James Scarth Gale
Encyclopedia
James S. Gale was a Canadian Presbyterian missionary, educator and Bible translator in Korea.
In 1882 Gale entered St. Catharine’s Collegiate Institute, St. Catharines, Ontario
. From 1884 to 1888 Gale studied at the University of Toronto
, including the summer of 1886 at the Sorbonne
, Paris on a language course. During this period he came under the influence of Dwight L. Moody
. On graduation, April 12, 1888 he was appointed a missionary of Toronto University's YMCA
was sent to Korea. On November 13, 1888 he set sail from Vancouver
, arriving in Pusan on 12 December, from where he took a coastal vessel to Chemulpo, present Incheon
.
In 1889 he preached in Haeju, Hwanghae
and Gyeongsang
. It is known that he stayed in Songchon village, Changyon District, Hwanghae from March to June. From August 1889 to May 1890 he was in Pusan. In 1890 he taught English at the "Christian School" (예수교 학당). In February 1891 he and Samuel A. Moffet visited John Ross (missionary)
in Mukden, Manchuria
and returned to Seoul in June.
In August 1891, terminating the relationship with the Toronto University YMCA, he moved to the American Presbyterian Mission Board, North. From 1893-1923 the Gales lived in Wonsan
while Gale served as member of the “Board of Official Translators” of the Korean Bible. He worked with Henry G. Appenzeller, Horace G. Underwood, William B. Scranton, and William D. Reynolds
.
In 1897 he returned to Canada and the USA, and on May 13 was ordained as a Presbyterian minister at New Albany Presbytery, Indiana. In 1900 he became the first minister of Yondong Presbyterian Church (:ko:연동교회) in Seoul.
As an educationalist, he founded the Jesus Church Middle School, present Kongsin Middle and High School, as well as Yondong Girls’ School, presently Chongsin Girls’ School, in Seoul. He was also a professor, of Pyongyang
Theological Seminary. In 1904 he organized the Association of Korean Education with the members of the Yondong Church. In 1911 Gale was appointed as president of the Royal Asiatic Society
, Korea Branch, and in 1917 he founded the Korean Music Society.
In May 1927 he resigned as pastor of Yondong Church, leaving Korea on June 22, a year before official retirement (he officially retired from mission work on August 31, 1928). Gale died January 31, 1937 at the age of 74 in Bath, England.
Life
James Scarth Gale (in modern Korean 제임스 스카스 게일, in old Korean characters 奇一) was born 31 January 1863 in Alma, Ontario, Canada. He married twice:- April 7, 1892 to Harriet E. Gibson Heron, the widow of John W. Heron, M.D., also of the American Presbyterian Mission, North, who had died in Korea on June 26, 1890. Harriet Gale died on March 29, 1908 aged 48.
- April 7, 1910 to Ada Louisa Sale (born in Cheshire, England 1871). Her father, George Sale, was a businessman in Japan.
In 1882 Gale entered St. Catharine’s Collegiate Institute, St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, Canada, with 97.11 square kilometres of land...
. From 1884 to 1888 Gale studied at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, including the summer of 1886 at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
, Paris on a language course. During this period he came under the influence of Dwight L. Moody
Dwight L. Moody
Dwight Lyman Moody , also known as D.L. Moody, was an American evangelist and publisher who founded the Moody Church, Northfield School and Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts , the Moody Bible Institute and Moody Publishers.-Early life:Dwight Moody was born in Northfield, Massachusetts to a large...
. On graduation, April 12, 1888 he was appointed a missionary of Toronto University's YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
was sent to Korea. On November 13, 1888 he set sail from Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, arriving in Pusan on 12 December, from where he took a coastal vessel to Chemulpo, present Incheon
Incheon
The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
.
In 1889 he preached in Haeju, Hwanghae
Hwanghae
Hwanghae was one of the Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Hwanghae was located in the northwest of Korea. The provincial capital was Haeju.The regional name for the province was Haesŏ .-History:...
and Gyeongsang
Gyeongsang
Gyeongsang was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Gyeongsang was located in the southeast of Korea....
. It is known that he stayed in Songchon village, Changyon District, Hwanghae from March to June. From August 1889 to May 1890 he was in Pusan. In 1890 he taught English at the "Christian School" (예수교 학당). In February 1891 he and Samuel A. Moffet visited John Ross (missionary)
John Ross (missionary)
John Ross was a Scottish Protestant missionary to Northeast China who established Dongguan Church in Shenyang. He is also known for translating the first Korean Bible.-Life:...
in Mukden, Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
and returned to Seoul in June.
In August 1891, terminating the relationship with the Toronto University YMCA, he moved to the American Presbyterian Mission Board, North. From 1893-1923 the Gales lived in Wonsan
Wonsan
Wŏnsan is a port city and naval base in southeastern North Korea. It is the capital of Kangwŏn Province. The population of the city is estimated to have been 331,000 in 2000. Notable people from Wŏnsan include Kim Ki Nam, diplomat and Secretary of the Workers' Party.- History :The original name of...
while Gale served as member of the “Board of Official Translators” of the Korean Bible. He worked with Henry G. Appenzeller, Horace G. Underwood, William B. Scranton, and William D. Reynolds
William D. Reynolds
William D. Reynolds was an American Southern Presbyterian missionary and Bible translator in Korea.William David Reynolds was born 12 November 1867. He completed the first translation of the Old Testament into Korean in 1910.He worked with Horace G...
.
In 1897 he returned to Canada and the USA, and on May 13 was ordained as a Presbyterian minister at New Albany Presbytery, Indiana. In 1900 he became the first minister of Yondong Presbyterian Church (:ko:연동교회) in Seoul.
As an educationalist, he founded the Jesus Church Middle School, present Kongsin Middle and High School, as well as Yondong Girls’ School, presently Chongsin Girls’ School, in Seoul. He was also a professor, of Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
Theological Seminary. In 1904 he organized the Association of Korean Education with the members of the Yondong Church. In 1911 Gale was appointed as president of the Royal Asiatic Society
Royal Asiatic Society
The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was established, according to its Royal Charter of 11 August 1824, to further "the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia." From its incorporation the Society...
, Korea Branch, and in 1917 he founded the Korean Music Society.
In May 1927 he resigned as pastor of Yondong Church, leaving Korea on June 22, a year before official retirement (he officially retired from mission work on August 31, 1928). Gale died January 31, 1937 at the age of 74 in Bath, England.
Legacy
It is arguable that Gale had more influence on the Korean language in the critical period from 1890-1910 than any other individual, Korean or Foreign.- Gale commenced work as part of Henry G. Appenzeller's Bible translation team in 1892 and worked on part of Gospel of MatthewGospel of MatthewThe Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
and Ephesians, then the Book of Acts (1893) and Gospel of JohnGospel of JohnThe Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...
(1895) Gales work has considerable influence on all following Korean versions.
- Disagreeing with some of the translations in the main version, in 1925 he published his own private translation of New and Old Testaments.
- In 1890 Gale worked with Horace G. Underwood on A Concise Dictionary of the Korean Language, a small booklet. His own Korean-English Dictionary appeared in 1897. A Korean-English Dictionary followed in 1914.
- In 1893 he was also the translator of the first work of fiction to be printed in the Korean hangulHangulHangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
script, Pilgrim's Progress by John BunyanJohn BunyanJohn Bunyan was an English Christian writer and preacher, famous for writing The Pilgrim's Progress. Though he was a Reformed Baptist, in the Church of England he is remembered with a Lesser Festival on 30 August, and on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church on 29 August.-Life:In 1628,...
(in Korean 천로역정).
- Gale translated “Korean History” from the Dongguk TonggamDongguk TonggamThe Dongguk Tonggam is a chronicle of early Korean history, compiled by Seo Geo-jeong and other scholars in the 15th century. Originally commissioned by King Sejo in 1446, it was completed under the reign of Seongjong of Joseon, in 1485. The official Ch'oe Pu was one of the scholars who helped...
serialising it in the Korean Repository from 1893-1896.
- In 1899 Gale became correspondent for “North China Daily News” of Shanghai, China. He was also editor “Kurisdo Sinmun” (Christian News)1905 and “Yesukyo Sinbo” (Christian Herald) 1907. And in Editor became the first editor of “Korea Magazine” (in English).
- 1909 Gale published “Korea in transition.”
- 1922 Gale published the first literary work of Korean to be translated into English The Cloud Dream of the Nine (:ko:구운몽,九雲夢) by Kim ManjungKim ManjungKim Man-jung was Korean novelist and politician of the mid-Joseon period. A member of the yangban class, Kim passed the state civil service examination and rose through the official ranks to become a royal academic counselor and minister during the reign of King Sukjeong...
(:ko:김만중) 1637-1692.
- Among the many institutions Gale founded or was involved in founding, in 1903 Gale was one of the founding members of the Hansong Young Men’s Christian Association, presently the Korean YMCA and was elected as its first president.