Imperial Japan purged Korean schools of ‘pro-American’ professors, abolished Christian prayers, and labeled the English language as the ‘product of the enemy’, expelled Western missionaries (Dec. 1942)

I wanted to share something quite illuminating and, frankly, disturbing from a historical perspective. It's an excerpt from an article published in Keijo Nippo, the colonial newspaper and official mouthpiece of the Imperial Japanese government that ruled Korea from 1905 to 1945. This piece sheds light on a particularly dark aspect of colonial rule: the aggressive purge of Western influence from Korean educational institutions.

Students at Yeonhui Specialized School performing Kendo training in 1942.

In December 1942, as Imperial Japan marked the first anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, a series of articles including this one were released to rally the nation and stir up anti-American sentiment. This article reveals how the colonial government took over and purged schools founded by Western missionaries, especially those with American or British roots, enforcing a dramatic shift towards Imperialist education. This involved not just a curriculum overhaul but a ban on Christian religious practices and an outright demonization of the English language—all in the name of patriotism.

The schools mentioned in this article, which include the precursor to today's Yonsei University (referred to as Yeonhui in the text), have survived to the present day. Yet, back then, they were forced to undergo a radical transformation. The article talks about appointing new principals loyal to the Imperialist cause, erasing all signs of Western influence, and instilling militaristic and nationalistic values among the students. English, once a symbol of enlightenment and modernity, was labeled the "enemy's product."

What's particularly jarring is the narrative's tone—celebrating these changes as victories, as liberations from the supposedly corrupting influence of the West. It's a stark reminder of how totalitarian regimes can twist education into a tool of propaganda, demonizing foreign ideas and enforcing a singular narrative in the name of fostering patriotism and loyalty to the Emperor. By documenting and sharing articles like this, I hope to keep exposing the actions of this unhinged totalitarian regime.

[Translation]

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) December 3, 1942

The Wall of Magic Crumbles

Pure souls now arise!

Rushing towards military education and the Japanese language

A year since the expulsion of the British and Americans, Education Edition

Yeonhui Specialized School was a mission school, a prestigious institution directly affiliated with the U.S. and Britain. On October 1st, the Governor-General's Office of Korea appointed Mr. Takahashi as the principal. It was a bolt of lightning from the blue on a clear day. The world praised the decisive action taken by the government, and Mr. Takahashi, the new principal, was fervently encouraged. He raised great expectations, crying out, "Oh Yeonhui, how will you be reborn?"

Yeonhui Specialized School was the first temple for worshiping America and Britain. Its campus was designed to be a magical garden that yearned for America and Britain, with pine greenery, colorful green and red tiled roofs, Western flower beds, and English conversation. It was a bewitching gate to America and Britain.

A direct path to America and Britain was cleverly constructed, and each year, a number of young students, envied by others, were easily sold to America and Britain, with money and stylish suits. Standing on the hill of this magical campus, Principal Takahashi could see that the design of the school's lawn was exactly in the pattern of the Union Jack, which also incorporated the Chinese character (米) for "rice", which represented America. A professor answered that this was because the founder, Dr. Avison, was born in Britain and naturalized in America. Moreover, it is said that until this spring, a statue of the founding principal, Mr. Underwood, was erected at the center of the Union Jack, aiming at the soul of the Korean Peninsula.

That such a school existed in a corner of Imperial Japan until today will surprise many. Students are supposed to study within the relationship of nation = life = school, yet somehow such a school devoted to America and Britain still managed to exist.

Principal Takahashi hurled five school mottos at the academy. The first school motto was, "Understand the true meaning of the National Body, embrace the essence of the Imperial Rescript on Education, refine your thoughts, expand your insights, and thus strengthen your conviction of being subjects of the Imperial nation," and the youth became purified. The students of the academy, who had previously been enchanted by the magic of America and Britain, leaped at these five school mottos.

Morning prayers were abolished. Missionaries disappeared. The religious department was dissolved. Professors considered to be pro-American and pro-British were gone. And "Let's proceed with haste" became the motto among professors and students. A fierce desire to catch up on past delays surged and filled the academy at once. Yeonhui is now undergoing a significant transformation, completely breaking free from the shackles of America and Britain. It's a new morning for Yeonhui, once an American and British academy and outpost like Singapore.

Let's turn our gaze to Ewha Women's Specialized School, the "Yeonhui for girls," which was once an academy and outpost like Hong Kong. Now, a tatami-floored etiquette room has been established. Sacred hemp is offered at the Kamidana Shinto shrine, and in that room, the tea ceremony and flower arrangement are learned gracefully. Japanese women are also being born here. It was October. Female students, who had once proudly spoken English in their conversations as a matter of principle, awakened to the realization that "the English language is indeed a product of the enemy" and devoted themselves to practicing the Japanese language, boldly performing a Japanese language drama at the Seoul Citizens Hall. One might say it feels like a different era when one thinks about it.

It is said that, at both Yeonhui and Ewha, the Americans implemented their deep schemes by demanding the placement of several professors in exchange for substantial financial contributions from the mission. Similar things were happening under the noble names of love for humanity, religion, and education, with secondary schools placed in all the key cities of Korea: Yeonhui (연희, 延禧), Paichai (배재, 培材), Ewha (이화, 梨花), Baewha (배화, 培花), Chungshin (정신, 貞信), Kyungshin (경신, 儆新), Soongsil (숭실, 崇実), Keisung (계성, 啓聖), Youngsaeng (영생, 永生), and Myungduk (명덕, 明徳). They attracted many young male and female students and actually aimed their venomous fangs at the immature souls of the Korean peninsula. Most of these were girls' secondary schools, aiming to infiltrate homes by capturing women's hearts first.

However, all of these schemes have now been cut short. Each school is making a robust advance in the Great Imperial War. Formerly rigid mission school female students are now visiting shrines monthly, comforting brave soldiers in white at army hospitals, and engaging in tennis matches with those soldiers. This is the reality of the Korean peninsula today. All of these can be said to be the spoils of victory at the home front that we won from America and Britain in the first year of the Greater East Asia War.

Severance Medical School also changed its name to Asahi Medical School in that memorable year. What a bright name it has taken! The sound of military training boots is heard in the campus of Asahi Medical School.

Thus, the educational world of the Korean peninsula, having blown away the American and British school atmosphere, will surely become a brilliant exemplar for the construction of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. [Photo = Yeonhui Specialized School students engaged in military education]

Source: https://archive.org/details/kjnp-1942-12-03/page/n3/mode/1up

[Transcription]

京城日報 1942年12月3日

”魔術の垣”崩れて

清純の魂、今や起つ

軍教に、国語に駈足

米英締め出し、あれから一年、教育篇

延禧専門、それはミッションスクールであった。立派な米英直参の学校であった。そこに十月一日、朝鮮総督府は高橋教学官を校長として任命した。まさに晴天の電霆、世は挙げて本府のとった英断を読め、高橋新校長を激励した。そうして、「延禧よ、如何に新生するか」と絶大の期待をかけた。

延禧専門、それは米英崇拝の第一殿堂であった。その学窓は松林の翠色、赤瓦の色彩的屋根、西洋花壇、英語の会話等々々、遥かに米英を憧憬すべくすべてが装置された魔法の庭であり、米英への妖麗な門であった。

そこから米英への直線路が巧緻に作られていて、年々幾人かの若い学生は他の学生の羨望の中に金と瀟洒な背広とをあてがわれて、やすやすと、その米英へ魂を身売りしたものである。一日高橋校長がその魔法の学園の丘に立って見下ろせば、その校庭の芝生の設計はまさしくユニオンジャックを型どり、そのユニオンジャックはまた米国の『米』という字をも型どったもの、更にこれを追及すれば、創立者アビソンが英国生まれで、米国に帰化した人物である處に由来すると一教授は答えたという。しかもそのユニオンジャックの中心にはこの春まで創立校長アンダウッドの彫像が心中半島の魂を狙った姿で建てられていたという。

そんな学校が今日まで皇国日本の一角に存在していたということ、自体何人もことの意外に驚くであろう。国家＝生活＝学校この関聯の中に身をおいて学を修むべきに、よくもかかる米英、そのままの学校が存在していたものである。

その学園に高橋校長は五ヶ条の校訓を投げつけたのである。その第一条は、「国体の本義に透徹し、教育勅語の旨趣を奉体し、思索を精にし、識見を長じ、以て皇国臣民たるの信念を鞏固ならしむべし」と、青年は正純なり。あれ程に魔法にかけられて来た学園の学生がその五ヶ条に飛びついて来たのだ。

朝の礼拝は無くなる。宣教師は姿を消す。宗教部は解消する。米英系と目されていた教授もいなくなる。そうして「駈足で行こう」そうした言葉が教授、学生の間の合言葉となったのだ。今までの遅れていた分をこの一気に取り返そうとする激しい意欲が澎湃として学園に満ち満ちたのだ。延禧は今大いなる転回をとっている。完全に米英の羈絆から脱却した。米英系学園のシンガポール延禧の新しき朝。

視線を梨花女専に移そう。「女子の延禧」学園の香港であった梨花女専に、今床間のついた作法室が設けられている。神棚には大麻が奉斎され、そうしてその室は茶の湯、生花などが淑やかに学習されている。日本女性はここにも誕生しようとしている。秋十月であった。これまで英語を会話の原則として誇らかに喋っていた女子学生達が「英語こそ敵産なり」と目覚めて国語の修練に努め、堂々国語劇を府民館で公演した。思えば隔世の感ありといってよかろう。

延専にしても梨専にしても、米国はミッションからいくらいくらの金を支出する故教授幾人を入れろという筆法でその深謀が強行されて来たという。それに類することが、宗教と教育という人類愛の美名にかくれて培材、梨花、培花、貞信、儆新、崇実、啓聖、永生、明徳などなど全鮮枢要都市に中等学校が配置され、幾多の青年男女生徒を吸引し、実は毒牙を半島の未熟な魂の上に打ち込んでいたのだ。しかもこれらの殆どが女子中等学校であり、先ず女の心を据えて家庭に喰い入り骨を抜こうという手段だった。

しかしそれらの一切が今は起ち截られた。何れの学校も皇国の大戦に健実な前進をとっている。かつて強硬なミッションスクールの女学生が、今日神社に月詣でしている。又陸軍病院に白衣の勇士を慰問し、その勇士達と庭球の試合に打ち興じている現実が現在の半島なのだ。それらのすべては大東亜戦第一年が米英から奪還し得た銃後の勝利といってよい。

セブランス医専も「その一年」に於いて旭医専と改称した。何という明るい名称をとったことであろう。その「旭」の校庭に軍事教練の靴音を聞く。

かくて米英的校風を吹っ飛ばした半島教育界、それは大東亜すめらあじや建設への輝かしい示範者となるであろう。【写真＝軍教に励む延禧専門学校生】

Annie Ellers Bunker, American missionary who went from personal physician to Empress Myeongseong to thriving philanthropist in Colonial Korea, was praised in this 1938 Keijo Nippo obituary for endorsing the Imperial Japanese Army

This obituary from October 1938, published in Keijo Nippo newspaper, an organ of the Imperial Japanese colonial regime which ruled Korea from 1905 to 1945, features Annie Ellers Bunker, an American Methodist missionary and physician who spent around 50 years in Korea. This article sheds light on her remarkable journey, from being Empress Myeongseong's personal physician to her involvement in colonial Korea's society.

Annie Ellers Bunker

Born on August 31, 1860, and passing away on October 8, 1938 (exactly 43 years after the assassination of the Empress), Annie's life spanned significant historical events. Her role as the personal physician to Empress Myeongseong, especially leading up to the Empress's assassination in October 1895, granted her intimate access to the royal court. After the annexation of Korea by Imperial Japan, she seemed to prosper, raising thousands of yen to support various institutions including the Korean Young Women's Christian Association, Gongju Orphanage, Gongju M&A School, and Dongdaemun Women's Hospital. This indicates her significant influence in colonial Korea.

Interestingly, her last words before her death in 1938 were "I wish the Japanese Army will win soon and bring peace to the East", raising questions about her possible pro-Japanese sentiments, even during her time as the Empress's physician. Given her intimate access to the royal court at the time of the Empress's assassination, her documented pro-Japanese sentiments, and her subsequent successful career as a philanthropist in Korea under Imperial Japanese rule, it naturally raises a delicate question: could she have had any involvement or knowledge regarding the Imperial Japanese conspirators who assassinated the Empress? This is a matter left to historians to ponder, and it is not my intention to accuse Annie Ellers of any wrongdoing but to highlight the complexities and controversies surrounding her life.

Annie's closeness with Empress Myeongseong is further highlighted by an incident where, upon her marriage to Dalzell Bunker, the Empress demanded to see her wedding dress, examining it meticulously.

Annie's impact extended to nursing in Korea, being the first female medical missionary in the country. A Boston University Medical College student, she arrived in Korea in 1886, founded the Chungshin Girl’s School, and became a trailblazer in women's healthcare and education.

Annie Ellers Bunker as a young adult. (from Boston University website)

In 1938, the colonial authorities took over the Chungshin Girl's High School, which she founded, and converted it into a state-controlled school promoting State Shintoism and imposing the Japanese language.

Her first encounter with the Empress is vividly documented in her personal essay published in the Korean Repository, a journal for foreign Christian missionaries published between 1892 and 1899. This account provides a fascinating glimpse into her life and the complexities of her role in Korea. For the sake of improving accessibility, I have transcribed and posted the entire essay below, originally found in a PDF from the Korean Repository which is not OCR enabled.

Annie Ellers Bunker is now buried at the Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery in Seoul, where her grave marker notes her 40 years of service as a missionary in Korea, until 1926.

This story is not just about the life of a missionary or a physician; it's about a woman whose life intersected crucial historical events, raising questions about her beliefs and the impact she had on Korean society.

[Translation]

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) October 12, 1938

The Grave of the Blue-Eyed Couple Guarding the Red Earth

• Fifty Years of Life on the Korean Peninsula
• Her Last Testament Praises the Imperial Army
• Pro-Japanese American Mrs. Bunker

The deceased Mrs. L. A. Bunker, who dedicated her life to social work on the Korean peninsula for fifty years, will have her funeral at the Chungdong Methodist Church at 10 am on the 12th at 13 Jeongdong-gil. Her last words, spoken to relatives and friends offering solemn prayers at her peaceful deathbed at 9 am on the 8th, were these: “I feel terribly sorry for the wounded Japanese soldiers on the battlefield. Why isn't the war over yet? I wish the Japanese Army will win soon and bring peace to the East.”

With a trembling hand, Mrs. Bunker took out the remaining hundred yen from her entire fortune, which she had dispersed for charitable causes, and requested it be used as a fund for the Japanese Red Cross. Then, she closed her eyes in peace. The words and actions of this foreign lady on her deathbed are being passed from mouth to mouth among friends, stirring deep emotion among the Japanese, Koreans, and foreigners in Seoul.

But who was Mrs. Bunker? Fifty years ago, she bravely came to Korea from her native America alone for missionary work. Fortunately, being a female doctor, she was warmly welcomed by the Korean government. At that time, there were hardly any Western medical facilities in Korea, so Mrs. Bunker, as a pioneer in Western medicine in Korea, dedicated herself and served for many years in the palace as the personal physician to the deceased Empress Myeongseong. After the annexation of Korea by Japan, she focused on missionary and charitable work for thirty years, contributing thousands of yen to various institutions such as the Korean Young Women's Christian Association, Gongju Orphanage, Gongju M&A School, and Dongdaemun Women's Hospital, dedicating her life to social work in Korea for fifty years. Five years ago, her husband Dr. Bunker died while she was on holiday in America. Her husband was so pro-Japanese that he requested in his will to have his remains moved to Korea. Mrs. Bunker, too, will be buried in the beloved Korean soil alongside her husband. [Photo: Mrs. Bunker]

[Transcription]

京城日報 1938年10月12日

赭土を護る碧眼夫婦塚

• 半島生活五十年
• 遺言に讃う皇軍
• 親日の米人バンカー夫人

五十年間半島の社会事業に一生を捧げ、十二日朝十時貞洞町監理教教会で葬式が行われる貞洞町一三故レ・エ・バンカー夫人が去る八日朝九時、静かな臨終の病床で厳粛な祈祷を捧げる親戚友人等に遺して去った最後の言葉はこれだ。

「戦場に傷ついた日本軍人が気の毒でならない。まだ戦争が終らないのか。早く日本軍が勝って東洋に平和が来て欲しい」と夫人は微かに震える手で慈善事業のために全財産をばらまいて残った百円を取り出し日本赤十字事業資金にしてくれと依頼した後、安心したように目を閉じた。死の床に於ける一外人夫人のこの言葉と行為は友人の口から口へ伝わって在城の内鮮外人を問わず感激の話題となっているが、このバンカー夫人はどんな人であったか。

今から五十年前、夫人は故国アメリカから単身宣教のため、勇敢にも朝鮮に飛び込んだ。幸いに夫人は女医でもあったので韓国政府は喜んで厚く迎えた。当時朝鮮はおろか洋医薬の施設は殆どなかった時代なので、夫人は朝鮮に洋医術を済した草分けとして献身的な努力をなし選ばれて故閔妃の侍医として多年宮中に仕えた。日韓併合後は三十年この方布教の外に慈善事業に専念し、朝鮮女子青年会、公州託児所、公州エムエー学校、東大門夫人病院などには何れも数千円の寄付金をおくるなど五十年一生の朝鮮社会事業のために尽くして来た。五年前アメリカへ休暇帰国中図らずも死んだ夫のバンカー博士も遺言によって遺骨を朝鮮に移葬した程の親日家で、夫人も夫君と並んでなつかしい朝鮮の土に葬られることになっている。【写真＝バンカー夫人】

Source: https://archive.org/details/kjnp-1938-10-12/page/n9/mode/1up

[The Korean Repository, October 1895, pp. 373-375.]

My First Visit to Her Majesty, The Queen

During the visit of Mrs. H. G. Underwood and myself to Her Majesty on the 14th of September we saw the Queen Dowager and she gave us each a handsome gold-embroidered chumoncy or purse-Our visit to Her Royal Highness was in the same place where some years ago I went to see the Queen. Many changes have come since then and the Queen now lives in a new building, beautifully lighted with electricity, in another part of the grounds.

It is just nine years ago this fall since I was first, in company with Dr. H. N. Allen the King's physician, called to visit, Her Majesty, the Queen. She had been ill for some time and they had sent to Dr. Allen for medicines. As there was no improvement in her condition the Doctor assured them, that, in order to treat Her Majesty properly, she must be examined, and so the writer was called.

It was a lovely autumn day, when in the early afternoon, we started for the Palace in our sedan chairs, with our keysos (soldiers) running ahead and clearing the way. My heart was thumping vigorously and I wondered how I would be received, half fearing the ordeal.

On our arrival at the outer side-gate of the palace wall, we had to get out of our chairs and walk quite a distance, about a quarter of a mile, I should judge, to the Reception Hall. As we neared the place we were met by Prince Min Young Ik whom I had met, and who, having travelled much, knew something of the customs of foreigners.

He showed us some of the beauties of the palace grounds and after our walk around the artificial lake, he escorted us to the waiting-room and there had us served with foreign food, Korean fruit and nuts.

Soon a messenger dressed in court costume came for me and, Prince Min accompanying me, we started for the Audience Hall. We first crossed a large open court, which I noticed had large potted plants around three sides of it but not a spear of grass growing in it anywhere. Ascending a flight of broad stone steps, crossing the narrow verandah and stepping over a high door sill, I found that we were at one end of a long, wide hall, the floors of which were covered with the soft, beautiful, figured Korean matting which is such a fine article and so hard to obtain. At the farther end of the hall, I saw a large number of Koreans, men, women, and young girls. I made my three bows as I advanced and then found myself in front of the company among whom I soon singled out Her Majesty and for the rest of that visit I had eyes for no one but her. In later visits I learned to distinguish the gentlemen from the eunuchs, and also the ladies-in-waiting by their peculiar head-gear and their fine skirts of silk gauze. The immense chignons worn by these ladies are objects of wonder not only as to size but also as to how the intricate windings and braidings of the glossy strands is accomplished. One evening while witnessing some of the delightful and peculiar posture-dancing done by the dancing girls at the palace, I asked one of them if her chignon was not heavy - "Oh, said she, it is very heavy and makes my head ache." These head dressings vary in shape; sometimes they are long and narrow and then again they have large lateral loops.

The Queen, beautifully dressed in silk gauze skirts, with strings of pearls in her raven locks, a lady, short of stature, with white skin black eyes and black hair, greeted me most pleasantly. She had on no enormous head dress but only her own glistening locks twisted in a most becoming know low down on her neck. She wears on the top of her forehead her Korean insignia of rank. All the ladies of the nobility wear a similar decoration but of inferior quality and workmanship. To me the face of the Queen especially when she smiles, is full of beauty. She is a superior woman and she impressed one as having a strong will and great force of character, with much kindliness of heart. I have always received the kindest words and treatment from her and I have much admiration and great respect for her. After first asking if I were well, how old I was, how my parents were, if I had brothers and sisters and how they were, she proceeded to tell me that they had been told by Dr. Allen of my arrival in Korea, that she was much pleased at my coming and hoped I would like the country. All of this conversation was carried on through an interpreter who stood, with his body bent double, back of a door where he could hear but not see.

Prince Min, who had been standing by, now had a chair brought for me and I noticed that back of Her Majesty there was a foreign couch. The Queen telling me to be seated sat down on this couch and then the medical part of the interview began.

I had noticed that two gentlemen had seated themselves when the Queen sat and when I got up to leave, they with Her Majesty rose and returned my bows.

Prince Min conducted me back to the waiting room and there I waited for Dr. Allen who was having an audience with His Majesty. When he returned I learned from him that both the King and Crown Prince had been present during my interview. I was very glad that I had not known who the two gentlemen were, for I fear my composure would not have been even such at it was. After being served with more food and fruit we were each given a certain number of soldiers to accompany us home and also, as it was dark, lantern bearers. The sight of the Korean lantern with its outer covering of red and green silk gauze is very picturesque and as we passed, many a dusky head peeped out through opened doors and windows to see what it all meant. The empty dark streets with the dark low houses on either side, the lantern bearers of the Doctor's chair and of mine with the attendant soldiers, carrying their rifles made a picture at once interesting and unique. In recent visits we are permitted to go through the large front gate into the grounds and right up to the waiting room door. Upon arriving here tea, coffee, and fruit are served and then we are called in to Her Majesty, who receives us in one of the smaller private appartments. The King and Crown Prince are always present. After the interview we are permitted to proceed home immediately.

Annie Ellers Bunker

Ms. B.F. Starkey, blue-eyed American missionary featured in 1938 Keijo Nippo as a pro-Imperial model foreigner inspired by Japanese-Korean Unification policy to join the Patriotic Women’s Association in Seoul

This 1938 article is a historical account in a colonial propaganda newspaper about Ms. B.F. Starkey, an American missionary in Korea during the Japanese colonial period who devoted decades of her life in Imperial Japan in various charitable activities.

Her decision to cooperate with the colonial regime starkly contrasts with fellow American missionary George McCune's decision in 1935 to refuse to perform State Shinto worship rituals, for which he was forced by the colonial authorities to leave Korea. The fact that Ms. Starkey was able to continue to operate in Korea in 1938 probably means that she decided to go along with performing the State Shinto rituals, including the mandatory 7 am Kyujo Yohai prayers, even though it was against her Christian beliefs. In any case, she probably would not have been able to stay in Korea past 1942, when Americans who still remained in Imperial Japan were detained and deported.

This is the second Keijo Nippo newspaper article that I found featuring a blue-eyed woman. The other one featured a blue-eyed Russian Tatar woman, Shamseinoor Berikova, who was a member of the National Women's Defense Association (NWDA), which was similar but distinct from the Patriotic Women's Association (PWA) to which Ms. Starkey belonged. Historically, the elite wealthy and powerful women tended to join the PWA, while the NWDA had a much closer connection with the Imperial Japanese military and had a broader membership. The two organizations subsequently merged in 1942.

[Translation]

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) July 2, 1938

A blue-eyed woman with a Patriotic Women's Association Sash

Courageous words of Ms. Starkey: "I also want to help out Japan on the home front!"

Moved by the spirited march of Koreans working for the war effort under the policy of Japanese-Korean Unification, a blue-eyed foreign woman was inspired and said, 'Please let me join in these duties on the home front.' Recently, she applied to join the Patriotic Women's Association at its third branch in Takezoe-chō (present-day Chungjeong-no), Seoul, delighting the leaders and members of the group who received her unusual membership application for the first time. The heroine of this story, Ms. B.F. Starkey, an American residing at 3-30 Takezoe-chō, Seoul, has now proudly become a member of the Patriotic Women's Association. At 56 years old, she joins Japanese and Korean members in comforting families of conscripts, collecting national defense funds, and impressing the community with her passionate efforts, dressed in the Association's uniform of a white apron and a purple sash.

Twenty-eight years ago, in 1910, Ms. Starkey landed in Nagasaki as a Methodist missionary in Japan, the land of poetry. Immediately struck by Japan's picturesque landscapes and warm people, she decided to dedicate her life to this country. Ever since then, for twenty-eight years, she has continued to live in this land, true to her initial resolve, dedicating her life to missionary work and cultural pursuits out of her love for Japan. She has nurtured young men and women who gathered around her, drawn to her pure character, as if they were her own children. She has earnestly lead English language clubs and student Bible classes every evening at her home without pay, and opened her garden as a playground for local children to give some relief to their families.

Dedicated to cultural advancement and community service, she also runs a female-only 'private convent,' Shion Dormitory, in the second floor of her house. With open arms, she welcomes young unmarried women who left their families as well as young girls in need of guidance who approach her for answers and salvation, continuing to selflessly devote herself in helping them awaken from misguided dreams through a pure lifestyle at the dormitory. Currently, 13 girls enjoy a pleasant life there, and she has already sent many well-cultured women into society as respectable wives.

Ms. Starkey's high regard as a saintly figure and her membership in the Patriotic Women's Association have sparked usual delight among foreigners living in Seoul, and that is expected to inspire a surge of membership among pro-Japanese foreigners. When visited at her home, she humbly commented, 'I am only doing what is natural,' and made only brief remarks without continuing further. [The photo is of blue-eyed Ms. Starkey]

[Transcription]

京城日報 1938年7月2日

碧い眼に愛婦の襷

”わたしも日本の銃後に”と勇み参じたスターキー女史

内鮮一体で行進する半島銃後の雄々しい姿に感激した碧眼の一外国婦人が「私もこの銃後の勤めに参加させて下さい」とこの程。

☆．．．愛国婦人会

京城竹添町第三分館に入会を求めて来り京城で初めてのこの珍しい入会申込を受けた何団の幹部初め会員一問をいたく喜ばせた。話題のヒロインは府内竹添町三の三〇アメリカ人ビー・エフ・スターキー女子（五六）で晴れて愛婦会員となった。女子は白いエプロンに紫襷の愛婦会服で内鮮人会員と共に応召家族の慰問に、国防金の募集に、健気な奮闘を続け町内を感激させている。

女史は今から二十八年前の一九一〇年メソジスト教会宣教師として長崎に上陸。直ちに詩の国日本の美しい景色と人情に打たれてこの国に骨を埋めようと決心し、以来二十八年間、最初の決心通りこの地で布教のために、文化のために日本を愛する生活を続けて来た。女史の清い人格を慕って集まる若い男女を彼女はわが子のように世話し、また英語クラブ、学生バイブル・クラス等を自宅に設けて毎晩熱心に、しかも無報酬で指導するほか、庭園には子供の遊園地を設けて附近の子供等のために家族を解放するなど。

文化向上と社会奉仕に犠牲的努力を続けているが、更に同家二階に設置経営する男子禁断の「私設修道院」紫苑寮で家庭を離れた若い独身女、或は悩み迷う若い娘で女史に解決や救いを求めて来るものがあれば両手をひろげて迎え入れこの寮における清い生活によって間違った夢から醒めしめることに献身的努力を続けて来ている。現在この寮で楽しい生活を送っている娘は十三名。既に修養を積み立派な人妻として世話に送り出したものが数十名にのぼっている。

この聖女のほまれ高いスターキー嬢の愛婦人会は在城外人間には異様な感激を与え親日外人同志等の入会者続出が予想されている。自宅に女史を訪えば「妾はただ当たり前のことをしているだけです」と続かんで多くを語らなかった（写真は青眼スターキーさん）

Source: https://archive.org/details/kjnp-1938-07-02/page/n10/mode/1up

Despite Pastor Underwood's heroic refusal to worship the Emperor, Korean churches were eventually forced to worship at Shinto Shrines and announce "we shall forsake the evil thoughts from our past dependence on the West, and strive for purification… towards a Japanese-style Christianity"

These articles are from December 1942, and they particularly stand out for their especially anti-Christian and anti-American messaging. They are part of a series of articles written to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Pacific War against the United States, which began with the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7th local time (December 8th Japan time) in 1941. Setting aside the hateful content, these articles actually provide some interesting, detailed insight into the religious landscape of Korea, which apparently had a vibrant, diverse Christian scene centered on Pyongyang and northern Korea. But here, we look at it from the perspective of the colonizer. We painfully see how Western missionaries initially resisted attempts by colonial authorities to force Korean churches to worship the Emperor at Shinto Shrines and support Imperial Japan's war effort, but those Westerners were ultimately imprisoned or deported, and the Korean churches were eventually forced into submission to the colonial regime. Like the rest of the Korean population, Korean Christians were also compelled to perform the Kyūjō Yōhai ritual (宮城遥拝) of bowing to the Emperor every morning, worship at Shinto shrines, donate church bells to the Imperial Japanese military, 'comfort' Imperial Japanese soldiers by visiting them on the front lines, and make humiliating public pro-Imperialist statements. Those who resisted met the fate of brave Christians like Chu Ki-chol, who was tortured and killed by colonial authorities in 1944.

These articles are also unusual in how many religious organizations and notable Western missionaries that they mention, so I've added various links accordingly to relevant online resources.

(Translation)

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) December 1, 1942

The supranational Christian religion: 670,000 Christians in all of Korea

The Christians once refused to worship at the Shinto shrines

Shut out the United States and Britain!

One year since [the start of the Pacific War on December 8th]

Religion Edition (Part 1)

Schools of love, gentle but holy churches, warm medical hands. In the case of the United States and Britain, all of these were tools of their conspiracy. They used all kinds of secret techniques to extract souls from the Korean peninsula. They tried to make people's lives captive to infatuation with the United States and Britain by attracting them to the movies, and they tried to transform their thoughts into anti-East Asian ones by publishing books. In short, everything they did was a wilesome technique with fangs of cunning hidden deep inside, and they invaded like beasts by playing their magic tricks. How have their relentless efforts over the past several decades infiltrated the Korean peninsula? It is terrifying to imagine.

The Korean peninsula was about to be drained of its soul. The blow that saved it was the declaration of war on that glorious morning of December 8th. Now Japan has risen up. We are waging a thorough extermination campaign against the United States and Britain, who are insatiable in their scheming, and not letting any of their remnants remain in any corner of the land and skies over the Greater East Asia region. In retrospect, I wonder how much of the British-American coloration, condition, or the stains on the soul that had seeped into the Korean peninsula have been wiped away in that one year. I am happy to look back on it now.

Everyone must be horrified when they remember the bewitching missionary power of the Hito-no-michi Movement. There is an old saying, "The drowning man will catch at a straw." When people cannot move beyond thinking "I want to be healed! I want money! I want my business to prosper!" and are then offered even a modicum of reasonable faith, it is probably human nature for them to immediately jump at the chance. Since this human nature is pursued with a message of "bringing humanity, peace, and wealth," we must first look at the rate of proselytization in isolation. Once their eyes are blinded, they are unable to see even the evil clutches of ideological intrigue that are lurking behind all this. Whether this is the case or not, the rate of Christian missionary activity on our Korean peninsula is truly frighteningly high.

Although the words "religion" and "Christianity" are simply used, if we take a glance at the various denominations, it is surprisingly revealed that there are 39 different types of Christianity, including the Roman Catholic Church, the Russian Orthodox Church, the Anglican Church, the Presbyterian Church of Korea, the Korean Methodist Church, the Union of Korean Methodist Churches, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the Oriental Missionary Society, the Universalist Church, etc. (as of the end of 1930). It is said that there are about 330,000 Christians in mainland Japan and about 670,000 Christians in Korea. Of these, the three main Christian denominations with the largest numbers of followers are the Presbyterian Church of Korea, the Korean Methodist Church, and the Roman Catholic Church.

The Presbyterian Church is divided into four groups: the Northern Presbyterian Church of the United States, the Southern Presbyterian Church of the United States, the Presbyterian Church of Canada, and the Presbyterian Church of Australia, which account for about 63% of all Christians in Korea. The next largest group is the Roman Catholic Church with 127,751 members, followed by the Korean Methodist Church with 45,844 members, in this order.

In November 1935, the American missionary McCune, principal of Pyongyang Soongsil Junior High School, refused to worship at the Pyongyang Shinto Shrine, saying, "I cannot participate in events that go against our religious doctrines." The "Shinto shrine non-attendance issue" suddenly grabbed the world's attention. It was a school run by the Northern Presbyterian Church of the United States. From then until February 1938, there were 18 Christian schools that adopted the resolution of not worshiping at the Shinto shrines. Not only did they refuse to worship at the Shinto shrines, but they also refused to fly the national flag or perform the 7 am Kyūjō Yōhai ritual (宮城遥拝) of bowing to the Emperor, and they barred any non-believers from entering church grounds. It was essentially no different from having a piece of America right inside Korea.

When the late Governor-General Saitō made an inspection tour of Jeongju in Northern Pyongan Province, he found that all the stores were closed, so it was no wonder that he was suspicious. It is said that it was a day of rest for Christians that day. Even the farmers had abandoned their fields and were quietly praying to God on Sunday, their day of rest. Christianity is truly a supranational entity, essentially the embodiment of the United States and Britain. Why was American and British Christianity so attractive?

The missionary activities of the Presbyterian Church began 60 years ago. The first principal of present-day Yonhee College (연희전문학교/延禧專門學校) was an American, Mr. Underwood. In 1916 at the Pyongyang Theological Seminary, he lectured on Eschatology, which is said to form the basis of the church's doctrine, and he said, "The Earth will soon be in the grip of a great upheaval, injustice will be defeated, and a peaceful world for Christians will emerge. Only then will you be able to fully accept wealth and love."

At the time of the First World War and the Manchurian Incident, American and British priests were already preaching with a gloating smile. Presbyterian Christianity gradually developed, first in the Hwanghae Province and then in Northern Pyongan Province. There, the weakness of human nature took on an attractive form. Since the Yi Dynasty, the people of the Hwanghae and Northern Pyongan Provinces had not been able to easily enter government service, and their paths to success and prosperity had been blocked by fate. It is not surprising that feelings of rebellion and suspicion were deeply rooted in the hearts of the people of the region.

Because they were promised love, wealth, and peace, all of which could be obtained by praying to Jesus Christ, they became Christians. The methods and means of Christian missionary work have been carried out by skillfully exploiting the same weakness of the human heart. Looking at this in retrospect, it can be said that the ideological schemes of the United States and Britain have steadily succeeded by first borrowing the appearance of a holy religion. This is why 99% of the religious believers of the Korean peninsula are people who make the sign of the cross.

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1942-12-01

 

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) December 2, 1942

Daring to cut off relations with the United States and Britain

The all-out march to complete the conquest

The movement to donate the 'bells of peace'

Shut out the United States and Britain!

One year since [the start of the Pacific War on December 8th]

Religion Edition (Part 2)

It was July 7, 1937. The Imperial cry for justice that broke the skies over northern China simultaneously triggered a great awakening on the Japanese home front. The momentum to live up to the true mission of the ancestral land was rising in all quarters. Even on the Korean peninsula, which is just a stone's throw away from Genkai, Kyūshū, the waves of history surged forward without restraint. On October 1938, the 27th session of the Presbyterian Church of Korea was held in Pyongyang, and they suddenly passed a resolution to worship at Shinto shrines. Later that year, a Christian delegation for comforting the Imperial Army, led by believer Fumio Matsubuchi, was dispatched to the front lines in Beijing, Tianjin, and Taiyuan. The following year in 1939, the 28th General Conference actively demonstrated its cooperation toward promoting hard work and diligence, and at the same time, passed epoch-making resolutions such as cutting off relations with Western missions and placing seminaries under the management of the General Conference. Next, in September 1940, the 29th General Conference made an explosive declaration towards the establishment of a Japanese-style Christianity. They made a resolution which included amendments to the Presbyterian Church Constitution and the confiscation of all foreign-owned institutions.

On November 10 of the same year, the Presbyterian Church issued an outline of reforms based on the following guiding principles: "Based on the true principles of National Identity, we shall adapt ourselves to national policies, forsake the evil thoughts from our past dependence on the West, and strive for purification and reformation towards a Japanese-style Christianity. We shall devote ourselves to selfless devotion in our respective fields of work and strive to build a New East Asian Order through concerted effort and faith." Indeed, the hand of fire which will destroy Western liberalism has arisen from within the Christian community.

On December 6 of the same year, the Union of Korean Presbyterian Churches was formed. The then Superintendent General Ohno and other government and private officials attended the meeting. Eight hundred faith representatives nodded their heads deeply in the sacred space of the Chōsen Shrine and pledged their devotion as Imperial people. Taking advantage of the momentum, a convention was held for three days starting on the same day to commemorate the 2,600th anniversary of the birth of Japan's first emperor. The Spirit of the Imperial Way was uplifted, and the National Structure Clarification Movement was deployed. On April 29, 1941, on the occasion of the Emperor's birthday, 200 female evangelist representatives and 1,500 ordinary female believers held an Imperial birthday dedication ceremony in the presence of then Governor-General Minami. Following the ceremony, internal reforms were made by the Christians, one after another, including lectures on current affairs that were held over a three-day period. In August, when diplomatic relations between the United States and Japan were in danger of coming to a head, the Second Declaration of Reform was issued as follows.

"The provocative attitude of the United States, Britain, and other hostile nations toward Imperial Japan is becoming more and more blatant, and they are becoming more and more frantic to obstruct the establishment of the East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere, which is the unshakable national policy of Imperial Japan. My dear friends of the Faith, we pledge to you that we will always be mindful of this grave situation, and that we will make an all-out national effort, both materially and spiritually, to serve the cause of the Sacred Will of God through our selfless devotion to the nation."

Along with this clear declaration, the Union listed as practical matters the upliftment of spiritual life, reforms in daily life, the practice of service in accordance with the times, and reforms in church governance. Then they declared a definitive break with the Christian culture which they had blindly believed to be the best. On December 8, the Imperial Edict of War against the United States and Britain was issued. The more than 600,000 Christians on the Korean peninsula also rose up with the pride of the Imperial people in their hearts and minds. The Pyongyang Jang Dae Hyun Church (장대현교회/章臺峴敎會) started a church bell donation campaign on the occasion of Christmas in the same year. They donated the church bells, whose knell was said to symbolize peace and freedom, as weapons to be used against the United States and Britain.

The Presbyterian movement spread to all of Korea, and by the end of April 1942, the number of bells donated by 18 denominations totaled 2,200 bells weighing a total of 34,668 kan (130,005 kg). However, these acts of sincerity are still continuing. In addition, at the end of last year, they donated one military aircraft each to the Imperial Army and Navy, in March of this year they donated 70 pieces of heavy machinery, and in November they donated three cars for use by patients.

In addition, lectures on the current situation and Japanese language courses have been held in various locations. At the 31st General Conference held in Pyongyang from October 15 of this year, all the services, proceedings, and sermons were conducted in the Japanese language. This fact tells us more than anything about the subsequent trends of these Christians. I am sure that hymns will be sung in Japanese in the near future.

I may have spoken too much about the Presbyterian movement, but the Roman Catholic Church and the Methodist Church are following in similar footsteps. Even after the outbreak of the Greater East Asia War, the priests of the Roman Catholic Church did not accept the order to return to their home countries, and they are still on the Korean peninsula. The Diocese of Daegu welcomed Dr. Hayasaka, a doctor of theology, as its bishop in October of this year. Gwangju in Jeollanam-do will soon welcome a mainland Japanese bishop as well. This momentum will gradually take place in the various other denominations as well. Their weekly publication, the "Christian Newspaper," is published by the Korean Book Publishing Company, and the printing and publication of hymns, Bibles, and other materials is gradually following this momentum. [Photo: The dedication ceremony by a meeting of elders of the Presbyterian Church]

Source: https://www.archive.org/details/kjnp-1942-12-02

 

(Transcription)

京城日報　1942年12月1日

全鮮に六十七万、超国家的の基督教

嘗ては神社参拝拒否

米英締め出し

あれから一年

宗教篇（上）【１】

愛の学校、優しくも聖なる教会、温かい医療の手。それらの悉くが米英の場合、謀略の手段だったのだ。彼等は半島からその魂を抜くために凡ゆる秘術を尽くした。映画に引きつけてはその生活を米英心酔の虜とし、出版物をもっては思想を反東亜的に変質しようとした。挙げ来れば、一切が狡智の牙を奥底に秘めた当意即妙な技術であり、その阿漕的魔術を弄しては妖獣のような侵略をとって来たのだ。過去幾十年、彼等がなし来った執拗な所為は如何にこの半島に浸潤したか。思えば慄然たるものがある。

魂を抜き去られようとした半島。それを救った一撃こそは十二月八日あの輝かしき朝の宣戦なのだ。今や日本は起ち上っている。謀略飽くなき米英に対し大東亜の天地、どの片隅にも残存許さじと徹底的放逐を喰わせている。翻ってあれ程半島に滲みこんでいた米英的色素、容態、いや魂のしみ、それらが如何に”その一年”に拭い去られて行ったか。今嬉しくも回顧してみよう。

『ひとのみち教』の妖しげな布教力を思い出せば誰しもが慄然となるに違いない。溺れる者は藁をも掴む、という譬えもあるほどだ。病気が癒りたい、金が欲しい、商売繁昌するように、などの考えから一歩も出できらない人間だもの其處に多少でも筋道のたった信仰を与えたならば、一も二もなく飛びついて来るのは蓋し人情だろう。その”人情”に『人類と平和と富とを齎すもの』と吹き込んでかかれば、先ず布教率は単点とみなければならぬ。よしんばその裏に思想謀略の魔手が潜んでいるようとも一度眩んだ眼には映りっこない。それかあらぬか、わが半島におけるキリスト教の布教率は正に恐ろしいばかりの高率を示しているのだ。

簡単に宗教だ、キリスト教だと一口にいうが、その教派を一瞥するならば、キリスト教の部として天主公会堂、露国聖教会、英国聖公会、朝鮮耶蘇教長老会、朝鮮監理教団、同聯合会、第七日安息日耶蘇再臨教、東洋宣教会、ユニバーサリスト教など三十九種類（昭和十五年末調）からあるというから驚くではないか。キリスト教徒は内地で約三十三万、朝鮮では約六十七万人といわれている。そのうちでも最も多数の信徒を持っているのは何といっても朝鮮耶蘇教長老会、朝鮮監理教団、天主教の三派である。

長老会は米国北長老派、同南長老派、加奈陀長老派、濠洲長老派の四派に分かれ、全キリスト教徒の約六十三パーセントを占めている。次いで天主教の十二万七千七百五十一人、監理教団の四万五千八百四十四人といった順序である。

昭和十年十一月、平壌崇実中学校長米人宣教師マッキュームは”教義に悖る行事には参加出来ない”といって平壌神社参拝を拒否したことから、”神社不参拝問題”は俄然世の視聴をひいた。米国北長老派の経営学校であった。これより十三年二月迄の間に神社不参拝の態度を決議したキリスト教系学校は十八校に及んだ。神社不参拝は愚か国旗を絶対に掲揚せず宮城遥拝を行わず、教会内には異教徒を一歩も入れないなどまるっきりアメリカが朝鮮内に在るのと変らなかった。

故斎藤総督が平北定州を巡視したところ、軒並に閉店休業していた。不審に思ったのも道理。その日はクリスチャンの休息日であったという珍事が伝えられている。日曜日を安息日とするのはまだしも百姓さんさえ田畑を見放して静かに神を祈っている始末であった。キリスト教は正に超国家的存在であり、米英そのものであったわけだ。米英系のキリスト教は何故かくも魅力があったのか。

長老派教会の伝道は今から六十年前に始められた。現延禧専門学校の初代校長米人アンダーウッドその人によるものである。大正五年、同教会の教義の根本をなすといわれる『末世学』が平壌神学校で講義された。『地球上にやがて大動乱が訪れる。そして不正は敗れ、キリスト教徒の平和境が現出する。その時こそ汝等は富と愛とを充分受け入れられるであろう』というのである。

第一次欧州大戦、満州事変当時、既に米英人神父はほくそ笑みながら説教していたのである。長老派系のキリスト教はまず黄海道、平南北道を根拠地として次第に発展していった。そこには人情の弱さが恰好な形であったのだ。李朝時代から黄海、平南北の人々は容易に官途につけず従って立身栄達の道が運命的塞がれていた。反発、猜疑の情が同地方の人心深く根ざしていたのは当然である。

愛と富と平和と、キリストを祈ればその凡てが得られるというのだから、我も人もキリスト教徒になっていったのだ。キリスト教布教の方法手段は同様の人心の弱さを巧みに利用して行われて来たのである。之を裏からみれば米英の思想謀略はまず聖なる宗教の姿を借りて着々成功して来たものといえよう。かくて宗教を信ずる半島の九割九分は胸に十字を切る人々となったのである。

 

京城日報　1942年12月2日

敢然、米英と絶縁

征戦完遂の総進軍

”平和の鐘”も献納運動

米英締め出し

あれから一年

宗教篇（下）【２】

昭和十二年七月七日。北支の空を破った帝国の正義の叫びは同時に日本銃後へ一大覚醒を促した。祖国の真使命に生さんとする機運は各方面に勃然と起った。玄海を一つ隔てた半島にも歴史の巨濤は遠慮なく押し寄せたのである。昭和十三年十月、平壌に開かれた朝鮮耶蘇教長老会第二十七回議会は俄然、神社参拝を決議した。そして同年暮れ、信徒松淵文雄氏を団長とするキリスト教徒の皇軍慰問団は北京、天津、太原の各第一線に総出されたのである。翌十四年第二十八回総会では精勤への協力を積極的に示し、同時に欧米宣教団との絶縁、神学校を総会の経営下に置くなどの画期的決議を行った。次いで十五年九月第二十九回総会は日本的キリスト教の確立へ向かって爆弾的宣言がなされた。即ち長老会憲法の改正、外国人経営各機関の接収などを決議し、同年十一月十日、

『国体の本義に基き国策に順応し、過去の欧米依存の邪念を禁絶して日本的キリスト教への純化更生に努むると共に教徒は各各その職域に於いて滅私奉公の誠を捧げ、協信戮力東亜新秩序の建設に邁進せんことを期す』との指導原理以下の項目に亘る革新要綱を発表。茲に欧米自由主義撃滅の火の手は実にキリスト教徒の内部から上がったのである。

同年十二月六日、朝鮮耶蘇教長老会聯盟を結成。時の大野総監以下官民が列席。信徒代表八百が朝鮮神宮の神域に深く頷いて皇民としての奉公を誓ったのである。その余勢を駆って同日から三日間紀元二千六百年記念信徒大会を開催。皇道精神の昂揚、国体明徴運動を展開。十六年四月二十九日天長の佳節に際しては婦人伝道師代表二百名と一般婦人信徒一千五百名が時の南総督臨席の下に天長節奉賀式を挙行。引き続き三日間に亘り時局講演会を開催する等キリスト教徒の内部革新は次々に行われていった。斯くて日米国交が一触即発の危気を孕む八月第二回革新宣言がなされた。

『米英など敵性国家の帝国に対する挑戦的態度は益々露骨となり、帝国不動の国是たる東亜共栄圏確立の妨害に狂奔しつつあり、親愛なるわが教友は須らくこの重大なる時局を洞察し、物心両面に亘る国民的総力を挙げて挺身報国以て聖旨に副い奉らんことを誓う』

この明確なる宣言と共に実践事項として精神生活の昂揚、日常生活の革新、時局奉仕の実践、教制革新などを挙げ、彼等が最高と盲信して来たクリスチャン文化への断然決別を宣したのである。十二月八日、米英に対する宣戦の大詔は下った。半島六十余万のクリスチャンもまた等しく皇民の誇りを強く身内に蔵して起ち上った。平壌章台峴教会は同年のクリスマスを期して献鐘運動を開始した。あの平和と自由とを象徴して鳴るといわれた鐘を米英を撃つべき武器に、と献じたのである。

長老派のこの快挙は全鮮に拡がり、十七年四月末までに供出された鐘は十八教派二千二百箇三万四千六十八貫に上がった。然もこの赤誠は未だに続けられているのだ。このほか昨年末には陸海軍へ軍用機を各一機宛、本年三月には重機七十基を、同じく十一月には患者用自動車三台を献納したのである。

このほか各地で時局講演会を、また国語講習会を開催して来た。本年十月十五日から平壌に開かれた第三十一回総会は礼拝、議事説教の凡てが全部国語で行われた。この事実こそ彼等キリスト教徒のその後の動向を語って余りあるではないか。やがては讃美歌も国語で唄われるに違いない。

長老派の動向を語り過ぎたかもしれないが、天主教、監理教団もまた同様の足取りを力強く辿っているのだ。天主教の各神父は大東亜戦開戦後も帰国命令を肯んせず、いまなお半島に留まっている。大邱教区は本年十月神学博士早坂氏を司教に迎えた。全南光州でも近く内地人司教を迎える筈だし、この機運は漸次各教派を通じて行われるだろう。彼等の機関紙週間『キリスト教新聞』も朝鮮書籍出版会社で発行されているし、讃美歌、聖書などの印刷発行も次第にそうした機運を辿ろうとしているのだ。【写真＝長老会の献納式】

In 1938, an Imperial Japanese ideologue took over Chungshin Girls' High School in Seoul and replaced prayers with moments of silence for the Imperial military, replaced bible readings with Imperial vows, and scrubbed foreigners from school portraits

Chungshin (정신) Girls' High School is a private school in Seoul that was founded by Dr. Horace Underwood, an American missionary who also founded Yeonhui College, the predecessor of Yonsei University. In 1938, the American principal of the school was removed and replaced with an Imperial Japanese ideologue, who proceeded to dechristianize the school, replacing morning prayers with moments of silence for the Imperial Japanese military, and replacing bible readings with Imperial Japanese vows. In 1942, he also removed the American principals and teachers from the school portraits.

The Imperial Japanese vow (皇国臣民ノ誓詞), which the high school girls were forced to recite instead of the usual bible readings, was promulgated throughout Korea on October 2, 1937. It was actually drafted by a Korean collaborator named Lee Gag-jong (李覺鐘）, and then finalized by then Governor of occupied Korea, Minami Jiro. The vow is as follows. 

• 私共は、大日本帝国の臣民であります。
• 私共は、心を合わせて天皇陛下に忠義を尽します。
• 私共は、忍苦鍛錬して立派な強い国民となります。
• 我等は皇国臣民なり、忠誠以て君国に報ぜん。
• 我等皇国臣民は互に信愛協力し、以て団結を固くせん。
• 我等皇国臣民は忍苦鍛錬力を養い以て皇道を宣揚せん。
• We are subjects of the Great Empire of Japan.
• We are united in our hearts in our loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor.
• We will persevere and train ourselves to become a fine and strong people.
• We are subjects of the Imperial State, and we will repay the sovereign nation with loyalty.
• We, the subjects of the Imperial State, shall love and cooperate with each other, and thus solidify our unity.
• We, the subjects of the Imperial State, shall cultivate the power of endurance and discipline, and thereby proclaim the Imperial Way.

Gyeongseong Ilbo (Keijo Nippo) February 5, 1942

Changing bible readings into Imperial Japanese vows

Seoul Chungshin Girls' School to remove US influences

Principal Igaki says "Focus on education for Imperial Japanese subjects"

Seoul Chungshin Girls' School in Hyehwa-dong, which used to be an American school having a history of 54 years since being established in the peninsula, had become a tool of the vicious Anglo-American religious invasion into East Asia, feeding off of the young people of the peninsula for many years as a girls' school founded by the American missionary Underwood, the protagonist whose statue has already been removed from the garden of Yeonhui Specialized School.

This had been the concern of the school's principal, Mr. Igaki Hao, ever since he followed in the footsteps of the previous principal, M.L. Smith, in 1938. The removal of the foreign teachers in the commemorative photos of the graduates displayed in the school is now finally underway.

In order to change the heavy religious atmosphere of the school which he encountered upon taking office, Principal Igaki replaced the morning prayers with moments of silence for the Imperial Japanese Military, and changed the bible readings into vows of Imperial Japanese subjects, so that Christianity could be deprived of its place, and so that he could reboot the school and switch all educational methods into those for raising up Imperial Japanese subjects. 

For four years since then, he has been steadily building up on his accomplishments. As one of his last remaining tasks, Principal Igaki said that, given the current school culture, it would not be interesting to leave the arrogant appearance of the former principal Smith and other foreign teachers in the commemorative photos of the school's graduates, as if they were a testament to the power of the past. With the progress of the Greater East Asia War and the spectacular fall of Singapore just around the corner, he decided to remove them from the commemorative photos.

In regards to this, the school principal acknowledged that, when graduates visited the school not so long ago, the fact that their former teachers had disappeared from their dear commemorative photos did not fail to evoke a certain sense of sentimentality among them. However, he emphasized that the US and Britain were now the great enemies of East Asia, and even though the teachers were once their benefactors, they were already people to be considered their enemies. For three days, with love and compassion and tears in his eyes, he called upon all of the graduates to deeply reflect upon the fact that these former teachers were no longer mentally necessary for them. He asked them to set aside the past in its entirety and understand the true meaning of their alma mater, which is based on the education of the Imperial Japanese people, and that he hopes that they will work together to guide younger generations of students.

Source: https://archive.org/details/kjnp-1942-02-05/page/n3/mode/1up

Reddit Link: In 1938, Imperial Japanese ideologue took over Chungshin Girls' High School in Seoul and replaced prayers with moments of silence for the Imperial military, replaced bible readings with Imperial vows; in 1942, shortly before the fall of Singapore he scrubbed foreign teachers from school photos : korea (reddit.com)

(Transcription into modern Japanese orthography)

京城日報　1942年2月5日

聖書を誓詞に改め

米系を撤去する京城貞信女学校

井垣校長：皇民教育に重点

かつては米国系の学校として半島に設立され五十四年の歴史を有していた恵化町京城貞信女学校は、既に延禧専門校の庭から撤去された銅像の主人公、米国宣教師アンダーウッドが設立した女学校として幾多半島の子女階層に喰い入っては飽くことを知らぬ英米一流の悪辣な東洋宗教侵略の具となっていた。

これに対して同校校長井垣覇雄氏は、昭和十三年前校長米人MLスミスの跡を追って校長となって以来の懸案であった。同校内に掲げてある卒業生記念写真中の外人教師撤去方を、この度愈よ実行することとなった。

井垣校長は就任以来宗教色濃厚であった同校の弊風を改むるべく毎朝の礼拝を皇軍の黙祷にかえ、聖書を皇国臣民の誓詞に改めて先ずキリスト教に締め出しを喰わせると共に一切の教育法を皇国臣民の育成に切り替えて再発足を試みたのであった。

爾来四年間益々業績を上げ井垣校長は最後に残るたったの一つの仕事として同校卒業生の記念写真中に、依然として納まっている前校長スミス等の外人教員が昔の勢力を物語るような傲然たる様子をこのまま存置しておくことは、現在の校風から見ても面白からずとし大東亜戦の華々しい獅港陥落を目睫にして断然撤去を決意したのであった。

これに対して同校長は過去の卒業生が不日同校を訪れた際、懐かしい自分達の記念写真にかつては恩師であった人の姿が消え去っていることは、ある意味での感傷を呼び起さぬでもないが、今や米英は東亜の大敵であり、如何に恩師とはいえ、既に敵国人たる人達の姿はこの際、精神的にも不要であることを深く反省して、一切の過去を捨て潔く皇民教育の下にある母校の真意を了解して、ともに手を執って後輩指導に当ることと希望すると声涙とともに三日真情を尽くして卒業生一同に呼びかけた。