한국 감리교의 시작, 아펜젤러 청년이 한국에 오기까지🕍

Summary

The video recounts how Methodist missionary Henry G. Appenzeller came to Korea and helped establish early Methodist churches and educational institutions.

Early Life and Faith

Appenzeller was born in Pennsylvania in 1858 to a Christian family of Swiss and German ancestry. He grew up helping his parents and working diligently. The narrator connects these habits to the self-reliance and practical education Appenzeller later promoted at Pai Chai Academy, including vocational instruction and a printing press that helped students earn tuition.

A Commitment to Ministry

While in college, Appenzeller led prayer gatherings and evangelized. In 1881, after hearing a sermon about missions, he donated the $50 he had and wrote in his diary that his vision was to devote himself fully to serving God. After college, he studied at a seminary and became a preacher.

Choosing Korea

Appenzeller had initially expected to serve in Japan. In 1882, a close friend spoke of going to Korea, which was then newly opening relations with the United States, but later had to abandon that plan. Appenzeller applied to go in his friend’s place.

His mother worried about the dangers of disease in Korea, but he persuaded his parents that mission work was God’s will and that they should proceed in faith.

Marriage and Departure

Selected as a missionary to Korea in October 1884, Appenzeller asked his fiancée, Ella Dodge, to marry him and join him in the work. She accepted, saying she was glad to serve alongside the person she loved. Appenzeller was commissioned in January 1885 and sailed from San Francisco with other missionaries.

The Voyage and Arrival

During a severe Pacific storm, Appenzeller led a worship service and encouraged frightened passengers to cross the sea with faith. He reached Korea on Easter Sunday, April 5, 1885, and prayed that the risen Christ would free the Korean people from oppression and grant them light and freedom.

Beginning Methodist Work in Incheon

Because entering Seoul was considered unsafe in the aftermath of the Gapsin Coup—and because Appenzeller was traveling with his newly married wife—the couple initially stayed in Jemulpo, present-day Incheon. They evangelized and held services in a small thatched hut.

A harmonium arrived from the United States in July 1885. Singing hymns around it is described as an early foundation of Naeri Church. A small chapel known as the White Chapel was later built. The narrator presents Naeri Church as the beginning of Methodist work in Incheon and a “mother” church for the surrounding region.

Work in Seoul

Appenzeller went to Seoul on July 29, 1885, and began holding services in a house prepared by another missionary. The small congregation grew, and these services became the foundation of Jeongdong First Church.

The narrator recalls Appenzeller’s determination to establish a church and preach throughout Korea, even when the congregation was tiny and there was not yet an impressive building.

Legacy

Jeongdong First Church’s prominent red-brick building was completed in 1897, after Appenzeller had hoped to build a church that would stand out alongside Myeongdong Cathedral. The video highlights both Naeri Church and Jeongdong First Church as landmarks of early Korean Methodism, while noting that each has claims associated with being “first.”

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Main narrator: Pastor Man, identified in the subtitles as speaking for the “Veron Channel” (the channel name may have been misrecognized).
• Henry G. Appenzeller: Quoted through his diary, prayers, and reported statements.
• Ella Dodge (later Appenzeller): Quoted about serving alongside her husband.
• Missionary Scranton: Cited as a witness to Appenzeller’s sermon during the Pacific voyage.
• Appenzeller’s close friend: Reported as the person who first spoke to him about missionary work in Korea.
• Other people mentioned: Appenzeller’s mother, Missionary Underwood, and U.S. Ambassador Polk.
• Documentary references: A letter attributed to Appenzeller and Ella, and a church record concerning Naeri Church.