American women missionaries in Korea had specific works for Korean women in the mission field. Traditionally, Korean women had less opportunity to be educated, to participate in social activity and self-achievement. Women mission changed the life of the Korean Christian women. The women religious education is the most important element to lead the women’s life.
This is the study on the manual of weekly Prayer meeting by women missionaries of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. South. These documents were published in 1936, 1938 and 1939. The authors of each book were Meta L. Biggar, Talmage Eliza and Josephine Hounshell. These books show everyday piety and spirituality of Korean Christian women in the 1930’s. The most important goal of prayer was to improve Christian faith and to encourage discipleship of Jesus Christ. When they taught prayer, they had to read and study the Bible. They studied the bible to learn the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. In the prayers, they wished to participate in the way of Jesus Christ. These regulations of the prayer meetings displayed the pious heritage of evangelical protestant tradition. The modern Korean church has to develop the noble tradition rather than accept contemporary secularity.

• 박종현(명지대학교) | Park, Jonghyun