TIME OF TRIAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27569, 11 December 1950, Page 6

TIME OF TRIAL

Christians In Korea APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE “The entire Christian movement in Korea—7so,ooo strong—has suffered and is suffering desperately,” ?aid the Very Rev. A. K. Warren, dean of Christchurch, in the course of a Christmas appeal for Korea broadcast yesterday on behalf of the National Council of Churches. In Seoul, for instance, Dr Namkung, secretary of the National Christian Council, had disappeared as a result of his refusal to head a broadcasting propaganda unit under the Communist regime. The Bishop of Seoul and 30 other Christian leaders had not been heard of since they were summoned before a North Korean authority on July 23. It was feared that they were all dead. Losses of property had also been serious. Literally hundreds of churches and orphanages and schools had been destroyed—some for the second time in 10 years. In at least four cities, the northern troops burned down the churches that survived the actual battles. In Seoul, the crucifix on the west door of the Cathedral was used for rifle practice. The YMCA and the Bible Society buildings were totally destroyed. The entire stock of Christian literature in the Korean language was lost in the bombing. Yet the Korean Christian congregations, of which there were 4,500, were surviving the ordeal as they survived the Japanese tyranny. A Korean pastor had gone to live in every one of the refugee encampments, where conditions were-appalling. In some of these encampments there was no shelter, no medical care, and little food. . The churches in the National Council of Churches in New Zealand had set themselves this Christmas season to strengthen the hands of those Korean Christians by every means possible, Mr Warren said. Through Corso they were already sending shipments of clothing and they were making a contribution in money to express their thankfulness that they themselves were living in peace. “Let us together help the and through them the people—-in suffering Korea,” concluded Mr Warren.