2
1st. Wednesday. Lovely―Icy wind.
3
Seoul home. The Powers that be are making plan to be put into effect from today. In prefectoral towns deliberative councils are to function for deciding questions pertaining to the local administration. The scheme is so "schemed" as to give the Japanese an overwhelming majority. This self-government means, therefore, a self-government by the Japanese, for the Japanese and of the Japanese. The Japanese national policy, being Korea for the Japanese one shouldn't wonder all these Japanese-centered plans and policies. No use barking―you can bite.
5
2nd. Thursday. Lovely. Cold.
8
3rd. Friday. Lovely―Icy wind.
9
Seoul home. With wife, 文, 恩, 明, 寶, 瑛 and 珽善, went to 淸涼寺 for an outing. The children enjoyed the pure air and hill climbing. Returned home about 6 p.m.
11
4th. Saturday. Cloudy. Chilly. Rain from 3:30 p.m.
12
Seoul home. Today's paper has it that for fifty(50) tram car conductors to be selected by the Seoul Electric Co. Two thousand(2,000) young men applied for the examination!
14
5th. Sunday. Lovely―Icy-cold wind.
17
6th. Monday. Cloudy a.m.
18
Left Seoul per 9:15 a.m. train for 平壤 with 鄭光鉉. Genl. SuperintendentRyang and his charming wife on the same train. arriving at 平壤 about 3:30 I was met by 鄭在命 and his elder son 鄭斗鉉, who took me to their home. I was very much pleased with the old man, the father of my son-in-law. He acts and talks a refined gentleman. His wife is noted in the town as a model wife and an exceptionally good step-mother. Mr. 鄭斗鉉 is a scholar―zoology being his specialty and so exact in his life that people set their watches by him―so it is said.
19
Reception supper at the Women's Bible School. Meeting at the 南山峴 Church to introduce guests from Seoul to the Methodists of Pyong Yang.
22
Pyong Yang. Stayed in my room until 12. Then to Dr. Moor's home for lunch. Went to the station at 2 p.m. to meet brother 致旺 on his way home. Glad to see him so well―considering what he had passed through, the operation he had in Edinburgh and the distressing news of the death of his two little boys.
23
Rested in my room until 6 p.m. Went to the Ladies' Home for supper. Eight p.m. went to the 南山峴 Church and spoke on "Is Religion Opium in Fact". The churchful to last limit. Fine attention. Returned to Mr. 鄭在明’s home nearly 11. To bed felt a little rest. Then to the station to catch the 11:58 p.m. train for Seoul. In spite of the last hour, Mr. 鄭在命, his elder son, Pastor 吳基善 and a few other kind friends came to the station to see us off.
24
None of the Y.M.C.A. men called on me. The Nash affair has cut deep into their feelings thanks to the unwise actions of the N.Y. people. Messrs. B. and C. went a little too far in their anti-N.-campaign. Because I am the chairman of the National Council―I have been misunderstood by the 平壤 Y. people.
26
8th. Wednesday. Pretty.
27
Had tolerably comfortable night in the car. Arrived at Seoul 7:30. Glad to be met at the station by our precious children.
29
9th. Thursday. Lovely―Pleasant.
30
Seoul home. With 珽善 spent almost the whole day in 翠蕓亭. Wife joined us at noon. Picnicked on the ground.
31
Mr. Kim D.J. of Pyong Yang, the able principal of the Meth. Higher Common School is a genius in architectural line. Without having ever studied the art of building he has shown himself such an expert that all the mission(M.E.) buildings―schools, chapels, home―have been designed and built by him. He has built for himself a nice home―built and equipped or furnished in pure American style. I wish he had built a nice Korean house, furnished and all in Korean style―with only such modifications as might have been necessary. His pure American style home will detract at least 50% from his influence or the Koreans.
33
10th. Friday. Cloudy. Cold wind.
34
Seoul home. The 海日申報 reports that two beautiful girls 金龍珠(married) and 洪玉姙, the daughter of Dr. 洪錫厚 had committed a double suicide by rushing against a fast going train. The cause of the tragedy―pessimism. In a few touching lines Ok-Im had left for her father, she echoes the old story that this world is nothing but vanity of vanities. It is understood that 洪玉姙 who loved unto death her school-mate 金龍珠 who had been unhappily married to a scamp. The excessively sentimental novels of Japanese writers―in which the heroines are never happy unless they kill or commit suicide are doing much harm to the educated Korean girls who have none too much to make their lives of lifeprospects cheering.
36
11th. Saturday. Cloudy. Rain―Chilly.
37
Seoul home. Rain began sometime last night―continues this morning.
38
Helen, told me the other day that two daughters of M. Martel had entered the Catholic convent, and that it was the fault of their mother. Now, if the mother had forced her daughters against their free will into the life of a convent, that would have been a fault indeed. But if the girls has become nuns because they felt and believed that was the best means of solving the perplexing problems of their lives―why fault? Certainly the Martel girls seem to be wiser than Helen whose mis-education has made her to lead ever since she returned to the East, a life, purposeless, meaningless thoroughly useless to herself because thoroughly useless to others. What a pity that Helen should thus waste a bright mind, a good education and a hopeful life! If she would only decide to consecrate or dedicate her talents and time to the good of her sisters of Korea, she could be a blessing to herself and to others. All the philosophers of Europe and America seem to have failed to teach her the simple fact that happiness is, as a rule, unattainable to a man(a woman too) who makes it his goal.
40
12th. Sunday. Cloud a.m. Bright p.m.
43
13th. Monday. Chilly―Icy cold wind. Rain p.m.
46
14th. Tuesday. Lovely.
49
15th. Wednesday. Cloudy. Cold north―west wind.
51
全基正,(the young hopeful) , who, inspite of the fact that he has a legally wedded wife, attempted to seduce 善姬 to marry him―writes me saying that he stands for justice and truth; that if he had sinned in making love to 善姬 before he divorced his wife, he should be forgiven as Christ came to save sinners! The old standards of justice and truths are so upset now-a-days that one is really at a loss to know exactly what is justice and truth. But one thing is certain; viz: it couldn't be either justice or truth to sacrifice the life and death interest of an innocent girl to satisfy one's sensual appetite or mercenary motive, whatever standard of ethics one might adopt.
52
In 1895, Cholera raged in Seoul, Mr. 兪吉◎ who was the Minster of Home Dept. asked Dr. Avison to help him fight the pestilence. Dr. Avison and associates did what they could, asking the people to use the lime 石炭 freely as a disinfectant. Many a Korean house was then seen with the sign of cross put on its gate or wall to scare away the spirit of cholera. The Korean scholars and others have been quoting Chinese classic copiously to cover up the most damnable sins of the Kings and nobles. Now the Koreans are quoting Bible verses to defend their doubtful deeds.
54
16th. Thursday. Gentle rain all day long.
57
17th. Friday. Bright―Very cold―for the season.
59
Every Korean freely admits that factions which kept the people divided into so many hostile camps was one of the greatest curses to the race. The Yi dynasty, whose two unpardonable crimes were the concentration of all powers in the hands of a few aristocratic families and the demartialization of the people, passed away in 1905. Yet the traditions and the prejudices and the spirit of factions are as alive today as they ever were. It is well known that the north and western faction―西北派―led by 安昌鎬(it is said) hates the southern faction 畿湖派 with a deadly hatred. Wherever Koreans are, in Hawaii or in America, in Siberia or in China, these two factions keep up an irreconcilable hostility. The north-western faction is said to have declared as one of their party principles that the southerners must be exterminated before the Japanese are driven out. All southern Koreans who have returned from abroad agree in one thing―that is the irreconcilability between the two factions. It seems the north-western faction is the worse sinner in this respect. I can't understand how men like 安昌鎬 could encourage and foster such a unworthy sectional spirit and hatred when all Koreans are found in the same boat on a stormy sea.
61
18th. Saturday. Bright―Cold.
64
19th. Sunday. Bright a.m. Cold.
66
My attitude toward the sectional factions has been one of reconciliation and of disapproval. So much so that I have taken a Westerner of Westerners―a Pyong Yang man for a son-in-law. but leaders like Cynn and Yu are as set in their anti-western attitude and spirit as the Pyong Yang people are anti-southern. Sometime ago, the girls of the Ewha College invited Yi Kwang Su, the well-known novelist, to deliver a lecture on some literary theme. The program was printed. Only a few hours before the appointed hour, Yu O.K. advised the American princpal of College not to permit Yi speak to the girls because he had divorced his former wife. What a slap that must have been to Yi! The Ewha College some days ago wanted to invite 鄭斗鉉, the brother of my son-in-law to teach some subject in the College. I hear Cynn skillfuly turned that down with the suggestion that particular subject should be taught by a woman teacher and not by a man!
67
I can understand and appreciate the psychology of both factions. They have each good reasons for being bitter against each other. But my contention is that we, Koreans, can't afford the luxury of keeping up sectional animosities.
72
21st. Tuesday. Rain. Chilly.
73
Seoul home. The Korean products bazar―the 4th annual affair in the Central Y. The paucity of the products in quality and quantity was distressing. Without the encouragement and protection of the Government; without an industrious and self-helping population to create them; without the necessary skill and capital to carry on the work of production against the immense dumping of alien goods; without a market demanding the home products―how can a Korean products bazar help being poor?
75
22nd. Wednesday. Lovely. Cool.
78
23rd. Thursday. Lovely―Cool.
79
Seoul home. At the invitation of Dr. Oh went to 天香園 near 靑岩寺 outside of the Little East Gate 12 Morning. Dr. Ryang, Mr. Oda of the Foreign Affairs Section and Mr. Sato an English editor of the Osaka Mai-nichi had a Korean lunch there. Found Mr. Sato very charming personage. He seems to be a broad-minded man. Enjoyed the outing. Returned home about 2:30 p.m.
84
25th. Saturday. Lovely.
85
Seoul home. The last day of the Korean products bazar―so called.
87
26th. Sunday. Cloudy-Rain drops now and then.
88
Seoul home. went 昌慶園 with family 11 a.m. Immense crowd to see the sakura flowers.
90
27th. Monday. Rain from late last night.
91
Seoul home. Rain more or less all the day.
93
28th. Tuesday. Cloud―Cool.
94
Seoul home. Spent part of p.m. with 珽善 at 塼巖亭.
95
Entertained Dr. Avison by the Y. staff to a Korean supper. He and wife to leave Seoul two days later.
97
29th. Wednesday. Cloud a.m. Lovely p.m.
98
Seoul home. Garden party given by the Gov. Genl. in the North Palace in honor of the birthday of H.I.M. the Mikado from 2 p.m.
101
Seoul home. Ten a.m. Dr. and Mrs. Avison left for America. Now that Dr. Avison is gone, Helen has no more job. She persists in her begging to let her go to America. Of course I know and she knows that there is no job waiting for her in the wide and wide America. But she wants to go simply because she can't be adjusted to the conditions of life in Korea―all because she dosen't want to. Before this year is out she will be pestering me to pay her way back to the East. A Korean who can't settle down to work in Korea will not be able to settle down anywhere in this world. She is certainly one of those whom a high education hurts more than it helps.
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