Fifteen Years Among the Top-Knots; Or, Life in KoreaUnderwood, Lillias H. (Lillias Horton)
Religion
Fifteen Years Among the Top-Knots; Or, Life in Korea
Underwood, Lillias H. (Lillias Horton)
Korea -- Description and travel; Missions -- Korea
The following night was hot, the inns nothing more or less than ovens,
and morning found us all in an unusually wilted condition, and to add
to the general misery, the young ladies of our party had made important
additions to their luggage, which threw us all four into the utmost
consternation. That evening we reached Eul Yul, where both men’s and
women’s classes were to be held. As usual the people crowded in to meet
us as soon as we arrived. Although harvesting was on and it was one of
the busiest times of the year, quite a number of women came to study
with us. They were so bright and receptive, it was a pleasure to teach
them. I had some very interesting visits with the women in their own
homes, and was edified to see the bright and practical way in which the
Christian who accompanied us talked with some of the unbelievers. One
woman was hesitating, fearing she was too ignorant or too wicked to
receive salvation, to which our native friend said, “Why, if you are
hungry, and a bowl of rice is set before you, you eat right then, and
just so if you want salvation, you have only to take and eat.”
The listener’s eyes filled with tears, it seemed too good. All the
time we were talking, another Christian woman sat with bowed head
asking God’s blessing on the word. In the examination of applicants for
baptism, I was much interested to see how carefully our native leaders
questioned them. “You say you sin daily, but ask God to forgive, and
so have a happy and calm mind. Is it then no matter that you sin?”
Again, to a woman who said her past sins were forgiven, and her present
sins were confessed every day, he said, “Well, then, what sin have you
committed to-day?” She could or would only speak in a general way, and
after various questions, mentioned nothing in particular. “But,” said
Kim, “is that honoring God, to go and confess you have sinned, and
ask him to forgive you know not what?” On Sunday twenty people were
baptized. During the communion service all eyes were streaming, and
some sobbed like children at the thought of what the Lord had suffered
for them.
In the afternoon our native elder, Mr. Saw, gave us a delightful
illustrated Bible lesson on the Christian armor, with illustrations
drawn and colored by himself, and with most appropriate references.
The native Christian was first represented in ordinary dress all
unarmed, and in succeeding pictures, one after another of the needed
articles, helmet, shield, sandals, breastplate and sword were added.
These illustrations were unique to the last degree and extremely well
drawn. In the evening an experience meeting was held, when one after
another told what the Lord had done for them. Some had been the slaves
of drink, and had fallen again and again after repeated attempts to
resist, in their own strength, but now for years had been free men in
Christ, and were looked upon as miracles of grace by their friends and
neighbors.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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