Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-03-05

| ~ came to be regarded as a roll of
martyrs.
The significant fact about the ar
rests was they included chiefly the
leaders of the Korean Christian
church. One set after another of The
CONGREGATIONS officials would be gath
cred in by the police, until soma
churches failed to elect elders The
American missionaries themselves
were openly threatened with arrest.
Their properties were repeatedly
searched.
| Slowly sentiment grew as informa-
| ton was disseminated among the
friends of Korean missionaries in this
country. y systematic campaign was
entered upon TO bring the facts to the
! light of the worlds knowledge. The
dally newspapers were interested, first
in this country, and then in Japan and
/ Great Britain. OF course the press of
! China coast was early bubbling with
the news. Charges of torture of the
prisoners by the police, in an endeavor
| to extract confessions, were made in
elaborate detail, and apparently prov
| ed.
There were many dramatic aspects
to the story of the Korean conspiracy
! case. Perhaps the most significant of
| all was to see the great and power
| full body of Christians, especially in
America, stand by these humble Ko-
reans, who generation ago had been
/ pagans, and citizens of hermit ma
tion. The Southern Methodist church
sent one of its secretaries to Soul to
| be present at the trial. 4 Japanese
| missionary body sent over q represen-
tative. The best lawyers available were
procured. In the courts of Japan in
Korea the case was won for one hum
dred and nineteen of the convicts In
, the trial, before the supreme court tri-
bunal. 1t was openly alleged that the
SIX convictions were merely to "save
the face" of Japan, but that allegation
was quickly dropped, as the policy of
the missionary leaders was to further
| good VIII toward Japan Certainly.
the administration in Korea complete
ly altered its course toward the Chris
tians.
Certain good effects followed the
famous case. The church member
ship was winnowed. When arrest and
suffering and possible death confront
ed men on joining the Christian
church., only the sincere converts Were
! willing to take that step. Neverthe-
less, the Christians. from their prison
cells. sent forth Joyous testimonies,
which sound like the old stories Of the
martyrs and the result was that the
church has made new and wonderful
growth since the conspiracy trials.
In Japan, too, the convictions of the
Christians were stiffened. Both mis-
sionaries and native Christians. forced
to face the issue, dared openly 10
charge the government with Injustice
toward the Koreans. Undoubtedly. the
conspiracy case has been a factor in
the evangelistic movements which has
characterized the past two years work
of missions in Japan.
Probably Baron Yum Chi Ho will
come to America now he is released.
His health was sorely impaired by his
Imprisonment. and for time his life
was dispaired OF. 1t may not be dis
Greet for him to again resume his
work at Soul, and he can be of real
service to the missionary propaganda
here. Certainly, this alliance between
the Korean Christians and the Amer
lean Christians is an interesting dem
onstration of twentieth century Chris
| tian brotherhood.
THE RELIGIOUS RAMBLER.