a clarified vision through faith in Jesus Christ and a knowledge of the word of God. Their land is called Chosen, "The Land of the Morning Calm." Who knows but they are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that they may show forth the excellencies of Him who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light; who in time past were no people but are now the people of God; who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy"? Who knows? Anybody may know that they are or will be if we and they are faithful now to give and live the gospel as we have it, and as the Lord Jesus Christ commanded. Any people may be the chosen of the Lord if they obey His Word. God has called; will we hear? God has done His part; will we do ours? If we will, all will be well, as a Korean poet himself has said:

"Flowers bloom and flowers fall,

Men have hopes and men have fears,
All the rich are not rich all,
Nor have the poor just only tears.
Men cannot pull you up to heaven,
Nor can they push you down to hell;
God rules, so hold your spirit even,
He is impartial, all is well."

K

CHAPTER XVII.

EDUCATIONAL WORK IN KOREA.

OREA is distinctly and preeminently an evangelistic mission. The earlier years of missionary

work were devoted almost exclusively to direct evangelization by means of the preacher and Bible worker and the Christian physician. Schools and edutional work came in later, after a Christian community had been gathered, and have had for their purpose the education and training of the church. In some other lands the schools served as a pioneer evangelistic agency. In Turkey and India, for example, practically the only means of approach to the higher classes of society has been through the educational institutions. But in Korea conditions have been different. Here the school was not so necessary to the introduction of Christianity.

Dr. Wm. M. Baird of Pyeng Yang, in a paper read at the quarto-centennial of the Mission on "The History of Educational Work in Korea," said:

"In the founding of our mission in 1884, and in its plans and methods for several years following, evangelism rightly preceded the founding of schools. Some attempts at the starting of schools were made in those early days, but there is little on record con

cerning them. In 1886, the year that marked the baptism of the first Korean convert, also marked the starting of a 'Jesus-doctrine school' by our missionaries in Chung Dong, Seoul. This school, first started by Rev. H. G. Underwood, was afterward for a time in charge of the Rev. Jas. S. Gale, not then a member of our mission. From 1890 to 1893 it was under the supervision of Rev. S. A. Moffett, and from 1893 to 1897, when it closed, it was under the care of Rev. F. S. Miller, with whom Rev. W. M. Baird was associated for a short time during the year 1896-7.

"For several years no member of the mission was set aside exclusively to educational work, but Mr. Baird was asked to give some attention to the development of educational plans. About this time, the great evangelistic growth, which has since become historic, commenced. Centering as it did in Pyeng Yang, it required all the energy of the few missionaries on the field to guide it along in safe channels. It came almost like a surprise to both the missionaries and the Board, and found them unprepared fully to man the movement. The time and strength of all workers was absorbed in field evangelistic work, and the few schools in existence received but a modicum of attention.

Previous to 1897 a very few missionary schools had been started. They were located in Fusan, near Seoul, at Pyeng Yang, at Sorai and at several other points in the country, and always in connection with churches. These schools were for the most part very elementary and scarcely worthy of the name. They consisted usually of a few little boys pursuing elementary studies with a Korean teacher of the old type,

who, except in the one subject of the Chinese character, knew very little more than the pupils. In order to help the teachers of these schools, Messrs. Miller and Baird conducted a short normal class in Seoul in 1897. Teachers and others from Seoul, Fusan, Pyeng Yang, Anak, Chang Yun and Chantari were in attendance to the number of about fifteen, and these with the advanced pupils of the Chung Dong primary school, brought the number up to about twenty-five. This was a very primitive affair, but it was the first of a series of normal classes which have been held annually ever since in some of the stations."

Not only are educational missions of recent beginning in Korea, but the government school system is even younger. The old government of Korea has done but little along educational lines, and that little very poorly. Since the Japanese occupation in 1910, the school system of Japan, with certain abridgements, has been established in Chosen, and splendid progress has been made. The schools are divided into three classes-common schools, covering a period of four years, in which the principal subject taught is the Japanese language-industrial schools, including from two to three years study-and special schools, covering a course of three and four years.

The whole educational system of the country, both private and public schools, is still in its infancy. A good beginning has been made, but much remains to be done.

The following is a general survey of the educational work of the Presbyterian Mission:

Pyeng Yang is the educational center of Korea. The advanced work of all the missions in Korea is