THE FOUNDING OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY KOREA

  1. London. 9 January 1900. From London RAS Council Minutes,

“8. Read letter from Mr. Kenmure regarding a proposal to form an Asiatic Society in Korea and asking for affiliation of it to RAS.  Resolved that the Council welcome this new Society and will gladly consider its affiliation when Journal and its Rules have been seen. Also that the Journal be sent to the Korean Society for one year, subject to renewal.”

  1. Seoul. On June 11th, 1900, the following call for a Mass Meeting of the foreign residents of Seoul, Korea, was circulated:—

 “It has been proposed to found a Korea Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. The correspondence necessary to that end has been successfully conducted, and you are invited to attend a General Meeting at the Reading- room of the Seoul Union, on Saturday, 16th inst., at half-past four of the afternoon; at which time and place the subject will be discussed and, if it seems desirable, an organization will be effected. The draft of a Constitution has been prepared and will be presented for adoption, subject to revision. Officers will be elected, and such other steps taken as will ensure an early realization of the benefits likely to accrue from the founding of such an organization.
Committee On Arrangements.”

  1. Seoul. Minutes of RAS General Meetings.

A Meeting, as above called, was convened at 4.30 P.M. at the rooms of the Seoul Union to take steps toward the formation of a Korea Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Those present were—

  • Mr. GUBBINS (H. B. M. Charge d’Affaires.).
  • Mr. WAKEFIELD (Imperial Korean Customs).
  • Mr. APPENZELLER (Amer. M. E. Mission).
  • Mr. BECK (Amer. M. E. Mission).
  • Mr. SWEARER (Amer. M. E. Mission).
  • Mr. MOORE (Amer. Pres. Mission).
  • Mr. BUNKER  (Amer. M. E. Mission).
  • Dr. WEIPERT (H. I. G. M. Consul-General).
  • Mr. GALE  (Amer. Pres. Mission).
  • Mr. SANDS  (Adviser, Royal Household Department).
  • Mr. BADCOCK (Eng. Ch. Mission).
  • Mr. JONES (Amer. M. E. Mission).
  • Dr. SCRANTON (Amer. M. E. Mission).
  • Mr. HULBERT (Imperial Normal School).
  • Mr. CABLE (Amer. M. E. Mission).
  • Mr. SYKES (B. &. F. Bible Society).
  • Dr. UNDERWOOD (Amer. Pres. Mission).

On nomination of Mr. APPENZELLER, Mr. GUBBINS was elected Chairman. Taking the Chair, he called for nominations for Secretary of the Meeting. On motion of Mr. BUNKER, Mr. GALE was elected to that office.

The CHAIRMAN then briefly stated the object of the Meeting, calling attention to the work of the Asiatic Society of Japan as indicating the probable lines on which the Society would work here. He then asked Mr. JONES to state what steps had been taken up to the present and to read any correspondence pertaining thereto. Thereupon Mr. Jones read a communication, dated Nov. 11th, 1899, from the Secretary of the China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, suggesting that we communicate with the Royal Asiatic Society, London, and ask permission to use their name. Another communication, dated June 10th, 1900, from the Acting Secretary of the Royal Asiatic Society, was also read. It stated that our letter of Oct. 18th, 1899, had been laid before the Council on the previous day and that they welcomed the proposal to form an Asiatic Society in Korea, and would gladly admit it when formed as a Branch Society, provided that the rules were such as they could approve of.
Mr. Jones then presented the following resolution :—

“WHEREAS the initial steps towards the formation of a Korea Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society have been taken; and

“WHEREAS it seems desirable that such a Society should be formed at this time—

“RESOLVED that we organize ourselves into the Korea Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, with conditions of Membership, Constitution and By-laws to be decided upon in accordance with the letter of June 10th, 1900, received from the Society in London.”

This resolution being put as a motion was seconded and was carried unanimously.

The Chairman then asked Mr. HULBERT to read the draft of a proposed Constitution and By-laws, which had been drawn up for discussion at this Meeting. After it had been read the Chairman asked whether it should be discussed and voted on article by article or should be adopted en bloc. As there seemed to be no desire to suggest changes, and in view of the fact that the various articles of the Constitution and By-laws corresponded very closely with those of the Asiatic Societies of Japan and of China, the Chairman put the question to the house whether this Constitution and By-laws should be adopted as a whole. It was carried unanimously.

The election of officers was then taken up as provided for in the Constitution adopted, and the following were unanimously elected :—

  • President:  J. H. GUBBINS, ESQ., C.M.G.
  • Vice President:  Rev. GEO. HEBER JONES.
  • Corresponding Secretary:  Rev. JAS. S. GALE, B.A.
  • Recording Secretary:  H. B. HUMBERT, Esq., F.R.G.S.
  • Treasurer:  Rev. A. B. TURNER, B.A.
  • Librarian:  ALEX. KENMURE, ESQ.
    HON. H. N. ALLEN
  • Members of Council:  DR. WEIPERT
    J.MCLEAVY BROWN, ESQ., C.M.G.

The Chairman then declared the Meeting adjourned.

  1. Seoul, 24th Oct., 1900.

A GENERAL Meeting of the Society convened at the rooms of the Seoul Union at 4 P.M., with the PRESIDENT in the Chair. The Minutes of the previous Meeting were read and adopted.

In opening the proceedings Mr. GUBBINS said :—

“This being the first General Meeting of our Society it has been thought that a few remarks from the Chair with reference to the objects of the Society and its prospects would be appropriate on this occasion. These remarks will be brief, for we have much business to get through and the time at our disposal is short.

“In the first place I would mention that the interval which has elapsed since our Society was formed has not been one of idleness on the part of the Council. In the organization of every Society there are many preliminary details to be arranged, and the consideration of these has occupied the attention of the Council during several Meetings. Part of this business the Council has dealt with under the authority given by the Constitution and By-laws. Other matters will require the sanction of a General Meeting, and these will be brought to your notice in due course by the Council.”

  1. London. RAS Council Minutes, 13 November 1900

“15. The Rules & List of officers & members of the proposed Korean branch of the Society referred to in Res. 8 of Jan[uar]y last having been submitted to the Council, Resolved that the Korean Society be admitted as a branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.”

  1. From Transactions Vol. 1:

Extract from a Letter Received from the Honorary Secretary of the Royal Asiatic Society.

“ * * * I am desired to inform you that a resolution was passed and is entered in our Minutes accepting your Society as a Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society duly affiliated under our rules.”

  1. Seoul. Seoul, Korea, Jan. 3, 1902.

The Annual Meeting of the Society was held this day in the Seoul Union Reading Room, at four o’clock in the afternoon. The Annual Report of the Council was then read by the Corresponding Secretary. James S. Gale.

(From the Annual Report) A letter from London, dated Nov. 16th, 1900, conveyed a minute of action by the Parent Society which constituted us a branch of the same.