Church Federation in Korea by H. A. Oberg

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 5, 1910

Church Federation in Korea

By H. A. Oberg

H. A. OBERG

The Christian church is in a peculiar condition here in Korea, and I doubt if a parallel could be found anywhere at present. This, the land of great missionary possibilities, is startling the Christian world.

The year 1909 saw the consummation of the long-looked-for event,—the union of the churches under the name, “The United Church of Jesus.” The six strongest church organizations have consolidated into this union, which controls about two hundred missionaries, and has a following of over two hundred thousand native Christians. In bringing about this union several grave questions came up, the greatest of which was the division of territory. In the dividing of the territory it was understood among the missionaries that the converts went with the territory. To illustrate: Here is a Methodist mission, which has done good work for the past ten years, and has a following of five hundred. The committee, after much deliberation, decides that the territory of this mission must go to the Presbyterians, and the five hundred Methodists are notified that from henceforth they must be Presbyterians.

From the Korean Mission Field I quote: “Here is something new under the sun. Here are thousands of Methodists who are told they must become Presbyterians, and an equal number of Presbyterians are in the same way informed they must henceforth forsake the church of their early affiliations, and become Methodists. They have not been consulted in the matter, and their vote was never taken. It is true that after all was settled, they were visited by their missionary, who explained matters, and tried to show how all was being done for the good of the whole church. They were then visited by the new shepherd and the old one, and they were, so to speak, handed over.”

Dr. Noble says that “the final result anticipates the transfer of about ten thousand Koreans.”

In commenting on the good-natured manner in which the Koreans take to the new régime the Korean Mission Field says, “It is true they don’t care a rap about our denominational differences.” Why don’t they care?—Simply because they have not been taught the differences.

The Million Movement

Last October a campaign was set on foot to win a million souls during the next year. Great returns are already being received. The Christian Koreans are enthused, and are proving very good missionaries. From reports 36,696 days of evangelistic work have been pledged and all have not been heard from. The campaign is being pushed; all are in earnest. This is their song, and really their watchword:—

“A million souls for Jesus! Lord, grant our heart’s desire. A million souls for Jesus! O, spread the gospel fire!”

The British and Foreign Society report

417,884 Bibles and other portions of the Scriptures sold during 1909. Two hundred fifty thousand copies of Mark have been ordered in one month. They have more than a million tracts on hand and have ordered another million.

A National Ideal for Korea

Rev. H. B. Hulbert says: “There is only one line along which Korea is prepared by temperament and by opportunity to distinguish herself; one field of activity in which she can make a reputation and by which she can command the esteem and elicit the applause of the enlightened portions of the race. It is by becoming a genuinely Christian nation.”

When Korea becomes a Christian nation, we shall have “Christian laws,” etc. The crisis may come here sooner than in some other lands. O, that we had a good publishing plant now so that we could scatter like the “leaves of autumn” pages filled with the third angel’s message!

There are many heathen in Korea still. Almost any night one can hear the drums beating in the spirit temples. One hundred feet from our fence is a temple, and in three minutes’ walk I can visit two spirit trees; I passed seven such trees during a walk yesterday. Spirit stones are also in evidence. But when these people accept our truth, they catch the spirit of the message, and we are beginning to see results.

Seoul, Korea.