On the first of October, after the defeat of the Chinese, the Presbyterian missionaries and Dr. Hall returned to Pyeng Yang to look after the interests of the stations left so long, in a city which had passed through such a hard experience.
Pyeng Yang was in a fearfully unhealthy condition. One of the missionaries wrote, “The decaying bodies of men, horses and cattle were so numerous, that no matter whatever direction we went we came across them constantly, so that the atmosphere was foul beyond expression.” Another wrote, “In one place I counted over twenty bodies, literally piled one on top of another, lying just as they had been shot down.... In another place, where a body of Manchurian cavalry ran into an ambush of Japanese infantry, the carnage was frightful, several hundred bodies of men and horses lying just as they had fallen made a swath of bodies nearly a quarter of a mile long and several yards wide. It was three weeks after the battle and the bodies were all there unmolested.”
According to a native superstition that the city is a boat, and to dig wells would sink the boat, there were no wells in Pyeng Yang; but a large number of bodies of men and horses were lying in the river, polluting for weeks the only water supply. In this dreadful situation our brave missionaries remained and worked, and on October 17th Dr. Hall wrote the following cheerful words, “We have very interesting services, the hymns of praise that less than a year ago brought cursing and stones are now listened to with delight, and carry with them a feeling of security similar to the sound of a policeman’s whistle in New York. Comparatively few of the Koreans have returned to their homes, but every day brings fresh additions. Every day numbers of those who have returned and those from the surrounding villages and towns visit us. They buy our books and seem far more interested in the gospel than I have ever seen them before.”
DESERTED ROYAL DINING HALL. [PAGE 121]
Very soon after writing these words Dr. Hall returned to Seoul; the boat on which he came was full of sick Japanese soldiers. There were cases of typhus fever and army dysentery, the water was doubtless poisoned, and he reached Seoul, after numerous most trying vicissitudes, fatally ill with typhus fever. Quite early, articulation became very difficult, but every halting sentence spoke of perfect peace and joy, and almost his last words were, “I’m sweeping through the gates.” Tears dim my eyes while I write, for we all not only loved, but reverenced Dr. Hall, and we felt that he possessed a larger share of the Master’s spirit than most of us. His very entrance into a room seemed to bring the Lord nearer, and his looks, words and conduct unexceptionally revealed the power and beauty of Christ. No one ever heard Dr. Hall speak a harsh or bitter word, no one ever heard him criticise a brother Christian, no one, to the best of my information, ever knew of him anything that was not noble, true, faithful and Christlike. His face beamed with a celestial light, and without his ever assuming to be in any way better than others, we all felt he was a holy man. Europeans and natives alike testified to the same impressions of him, the same love for him, his sweet spirit drew all hearts to him, so that he was both universally loved and honored.
While we who were in Seoul had all suffered more or less from ill health, everything was quiet and orderly, and the Japanese deserve great credit for the fine discipline of the army, and the good order and comfort of natives and foreigners in a city entirely at the mercy of the victorious troops of an Eastern nation.
During the fall and winter of ’94 and spring of ’95 the queen sent for me very often, asking many questions about foreign countries and their customs, and chatting most affably. Frequently we dispensed altogether with the formality of an interpreter, and the king and crown prince, who were often present, were quite as frequently elsewhere, so with her majesty so friendly and kind, I at times almost forgot that I was not having a tête à tête with an intimate friend. I of course felt my great responsibility heavily, and was overwhelmed at times with the thought of my duty and inefficiency. At length I asked the prayers of the missionaries that an opportunity to speak to the queen about Christ might be given me, and that I might realize it and make the best use of it. And now my anxiety and trouble of mind passed away and a restful contentedness took its place. I felt sure that I was to be guided and led at the right time.
On the day before Christmas the queen sent for me and asked me to tell her about our great festival, its origin and meaning, and how celebrated. Could any one ask clearer guidance or a better opportunity? It would be impossible not to tell the gospel story under such circumstances, and so I told her of the angels’ song, and the star, and the little babe that was laid in a manger, of the lost world to be redeemed, of the one God who so loved the world, and the Redeemer who came to save his people from their sins.
She listened intently, and with deep interest, turning from time to time and repeating it in a most animated and sympathetic way to the king and prince, who did not understand my accent so well.