The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-02-04
I he Second Of Four
Y.M.C.A. Buildings Given
By John Wanamaker
Opened in Korea

ny JUDI WdndMdkeT
Opened in Korea
Honorable John Wanamaker who
said the Young Mems Christian AS
sociation has patent on opportun-
ity' has by the erection of new
building for the Seoul, Korea, Asso-
citation, which has just been opened,
enabled 1t to take out patent COW
ering the whole Of Korea, writes Gal
en NJ. Fisher, of Japan. The Y.
NJ. G.. A. has become national in
stitutiOn in Korea. The Government,
the Emperor, the Crown Prince and
Prince Ito made large subscriptions
to the securing OF the lots, its sup
port and endowment, and both the
Crown Prince and Prince Ito, the
''maker, of empires" laid the foun-
dation stone of the building and at
its opening were on the platform with
twenty-five diplomatic representa-
tives of nations and leading mission
aries of Korea, China and Japan.
The presiding officer of the day
was the Honorable Yum Chi Ho
who Is regarded as one of the most
brilliant Christian laymen in Korea.
Mr.. Wanamakcr was represented by
American Consul General Sammons,
who said "'Mr. Wanamaker's Y. NJ.
G. "A. building monuments speak for
him and of his donations of nearly
half a million yen to erecting Asso
citation buildings in Japan, Korea,
China and Inda-gifts which will
continue TO present perennial mes
sages of practical philanthropy to
over half the population Of the world
after all who are here today have
passed away" Mr.. Wanamaker's
personal message was, IL cannot as
a business man too strongly endorse
and underwrte the work OF the Y.
NJ. c. A. as a practical and endur-
ing agency to benefit a city by help
ing the me nwhO are now and in
the fuutre must be It's Important cit
izens. prince Ito, the Resident
Association a most potent instrument
for the advancement Of the educa-
tional and moral well-being Of this
people. The Association is my friend
and fel!ow-worker in the great cause
of national regeneration. Follow
ing the acceptance of the building
by Chairman Yum, a venerable KO-
rean gentleman rose in the audience
and dedicated a rice field to the en-
dowment fund which would require
twenty sacks oe rice worth $500 to
sow. Then Prhle Minister vi gave
$3.50 and two Koreans $500 each.
over $4,000 was pledged for this en-
dowment, a sum as great as five
times that amount in America. The
Associations educational work en-
joys a subsidy of $1,000 from the Inn
perial educational department and
has day and night classes ATTENDED
by 500 students.
The building is located within a
sone's throw of the bell tower
which marks the center of Seoul, and
Seoul IS the center Of the Empire.
II 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 relations have been severely
strained have been able to work to-
gethor in the Y. NJ, G. A., the Ko-
rean officials going so far as to ac-
cept the invitation to Prince Ito to
"a banquet given in honor OF the
Association. AT this banquet Prince
Ito made the significant statement
that in the early years of Japans
reformation he had fought vehem-
emily against the senior statesmen
for religious freedom especially on
behalf OF Christianity. He said amy
reasoning was this: Civilization de-
pends upon morality, and the high
est morality on religion therefore
religion must be tolerated and en-
couraged. Therefore | welcome this
Y. M. G. A. building. 1t is a pow
erful ally in the great task | have
undertaken i'm attempting to put the
feet of Korea upon the pathway of
true civilization" The hard facts,
the moral degeneration OF both Chi |
nese and Korean yuong men who
have thrown off the older faiths and
the impossibility of harmonizlng dis
cordant and racial elements by a
merely political on military means
have brought home to this statesman
the indspensability OF religious faith
and work.