The Remarkable Story of Ransa Kim's Pipe Organ at Chungdong First Church

Ransa Kim

Ransa Kim while studying abroad
at Ohio Wesleyan University in the U.S.

 

 

RANSA KIM

Who is the person who installed the pipe organ?

After a two-year fundraising campaign in 1918, Korea's first pipe organ was established by the independence activist and Methodist, Kim Ransa. For her, the pipe organ was not just an instrument, but a symbol of the country and a wish for independence. I would like to introduce the life of Ransa Kim, the first woman in Korean history to study American literature, a new woman, and an independence activist.

Ransa Kim, the first Korean woman to study in the United States, is not a well-known figure to us. However, she is an indispensable person in the history of the Women's Independence Movement. She visited Ewha School at the age of 24 when she was married to study theology and studied it for a year. Later, in 1896, Ransa Kim went to the United States purely for the purpose of studying abroad. At that time, her life was not simple because, in Korean society, it was unheard of for a woman to go abroad to study in the United States as a result of her own will.

Ransa Kim, who took the lead in education and women's enlightenment activities, shines more because of her activities after studying abroad. She devoted everything she learned to work for Korean women. After returning to Korea, she taught English to students while working as a teacher at Ewha school and served as a bridge for missionaries and students. Ransa Kim, the Korean woman with excellent English skills who served as an interpreter for King Gojong, also learned English and theology from Ransa Kim. She also served as a contact for the independence movement. During her lifetime, she was a woman with new ideas and ways of thinking who put the spirit of national spirit and independence into practice. Her life was entirely full of desire for her country's independence.

A letter presumed to be handwritten
by Ransa Kim (The Front Side)

From Kim Ransa Patriot Memorial Foundation 

 

A letter presumed to be handwritten
by Ransa Kim (The Back Side)

From Kim Ransa Patriot Memorial Foundation

Challenge:

Ransa Kim who was led by Koreans' efforts 

Ransa Kim who was led by Koreans' efforts The above postcards are presumed to be old at first glance. On the front, there is a group photo and a phrase saying, "Students of Ewha School took a commemorative photo in front of the pipe organ installed in Chung Dong First M. E. Church (currently Chung Dong First Church)," adding, "The first pipe organ installed in Korea with donations from Koreans living in the United States." On the back, there was a message written in English cursive writing. The postcard is believed to be a personal message to a person in the United States who donated money for the pipe organ to express gratitude to the American compatriots who had participated in the fundraising activities for the pipe organ, along with the news that the pipe organ has been installed in Seoul. Ransa Kim moved to the United States in 1916 and traveled all over the country for more than two years, appealing to her compatriots to raise funds to send pipe organs to her home country. In a letter sent by Ransa Kim to Chang-ho Ahn, her thoughts can be seen, and the contents are as follows. "I'm sure it's very appropriate for compatriots living in the U.S. to purchase an organ and install it at Chung Dong Church in Seoul. It will be a willing souvenir for our native compatriots to love and remember them and their native land, and it will be an opportunity for our native compatriots to love and appreciate us." After careful efforts, a pipe organ was finally installed at Chung Dong First Methodist Church in 1918. Above all, the installation of the pipe organ is an achievement achieved only by the power of the Korean people of Korea. It was because of Ransa Kim's willingness not to borrow foreign power, even if it took more time and effort.

Chungdong First Church in 1918

Chungdong First Church in 1918

The pipe organ in 2021
at Chungdong First Methodist Church

Resilience and Independence:

The Remarkable Story of Ransa Kim's Pipe Organ at Chungdong First Church

In 1918, the Chungdong First Church of Korea, a grand pipe organ graced the sanctuary. It was installed under the cross on the platform, and it was the first pipe organ ever built in Korea. But this organ had a rich history, and its story began with a remarkable woman named Ransa Kim.

Ransa Kim was not a well-known figure, but she was an independence activist, a new woman, and the first Korean woman to study in the United States. She believed that the pipe organ was not just an instrument, but a symbol of her country's independence. In 1918, after a two-year fundraising campaign, Ransa Kim succeeded in installing the pipe organ in Chungdong First Church, thanks to the generous donations of Korean-American residents collected during her travels to churches in the United States.

The cost of the instrument was significant, with freight and installation costs driving the total to over $5.5, a considerable amount considering that the church had spent only $8.5 on building the Chapel in 1897. But Ransa Kim's determination to have a pipe organ in the church was unwavering, as she saw it not only as an instrument for worship, but also as a symbol of national power and a cultural gathering place.

The pipe organ became a part of the Korean people's desire for independence from Japanese colonial rule. The Wind Box of the organ even served as a place to copy various independence movement documents, including the March 1 Independence Declaration and underground independence newspapers. The organ represented the yearning for freedom, and the young people of Chungdong First Church risked their lives to distribute independent newspapers in baskets of bean sprouts during a time of oppression.

However, the pipe organ's journey was not without challenges. During the Korean War, the church and the pipe organ were destroyed by bombing, leaving only memories and postcards that expressed gratitude for the first pipe organ installed in Korea. But in 2003, through long efforts and donations, the pipe organ was restored, and its significance as a symbol of history and national spirit was once again brought to life.

The impact of the pipe organ was not limited to its historical significance. It was also known as the "King of Instruments" and was praised for its grandeur and the wide range of sounds it produced. It became the founder of other keyboard instruments, such as the harpsichord and piano. And in the church, it was not only a means of worship, but also a demonstration of national power and a symbol of a cultural gathering place.

In conclusion, the story of the pipe organ at Chungdong First Church in Korea is one of resilience, determination, and the pursuit of independence. It represents the unwavering spirit of Ransa Kim and the Korean people's desire for freedom. Despite challenges and destruction, the pipe organ has stood as a symbol of history, culture, and national pride, continuing to echo the sound of a soul that carries the weight of its remarkable journey.