Evening star., 1909-02-13
THE SECOND OF FOUR
Y,M,C,A,BU|L GIVEN
BY JOHN WANAMAKER
OPENED IN KOREA

Former Postmaster General John Wan
amaker, who once said the Young Mems
christian Association has a patent on
onportunitv" has by the erection or
new building for the Seoul. Korea, as
sociation, which has just been opened
enabled il to take out q patent covering
tie whole of Korea. The Y. NJ. L. A
has become a national institution IN
Korea The government. the emperor
the crown prince and Prince ITO mace
large subscriptions to the securing o1 the
lots it's support and endowment, ana
both the crown prince and Prince no.
the maker CT empires laid the tounda-
lion stone of the building and at lis
opening were on the platform with
twenty-five diplomatic representatives OF
nations and leading missionaries OF no
rea, China and Japan.
Building Monuments.
The presiding officer of the day was
Yum Chi Ho. who is regarded as one OF
The most brilliant Christian laymen in
Korea. Mr. Wanamaker was represented
by American Consul General Sammons,
who said. "Mr. Wanamaker's y. NJ. {. A
building monuments speak for him and OF
his donations of nearly half million
ven to erecting association buildings III
Japan. Korea, China and India-gifts
which will continue to present perennial
messages of practical philanthropy to
over half the population of the world
after all who are here today have passed
away" Mr.. Wanamaker's personal mes
sage was. Il cannot as business man
TOO strongly indOrse and underWrte the
work of the Y. NJ. C.. A. as d practical
and enduring agency to benefit city
by helping the men who are now and IN
the future must be it's important c1tlZenS
Prince Ito the resident general, SAID:
Il recognize in the association most
potent instrument for the advancement
of the educational and moral Well-being
OF this people. Tile association is my
friend and fellow-Worker in the great
cause of national regeneration" Fol-
lowing the acceptance OF the building ny
Chairman Yum, a venerable Korean gem
tlemar rose in the audience and dedicated
rice field to the endowment fund which
would require twenty sacks OF rice worth
S}CO to sow.
Then Prime Minister VI gave $50, the
chairman $50 and two Koreans $500
each. Over 5000 was pledged for this
endowment, a sum as great as five times
that amount in America The associa-
tons educational work enjoys subsidy
of 5000 from the imperial educational
department and has day and night classes
attended by 800 students.
Building Location.
The building is located within a stones
throw of the bell tower which marks the
center of Seoul, and Seoul Is the center
of the empire 1t is considered one of the
finest buildings in the city next to the
imperial palace, and towers above the
surrounding native structures. The
Koreans and Japanese. with whom rela-
rions have been severely strained, have
been able TO work together in the y. NJ.
e. a, the Korean officials going so far
as to accept the invitation of Prince Ito
10 banquet i'll honor of the association.
y, this banquet Prince Ito maze the sig
niiicant statement that in the early years
of Japan's reformation he had fought
vehemently against the senior statesmen
TOR religious freedom, especially on behalf
Of Christianity.
lie said: My reasoning this: Civ
ilization depends upon morality, and the
highest morality on religion. therefore
religion must be tolerated and encOur-
aged. Therefore l welcome this y. NJ.
G. A. building. 1t is powerful ally in
the great task j have undertaken in
attempting to put the feet of Korea upon
the pathway of true civilization