The Washington times., 1905-06-04
HOME IS WANTED
FOR KOREAN BOY
Taisanah Rhee May Become
Nations Messiah.
FATHER HAS SAD HISTORY
Filled With Progressive Ideas, Started
Daily Newspaper and Thrown
Into Jail.
FATHER HAS SAD HISTORY
WANTED-A home in q Christian family
for little Taisanah Rhee

wANTED-A home in a Christian family
Tor little Taisanah Rhee
This is the advertisement which The
Times yesterday was requested TO
insert in its columns III an effort to aid
Sung Mahn Rhee, the little lads father,
to nnd an abiding place where his boy
might be giv1n the rudiments II an Eng
lish education and in time become a mis-
sionary and carry Christianity into far
of Korea, his birthplace.
Behind the advertisement lies story
Of unusual pluck and perseverance on
the part OF a native OF Korea, and of his
determination in the face of persecution
and imprisonment, to prepare himself
and his tiny son for the ministry. AS
Sung Mahn Rhee expresses it:
Korea SO greatly needs Christianity
in place of Confucianism, the religion
which has reigned from time immemor-
ial''
Living in a Boarding House.
For two months and more Sung Mahn
Rhee and little Taisanah Rhee have
been living in one OF the uniest hall
rooms in the boarding house at 23a
street northwest, the father seeking to
support his son and at the same time
attend to his studies at the George
Washington University.
Sung Mahn Rhee proposes to finish in
three years the course at the local uni
versity, gain his degree and also take
the full course at a theological senin-
ary. After that his course will be laid
straight back TO his mother country,
where he will enlist in missionary work
under the banner OF the Methodist
Episcopal Church.
Probably nc better synopsis Of the
short but exceedingly busy life of Sung
Mahn Rhee can be given than that
contained in the letter of introduction.
he bore to this country, written by
James S. Gale. a missionary. sixteen
years IN the field in Korea
The letter follows:
a Sad Biography.
This win introduce to the reader Mr.
;. NJ, Knee. or Yee. a Korean born in
Seoul IN 1916. He was well educated ac-
cording to the old methods of Chinese
scholarship, but early feeling the in
suff1ciency OF this for the present age
of the world. he bent his energies to
the study OF English and other branches
Ihat lay open to him through the Chi
nese.
He believed in independence. not
only that Korea should be independent
of China, but that the Korean people
should awaken from their torpor and
think and live.
He started a daily paper, The ebay
COOK Shin-Moon (the Empire). that con-
tanned tranSiadons from English In
1t he preached ideas OF liberty.
ihls was contrary TO the conserva-
tive government. They had Mr.. Rhee
arrested in September. 1893, and for six
years he lay in prison Without trial
Caque and Stocks.
For seven months he wore the caaue.
huge wooden collar Weighing twenty
pounds or more. During this time. TO
add TO his agony, he sat with his feet
In the stocks.
he saw his companions taken out
beaten, tortured, hanged, and beheaded
He knows all the sensations that go
with the heavy thud of the sabera on
the execution ground. which fate he
iuiiy expected for his own. More than
once the morning papers announced, II
is reported that S n. Rhee was behead-
ed in the night
He walked in the coolie gang with a
heavy iron chain fastened over his
shoulders and padloeked at the back
all because he claimed the right ot
popular assembly where he and his
companions might meet for debate, con
ference, and mutual Improvement.
He had heard the gospel before goine
TO prison, but only in his agony and
loneliness did he learn TO trust. Frorr
that time forth he set himself to ees
his fellow prisoners saved. He had {
library, started IN prison, q library OF
Chinese publications from Shanghai.
He was tried last summer Q9OO, or
August he was pronounced not guiIt3
and set free.
He can tell a wonderful tale, all tru.
10 life, of the sorrows Of the yellow
race
He is altogether worthy of friends
for he is a gentleman born. d scholar
and Christian"
Come to Study
Sung Mahn Rhee came TO America il
December last and Immediately took u
his studies, Two months ago two O
his friends, In Heung Lee and Kwal
Young Lee, from Peuag Yang. came I
Washington. bringing with them Rhee'
seven-year-old son, TaIsanah
Neither Of the Lees could speak Eng
Gsh. For a time Rhee was burdene
ssIth the care OF his boy and with try
fng 10 nnd a place where his country
men could be housed and started on tn
way TO learn the language.
Not long ago he succeeded in inter
ESliilS 4IC4lDEIS Oi IIiE J1duElIlG Nj. J.
Church Now IN Heung Lee and Kwa
Young Lee are quartered at the Centra
Union Mission, while ladies of Tia
church have undertaken their inStruc
ton in English.
Asked concerning the paper whtc
caused his Incarceration IN the priso
at Seoul. Sung Afahn Rhee expIaine
that it was daily. and that it wa
conducted principally with the aid {
funds subscribed by influential friend
II was the first daily paper In Kore;
he said, and much of its space was ds
voted to criticisms. publication Of othei
wise secret news of government doingl
and 10 education.
BY utmost secrecy the editor mar
aged TO continue mis- writings eve
while in his cell. He has the satisfa,
ton OF seeing his publication prospel
ing 10 the present day.
Bitter Against Japan