P ‘°’ re -4- H S, 
 
 Modern Circuit 
 /Aiders in Chosen 
 
 * r J 1 HERE is that which presseth 
 upon me daily, anxiety for all 
 the churches.” 
 
 2 Cor. 11:28 
 
 BOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS OF THE 
 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE U. S. A. 
 
 156 FIFTH AVENUE 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2016 
 
 https://archive.org/details/moderncircuitridOOmccu 
 
Modern Circuit Riders 
 in Chosen 
 
 “SWINGING AROUND THE CIRCUIT” 
 
 The nearest approach America knows to 
 an evangelistic missionary’s life in Chosen, 
 is that of the circuit rider of pioneer days. 
 Such a missionary usually has from twelve 
 to seventy-five churches under his care, 
 some comprised of groups of about twenty 
 people, others having as many as 600 mem- 
 bers; some only two or three miles apart, 
 others separated by thirty miles. In the 
 latter case a day’s travel is required to go 
 from one to the other church — travel made 
 slow because a missionary, like an army, 
 though perhaps mounted on horse or bi- 
 cycle, must nevertheless “travel on his 
 stomach” through a hotelless, spare-room- 
 less, bedless land. Therefore, at least a 
 few blankets and provisions must be laden 
 on a tough, slow-footed, thirty-miles-a-day 
 travelling pack-pony, led by a horse boy, 
 to whom the flight of time means nought. 
 
 The average circuit rider visits his 
 churches twice a year. For these visits ap- 
 pointments are made often months in ad- 
 y, a ? ce - In , “swinging 'round the circuit” 
 it is often late afternoon or evening before 
 the appointed church is reached. Usually 
 just outside the town the circuit rider is 
 met by a procession of white-robed figures 
 —not angels yet, though Christians—and 
 escorted to a low room, perhaps ten feet 
 square, in a thatched or occasionally tiled 
 
 “clean H” T f ‘ S Jl ® 0 " 1 HaS been s P e C»ally 
 
 F C ** aned r v the use of the missionary 
 
 Even so ,t is better not to look under the 
 So, ?\ etime s. to be sure, the circuit 
 rider would prefer to stay outside, but 
 
courtesy forbids; and so he sits on the 
 floor for hours examining church records, 
 conferring with officers, and examining can- 
 didates for baptism or for the timid en- 
 trance into the catechumenate. When the 
 candidates are women they are usually so 
 nervous and frightened that with averted 
 faces they can scarcely summon courage to 
 answer the few simple but necessary ques- 
 tions. 
 
 This work, with the church service fol- 
 lowing, often takes until midnight. When 
 at length one lies down to rest, it is by no 
 means assured, for in nearly all Korean 
 houses there are many “preventatives of 
 sleep,” while outside, across the fifteen foot 
 courtyard, are horses, cows, pigs and chick- 
 ens, some of which retire late and some of 
 which rise early. In the morning, after 
 breakfast and prayers the circuit rider is 
 away again. For months each year this is 
 a daily experience. 
 
 In the work of his circuit the missionary 
 is associated with Korean pastors and un- 
 ordained helpers each in charge of from 
 one to ten churches, depending on their size, 
 and ability to pay the modest salary of from 
 five to ten dollars a month. He also over- 
 sees the work of colporteurs supplied by the 
 Mission or Bible Society, and evangelists 
 and Bible women supported by the churches. 
 There are also a number of primary schools 
 and their teachers, and each little church 
 has its officers — lay-preachers these — de- 
 ficient in education, as a rule, save that 
 God’s Word in their hearts ‘‘as a burning 
 fire, cannot be restrained.” 
 
 The circuit rider is also executive head 
 of the work in his circuit. This is of two 
 kinds: the edification of Christians in 
 
 Christ, and the winning of non-Christians. 
 Two or more meetings of all leaders in the 
 
 4 
 
circuit are held each year, at which times 
 everything concerning the circuit is dis- 
 cussed. Reports from churches, colpor- 
 teurs, evangelists and Bible women are 
 heard. Plans for raising salaries are made 
 which, however they may stimulate in- 
 terest, have never yet stooped to anything 
 less than direct giving; no bazaars, no sup- 
 pers or entertainments for the painless ex- 
 traction of money having ever been held in 
 these churches. Days are appointed for 
 offerings; villages on which evangelistic 
 work is to be concentrated are decided 
 upon; pledges for personal work among the 
 unconverted are taken; Sunday-school les- 
 sons are chosen; curricula for Bible study 
 classes, one to four in each local church, 
 and two or more district classes with teach- 
 ers for the same, are determined upon. 
 This work influences every Christian in the 
 country and demands closest attention. 
 Throughout the year the missionary must 
 keep in constant touch with all who are as- 
 sociated with him, and by letter or personal 
 visit insure the work being done when and 
 as agreed ; for executive power is as yet un- 
 developed in the Korean character, and 
 many are the difficulties arising from its 
 lack. 
 
 HEART STIRRING EXPERIENCES 
 
 In working out these plans, difficulties 
 and problems innumerable, and joys and 
 heart-stirring experiences not a few are en- 
 countered. In a difficult field where three 
 fine souls are working, a member of a large 
 and influential family became mentally un- 
 balanced. These three people literally spent 
 days praying with the man, for demon pos- 
 session and exorcism by prayer are realities 
 to Korean Christians. Success so far 
 crowned their efforts that the man came to 
 
 5 
 
the Mission Hospital in Pyeng Yang, where 
 he stayed for several months and returned 
 home apparently well. He became a Chris- 
 tian and for two months strove to win his 
 relatives and neighbors, who, rejoicing over 
 his return of reason, accepted Christ and 
 set apart a building for a church. Soon 
 thirty people were regularly worshipping 
 there. The missionary came, rejoiced with 
 the people and accepted this man as a 
 catechumen. 
 
 In the middle of the night following he 
 was aroused by some one making a dis- 
 turbance outside his door. It was this man, 
 wildly insane again. The Christians, be- 
 lieving the evil spirit had returned, got him 
 into the house and spent the rest of the 
 night praying for him. In the morning, he 
 was somewhat quieter, so the missionary 
 gathered the man’s relatives together to 
 persuade them to continue their new in- 
 terest in Christ; and after comforting as 
 well as possible the three who are the salt 
 of that particular neighborhood, at ten 
 o’clock in the morning left for an appoint- 
 ment seventeen miles away. Arrived there 
 he had no sooner entered the house than he 
 heard a voice which he recognized as be- 
 longing to an old man, blind, deaf and 
 friendless, whom he had met three months 
 before, fifty miles away. Going out he 
 found the old man in a more pitiable state 
 than before, for that frosty morning in 
 crossing a stream he had fallen into the 
 water. What could be done? The old man 
 was made comfortable for that day and 
 steps taken towards a permanent solution 
 of his problem of life, by no means an easy 
 task in this land of few charitable institu- 
 tions. For such experiences every mission- 
 ary needs a wisdom greater than Solomon’s. 
 
 6 
 
RIGHT OUT OF HEATHENISM 
 
 If all Christians, the missionary included, 
 were more like their Lord, a difficult class 
 of problems would vanish. Right out of 
 heathenism, with Christian character un- 
 formed, and with few examples to inspire, 
 new ideals, though sincerely professed, are 
 with frailty lived up to. How is one to 
 rebuke the sin yet save the sinner? An old 
 man, once wealthy, but later penniless, on 
 examining the school treasurer’s books, 
 thought the treasurer had embezzled fifty 
 yen. Following good Korean precedent he 
 went to the man’s house, hailed him out 
 and in a loud voice told him, and inci- 
 dentally all his neighbors about it. A quar- 
 rel arose and strained relations in the 
 church resulted. An examination of the 
 books proved there had been no embezzle- 
 ment. But the bias of long years of pride 
 and station, lived before he knew Christ, 
 was in ascendancy in the old man’s heart, 
 and he would not retract his statements 
 though he had to admit he had no proof for 
 them. It became necessary to discipline 
 him, but when the missionary arrived, the 
 old gentleman was ill. The missionary was 
 received without cordiality, but after a few 
 verses of Scripture and prayer, the old 
 man’s cold heart thawed a little and that 
 night he confessed to God and in the morn- 
 ing to the missionary. In less than a 
 month he died a triumphant death, having 
 led his son, heretofore an evil man, to 
 Christ, because the latter saw and was 
 greatly moved by the change in his father. 
 
 A WHOLE CHURCH GOING WRONG 
 
 Sometimes a whole church goes wrong. 
 One church informed the missionary that he 
 would never be allowed to enter it again. 
 
 7 
 
Indeed, individuals there threatened to kill 
 him. They were clearly in the wrong but 
 the mob-spirit so easily aroused in this peo- 
 ple had possession of them, and collectively 
 they were ready for anything, though taken 
 singly each was more tractable. The cir- 
 cuit rider cancelled all other engagements 
 and for ten days stayed by that church. 
 All the officers were forced to resign. Those 
 who were leaders in wrong doing were dis- 
 ciplined and for a considerable time the out- 
 come was pioblematical. God gave grace, 
 however, and eventually the whole church 
 repented. To-day no church in his whole 
 circuit welcomes the missionary so warmly 
 as this one. Sometimes such experiences 
 come so thick and fast and are so difficult 
 that one longs to lay down his work and 
 rest. 
 
 OTHER EXPERIENCES 
 
 There are other experiences, however, 
 some ludicrous, some heroic, some sublime. 
 As a little church, three years out from 
 heathenism, the missionary noticing the 
 generally unwashed condition of a really 
 fine congregation, said to the children : “I 
 
 had intended to take a photograph of this 
 congregation this morning, but you children 
 have forgotten to wash as your parents tell 
 you to do every morning. You would be 
 ashamed if I should take a picture of you 
 in this condition. But if you will hurry 
 home, wash and return at once, I will wait 
 and take the picture.” The sight that fol- 
 lowed, almost every man, woman and child 
 making for home in a new-found eagerness 
 for cleanliness, heretofore in that church 
 not next to godliness, and returning washed, 
 combed and freshly clad, is one that the 
 missionary will long remember. It gave a 
 fine opportunity for a talk on the proper 
 preparation for, and decorum during wor- 
 ship of God. 
 
 8 
 
In another village a poor farmer sold 
 his only ox to buy a church. In the first 
 flush of joy which his devotion and sacri- 
 fice called forth, he passed the winter. But 
 spring drew near and with it no prospect of 
 getting his work done on which depended 
 his very life. So, in deep distress, he came 
 to the missionary. Self-support is so firm 
 a principle of the Chosen Mission that this 
 year in the Pyeng Yang territory the Mis- 
 sion’s gifts total only one-sixteenth of what 
 the native church gave; but even this prin- 
 ciple is a good rule to break sometimes, and 
 the missionary was sure of it when eventu- 
 ally he got his money back. 
 
 In another church a man under suspen- 
 sion was inquired for and visited. He and 
 his old wife were found alone. So little af- 
 fection have some husbands and wives that 
 this man had never told his wife about 
 Jesus, because she was deaf and it was dif- 
 ficult to speak to her. The missionary 
 however, when he learned the circum- 
 stances, gave most attention to her, and 
 after he had told of God’s love and Jesus’ 
 sacrifice for her, the old woman broke down 
 and cried, saying none had ever before told 
 her that she, old, deaf and neglected might 
 be saved. Squatting there in the courtyard 
 of a miserable tumbledown mud house, she 
 covenanted to give her heart to the Lord, 
 and her husband covenanted to begin again. 
 Thus it is that often the circuit rider feels 
 that he has been near the gates of Heaven. 
 
 This, in brief is the circuit rider’s life: 
 “In journeyings often, in perils often . . . 
 in labor and travail,” year after year, “if 
 by any means he may save some.” ‘ Were it 
 not for the sustaining grace of God no man 
 could stand the strain and stress of such a 
 life for long. With the Apostle Paul the 
 circuit rider can also say— “There is that 
 
 9 
 
which presseth upon me daily, anxiety for 
 all the churches.” 
 
 A Circuit Rider of Pyeng Yang, Chosen. 
 
 FIFTEEN QUALIFICATIONS NECESSARY 
 TO BE A MISSIONARY IN CHOSEN 
 
 It was just four years ago. The women 
 had begun their missionary societies and 
 enough money had been raised in the Syen 
 Chun Society to pay the salary of one 
 Korean woman to be their missionary 
 among the heathen in whatever place the 
 Home Mission Committee of Presbytery 
 would designate. There were several candi- 
 dates for the very difficult place. Any one 
 of the members would have considered it 
 the greatest honor that could be conferred 
 on her should she be chosen. By a process 
 of elimination the ones with special home 
 responsibilities were not considered. Some 
 four or five women seemed to some of the 
 leaders of the society worthy candidates. A 
 number wanted to go, whereas but one 
 could be sent. It was left with the Com- 
 mittee of Presbytery to choose the one 
 who should go. In discussing the several 
 candidates the Committee finally settled 
 on Hyensi. She had not been considered 
 by the leading women so Pastor Kim, of the 
 South Church, Syen Chun, and myself were 
 appointed a Committee to tell them of our 
 choice. We had kept the matter to our- 
 selves until the night of the meeting. I 
 was asked to speak first by the lady Presi- 
 dent who conducted the meeting with a 
 dignity equal to that of a City Woman’s 
 Missionary Society in America. (I have 
 visited many.) I explained in the gentlest 
 terms possible the relation of the Women’s 
 Missionary society to the Presbytery and 
 urged strongly an effort on their part to be 
 submissive even though the decision was 
 not according to the wishes of all. I led them 
 
 10 
 
in prayer and Pastor Kim addressed them. 
 His subject was “The History of the One 
 we would choose to be your missionary to 
 the heathen,” or “Fifteen Qualifications 
 necessary to be a Missionary.” Here they 
 are translated for you: 
 
 1. One who is always happy in Jesus. 
 
 2. One who sincerely has deep anxiety 
 for those who have fallen and for those 
 who know not Jesus. 
 
 3. One who is so full of Jesus that she 
 thinks not of rules or ways and means in 
 leading another to Jesus. She has the tvay 
 where there is opportunity. 
 
 4. One who truthfully reverences her 
 mother-in-law. 
 
 5. Sin is terrible to her. She repents 
 broken-heartedly at even the smallest mis- 
 take. 
 
 6. She makes an effort to make others 
 happy and she does it. 
 
 7. She is praised by the heathen for her 
 great zeal and earnestness in preaching. 
 
 8. She doesn’t preach to receive praise 
 or to be chosen to some office in the Mis- 
 sionary Society or church. 
 
 9. One who is not trying to keep from 
 losing official position already gained. 
 
 10. One who has no anxiety about 
 whether her health will hold out if she 
 does much work. She cares not for choice 
 food or raiment and can sleep anywhere. 
 
 11. One who helps another do her work. 
 She will help get the supper in the kitchen 
 talking about Jesus. She will help with the 
 sewing and find a way into the heart of the 
 one she would lead. 
 
 12. Even though she may not know all 
 the Bible truths to be able to teach them, 
 yet by her words and actions she lives the 
 
 truths. 
 
 11 
 
13. She doesn’t pretend to know what 
 she doesn’t know'. 
 
 14. By her very ignorance the power of 
 God is manifested. 
 
 15. She trusts not in learning or worldly 
 ability but leans on the power of the Holy 
 Spirit. 
 
 Before he had finished the women w'ere 
 whispering among themselves, “Hyensi! He 
 means Hyensi!” She has a small pock- 
 marked face, cross eyes, a>.tiny nose, a fat 
 body, a small head. But these are not seen 
 as she tells of Jesus and His love. She has 
 a radiant smile that makes the marks on 
 her face fade away in the wrinkles. One 
 thinks not of the face or the form. 
 
 She was sent and the prayers followed 
 her. As she was going along the road that 
 she had travelled many times, hunting up 
 those she had talked to and prayed for, a 
 woman and her daughter-in-law were in 
 the field. They hid from her. The daughter- 
 in-law said to her mother-in-law, “Who is 
 this woman from whom we hide?” The 
 reply was, “Jesus.” That night as the 
 girl went into the village she determined 
 to find that woman with the radiant face 
 who made everybody happy. She went to 
 one place and said, “Has Jesus been here?” 
 “No,” was the reply. She went from place 
 to place and at last found Hyensi. She was 
 led to Jesus, and told the above when she 
 was baptized. 
 
 The ugliest of the women was chosen — 
 Why? Because she had the qualifications. 
 Wherever she went among the heathen she 
 was called “Jesus” until they knew Him. 
 The qualification is to be like Him, and 
 Hyensi tried to live the life hid with Christ 
 in God. 
 
 George S. McCune, 
 Syen Chun — Chosen. 
 
 February, 1017 
 
 Form No. 2403