선교사 헐버트는 그가 쓴 "Passing of Korea" 404, 405쪽에서 Hananim이란
한국인 고유의 최고 신 관념을 자세히 설명하고 있는바, 이는 자연신과도 다르고 중국의
상제(Shanti)와도 다른 세계 어디에도 없는 한국인들만의 유일신 관념이라 감탄하고
있으며, 마음속에 간직하고 있지만 절대 형상물을 만들어 숭배하지는 않는 바,
이는 중국과 다르며, 본래 하늘님 이 어원이라고는 하지만 물리적인 하늘과는
다른 유일신 개념이라고 놀라울 정도로 정확히 해설하고 있습니다.
*영어에 익숙하신 분들은 아래 원전을 참조하세요.
< 선교사 기포드가 쓴 'Every-day Life in Korea' 1898년의 표지>
기포드는 그의 저서 "Every-Day Life in Korea" 89쪽에서 한국인들은
부처보다 높은 최고신으로 Hananim을 믿고 있다고 기술하고 있습니다.
*영어에 익숙하신 분들은 아래 원전을 참조하세요.
<언더우드 부인의 회고록 'Underwood of Korea' 1918년의 표지>
언더우드 부인이 남편의 한국 선교활동을 회고한 저서 'Underwood of Korea'는
그 페이지 123-126 에서 한국인 최고유일신Hananim 이 개신교 포교에 채용된
1891년에서 1893년 사이의 과정을 상세히 기술하고 있습니다.
선교사 언더우드는 본래 여호와를 한국인 고유신 이름인 Hananim이라 부르는 것을
반대하여 찬송가와 암송문을 '여호와', '아버지' 라는 용어만 써서 작성하였으나
선교를 위해 한국인들이 이미 쓰고 있는 '하나님'이란 용어를 쓰는 것이 유리하다는
다수의 의견에 밀려, 공식채택이 무산되게 되면서 크게 낙담하게 됩니다.
그러나, 이후 고구려 때 부터 한국인이 유일신 개념으로 Hananim을 믿었다는 사실을
발견하고 이를 위안삼아 Hananim이란 용어를 받아들이게 되었다고 회고하고 있습니다.
*영어에 익숙하신 분들은 아래 원전을 참조하세요.
개신교의 '하나님' 이름에 관한 주장이 가증스러운 것은 그들이 하나님이라는
우리 민족 고유의 절대신 하나님의 이름을 도용한 과정을 숨기거나
보통명사이니 자신들도 쓸 권리가 있다고 주장하는 정도가 아니라,
그것이 마치 개신교가 창작한 개신교만의 만의 용어인 것 처럼 한술 더 떠
사람들을 속이려는데 있지요. 일본인들이 김치를 '기무치'라는 이름으로
국제기구에 등록하려 해서 그 교활함에 크게 분노한 기억이 있는데,
개신교의 '하나님'주장은 그 정도가 아니라 아예 '김치'로 내 놓고 등록해 놓고
본래 김치란 말이 일본인이 만든 일본말이라 주장하는 것과 같은
인간말종들에서나 볼 수 있는 범죄수준의 파렴치함을 보이는 것이지요.
아래 '하나님'용어 관련글에 댓글 다신 개신교 분들, 이제 알만큼 알았을테니,
남의 나라 종족신을 하나님의 이름으로 부르는 것을 지금부터 라도 그만 두던지,
그래도 하나님이라 부르려거든 우리 민족 고유신 하나님의 이름을 더럽히는 언행을 삼가든지,
아니면, 위 사실에 근거있는 반박을 하든지 셋중에 하나를 택일해
하는 것이 사람이라면 해야 할 마땅한 선택이 아닌가 합니다.
자신의 아버지가 한없이 인자하고 조용하신 분이라고 해서 그를 업신여기고,
달콤한 꾐이 마음에 들었거나 혹은 어설픈 협박에 겁먹어
아버지가 아닌 이를 아버지라 부르며 쫓아 다니는 것보다 더한 망나니 얼간이 짓이 있을까요.
우리민족의 가슴속의 하나님은 자신을 받들 것을 요구하는 그런 존재가 아닙니다.
자신이 만들었다는 인간 각자에게 자신을 받들고 재물을 바치는 조건으로
새생명과 천국을 주겠다는 거래를 제시하는 그런 교활한 존재는 더욱 아닙니다.
자신을 믿지 않으면 지옥불에 쳐 넣겠다 협박하는 그런 존재는 더더욱 아닙니다.
자신을 찾아 올 때 빈손으로 오지 말라는 말도 없고,
자신이 어떻게 이 세상을 만들었는지 떠들지도 않고,
우리에게 뿌리, 생명과 함께 거짓을 가릴 수 있는 이성을 주신 그런 존재이지요.
자신을 믿는 사람, 안 믿는 사람을 가리는 존재는 이미 하나님/하느님일 수 없습니다.
이번 기회에 교활한 거래를 제안하는 가짜 하나님을 믿어 남는 것은
결국 그 교활함을 닮아가 인격파탄자의 나락으로 떨어지는 길 밖에 없다는
사실을 많은 분들이 알았으면 합니다.
다음은 위에 언급된 저서들의 해당부분 영문 원전입니다.
The Passing of Korea by Homer B. Hulbert 1906
P. 404-405
Strange to say, the
purest religious notion which the Korean to-day possesses is the
belief in Hananim, a being entirely unconnected with either of
the imported cults and as far removed from the crude nature-
worship. This word Hananim is compounded of the words
" heaven " (sky) and " master," and is the pure Korean counter-
part of the Chinese word " Lord of Heaven." The Koreans all
consider this being to be the Supreme Ruler of the universe. He
is entirely separated from and outside the circle of the various
spirits and demons that infest all nature. Considered from this
standpoint, the Koreans are strictly monotheists, and the attri-
butes and powers ascribed to this being are in such consonance
with those of Jehovah that the foreign missionaries (Protestant)
have almost universally accepted the term for use in teaching
Christianity. The Roman Catholics have adopted the term
Chun-ju, a pure Chinese word of the same significance, but
open to the same objection, namely, that it was used long before
RELIGION AND SUPERSTITION 405
Christianity came, and may therefore be called the name of a
heathen god. But while in China it has been found that idols
exist bearing the name Chun-ju, the Koreans have never
attempted to make any physical representation of Hananim.
He has never been worshipped by the use of any idolatrous rites,
and the concept of him in the Korean mind is, so far as it goes,
in no way derogatory to the revealed character of God himself.
It is a moot point whether the Koreans consider the physical
heavens to be the person of this god. Some of the more igno-
rant ones will deny that he is invisible, and point to the heavens
in proof of their statement ; but they attribute to him a fatherly
care of mankind in sending sunlight and shower, and a retribu-
tive power in striking the wicked with lightning or other
disaster. The Temple of Heaven to which the Emperor repairs
to pray in times of famine, pestilence or other great calamity
is a purely Chinese innovation, and can be said to have only
such connection with the Korean Hananim as grows out of a
common but independent concept of Divinity in the two coun-
tries. As a rule, the people do not worship Hananim. He is
appealed to by the Emperor only, as we have just said, and this
in itself would seem to indicate that the Koreans received the
idea of this being from China. One would be rash to dogmatise
here, but it is our conviction that it was indigenous to Korea
as well as to China.
Every-day life in Korea by Daniel Gifford 1898
P.88-89
Each religion furnishes its share to the
mythology of the country. At the head of their
system of belief is Hananim, whom the Chinese
ANCESTRAL WORSHIP IN KOREA 89
recognize as Shangti. Many would introduce as
next inferior to him Buddha (indeed, some go to
the temples upon the death of a relative to pray
the Buddha to send his spirit to the good abode).
Then come the ten judges of hades, whose pictures
may be seen in Buddhist temples.
Underwood of Korea by Lillias H. Underwood 1918
Back Home in Korea 123 nual meeting: it was to be a surprise, a gift which would please them all. But, while he was at work, showing what was being done, and asking criticisms on the changes he was making from those who were able to judge, both Korean scholars and the older of the missionaries (where all were new), opposition and criti- cism were aroused. The way in which translations were being changed, and the fact that the name Hananim, a native word for God, which most of the missionaries preferred, did not appear, caused much displeasure. In all these hymns as he prepared them, the only words used for God were ''Jehovah" and "Father." He had studiously omitted both the name "Hananim" and the term "Shin," about both of which there was a question, because he believed a union hymn-book should be such as would suit all. Using only "Father" or "Jehovah," to which no one could object, he would give them a hymn-book that would please all. But now, after the work had been done and the proof sheets were in Korea, at the annual meeting in October, the mission rejected the book. In vain, he tried to show the just intent, the purity of motive, his innocent thought that no one would care to claim authorship of such things as these, simple halting translations, his wish to make the book acceptable to all parties on the term ques- tion. It was all to no purpose. All but Dr. Avison and Mr. Moore were displeased at his publishing the book before it had been passed upon by the mission. A reso- lution was therefore passed that the book was not to be adopted or used by the mission, another hymn-book com- mittee was appointed, and a new hymn-book was to be 1£4 ' Underwood of Korea prepared as speedily as possible. The friends with whom we were staying remarked later, on the contrast between his joyful aspect as he went to the meeting and his crushed appearance on his return. Hurt, sorry and disappointed as he was, Dr. Under- wood's faith and hope were so great that he never was long discouraged ; no trouble could long darken that sunny happy nature. Although the mission as such, rejected the hymn-book, he believed the w^ork ought not to be en- tirely wasted, and had an edition published, which was used for some years by the Southern Presbyterian Mis- sion, and some of the Methodists, by Mr. Moore and Dr. Avison, in their native churches, and all through Dr. Underwood's large bishopric, both in the country and the city, until a union hymn-book came into use among the native churches, when he stopped publishing his own. The "term question" has been treated at some length in another book,* but it must be recalled here, for it presented an exceedingly difficult problem at that time. Throughout China, Japan and Korea it has been a vexed question among missionaries what word they should teach the native Christians to use for our word God. The people of all those countries have some name for their chief deity. But many missionaries hold that the use of this word is likely to lead to error, since the people had been accustomed not only to worship that particular god, but at the same time many other gods. The use of the name of any one of their gods implies the possibility of other deities, but a generic term may be so used as to exclude all others. (Our word '*God" * "Fifteen Years Among the Top-Knots." Back Home in Korea 125 is really not so much a natne as a term.) The apostles found the Greeks worshiping Zeus as their chief god ; if Paul had advised them, "Call Jehovah Zeus if you like, but really Jehovah is the only God ; He is different from what you think of Zeus, but still you may call him Zeus," he would have done what our missionaries did in the case of the term "Hananim," the usual translation of which is "The Honorable Heavens," Our people said: "The Koreans understand the word 'Hananim' ; they worship him already; we have only to teach them that he is the one and only God, to tell them what his at- tributes are, and it will all be easy." The Koreans also liked the idea ; they knew about their old god, Hananim ; it was easy for them to understand that he must receive supreme worship, and that all other gods must be ignored. This was the easy solution of the problem, and appar- ently it has worked well, but in my judgment it is not strictly in accord with scr1ptural precept or example. "The gods of the heathen are idols, but Jehovah made the heavens." When the first apostles preached Chris- tianity among the Greeks, they took the common generic term for any god whatever. They virtually said, "There is but one god, and He is Jehovah, who made all things : the only one of all the gods is God." This course has been followed by many missionaries in China. In the Chinese, Japanese and Korean languages there are no capital letters, no articles by which one can say "the" God; there must be a specific term which will designate accurately in the absence of these. A name other than His own seems almost an insult to Jehovah. All Roman Catholics and a large minority of Protestants in China, all missionaries in Japan and all Anglicans and 126 Underwood of Korea Romanists in Korea have rejected as a term for God the local name for the chief god of these countries, as "Hananim" is that for Korea, and selected a generic term for any god and applied it as the term for Jehovah, the one and only true God. Among the heathen of early Bible times there were "lords many and gods many," but the Bible missionaries adopted their word "theos," referring to any god, and taught them to use it for designating the one true god. Such was Dr. Under- wood's view at this time. For a while, he had some Bibles, hymn-books and tracts published with the term ''Hananim" left out and another substituted, but it became increasingly hard to have this done; indeed it began to seem impossible to persist in his view if he were to remain in the mission. Afterward, light came, and he saw that he had been laboring under an error. In delving into books on Chinese and early Korean religions, he found that, at a time when only one god was worshiped in the Kingdom of Kokurei (part of early Korea), that god was called Hananim; the word was a descr1ptive term, signifying the great and only One. This was different from anything he had hitherto discovered as to the Korean understanding of their use of the word "Hana- nim" ; but as it was unquestionably the original meaning of the word, from which they had drifted away. Dr. Underwood concluded it might be used with propriety with this meaning — that its original sense might be easily recalled to the minds of the Koreans. In the light of these discoveries he felt it was entirely consistent to use the word he had form.erly rejected, and he did so the more readily because he found there were serious dif- ficulties attending the use of every word yet proposed.
ficulties attending the use of every word yet proposed.
개신교가 '하나님'의 이름을 훔친 상세과정[재][재]
거의 정규적으로 올리게 됩니다.
이미 읽으신 분들은 양해하시고,
오늘 또 한 분이 목사들의 거짓말에 세뇌된건지,
알고도 그러는 건지 앵무새처럼 거짓말을 되풀이하고 있네요.
훔치는 것보다 더 나쁜 것은 거짓말이지요.
"하나님" 이란 이름이 어떻게 도용되었는지 그 과정을 잘 모르시는 분들이 많은 것같아
일전에 '낙흐네'라는 필명이 올린 글을 아래에 다시 올려드리니 참고 되었으면 좋겠습니다.
.......................................................................................................................
하나님의 이름을 개신교가 훔쳐 쓴 것에 관한 글이 올라오면
반드시 개신교분들이 목사들이 하는 교활한 거짓말을 댓글에
앵무새처럼 반복해 써 놓고 가는 걸 봅니다.
우리 선조들이 하나님 hananim 이란 말을 써왔다는
명명백백한 증거들을 제시하는 데도 불구하고
'하나님'이란 말이 유일신이란 뜻으로 개신교에서만 쓰는 말이라는
그 추잡한 거짓말을 또 되풀이 하는 걸보면
'하나님'이란 용어가 가지는 위력을 포기할 수 없는
절박한 종교사업상의 이유는 이해가 가지만,
목사들이 만들어낸 그런 거짓말을 아는지 모르는지
앵무새처럼 되풀이하는 일부 개신교인들이
보기에 안스러운 것은 어쩔 수 없는 것 같습니다.
하나님, 하느님은 모두 우리 선조들이 수천년 동안
마음속에 지녀온 최고존재의 이름입니다. 순 우리말이지요.
그 중에서도 일상생활에서 '하나님'이란 발음이 더 일반적 이었다는 것은
아래 아를 써서 '하 ㄴ. 님 '이라 표기한 고문에서 짐작할 수 있을 뿐 아니라,
선교사들이 남긴 기록에서 모두 한국인들이 수천년 전부터 믿고 있는 최고신의
이름을 하나같이 'Hananim' 으로 표기하고 있다는 사실에서 확인 할 수 있습니다.
우리나라에 수입된 지 백년 남짓 밖에 되지 않은 개신교가
하나님과 같은, 형성되는데 수천년이 걸리는, 순 우리말 표현을
가질 수 있다는 것 부터가 말이 안되는 것 이지만,
하도 거짓말을 되풀이 하니 그 원전을 찾아 기록해 두어야 겠다
마음먹고 밤새 인터넷을 뒤져 원전을 찾아 여기 올리니,
다시는 '하나님'의 용어가 개신교가 만들어 쓴 말이란 역겨운
거짓말이 되풀이 되지 않았으면 하는 한편으로,
하나님의 이름을 회수코자 노력하시는 분들께서
증거자료로 널리 활용하실 수 있었으면 좋겠습니다.
<선교사 헐버트가 쓴 책 Passing of Korea 의 표지>
선교사 헐버트는 그가 쓴 "Passing of Korea" 404, 405쪽에서 Hananim이란
한국인 고유의 최고 신 관념을 자세히 설명하고 있는바, 이는 자연신과도 다르고 중국의
상제(Shanti)와도 다른 세계 어디에도 없는 한국인들만의 유일신 관념이라 감탄하고
있으며, 마음속에 간직하고 있지만 절대 형상물을 만들어 숭배하지는 않는 바,
이는 중국과 다르며, 본래 하늘님 이 어원이라고는 하지만 물리적인 하늘과는
다른 유일신 개념이라고 놀라울 정도로 정확히 해설하고 있습니다.
*영어에 익숙하신 분들은 아래 원전을 참조하세요.
< 선교사 기포드가 쓴 'Every-day Life in Korea' 1898년의 표지>
기포드는 그의 저서 "Every-Day Life in Korea" 89쪽에서 한국인들은
부처보다 높은 최고신으로 Hananim을 믿고 있다고 기술하고 있습니다.
*영어에 익숙하신 분들은 아래 원전을 참조하세요.
<언더우드 부인의 회고록 'Underwood of Korea' 1918년의 표지>
언더우드 부인이 남편의 한국 선교활동을 회고한 저서 'Underwood of Korea'는
그 페이지 123-126 에서 한국인 최고유일신Hananim 이 개신교 포교에 채용된
1891년에서 1893년 사이의 과정을 상세히 기술하고 있습니다.
선교사 언더우드는 본래 여호와를 한국인 고유신 이름인 Hananim이라 부르는 것을
반대하여 찬송가와 암송문을 '여호와', '아버지' 라는 용어만 써서 작성하였으나
선교를 위해 한국인들이 이미 쓰고 있는 '하나님'이란 용어를 쓰는 것이 유리하다는
다수의 의견에 밀려, 공식채택이 무산되게 되면서 크게 낙담하게 됩니다.
그러나, 이후 고구려 때 부터 한국인이 유일신 개념으로 Hananim을 믿었다는 사실을
발견하고 이를 위안삼아 Hananim이란 용어를 받아들이게 되었다고 회고하고 있습니다.
*영어에 익숙하신 분들은 아래 원전을 참조하세요.
개신교의 '하나님' 이름에 관한 주장이 가증스러운 것은 그들이 하나님이라는
우리 민족 고유의 절대신 하나님의 이름을 도용한 과정을 숨기거나
보통명사이니 자신들도 쓸 권리가 있다고 주장하는 정도가 아니라,
그것이 마치 개신교가 창작한 개신교만의 만의 용어인 것 처럼 한술 더 떠
사람들을 속이려는데 있지요. 일본인들이 김치를 '기무치'라는 이름으로
국제기구에 등록하려 해서 그 교활함에 크게 분노한 기억이 있는데,
개신교의 '하나님'주장은 그 정도가 아니라 아예 '김치'로 내 놓고 등록해 놓고
본래 김치란 말이 일본인이 만든 일본말이라 주장하는 것과 같은
인간말종들에서나 볼 수 있는 범죄수준의 파렴치함을 보이는 것이지요.
아래 '하나님'용어 관련글에 댓글 다신 개신교 분들, 이제 알만큼 알았을테니,
남의 나라 종족신을 하나님의 이름으로 부르는 것을 지금부터 라도 그만 두던지,
그래도 하나님이라 부르려거든 우리 민족 고유신 하나님의 이름을 더럽히는 언행을 삼가든지,
아니면, 위 사실에 근거있는 반박을 하든지 셋중에 하나를 택일해
하는 것이 사람이라면 해야 할 마땅한 선택이 아닌가 합니다.
자신의 아버지가 한없이 인자하고 조용하신 분이라고 해서 그를 업신여기고,
달콤한 꾐이 마음에 들었거나 혹은 어설픈 협박에 겁먹어
아버지가 아닌 이를 아버지라 부르며 쫓아 다니는 것보다 더한 망나니 얼간이 짓이 있을까요.
우리민족의 가슴속의 하나님은 자신을 받들 것을 요구하는 그런 존재가 아닙니다.
자신이 만들었다는 인간 각자에게 자신을 받들고 재물을 바치는 조건으로
새생명과 천국을 주겠다는 거래를 제시하는 그런 교활한 존재는 더욱 아닙니다.
자신을 믿지 않으면 지옥불에 쳐 넣겠다 협박하는 그런 존재는 더더욱 아닙니다.
자신을 찾아 올 때 빈손으로 오지 말라는 말도 없고,
자신이 어떻게 이 세상을 만들었는지 떠들지도 않고,
우리에게 뿌리, 생명과 함께 거짓을 가릴 수 있는 이성을 주신 그런 존재이지요.
자신을 믿는 사람, 안 믿는 사람을 가리는 존재는 이미 하나님/하느님일 수 없습니다.
이번 기회에 교활한 거래를 제안하는 가짜 하나님을 믿어 남는 것은
결국 그 교활함을 닮아가 인격파탄자의 나락으로 떨어지는 길 밖에 없다는
사실을 많은 분들이 알았으면 합니다.
다음은 위에 언급된 저서들의 해당부분 영문 원전입니다.
The Passing of Korea by Homer B. Hulbert 1906
P. 404-405
Strange to say, the
purest religious notion which the Korean to-day possesses is the
belief in Hananim, a being entirely unconnected with either of
the imported cults and as far removed from the crude nature-
worship. This word Hananim is compounded of the words
" heaven " (sky) and " master," and is the pure Korean counter-
part of the Chinese word " Lord of Heaven." The Koreans all
consider this being to be the Supreme Ruler of the universe. He
is entirely separated from and outside the circle of the various
spirits and demons that infest all nature. Considered from this
standpoint, the Koreans are strictly monotheists, and the attri-
butes and powers ascribed to this being are in such consonance
with those of Jehovah that the foreign missionaries (Protestant)
have almost universally accepted the term for use in teaching
Christianity. The Roman Catholics have adopted the term
Chun-ju, a pure Chinese word of the same significance, but
open to the same objection, namely, that it was used long before
RELIGION AND SUPERSTITION 405
Christianity came, and may therefore be called the name of a
heathen god. But while in China it has been found that idols
exist bearing the name Chun-ju, the Koreans have never
attempted to make any physical representation of Hananim.
He has never been worshipped by the use of any idolatrous rites,
and the concept of him in the Korean mind is, so far as it goes,
in no way derogatory to the revealed character of God himself.
It is a moot point whether the Koreans consider the physical
heavens to be the person of this god. Some of the more igno-
rant ones will deny that he is invisible, and point to the heavens
in proof of their statement ; but they attribute to him a fatherly
care of mankind in sending sunlight and shower, and a retribu-
tive power in striking the wicked with lightning or other
disaster. The Temple of Heaven to which the Emperor repairs
to pray in times of famine, pestilence or other great calamity
is a purely Chinese innovation, and can be said to have only
such connection with the Korean Hananim as grows out of a
common but independent concept of Divinity in the two coun-
tries. As a rule, the people do not worship Hananim. He is
appealed to by the Emperor only, as we have just said, and this
in itself would seem to indicate that the Koreans received the
idea of this being from China. One would be rash to dogmatise
here, but it is our conviction that it was indigenous to Korea
as well as to China.
Every-day life in Korea by Daniel Gifford 1898
P.88-89
Each religion furnishes its share to the
mythology of the country. At the head of their
system of belief is Hananim, whom the Chinese
ANCESTRAL WORSHIP IN KOREA 89
recognize as Shangti. Many would introduce as
next inferior to him Buddha (indeed, some go to
the temples upon the death of a relative to pray
the Buddha to send his spirit to the good abode).
Then come the ten judges of hades, whose pictures
may be seen in Buddhist temples.
Underwood of Korea by Lillias H. Underwood 1918
Back Home in Korea 123 nual meeting: it was to be a surprise, a gift which would please them all. But, while he was at work, showing what was being done, and asking criticisms on the changes he was making from those who were able to judge, both Korean scholars and the older of the missionaries (where all were new), opposition and criti- cism were aroused. The way in which translations were being changed, and the fact that the name Hananim, a native word for God, which most of the missionaries preferred, did not appear, caused much displeasure. In all these hymns as he prepared them, the only words used for God were ''Jehovah" and "Father." He had studiously omitted both the name "Hananim" and the term "Shin," about both of which there was a question, because he believed a union hymn-book should be such as would suit all. Using only "Father" or "Jehovah," to which no one could object, he would give them a hymn-book that would please all. But now, after the work had been done and the proof sheets were in Korea, at the annual meeting in October, the mission rejected the book. In vain, he tried to show the just intent, the purity of motive, his innocent thought that no one would care to claim authorship of such things as these, simple halting translations, his wish to make the book acceptable to all parties on the term ques- tion. It was all to no purpose. All but Dr. Avison and Mr. Moore were displeased at his publishing the book before it had been passed upon by the mission. A reso- lution was therefore passed that the book was not to be adopted or used by the mission, another hymn-book com- mittee was appointed, and a new hymn-book was to be 1£4 ' Underwood of Korea prepared as speedily as possible. The friends with whom we were staying remarked later, on the contrast between his joyful aspect as he went to the meeting and his crushed appearance on his return. Hurt, sorry and disappointed as he was, Dr. Under- wood's faith and hope were so great that he never was long discouraged ; no trouble could long darken that sunny happy nature. Although the mission as such, rejected the hymn-book, he believed the w^ork ought not to be en- tirely wasted, and had an edition published, which was used for some years by the Southern Presbyterian Mis- sion, and some of the Methodists, by Mr. Moore and Dr. Avison, in their native churches, and all through Dr. Underwood's large bishopric, both in the country and the city, until a union hymn-book came into use among the native churches, when he stopped publishing his own. The "term question" has been treated at some length in another book,* but it must be recalled here, for it presented an exceedingly difficult problem at that time. Throughout China, Japan and Korea it has been a vexed question among missionaries what word they should teach the native Christians to use for our word God. The people of all those countries have some name for their chief deity. But many missionaries hold that the use of this word is likely to lead to error, since the people had been accustomed not only to worship that particular god, but at the same time many other gods. The use of the name of any one of their gods implies the possibility of other deities, but a generic term may be so used as to exclude all others. (Our word '*God" * "Fifteen Years Among the Top-Knots." Back Home in Korea 125 is really not so much a natne as a term.) The apostles found the Greeks worshiping Zeus as their chief god ; if Paul had advised them, "Call Jehovah Zeus if you like, but really Jehovah is the only God ; He is different from what you think of Zeus, but still you may call him Zeus," he would have done what our missionaries did in the case of the term "Hananim," the usual translation of which is "The Honorable Heavens," Our people said: "The Koreans understand the word 'Hananim' ; they worship him already; we have only to teach them that he is the one and only God, to tell them what his at- tributes are, and it will all be easy." The Koreans also liked the idea ; they knew about their old god, Hananim ; it was easy for them to understand that he must receive supreme worship, and that all other gods must be ignored. This was the easy solution of the problem, and appar- ently it has worked well, but in my judgment it is not strictly in accord with scr1ptural precept or example. "The gods of the heathen are idols, but Jehovah made the heavens." When the first apostles preached Chris- tianity among the Greeks, they took the common generic term for any god whatever. They virtually said, "There is but one god, and He is Jehovah, who made all things : the only one of all the gods is God." This course has been followed by many missionaries in China. In the Chinese, Japanese and Korean languages there are no capital letters, no articles by which one can say "the" God; there must be a specific term which will designate accurately in the absence of these. A name other than His own seems almost an insult to Jehovah. All Roman Catholics and a large minority of Protestants in China, all missionaries in Japan and all Anglicans and 126 Underwood of Korea Romanists in Korea have rejected as a term for God the local name for the chief god of these countries, as "Hananim" is that for Korea, and selected a generic term for any god and applied it as the term for Jehovah, the one and only true God. Among the heathen of early Bible times there were "lords many and gods many," but the Bible missionaries adopted their word "theos," referring to any god, and taught them to use it for designating the one true god. Such was Dr. Under- wood's view at this time. For a while, he had some Bibles, hymn-books and tracts published with the term ''Hananim" left out and another substituted, but it became increasingly hard to have this done; indeed it began to seem impossible to persist in his view if he were to remain in the mission. Afterward, light came, and he saw that he had been laboring under an error. In delving into books on Chinese and early Korean religions, he found that, at a time when only one god was worshiped in the Kingdom of Kokurei (part of early Korea), that god was called Hananim; the word was a descr1ptive term, signifying the great and only One. This was different from anything he had hitherto discovered as to the Korean understanding of their use of the word "Hana- nim" ; but as it was unquestionably the original meaning of the word, from which they had drifted away. Dr. Underwood concluded it might be used with propriety with this meaning — that its original sense might be easily recalled to the minds of the Koreans. In the light of these discoveries he felt it was entirely consistent to use the word he had form.erly rejected, and he did so the more readily because he found there were serious dif- ficulties attending the use of every word yet proposed.ficulties attending the use of every word yet proposed.