Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-17
Reminds Writer of Days o.
Apostolic Church--One of
the Most Remarkable
Churches in the
World.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS
Copyright 1907, by Joseph B. Bowles)
PYENG YANG, Korea, November Fl, 1906
To the traveller in Korea, Pyeng, the Sec
ond city in the empire. is notable as a boat
shaped city, where the people are afraid to
dig wells lest they should sink the city;
and as the ancient capital Of the nation
where Keja, who was Korea's Peter the
Great, ruled about the time King David
was on the throne Of Israel, and Kejas
grave and Keja's we'll are still preserved.
To the religious world Pyeng Yang is
known as the center Of the most remark
able missionary work now under way any
where on the earth
Within sixteen years Christian constitu-
ency Of 5000 persons, that is doubling itself
annually, has been built up. and in the sur
rounding country the number amounts to
more than $4,000. AS an instance Of the
way in which the church grows the fact
may be mentioned that the mother church
Of Pyeng Yang has swarmed three times
within four years, and yet retains a mem
bership Of 914 communicates and 1884 cate
chumens. The church, which seats 1000
persons on its hoor-of course, there are
no pews or chairs|s crowded every Sum
day. The attendance at the midweek pray
er meeting ranges from more than 700 to
1900 or 1900. The smallest of the con-
gregations which have gone out from Cen
trail Church numbers more than $50 men,
bers; the largest twice that many.
-
All OF these congregations are entirely
self-supporting, and they maintain several
religious enterprises, such as day schools,
colporteurs and a book store and library
They have established school for the
blind and have made the beginnings of an
insane asylum. both the first of their kind
in Korea.
More significant than any Of these off,
shoots of the church, Is the public bath
house run by the Christians: for badly as
it needs religion. Korea needs soap and
water. I ask no further proof of the genu-
ineness of the conversion Of these people
than the fact of this bath house. with its
four, bath tubs and two shower baths-the
latter made by up-tilted and perforated
Standard oil cans. The full meaning of
this institution can be appreciated only by
one who has travelled in Korea.
The three pioneers of this Pyeng Yang
work are still here, and still young men.
They arrived sixteen years ago, Rev. DR..
s. A. Moffett, Rev. Graham Lee and DR.. J.
Hunter Wells of the northern Presbyterian
board. They CHANGED to be men of large
laid broad foundations upon which the pres
ent phenomenal enterprise has been rising.
Following them at intervals came seventeen
other missionaries of the same denomina-
ton. Prior to the Presbyterian settlement,
DR.. and Mrs. w. ]. Hall, medical mission
aries of the Northern Methodist Church,
were already in Pyeng Yang, but at the
death of DR.. Hall in 1894 the Methodists
withdrew for a time, but later they re-es-
tablished and now have missionaries in the
field, and two thriving churches In the city
proper, as well as their country work. I
sionary, teaching the Bible one week day
morning to class Of more than hundred
women and girls, who had come In from
the country for that purpose. Mrs. Hall.
who Is a physician, has since returned and
conducts q hospital for women. which, how
ever, burned down few weeks ago.
-.
What may safely be called the most re-
markable midweek prayer meeting in the
world Is that which 1 attended in the big
church in Pyeng Yang. The building is l.
shaped and divided into halves by wooden
partitions at the angle Of the L. One side
is reserved for women and the other for
men. The church is utterly devoid OF furni-
ture, except rough straw mats on the floor.
into It were gathered on this Wednesday
| evening no less than 1900 persons, men
| and boys, women and children, all seated
upon the floor. And picturesque scene
| they presented, the men wearing the great
| variety of queer Korean hats, the boys
dressed in gay oriental colors. and the
women all in white, with turbans on their
| heads On the street the women wear the
i largest hat known to the milliners art. II
Is shaped like dredging scow, and is full
! three feet in diameter. and will hold a
n