The Bible translating committee had been enlarged and now included Rev. H. G. Appenzeller (M. E.) and Mr. James S. Gale (Presby.), in addition to Dr. Scranton and Mr. Underwood. Lesson leaves were prepared for our Bible classes, and a number of tracts were being translated by various missionaries. Before our return to America in 1891, and for some years after, it was the cruel custom among wealthy natives to put servants, dependents or strangers at once on the street, if afflicted with any infectious disease, and it was the commonest occurrence to find poor people lying by the roadside, either exposed to the bitterest blasts of winter or the blazing heat of midsummer. Sometimes a friend or relative had erected a rude hut of thatch over the sufferer, sometimes a whole family together occupied such a hut, the dead and living lying together. It was our heart’s desire to obtain in some way the means to buy or build a hospital for such cases. While we were in America small sums were put at odd times into our hands “for the work,” and as these sums increased we decided to use the money for this long-cherished purpose. Soon after our return, we were able, at a very low price, to buy a beautiful piece of ground on a breezy hillside, covered with fine trees and with a good tiled house having six or seven rooms. This was large enough for our present purpose, and money in hand was not sufficient to build the sort of hospital of which we dreamed. So we repaired the old building and added a caretaker’s quarters. We made the institution undenominational, arranging that any one might place cases of infectious disease there, which should be attended by any doctor desired. At the same time a little dispensary, given in memory of her only son by Mrs. Hugh O’Neil, of New York, was opened not far from the “Shelter,” as it was called, on the main road to the north. Here, in addition to medical work in a small way, women’s Bible classes were held, men’s and women’s evening prayer meetings, and often Sabbath morning services. July of 1894 saw the beginning of the China-Japan war in Korea, and the capture of Seoul by the Japanese. We were awakened one morning by the sound of firing, and soon learned that the palace was in possession of the Japanese. Excitement rose quite high among both foreigners and natives.