Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-29

NI4ll iAitills VI Sila pc -lllG ltAiHOA ebA
llegM N destinies of nations, yet as a
R Zal factor acting indirectly to
lSssaaA2i promote enlightenment and
TO advance civilization they
frequently exert a powerful influence
upon the countries they enter. They
have played a singularly important
role in Korea. Had this country not
been foredoomed to extinction because
of the need of Japan for new territory
the effect of missionary work might in
time have been to materially advance
Korea along the high road of material
nrogress. Missionaries particularly
Americans-have constituted the real
vanguard of reform in "Chosen."
Seoul is a long distance from Wash
ington Although railroad development
will soon link it with the ns-Siber-
ian system and bring it nearer to the
capitals of Europe, it has always been
remote from London, Paris and other
European centers, and very little
known. Because of this the former
emperor's dream of American inter-
ference to safeguard the independence
of his country when Japan began her
encroachments seemed to the average
American and European as fantastic
as it proved chimerical. Yet to one
who knows Korea and who has famil-
iarized himself with conditions in
Seoul ii does not seem strange that
the Korean sovereign reposed faith in
America as his barrier of strength
against the Japanese. There was the
Shufeldt treaty, virtually guarantee
ing the integrity of the country but
this was not all. OF the foreigners in
Korea so per cent were Americans.
In the network. of schools and churches
that covered the country American
missionaries and teachers outnum-
bered all other nations combined. In
business affairs Americans were the
most prominent and respected class
of foreigners. Such advancement as
the country had experienced was due
in no small measure to American in
terest in introducing Christianity ana
American enterprise in industries
The phrase "square DEAL" which was
coined, or at any rate was current
during the Roosevelt administration,
was familiar to the far east as Wen
as to the west. The emperor belleVed
that a real link of friendship as well
as a diplomatic tie bound korea anu anu
America. Because of her tradluohal
aloofness from foreign entanglements
and averseness to ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF
territory he considered America sate
umpire in the game of world polltlcs'
While his disappointment when the
American legation was Withdrawn
caused amusement when it was as
cussed in America or Europe II
seemed to foreigners in Korea alto
gether natural.
Christianity and progress have long
BEEN synonyms in Korea. The pro-
gressive element in the old hermit
kingdom was formerly small and un-
popular. When progressives sent TO
Peking in the eighteenth century TO
learn about the Christian religion, con-
hoA
less in Chinese books, the vast MAJOR
itv of the people we're against west
eTners. western religions and western
progress. From the time of the mar
fvrdoln of Peter, the first Korean con-
vert. in 1888. until the treaty with
America was made in 1882, the history
of Christianity in Korea was pune
tuated with prosecutions. Mnen
Americans undertook extensive rllsslon
work after the treaty was signed they
found the emperor favorable to their
activities because he had become
progressive. From that time forward
thev were given every encouragement.
II do not know whether to believe
what you tell us about heaven ana
hell" said a Korean of high otticlaI po-
sition to an American missionary, put
I do know that the progressive coun-
tries of the world are Christian, ana
I believe that Korea will advance WIN
the progress of Christianity within her
boundaries" This was the attitude OF
the emperor, and through his minister
at Washington he once thanked the
American missionaries for their good
work and asked them to make every
effort to widen the scope of their en-
deavors. He also thanked them re-
peatedly and personally in Seoul for
their missionary work, and more es-
pecially the educational and medlcai
work they were pushing in his realm.
The prime minister of Korea once pro
posed that his imperial majesty should
become a convert. He was not a Chris
tian. but he held that under Chris
tian sovereign Korea would greatly
advance. While there are doubtless
tens of thousands of 1evout believers
among the hundreds of thousands OF
Korean Christians or church goers, 1t
would be difficult to deny that IL is
as the religion of progressive part
of the world that Christianity has held
out inducements to a considerable
number of Koreans, as well as to win
the favor of those in authority.
A missionary tells how an educated
Korean became a convert. 11e attend
ed a mission school regularly, but de-
clined to enter the building until after
prayers. He abhorred the English
language, the Christian faith and all
foreigners. but he had heard of the
wealth and prosperity Of Christian
countries. and he wanted to learn the
why of it. One day when the min
lister who conducted the school CHANGED
to be out the Korean entered his
study, poked about. found books bear
ing the titles Matthews Good News"
MARKS Good News" "Luke's Good
News and "John's Good News" He
quickly purloined the Gospel according
to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and
stole away to sit up all night and read
the news" An unexpected result OF
his surreptitious study was his con-
version. He confessed the theft shook
hands with the owner of the volumes,
and asked to be baptized. Many other