Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-25
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struck the victims heads from their bodies
Thus perished the first European mission
aries to the hermit nation.
The first Protestant missionary to Korea
was Chinese soldier who had been con-
verted IN China by DR.. Douthwait. well
known at Vanderbilt University. The SOL
der went with his regiment to Korea in
1883. He was arrested by the Korean au-
thorities, but after Imprisonment was re-
turned to China.
An American Doctor.
AT this moment the first American mis-
sionary to Korea arrived in Seoul-Dr. Hor
ace n. Allen, now American minister to
Korea. He came in 1854, and was nom
inally physician to the American legation.
In the emeute of 1884 he achieved renown
for saving the life of a Korean prince, and
was soon made kings physician. A hos
pital was founded under his direction, and
in 1885 Rev. DR.. II. g. Underwood went to
Korea. He was shortly followed by Drs.
Heron, Scranton and Appenzeller all
Americans. These men represented the
Presbyterian and Methodist Episcopal de-
nOmna tons.
The city of Ping Yang. the scene of the
great battle in the Japan China war and
which is strategic point of great impor-
lance in the present conflict. has been the
banner city of Korean missions. 1t pre-
sents record scarcely to be equaled in the
whole history of missionary enterprise.
to Ping Yang, which was then without a
convert in a population of seventy thou
sand people. In less than nine years 1t was
not uncommon 10 have an attendance at
the weekly prayer meetings, even on a
stormy night, of one thousand
Have the Spirit
The religious ardor of the Koreans around
Ping Yang is Illustrated by the incident of
the man who heard missionary preach
and went home saying he wanted his wife
to hear the news She was a cripple and
could not walk, and they lived thirteen
miles away. Her husband brought her that
distance on his back that she might hear
the news"
Then there Is the representative case of
an old Korean woman who bought a Bible
Its good news" she said. Il am an old
Ignorant woman-it's useless for me to try
to learn. But It's good news, and l will tell
my sons. It's a long time since we've
heard good news"
That woman's words go a long way to-
ward explaining the missionaries success
In Korea. The land for centuries has been
the storm center of Asia and for centuries
bad news has been its only news
The bravery of the American missionar-
les is proverbial among the Koreans and
even the emperor has sought them to guard
his person in times of disturbance, on
Thanksgiving night, 1885, he sat qutvering
between the American missionaries as the
cries of mob seeking to attack the palace
and secure certain cabinet officers rang in
the streets of Seoul.
AT unknown times and in unknown PAGES
they have shown the quiet bravery for which
American soldiers are famed. During the
scourages of cholera when hundreds were
dying on every hand. they have proven that
they are made of the same mettle as Minis
ter Allen when, In 1884, he riSked his head
to save the princes life. NO soldier in tie
front line of battle a correspondent of a
New York paper wrote home during a chol-
era epidemic, ever performed duty more
conscientiously more courageously."
Had Their Love.
The giant missionary, Mckenzie. was a
man whom Koreans loved greatly. They
called him Kim Moksa. When the Tong
haks-korean brigands and plunderers
whom the whole nation fear-came to
murder and pillage, everybody but Kim
Moksa ran When they saw him stand firm,
the people brought their goods to him TO