Morning Calm v.31 no.163(1920 Apr.)
목차
The bishop's Letter. (To tko Readers of MORNING CALM.)
MY DEAR FRIENDS,— We are gradually emerging from one of the most severe winters experienced in Corea for many years past. The snowfall at least has been heavier than any within my recollection, and we have had our fair share of "cold snaps," with the thermometer hovering about zero or below. But “the winter of our discontent" was brightened by the arrival of Sister Helen Constance and Sister Faith, C.S.P., on January 20, after a journey which must have seemed to them almost interminable. Seventy-three mortal days—or over ten weeks - did the P. &0. take to transport them from London to Seoul. This is worse than anything that I remember when I first came to the East nearly thirty years ago. However, they are safely here now and seem none the worse for their voyage. Sister Faith is already going through her first struggles with the language, and will need all her patience and all your prayers and sympathy. It is difficult for people at home to realise the absolute bar to activities of all kinds which the language difficulty imposes, or to appreciate the strain on those who, perhaps after years of such active and strenuous work as Sister Faith has been doing at St. Michael's, Camden Town, suddenly find themselves cut off from all opportunities of rendering active service to those among whom they dwell. However, language study is a much simpler problem now than it was when the Sisters first came out over twenty-five years ago. And it will not be many months, please God, before Sister Faith finds her tongue, and finds also opportunities of active and useful work. Sister Helen Constance I have discouraged from even attempting to learn the language, as she is only here for a year or so on a visit of inspection, with a view to taking stock of the whole situation, as it affects the future activities of the Community of St. Peter in Corea. For over a quarter of a century the Sisters have done admirable pioneer work of one kind or another. But we have now got to envisage a whole lot of new problems, or old problems which are presenting themselves under a wholly new guise : for in Corea, as elsewhere, the world seems to be opening up an entirely new chapter in history.
And the Church has to meet the changing situation by bringing out of her treasure things new as well as old. The one supreme necessity at the present stage is that the Sisters shall provide for the needs of the work amongst women in Core—by somehow or another reproducing themselves. And nothing—least of all the wholly mistaken idea that we can count upon a continuous succession of Sisters arriving from England ad infinitum—must stand in the way of this. Whether or no our Sisters will find it possible, as the French Sisters here do, to develop the "religious life" among the women and girls of Corea, remains to be seen. (One difficulty in the way of this will always be the disproportionately small number of women in the population. The last census returns which I have seen showed that there were over half a million fewer women than men in Corea.) But whether it is to take the shape of an Order of "Sisters," or "Deaconesses," or even "Widows, such as we read of in the Apostolic times, we simply must find some means of providing the infant Church of Corea with a body of organised and trained women workers, just as we are beginning to supply it with a body of indigenous priests. There are many other useful things that the Sisters may do, but none so important as this, to which indeed everything that they do must in the future contribute somehow or another, or else give way. Crippled and hampered as we have been by the war, we have been making experiments during the last five or six years, partly through Sister Isabel's home for widows and the like—the Yang-tek-won, which is now temporarily closed—and partly through Sister Cecil's work with St. Mary's educational hostel for girls, which is still going strong, while Sister Edith Helena has been doing her best year by year to train and instruct those wonderful old ladies (many of them now getting past work) who have until now endeavoured to fill the gap in their capacity as " Bible women" (cacophonous and misleading title !). But we have to realise that all that we have done so far has been experimental, and that we have but" pecked at” the problem. In this connection it is interesting to remember that this Easter will see the conclusion of our experiment in sending two of the most promising girls brought up under Sister Cecil's care in St. Mary's Hostel to Sendai, in Japan, for a course of two years' training as Church workers in a school established for that purpose by the Episcopal Church of America. They have won golden opinions during their two years there, and I shall be disappointed if they, and those perhaps who follow them, do not contribute to the solution of the problem of which I have been speaking.
Meanwhile, now that we have got Sister Helen Constance and Sister Faith here, I am hoping that Sister Rosalie and Sister Isabel; convoyed by Father Drake, have safely reached home. I know that they reached Montreal just before Christmas, and were expecting to leave at once by the Express of France. So, with luck, they should have been with you before the end of the year, thus taking only thirty days on the journey, as against the seventy-three taken by the Sisters who travelled out via the Suez Canal! But, alas! the cost of the Canadian route is so tremendous is impossible to regard it as our normal means of communication Now, if only the world would come to terms with the Bolsheviks, or the Bolsheviks come to terms with the world, so that we could use the Siberia route again, what a blessing it would be !
And now there is another departure to chronicle, Father Bridle having left St. Won on January 26 on his long-delayed furlough, As he is travelling via Suez, I suppose be cannot be home much, if at all, before Easter. During his absence Father Cooper, whose reappearance amongst us is an unfailing cause of encouragement and thankfulness, takes charge of the Su Won Deanery as well as of his own Deanery of Chun-An, just as Father Bridle had charge of both during Father Cooper's absence in France. And as assistant he has Father Barnabas Kim, to help to supply the needs of his double charge. In the meantime, we are hoping against hope soon to hear news of Father Hodges' return to Corea. It seems hardly credible that it is just four years since he went away. Oh ! that war ! But, at least, we must be grateful for the news that Father Gurney is at last demobilised. Now let us hope that, with the rejuvenated Committee and revived interest, things will begin to hum.
When I am in England (if I get there) I shall be glad of the opportunity of overhauling the machinery of our Association of Prayer and Work for Corea—a rather prosaic title which I should like to change for one which would link us more definitely to our patron Saint Nicholas. The fundamental rule of daily prayer for the extension of Christ's Kingdom (by the use of any words and without any set collect) is one which will, I hope, never be altered. But I should like rather to give point to this and to other duties of members by slight alterations and additions to the rules and recommendations, and especially to help Miss Seaton in her labour with the children's work. In particular I want to see the Association extended to all the many parishes which take an interest in us (sometimes without entering into any relations with the Association at all I), and at the same time to see a revival of fervour in places which, though their names remain on the list, have somewhat fallen from their first love and zeal. I only say this much, however, to prepare the ground, as it is not possible to do much in the way of reorganisation at this distance. I hope that any of you who have observations to offer or suggestions to make will do so to Miss Hewlett or Father Gurney. And then, in consultation with the Commissaries and Home Council, especially of those members of it who have some experience of the Association's working, we ought to be able to get the new proposals into shape by next summer or autumn. For of this I am sure, that it is only in proportion as we are backed up by the unceasing prayers and Eucharists of our friends at home that our needs will be met and our works prospered.
I had intended to spend most of these next three months in an exhaustive visitation of the Diocese, which I hoped I might just complete before leaving for Lambeth. Alas ! "the plans of mice and men gang aft agley." The tremendous snowfall has rendered the country roads impassable. Twice I have started out, but have had to return after the first day—the last time after tumbling waist deep into a snow-drift, and then being nearly asphyxiated by the fumes of a charcoal brasier, introduced to mitigate the arctic rigours of the miserable shanty (a room about 6 feet cube) in which I spent the night with Father Hewlett. Given decent weather and fair roads, I have no objection to walking ten, twenty, or even thirty miles a day (as I should have had to do on this occasion) for a week or more at a time, or to passing night after night in the very uncomfortable quarters which alone are available for one's accommodation on these confirmation and visitation tours. But the weather is master of us all. And even if it had been physically possible for me to proceed with my journey, the chances of anyone finding their way through the snow-drifts to meet me were, to say the least of it, extremely slender. My enforced return to Seoul enabled me to fulfil a duty which has been delayed for two years, in the overhauling and rearrangement of our Diocesan library in Seoul, a quite useful collection of books, which had got into considerable disorder owing to change of habitat and a number of subsidiary causes. If possible I shall add to this letter a few notes on the subject — not without hope that some of our readers may be moved to fill up some of our gaps. Meanwhile, Fathers Hunt and Arnold are to employ their leisure hours in recataloguing the whole—no slight task.
Yours very truly in our Lord, MARK Bishop in Corea
BISHOP's LODGE, SEOUL February 2, 1930 P.S.
P.S—For the first time, alas! the annual Statistics of the Mission show a slight net decrease. Last year I was able to report that, in spite of a depleted staff and depleted funds, consequent on the war, we had so far just held our own. Now we are beginning to feel the effects of working so long at "half steam." Contributory causes may be found also in the heavy mortality due to two bad influenza epidemics, and the violent political unrest which has shaken the country from end to end during the last twelve months. But I look forward confidently to a complete recovery, when we get started afresh next year. The American Presbyterian Mission reports a falling-off of over 16,000 adherents! + M.N.T.
The Diocesan Library in Seoul.
THIS consists of something less than 3500 volumes, mostly, of course (about three-fourths), theological, but with a useful sprinkling of secular literature. The original nucleus consisted of Bishop Corle's library, which he left behind him when he resigned the Bishopric. To this was added a good many years ago a quite valuable collection of books, bequeathed by the Rev. J. E. Denison, formerly Vice-Principal of Cuddesdon, and assistant priest of St. John the Divine, Kennington. Then came the very considerable library bequeathed by my predecessor, Bishop Turner, and a large number of volumes from the library of the late Father Stephen Cartwright. Other additions have been made from time to time, notably in the shape of at least three grants made by that wonderful body the “Associates of Dr. Bray "—the good old man who took such a prominent part in Church affairs in the reigns of the last Stuarts, and whose foresight enables his representatives even now, from time to time, to make considerable grants of up-to-date theological literature to such libraries as ours. A recent private benefaction of £20 also has enabled us quite lately to procure a very useful collection of modern theological works, which were selected for us by two well-known divines in England. We shall always be glad of books, but as freight is very costly and shelf-room limited, it will be best to make inquiries before consigning books in any large quantities to us. Among the lacunae which I should like to see filled up are the following, which I had better put under a large type heading : —
Wanted.
Theological. — Driver, "Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament"; Moffatt, "Introduction to the Literature of the New Testament”; A. S. Peake, "Single Volume Commentary on the Bible"; "Century Bible” (to complete set)—Leviticus, Ezra, Jeremiah, Daniel, Acts, and Revelation ; "International Critical Commentary" (as published)—any except Numbers, Deuteromary. Judges, Samuel. Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Ezekiel, St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, St. Peter, St. Jude, all which we have. As we have a fairly good collection of patristic and liturgical works, of Church history and biography, as well as of apologetic, dogmatic, and homiletic literature, I do not at present ask for any gifts under these headings.
General.—We have very little Ruskins (only three volumes of "Preterita," "The Stones of Venice," "St. Mark's Rest," and "Frondes Agrestes "), and no Pater (except "Marius the Epicurean"). Of poetry, while well supplied with Milton, Scott, Burns, Tennyson, Longfellow, Goldsmith, Shelley, and a good many " minor poets," we have, oddly enough, no Chaucer, no Wordsworth, no Browning, and only a very shabby old Globe edition of Shakespeare! Of history, we want a Gibbon (we cannot expect Bury's edition, but should be quite content with Milman's, or one of the other old-fashioned ones), and if anyone liked to give us the "Cambridge Modern History," we should not say no! In our fiction shelves we have all Scott, Dickens, and Thackeray, but no Meredith, no Hardy, not much Austen or Brontë, and—perhaps I may be excused for feeling a little hurt at this—no Anthony Trollope !
I should, perhaps, add that our library is probably the only thing of the kind in Corea, and, as now freshly arranged and catalogued, may well prove itself even more useful than before to others outside the comparatively narrow circle of our own Mission. In a country, moreover, where literary culture ranks so high in general esteem as it does in these countries of the Far East, there is, to say the least, nothing lost by emphasising the Church's interest in matters literary.
Quite apart from the Diocesan Library, and housed at Bishop's Lodge, is the "Landis Library," consisting of a collection of some 600 European works on Corea, China, and Japan, and of a large number of Chinese and Corean printed books. The nucleus of this collection was formed by Dr. Landis before his lamented death in 1898, and has been very largely added to during the last twenty years. M. N. T. N.B. — Will those who are able to give any of these books communicate first with Miss Trollope, 48 Vincent Square, S.W. I, who will thus be able to avoid duplicates being sent?
On Japanese work in Corea.
The work in Seoul during the last year has been concentrated and intensive, and there is nothing new to relate. The reason is partly that the people here as a body are sadly troubled by that same germ of individualism that is such a hindrance to the Church at home. Perhaps some will reply that this germ is largely eradicated in England now. But is it so in any real sense of the word ? Just compare with our conditions the state of things in your own town, wherever it may be. How many priests have you? What do your churches look like? How are they beautified? How much opportunity is there for establishing the faithful and bringing in the indifferent? Having really thought of that, I would ask you to notice that this city of Seoul, which is as large as Bristol, has one priest for the whole of the Japanese population, numbering about 60,000. And this is not his only responsibility. It has one small church for Japanese. The altar hangings are poor and unworthy, such things as you would not tolerate in your drawing-room. We do our best, and people say " What a nice little church." But is that enough? How can one fish adequately in so large a*sea with such inadequate means? Isn't it largely owing to the germ of individualism that the Church at home keeps its priests and its luxuries to itself, and sometimes sends out, to what is called a "foreign Mission Station," an old set of vestments, or such like, when it obtains new ones for itself. Is it worthy of God? The question needs no reply. I boldly ask for your best for God. Send your best priests, and with them means and material that they may be able to do the best thing for God, and the Japanese in Corea at least will have an example that will shame their individualism.
As I began by saying, this is their great hindrance. There is not a living enthusiasm for the spread of the Kingdom. They keep it to themselves, instead of bringing in their friends, and so this year has been spent in building up a few of the faithful, and in preparing one or two who had begun to "hear" last year. Among the former are two boys baptized in infancy, who have been got hold of just in time and taught the Faith. When they began confirmation preparation they were as ignorant as any heathen. There had been no attempt in the home to bring them up as children of God. (How like England !) And yet the mother was much perturbed when I talked to her about the younger one, aged thirteen, being confirmed. She was anxious about his being admitted to sacred mysteries, and yet had never attempted to enlighten his ignorance. Apparently he was to pick the Faith up somewhere later on, and if he liked it to believe it. However, she saw the force of the argument that he might learn if he were taught, and in the end both he and his elder brother, aged sixteen, were prepared, made their first confession, and were confirmed with three others on the Sunday in All Saints Octave, when the Bishop baptised one catechumen, administered confirmation, and pontifcated at High Mass. We were glad to have Fr. Cooper with us to act as sub-deacon. He had just arrived from home. One of the confirmed has been ill, but all the others have made their
Note by the Bishop-There is no satisfying some people! Friends at home look at some photo of one of our little village chapels in Corea, where the poverty-stricken peasants barely succeed in providing themselves with four walls and a roof and the barely necessities of worship, and with eagle eye they detect the poor furniture of the altar. "What! only two lights!” they exclaim in horror-stricken tone, and straightway transfer their allegiance to some other Mission, whose unimpeachable orthodoxy is vouched for by the maintenance at all costs (and it is almost entirely a question of cost) of the regulation "six lights."
Per contra—Each priest in Corea has somewhere in his district a cope, usually made out of odds and ends of silk, of old worn-out vestments, sest us from home. At our last Ordination I asked the clergy who were to assist at the ceremony to bring their copes with them. And after the Ordination was over, a photograph was taken of the whole group of newly-ordained and assistant clergy, with the Bishop. It certainly makes a gay and rather decorative picture, which has appeared in MOISING CALM. "Fancy," say our critics, “the Mission being able to spend all that money on expensive vestments! We must certainly place our subscription where it is less likely to be wasted or gawgaws" Verily, there is to satisfying some people. M.N. T.
first Communions after further preparation and confession, and we hope are safely launched. On our Patronal Festival, St. Paul's Day, the Bishop confirmed one candidate, who has had to bear a great deal of opposition in his home and could not come in November. On this day the congregation was enlarged by the presence of Sister Helen Constance and Sister Faith, C.S.P. We were glad of the opportunity of introducing them to the Japanese side of the work on their first Sunday in Seoul. There have been some signs of "deepening" among the women. The church is used occasionally for private prayer, and on the whole the congregation is regular at Sunday Mass. Daily offices are said in the church, and though generally there are only ourselves in the morning, at evensong some of the people come occasionally, and there is Mass twice on week-days, the daily Mass being maintained in the Church of the Advent (English) or St. Nicholas (Corean), on the other side of the city. A church bell having been presented in memory of a little child, some of the Christians are learning to say the Angelus. A few country visits have been made, but not very satisfactorily. This work needs at least one priest all for itself.
This Christmas we had the crèche in this church, with which the children were specially delighted. Bethlehem tableaux were presented by the Sunday School at Christmas and Epiphany. On the latter occasion we invited the Corean Sunday School. This was in the nature of a return visit, as we had been invited to their sports in the summer.
The student Catechist, Nathaniel Kikuta, is now in Seoul, and is studying as well as he can under difficulties During the last year one lost sheep has returned — a man who fell under temptation and has been in prison. He showed evident signs of penitence and made his confession, and is now happily restored.
For the next few months, while we are all on furlough, the Church will be in much the same state as a dormouse in winter. We trust it will at least keep alive, but there will be only one priest to serve the three Japanese congregations, Seoul and his own Church (at Fusan) being eleven hours' distance from each other by train, with Taikyu in between.
However, we must hope that the presence of several members of Mission among you will be of some use in bringing vividly to your minds the enormous need of help, and the utter inadequacy of things as they are, so that you will no longer be able to be satisfied with stopping at home, but will come back with us, or after us as soon as possible. Think of it: there has been not one new foreign woman out since thirteen years ago for Japanese work, and, though the actual persons have changed, there was one priest then and there is one priest now. What can you do? V. C. GROSJEAN.
The General Secretary's Letter.
DEAR FELLOW MEMBERS OF A.P.W. COREA, — I am writing just a few words to introduce myself as the new General Secretary of the Association of Prayer and Work for Corea, a post which it will, I fully realise, be difficult to fill a adequately after such an energetic and capable predecessor as Miss Falwasser. I am glad, therefore, to think that I shall have the benefit of her experience to help me. At present I am afraid I know very few of the local Secretaries personally, but whenever it is possible I shall try to become acquainted with as many as I can. I hope this year will be one of very real progress for our Association, and if only each member would enrol one member, what an advance would be made! It surely should not be left to Secretaries alone to find new members. Not only do we want to strengthen the branches already formed, but we should aim at starting fresh centres, even if they are only small ones to begin with. The great thing is that in as many districts as possible there shonld be people praying regularly for the Corean Mission; but there are still too many places where Corea is unrepresented. I hope too that the work among children, which is so important, will extend, and perhaps adult members might help this on by trying to interest children and get junior members, May I remind you all that there will be a stall for Corea at the Annual Sale of Work for Missions in November. Miss Seaton (61 York Street Chambers, Bryanston Square, W.I) will undertake the management, assisted by other supporters of the Mission, including Mrs. Weir (15 Westbourne Terrace Road, W. 2), who will receive parcels; but all inquiries should be addressed to Miss Seaton. We shall, of course, want a large number of attractive and saleable articles for the Stall, but, even more, we rely on our friends to see that there is no lack of buyers.
Yours sincerely, MARGARET HEWLETT.
Letter from the Organising Secretary.
It is very encouraging to meet so many men and women, boys and girls in different parts of the country who are daily pray-ers for Missions, and for Corea in particular. Especially, I must say, the clergy, A.P.W.C. secretaries, and many churchwardens and teachers in country schools have shown splendid zeal and given me red-hot (not merely "warm") hospitality. Churchwardens, in quite a number of places, have made a point of motoring me to and from stations, and I am beginning to think they must be more valuable church workers than I had supposed !
Off I set on my rounds, like a commercial traveller, with a bag in one hand and a box of slides in the other, and tour the town and suburbs of London, the “B's" of England, such as Bristol, Birmingham, Brighton, and Bournemouth, the moors of Dorset, the wolds of Lincoln, the remote fastnesses of Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, and Somerset, and in every place — for Christ and Corea's sake — I have been welcomed Generally I am offered an altar to say my Mass, patiently are my sermons and addresses listened to, the lantern Slides bravely endured for an hour or longer, prayers promised and money given according to means. There seem to be no large subscribers : this kind of investment appeals to not many mighty, not many rich : but several thousand of God's poor have given, and promise to go on giving, and if they will persevere with prayer too, we need not fear that home support will fail us in the years to come.
Miss Falwasser arranged, and Father Drake kindly carried out, a progress in Hampshire during March, and fourteen or fifteen places heard about Corea from the Vicar-General. He is also preaching for the Mission at the Church of the Ascension, Lavender Hill, and at Lancing College. On April 7, Father Drake is due to sail for Corea, but Father Bridle arrived in England on March 23, and Fathers Hunt and Amold, as also Miss Grosjean, are expected home in June, and we hope the Bishop will arrive in time for the Anglo-Catholic Congress : so there is a good prospect of hearing about the work we love from some of our representatives who come hot from the scene of action. But we must remember that they are rather worn out, and allow them all (even the Bishop!) a reasonable amount of time to themselves.
Mr. Goffe's enthusiasm (now thirty years old) for Corea is unquenchable, and the Eastern Counties are responding in places. I have had the privilege of visiting Training Colleges for the Clergy at Canterbury, Lincoln, and Burgh, and in each case was received with extraordinary kindness and given every opportunity of blowing Corea's trumpet before the students.
The dozen or more of young men now preparing for Holy Order, who feel that they may be called to work in Corea, are all progressing steadily and need your prayer. But the Bishop wants to find some young priests, also, who will be ready to return with him to Corea next autumn. We only want the best, but we want them badly. As one who spent fourteen years in this Mission, I can assure the younger clergy that it is a life of joy, of glorious opportunity, of pioneer work of the stiffest kind, and that though no one of them is "good enough" to undertake it, the priest who feels the call and "funks" it, is missing the chance of a lifetime, grieving his Lord and disappointing the Angels.
I hope to receive requests for a speaker at Garden Meetings very soon. Do, please, let me know in good time, and I shall hope to persuade the people on furlough to fill some of the engagements. I add a few extracts from letters recently received from Corea : Fr. Hewlett writes: "I am sorry to say that the hostel at Chin-Chun has had to be closed for this year (no money), but I hope it may be reopened in 1921. Rates of exchange are appalling—we lose £2 on every £10. As things are so vilely expensive now, Fr. Lawrence and I are training to eat Corean food. John Hong is still in gaol and must be having an awful time." Fr. Hunt says : “All this political trouble in Corea has, of course, upset our work rather, but apart from not getting many new enquirers, our own people have stuck to the Church throughout. The Bishop walked back (thirty-three miles) from Kanghwa yesterday, having been there to keep their Dedication Festival. He said that over 90 yen (about £10) was given in SS. Peter and Paul's Church, and 120 yen, (£14 105. od.) in St. Andrew's, On Sontong. I am preparing three little plays, illustrating the life of St. Nicholas, to be performed here in Seoul." Fr. Bridle writes : "We had a very good Christmas, I think ; there was a crowded congregation at St. Stephen's (Su Won), both at first Evensong, 3:30 P.M., and at the Carol Singing in the evening ; this latter was followed by nativity tableaux. In spite of the rough weather there were 150 communicants early on Christmas Day and a very large congregation for the Sung Mass at 10 A.M." Fr. Hewlett asks : "Will anyone give us a really good set of slides of Our Lord's Child-Life and Miracles, and another of Our Lord's Passion?” (Will any group or individual who feels moved to respond kindly let me know? -W.N.G.)
Another member of the Mission writes: "First of all, you will be pleased to hear that your old boy, Cho Peitero, and Yi Jacobo, both of whom have been in prison since March 1919, awaiting trial for taking part in demonstrations for independence, unaccompanied by any act or threat of violence, have been at length released—each receiving “ninety strokes.". (A most dastardly, cruel, and savage Japanese method of treating Coreans.) "They have been in prison nine months, simply awaiting trial. We need a Habeas Corpus Act in Corea.”
These letters make one weep. I have also had some most pathetic letters from Coreans. It behoves us to do all we possibly can for these unhappy people. I do not mean politically, though they have appealed to the League of Nations and to Mr. Lloyd George and President Wilson for protection, but by all legitimate means to help them in body and soul, and it makes the work of Missions to the Japanese of even more obvious importance—if we wish these Eastern allies of ours to become civilised in the Christian sense, which is a very different thing from success in war and commerce, and progress in the realms of world-power, machinery, and wealth WILFRID N: GURNEY. MOONDARA, PINNER, MIDDLESEX.
Memorial to Sister Nora, C.S.P. It has been proposed to endow an orphan at the Su Won Orphanage in memory of Sister Nora. For this £100 to £200 will be required, owing to the high cost of living at the present time. Contributions to be sent as soon as possible to Miss Sanders, Standlynch, Four Marks, Hants. —————————— The Annual festival. The Annual Festival will be held on Wednesday, June 2. Holy Eucharist, 8.30 A.M., St. Faith's Chapel, St. Paul's Cathedral II A.M., All Saints', Margaret Street. Preacher, Rev. Canon Downe. Meeting, 5 P.M., Sion College. The Bishop of London will preside. ——————————
Home Notes.
Miss SANDERS wishes to thank those who responded generously to the appeal for support of two orphans, Yee Lucy and Chang Nannie. Miss M. Falwasser (Ashurst, Ranelagh Road, Winchester) will be glad to receive, for a United Missionary Sale in Winchester, contributions of saleable articles, which should be sent to her, priced, not later than the middle of May.
Children's Letter.
DEAR BOYS AND GIRLS, — We are happy now in having our regular correspondent in Corea, and below you will read his letter to you. There are now many young people who,' though not actual members of our association, are interested in, and working for Corea, so now we want them to devote all their energies to supporting and helping forward’ he schools for boys and girls and our hostels. We have three good boys' schools at Su Won, Chunan, and On Soutong, and possibly one or two other places, and also about fifteen or twenty small village schools. There is a good school for girls at On Soutong, and a few smaller ones elsewhere. Then there are hostels where our boys and girls live while attending Government schools. These are, for boys, Seoul, Chemulpho, Kanghwa, and Chin-Chun, and, for girls, Seoul. These hostels are very important as they provide Christian homes for boys and girls who have to leave home to go to school. In another letter fuller information will be given, but just these few facts and the letter below will, I hope, be an incentive to get boys over here, as well as girls, to be interested in the children of Cores. Your sincere friend, MABEL SEATON ————————
St. Nicholas and the Pickles.
OUR little Church for the Coreans in Seoul is dedicated to St Nicholas, one of the most charming and popular Saints of the Church. He is the protector of children and sailors, and he will also keep your house from catching fire if you ask him to do so, in a proper and Christianlike manner. In England and on the continent many churches are dedicated to St. Nicholas. You will notice these churches generally stand by the sea or on the banks of some river or stream. This is because of our Saint's connection with sailors. St. Nicholas has now found his way to Corea. At Seoul there are two churches dedicated to him, viz., our own little church and we hope some day to dedicate our Cathedral to St. Nicholas and St. Mary—and the little Russian Church just round the corner, at the back of the British Consulate. St. Nicholas was Bishop of Myra in Asia Minor about the year 325, and amongst many of his good deeds was that one when he raised to life three little boys who had been pickled in a tub! There had been a famine in the land, and an innkeeper running short of bacon had cut up these little boys and pickled them in a salting-tub. St. Nicholas, hearing of this dreadful crime, went to the tavern, asked for the pickle tub, and at his word the remains of the pickled children came together, and the little pickles stood up alive in the tub! During our Patronal Festival in December, some of our boys and girls performed three little plays illustrating the Life of St. Nicholas. The picture shows the three children in the pickle tub—actual Corean pickle jars—and St. Nicholas is seen raising them to life again. St. Nicholas is represented here by Choi Basil, who teaches the children the Catechism, and the three little boys are, in the centre, Yi Elia, on the right Yi Aidan, and on the left Yi Su-ar-i. At Christmas time the shops are decorated, but not on account of Christmas, but for the New Year's Day Festivities. It is strange to see so many Santa Claus for sale, and the heathen Japanese go into the shops and buy these figures and march off with them, little thinking that Santa Claus is our St. Nicholas C. HUNT. . . . ST. NICHOLAS AND THE PICKLES ——————
Children's funds.
PLEASE note that from April 1 Miss M.-Sanders (Standlynch, Four Marks, Hants) is entirely responsible for collecting money for the Orphanage Fund, Miss M. Seaton (61 York St. Chambers, Bryanston Sq., W.1) will collect from A.P.W.C. Children's Branches for Schools and Hostels. This side of the work ought to be more developed, so that as soon as possible boys and girls in England may be entirely responsible for the support of the Mission schools for boys and girls in Corea. Printed
