The Korean Meeting by I. H. Evans

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 3, 1912

The Korean Meeting

By I. H. Evans

I. H. EVANS

JUNE 4 I left Shanghai for Korea, on a small boat connecting Shanghai with Dairen and the Southern Manchurian Railway. This line makes connection with the Russian Siberian line for Europe. I was happily surprised on reaching Dairen to find a modern city of about sixty thousand population, with electric lights, a well-equipped tramway, public water-works, and other improvements. The city is strictly Russian in type, though since the late war between Japan and Russia it has been under Japanese control.

One hour's ride from Dairen brings the traveler to Port Arthur, famous on account of the decisive battle fought in and about that place during the Russo-Japanese war. Port Arthur is disappointing in many ways to the sightseer, as it has few buildings of any size, and such as it has are widely scattered. Its population, about forty thousand, is made up of Chinese and Japanese, the former largely outnumbering the latter.

To the north of these cities stretches a fertile country inhabited by Chinese who are devoted largely to agriculture. Manchuria has an area of three hundred thousand square miles, with a population estimated at from sixteen millions to twenty millions. The people are among the most prosperous in all China, and other missions have reaped a large harvest of souls as they have preached the gospel to them. We have never done anything for Manchuria. There are nearly as many people in Manchuria as in the United States west of Iowa, yet we have not one Seventh-day Adventist preaching the message to the millions in this great territory.

From Dairen I took a small boat for Chemulpho, and in thirty hours was in Korea, or Chosen, as both the Koreans and the Japanese call the country. An hour's ride on a comfortable train brought me to Seoul, the capital and metropolis of Korea, and the headquarters of our work in that field. During my stay the plans for a new printing plant and three foreign houses were drawn up; and it is hoped that before another year passes, our workers will be in their new quarters.

From Seoul I went to Soonan, where are Dr. Riley Russell and family, Brother Howard Lee and family, and Miss May Scott. Brother Lee has charge of the school for boys, and Miss Scott of the school for girls. Though the school had closed before my arrival, and most of the students had returned to their homes, the farm work was well in hand, and the crops looked promising. The present school building, which cost about four hundred dollars, and which has served as a school building and church for several years, is entirely inadequate to accommodate the school. It can be used, however, as a dormitory for boys, thus doubling our capacity for accommodating boy students. At present, the girls are so crowded that it is impossible to do the best work. In a room eight by twelve feet, from six to eight girls sleep at night, and live in the daytime, eating, studying, and reciting therein. Such congested conditions do not make for health, and are often very unpleasant when a student is ill.

A new school building, with a chapel capacity for one hundred fifty students, and adequate recitation-rooms for both boys and girls, is greatly needed. A suitable dormitory for the girls is also a crying necessity. It is estimated that these buildings will cost about five thousand dollars.

Dr. Russell and his wife still continue the dispensary work in their cramped quarters, without any additional facilities in the way of room, which they so greatly need. On the very place where we had hoped to see a little hospital, the Japanese have built three small houses, in one of which a Japanese doctor lives. About twenty-five hundred patients a year receive treatment in our dispensary, and this number could be easily doubled if Dr. Russell could give more time to this work. We sorely need a small building for a hospital, where suitable treatments could be given. Such a building would cost about two thousand dollars.

Our general meeting for Korea was held midway between Pieng-yang, the old capital, and Chemulpho, the entry port for the central north. On a small hill near several Korean villages our little camp was pitched, the first real camp-meeting ever held in the Far East. One large tent, about twenty-eight by forty-two feet, and nine small family tents, were pitched. In the small tents the foreigners lived, the Koreans securing board and lodging in the village near by. About one hundred fifty of our people were in regular attendance. Many were hindered from coming, as the season was a late one, and it was a busy time for farmers. Hoeing, rice planting, and other farm work were pressing; and many could come only for a short time, and still others could not come at all.

Over three hundred fifty dollars in cash and pledges was secured for the new school buildings. While this amount seems small when compared with what is often given at our large meetings in the States, we must remember that these people are extremely poor, and some of

them, in order to give the small amount pledged, will have to deny themselves food and necessary clothes.

All the workers in Korea, both native and foreign, attended this meeting. Elder F. H. DeVinney, of Japan, was present throughout, and took a leading part both in preaching the word and in the council meetings. Brother Fred Lee and wife, of China, were also with us. Brother Lee having come to Korea for his health.

One could hardly tell he was not in the home land when talking to this dear people. They have the same needs, they meet the same temptations, they have the same Saviour, as we. Their prayers are the cries of the human heart for strength to do better, to live purer lives, to be more faithful and true to God. The whole congregation reconsecrated themselves to the service of the Lord, and sought for a new experience in spiritual things. The workers went from the meeting to their respective fields with a determination to press the work into new regions. During the last year over one hundred persons received baptism, several new companies accepted the truth, and one new church was organized. More faithfulness in tithe paying was promised, and we hope to see the church in Korea gain both in numbers and in spirituality during the coming year.

It was my privilege to spend one Sabbath in Korea, at Keizan, about sixty miles north of Fu-shan. Here Brother R. C. Wangerin and family are living. A neat little cottage has been built, and though they have been there only since last fall, we already have a church of about thirty members, with a number of others keeping the Sabbath. Dr. Russell was with me at this place, translating for me. Elder C. L. Butterfield also came down, and we spent Sunday finishing up our committee work and the plans for the buildings. There is a large population in this part of Korea, and the prospects are bright that many souls will find the truth in this region.