The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1909-07-15
Korea


by Charles Scribner's Sons. The author is
Angus Hamilton, who dedicates his work to
his mother.
The volume is really valuable study Of
conditions in the far East. Mr.. Hamilton
throws flood of light upon matters Oriental.
combining himself mainly to Korea. He spent
much time in the Hermit Kingdom, and san
what he describes
He is very guarded in his references to the
missionaries from Europe who are engaged
IN the conversion" of these people. Mr..
Hamilton leaves one under the impression
that he did not tell all that he knew about
missionary methods and results He hints
rather than says that the Boxer uprising in
China, with It's carnage of crime and rivulets
OF blood, was the natural revolt against the
constant encroachments of the white foreign
missionaries.
But, with regard to the Quelpart outbreak
In Korea, where 600 converts" were butch
cred, he distinctly alleges that the passions of
the natives were aroused because the Catholic
priests epacted from the Korean authorities
FREE FROM TAXATION for their ''com-
verts." Of course, thousands of Koreans who
wanted to escape taxation "professed relig-
ion"~ and became Christians, thus arousing
the wrath of their fellow countrymen upon
whom fell the taxes which the converts"
escaped.
We quote one passage from Mr.. Hamilton's
Illuminating book
The American missionary in the Far East is a
curious creature. He represents union of de-
vices which have made him factor of considera-
BILE commercial Importance American mission
aries in Korea were formerly closely associated
with the more important export houses in the
leading industrial centers of America. Owing to
diplomatic representation this practical demon
stration of Western superiority is no longer in
obliged. In Seoul, however, an American mission
airy lncOnSlderately receives paying guests,
ing a manifest loss of business to the Station Ho-
tel; in Won-san, another exploits his orchard
AS class they are necessarily newspaper
respondents and professional photographers upon
rare occasiOns-and here / refer especially to
small cOterie of American missionaries in Seoul
they are the scholarly students of the history
manners, customs and language of the country in
which they happen to be placed.
The American missionary has a salary which
frequently exceeds ($1,OOO) e2OO a year, and is
invariably pleasantly supplemented by additional
allowances. Houses and servants are provided
free, grants made for house rent; there is
a provision for the education of the children and
an annual capitation payment is made for each
child. AS class American missionaries have
large families, who live in comparative idIeness
and luxury. In Korea they own the most attrac-
tive and commodiOus houses in the foreign SETTLE
mentS, and appear to me to extract from their
rOundingS the maximum of profit for the mimi
mum of labor. do not know whether it is with
the permission of the executive officers of the
American Mission Boards that their representa-
tyes combine commerce with their mission to the
heather. When missionary devotes no little
portion of his time to literary labors, to the care
of an insurance agency, to the needs of a fruit
farm, or to the manifold exgencies of casual COM
merce, it seems to me that the interests of those
hO sit in darkness must suffer.