Page:Village life in Korea (1911).djvu/19

 VILLAGE LIFE IN KOREA

CHAPTER I.

Geographical Sketch.

one takes up a book to read about a people and their customs, he naturally wants to know where that people live arid something of their history; hence this and the following chapters on the geography and history of Korea. That there is need that we should tell where Korea is may be readily seen from such facts as the following. Some time since I received a letter from the United States directed "Seoul, Korea, Japan." I have also seen the following address: "Seoul, Korea, China." Then just here I am reminded of a story told by one of the missionaries now living in Korea, who on his way out spent a Sunday in Chicago. He attended services at one of the leading churches in the city. The pastor, on learning that he was a missionary, asked him to address his congregation, which he did. The pastor prayed very earnestly for the young missionary on his way out to "the island of Korea." I had somewhat of a similar experience when on my way to the United States. I met in the City Road Chapel, London, a gentleman from the United States whose card bore the letters D.D., LL.D. after his name. This same gentleman, in making some remarks to the Sunday school, said: "I am very glad to meet the missionary who is with us from the island of Korea." So it is that the people in the homeland are either too busy or they do not care to take the time to learn where and what Korea is, not- Rh