p. 363 | Religion of Corea by W. C. Kitchen

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jun 12, 1884

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 10, No. 23.

Religion of Corea.

By W. C. Kitchen

ORIGINALLY the Coreans were Nature worshipers; and traces of that rude cultus have survived the successive inroads of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Roman Catholicism; and it has, within the present century, so revived that perhaps it would be no mistake to say that it is to-day the ruling element in the religious life of Corea. Christianity was introduced into Corea in 1777, through some Jesuitic books and tracts from Pekin. In 1783 the first Corean convert was baptized. The new faith spread rapidly, and gave fair promise of becoming ere-long the prevailing form of religion. But they (the Jesuits) permitted themselves and their converts to become implicated in political insurrections; they plotted, intrigued, endeavored to call in foreign intervention to accelerate the Christianization of Corea by the force of arms if need be, and appealed to the Pope to settle matters in dispute between heathen and Christian parties; until at last, exasperated beyond endurance, the Government took the matter in hand, and a cruel and wanton persecution of Christians began, and for upwards of sixty years it has never ceased. So stands the case at the present time. Corea is open to trade, but not to the reception of Christianity. Rather the reverse is true; the Government is growing daily more bitter against it, and more furious at any attempt to distribute a Christian literature among the people. In their minds Christianity is connected with all that is seditious in politics, and dangerous to society; and they are exerting themselves to the utmost to prevent its introduction. For all this lamentable state of affairs, the Romish Church is directly responsible. Corea does not yet understand the difference between the throne of Rome and the manger of Bethlehem. Christians are being hunted down like wild beasts in the forest. Those who have come to Japan, and embraced Christianity, dare not return to their native land as Christians; and yet there is evidence that the people are anxious to know more about Christianity, and especially about Protestant Christianity, though at present terror stifles all inquiries. How long this condition of things will last no one can foretell. For the present, and for some time to come, the golden opportunity of the church will be to reach Corea through Japan.—Rev. W. C. Kitchen, in the Northern Christian Advocate.