While we talked of our Lord and his teachings and conned again and again the hymns, a cough was heard at the door, and it was found that a number of “the brethren” were standing out there in the cold, frosty air of the November night, listening to such scraps of good words as they could catch. So when one of the women asked if they might come in, although generally out of regard for Korean custom and prejudice, I not only teach no men, but keep as much out of sight as possible, there were on this occasion no two ways about it, they must come, and in they thronged. It was a picture which I shall never forget, the dark eager faces, every one leaning forward in eager attitude, all seeking more knowledge of divine truth, hungering and thirsting after righteousness. A little dim humble room, and only such a poor feeble wick to light them all. Such a poor feeble wick was I, and all were looking to me for God’s light. “Feed my lambs,” was his last command, and yet in many a hut and hamlet his hungry little ones are starving.
Next morning at the first streak of dawn they again came, and with tears streaming down their faces, begged me to come soon again. “Oh, we are so ignorant, and so weak, how can we escape the snares of Satan, with no one here to lead and teach us!” they exclaimed.
Our return trip was very different from our first crossing. A severe storm of wind and rain came up, the little ship was tossed about on the waves like a plaything, and Mrs. Kim and I were miserably sick, not to mention being drenched with rain. It was impossible to make our port, and we were obliged to attempt the nearest coast, which offered no shelter from the wind, in addition to which, the tide being out, our boat was bumped about mercilessly on the rocks and stones with no chance of a landing for some hours.
However, all things come to an end sometime, and we at length effected a safe landing, and were soon dried, warmed and fed in a fishing village at hand, and reached Sorai next day. Before we left Sorai, the Christians held their annual Thanksgiving service. The church being too small to hold all the people, a tent was spread outside. After thanking God for their bountiful harvests and growing prosperity, they offered thanks for the spiritual harvest he had given.
During the year over two hundred and fifty people of the neighboring villages had been baptized through the missions and labors of this one little church, not counting a much larger number of catechumens received. They had enlarged and repaired their church and school rooms, built a house for their school teacher, one for their evangelist and another for the entertainment of strangers, who come from a distance to the Sabbath services.
They are an open-handed people, and when they read of the famine in India they took up a collection, amounting to fifty yen. As their daily wage rarely amounts to more than ten cents gold, and as the community is small, this was a large gift. Several of the women who had no money put their heavy silver rings in the plate. These rings are in many cases their only ornaments, and are most highly prized, so that when they were given, we knew that our people were giving till they felt it deeply.
In the famine so severe in many counties last year, Sorai, which was more blessed, helped many of its sister communities. On our return to Hai Ju we had some interesting visits with the women both in their own homes and at our rooms. We were allowed to help prepare the “dock,” or bread, which we found them making in one of the houses, for a prospective wedding. They were having a “bee,” a number of friends had come in to help, and they seemed much amused and pleased when we asked to be allowed to assist. We were very clumsy and awkward, but we gained our end by making them feel we were one with them. Later we were invited to the wedding, and forced to swallow an amount of indigestible food, which at other times we should consider as simply suicidal. But when it is a duty, one simply shuts one’s eyes to consequences, takes all risks, and comes through with an immunity which I verily believe is miraculous.
One old woman, who attended the meetings very regularly and was very devout, is quite a character. With a loud strong voice, but not the remotest glimmering of a notion of harmony, time or tune, she shouts away several lines and bars before or behind the rest, no consequence which, and quite often, if the hymn chosen is not in her book or according to her mind, she chooses another and proceeds as zealously as ever. When gently remonstrated with, she replies, “Oh, that is no matter, I’m not following you, I’m singing (?) by myself.”
We had only been in Hai Ju a few days when a fleet-footed messenger from Eul Yul arrived with a letter containing the news that a secret royal edict was being sent round to the various magistracies in that province, commanding all Confucianists to gather at night on the second of the next month (about fifteen days later), each at his nearest worshiping place in his district, and from thence to go in a body and kill all Westerners and followers of Western doctrine, and destroy their houses, churches and schools. A friend in the magistrate’s office, holding some petty position, happened to be present when this arrived, noted the excitement and agitation which the official evinced on reading it and the care with which it was guarded, and determined to learn its contents. He contrived an opportunity to read it unseen, and as some of his near relatives were Christians, he at once communicated the terrible news to them. One of the same family, a young man who was a fleet-footed runner, was instantly sent to us with a copy of the edict.
No words can express our state of mind on receiving the news. Thought flew back to one peaceful little community after another, which we had so lately visited, all rejoicing in the beautiful new life, all growing up toward Christ, like flowers reaching up to the sun, with the light of a glad hope in their faces, happy, harmless, kindly people, the aged, the little toddling children, helpless women, unsuspecting farmers, all consigned to utter destruction. As for ourselves, we were in one of the worst of Korean cities, it was impossible to make the slightest movement without attracting the notice of every one, for we were constantly the center of the observation of the whole town. It would be impossible to make our escape if any one wished to detain us. To make matters much worse, we had two young ladies and a child in our party. Probably little danger threatened us personally, as the governor was friendly, but our first duty was to send word to the American minister in Seoul, and it must be done quickly. To send a dispatch in any Eastern or European language would be futile, as, if suspicion was aroused, there were means of interpreting any of them. We at length concluded to send a Latin message, not to our minister, but to one of our mission, as less likely to attract attention either in Hai Ju or Seoul. This was done, and the message was at once carried to the American legation.