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At this time missionaries were recording their own history in Korea, and reflecting on the work they had done. Some authors were concerned with showing their achievements in their work, to be shown at home. There was also an effort to present a united christian front in the face of Japanese imperialism which had become a threat to christianity and missionaries in Korea. 

Understanding the self, creating a history that stands opposed to japanese imperialism, their own history covering the creation of a christian nation in the east, understanding their methods of propagation and how different bodies came together with a common goal

Also highlights different christian bodies, not just protestants in their work which shows that in a way there was a consolidated effort and that it wasnt just protestants responsible for the christianisation of korea 

In the late 1930s missionaries began to record the history of their work on the Korean peninsula. Since the Independence Movement of 1919 the Japanese Empire had begun to exert more control over Korea in an attempt to consolidate power and suppress any ill feeling amongst Koreans towards them. Missionaries were in part blamed for the Independence Movement, and the government was trying to crack down on the Christian community also whilst trying to remain on good terms with them. As a result the missionary and Christian communities began to present a more united front. 

The sources collected here are related largely to missionary work as a whole, and represents many of the Christian groups in Korea at the time. Presbyterian North, being the largest denomination is the most represented in literature, so to have access in these sources to information on smaller groups is refreshing and provides a more full picture of the state of missionary work.

The sources were written to be read by Christians abroad and at home, to prove in a sense that they had been successful in their Christianisation of Korea. Care is taken by some of the authors to show how the Christianisation of Korea was not just the work of one group, but many different Christian Denominations. These historiographies also present them as a united front against Japan, who was constantly meddling in Christian affairs and making it difficult for them to work. 

The Korea Missions Yearbook

This book was published in 1928 to record the work of various missions and the work they had done in that year, as well as their own histories. It was issued by the Federal Council of Missions in Korea, and was explicitly published to present Christianity in Korea as a separate entity to the Christinaity in Japan. Korea at the time being part of the Japanese Empire. Whilst most space is given to the Protestant missions, various Christian union institutions and denominations, such as Catholics and Seventh Day Adventists, are given space to discuss their own work and history. The writers and editors intended this volume to showcase the achievements and work of the missionaries, not just in 1928 but the 50 years leading up to that. 

Each major protestant denomination has its own section, and its stations each had their own submissions published. Variously, they relate the history of their mission as a whole and their stations, and relate information on topics like education, Evangelical work, women’s work, and medical work. The members of each mission are also given at the start of each section. To the reader at home this would have shown clearly that Christianity was being spread and taught in Korea to the degree that they had wanted. Most literature is concerned largely with the larger stations in cities like Pyongyang and Seoul, so for those interested in the work done in smaller Korean towns this book provides a good starting point for research. A list of the major protestant missions and their stations is given below. 

As well as the larger Protestant missions, different Christian Union groups and denominations discuss their work in the second half of the book. Whilst the research for this project is focused on the Protestant missions, it is important to understand that they were not the only ones working on the Korean Peninsula throughout the history of missionary work there. 

This source is a great example of how missionaries began to record and reflect on their history during the period of where the Japanese administration was increasingly interfering in Christian affairs. As well as this it shows their consolidated effort to present a united front against the administration. Presently, this volume is of great use to researchers as a starting point in understanding the scale of missionary work on the Korean peninsula. This is thanks to its extensive coverage of all denominations, missions, stations and their members.

Williams, F E C, and Bonwick, Gerald, eds. The Korea Missions Year Book. Seoul, Korea: The Christian Literature Society of Korea, 1928.

Here is the worldcat listing for the Korea Missions Yearboook 1928.

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Mission and Church Activities

In Korea the Hermit Nation and its Response to Christianity

T. Stanley Soltau was a missionary and a scholar who wrote the book “Korea the Hermit Nation and its Response to Christianity” in 1932. Chapter three of his book concerns “Mission and Church Activities” and is divided into three sections describing medical work, education, and union activities. Soltau, in this chapter at least, is largely descriptive in his writing. Rather than sensationalising the actions of one mission or missionary he provides a more balanced and empirical view of the actions and works of different Christian denominations, as well as the role of the government, in the region at the time. It is representative of the common theme at the time of missionaries beginning to reflect on their history on the Korean Peninsula.

Each section of this chapter is used by Soltau to explain to the reader how the different institutions were used by Missionaries at the time to convert Koreans to Christianity. Soltau breaks down the exact methods used in each area of work, as well as the goals of the missionaries. For example how preaching to patients in different hospitals would hopefully widen the reach of Chrisianity. As well as this he provides empirical evidence in each section to describe the scale of these institutions in the region, such as the number of medical facilities or different schools. Much of what Soltau writes here is informative as to how South Korea came to have such a significant Protestant Christian population.

Soltau describes the work, broadly, of many different denominations and Christian groups. Some of whom are underrepresented in literature relating to this topic. This is representative of missionaries in the post Independence Movement period consolidating their history, and creating a united history and identity that was to exist separate from the Imperial goals of Japan. 

Overall, this source is a great overview of the methods used by missionaries in the areas of education, medical, and union work to convert the native Korean population to Christianity. It is part of the wider trend of missionaries beginning to reflect on the history of their work in the region, and of the consolidation of Christian groups against Japan. For researchers interested in how missionaries were able to Christianize Korea so effectively this chapter is a clear and concise explanation of their methods.

Soltau, Stanley T. “Mission and Church Activities.” In: Korea the Hermit Nation and its Response to Christianity, 43-65. London, U.K: World Dominion Press, 1932.

Korea the Hermit Nation and its response to Christianity is available to read in full online.

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History of the Korea Mission Presbyterian Church U.S.A 1884-1934

This book was edited by Harry A. Rhodes, an American missionary who worked in Korea. The book covers the 50 years from 1884 to 1934, the whole history of presbyterian missionary work in Korea at the time divided into 20 chapters. Rhodes wrote in English so it can be assumed the audience of this book was Christians abroad, most likely in the United States. The chapters of this book are dedicated to subjects ranging from a description of Korea, to how missionaries related to the Japanese administration. Rhodes included numerous photographs in this book, showing the change in Korea across the 50 years and are now examples of how missionaries westernised Korea. 

Rhodes includes photographs from across the 50 year period of a variety of subjects. The photographs presently provide a visual representation of the scale of mission work at the time, but the purpose in this book was to show that they had achieved their goal of creating a Christian nation in the East. Many of these images show an increasing westernisation occurring, in the way of architecture and fashions. There are many photographs of Koreans in this book, who were deemed important to the overall story of Christianity in Korea. Again they seem to be presented as proof to the reader at home of the missionaries’ success. However, for research purposes it is important to be able to see and learn about Korean Christians. In this topic Koreans are often caught between the more dominant imperialistic voices of Westerners and Japan, so to be able to see Koreans as actors in the story of Korean Christianity is important. 

The book relates to the theme of reflection as much of it is dedicated to recording the history of presbyterian Christianity. As with other sources collected here Rhodes tells of the methods used by the Missionaries as well as the history of various missions and stations. Early writing by missionaries was characterised by overconfidence in their work, whereas writing from this period was more concerned with being descriptive in their actions and recording a balanced history of their work. This is in part due to Japan’s interference in Christian affairs and a need within themselves to understand their own work and involvement, and its place in Korea at the time so as to be able to create a united front.
A History of the Korea Mission Presbyterian Church is an important piece of literature if only for the many photographs included throughout the volume. They provide a visual grounding to Christianity in Korea at the time, showing the scale of the work being done there. Its focus on Presbyterianism only means that it is more in depth than other literature that perhaps focuses on Christianity in Korea as a whole.

Rhodes, Harry A. History of the Korea Mission Presbyterian Church U.S.A 1884-1934. Seoul, Korea: Chosen Mission Presbyterian Church U.S.A, 1934.

A History of the Korea Mission Presbyterian Church is available to read in full online.

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