2
1st. Sunday. Beautiful.―Warm.
4
致晠 tells me that many an act of injustice is being committed by the Japanese officers in the country. Examples: compel the people to sell their silk cocoons at a low prices to the 郡廳 and then sell them at a higher price to merchants. By forcing the owners of wooded hills to spend greater sum of money than they can possibly spare in planting trees―just to make the owners give up the hills in despair.
5
Japanese authorities, if they are really anxious to do justice to the Korean people, they ought to have a number of thoroughly honest men to go round in old 御史 fashion to find out the acts of injustice which the lower officials perpetrate in the obscure parts of the country. But such inspectors ought to be given adequate measure of protection, so that dishonest bureaucrats may not hurt them.
7
3rd. Tuesday. Beautiful.
9
With uncle 光善 and other boys went to 集雄連山 to mark the place where my grandmother and grandfather prayed for sons.
11
4th. Wednesday. Beautiful.
14
5th. Thursday. Beautiful, cold.
15
Left 新村 about 11 a.m. for 溫泉. On the way visited the 俊川山所 with 光善. Arrived 溫泉 about 5 p.m.
16
Put up at 薪泉旅館. Mr. 沈弘澤 absent. His 旅館 going to grass―all neglected.
18
6th. Friday. Rainy, cold.
19
Up at 6 p.m. Dark at 6:30. With 光善 went to 溫陽山所. Returned to 義泉旅館 about 8:30. Hurried bath and breakfast. Left 溫泉 about 9:30 a.m. Drizzling shower. Spent about 3 hours at Mr. 柳主事's home.
20
Left 天安 by 1:45 p.m. train. Arrived Seoul 7:30 p.m. Found all well at home, thank God.
21
While in 天安 heard that 永倍 had died yesterday.
23
7th. Saturday. Beautiful, cold.
24
Went to Y.M.C.A. in the morning.
26
8th. Sunday. Beautiful―cold.
28
3 p.m. Mr. 申 gave a fine talk to a large audience.
30
9th. Monday. Beautiful, bitterly cold.
32
金光瑞 who had just returned from Tokyo tells me that 致昌 eyes are very bad, that he is studying philosophy. Too bad!
33
7 p.m. 月例會. Only about 20 persons out. Mr. 金享俊 put sacred words to the old Korean tunes. Some of them very good while others are objectionable on acc't of the popular association of the tunes with obscene words.
35
10th. Tuesday. Beautiful. Very cold.
37
11th. Wednesday. Beautiful.
40
12th. Thursday. Beautiful.
43
13th. Friday. Beautiful. Cold.
45
Snow late in the night.
47
14th. Saturday. Beautiful. Cold.
49
Dr. Reid of Song Do, sent Dr. 金董炯 to Police for having swindled ￥3.50. The Japanese official privately advised him (Dr. R.) to withdraw the charge as the full operation of the law would ruin the young man for life. The members of all the churches sent delegations to Dr. R. begging him to withdraw the charge. The Doctor stood firm so the young man was sentenced to penal servitude of 8 months. The Koreans, Christians and non-Christians all indignant, Dr. Reid ought to leave Korea, nobody will care for his sermons.
51
15th. Sunday. Pale sun. Very cold.
53
I talked at 3 p.m. in the Y.M.C.A. Auditorium on Christ, the Son of God. A large auditorium of students.
54
7 p.m. went to Church to hear the farewell talk of Mr. 南宮檍. He since joined the church not to go to heaven but to escape from the world, he has been a pillar to the church. He is aged and feeble. He is retiring to his country home. Thus one by one, friends are retiring from the stage of active life.
56
16th. Monday. Pale. Cold.
58
Went to station to meet my brother 致昌 who was due on the 6:45 a.m. train. Some mistake―he didn't come by that train. Brother came by 9:25 a.m. train. He looks pale. Hear he read too much to the neglect of excercise.
60
17th. Tuesday. Beautiful.
63
With the intention of getting some toys for children went to the Japan town. Was struck with the thinness, airy nothingness and shamness of the Japan-made articles―seem to be worse than ever. Yet they talk about competing with foreign articles! The best way of keeping the industrial advantages which Japan has gained during the great war would have been the turning out solid and sure enough articles. Nothing less than that can keep up the war given manufactures in peace time.
65
18th. Wednesday. Beautiful and warm.
67
致昌 tells me that during his stay in Tokyo for a year and a half, he attended two churches regularly first the church of Mr. 植村 and then that of 海堂名. He can't name one single Japanese who invited him to tea or to a supper. I wish the 有志者 among the Japanese―especially Christians would make the effort to be friend the Korean students in Tokyo and other cities, so that they, the Koreans, could have the opportunity to see the best in the home and society of the Japanese. 邊壎 told me this afternoon that 梁起鐸 was arrested in China for anti-Jap. plots! Now what a fool 梁 is! Such fools are really the enemy of Koreans by keeping up the distrust of the Jap. authorities! What Korean want is to learn or plots or language will do more harm than good to Koreans. No use kicking against bricks!
70
Last night 7, went to 宗橋 Church to attend the 餞別會 which the young people of the church got up for Mr. 南宮檍. It was one of the very few genuine farewell meeting I have seen. Everybody present. Felt really sorry for sending Mr. 南宮檍 away from the Church.
71
The Jap. advertiser reports that the Korean in U.S. has sent a petition to Presd. Wilson to help Korea to gain her independence! Fools. Will England give up India, U.S. Hawaii, France, Annam? Then not tell them, may any great power have the cheek to ask Jap. to give up Korea. Besides, the independence which a nation gets as a gift doesn't last. I suppose some fellows in U.S. want to visit Washington or Paris at the expense of the poor labors(Korean) in Hawaii!
73
20th. Friday. Beautiful. Very warm.
75
8:30 a.m. went to station to see Bishop McMurry off for Japan.
76
2:30 p.m. the English classes gave Christmas presents to Mrs. Lucas and Mrs. Brockman. The former has been very kind and faithful in teaching the boys English. Her handsome person, her gentle manner and her punctuality have made her very popular.
77
4 p.m. went to Dr. Gale's tea party given to those who are intimately connected with Y.M.C.A. work.
78
Baby 明姬 sick of indigestion I suppose.
80
21st. Saturday. Beautiful―Mild.
82
5 p.m. went to 三越吳旺店 with 文姬, 恩姬 and 善姬. It was joy to see them enjoy the sight-seeing.
83
7:30 p.m. Christmas entertainment in Y.M.C.A. under the auspices of the young peoples societies of the Seoul Churches.
86
22nd. Sunday. Beautiful―Mild.
87
宗橋禮拜堂 as usual. Mr. 梁柱三 preached, but I was too sleepy to hear much of his sermon.
88
Baby 明姬 sick―I couldn't sleep well last night. Wife's wicked temper not improved by three successive restless nights.
89
This morning when I told 金漢翊 that Ryang Kui Taik was a damnable fool; that he and his like were a species of robbers living on people's patriotic sentiments by extorting money or rice from them, Mr. Kim said in a very doubtful tone 그럴가요―Can or may it be so? Many a Korean young man seems to think that men like 梁起鐸 are patriots. Japan ought to adopt a more liberal and broadminded policy to win the hearts of the Korean people. This government of espionage by espionage and for espionage hurts Japan as well as Korea.
91
23rd. Monday. Pretty―Very cold.
93
邊壎 tells me that Pastor 金弼秀 is also a high-class spy. Can it be so? Whom may one trust?
94
The Japanese Y.M.C.A. had its Christmas celebration in the Central Y.M.C.A. The program was elaborate and loving. 文姬 seems to enjoy it. Returned home nearly 11 p.m.
96
24th. Tuesday. Pale sun―Cold.
97
Stayed home owing to the lack of sleep of last night.
98
Mr. 尹忠求 called this morning and asked for a help of ￥300.00. The more I tried to help a poor man the bolder he gets in demand.
99
6 p.m. went Chosen Hotel at the invitation of Mr. 川上 the new 理事 of 東拓會社. A large gathering. The food at the Hotel is very poor. Lack of good humor is a defect in the Japanese character―as well as in the Japanese food.
100
Of all things ridiculous, the puffed-up arrogant behavior of the Korean noble men (?) is the most ridiculous. 閔丙奭 is a good specimen of this kind. Does he really think he is something? Oh, the bureaucratic airs that make Korea...!
102
25th. Wednesday. Pale sun. Cold.
103
Went to 宗橋禮拜堂 to attend the Christmas service―
104
6 p.m. went to the church to see the Christmas celebration by and for the S.S.
106
26th. Thursday. Pale sun. Cold.
108
4:30 p.m. Board of Trustees met at Dr. Avison's. They took the important step of transferring the fund ￥50,000.00 from 第一銀行 which gives 5.5% per annum to 朝鮮商業銀行 which promises to give 7% interest. Judge Watanabe said that the 商業銀行 was perfectly safe. He moved for the transfer.
110
27th. Friday. Pretty―Cold.
112
Christmas celebration at 7 p.m. The best of the kind―so far. Our Grace 恩姬 about 4 years old, went up on the platform with a bunch of other little girls and tried to do the 닥時計 exercise. The funniest part of the thing was as Grace had to imitate what the others did. She always did her after if was all over―which was so cute. She is certainly a bright jewel.
114
28th. Saturday. Pale sun. Cold.
117
29th. Sunday. Pale sun―Cold.
118
Missed the morning service. 3 p.m. attended the Y.M.C.A. 懇談會 as usual.
119
7 p.m. uncle arrived from 平澤―Went to station to meet him.
121
30th. Monday. Pale sun. Cold.
123
6 p.m. went to 明月館 to the supper given by the 大正親睦會 in honor of Mr. 韓相龍 who had just returned from Tokyo. His report of the great encouragement which the reigning cabinet and the financial leaders of Tokyo gave to the 漢城銀行支店 which Mr. 韓 established in that great city was a very interesting information. Mr. 韓 is certainly a strange man and able man―but his success seems to have ...and his haughty behavior is hurting him.
125
31st Tuesday. Pale sun―Cold.
126
Went to Y.M.C.A. about 12 p.m. Then called on cousin 致旿 and uncle.
127
7 p.m. went to cousin's home to play 윳. 致旿 went out with my overcoat on, saying that he would return in a short while. He didn't come back until 11:30, when I had to come home without my overcoat. A Japanese creditor waited for him all the while cousin 致旿 has become a veritable 高等浮浪子. He has lost, if he ever had any, all sense of honor or of shame.
129
Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow!
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