Morning Calm v.1 no.4(1890 Oct.)

THE MORNING CALM. NO. 4, Vol. 1.] OCTOBER 1890. [PRICE 1d. The Bishop's Letter. No. XV. Halifax, Nova Scotia, August 7, 1890.

DEAR FRIENDS,

My short visit to the United States, you see, is over. 미국을 잠깐 방문한 게 끝났습니다.

It was delightful and all too short. I reached New York, Friday, July 25, and left Portland (Maine), Monday, August 4. 즐거웠고 아주 짧았습니다. 7월 25일 금요일에 뉴욕에 도착했고, 8월 4일 월요일에 메인주에 있는 포틀랜드를 떠났습니다.

In spite of the heat (which in New York and Portland was registered at 94° in the shade) I managed to get through a good deal. 더웠지만 그럭저럭 괜찮게 지냈습니다.

My object in coming to America was to interest the Bishops of the American Church in our Mission. 미국에 온 이유는 우리의 선교에 미국 교회 주교들이 관심을 갖게 하기 위해서였습니다.

This is the worst time of the year, however, for finding people at home, and I soon found that, unless I spent more time in the country than I had arranged for, it would be impossible to see many of the Bishops. Accordingly, I determined to do in writing what I could not do in person, and sent a letter to each of them – seventy or thereabouts – commending the Mission to their prayers. It will be a great thing for us to be strengthened in this way, for the Church in America is full of Missionary zeal. She has missions of her own in Africa, China, and Japan, all doing good work. 그런데 미국에 있는 주교를 찾기가 일년중 가장 안 좋은 시기입니다. 더 많은 주교들을 만나려면 생각했던 것보다 더 많은 시간을 미국에서 써야 합니다. 그래서 직접 만날 수가 없으니 각각의 주교에게 70통 정도 되는 편지를 써서 기도를 부탁했습니다. 이런 식으로 우리가 힘을 얻는 것도 좋습니다. 미국의 교회는 선교에 대한 열망으로 가득하기 때문입니다. 미국은 아프리카, 중국, 일본에서 선교를 시작했고 모두 잘 되어가는 중입니다.

After spending a quiet time from Friday to Monday at the Rectory of the Church of the Transfiguration, renewing old acquaintances and making some delightful new ones, I left New York for Philadelphia, where I was received, as I knew I should be, by my old friend Fr. Field, of the S.S.I.E., who is at present in charge of St. Clement's Church. He began by giving me ten dollars, a marriage fee which he received that afternoon. Whilst he was earning this money for me, I went by train to Overbrook, where I knew I should find one of my Portsmouth orphan children who recently went there to service. Some of you can imagine what a long and delightful talk Kate and I had about old times in the dear old home. On Tuesday, July 29, I went by steamer down the Delaware to Wilmington to see Bishop Coleman of Delaware, who gave me a hearty welcome, I could not have met with a better man for my purpose. The Bishop is full of the Mission spirit, and regards with a father's eye all that the Church has to do everywhere, and not merely in his Jerusalem. Nor did he let me go without summoning his household to the private chapel attached to his house, and uniting us all in intercession for foreign missions.   On my return from Wilmington I heard a good deal from Fr. Field of the wonderful work which the Society of the Iron Cross is doing – a Society for men numbering many thousands who are to be found not only in the States but in Canada, South Africa, and elsewhere. Its object seems to be to promote godly living amongst the baptized, by reminding men of the Baptismal vow, of the reverence, soberness and chastity which are due from a Christian just because he is a Christian. Thus it seemed to me that the Society of the Iron Cross was at once more definite than many of our parish guilds, and more comprehensive than the C.E.T.S. and C.E.P.S. The Rev. C. E. Brooke, of Brixton, S.W., is, I understand, the Chaplain of the Society for England, and I am sure that he will give you information on the subject if you are interested.

On Wednesday I left Philadelphia, and paid a flying visit to Point Pleasant – a sort of American Lee-on-the-Solent – where people go for sea air and bathing, and live very much in a picnic kind of way. Here I saw the St. Clement's Seaside Home for Poor Children (and you may be sure I saw the children too) who come down in parties of thirty for a fortnight at a time. The community of All Saints', Margaret Street, are doing here and in Philadelphia the good work for which they are so well known in England.

The Clewer Sisters, too, are at work in New York, and on my return I visited their beautiful house and gave them messages from their friends in St. Raphael's Home, Torquay. The next day I went to Garden City and made the acquaintance of Bishop Littlejohn, of Long Island, who received me most kindly, and was soon as full of interest in Korea as I found he was in other missions. Many of you know the Bishop, at least by reputation. You will know, therefore, that this means a good deal. On Friday, August 1, I went to Boston, and there met Dr. Landis, the American physician who has joined us. You can imagine that we were very glad to see each other and very busy in making arrangements for our outward journey. He is to meet me at Vancouver at the end of this month. While at Boston I stayed at the Mission House of St. John the Evangelist, where Fr. Torbert welcomed me with an American heartiness, which, though I have now learned to expect it, never fails to touch me deeply. I paid a visit to the Children's Hospital – a beautiful building in which the patients are cared for by those matchless nurses of St. Margaret's, East Grinstead, who, I could see, were as truly appreciated by the dear children as their sisters are by many a sufferer in England. I thought of my St. Peter's (Kilburn) sisters at work in a similar building in Korea – an   imagination to become a reality, please God, before long. Thus, although I was only ten days in the States, I saw, in Philadelphia, Point Pleasant, New York, and Boston, English men and English women working for their American brothers and sisters without any earthly reward save the blessings of those whom they comforted and consoled. From Boston I went on Saturday, August 2, to St. Paul's College in New Hampshire, a lovely place in the country, two miles out of Concord, reminding me of Lancing or St. Michael's College, Tenbury, both of which St. Paul's resembles in more ways than one. Here Dr. Coit and his son and daughter quite spoilt me with their affectionate kindness. It was as much as I could do all along to remember that it was their love for the Church of England and not for me which prompted it. St. Paul's numbers some 300 boys; it was holiday time, and they were all away of course. I could well imagine, though, how like an English public school it must be in term time.

The chapel is a gem, suggesting Winchester College Chapel in its proportion, its glass by Clayton and Bell, its beautiful oak screen and stall work. In the little parish church adjoining I preached twice, and received from these dear people an offertory amounting to 133 dollars. How I should like to tell you of all I saw, and heard, and enjoyed in St. Paul's, Concord! But my letter is already too long, and I must go on to tell you that on Monday I had to take an early train for Portland (Maine), which was reached at noon. The Bishop of Maine, Dr. Neely, was at the station to meet me. His true sympathy and warm brotherly love were very touching, and epitomized all the wise largehearted kindness which has never left me since I landed in New York. I left that afternoon in the S.S. Cumberland, and found myself next day once more under the English flag in St. John, New Brunswick. The help my American friends have given me has been of the most substantial kind. They would not let me pay any of my railway fares. Please remember this and all their other acts of kindness in your thanksgivings next month. The offertory from St. Paul's, Concord, together with the marriage fee from Philadelphia, and five dollars given me by a devoted servant of God at the Church of the Transfiguration, New York, just suffices to provide Dr. Landis with his necessary outfit. In helping me, therefore, these good people have already unconsciously been helping one of their own countrymen. I am very well and happy. God bless you all.

Your affectionate, C. J. CORFE. P.S. – I have just seen the August number of "Morning Calm." What a capital number! Mr. Editor, I congratulate you.

• Association of Prayer and Work for Korea.

We have this month to chronicle a new departure in the work of the Association, namely, the formation of the Portsmouth Orphanage Branch. With great pleasure we hail Miss Woodin, the Matron of the Royal Seamen and Marines' Orphan Home at Portsmouth, as the first of the Local Secretaries to take up a more dignified title and a more responsible position as a Branch Secretary. We wish her all success in the work that she has most willingly undertaken, feeling sure that the Orphanage Branch, under her management, will be a never-failing support to the Mission to Korea and a great centre of interest in all foreign missionary enterprise; while we also hope that the machinery of the Association will prove of great assistance to her in keeping the large numbers of girls who pass in and out of the Home in touch with her and with the Home, and in many ways will be a real benefit to those orphans to whom she is devoting her life. We need scarcely say that the Portsmouth Orphanage Branch is a new thing only in name. There can be few people who know the Bishop of Korea who have not heard him speak of his orphans and of the affection he bears to them and they to him. All the love and reverence he won amongst them while he was chaplain at Portsmouth Dockyard are following him to Korea. He and his orphans are constant correspondents. One of them finds prominent mention in this month's letter from America. They contribute generously to the fund for poor Korean children, and they give him what he most earnestly asks, and what the rich sometimes refuse to give – their daily prayers. The names of nineteen of them have already appeared in the lists of members of the Association, and we shall look forward to Miss Woodin's reports, which will record the admission of many more. A special card of membership has been printed – and very attractive it is, bordered with a twisted cord in navy blue, with little gold anchors at the corners, and bearing the Association badge in blue, and as motto the text, “Grant thee thy heart's desire, and fulfil all thy mind," chosen by the girls themselves, at the Bishop's request, from the first five verses of the 20th Psalm, which some of them had sent him as an Easter greeting. Girls who have left the Home, and who wish to join the branch, are asked to write to Miss Woodin, Royal Seamen and Marines' Orphan Home, Portsmouth. We also record with very great pleasure the formation of a branch of the Association in Canada, as one result of the Bishop's visit on his way to Korea.

Local secretaries are reminded that their second quarterly reports will be due during the first week in October. Now that the summer holidays are over and winter is approaching, they are asked seriously to consider what special work on behalf of the Mission, in the form of working parties or otherwise, they will find it possible to organise in their respective centres. Although to some, no doubt, it will be impossible, through lack of time or opportunity, to start anything more than that which they are already doing, and which we earnestly thank them for doing, i.e., interesting all their personal friends – still, the General Secretary hopes to receive many reports of undertakings which will show that the talents possessed by all are being used to help, in many different ways, the Mission we are all watching with such heartfelt and prayerful interest and anxiety. And we are sure that many leaders of such work will write, as one has recently done, that they find it not only helps the Mission but themselves and their companions in it, and their usual home work as well.

• LIST OF NEW MEMBERS.

The Church's Marching Orders. "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." – Is. lix. 19. MUCH has been said and written lately in disparagement of our foreign missions; the visible results seem to be inadequate, the character of the heathen converts is often unsatisfactory; one writer of eminence has gone so far as to assert that the Mahomedan religion is more suitable to the present condition of Eastern races than Christianity. This is not pleasant reading for those who have devoted the best years of their life to the missionary cause, and we cannot help thinking that it is somewhat ungracious on the part of those who publish such criticisms. It may well be that the time is not ripe for the conversion of the world to Christianity. Many thousand years elapsed before Christ came into the world, and during this long period the knowledge of the true faith was confined to one chosen race, but when “the fulness of time" was come the most highly civilised races of mankind were led to embrace the Gospel. Many thousands of years may pass away ere the heathen can be fitted to receive the same privileges which have been granted to us. Meanwhile we have the plain command to preach the Gospel to every creature, and it is not for us to ask whether our labours shall meet with immediate success; we must leave the issue to the inscrutable wisdom and providence of the Almighty, with the full assurance that if we do our part faithfully our reward will be as great, whatever the result may be. We do not honour our brave soldiers in the Soudan the less because their efforts produced no immediate results. We might, undoubtedly, have conquered and annexed the whole of the Soudan if we had thought it worth while to make the attempt, but, rightly or wrongly, the Government decided that the time was not ripe for such an enterprise, and so we retired and left matters much as they were before, but none the less credit is due to those who fought and suffered to maintain their country's honour. Who does not admire the heroism and patriotic feeling of brave General Gordon, who, refusing to the last to believe that his country would forsake him, died a soldier's death before the walls of Khartoum rather than desert the post entrusted to him? We all know that it requires a far higher order of courage to persevere in spite of difficulties and discouragements than to follow up a brilliant success, and to continue inactive day after day when subject to a dropping fire is a severer ordeal than the hand-to-hand conflict with the enemy in the excitement of the battlefield. It has been said to be the characteristic mark of our countrymen that "they never know when they are beaten" – that is, that they continue to fight when others would consider the contest as hopeless. The Christian missionary in this conflict with the powers of heathendom is actuated by a similar spirit; he is not discouraged by difficulties or failures; he does not look for immediate success; he knows that the Almighty can and will accomplish His purpose in His own good time. All that he is concerned with is to continue faithful at his post, come what may. But though we achieved no great or lasting results in the Soudan, we gained many brilliant successes; the victories of Tel-el-Kebir and of Abuklea showed what we could do if we put forth all our strength, and served to cheer the spirits of our soldiers and to strike terror into the hearts of the enemy, and in the same way we do occasionally hear of striking successes in the mission field, which we may imagine the Almighty permits in order to cheer the hearts of His servants when they are tempted to despond. We trust that the instances of Christian heroism and successful work in the mission field which will be recorded from time to time in the Magazine will show that, whatever may be said to the contrary, the Gospel has power to tame the savage nature of man, and that though some missions may be failures, there are many which have achieved a signal success.

• The Spirit of Missions.

In these days, while our thoughts are going out to our countrymen who are doing the work of civilisation in Africa, friends of Missions will do well to remember that the expeditions have a special interest for them. Bishop Tucker's party is not the only one which accompanies such an expedition. For Canon Douglas of Bloemfontein has been sent by the Bishop to MASHONALAND. ‘Our Church is sending me there' he writes, 'to plant her flag and occupy the land. I am travelling with the British South Africa Company's Police, ministering to them on the way. We are now on the northern border of the British Protectorate of Bechuanaland, in Khama's country, and hope to advance in less than a month's time. We may perhaps be attacked by Matabele on the way, so every precaution has to be taken.' August 1st, 1890, is a great day in the annals of Africa. On that day was published the proclamation of the Sultan of Zanzibar, by which slavery was abolished throughout his dominions; it should be the death-blow of slavery in East Africa. The Church Missionary Intelligencer calls attention to the fac that slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire exactly 56 years before. There can be but few parishes with so varied a population as Holy Trinity, Essequibo, BRITISH GUIANA. From a letter of the Rev. F. L. P. Josa, till recently Incumbent of the parish, it appears that out of about 15,000 people, nearly half are Hindus or other East Indian settlers; of these 125 are Christians. There are five congregations of people of African descent, who speak English, some 150 Chinese, of whom 70 are Christians, besides Spanish, Portuguese, and other Europeans, and native Indians. In his work among them Mr. Josa was assisted only by a deacon and some catechists.   The following description of a forest fire in BRITISH COLUMBIA was written by the wife of a former missionary there : – Our home was situated in a small basin, surrounded on all sides by huge fir-covered mountains. Amongst the trees were built the few wooden houses of the white settlers, the native houses, and the native and English churches. Such little townships are often in danger from the fires which are of frequent occurrence in the forests of the Western mountain range of America. I had a lady staying with me who was very anxious to see a forest fire; her wish was gratified, and she never wishes to see another. For some days there had been rumours of fire near; one Sunday morning the air was very oppressive and heavy, and in the afternoon as I went to Sunday-school I noticed that an ominous silence had fallen on everybody. School commenced, when suddenly the earth shook, and a tremendous explosion was heard. Within a few minutes parents came seeking their children; and on leaving the church we found that the forest all about us was on fire. I reached the parsonage, to find that we were in imminent danger of being burnt out, and in far greater danger from the proximity of the powder magazine. This was filled with giant powder, an explosive used for blasting purposes, which burns away quietly if ignited, but explodes under percussion. The trees around it were on fire, and the powder itself was burning. If the burning trees fell on it it would explode, the explosion would shatter all the houses and probably deafen many, even if no loss of life occurred. Only the night before the ordinary gunpowder – 500 lbs. – had been removed, else it must have exploded, and probably no one would have survived to tell the tale. I shall never forget that afternoon – the momentary fear of explosion, the intense heat, the suspense of the people, and the beauty of the scene. We went to the native church with the interpreter. In the middle of the service there was an explosion, small comparatively, but enough to break every window in one street and throw down all moveable articles. The women and children and many of the men hurried down to the creek, the only place where the fire could not pursue them; and people began to remove their property from the houses in boxes, to save what they could. As the evening came on, we heard that the giant powder was burnt, so that the danger from that quarter was over. But soon it was whispered that in a hut below there were several tins of powder – enough to blow up the town. Hardly believing it, we went down, and there, sure enough, were the cases of powder, stored for mining purposes. And the fire was gaining every moment; sparks and burning wood were flying in all directions! After much trouble the powder was removed, and none too soon. We had dinner, but I am ashamed to confess that I was afraid to light the kitchen fire: it seemed as if one more blaze would set everything alight: the wooden houses were so hot that it burnt one to touch them. After dinner came service, at which only two or three were present. When we came out we found that the wind had changed, and the fire was advancing up the mountains – giving us time to check its advance. It was a lovely sight. We were surrounded with fire; the mountains were ablaze, and when the gumtrees caught the flames flew up them like fountains of fire. And in front the sky was lighted with carmine till it looked like some wonderful aurora. By the time we went to bed all immediate danger was over, though for a fortnight we had to cover our roofs at times with wet blankets. Such was our first experience of a forest fire. I never spent such a time before or after; and it is one of the few scenes of New Westminster life which I shall remember with the vividness of yesterday, now that I am in an English home, and much of the past seems like a dream.

As a commentary on the paragraph last month about the INDIANS of Minnesota, we cannot refrain from adding the following, told by Bishop Whipple, and quoted from the New York "Spirit of Missions": Some time ago an Indian brought me a lock of hair saying: "My Christian wife is dead; could you have it made in a cross? When I look at it I shall think of her and of Jesus who died on the Cross for her." I sent the poor man the cross, and here is his letter to his Bishop, sweet, simple, grateful. Truly all hearts are alike when touched by the love which comes from the Saviour : "WHITE EARTH, MINNESOTA, February 5, 1890. "DEAR BISHOP, – I received that which I asked you to have made for me, the little cross. Indeed I was pleased when I saw it. As long as I live I will keep it, and I shall try to live as He who saved us by the Cross would wish to have us live. I shall try to live so. In my heart I remember this, saying there ‘I thank you.' That is all I say to you about that. I was sick four weeks; to-day for the first time I am well. But to our Saviour I delivered up myself, to do with me as He pleased. Now He destines me to be well, and I thank Him. That is all. I salute you and your wife. I am the one who loves you – MADJIGISHIG."  

• Korea – Its Past History.

By the common consent of Chinese and native tradition, Ki Tsze is the founder of Korean social order. If this tradition be true, the civilisation of the hermit nation nearly equals, in point of time, that of China, and is one of the very oldest in the world, being contemporaneous with that of Egypt and Chaldea. It is certain that the natives plume themselves upon their antiquity. From the lofty height of thirty centuries of tradition, which is to them unchallenged history, they look with pitying contempt upon the upstart nations of yesterday, who live beyond the sea under some other heaven. When the American Admiral, John Rodgers, in 1871, entered the Han River with his fleet, hoping to make a treaty, he was warned off with the repeated answer that "Korea was satisfied with her civilisation of four thousand years and wanted no other.” (Griffis—"The Hermit Nation.") Native writers, always highly imaginative, give us little help in tracing the course of events through these long centuries, as may be expected from the description Père Dallet gives of the manner in which they wrote history. He says "... it is strictly forbidden to write or print modern history, that is, the history of the princes of the reigning dynasty. Certain dignitaries of the palace put down secretly all that goes on, according to their view of it. Then these writings are placed, sealed, in four chests kept in four different provinces. When the dynasty is at an end and another has succeeded it, official history is composed with the help of these various documents. It is also customary, in most of the noble families, to note on private registers the chief events, but with great care never to pronounce a judgment or an opinion on the acts of the ministers, or even the inferior agents, or the writer's head would be endangered." We turn, therefore, to Chinese and Japanese historians and endeavour to unravel fact and fiction. Of the aboriginal inhabitants of the peninsula, and whence and when they came, nothing is known. There they were, with manners and customs different from those of China, when bands of settlers came from China and from the far north to conquer them, to educate them, and to be absorbed in them. The leader of the first of these bands was the renowned Ki Tsze or Ki Tzu, “who had been a prominent minister of the Shang dynasty, and who at the commencement of the Chou dynasty in China (B.C. 1122), left China with a large following and established himself in Korea. He is credited with having introduced the principles of civilisation into the country, and Phyöng-yang, where he is said to have lived, is almost sacred to him. The respect and love in which his memory is still held are evident from the inscriptions over gateways and public offices, almost all of which allude to him in some manner or other." (Carles – "Life in Korea.") Ki Tzu "policed the borders, gave laws to his subjects, and gradually introduced the principles and practices of Chinese etiquette and polity throughout his domain," and “taught the aborigines letters, reading and writing, medicine, many of the arts and the political principles of feudal China.” (“The Hermit Nation.") But Mr. Griffis tells us this domain lay outside and to the west of modern Korea. The name conferred on it by Ki Tzu "is that now in use by the modern Koreans – Chŏsen or Morning Calm. . . . The descendants of Ki Tsze are said to have ruled the country until the fourth century before the Christian era.” (To be continued.)

• Missionary Intercessions and Thanksgivings.

VOCATION TO MISSIONARY WORK. PRAY that the Lord of the Harvest would call more labourers into His Harvest (1) by the words of Holy Scripture; (2) by the sermons of preachers; (3) by the lives of devoted Missionaries; (4) By the deaths of martyrs; (5) by His love in coming to save men; (6) by the whispering of the Holy Spirit. PRAY that He would (7) call the young to aspire to Mission work; (8) call men and women to resolve upon it; (9) call parents and friends to resign them to it; (10) enable them to overcome the shrinking of the flesh; (11) enable them to break through the entanglements of the world; (12) enable them to overcome the opposition of the devil. MISSIONARY ACTIVITY. PRAY (1) that priests may be more zealous in stirring up interest for Foreign Missions in their parishes; (2) for a blessing on Missionary associations in our parishes; (3) for greater liberality on the part of the wealthy; (4) for greater interest in Mission work; (5) increased observance of the Day of Intercession for Foreign Missions; (6) for the good example of Christians in foreign lands. - NATIVE CHRISTIANS. PRAY for their (1) perseverance; (2) growth in grace; (3) illumination; (4) courage in persecutions; (5) steadfastness in temptation. SPECIAL MISSIONS. Korea. – The Bishop, wisdom, guidance, health. The Koreans, grace to hear and to obey. The doctors and the hospital work, prosperity. The priests entering upon the work, courage, faith. Japan. – The Bishop, the clergy, the infant church at a critical time. Equatorial Africa. – The Bishop and priests at Buganda; the native Christians; for restoration of peace. Madagascar. – The new work amongst the Betsiriry.