Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-04

You religious drones OF tie United
States. who stay at home from church
ard prayer meeting whenever II rains.
should come out to Korea to learn what
live Christianity means. Take. for in
stance. native church which attended
this week. It was that of DR.. J. s. Gale
belonging TO the Presbyterian mission in
Seoul The church stands on hill, not
far from the palace of the emperor. and
above the big technical school which the
Japanese have Just founded Its audience
hall Is sixty feet wide by eighty feet long
and Ii seats about fifteen hundred. This
church was built by native contributions
and its members gave So 100 to its sup
port last year. In connection with two
0ther native Presbyterian cong. egations
us members are supporting Two mission
churches outside the city. This church
has regular after dance Of 12O1, and
when entered it last Sunday there were
more than that in the audience room
Fully six hundred Of those present were
men | doubt much if any United States
city OF 3I~O has a single church with
PENDANTS: and more than five hundred Of
theSe Korean men had come to Sunday
school as wei as to church. There We're
fully that many women.
But how do l know that the men and
women were equally divided?
That Is easy in a Korean congregations
The men all sit together on one-half the
church floor. while the women are squat
ted on the other half. wide canvas
screen being stretched from one end of
the church to the other between them
The women a"e supposed not to be seen
by any men but their husbands. They
come to the church with green. cloak.
wrapped round their heads and they put
these on upon going out.
The church floor is covered with white
mating. All take off their shoes as they
come in and lay them beside them on the
floor as they listen to the sermon. At
the front of the hall is a rostrum sup
porting pulpit from the middle Of
which the screen extends through the
church. 50 that both men and women can
see the pastor and he can see them. It
was on this roStrum I sat
The congregation comprised all classes
of Koreans Among the men were cabi-
net ministers governors and princes sit
ting side by side with common coolies and
others OF the lower classes. The same
differences of condition were observed
among The women. The men all wore
hats: aud, OF the women. all were
bareheaded. The men had on gowns Of
white. rose-pink sk3-bll grass
or cotton. with white cotton under
trousers and white padded stockings.
1 EeI- idlH were oI DIAck nCySe mar,
50 braided together that their top
knots could be seen through the meshes
The women Wore jackets and skirts OF
white. lilac, pink and sea-green. and their
hair was carefully combed. Some OF the
women had babies with them. and l heard
"A slight squall now and then. Before the
sermon began one little girl stood UP
with her baby sister tied to her back
The little one was crying. The girl rose
and fell on her toes TO quiet II.
7 have never seen such attention in any
church. The faces of the people fairly
shone as one of the elders. nicknamed
the wisest man in Korea. once d member
of the Korean legation In Washington adj
dressed them. There was not snore to
be heard, and Of the whole twelve hun
dred not one went TO sleep. The preacher
held them from Start to close. now and
then bringing out laughter. After this
hymn was sung the precentor standing in
his stocking feet, big hat and long gown
on the rostrum. while a Korean girl
played the organ. little affair SO. small
that at the close the sexton carried il out
on his shoulder. Hymnbooks We're used
by all, and every one In that congregation
Is able to read. Indeed. the church will
not take in any one who cannot read the
Scriptures. When man becomes con-