earticle

영어

A missionary of Southern Presbyterian Church in the United States(PCUS, 남장로교), Clement C. Owen was born in 1867 and studied at Hamden-Sydney University, Edinburgh University-New college in the United Kingdom, Union Theological Seminary in Virginia, and University of Virginia School of Medicine. Having a rare background as a missionary with qualifications for both minister and doctor, he showed the highest level of intelligence among the missionaries in Korea. Arriving in Mokpo in November, 1898, he engaged in medical ministry right away and treated approximately 400 patients only within a period of several months the next year. The Mokpo Church in the jurisdiction of his station used to have a congregation of eight people in 1898 and expanded to a congregation of 75 in the summer of 1900, which was attributed to his medical ministry. His clinic sprang into fame as an attraction in the city and promoted the evangelization of the Mokpo area. Getting married to Georgiana Whitting, a missionary of Northern Presbyterian Church in December, 1900, he was shocked by the death of Lottie Bell, the wife of Eugene Bell. He returned to his country temporarily, gave up medical ministry, and committed himself to pastoral ministry after taking over Bell’s circuit. He took care of the community, guiding the congregation of Mokpo Church on Sundays and making a comprehensive tour of Jeonnam Province including Gwangju, Naju, Yeonggwang, and Jangseong on weekdays. Returning back to the field of mission after a year of sabbatical, he moved to Gwangju in 1904 and was devoted to taking care of local churches in southern and southeastern parts of Jeonnam Province for five years. He found the greatest value in talking with Korean people in the guest room in the village. The problem was that his area of responsibility was too vast for him to take care of alone. Having weak strength by nature, he had to endure a rigorous schedule through itinerant ministry but did his best in silence. He especially more than doubled his achievements across all the areas during his glory years of ministry in 1907 and 1908. In March, 1909, he was making a tour of churches in Jangheung, which was the farthest from Gwangju, contracted acute pneumonia, and died on the job. After his death, his wife continued his ministry until 1919, remaining in Gwangju with her four children. His fellow missionaries later visited his zone and were shocked to see that the growth was much faster and stronger than they knew. That is, he did not talk about his success and achievements in his zone to his fellow missionaries, which demonstrates how humble he was. He was a lightning of bless to Korean Church. Even today the churches established by him shine light to the corners of the southern province.

한국어

미국 남장로교(PCUS) 선교사 클레멘트 오웬은 1867년 생으로 목사와 의사로서의자격을 동시에 갖춘 흔치 않은 이력의 선교사였다. 1898년 11월 목포에 도착한 오웬은그 때부터 바로 의료 사역에 착수하여 이듬해에는 불과 몇 달 동안 400여 명의 환자를진료하였다. 목포교회가 1900년 여름 75명의 회중으로 늘어나게 된 데에는 오웬의 의료사역이 있었기 때문이었다. 오웬은 1904년 광주로 이동하여 그 때부터 5년 간 전남 남부와 동남부의 지역 교회들을 돌보는데 진력하였다. 그는 마을의 사랑방에서 한국인들과 대화하는 것을 최고의가치로 여겼던 사람이었다. 그런데 당시 오웬의 담당 구역은 한 명의 선교사가 혼자담당하기에는 지나치게 넓었다. 선천적으로 체력이 약했던 그의 순회 사역은 그래서 강행군의 연속이었다. 그럼에도 불구하고 그는 묵묵히 자신의 책임을 다하였다. 특히1907년과 1908년은 오웬 사역의 절정기로 모든 영역에서 두 배 이상의 성과를 거두었다. 1909년 3월 오웬은 광주에서 가장 멀리 떨어져 있던 장흥의 교회들을 순회하던 중 급성폐렴에 걸려 결국 순직하고 말았다. 그 후 부인 휘팅(Georgiana Whiting)은 1919 년까지 자녀 4명과 함께 광주에 머물며 선교사역을 이어갔다. 나중에 그의 구역을 방문한 동료 선교사들은 충격을 받았다. 그들이 알고 있었던 것에비해 그곳의 성장세가 훨씬 빠르고 강력했기 때문이다. 즉 오웬은 자신이 담당했던 구역의 성공과 성취를 다른 선교사들에게 말하지 않았던 것이다. 그는 그렇게 겸손한 사람이었다. 오웬은 한국교회에 내린 벼락같은 축복이었다. 지금도 오웬이 설립한 교회들이전남의 곳곳을 비추고 있다.