일반적으로 한국기독교의 농촌계몽운동은 1920년대에 시작하여 1930년대에 소멸한 것으로 알려져 있다. 엄밀하게 말하자면 한국기독 교의 농촌계몽운동은 1920년대부터 1930년대까지 전성기를 경험한 것이 맞다. 하지만 이보다 앞서 농촌계몽운동에 관심을 가지고 나름의 역할들을 해온 두 인물이 있는데, 그 두 사람은 바로 윤치호와 로버트 알렉산더 하디 선교사이다. 본 논문에서는 같은 남감리회 소속이었던 윤치호와 하디 선교사가 농촌계몽운동에 관심을 갖게 된 시기와 이유, 그리고 구체적인 활동을 우선 살펴보고, 이들이 목표했던 농촌계몽운동 은 단순히 경제적인 발전만을 추구하는 것이 아니라 누구나 자신의 재능을 개발하고 더불어 행복한 삶을 살아갈 수 있도록 의식을 변화시키 는 하나의 사회변혁운동이었음을 고찰하고자 한다. 이를 통해 생명 경시, 자살률 증가, 인간 소외현상 등이 만연한 21세기의 대한민국에서 한국기독교(개신교)가 진정한 계몽운동의 주역으로 자리매김하는 데 이바지하기를 바란다.

Lee Chang Hoi (Lee) was born in 1872 at Namyang. He became a christian in the early period when the gospel was spreading in the region. After conversion he worked hard for the modern education movement in the influence of George Herber Jones. Hong Seung Ha founded the Hoheung elementary school with Jones’ donation in 1901. The school was managed by Lee who established Powell school in purpose of teaching English in 1902. Lee managed nine day schools within nine churches which were founded by Hong Seung Ha. He also served as an exhorter in Namyang church, and worked as an assistant worker for a year in 1906. He later became the evangelist from 1907 to 1910. After 1906 he developed Boheung school as a central school in Namyang. He managed the school with general level edcuation department, high level education department, and measurement education department, and tried to keep Namyang redisents’ wealth from the intrusion of Japan. He held the United Sports Day gathering people from the surrounding elementary schools to inspire the patriotism. Some Japanese called Boheung school as a rioter training center for this reason, and insisted closing down the school since it was growing as a center for anti-Japanese thoughts. Lee also participated founding Sangdong elementary school, and he was directly and indirectly engaged in managing other schools. He also ran the evening school in Boheung school for children who couldn’t study in the daytime. He also worked as the principal of Sangdong evening school. He established the Namyang branch of Daehan-Jaganghoi for the progress of patriotic enlightenment movement. The group protested against the Japanese economic invasion with the National Debt Repayment Movement. He was in ministry from 1913 to 1916 at Namyang church. He supported the neighboring churches not only to stand independently but also to found schools. He also inspired other people to build churches in the churchless areas and to teach the biblical knowledge and Hangul by running the Bible Classes. He became a circuit pastor of Namyang and Osan in 1916 and transferred to Gwangju in June 1918. When he was in ministry of Gwangju, the Samil Independence Movement broke out. As he participated in this movement, he was arrested and in jail for 4 months. After he was released for the lack of evidence, he met Lee Dae Jung who raised the independence funds with him. However, Lee got arrested due to the fund raising activity and got sentenced to two years in prison. He was a pastor who fostered the patriotic enlightment movement into the Samil Independence Movement and Independence Movement.

Up to recently at the modern education in Namyang the christian education’s influence before 1905 has not particularly received attention. But according to Shin Hak Wol Bo, the Namyang Church was founded in 1900 and in 1902 nine churches were established around Namyang. From the time in which the churches were founded, the schools of the boys and the schools of the girls for the modern education were built. The schools of boys were Boheung elementary school and Powell school and the school of girls was Jeha elementary school and the nine day schools of boys and girls were built in the nine churches. Teachers of these schools were Lee Chang Heoi and An Elizabeth. They taught the Hangul and arithmetic. Particularly after the girls and women were participated in the Bible Class, they grew into the women leader of church and the modern education patron. After 1905’s Protectorate Treaty nineteen schools were founded. Among these schools, three schools such as Boheung girl school, Bosung elementary school, and Bomyung elementary school were set up by christians and church. Many christians such as Lee Chang Hoi, Choi Sung Dae, Kim Hyeun Jun were participating in the establishment of Sangdong elementary school, Yangsung school, Songlim school, and Junkok Private House. Moreover Boheung school was the center of many schools and held the union sport and inspired the patriotism and the military spirit. And Boheung school and Boheung girl school with YangSung school established the ordinary course and the higher course and led the middle education. These two schools with the public elementary school joined the National Debt Compensation Campaign. The Namyang branch of Daehan-Jaganghoi was set up by the leadership of christians such as Lee Chang Hoi. Christians such as Kim Hee Kyung and Kim Hyeui Kyung and An Maria founded the EuiSungHoi and they participated in the National Debt Compensation Campaign. They established Women Education Society and gave the positive support for the women education. On the contrary Buddism and the Cheondogyo did not establish even a modern school. When we observe from this side Christianity led the modern education and the patriotic enlightenment movement in Namyang quantitatively as well as qualitatively. Christians such as Hong Sung Ha and Lee Chang Hoi among Namyang church exhorters and SeoYeuDa Myeon Head Choi Sung Dae, Kim Kwan Hyeon as Kim Hong Su’s son and An Elizabeth got into the positive act in the patriotic enlightenment movement with country governors such as Jang Ho Jin, Bang Han Duck, and the enlightened confucian scholars.