DOCSLIB.ORG

Crimson Crucible Underground Christians in North Korea Crimson Crucible: Underground Christians in North Korea

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Crimson Crucible Underground Christians in North Korea Crimson Crucible: Underground Christians in North Korea Crimson Crucible Underground Christians in North Korea Crimson Crucible: Underground Christians in North Korea Copyright © 2011, 2013 by Back to Jerusalem by Luther Martin and Eugene Bach Edited by Brother Zhu Design & Layout by Christian Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Fifth Estate, Post Office Box 116, Blountsville, AL 35031 SECOND EDITION Formerly released as : “Back to the Jerusalem of the East: The Underground House Church of North Korea” Library of Congress Control No: 2011926706 ISBN: 978-1-936533-10-7 Fifth Estate, 2010 Crimson Crucible Underground Christians in North Korea by Luther Martin and Eugene Bach Edited by Brother Zhu DEDICATION On November 24, 2012 the co-author of this book un- expectedly went to be with the Lord. His passion to serve the North Korean people was unparalleled. He even led one more North Korean to Christ just a couple weeks before his passing. Though Luther Martin’s real name must remain secret for the security of the ministries he started, one day all will be revealed and the countless souls touched by his life will know the sacrifices he and his family made for the gospel. We are comforted that even now he is rejoicing at the feet of Christ with those dear North Korean brothers and sisters who were saved through his ministry and have since been martyred for their faith. This book is dedicated to him and his family. All proceeds from the online sales of this book through our US publisher will be sent to his surviving wife and two daughters. CONTENTS Foreword — 7 1. Introduction — 11 2. The Roots of Revival — 23 3. The Jerusalem of the East — 41 4. Here Come the Reds, There Goes the Cross — 55 5. The Challenge of Juche — 69 6. Into the Darkness: the Years of Silence — 83 7. The Western Mission Model in North Korea — 99 8. A New Generation — 115 9. Here Come the Reds, Here Comes the Cross — 131 10. From Ashes to Beauty — 146 11. Flies in the Ointment — 163 12. Conclusion — 175 5 FOREWORD I have always been fascinated by stories of Christian perse- verance amidst persecution. There seems to be a “warrior spirit” in the heart of the persecuted that is akin to a soldier in battle. As a former soldier and combat veteran, I understand what drives the persecuted church to stand tall during the days of battle. One of the greatest revivals in all of Asia took place in what is now referred to as North Korea (officially called the Democrat- ic People’s Republic of Korea). Now, over 100 years later, most Westerners think the church in North Korea has been destroyed. Having worked inside this closed country for years now, I beg to differ. Countless numbers of North Korean refugees have fled the country and many of them are believers, even after years of per- secution and attempts to destroy Christianity. How can this be? The answers are found in Scripture. When trouble comes, God enables the church to stand strong against all odds. A great example of this biblical “warrior spirit” can be found in II Samuel 23:8-12: These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three. He wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he killed at one time. CRIMSON CRUCIBLE And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, son of Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew. He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And the LORD brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain. And next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Hara- rite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the men fled from the Philistines. But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the LORD worked a great victory. The first example of a man with a biblical warrior spirit in this list is Eleazar. He stood and fought until his muscles became so contracted that his sword literally stuck to his hand. I have found that many believers living in countries where Christian persecution is common develop a spirit like his; they are willing to stand until the end and work for God with all their might. In this day and age when most people have the television remote control stuck in their hands, or their eyes glued to Facebook, it is refreshing to find under- ground Christians in persecuted countries clinging so tightly to the Word of God and filled with the fighting spirit that emboldened Eleazar that they are quite literally shaking the gates of hell for the glory of God. Let us turn our focus next to Shammah, who exempli- 8 FOREWORD fies the persecuted church. The Bible says that when every- one else had run away, Shammah stood “in the midst.” I have found that persecution instills in individuals the confidence needed to take a stand in the midst of the battle, come what may. In today’s world, many Christians try to straddle the fence and keep both sides happy. One that is taught to have confidence in God through the school of persecution is much more likely to take a stand in the midst of tragedy, when the civilians have turned and run away long ago. Shammah stood “during the crisis.” It is easy to stand when all is well. My fellow Americans face a crisis entirely different from the underground Christians of North Korea. Three out of four Americans do not believe in absolute truth. We teach evolution and wonder why our children act like wild animals. The crisis is deeper than these examples, for it runs deep into the heart of American Christianity. While America experiences the “megachurch” phe- nomenon, we are still faced with the fact that 70 % of the mainstream churches have plateaued or are declining. At the time of writing, less than 10% of all American Christians have ever shared their faith. Tens of thousands of churches in America regularly record giving no baptisms, year after year. Yes, there is a crisis in Christianity in the God-blessed USA. Passive Christianity is the cause. The great need in that country is to instill a little “warrior spirit” in the youth of their community so they will not bend, bow, or budge to the system of this world and can stand firm on the principles of God’s Word. This is exactly what persecution has done inside North Korea. 9 CRIMSON CRUCIBLE The interesting thing about Shammah was the reason for which he stood. He was not defending all of Israel, the Holy City, the Ark of the Covenant, or the King. He was fighting to defend a “field of lentils”; a pea patch! Fighting by himself when the whole army fled, Shammah defeated the whole Philistine army over a pea patch! Why? Because they were God’s peas. We learn from Shammah the biblical concept of the warrior spirit, “If it is God’s, it is worth fight- ing for.” The church in North Korea is willing to risk every- thing simply because it is right to do so. South Korea is praying for revival in the North. They are praying that God will allow South Korea to take the gospel back to North Korea and be used to start a new revival. Many of my coworkers and I are quite certain the opposite will happen. God has purified the North Korean Church, while Christianity in South Korea has largely become deeply en- trenched in materialism and the traditions of men. If God so wills that the two Koreas become one again, I believe God will use the church tried by fire in the north to bring true revival to South Korea’s money-oriented and self-serving “churchianity.” 10 1 INTRODUCTION I am not able to share many details from my experiences concerning North Korea over the years and I may never be able to because too many lives would be put at risk. The life’s work of many of my dear friends and partners could be destroyed overnight. Let the reader be warned that many of the accounts in this book may be a bit graphic in nature. It is not our intention to offend or shock, but the truth must be told. We too wish that these stories were fictional and not from the pages of North Korea’s recent history. At times it may seem that this book is an attack on North Korea’s leaders, but nothing could be further from the truth. Our goal is not to attack the North Korean government, but rather to reveal the brutal reality that Christians in North Korea have to endure on a day-to-day basis. North Korea is often called the “Hermit Kingdom” that exists behind the bamboo curtain.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Effective Evangelistic Strategies for North Korean Defectors (Talbukmin) in South Korea
    ABSTRACT Effective Evangelistic Strategies for North Korean Defectors (Talbukmin) in South Korea South Korean churches eagerness for spreading the gospel to North Koreans is a passion. However, because of the barriers between the two Koreas, spreading the Good News is nearly impossible. In the middle of the 1990’s, numerous North Koreans defected to China to avoid starvation. Many South Korean missionaries met North Koreans directly and offered the gospel along with necessities for survival in China. Since the early of 2000’s, many Talbukmin have entered South Korea so South Korean churches have directly met North Koreans and spread the gospel. However, the fruits of evangelism are few. South Korean churches find that Talbukmin are very different from South Koreans in large part due to the sixty-year division. South Korean churches do not know or fully understand the characteristics of the Talbukmin. The evangelism strategies and ministry programs of South Korean churches, which are designed for South Koreans, do not adapt well to serve the Talbukmin. This research lists and describes the following five theories to be used in the development of the effective evangelistic strategies for use with the Talbukmin and for use to interpret the interviews and questionnaires: the conversion theory, the contextualization theory, the homogenous principle, the worldview transformation theory, and the Nevius Mission Plan. In the following research exploration of the evangelization of Talbukmin in South Korea occurs through two major research agendas. The first agenda is concerned with the study of the characteristics of Talbukmin to be used for the evangelists’ understanding of the depth of differences.
    [Show full text]
  • This Is a Complete Transcript of the Oral History Interview with Mary Goforth Moynan (CN 189, T3) for the Billy Graham Center Archives
    This is a complete transcript of the oral history interview with Mary Goforth Moynan (CN 189, T3) for the Billy Graham Center Archives. No spoken words which were recorded are omitted. In a very few cases, the transcribers could not understand what was said, in which case [unclear] was inserted. Also, grunts and verbal hesitations such as “ah” or “um” are usually omitted. Readers of this transcript should remember that this is a transcript of spoken English, which follows a different rhythm and even rule than written English. Three dots indicate an interruption or break in the train of thought within the sentence of the speaker. Four dots indicate what the transcriber believes to be the end of an incomplete sentence. ( ) Word in parentheses are asides made by the speaker. [ ] Words in brackets are comments made by the transcriber. This transcript was created by Kate Baisley, Janyce H. Nasgowitz, and Paul Ericksen and was completed in April 2000. Please note: This oral history interview expresses the personal memories and opinions of the interviewee and does not necessarily represent the views or policies of the Billy Graham Center Archives or Wheaton College. © 2017. The Billy Graham Center Archives. All rights reserved. This transcript may be reused with the following publication credit: Used by permission of the Billy Graham Center Archives, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL. BGC Archives CN 189, T3 Transcript - Page 2 Collection 189, T3. Oral history interview with Mary Goforth Moynan by Robert Van Gorder (and for a later portion of the recording by an unidentified woman, perhaps Van Gorder=s wife), recorded between March and June 1980.
    [Show full text]
  • Timeline of Great Missionaries
    Timeline of Great Missionaries (and a few other well-known historical and church figures and events) Prepared by Doug Nichols, Action International Ministries August 12, 2008 Dates Name Ministry/Place of Ministry 70-155/160 Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna 354-430 Aurelius Augustine Bishop of Hippo (Africa) 1235-1315 Raymon Lull Scholar and missionary (North Africa) 1320-1384 John Wyclif Morning Star of Reformation 1373-1475 John Hus Reformer 1483-1546 Martin Luther Reformation (Germany) 1494-1536 William Tyndale Bible Translator (England) 1509-1564 John Calvin Theologian/Reformation 1513-1573 John Knox Scottish Reformer 1517 Ninety-Five Theses (nailed) Martin Luther 1605-1690 John Eliot To North American Indians 1615-1691 Richard Baxter Puritan Pastor (England) 1628-1688 John Bunyan Pilgrim’s Progress (England) 1662-1714 Matthew Henry Pastor and Bible Commentator (England) 1700-1769 Nicholaus Ludwig Zinzendorf Moravian Church Founder 1703-1758 Jonathan Edwards Theologian (America) 1703-1791 John Wesley Methodist Founder (England) 1714-1770 George Whitefield Preacher of Great Awakening 1718-1747 David Brainerd To North American Indians 1725-1760 The Great Awakening 1759-1833 William Wilberforce Abolition (England) 1761-1834 William Carey Pioneer Missionary to India 1766-1838 Christmas Evans Wales 1768-1837 Joshua Marshman Bible Translation, founded boarding schools (India) 1769-1823 William Ward Leader of the British Baptist mission (India) 1773-1828 Rev. George Liele Jamaica – One of first American (African American) missionaries 1780-1845
    [Show full text]
  • Violations of Freedom of Religion Or Belief in North Korea
    Total denial: violations of freedom of religion or belief in North Korea September 2016 FOR PUBLIC USE Be a voice for the voiceless www.csw.org.uk Contents Executive summary 3 Recommendations 4 Christian Solidarity Worldwide and North Korea 5 Methodology 5 Freedom of religion or belief in theory 6 International law vs North Korean law on freedom of religion or belief 6 Ideological foundation vs concept of religious freedom 7 Freedom of religion or belief in practice 8 Persecution of Christians 9 Political prison camps (kwanliso) 10 Discrimination against Buddhism and Shamanism 11 Detention in China 12 Repatriation from China 13 Engagement with international faith groups and organisations 14 Conclusion 15 ‘There is almost complete denial of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion as well as the right to freedom of opinion, expression, information and association’ UN Commission of Inquiry report on North Korea, 2014 Cover image: Statue in North Korea Photo: CSW extermination, enslavement/forced labour, forcible Executive summary transfer of population, arbitrary imprisonment, torture, persecution, enforced disappearance, rape and sexual The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), violence, and other inhumane acts. Documented incidents also known as North Korea, remains a uniquely isolated against Christians include being hung on a cross over a and repressed state in an increasingly interconnected fire, crushed under a steamroller, herded off bridges, global community. The isolation is maintained by and trampled underfoot. A policy of guilt by association multi-faceted aspects of the security and political applies, meaning that the relatives of Christians are also situation, and confines the people of North Korea to a detained regardless of whether they share the Christian monolithic system of control by the dynastic Kim family.
    [Show full text]
  • The Bible in the Life and Work of Prominent Missionaries of the Far
    This material has been provided by Asbury Theological Seminary in good faith of following ethical procedures in its production and end use. The Copyright law of the united States (title 17, United States code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyright material. Under certain condition specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to finish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. By using this material, you are consenting to abide by this copyright policy. Any duplication, reproduction, or modification of this material without express written consent from Asbury Theological Seminary and/or the original publisher is prohibited. Contact B.L. Fisher Library Asbury Theological Seminary 204 N. Lexington Ave. Wilmore, KY 40390 B.L. Fisher Library’s Digital Content place.asburyseminary.edu Asbury Theological Seminary 205 North Lexington Avenue 800.2ASBURY Wilmore, Kentucky 40390 asburyseminary.edu THE BIBLE IN Tm LIFE AND WORK OP PROMINENT MISSIONARIES OP THR PAR EAST A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of Asbury Seminary In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Bachelor of Divinity by Jerry V. Cols ten December 1955 A THESIS Submitted to Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • A Brief Survey of Missions
    2 A Brief Survey of Missions A BRIEF SURVEY OF MISSIONS Examining the Founding, Extension, and Continuing Work of Telling the Good News, Nurturing Converts, and Planting Churches Rev. Morris McDonald, D.D. Field Representative of the Presbyterian Missionary Union an agency of the Bible Presbyterian Church, USA P O Box 160070 Nashville, TN, 37216 Email: [email protected] Ph: 615-228-4465 Far Eastern Bible College Press Singapore, 1999 3 A Brief Survey of Missions © 1999 by Morris McDonald Photos and certain quotations from 18th and 19th century missionaries taken from JERUSALEM TO IRIAN JAYA by Ruth Tucker, copyright 1983, the Zondervan Corporation. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI Published by Far Eastern Bible College Press 9A Gilstead Road, Singapore 309063 Republic of Singapore ISBN: 981-04-1458-7 Cover Design by Charles Seet. 4 A Brief Survey of Missions Preface This brief yet comprehensive survey of Missions, from the day sin came into the world to its whirling now head on into the Third Millennium is a text book prepared specially by Dr Morris McDonald for Far Eastern Bible College. It is used for instruction of her students at the annual Vacation Bible College, 1999. Dr Morris McDonald, being the Director of the Presbyterian Missionary Union of the Bible Presbyterian Church, USA, is well qualified to write this book. It serves also as a ready handbook to pastors, teachers and missionaries, and all who have an interest in missions. May the reading of this book by the general Christian public stir up both old and young, man and woman, to play some part in hastening the preaching of the Gospel to the ends of the earth before the return of our Saviour (Matthew 24:14) Even so, come Lord Jesus Timothy Tow O Zion, Haste O Zion, haste, thy mission high fulfilling, to tell to all the world that God is Light; that He who made all nations is not willing one soul should perish, lost in shades of night.
    [Show full text]
  • The New Missionary Force Mission from the Majority World
    Vol. 11 No. 3 September–December 2016 The New Missionary Force Mission from the Majority World MCI(P)181/03/20161 Contents Mission Round Table Vol. 11 No. 3 September–December 2016 03 Editorial – Walter McConnell 04 Partnering with the Majority World in the Global Paradigm – Eldon Porter 10 The Challenge and Opportunity of Urban Ministry in China – H. P. 21 Indigenous Mission Movements in China – Steve Z. 33 Partnership with the Global Church: Implications for the Global East – An Interview with Patrick Fung 36 With Bethel in Manchuria – Leslie T. Lyall Cover Photo: The cover photos illustrate just how international mission has become. The first photo shows OMF members at the Central Thailand Field Conference in 1958. Contrast this with the second photo taken at a recent OMF Field Conference held in Thailand and it becomes clear how global OMF has become. Five continents and more than seventeen countries were represented. Nations included Australia, Brazil, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, The Netherlands, The Philippines, Uruguay, UK, and USA. Also noticeable is an increasing number of ethnic Asians joining from non-Asian countries. Archive photo source: The Millions (March 1958): 27. Photo Credits: Donations: Download: WEA p. 3, Walter McConnell If you would like to contribute to the work PDF versions of Mission Round Table can be of Mission Round Table, donations can be downloaded from www.omf.org/mrt. made to OMF International and earmarked for “Mission Round Table project.” The editorial content of Mission Round Table reflects the opinions of the various authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the views of OMF International (IHQ) Ltd.
    [Show full text]
  • Reuniting Korea with Peace Treaty, and Lifting All Sanctions Against N
    Journal of Education & Social Policy Vol. 2, No. 1; March 2015 Reuniting Korea with Peace Treaty, and Lifting all Sanctions against N. Koreai Noh, Jong Sun Professor Emeritus Yonsei University Vice-Chair Reconciliation and Reunification Committee (National Council of Churches in Korea)ii “If someone says he loves God, but hates his brother, he is a liar.”(1 John 4:20). For Peace and Reunification, “What have we been doing and what is the plan for the next several years? Out of the 27 year experience of the member of the reconciliation and Reunification Committee, the National Council of Churches in Korea, I would like to high light some critical and crucial target points: 1. Peace Treaty with North Korea, USA, China, South Korea and UN. 2. Debunking, Deconstructing the hidden agenda of the capitalist control and profit maximizing works of sinful greeds by dividing Korean peninsula and the people, one of the worst victim of the division. It was the crime Dividing Korea was the crime. It should be punished legally, and repented in faith. It should be Those who committed this crime have their names among the USSR and the USA.“Cheap reconciliation”iii will never come from the simple psychological actions, but it should be just, sustainable, and with reparation. Cheap forgiveness is not enough. Genuine forgiveness should come after justice with peace for life. 10 million people separated for 70 years with tears, with wars and with poverty, and with death. Super powers actions of dividing Korean will never be unpunished, until the day of reunification.
    [Show full text]
  • "By My Spirit"
    "BY MY SPIRIT" BY THE REV. JONATHAN GOFORTH, D.D. MARSHALL, MORGAN & SCOTT, LTD. l..oNDON AND EDINBURGH Printed in Great Britain by Hunt, Barnard & Co., Ltd~, London and Aylesbury, PREFACE A MISSIONARY of the Canadian Presbyterian Church, Dr. Jonathan Goforth, has, for a long period of years, been stationed in Manchuria, China, and during his ministry there has been wonderfully used of God, not only in declaring the incomparable message of a Saviour's redeeming love, but also in the inauguration of Revival movements which have brought rich and abiding blessing upon the Church and its members. For a number of years p1essure has been brought to bear upon him to write an account of his Revival experiences in the hope that these might have a message for the whole Church of Christ and point the way to that spiritual quicken­ ing of which it is so much in need . But while realising the importance of making known to all the world the great things which the Lord has done for His people· in China, Dr. Goforth has felt that the preaching of the Gospel had first claim upon his time, and to that urgent task he devoted himself with a zeal and an energy that left no opportunity for other pursuits. Recently, 1'owever, a change of circumstances gave to him the opening for which he had been waiting. Laid aside from preaching for several months, and having his youngest son, Frederick, with him on a visit, he PREFACE dictated to him the substance of this volume, and thus at last the thrilling record of the mighty move­ ments of the Holy Spirit has been prepared for press.
    [Show full text]
  • To View the Report
    2009 White Paper on Religious Freedom in North Korea Date of Publication March 20, 2009 Authors Yeo‐sang Yoon, Sun‐young Han Publisher Sang‐hun Kim Publisher Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB) Registration Date May 8, 2007 Registration Number 300‐2007‐86 110-053 Samho building 3rd Floor, 30 Naeja-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul Phone 02‐723‐6045 Fax 02‐723‐6046 Website http://www.nkdb.org E‐mail [email protected] ISBN 978‐89‐93739‐06‐0 Quoting or citing the contents of the book without a permission of the authors and publisher is prohibited. The publication was made possible by the assistance and contribution provided by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. NKDB-2009 White Paper 2009 White Paper on Religious Freedom in North Korea Yeo-sang Yoon Director North Korean Human Rights Archives Sun-young Han Research Fellow Database Center for North Korean Human Rights On the Publication of the "2009 White Paper on Religious Freedom in North Korea" The North Korean Human Rights Archives (NKHRA) of the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights (NKDB) has published the "2009 White Paper on Religious Freedom in North Korea" following a similar one for 2008. The "2009 White Paper on Religious Freedom in North Korea" is a report on the human rights situation in North Korea based on the results of a survey of 2,047 North Korean defectors who have arrived in South Korea since 2007, as well as on analysis of 6,965 cases of human rights abuses in the North as of December 2008 (compared with 4,142 cases in 2007) and on information about 5,272 North Koreans involved in human rights abuses in the same year (compared with 3,131 in 2007).
    [Show full text]
  • Korea, Dem Rep 2020 International Religious
    DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KOREA (DPRK) 2020 INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT Executive Summary The constitution provides for freedom of religious belief, with the stipulation that “religion must not be used as a pretext for drawing in foreign forces or for harming the State or social order.” In July, the UN Secretary-General reported to the UN General Assembly that the country “continues to severely restrict the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and freedom of association and peaceful assembly.” Multiple sources indicated the situation had not changed since the 2014 Report of the UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) on Human Rights in the DPRK was published. The COI found an almost complete denial by the government of the rights to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. In many instances, the COI determined that there were violations of human rights committed by the government that constituted crimes against humanity. The government reportedly continued to execute, torture, arrest, and physically abuse individuals engaged in almost any religious activities. The country’s inaccessibility and lack of timely information continued to limit the availability of details related to individual cases of abuse. It also made it difficult to estimate the number of religious groups in the country and their membership. The nongovernmental organization (NGO) Open Doors USA (ODUSA) estimated that at year’s end, 50,000 to 70,000 citizens were in prison for being Christian. In May, the NGO Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) estimated 200,000 individuals were being held in prison camps, many for being Christian.
    [Show full text]
  • Detailed Biography of Gale
    A BIOGRAPHY OF JAMES SCARTH GALE By Richard Rutt i i Scottish Canadian boy 1863 - 1884 Korean writers count James Scarth Gale as an Englishman, though his father was a Scot and his mother came of an American Dutch family. He regarded himself as a Canadian. The colophons of the books published under his name in Korea always describe him as English because Canadians were British subjects and the Korean and Japanese languages do not distinguish the English from the British. He died in England and his second wife was English; but his first wife was American and he worked most of his life for an American mission. The final touch to his cosmopolitanism was given by his student days in Paris, so that his fellow-missionary, William M. Baird, was to describe him in an early letter as 'half Scotch, half Dutch, half French, yet completely English, and somewhat "bohemian"'. His ancestry was solidly Scots and Presbyterian. His father, John George Gale, was born in 1819 at the Mill of Logie, by the foot of Mount Morven on Deeside. James's grandfather, oppressed by money worries, died soon after John's birth, leaving his wife, Jane Esson, in severe poverty. So in 1823 John's elder brother Alexander, having graduated from Marischal College, Aberdeen, went to Canada to join his uncle, Henry Esson, who was then a presbyterian minister in Montreal. Alexander also became a minister and was living near Montreal at Lachine when thirteen-year-old John and his mother and sisters joined him in 1832. James Gale was later to recall with pleasure that his father had crossed the ocean to live at a place called 'China', for Lachine was the name wistfully given to the place by the sixteenth-century Breton voyager Jacques Cartier when he was looking for a water route to the Orient and had his hopes finally dashed by the turbulent rapids of Hochelaga.
    [Show full text]