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Jehovah’s Witnesses Increase in Korea

By a Watch Tower missionary in Korea

TRUCE has come to Korea, but not peace. Nor does peace look possible in the future. The United Nations organization, which came to the rescue of South Korea in the summer of 1950, is finding that arranging a peace conference with the Communists is no less frustrating than the long months of truce talks. And even if a peace should be effected, who could trust the terms agreed to in view of past records of breach of faith? Such is the attitude of many people in Korea. They take a very dark view of the future, indeed.

The violence of the war has shifted now from the front lines to deep within South Korea’s mountainous terrain. The guerrilla activity has increased considerably, showing signs of extensive organization by the Communists. While this writer was in Chonju a few days ago he observed the moving of a division of the ROK army through the streets. They were going south to flush out the guerrillas from the Chiri Mountain area.

But among the 22,000,000 people of South Korea are many persons who look above the stalemate of human efforts and turn to the only One who can offer real hope for the future. Those who look to Jehovah and his promises for a new world of righteousness grasp at his truth with a vigor and determination that is marvelous to behold. It is difficult to get many really to look into the Bible for God’s promise at first. They have been let down too many times in the past. Many had experienced the Communist rule of North Korea or during the occupation of South Korea in the early days of the war. They learned that the loudly propagandized promises the Reds gave to the laboring class resulted only in more terrible oppression. And again the promises of the United Nations organization to rehabilitate their destroyed country have been undermined by the United Nations organization’s concessions during the truce and further possible concessions in the peace conference. Little wonder, then, that the Korean just sits silently, not bothering to comment when further promises are made to him.

But, then, when he hears that Jehovah, the Creator of the universe, has promised to destroy all the wickedness from earth and to make all things new he pricks up his ears. Strangely enough, it is not the promise of the Kingdom or the new earth that takes his attention at first, but the Bible teaching of Armageddon. A new world based on past things does not interest him. But if God is going to destroy the wicked things first, then bring in the thousand-year reign of Christ, that sounds more reasonable.

Once his interest is aroused in the truth, the person of good will in Korea studies his Bible day and night. As soon as he sees the difference between Satan’s old world and Jehovah’s new world the Korean is capable of very strong faith. Hardships, difficulties, persecutions, are overcome, even when his faith is quite young.

The general lot of the Korean has changed but little since the truce. Many organizations are operating in Korea now, trying to bring some relief to the people. It is a monumental task for any and all. Much sincere effort is being made. The United States is trying to arrange a way for the Koreans to build their own fertilizer plants and cement factories, etc., in an effort to aid in rebuilding and at the same time enable Korea’s principal occupation, agriculture, to produce enough to keep the people from starving until the country gets on its feet economically. It has set up a Combined Economic Board to combat inflation. Being completely dependent on outside help, particularly the United States of America, Korea naturally has to accept unwelcome conditions on the help it receives. Much has been done by the United States and others. Much more will be done, but even if this help is continued until Armageddon there will be no real peace or hope for the people. Man cannot rise above his own power, and the cure for Korea’s troubles is beyond human ability. Many are turning from men’s schemes and looking to God.

The winters in Korea are bitterly cold as the winds blow down across the peninsula from Siberia. The army refers to it as “arctic weather,” as the American soldiers shiver in their fur-lined parkas. But despite the cold and lack of necessities the Korean witnesses of Jehovah do not permit the winter weather to lessen their zeal for Kingdom service and attending the congregation meetings.

They love to associate together with those of like precious faith and eagerly look forward to Sunday each week, as Sunday is “meeting day,” when they can get together and study and tell each other of the experiences and joys they have had in their service work.

Until recently the early military curfew has made it difficult to attend evening meetings and get back home in time. So in most congregations the usual weekly meetings of the congregation are all held on Sunday instead of during the week. One unit in Seoul meets at the missionary home. Each Sunday the living room, dining room and lobby are packed out with around 170 in attendance. Perhaps you are wondering how so many can squeeze in. The answer is that the Korean people do not sit on chairs, but they sit on the floor, and in that way many can crowd into a small space. They leave their shoes at the door as they enter, because according to Korean custom they never wear their shoes inside the house.

On Sundays the brothers begin arriving at the Kingdom Hall about 10:30 in the morning, and it is usually around 2:00 before they leave; and all this time they are sitting on the cold floor in their stocking feet and with the temperature below the freezing mark.

It is really a joy to attend the meetings and notice with what rapt attention the brothers listen to every word, and when the conductor refers to a scripture the pages of their Bibles begin to fly as they hurry to locate the text in their own Bibles. The Watch Tower literature translated into Korean has been very limited, so the brothers always take notes, that the new thoughts may be used by them later as they are teaching others.

After the meetings many of them engage in group witnessing work before returning to their homes. So Sunday is a busy day for Jehovah’s servants in Korea.

When the American missionaries engage in the house-to-house preaching work they are rarely invited inside, because of the present economic conditions. Often the whole family is forced to live in only one room and they are hesitant for you to come in. But even if you are invited inside, you will find that the houses are not warmed in the style of the Western home, as no space heat is used. The floors are warmed by channeling the smoke from the kitchen fire under the floor. But this floor is warm only if there is a pallet on top of the floor to keep the heat in the floor. Then one gets warm by putting his hands and feet under the pallet. Sometimes little charcoal braziers are used to warm the hands and to keep the water warm for tea. So one must dress warm inside the house as well as outside. The circuit servant, an American, sometimes sleeps on a Korean floor in his overcoat. He finds the floor warm usually in one spot and his lanky frame extends beyond. The fuel problem in Korea is great. What little wood and charcoal are available are very high, and wages are low; hence in most homes fuel is used only for cooking purposes.

It has been very gratifying in recent months to see an increasing number of those having no previous affiliation with any professed Christian organization come into a knowledge of the truth and exhibit real faith in the Bible. A recent case in Chonju is typical. A provincial government official was recently baptized. He presented many difficult questions before he would accept the Bible as true. His patience to hear and study the matter out enabled Jehovah’s witnesses to clear away his doubts one by one, and now he is quite enthusiastic about the truth. Through his efforts we were able to use a public school auditorium for the public lecture given by the circuit servant in Chonju this month. One hundred and seventy persons attended the lecture. The Chonju congregation rejoiced, as their usual attendance at meetings in their Kingdom Hall is around 60. Many Buddhists, ancestor worshipers, Confucianists and even atheists are coming into the truth. It is estimated that fifty per cent of those being baptized now have had no previous “Christian” affiliation.

In Seoul there are now two thriving congregations with a combined attendance at the Watchtower study regularly approaching 300 persons. One of the congregations uses the second floor of a former hospital. The doctor who owns the building is providing the four rooms free for the Kingdom Hall. The doctor herself is very active in the service.

This doctor’s husband was formerly a high official in the national government. At that time his wife received the truth, but he was so busy with official matters he could not take the time to look into the details of the doctrines taught by Jehovah’s witnesses. Now that he is again in private business he is taking the time. He stays up late at night reading the Bible and the Society’s publications and is now introducing them to other persons. He still is close to the government and has been able to assist in the Society’s problems many times. Through him and his wife the truth has been brought to the attention of many prominent people.

Seoul is still the war-battered city of last winter; but now with most of its population returned, temporary shacks are going up where homes and offices used to be. The city is once more a bustling metropolis. The streetcars are overcrowded and the sidewalks jammed with people. A city has come to life again since the truce began. Jehovah’s witnesses are happy to be back in their homes again and are not slacking the hand toward the witness work, which many of them learned while refugees down south. Before the war there was a small congregation in Seoul, but now the two larger and more active congregations are a testimony that life and hope and praise are still present in Korea. In November of 1951 there were about 35 publishers of the Kingdom message reporting in Korea. In May 1954 there were 855 in thirteen congregations and several isolated groups in the southern part of the peninsula.

From high and low stations in Korean life these newly dedicated servants have come. Among them is the wife of the then prime minister, whose meekness and humility toward the commands of Jehovah are a good example for all. She studies her Bible constantly and is anxious and willing to go at any time in the Kingdom service. It has caused quite a change in her life, bringing some difficult problems for her. She looks confidently toward Jehovah and his organization to provide the strength for her to continue in His work. Recently she went with the brothers from Seoul who gave a public lecture for a smaller congregation in a village about fifteen miles from Seoul. Because she attended the meeting all the village officials and dignitaries attended also. The school principal lined up the school children in front of her to bow to her, but she refused this gesture, instead calling upon them to give honor to Jehovah and not to his creatures.

Some time ago at a meeting in the Kingdom Hall at the missionary home in Seoul several American soldiers were present. A young witness was overheard to observe, “Look, the Americans have finally begun to come into the truth.” Quite a number of GI’s are associating with Jehovah’s witnesses here. Some are making good use of their time here by producing good works in Kingdom service. One sergeant, especially, has set a good example of zeal for the brothers. He has earned the love and respect of his Korean brothers. Many GI’s have taken their stand for the truth in difficult circumstances. Some had never heard of Jehovah’s witnesses before they came to Korea. Truly the message is reaching all kinds of men.

The Kingdom message is now making some progress in the rural sections among the lesser educated ones. Many illiterate persons too are beginning to understand. Recently a small rural group of isolated publishers began making periodic trips to another village some distance away. They had worked all the territory near their own area many times. These periodic visits bore fruit, as last month this new village suddenly appeared on the Theocratic map by reporting for the first time. They reported en masse too, as their first report showed 17 publishers. It takes great courage to become active in the preaching work in a rural place in Korea. The old traditions are so strictly adhered to that those who break the traditions are shunned and, many times, even harmed bodily. In Korea, as elsewhere in the Orient, the old rule the young. In their family life the daughter-in-law is controlled completely by the mother-in-law and even the son cannot interfere. The grandson is often dominated by either grandparent. For these people to defy this traditional authority when these elders resent their Christian activity is a great step that must be considered very carefully. Sometimes the prejudice of the elders is very violent, as they consider Christianity a reflection on their form of ancestor worship. Watching these brothers turn from these strong traditions helps us to understand the meaning of Jesus’ words, “Let the dead bury the dead.” It is necessary counsel to those bound by such traditions.

Here in this war-ravaged land there exists a segment of that nation, prophesied about at Ezekiel 38, that is at peace and dwells in unwalled villages. The description given by Ezekiel of those in Jehovah’s organization living in security is shared by Jehovah’s witnesses in Korea despite their proximity to one of the most explosive political situations in history. Jehovah is their trust!