
connected with the Presbyterian missions
I'm that interesting country. In the course
of conversation with a Star reporter
last evening Mr.. Gale talked most enter
taining:y of Corea and Its people.
THE Coreans.'' said Mr.. Gale. 'are in
many ways a most interesting race Their
ideas OF things generally are so entirely
different from our own that 1t is hard at
first for a stranger to accommodate himself
to them. The Coreans are essentially a
good d-natured people. but slow and not at
all progressive in the serse that the jap
anese are. They are intensely conservative
and are 10th to take up with anything in
the way of changes or reforms.
Worship of Ancestors.
'Is Christianity making much headway
among them
Il can hardly say that 1t is spreading
rapidly, but there are many genuine and
earnest Christians among the Coreans.
Their religion is Confucianism, which in
wolves the worship of ancestors, and this
phase of their belief is a potent factor
In hindering their progress A Corean
will often. II not usually, spend more
thought ard money upon his ancestors
than he does upon his children For a
case in point I may say that when there
is a death in mans family he erects a
tablet in his house to the memory OF the
deceased and for several months thereafter
three good meals day are placed In front
OF that tablet. II means just so much
extra expense upon the family. He will
spend more money in the purchase OF
desirable site to bury the dead than he
will to supply a good house for the living.
''In case of death II the family are not
able TO purchase desirable burial site
they will leave the body lying around the
house or just outside. covered only with
q few mats, until they are able to save
up what they need / have myself counted
as many as hundred bodies at one time
propped up on bamboo poles around the
walls of the capital. awaiting burial The
natives seem to get used to II, but / can
hardly say that strangers ever do
Tine Coreans do not welcome foreigners
IN their country. but as for myself i can
say that l never met with a single case OF
persecution or was put to any indignity-
When first reached Corea / tried to buy
q house The deal was made through a
native friend of mine. When the neigh
bors learned that the house was to be
occupied by foreigner they threatened to
burn j.. down. and the sale did not go
through The money, about $75. was re-
turned to me- for the Coreans are very hon.
est In all business trdnSactlOnS.
''Tha Coraans are divided into three class
es-the aristocrats or MOBILES the middle or
laboring class and the coolies. They do not
believe in the virtue of toll. They say that
work is low. and that only the low will
work The rich own most OF the land which
they turn over TO middlemen for half the
proceeds. and then the land u worked by
the coolies. who are satisfied II they make
a bare living. The rich people spend their
time in reading and meditation. They are
keep all knowledge among themselves.
Perhaps II is for this reason that the Co
reans have two entirely distinct languages.
written language that is never spoken
and a spoken language that Is never writ
ten 1 have recently made some transla-
ttons of books into Corean and had them
printed In the colloquial. 1t was the first
time such a thing had ever been done, and
when the student class learned of my inten-
ton they urged me to desist on the ground
that such thing tended to cheaper leorn-
ing and make 1t common by putting 1t in
the hands Of the common people
II have with me now a copy of Pilgrim s
Progress done into Corean and illustrated
by native artists. The expense of pubica-
ton was betrayed by wealthy Philadel-
phian. Each page of the book is printed
from a solid block of wood. usually oak. II
is carved out by hand. leaving the face of
the characters standing out in relief The
typographical appearance OF the book ie
surprisingly good. but the Illustrations. ]
cen point OF view. full-page picture Of
Christian In heaven was decidedly remark
able and surprise to the Presbyterian
missionaries. The picture of Christian max
ing his escape from the castle of Giant De
spair depicts young Corean in native
dress pushing his way through a fence CT
stockade made of bamboo poles"
General Dye.
Are you acquainted with Major Dye, wne
used to be chief OF police here in Washing.
ton?'
''Oh, yes. He is general now, and has
been for years the head Of the Corear
army. He Is getting to be pretty old mar
row. and think ne has about retired. HI
was stationed at the palace In Seoul wner
the queen was killed, in October. 1895, anC
put up stout resistance when the Japs at
tackei the palace until he was finally over
powered Many of his soldiers were in tn,
pay Of the Japanese. and deserted at th'
first sign of trouble In my opinion tn,
queen was killed because she was sucn
thorough conservative and opposed to al
forms of progress. The japanese are in
great hurry always, when they take up
matter. and as she was the real power il
the palace II was decided to put her out o
the way Several women, four l think
were killed AT the same time. as to rrsk,
sure that the queen had been done 10 lea. h
The king was kept prisoner in The palac
until quite recently, when he made ais eS
cape by being carried out concealed in tn
bottom of a litter. He was taken at ono
to the Russian legation. and was willingl,
received there. 1t was several hours befor
MS escape was discovered. and then IL wa
thought that attack would he rad
upon the Russian legation. Preparation
for defense were made, but the attack di
not materialize. The king has since gon
to live in palace that has been built 70
him between two of the foreign Legation
houses His rule is recognized throushou
the country, but he is really under tn
domination Of the Russians who constitut
the power behind the throne
Terrible Feasibility of War.
From the Philadelphia Press.