p. 14 | Korea by W. R. Smith

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 30, 1908

Korea

By W. R. Smith

W. R. SMITH

Our school work is progressing as nicely as we anticipated. We now have twelve in the boys’ department, and six in the girls’. During their New-year’s time, which is about the first of February, we dismissed school for one week. This gave me an opportunity to make a short trip among the churches. I went alone, on horseback. It is not often that a foreigner travels alone here; not that it is not safe, but because it is not pleasant to do so.

The first night I spent in a little Korean hut, where the one small room was shared by five persons besides myself. At first a nameless, far-away feeling began to steal over me; but I engaged in conversation with the others, and soon began to feel quite at home.

The middle of the next afternoon I arrived at Chinnampo, where I was to spend the Sabbath. Notwithstanding that smoke from their fires filled the room, I enjoyed meeting the people and studying the Bible with them. Some of the truths the Koreans seem to grasp quite readily, while it seems very hard for them to understand others.

I went around, and saw the different workers, and we appointed a meeting here at Soonan, where they and others might come together, and spend some time in studying the different points of present truth, and how to present them to others. The Sabbath is about all they lay much stress upon. Altogether about forty attended the studies. I made an outline of the different subjects, about as they should be taken up in a course of meetings. Then each of the laborers took his turn in presenting them to the people, and the others would take notes. Before any subject was presented, I went over it with the one who was to deliver the discourse. We all felt that we had spent a profitable time together, and the Korean workers expressed themselves as well pleased, and asked that they have a similar meeting the coming fall. Some of them walked fifty miles. One woman walked thirty-five miles, carrying her baby, to attend. We shall be glad when other workers are sent here.

Soonan, Korea.