THE WORK OF

ME,THODIST WOMEN

IN KOREA

"t;d)( M4Syw v\ ~ \

THE WORK

OF

METHODIST WOMEN

IN KOREA

Twenty First Annual Conference

j

"ALW A YS THANKFUL It L~HS

FOREWORD.

Because of the large number of Korean pastors in prison, and because it seemed wisest not to arouse an~' suspicion by calling together a large group of men at a time when political eonditions were unstable, the Methodist Annual Conference was postponed from June to November, 1919.

At that time, in place of the usual annual report, the \"0-man's Conference voted to publish a brief resume of our work, as we felt that hereafter we will date things from I\Iarch 1st, 1919. Entering a new era. we wish to link up the past with the present, that the memory of the broad outlook, the sacrifices, and heroisms of our older workers may be be­fore us, urging us on in our turn to make the most of this new day.

The closing of the schools, the dangers of country travel, and the suspicion caused even by calling in Korean homes has greatly hampered us for more than six months, so we are not able to write of great achievements. We only trust that these days of unrest are preliminary to a great awakening to spiritual needs, in the land of the Morning Calm.

Officers and Members of the Korea Woman's Confer~nce

of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1919.

Officers. President, ..... .___ __. __ First Vice-president, ___ . Second Vice-president ___ _ Recording Secretary, _. __ _ Corresponding Secretary, ____ . Statistical Secretary, Treasurer, ..... ..... . ___ . _ .. __

Bishop Herbert Welch. Mrs. Herbert Welch. Mrs. E. M. Cable. Miss Grace Dillingham. Miss Mary Beiler. Mrs. B. W- Billings. Miss Nelda Grove.

Members.

Mrs. Rosetta S. Hall. M. D. Mary M. Cutler, M. D. Lulu E. Frey. Mary R. Hillman. Ethel M. Estey. Mrs. Alice H. Sharp. Lula A. Miller. Henrietta P. Robbins. Jessie B. Marker. Gertrude E. Snavely. Emily I. Haynes. Ora M. Tuttle. Hulda A. Haenig. Mary Beiler. Hannah Scharpff. Mrs. Mary Stewart. M. D. Olive F. Pye. Grace L. Dillingham. A. Jeannetfe Walter. Naomi A. Anderson. Blanche Bair. Charlotte Brownlee. Margaret 1. Hess. Jeannette C. H ul bert. Lola Wood. Maud V. TrisseL Alice R. Appenzeller Jane Barlow. Marie E. Church.

Bessie C. Salmon. Mrs. Anna B. Chaffin. Elizabeth Roberts. :Mary E. Appenzeller. Mrs. May S. Swearer. L. Belle Overman. Sylvia Harrington.

.Edna Van Fleet. Nelda Grove. Mrs. W. A. Noble. Mrs. Mary Harris Follwell. Mrs. D. A. Bunker. Mrs. E. M. Cable. Mrs. C. D. Morris. Mrs. A. L. Becker. Mrs. F. E. C. Williams. Mrs. Corwin Taylor. Mrs. A. H. Norton. Mrs. B. W. Billings. Mrs. J. D. Van Buskirk. Mrs. A. G. Anderson. Mrs. C. S. Deming. Mrs. V. H. Wachs. Mrs. P. L. Grove. Mrs. J. Z. Moore. Delia M. Battles. Mrs. Herbert Welch. Mrs. H. D. Appenzeller. Mrs. C. C. Amendt.

REPORTS.

SEOUL REPORT.

The opening words of a report by Miss Louisa Rothweiler for the year 1900, gives us a summary of the beginnings of Christian work for Korean women, as made by our W. F. M. S. representatives in Seoul. They read: "In no other country has such early and abundant fruitage been realized after the first opening of Protestant Missions, as has been the case in Korea. In May and June of 1885, the first workers of the Methodist Church entered (Seoul), having been preceded only, a few months by the Presbyterian Mission. In June, 1886, the first permanent pupil entered our Girl's School. In September, 1887, the first Korean woman was baptized by the Rev. Appenzeller. In January, 1888, the first Sunday School for women anp girls was organized and a month later the first attempt at a meeting for women was made. To-day there are three charges in Seoul alone, and in connection with a large work for women. Then, we began by holding meetings at -night only, as custom forbade the coming out in daylight of any but the lowest class of women. To-day, in almost every place of Christian worship, men and women meet together; in some places with a paper or muslin curtain between them; in others the respecti ve parts of the room run at right angles to one another, so that all may see and be seen by the minister, but men and women in the congregation can­not see each other."

It may be interesting to look a little more closely at these beginnings and the faithful pioneers. Our first W. F. M. S. representative was Mrs. M. F. Scranton, was accompanied her son, Dr. W. B. Scranton, the first Methodist Missionary appointed to Korea by our General Board. At the age of fifty­two, this queen of women, entered Seoul, and amidst the

- 7 --

constant beating of sorceress drums,-a symbol of the supersti­tion and ignorance and intense heathen darkness which enveloped them, made the beginnings of both educational and evangelistic work for women~

Mrs. Scranton's- missionay work began with an attempt to secure girl pupils for the school whicb she carne to found. Parents in the "Hermit Kingdom" were suspicious' of un­known foreigners, and of such an unheard of thing as educa­tion for girls, so it was that the first pupil was the little daughter of a typhus fever patient, .found lying beside her mother who had been cast out to die outside the city wall.

At the close of two years, the school had an enrollment of seven pupils,-orphans, or children of parents who were in such circumstances that they could not support them. In 1887, Miss Rothweiler was sent to work in the school, though her efforts were not confined to educational work by any means, and she proved invaluable in the evangelistic, transla­tion and building work.

In 1893, Miss Paine and Miss Frey had in turn succeeded to the Principalship of the School for Girls, which had become largely a Bible School, due to difficulty in securing text-books, and to the fact that Chinese, which naturally constituted the greater part of the curriculum in an eastern school, could be taught by scholarly men only, and it was highly improper for a girl of any age to study with a man teacher.

Miss Frey's report for 1897 tells of the difficulties of hous­ing their school of forty-three during the construction of the new building-the beginning of the present Ewha building. From these humble and difficult beginnings has grown the Ewha of which we are so proud to-day, with its 315 pupils, from Kindergarten to College, and its ron of graduates among which are such names as Dr. Esther Kim Pak, and Mrs. Mary Whang. At present the school is in charge of Miss Alice Ap-

- 8 -

.penzeller, daughter of the pioneer missionaries of our church and the first missionary baby born in Korea. , . , As fast as possible, Mrs. Scranton, started day schools, going herself to teach English and encourage as much as possible. These three or fO'lr original primary schools have grown until we have a net work of primary schools attended 'by 1,000 children in and near Seoul.

From the first, attempts were made to reach the women with the gospel message, but any meetings must be at night. As the churches became established, the work for women always accompanied them, and it was not long until East Gate and South Gate-or Sang Dong-as well as the Chong Dong Church, had work for women. In 1892, the first attempt was made to start a school for women in the chapel of the Girl's School. 'There w~re several applicants, most of whom had to be rej ected for one reason or another, until but three were left, 'Only one of whom could even read the simple unmun character. But by the end of the year, all could read the Gospels creditably; all three had asked for baptism and one had become a thoroughly consecrated Christian, who later be­came a splendid worker.

The next step in the evolution of the Bible Training School, was the work to which Miss Nellie Pierce (Mrs. Hugh Miller) was appointed. This was carried on at "Tal Sung Kung," the Scranton compound near Song Dong Church. The first pupils were fourteen women either already employ­ed, or about to be, by the W. F. M. S. as evengelistic workers. The progress was most satisfactory and the enthusiasm for' .Bible study, such as has always marked the work in this land.

Of the consummation of that early Bible School work, in our splendid new Bible Training School, outside the West Gate, by Miss Millie Albertson, enough cannot be said to show the contrast to the meagre beginnings. A four year's course w~ich fits the pupils to become thorough evangelistic workers is

- 9 -

afforded, and last winter 60 pupils were taking advantage of it. From this school also, have been graduated many helpers of from we are justly proud. For years, this Bible Training School was at East Gate, where the beginnings were made in 1892, and the work carried on by Mrs. Scranton, Miss Mary Harris (Mrs. Folwell) and others, from a distance of three miles, until the East Gate home was built in 1897.

Mrs. Folwell tells of the inducement offered women to come and study. They were given, a "sight-see" of the mis­sionaries' homes on the first and fifteenth of each month. A teacher would be posted in each room, who would throw in what spiritual truths she was ,able, with her explanations of the wonders on display. When the number of "sight-seers" in­creased soon to nearly five-hundred a day, it was found neces­sary to stop this method .of fishing for women, But the ice had been broken, and-to use a mixed metaphor-the seed sown! Foreigners were no longer dreaded strangers to those who had been inside their pleasant homes.

After a year of the "unexpected," we feel that we are entering a new period in missionary work. The groping for greater liberty has manifested itself socially and intellectually as well as politically. Girls are asking for the same educa­tional opportunities as boys. In place of a course heavily padded with sewing and embroidery, they want more Science, English, Mathematics, and a chance to study in their own language. The educational department has made certain concessions and we are hoping for even more important ones. Although Ewha, our girl's school was only partially run­ning during the spring of 1919, in spite of economic and polit­ical conditions, we reopened in the fall with more than half of our previous enrollment, and although conditions are still unset­tled we are expectin£! a new impetus in education, and feel that the new property we have acquired is most timely. We are even daring to hope for a Union Woman's College.

-10 -

To meet the needs of the women and girls outside of the schools, the differEnt missions in Seoul are unitedly working toward a Christian Social Settlement in the center of the City. This would provide for the semi-annual Bible Institutes, the Bible Normal Classes and the Young Women's Bible Classes, besides being a center for Social Betterment and Temperance Work which must form a practical expression of the Christ­ian message.

MEDICAL WORK, SEOUL.

The utter lack of sanitary conditions, and the prevalence of contagious disease, coupled with ignorance and suspicion of every kind regarDing its cure, confronted the first missionsries, and Mrs. Scranton's first plea was for a Woman Physician. When our first W~ F. M. S. Ductor, Dr. Meta Howard, ar­rived in 1887, she found babies with small-pox, riding around on their mothers'. backs; children innumerable with round shiny spots on their crowns, where a hot needle had "let the wind out" after a case of convulsions due to too many par­asites! One distraught mother was hopeless because her baby with the ague had not been cured of *'the visitors" even though she -had taken it to kiss the slobbering lips of a red cow the sure-.cure for this malady. The physician was allowed to rub ointments on external sores, but there was grave doubt as to whether a "foreigner" could properly perscribe for internal troubles when. their dietary was so different! Not many would bring children, and surely would not leave them in the hospital -where the foreign Doctor was likely to need their eyes to make medicine of. As for submitting to surgical operations, anything more serious than the lancing of abcesses or ex­tracting of teeth, any amount of persuasion generally ended in the patient going home to die rather than loose part of her precious anatomy!

- 11 ---

However, Dr. Howard must have overcome much of this opposition, in the"three short years before she was o~lig"ed to return to America in broken health, because Dr. Rosetta Sherwood, who succeeded her, in 1891, reports trea"ting 2,~76 . cases her first year, of whem 77 were cared for in their homes, and 33 in the Hospital. Also that 300 of the patients attended Sunday service, as a result of the evangelistic eff~rts in th~ Hospital. Dr. Cutler arriving in 1893, did her first work among the school girls, besides holding two or more dispen­sary clinics a week, and making visits to a total of eight coun­tagious cases, abandoned to die on the city wall-according to the customs of a heathen country. Miss J. M. Edmonds, who: established our first training School for nurses.

Found the difficulties were not few, as she had to invent a word for nurse-so unknown was the species-prepare her own text-book plan and make the first uniforms, and overcome the prejudice of a people who could see in scientific nursing nothing more than the drudgery of their slaves. So it was that the first class, and no doubt many more, consisted of cripp1es and otherwise dependent patients, who were will­ing to take up the ne w profession for Jack of an alternative;

These are but glimpses-mostly of the hard things---':of medical work for women in its first years. No one can doubt' the wisdom of the pJans laid, or the thoroughness of the work done. .

At present the East G:tfe Hospital plant has a Hospital Service, Nurses Training School, Dispensary, Outwork, com­bined with organized Social Service, intensive and fonow~up Evangelistic work. A graduate K 1rean assistant physicain1

and the head nurse and assistant superintendent are native trained young women. They are living proof of what our girls are doing and well illustrate that "tall oaks from little acorns grow."

- 12 -

PYENG YANG.

The history of Pyeng Yang reads like a romance, from the early days of its founding by Keija, that mythical son of God and man, to its recent years of battle scenes, and modern progress. No less trilling than its secular history, is the story of Christian conquest, which has taken place within the same historic walls.

In May, 1894, came Dr. Rosetta Hall, with her husband, Dr. James Hall, into the vilest city in all Korea, at least. While .Dr. Hall ministered to the bodies of the men who came for treatment,and preached with wondrous fervor the salva­tion which alone could save their souls, his wifez r formerly Dr. Sherwood set up a dispensary for women, where she carri­ed on a like work, the first Christian effort for, women and children in Pyeng Yang. But persecutions came and after barely escaping with their lives from the infuriated people who resented the intrusion, as they considered it, of their peace, these first workers were obliged to return to Seoul.

The opening of woman's work was destined to be made by the wives of our General Board missionaries, and Pyeng Yang has continued to be especially favored in the capable, earnest women whom the Parent Society has sent her. The early days were days of anxiety and sacrifice, such as belong to pioneer missionary annals. Three of the first babies sent to cheer the missionary homes, died. This sorrow seemed to break down the barrier and the peoples hearts were turned to the teachings of these strangers who were willing to sacrafice so much to get a hearing. But there were constant threats that on a certain day the foreigners were to be kille~ and native Christians con~tantly patrolled the compound.

Mrs. Noble gathered fifteen little girls into her home and began there the first girl's schoo], in 1896. All went well till the school was removed to the gate-house and the suggestion

- 13 -

made that the parents might" help supply the 'fuel needed when they decided that it was not at all important that girls learn! In 1907, Miss Robbjns who had come to take charge of the now greatly increased Day School, graduated the first class of Methodist scho~l girls in Pyeng Yang.

1n-1898. Mrs. Hall, who had returned to Pyeng Yang, re­opened the dispensary, which she, Dr. Harris and Dr. Pak, our first native woman physician, and Miss Hollman, carried on through many vissiciludes. The first hospital was a Ko­rean building, and the Provincial Governor gave it the name of "The Hospital of Extended Grace" which the present Em­larged plant now bears. But the Korean Hospital burned, and during its rebuilding, Dr. Hall now returned as a member of our W. F. M. S. Society, and Miss Hollman, be carried on in a Korean hut.

The first prayer meeting for women had been a meeting held weekly in the home of a grateful patient. As a result of her first efforts at evangelistic work for the Korean women, Dr. Hall reported that only fourteen out of four hundred could read. In these early days the women were gathered together for Bible study by Mrs. Noble and a beginning made tow~rd the well known Korea Bible Classes to which women come as far as one hundred miles on foot. Many and faithful are the workers that have come out from these classes through all the years since. One of the Bible women of our First Church at present, could neither read nor write when she became a Christian; as a result of faithful study in the Bible Class she become a good Bible student and an untiring worker for eighteen years. One of her yearly reports, shows a record of 2,016 visits made in the homes of the people.

In 1901 came Miss Estey, who spent 5 years here before going to Yeng Byen. To her belongs the glory for the Tithing Cl~sses, in which unpaid workers study for two weeks, pro-

- 14 -

mising to give three more to holding country classes for the women who cannot come to the city Bible Classes.

The first departmental Sunday School was an outgrowth of the early years of seed sewing, and within a year the aver­age attendance was 500. Now the modern Sunday School plant, with class rooms, can only accomodate the women and children in relays, while men and boys are an entirely separate co~sideration, meeting before the morning service.

One more beginning needs noting, though it too, was made not by a member of our Society, but by a self-support­ing and saintly man, Dr. Nathan Rockwell, who was per­mitted to serve but a short time in Korea, before being taken home. This is the School for blind and deaf, which Dr. Hall has so ably carried on since Dr. Rockwell's death. In a year's time the poor little unfortunates, for whom there is no provision either in their homes or public institutions in a non­Christian land, were able to enter the primary school and have ever since been an integral part of our schools, graduating from the Academy, and several going on to Japan for further education. Only last month the epidemic which is raging here again this winter, took Miss Prudence Oh, who had finished her course in a Tokyo Normal School and perfected herself as a masseuse.

From these first things, have grown the various depart­ments of our mission work as we have them today. By com­parison we see that much has been done, and rejoice. But the last year has brought misfortune and disaster, and we sometimes feel that we are almost back at the beginning of things. March brought the great political upheavel. Schools were closed and pupils and teachers scattered. Whole new Faculties had to be found. It was difficult to concentrate on arithmetic and Chinese, with parents, brothers, teachers and schoolmates behind prison bars. For some, seclusion has been the better part of valor, and still is. Then came the hot

•

- 15 -

dry summer, bringing drought and famine and poverty and worry to many. This was followed close by cholera, and now the dread influenza is making even greater ravages. No Bible classes have been held until just now. Country travel was .. discontinued for months by the advice of the American Consul. It has been a weary time of waiting.

At present we have a Hospital full of pneumonia patients, with Dr. Cutler on duty day and night, for though she has a native assistant who gives valuable help in the dispensary, she must be her own head nurse. Untrained girls cannot be left with such serious cases. Oh how we are longing for the needed doctor and nurse for the hospital!

Our primary school, in spite of disturbances, is literally bursting its doors, with the eager girlies packed inside. And now the Government has promised the privilege of teaching two more years primary which will really be equivalent to two years of grammar school. But where shall we teach it? The piCtures of mission schools under trees may be interest­ing, but these are not practical in Korea, where we are busy stoking coal just now to keep comfortable inside!

Then there is the Higher School, for which we have be~n waiting so anxiously. We were ready to launch it a year ago, when, as we say, "the lid blew off" and we are still waiting. But we have announced three years of such a school will be taught from the first of April next! We have visions of the plant that we must have in the immediate future to house these two schools, to say nothing of our embryo Kindergarten of almost a hundred lively kiddies.

Sunday Schools have been the least disturbed of any­thing7 and five of them are running full blast. I think you would agree with the choice of expression, could you step into anyone of them. But in them hundreds of happy children are learni ng lessons of Christian love and kindness and taking

- 16 -

the~ b~ckinto- homes many of which have no otherray of Christian light as yet.

While pastors are many of them working out sentences in prison their substitutes are preaching to normal sized con­

.. gr~gations again. Every Sunday sees new believers registered. Our Womans' Bible Class is to be held in March, if all

goes as _planned, and again the women will have to be crowd­. ed into Close rooms because we are still waiting for the great-ly ne:eded dormItories. .

Truly the success of the work here is our embarassment on every side. Just as we thought our two great country dis­trIcts were supplied with a worker each, it becomes necessary for one of them to remain in the city to help with the new school, if we are to have one! And then we shall be short at l~ast two workers here in the city! Like Topsy, the work will 'just have to grow up, and we trust that. it will grow rightly, without the oversight we would like to give it.

Our faithful Bible Women are still walking mil~s in the cold, and living, somehow, on about quarter salaries. We are on the verge of losing valuable helpers both among them and in our schools because of the inadequacy of the salaries. But in spite of seeming complaints we are thankful for what we have, and know that someday, others beside ourselves or g0-ing.to see how important a field ours is, and supply the things we need.

CHEMULPO DISTRICT.

The work on the Chemulpo District was begun by Dr. and Mrs. Jones in 1892 with three unconverted men, one of whom afterwards became a.minister. Owing to poor health, he is now unable to preach, but still lives in Chemulpo.

The first church was a native building. The present large brick ~h\lrch is. situated on the spot formerly occlJPied byJhe

•

- 17 -

shrine to the dragon. The boy's school house is on the site of temple keeper's horne. The playground and church yard were formerly used for the festivities to the dragon.

Mrs. Jones opened the first girl's school in 1893 in a small native building with ten yen, which had he€n given her by Mrs. Baldwin. Later the Chuyken property was brought anq, a small brick school house erected. Our present brick build­ing was erected in 1903 and the Dormitory in 1918.

Our teaching staff has grown from one to ten, including our branch school at Whado. Our eNrollment is over two hundred and our attendance keeps up pretty close to two hun­dred, except under extraordinary circumstances. We have a kindergarten to be proud of. How we do need better train­ed teachers to guide our forty babes and the dozens of others we could reach if we only had buildings and equipment! The six country schools have an average attendance of fifteen and upwards. •

In the same year that schools began, Mrs. Jones brought Helen, a Bible woman, from Seoul to begin work. ~mong the women. In those early days she could hardly travel openly, to do Bible Woman's work, so she sold purple, needles and thread, preaching as she had opportunity. Many of the wo­men whom she led to Christ are still living in the ci1y. The accompanying picture is one of our earliest Christians, We call her Kamsa ham nita (Thank you.) It sounds so much better in Korean. She says "Thank you" for absolute­Iy everything. A heavy storm blew off much of the church roof. When this dear old lady heard it, she exclaimed "Kam~ sa hamnita." Some one said, "Why. Aunty, are you t~a.nk­

ful for that 7" She answered without hesitation, "God knew we needed a new roof so He blew this one off so we would have to get a new one." Her Kamsa hamnita is as good as a sermon. She has given her home to the church, in fact, she gives almost everything away, hardly reserving sufficient food

- 18 -

and clothing. Who can say she does not lead as many souls to Him as the paid helpers?

Off from Chemulpo are numerous islands, the largest of which is Kang Wha, where work was opened in 1893. A saloon keeper, M.r. Ye, wishing to unite with the Chemulpo

.Church, was refused because of his business. Soon after he moved to Kang \Vha for the purpose of becoming a farmer. He went to the burial grounds of his ancestors and announced to them that he had decided to believe in Jesus and that he was breaking a way from the old cult. He then buried the ancestral tablets by the graves of his ancestors. All the fetishes Wtre burned. One day he came to Dr. Jones saying, "But myoId mother wants to become a Christian and I want her baptized. "Dr. Jones went to Kang Wha, stopping at the point back of Sosa. He was informed that if he went into the village Kim Chose, the leader of the village, with his clan would-destroy the house in which the baptism was given. Not wishing to cause any commotion, Mr. Ye carried his mother from the village out over the tide ground to the boat, where by the light of the moon, the old lady was baptized. As she was the first Christian baptized on the island we call her, "The Mustard Seed of Kang Wha."

Today the work has spread, to twenty other islands. We have sixty churches on the district and one thousand six hun­dred and ninety-two women are enrolled as members.

Way back in the early days of Chemulpo District there was 'a little boy named Chang Wan Gun. who attended the newly opened boys' school. As often aR he heard the Gospel message just so often did he go home and tell it to his mother. He begged her to go to church to hear the wonderful stor-y but she refused. One day, upon returning from school he walked up to the table on which was an object of worship. He knocked it to the floor and it broke to pieces. The mother was horified for now some terrible calamity would befall the

- 19 -

fami1y. Wan Gun said, "if this image has pc>wer to help us, it surely will have the power to get up and put itself together again." The mother was amazed at these words of wisdom from so small a child and pondered them in her heart. It was not long before she became a Christian, the second Christian woman in Chemulpo. We now know her as Hannah. Wan Gun grew up and married Susan who became a teacher in the girls' school and is now a Bible Women in Seoul.

To sum up-When Miss Hillman and Miss Miller took up the work, at the beginning of the W. F. M. S., there was one Bible woman on the mainland and one on the islands. There was one school teacher. Now we have eleven Bible women and twenty teachers. We want to increase the number. When Korea becomes quieter and conditions more favorable, we hope to build some new school houses on the islands, increase our force here, and do more intensive if not extensive work. Our aim and hope is to give every woman and child on the district a chance to hear the sweet story and every child of school age a chance to get an education-a big aim but with the prayers and aid of every reader we can do it.

SUWON.

Many changes have befallen the Su won District and the workers thereon since our beloved Mrs. Scranton made her first trip so many years ago. There were no trains then, by which one sped along through the country, as at the present time. In those days the trips were long and hard, requiring two days to make the journey to Suwon, instead of two hours as now. Then, for a trip of even two weeks, one had to travel with a pony loaded with food, bedding, books and clothing re­quired for the journey. One sat in a chair carried by two men, or if the trip was long, four men. Traveling at a rate of about

- 20 -

three and a third miles per hour, the end of a day found you at a point about half way between Seoul and Suwon. Here meetings were held with a small but interesting group of be­lievers so anxiously awaiting,your coming. It was difficult to tear one's self away from them. So perhaps two qr three days were spent there or a promise made to stop on the way back.

The second day's trip brought you to Su won, a beautiful walled city. As you neared its North Gate, through an avenue of pines, you felt as if you were entering another world. You thought of the wonderful stories the old towers and turrets could tell, if they could but speak.

When Mrs. Scranton first visited this town there were no beFevers.- Her native Bible Woman was with her. She ex­plained the reason of the strange lady's visit, and told the old, old story. Some listened with "understanding hearts," for within a short time believers were found and a group was formed. At this time two Bible Women were largely helpful in" starting work in this District. Sarah, "the Faithful," as she 'was sometimes called, was tireless ,in her joutneyings two and fro, over mountain and vale. She was not very well educat­ed; far from it, as we term "educated" (!) but she knew how to pray and how to tell the story to get hold of the hearts of the women.

There are now ten women working on this District. Five of these are graduates of the Bible Women's Training School in Seoul. One can hardly estimate the difference this school makes in the working power of our women. The years spent there ground them thoroughly in a knowledge of God's Word, and make them more efficient in dealing with the problems that face them in their work. We pray that their zeal, love, -faith and prayer, the only tools with which their older sisters labored in past years, may be increased and augmented a hun­:.dred fold.

"I" THE FIRST SUWON GIRLS' SCHOOL

"II" SUWON CITY, GIRLS' SCHOOL 1 STORY, 1913

"III" SUWON CITY GIRLS' SCHOOL, 1918

- 21 -

In those days there were no regular courses of study for the women of the churches. Now there are three. First; The Bible Institute; Second; The Normal Training Class; Third; The Home Study Course.

The First of these provides for six years of work and is held for one month in the spring. Second, the Normal Classes are held in the fall, the women trained in these cla'sses going out to the churches "in the circuits where they live, holding five-day classes. This work continues through most of the winter, and the usual number of classes held is between 50 and 75. Through this system of training, the advance of the women has been very marked. Third, reading and writ­ing have been taught in most of our classes, but progress was slow. To help solve this problem of inducing the women to learn their native script a course of study in the homes was made, and we already feel the good effects of this method. We have as yet only two or three hundred women enrolled, but these, studying slowly in their homes where sometimes but little leisure is found, will have its effect, as they thereby learn to read God's Word for themselves. Through these three courses about 1,300 women are being instructed. This, com­pared with the conditions prevailing even fifteen years ago, makes our hearts glad as we realize that there shineth a great Light in the darkness.

The generosity of the Christian women is worthy of com­ment. This does not always manifest itself in giving of money for of that they have but little. All the Bible Women in this District, as well as many of th3 other women, are tithers. Many have !ibsolutely no money to tithe but they usually have charge of the vegetable garden and from this they tithe cabbage, turnip8 and peppers. They often give their wedding and other rings and silver hair ornaments. One of the' dear wo­men who has some means of her own, paid the land tax for several of her poor neighbors, who would otherwise have lost

- 22 -

their homes. Tney ara generous with their time as well as material thing:;. Unitedly they give years of time for soul winning and for visitation. Work in two villages on this Dis­trict has been opened by wom~n. At Kalmi the women of the church assisted in the erecting ·of the Boys' School by carry­ing tiles for the roof, and by treading the mud into mortar for -the walls.

These women are never too busy to pray. Women's Fri­day night prayermeetings are held in many parts of the District. Prayer gt'oups for the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society in connection with the Jubilee have been organized. "One hun­dred day" prayer meetings have been held either at daybreak or in the evenings.

Thirty Ii (about ten miles) from any church lives a Chris­tion woman in a heathen home and a heathen village. The family is opposed to Christianity so that the Bible woman dare not even call upon her. However G->d has given her the precious gifts of faith and bravery, for each Sabbath morning she opens the door of her room and with her face turned in the direction of the church, prays for G:.>d's blessing upon the worshippers.

From the first, wherever a church was started in this District, schools sprang up aIm )st imm 3jiately, both for boys and girls. In the city of Suwon a small school for girls was started with a sml11 group of seven. This· school, housed in a little br.:>wn mud hut,(fig.l) grew till in 1913, the bea,utiful one­story building shown in the picture (fig. II) was erected. This was made possible through gifts of kind friends in America.

The years passed. As the churche~ grew, ani women and girls were given their rightful places in the homes and hearts of Korea, even thi3 pretty building was too small. In 1918 a second story was added to this and the bui1din~ in the picture (fig. III) came in to existence. This Mary Mitchel Memorial will stand in the beautiful city of Su won as a light to all the

- 23 -

country round. One hundred girls are studying in its halls, and as these enter and pass on into the various places life holds for them, we believe the faith and love that gave the gift to Korea, w:II be exemplified in lives lived for Him who gave Himself for us all.

HAI-JU DISTRICT.

The work in the Whang Hai Province had its beginning at Yonan in 1897. In a few short months the work had grown until there were four villages in which christian groups were meeting. This circuit was originally worked from the city of Chemu]po and was not made a separate District until 1910. Mrs. Geo. Heber Jones was the first woman worker to have charge of this circuit. Her work was carried on largely through the direction of her faithful Bible women.

Little by little the work grew until in the year 1902 in the city cf Rai-Ju, the capital of Whang Rai Province a little group of Christians was formed and met weekly in one of the homes. That same year a large piece of property was purchased by the Parent Board and plans made for the building of a foreign residence. Well does the writer remember the day the form­er owners moved' out and our Christians moved in. We felt that it was the dawning of better things, as later it proved to be. At that time there were 19 preaching places on the Dis­trict. In the early days for a foreign woman to be seen in the country villages was a rare thing. So every service held in the churches was crowded with both men and women sight seers. Later on many of these became earnest christians.

In the year 1902 a terrible famine visited the Province and the people suffered untold misery. Many starved to death and thousands left their homes 10 seek food and shelter. Many of our Christians were among the sufferers and 42 families were obliged to leave the District.

-24-

The first girls' Day School was started in Hai-Ju in 1904. Its first teacher was Lulu Kim, who before her conversion was demonically possessed. Through faith and the prayers of the Christians she was cured. After she became a Christian her husband told her she could either give up Christianity or leave his home and her little child. Christ had done so much for her she could not forsake Him so she chose Christ and left her home. She continued to grow in grace and became a spiritual leader. Her' husband later on became seriously ill, but before his death he confessed Christ and died in the faith. Lulu's faith was rewarded. Today she is one of the best Bible women on the District.

The Day Schools began to mUltiply and in order to meet the demand for teachers an itinerating Day School teacher was secured. She spent several months out of the year in one place teaching the children to read and write, and then moved on to the next village to do the same.

One of the characteristics of the work has been the in­terest taken· in Bible study classes for women, held in the central churches all over the District. Each year these classes have increased in interest and attendance. Many of them were also attended by men who desired to study the word. The most important thing about these classes were the revival meetings held in the evenings. The Holy Spirit's power was manifested in a marvelous way; men and women were convicted of sin and cried out in great agony for pardon.

The work from its beginning until the present time has made a steady growth along all lines. The interest in Bible study classes continues with an increase in the number of young women who attend. This last summer they even sent and asked Miss Barlow to come and hold country classes in August, the hottest part of the summer.

,\\7hile the number of Day Schools in the country has

- ~5 .-

decreased, the grade of the Hai-Ju city school has been raised and a fine new kindergarten added.

Today there is a dearth of Bible women and school teachers as well as other helpers on account of the political

. situation.

KONG-JU.

Dr. Scranton was the first to enter Kong-Ju and Mr. Swearer the next. In ·1903 Dr. McGill was appointed there and spent one year practicing and preaching as he had oppor­tunity.

In 1905 Robert Sharp and his wife came. They spent one busy year in the work having a District large enough to be dividided into three. They had also their house to build and helpers to train, all of which was not an easy task for new workers. The church was a small native building seating about sixty people, and it was usually filled on Sunday. The Sharp house being the first foreign structure in this part of the country. sightseers came from morning until night to see the wonderful building and many came also to hear of the Jesus doctrine which these strange looking foreigners had left their far away home to come and teach. To show how meager their idea was of our great Father in Heaven, one man asked if he knew who God was replied, "Yes He is Pastor Sharp." The days and hours of the missionaries were fuU, for not only did the people come to get something for their sin-sick souls but for the diseased body as well, and although they were not able to do any extensive work along that line yet they helped many a sufferer.

The first girls' school was opened in the preacher's house in a r~om 8x8 where twelve little girls gatnered. The teacher taught in the mornings and did Bible womans work in the

- 26 -

afternoons. Mrs. Sharp opened a night school for women and the girls who could not attend the day school. Some of those who learned to read and write in that school have done Bible women's work and have been leaders of classes, and one who is now teaching school, having gotten a taste and enjoying it . so much went to our school in Seoul and studied several years.

After the death of Mr. Sharp his wife w~nt to America and for a time there was no one to do any work for the wo­men. Mr. and Mrs. Cable came in 1907, and in 1908 Mrs. Sharp again returned to the people she loved. Mter her return she built a small Korean house which might be called the first W. F. M. S. home, for the workers lived there for two years. Miss Tuttle came first and spent one year, then Miss Shaefer' who only stayed about six months. In the mean time money came for a real W. F. M. S. home. After the building was completed the workers moved in and the Korean house became our first girls' school building. The children had been stUdying wherever they could find room and it was a happy day for them when they moved into their own building, which they thought to be very fine. But it was not long before the accommodations were too small, but as there was no other place they had to continue there until the fall of 1918 when they moved into their new brick building, the gift of Mrs. Sarah Young of Ohio. From twelve girls we have grown to forty primary and fifty kindergarten children and we are sure no dearer tots could be found the world over than some of these.

Our church membership has grown from sixty to three huridred and we feel sure we could have doubled it, if at the time the people were ready for the Gospel, we could have had more workers. We pled with our Missions to help while the door of the people~s hearts was open, but instead of more com­ing, workers have been taken away and we have not as many as we had in 1909. It is harder to work now than in the first

- 27 -

days when the people would come and be£, us to send some one to teach them. Yes, they even offered us money if we would go, but already our hands were more than full and we had to tell them they must wait. In the early days they used to walk for miles to get a Bible, but now they wait until they are brought to them. Have we been slow in answering the calls 'that have come? G0d forgive us and help us to be more faithful in the futur~ and heed the pleadings of these who are reach­ing out after truth and light.

In 1914 Miss Bair cam'::! to U3 and stayed until 1917, when she was appointed to Hai-Ju. Mrs. Swearer, wife of our be­loved superintendent, who while in America on a well earned furlough was called to his reward, came to us in the fall of the same year. Her coming has been a great blessing to us and the work.

The last year has been one of sorrow and trial, but our Districts have not suffered as much as some others. After the first of April we were practically able to do nothing; for a time not even house to house visitation could be done. Some of our preachers and teachers as well as students were imprisoned and the we!iker Christians were alarmed fearing lest they too be taken. We heard of one case where they put a notice up on the gate saying they were not Christians so when the police came around they would not disturb them. However those cases we are thankful to say were few, for most of them have stood true even amidst persecutions. For a time after our folks were imprisoned the services were scantily attended and the attendance of the schools, though we did not close, dropped off for a time. Those who were imprisoned have all been released and our work at present is more normal, though the hearts of the'people are still full of unrest. There are those whom they love still suffering and until that suffering ceases they cannot rest. In this trouble we are unable to help them; it is a sorrow they must bear

..

- 28 -

alone though we have done all we could to comfort, pointing them to the One who alone can help.

We feel we are passing through a most critical time in our work. The cost of living h3.s increased more than three times what it used to be, hut the salaries we have not been able to increase accordingly and so our young men and women Rre not only finding it hard to live, but are being drawn away to other positions that afford them a good livelihood· We ought to be able to offer them some inducement so that they will want to stay by the work and not have to live from hand to mouth. We feel there are great opportunities ahead of us for we know the church has al ways grown in the midst of per:lecntion and so our church here will grow. Are we going to be equal to it or are we going to let these oppor­tunties slip past us ? We have failed in many things in the past, let us not make another mistake but rise up and be equal to the great task God has placed before us.

We need more money for Bible women and more of them. Our work is crippled by lack of women. Some circuits have none and some circuits are too large. Is there none to heed nor help us in this hour of our need? There was a time when anyone was glad to do Bible woman's work whether they were fitted for it or not, but it is not so now. Only a short time ago we tried to get a woman to go out on the farthest point, she said "Poine, how can I go this way," hold­ing up a tJrn skirt, ';with the'c()st of living such that I cannot getnew clothes on the salary you give?" and I knew it was so. Also we need help for our schools. The same question faces us here as in America. If we do not pay more to our teachers we cannot get even 'a second class one under these conditions. How are we going to keep our schools up to grade? The times are changing and we must change with them or be, left far behind.

In our itinerating this 'fall we found in many places the

FIRST DAY SCHOOL BUILDING IN KONG-JU

.NEW GIRLS' DAY ::;CHOOL .tSUILDlNG

NEW AND OLD STYLES OF HEAD GEAR

- 29 -

work most encouraging. One church where last year there were only about twenty there are now ninety, the little church is crowded to its utmost capacity. In several other places we found ·the same, though perhaps .not as many new ones. ' Whether the political situation has anything to do with this or we do not know, but even if it has we believe with careful teaching many of these will be brought to a saving knowl­edge of Jesus Christ.

THE BEGINNINGS IN YENG BYEN.

Before the year 1904 Yeng Byen District was almost wholly untouched by the influences of the Jesus doctrine. The town of Yeng Byen, the large~t and most influential center of the Distrist, was as Athens of old. Every hill top, every

valley, every grove was given ever to the worship of the spirits. and on the main street was a shrine to "the unknown spirit," which had been placed there by earnest seekers, fearing that there might be some spirit, who having been forgotten would be displeased. At times a sorceress dressed in robes of scarlet, and riding on a white horse would go out to the quiet glades of the deeper mountains and then ride into the city to bestow upon the fait~ful ones the blessings that she had re­ceived from the spirits there. Crowds would rush out to meet her to receive these blessings. The sound of the drums used in spirit worship could be heard by day and by night. Offerings of grain, of money, or of food could be found at everyone of the mountain shrines. Early every morning anxious eager seekers after wealth, health, or descendants could be seen going to the hillside shrines to prepare and present· rice offerings to the idols stationed.under the trees. The large flock of crows that lived around the shrine flew . down, with loud caws, and helped themselves to the rice

- 30 -

deposit~d in each Buddha's folded arm, but that did not distrub the blind belief of the worshipper, for of course the blessed Buddha only desired the essence of the food. Thus Buddha

~ held sway, and thus the fear of the evil spirits was ever in the hearts of the people. A Confucian temple on the hill side gave opportunity for worshipping that great teacher to these who wished to do so.

For the education of its youth the city only offered a few private reading rooms where boys could learn the Chinese characters. Such a thing as educating a girl was not heard of.

In case of sickness the soreceress beat her drums, called the spirits from the other world, and robbed the superstitious of their coins. The old Korean doctor gave them mixtures of filth and poison at a fabulous price. At the foot of the hill lay a little pond, and in the middle of it stood a little tiled villa. In the early spring days sufferers came in from all directions to this little pool. The sorcerer went across to the little villa with his drum, and slowly beat it, "tum-turn-tum." Almost im­mediately little black creatures could be seen wriggling in the water and the crowd gathered on the banks would move to the water's edge, each individual sticking his foot into the water and soon catching dozens of the leaches thus called to the surface. These he proceeded to stick on to any part of his body that had been causing him pain. Perhaps his head his eye, his arm, or his leg would soon be hanging full of these blood removers. This was the only kind of a hospital Yeng ·Byen could boast of in these days.

In 1905 the first missionary home was built on South mountain in Yeng Byen, and the station opened. Today the many shrines are in decay, the spirit houses are for sale, the Confucian temple is a school, on South mountain where a Buddhist monastery once stood, three missionary homes stand. Below them can be seen a two story stone building, a girls' school, and also a dormitory for girls from the country,

- 31 .-

and buildings for Bible Institutes. Above the old leach pond is a neat little dispensary, where the Christian doctor given out medicines, and eases many a sufferer. Across the valley stands the little stone church, and a large school building for boys. Thus has Yeng Byen city changed!

The change throughout the whole District is quite as great. Groups of earnest Christians, 'school buildings for boys and girls, and churches can be. found in many places now, and many hundreds have learned to know their Saviour, and instead of the old fear have in their hearts "the peace that passeth all understanding."

WONJU DISTRICT.

The work on this District has had a unique history as the responsibility for its evangelization has been tr3.nsferred from one mission to another more often than, I believe, any other territory in Korea. Both Presbyterians and Methodists work­ed here without any definite limits until about 1906, when the Northern Presbyterian mission became responsible for this section and later purchased land for a mission station in W onju. In 1909 the territorial division was made, and W onju territory which included all the Southern part of Kang Won province, with small portions of two other adjoining provinces became the responsibility of the Methodist Episcopal mission. For the next few years missionaries from other stations visited and travelled over this region, and the women's work was helped by the visits of Missis Mary R. Hillman, Lulu A. Miller, and Jessie M. Marker. In the fall of 1913 the station was formally opened by the coming of Dr. and Mrs. Anderson. Mrs. Anderson says, "As we entered Wonju late in March 1912 on our first visit we noticed a row of trees directly in front of the town and were told that was to keep the evil spirits out of

- 32 -

the town. On the grounds that were later to become the mission compound was a large bronze Buddha, also a stone pagoda, with a well worn path lEading to each one, showing that many a Korean had wended his way thither, hoping to find help in trouble, and we were told that for. many years ·Koreans had come from all parts of the province to worship here. Before long we sa w the steeple of the Catholic church, and soon stopped in fr<?nt of a low straw thatched four kan mud building, the Methodist Episcopal Church of Wonju. This group was started in 1903 through the work of itinerat­ing Presoyterian missionaries. The first foreign residence was compl.eted in Aug. 1913, when we went out and became the first resident missionaries. The hospital building had al­ready been started but was not finished and dedicated until April 1914. The clinic was very small at first owing to the superstition of the Koreans, but little by little as this was overcome, and the cured patients returned to the various villages to talk, of "wonder cures" prejudices were broken down, and the last year's report shows an increase of 70% over the previous year. About 40% of the patients are wo­men, and ma~y become believers after hearing the Gospel in the hospital and become members of the church.

The year before we arrived in Wonju a school for our Christian boys and girls was started in the church building, and out of that first graduating class one girl has finished a course in the Ewha school in Seoul. and is now kindergarten teacher in Kang Nung. Another is now attending Bjble school in Seoul, and we hope she can soon come out to help us in the work. In 1915 the school was discontinued owing to new Government regulations, but a sub-primary (Kuel pang) was opened for boys and girls under eight years of age."

Through the work of the hospital, schools, Bible Women, and church the church membership increased so fast that the old church building would no longer hold them all, and often

THE FIRST METHODIST CHURCH IN WONJU

THE NEW WONJU CHURCH

.,..

- 33 -

at services, especially at Christmas and other""festive occasions the court yard was crowded and every window and door held a sea of faces. The new church building was started in 1915, even women and children helping to build it by >; ~rry~ng

bricks from the kiln to the church site. It was dedicated by Bishop Welch in December, 1916.

In 1915 Miss Hillman moved to Wonju, and made her home with the Andersons and the work for the women and children received the attention of this most efficient and con­secrated worker. She organized the work in the city, and with Mrs. Anderson's help progress was made. Miss Hillman built the beautiful W. F. M. S. home, and also secured funds for the combination class and kindergarten building, and saw it begun. Words cannot express what it meant to Wonju city and the whole territory when this noble woman was com­pelled to leave here in the late summer of 1917 on account of ill health. She will ever be remembered with gratitude, and if in the future the Lord permits her return she will be re­ceived joyfully. On Miss Hillman's removal Miss Gertrude E. Snavely was appointed to Wonju, and has travelled over the whole field, holding classes and organizing the work for the women. When the Rev. C. D. and Mrs. Morris were ap­pointed here in 1917 Bishop Welch requested Mrs. Morris to take charge of the city work for women as well as the school work over the whole territory, this work consisting of kinder­garten and sub-primary. Advancement has been slow on ac­count of the impossibility of securing trained kindergarten teachers, but already we are encouraged by what has been done, and as fast as teachers can be secured this work will be pushed. Kang Nung city presents a most hopeful field for this line of activity. Work for the evangelization of the sur­rounding villages is now vigorously pushed with the help of the local Kongju women. Mrs. Anderson directs the child­ren's Sunday School. Miss Sylvia R. Harrington arrived in

- 34 -

Wonju last April and has already made her place as one of the permanent staff of Wonju. This territory presents pro­blems peculiar to itself, and only by persistent effort and an adequate staff .of workers can they be overcome.

- 35 -

APPOINTMENTS OF TH.~ WOMAN'S FOREIGN

MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

Chemulpo District.

Evangelistic Work, Day Schools, with Language Study,

Chunan Distriet.

Evangelistic Work & Day Schools,

Haij u District.

Margaret E. Hess. L. Belle Overman.

Mrs. W. C. Swearer.

Evaneelistic Work & Day Schools, Jane Barlow.

Kangnung District. Evangelistic Work & Language Study, Sylvia Harrington.

Kongju District. Evangelistic Work & Day Schools, Kongju Girl;s School,

Mrs. Alice H. Sharp. Mrs. W. C. Swearer.

Pyeng Yang Districts.

Principal of Kodung School, Day Schools, Blind and Deaf School, Evangelistic Work in Nam San Chai,

Grace Dillingham. Evan~elistic Work & Day Schools, East Pyeng Yang District,

Evangelistic at Sin Chaun Kol, Irene Haynes. City & West District Evangelistic work, West District Day

Schools, Henrietta P. Robbins.

Seoul Distri ct. Acting Principal of Ewha Hakt~ng, First Church,

Alice Appenzeller. Superintendent Ewha Day Schools, Evangelistic Work at

East Gate, Ora M. Tuttle.

- 36 -

InstruCtor ·in ·Ewha Haktang, Evangelistic Work at'Mead Memorial, Olive F. Pye.

Instructor in Ewha Haktang, Evangelistic Work in First Church & Language Study, Marie E. Church.

Instructor in Ewha Haktang, Mary Appenzeller. Supervisor of Kindergarten Normal, Director of Kinder­

gartens, Evangelistic Work at Chong No, & Language Study Edna Van Fleet.

Lillian Harris Memorial Hospital and Bald win Dispensary, Mary S. Stewart.

Superintendent Nurses Training School & EvangelisticW ork at East Gate, Superintendent of Social Service Work, with

Language Study, Elizabeth S. Roberts. Seoul Evangelistic Work, Jessie Marker. Womans's Bible Training School, Mary Beiler.

W onju District.

Evangelistic Work & Language Study, Sylvia Harrington.

Yeng Byen District.

Class & Evangelistic Work, & Language Study Ethel Mil1er. Day Schools '& Evangelistic Work, Bessie Salmon.

Language Study.

Nelda Grove, Ethel Dicken, Mary E. Young. On Furlough: Huldah A. Haenig, Hannah Scharpf, Ros­

setta Sherwood Hall, Mary R. Hillman, Ethel Estey, Lulu Frey, Gertrude.snavely, Jeannette Walter, Jeannette Hulbert,' Mrs. Chaffin, Blanche Bair, Maude N. Trisse), Charlotte Brownlee, Naomi Anderson", Loh~, W o~ .

. " ....

- 37 -

ASSISTANT MISSION ARIES.

Chemulpo District. Evangelistic Work. 1\1:rs. H. D. Appenzel1er.

Haiju District.

Evangelistic Work & Girl's School,

Kongju District.

Evangelistic Work, Evangelistic 'iV ork, Evangelistic Work,

Mrs. A. H. Norton.

Mrs. F. E. C. 'Vil1i.ams. Mrs. CorwiIJ Taylor.

Mrs. Amendt.

Pyeng Yang East District.

Evangelistic Vlork, First Church, & Sunday School Work,_ Mrs. J. Z. Moore.

Seoul District.

Superintendent of Sunday School Work, Seoul District & Evangelistic Work,.Chongdong, Mrs. W. A. Noble.

Instructor in \\Toman's BiGie Training School & 'Evangelistic Work, Mrs. E. M. Cable.

Instructor in Woman's Bible Traiuing School & Evangelistic Work, Chongdo, Mrs. B. W. Billings.

Instructor in V\T omall's Bible Training School & Evangelistic Work, Mrs. J. D Van Buskirk.

Japanese Evangelistic '''lork, Mrs. F. H. Smith.

W onju District.

Evangelistic \Vork, Day Schools, Kindergarten, Mrs. C. D. Morris.

Evangelistic; Work, • Mrs. A. G. Anderson.

1 1 1

--

1 11111~i~miDrnlool~inll~lillll 3 9002 05441 1575 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Y. M.e.A. PRESS; SEOUL