A noted feature of the change in the spirit of the people is the way in which all are demanding education for their girls. Twenty years ago it was almost impossible to get any girls into our schools except the friendless and sick, little homeless waifs and orphans whom no one else cared for or wanted. It is interesting to see the way in which these changes have taken place. Little by little the daughters of Christians were allowed to attend if the Mission paid all expenses; then the country Christians began paying for the board and clothing of their daughters; then the unbelievers began to ask us to take in their girls and now the nobility are insisting on schools for their young women and are allowing some of them to mix with the lower caste girls in the ordinary schools. Mrs. Campbell, in charge of the girls’ school of the Southern Methodist Mission, who lives in a neighborhood where dwell a great many of the upper classes, has been literally besieged by wealthy and high caste ladies who beg her to establish a school for their young women and girls. Two such schools have been established in the city under non-Christian auspices and so determined are the people for education that they will provide it for themselves in these ways if we do not give them Christian schools. There are now three large mission boarding-schools for girls in Seoul, which cannot accommodate half the girls who are applying for admittance.
The story of the boys’ school is much the same. The English Episcopalians as well as the Presbyterians and Methodists have established boys’ schools, although the former are near the river, and there are also government native schools and Japanese schools of a non-Christian character. It has been and still is the hope that these schools of the Methodists and Presbyterians may in the future be united and thus effect a considerable saving in money, time and effort.
There is little doubt that in the future the strategic point for our largest colleges and academies must be in or near Seoul, which is geographically, politically and socially the center of the peninsula, and with great fields of mission work north, south and east of it, and of easy access from all parts of Korea both by rail and water way.
The medical mission work centers in the Severance Hospital, just outside the South Gate. This is a modern hospital, fitted up in every way according to the usages of modern medical and surgical science. There is a corps of nurses and assistants under the care of an American trained nurse. Young men are being prepared to practice medicine under the instruction of our doctors and the hospital and dispensary are crowded with patients, most of whom pay something for their medicine. Here again we see the change in the attitude of the people; for whereas at first people were not often willing to pay anything, and the women of high class not only would not visit the male physicians, but would not see them in their own homes except in the direst straits, now most of them are willing to see the doctors, many of them will go to the hospital, and gentlemen of high rank are willing to go there for treatment or operations, take private rooms, pay well for their care and often express themselves with overflowing gratitude for the kindness shown them, sending handsome presents, in addition, to their physicians and nurses, but what is far more important, go away either converted men or strongly favoring Christianity and the mission work.
The woman’s hospital and dispensary under the care of the ladies of the Methodist Mission has been just as flourishing, only it has not been favored by having so generous a patron as the Severance Hospital, but it is doing a good work and is known far and wide. The devoted women in charge of it are heart and soul in favor of union and undenominational mission work and they and we hope that all the medical work in Korea may be united under one medical committee and carried on in harmony with one plan, for the better economy of time, money and effort, and for the better and happier spirit, the avoidance of small jealousies and frictions, the uplift that comes to those who are working together as one, according to our Lord’s will and command.
For the same reasons, until the happy time when there shall be in all Korea but one united church of Jesus, the various missions have gradually been coming to a certain degree of agreement as to division of territory in Korea.
“Beginning from the south, we find the provinces of North and South Chulla, together with a few counties in the southern part of Chung Chong assigned exclusively to the Southern Presbyterians. The Southern province of Kyeng Keui is divided by counties between the Australian and American Northern Presbyterians, but North Kyeng Keui is left exclusively to the Northern Presbyterians. The provinces of North and South Chung Chong fall jointly to the American Northern Presbyterians and Methodists and a careful division of the territory by counties is under consideration. Kang Won is divided between the Southern Methodists and Northern Presbyterians and the Church of England, but even here there are mutual arrangements to prevent overlapping. The provinces of North and South Ham Kyeng have been left almost entirely to the care of the Canadian Presbyterian Church, while the other three provinces of Whang Hai and North and South Pyeng An are jointly worked by the American Northern Presbyterian and Methodist churches, a division according to counties having been arranged for most of this section and under advisement for the balance.”[13]
[13] From “Call of Korea” by H. G. Underwood.
We find then that Seoul is the center for a very large and important country work, divided between the missions of the Northern and Southern Methodists and the Northern Presbyterians and includes parts of the Southern province of Kyeng Keui with all of Kyeng Keui North and South Chung Chong and Kang Won, giving a population of considerably over three million people, that assigned to the Presbyterians of Seoul alone having 1,500,000 inhabitants, and consists of a belt practically covering the whole width of the peninsula, comprising an area slightly less than that of West Virginia and about the same latitude. The Presbyterians have 123 self-supporting churches, 178 places of regular meeting, 1612 communicants, of which 315 were added last year, and 7500 adherents, and in 44 schools, they have an enrolment of over 750 scholars. For the care and oversight of all this they have eight clerical men, two doctors and four single ladies, but it must be remembered that three men must give the most of their time to Bible translation and literary work and Seoul being in a way the center for the whole field no small amount of technical business and committee work of the Mission devolves on these men, as well as the Mission schools. The Tract Society and Young Men’s Christian Associations and the Bible Societies have their agencies here and all these societies must claim a good deal of the time of Seoul missionaries, so that we may say that not more than five men are able to look after the needs of the great Bishopric of over 1,500,000 souls, the share of the Northern Presbyterians.
Chong Ju, though as yet considered part of Seoul station and its reports of work given there, will be in the near future a separate station and is now occupied by two clerical missionaries, one of whom is married. The work there is increasingly promising and the new station is in a very populous district. Mr. F. S. Miller writes, “The year has been one of lengthening cords, so that instead of 26 groups and meeting places we have now 44, instead of 46 communicants there are now 102, instead of 68 catechumens there are now 260, instead of five church buildings there are now fourteen, instead of $264.10 gold contributions there are $408.63. The work now extends eighty miles north, sixty miles south, seventy miles west and thirty-three miles east. We have groups and meeting places in twelve of the seventeen counties of the northern province and are working in twenty counties of the southern province. It takes two months of solid itineration to make the round of the established work alone. The Christians received much benefit from the revivals which the Spirit worked first in the city church and then in a succession of country classes till even the most conservative helper found himself in charge of a revival where he saw such conviction of sin as he had not thought possible before.”