COREA | AdventAI

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 2, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 46.

COREA.

THE "Hermit Nation" is about to throw away the cloak of seclusion, and follow in the wake of nations penetrated by the religion of Jesus Christ.

This peninsula lies to the northeast of Asia, and is separated from China, of which it is a nominal dependency, by the Yellow Sea. In shape it resembles Italy. It is exceedingly mountainous, and is covered with forests, especially in the north. Its winters are cold, and its summers hot. On the whole, its climate is healthy, though a great deal of sickness is caused by bad water. The peninsula is about 400 miles long by 150 wide, and is divided into eight provinces. Its population is estimated, by different persons, at from eight to twenty millions.

The people of Corea belong to the Mongol race. The men are of a medium height and are strongly built, but they are not very active, and are, in fact, inclined to indolence. They make excellent friends but dangerous enemies.

The women, although treated with more consideration than are their sisters in some other Oriental lands, are yet so little thought of that, as a rule, they receive no distinctive names, but are known by the places of their habitation or marriage, or, if married, as the mothers of their sons. Their lives, after the first few years of childhood, are spent in strict seclusion, and after marriage they cannot even leave their houses without first obtaining the permission of their husbands.

Marriages are all arranged for by the parents of the contracting parties, and the ceremony is performed by a formal salutation.

A curious wedding custom compels the bride, especially if belonging to an aristocratic family, to maintain absolute silence in the presence of her husband on the day and night of the wedding.

The ruling sovereign of Corea is looked upon as the great father of his people, and he exercises a father's authority over them.

The nobles constitute a powerful factor in Corean public affairs, and personally they enjoy many privileges not accorded to the common people. The latter have very little influence, and only by combination into guilds or trade unions are they able to protect themselves from the high-handed exactions of the aristocracy.

Coreans glory in a history that traverses the misty past, and takes its students back to the time when Samson was judging Israel. During that time, through all the varieties of fortune, they have preserved their autonomy, either as a Province of China, or as an independent nation.

The present king is an absolute monarch, except as regards an acknowledgment of the sovereignty of China.

The Corean religion is chiefly Buddhism, while Confucianism and Feng-shui have a place.

The Roman Catholics, by means of native converts from China and Japan, propagated their tenets in Corea as early as some two hundred years ago, and met with considerable success; but they were called upon to endure persecution, and their converts were scattered or martyred. In 1835 they again began work in Corea and again achieved success, but until recent years, owing to the determination of the government to exclude foreigners, they have been obliged to live in comparative retirement. This exclusiveness of the Corean Government was carried to such length that so late as 1877 it was ordered that any Chinaman found across the border should pay for his presumption with his life.

Corea has been opened to Western commerce and the gospel through the influence of the medical mission. Rjutei, a Corean nobleman, some years ago received a slight knowledge of the gospel through the medium of Japan. This nobleman was afterwards the means of saving the life of the queen, and so won royal favor. On a treaty being made between Corea and Japan, Rjutei found his way, as a representative of his government, into the latter country. Here he was taught the simple doctrines of evangelical Christianity, and, on his return to his native land, he lent his influence to open the door for the gospel's entrance. In 1882, a treaty was made with the United States, and in 1884, at the request of Rjutei, the American Presbyterian Board opened a mission station at Seoul. Dr. Allen, who had been a medical missionary in China, took charge of this station, but while his person was protected by an appointment as physician to the American Legation, his work received little encouragement from the natives.

At length there was a revolt in Seoul, and several distinguished persons were wounded. Among them was the king's nephew. The native surgeons endeavored to staunch these wounds with wax, and many would probably have not recovered but for the intervention of Dr. Allen, whose skillful treatment won the gratitude of the sufferers. The king in appreciation of the service performed by Dr. Allen in saving the life of his nephew and others, encouraged the building of a government hospital, which was placed under the care of the Presbyterian Mission, and under Dr. Allen's supervision.

Later others came, and in July, 1886, the first convert was baptized. In the fall of 1887 the first church was formed, with ten members.

The Methodist Episcopal Church of the United States has also a few missionaries at work in Corea, and in January, 1889, there were two congregations with a membership of over one hundred.

Copies of the gospel have been distributed throughout the land, and as a result hundreds are sending in applications for baptism, twenty-eight coming in in one month, of whom nineteen were received.

There are calls for teachers and missionaries on all sides, and the work promises to be of the most fruitful character, and will, no doubt, ere many months, grow to such a proportion as to entitle Corea to a place among the miracles of missions.—Missionary Echo.