The news was at first received with incredulity, so friendly had the attitude of the government always been, but when it was remembered that recent Boxer disturbances in China might have suggested a similar course here, and that there were strong Buddhists high in influence at the palace who might have caused this strange measure, and when at the Foreign Office, through admissions and contradictions, it was made evident that the circulation of such an edict was not unknown to them, all doubt was over. Not long after it developed that from similar sources (that is, friends of Christians or of missionaries) the news had been carried to missionaries in Kang Wha and in Pyeng Yang. That it was unadvisedly done, and speedily repented, was proved by the fact that a few days later another edict rescinding the first was sent everywhere. Nevertheless and notwithstanding, I breathed freely and slept well for the first time since hearing the bad news, when I found myself on the little Japanese steamer well started on my way back to Seoul. The supposed authors of the order were put under arrest, and I believe punished, the Korean officials vigorously protesting that it was all a mistake and sent without the knowledge of the king or the government.
These trips to Whang Hai province usually occupied six or eight weeks of our time, and full of delightful incidents and experiences as they always were, did not represent more than a fraction of the work. In the fall of 1900 the whole New Testament was given to the people. To celebrate this event a large meeting was held in the Methodist church, the largest audience hall in Seoul, composed of as many natives and Christians as could be packed within its walls. A suitable thanksgiving service was held, and the board of translators and their native literary helpers were presented by the American minister with copies of the book, with very kind remarks on their work. The board now consisted of Rev. H. G. Appenzeller, Dr. Scranton, Rev. W. D. Reynolds, Rev. James S. Gale and Mr. Underwood.
In addition to the editorship of a weekly religious newspaper, Bible translation, preparation of tracts and hymns, city training classes, weekly religious services and meetings, supervision of schools and language class for missionaries, Mr. Underwood felt that a special effort ought to be made for the nobility and gentry, the hardest people in the country to reach with the gospel. This is the case, partly because officials who would retain office must go at regular intervals and offer certain prayers and sacrifices at royal shrines, partly that the ideas of caste are so strong that the nobility are unwilling to seat themselves on the floor in our churches among farmers, peddlers, coolies, merchants or even scholars, to listen to the gospel; and in addition, that their family life is grounded and interwoven on and in the concubine system. All of them have two or more families, some of them many. These numerous wives, their parents and progeny would make life intolerable should the husband put them aside. His friends and relatives would look upon him as too evil to live should he neglect to worship the ancestral tablets, and the spirits of his ancestors themselves would follow him like harpies, with all sorts of misfortunes and diseases.
Each man, too, looks forward with great complacency to being honored in his time as he has honored his dead parents, and seems to be overwhelmed with something like terror at the idea of having no one to worship his memory and offer sacrifices before his tablets, so that childless men usually adopt sons to keep their memory green. The ladies of this class, the first wives, are, as I think I have said before, very closely secluded, and are never seen except in their own apartments or the anpang of their kin, whither they are carried in closely covered chairs.
In such a state of affairs it is not strange that men should hesitate to listen to the doctrines of a religion which would turn their whole social world upside down, wreck their homes, cast upon them the blackest stigma, turn them outside the pale of court and official life, rob them of their income, and rank them with the common people. Knowing that it was almost impossible to induce them to attend church, an invitation was therefore issued, asking a large number of them to come to our house to talk over religious matters. To our surprise the call was most heartily responded to, and two large rooms were crowded with high Korean gentlemen, all of whom came no doubt from politeness or curiosity.
There were princes, generals, members of the cabinet, all men of the highest rank and birth. All listened with the closest attention, many of them asking thoughtful questions, which showed their real interest in what was said by the missionaries who came to assist Mr. Underwood in receiving and talking with them. Some asked for books, and many came repeatedly to talk over these matters in private. Meetings were held regularly Sunday afternoons, and a stereopticon exhibition was given, showing a series of scenes from the life of Christ.
One result of these meetings was that Mr. Underwood was approached with the suggestion that he should establish a Presbyterian state church. We were told that a large number of officials would prefer (if they were to be forced into giving up their own religion and joining a foreign church, as at that time seemed likely) to make it one of their own choosing, and connected with Americans rather than Russians. They were, of course, informed that we could not organize churches in that way, nor baptize men for state and political purposes. The suggestion was not official, but if we had been willing to use opportunities of this sort, the roll-call among the high class of nominal members might have been greatly swelled.
CHAPTER XVI
Furloughs—Chong Dong Church—Romanists in Whang Hai—Missionaries to the Rescue—Romanists Annoy and Hinder the Judge—Results—Interview between Governor and Priest—The Inspector’s Report—Women’s Work in Hai Ju—Deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Miller.