Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-29
THE FATE OF KOREA
XI-The Vanguard of Reform
By Frederic j. HaSkin

about the religion under which. as
they see it, the west enjoys its progress
and prosperity.
Schools, always necessary adjunct
or missions, have found workable
field in Korea, and hundreds of then,
were extending the benefits of edIca-
ton to Koreans before japan absorbed
the country. Two theological colleges.
one at Peyng- Yang and the other at
Seoul, and religious press of no mean
pretensions represented a part of the
net reult of the crusade of missionaries
and school teachers against the dark
ness of irreligion and ignorance in 'the
Land of the Morning Calm" An nm.
looked for, and perhaps unique, result
of missionary work was the introduce
tion of stories from the Bible in the
columns of the secular newspapers of
Korea. Recognizing an opportunity to
swell their circulation among a people
interested in Christianity, these Jour
nails had become evangelistic by making
daily short story"
1t was but yesterday, as history goes,
that a prominent American minister
was forced to address a multitude at
Chemulpo to convince the people that
he did not eat boiled Korean babies.
At the same time an American physi-
clan was laboring to teach the natives
that medical treatment often cures a
man or woman afflicted with typhoid
fever, and that the policy of taking the
patient into the woods to die was err
roneous. Although the period of time
was short, it was far cry from those
days to the time of the Russo-Japanese
war when Korea, proclaimed free by
China, her freedom guaranteed by jap
an, boasted a capital more modern in
fVnaTa fssNNF FEFenla ~ TD-I-s
tanned ministers at the capitals of all
civilized countries. Her ports we're
open, she had joined the postal union.
Railways, telegraphs hospitals, indus
tries were extending their influence
Arrangements had been made to light
the coast. A correspondent of a Lon
don weekly said at this time: Her
confidence is that of a child; her faults
those of a nursery" While various
causes contributed to stimulate the
Koreans to break away from their ira
ditional adherence of the new, the
presence of a considerable army of
missionaries was one of the large fac
tors for improvement. This the en-
peror realized more thoroughly than
did America or Europe. In fact, neither
America nor Europe knew or cared
much about the matter.
There are at present about thou
sand churches in Korea. Canadians,
English, Australians and Americans,
the latter constituting by far the
larger number, have promoted their
birth nd growth. When the insurrec-
ton began the masses, having an ex-
aggerated idea of the authority of
missionaries, cherished the belief that
Christian churches could stand between
them and any japanese who should
infringe upon their rights or abridge
their liberty. This idea was of course
even more erroneous than the better
founded but mistaken belief of the em-
peror that America would stand be-
tween him and Japanese encroach-
ments. The situation resulting was
quite delicate. In a dinner table con-i
versation Prince Ito laid down two
toothpicks side by side. He said thai
one of them represented the JapaneSes
government and the other the mis-
sionaries, the two proceeding in par
allel lines to advance Korea. AS long
as the lines remained parallel, he said,
no trouble would eventuate. To illus
trate what woud happen If the mis-
sionary line should change its course
and cross that of the imperial govern
ment he flicked from the table the
toothpick representing the missionaries.
When General Hasegawa began to
put down the rebellion he issued
statement holding "all villages to
which insurgents belong responsible
collectively" The policy of burning
whole villages in the hinterland was
entered upon with vigor. Insurrectos
issued a notice declaring a preference
for death rather than japanese rule,
praising q Korean patriot who "cut
his stomach asunder and poured out
his blood before the foreign nations to
proclaim his patriotism to the world
toe l,aA ola trrIf
the Koreans were poor and un-
armed" foreign nations would not al
low them to be oppressed. Red Cross
flags appeared above homes of nom
combatants who hoped that the Chris
tians would protect them. The army
believed that the missionaries We're
meddling in politics. The Seoul 7. M.
C. A. was charged with instigating in
surrection.
When Koreans were taken from
church and shot as insurgents there
was heated discussion as to whether
they were believed individually guilty
or merely selected and shot TO dlspeI
the impression that the church could
act as a buffer between the Japanese
and the insurrecto.
If was recently announced by an Of
fetal of the Korean government that
steps would be taken to annlhllate
$50. 900 Koreans affiliated with Amer
lean missionaries in an anti-Japanese
movement" To an inquiry from the
American ambassador at TOXIC
Prince Ito responded that, aitnough
Koreans were "making use of their re-
Iigion to inspire the idea of inde~
pendence," he did not hold American
missionaries responsible.
Suspected by Japanese and looked 10
nv Koreans for succor missionaries
have had hard row to hoe, but Prlhee
thew recognized his. Relations be-
tween them and the resident general
We're cordial, and they regret his WITH
drawal from the field in which they
were pioneers of reform.
Tomorrow-The Fate of KOrea--XII: Popu-
Iarity of Prince Ito.
ture. and urged by the women, pro-