Evening star., 1922-01-21
KOREA CONSIDERED:
MISSION MIRACLE
Development by Christian
Teachers Holds Interest
of Church Folk.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

Sometimes called "the miracle of
modern missions" Korea. which is
.vainly hammering at the door of the
conference for hearing. has hold
upon the interest of church folk In
America which is not equaled even by
that Of China-and China's missionary
support Is perhaps her most powerful
backing in the conference. Nothing
in connection with tho present meet
OF Korea, nation which within forty
years has become more nearly Chris
tianixed than any other oriental
country.
America not only opened tho "her-
init nation" to the world but she also
gave it the new religion which is pri-
marily responsible for the unique in
consideration by tho delegates here.
OF the 4S3 foreign missionaries In
Korea. 3S6 are American. all Of them,
except score. representing the Pres
byterian and Methodist churches. BY
the modern missionary method Of ap-
portionment OF territory these two de-
nominations have the Korean field al
most wholly to themselves: and they,
in turn, subdivide the country, so that
there is no sectarian competition, but
only corporation.
Genius for ChPistiaaity.
Korea from the first displayed a
positive genius for Christianity. The
fact that there are today almost q
hundred thousand communicant MEM
bers Of the churches. with q Christian
sSnstat1sney s11s dn's many times a. great
the missionaries Themselves are
found at but ffty-seven centera,
there are 626 organized churches,
with 2.312 other centers at which reg
ular services are held, and 1884
schools.
markable hgures is the way in which
the Koreans themselves undertook to
spread Christianity. While there are
2.3l2 trained native helpers of the
missionaries. the number Of volun-
teer evangelists and personal work.
ers has been almost coextensive
with the church roll. Every family
in the entire land of Korea has been
reached by systematic and simulta-
neous Christian canvass. The largest
Bible classes and the largest prayer
meetings in all the world are in Korea.
One church, that Of PyenG Yang. has
swarned" more than a score Of times.
Christian literature have rung with
stories of the devotion and courage and
plety Of Korean Christians
Give "Passive Resistance,
Practically the whole nation has
had its character affected by Chris
tianity. 1t was a corrupt and heather
Korea that Japan annexed; it was a
Korea dominated by the Christian
ideas OF liberty and patriotism which.
on March /. 1913. gathered in the
market place Of every city and town
in hn Ion
"Mansei!' This demonstration. at
tendant upon the proclamation Of
korea's declaration Of independence,
is doubtless the most remarkable in
stance Of passive resistance" that
history affords. In consequence,
1ogged or imprisoned or killed.
Churches and schools and homes were
burned by the Japanese: the latter
say only seventeen churches. the
Koreans say fifty-nine. One Of the
thirty-three leaders who signed the
deelarstion Of Independence and then
offered themselves up to the japanese
police was Pastor Kill of Pyeng
Yang. Korea'a most famous preacher.
How Korea has perfected an an
visible government whose pres sident.
DR.. Syngman Rhee. a graduate of
Harvard and Phi. ID. from Princeton,
q former international Y. M. c. A. sec
retary. heads the delegation to Wash
ington. reads like chapter from
Dumas. The story of the way In
which the Korean people as a whole.
without the knowledge OF either
Japan or the missionaries. suddenly
burst forth into local gatherings.
the freedom cry of "Mansel"
and waving prohibited Korean flags
and Offering their bodies unresisting
to injury. outrage and death, is one
of the most fascinating pages in the
long story of humanity's struggle
for liberty.
RrfnE Appeal to Farley.
Koreas representatives carried to
the American delegation. in the origi-
nal document In Korean and in trans
lation, Petition by tho People OF
Korea" which bore the actual sigma
lures. with seals affxed after the
fashion of the changeless east. of
of Is provinces. of $50
provincial districts, Of 62 religious.
social and industrial organizations; of
former nobility and OF the former
royal family.
Even the date of this appeal is
amazing the year 4254, Since the
Founding OF Korea" Three sentences
LUTHERAN.
St. Johns Lutheran Church,