ON November 23rd at 2pm, the Church of St. Edmund in Crickhowell will host a special performance by the Jerusalem Choir from London; a choir composed of members from a church with a Korean congregation.
This visit is not just a concert—it’s a gift of gratitude and hospitality, rooted in a historic connection between the Usk Valley and Korea that dates back over 150 years.
At the heart of this link is Robert Jermain Thomas, a man born in 1839 in Rhayader, Wales.
Thomas is remembered for his pioneering mission to bring Christianity to Korea, a country then largely unknown to the Western world and closed off to foreign influence. His story is one of unwavering faith, sacrifice, and a legacy that continues to resonate today.
From an early age, Thomas showed a remarkable aptitude for languages. By his teenage years, he had already mastered several, which would prove invaluable in his missionary work.
In 1863, Thomas and his wife, Caroline, joined the London Missionary Society (LMS) and traveled to China. Following Caroline’s death in 1864, Thomas worked as a customs officer in Chefoo (now Yantai), China, where his interest in Korea grew.
In 1866, Thomas was offered an opportunity to travel to Korea as a missionary. At the time, Korea was known as the “Hermit Kingdom” due to its isolationist policies. Despite this, Thomas was determined to share the Gospel, believing it was his divine calling.
He boarded the American ship, SS General Sherman, which was sent to Korea on a trade mission. However, Korea was opposed to trade with the Western world and was hostile to anyone arriving in a Western vessel. Korean refusal, led to a battle in which many lives were lost on the Taedong River that day.
Robert Jermain Thomas was determined to share the Gospel, and right until the moment of his disappearance gave out Bibles, which were translated into Chinese.
Though Thomas’s life was tragically short, his actions sparked a chain of events that would deeply impact Korea.
Thirty years after his death, in the 1890s, American missionary Reverend Samuel Austin Moffett visited Pyongyang, where he met Choe Chi’rang, a man who had received the scriptures from Thomas, and was a witness to the events leading up to his disappearance.
Choe had used the pages to decorate his home, which would later become the first Protestant church in Pyongyang.
The influence of Thomas’s mission continued to grow in Korea, and today, his story is honoured by pilgrims who visit his memorial at Hanover Chapel in Llanover, where he had been raised.
His life and sacrifice paved the way for the spread of Christianity in Korea, and his legacy endures through the many lives he touched.
It is in this spirit of gratitude that the Korean choir from London has chosen to visit South Wales, offering their performance as a tribute to the people who gave rise to Robert Jermain Thomas.
Their concert is a symbol of the deep bond between Wales and Korea, one forged by Thomas’s missionary work.
The event provides an opportunity for the local community to reflect on this historical connection and celebrate the ongoing friendship between the two countries.
All are welcome to witness this first-time event, admission is free, and there will no retiring collection, or donations requested.
History supplied by Pastor Daniel Yoo, Minister in the Hanover Chapel.