Isabella MENZIES

MENZIES, ISABELLA (BELLE) (b. Ballarat Vic, 30 July 1856, d. Ballarat, Vic, 10 Sept 1935). Presbyterian missionary in Korea.

Belle was the eldest of ten children of Robert Menzies, gold miner, and Elizabeth, née Band. She was educated at Errard St State School and private seminaries, helping her mother in the home. She taught in Sunday school at Ebenezer Church (one pupil was later a missionary in Korea) and served in a mission church outside Ballarat.

In June 1891 she was appointed as the first Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union (PWMU) missionary to Korea. Of the party of five who arrived in Pusan on 12 Oct 1891 Belle Menzies alone was left after four years, though joined by Bessie Moore in 1892 and Agnes Brown in 1895. Koreans would not sell property to foreigners and they lived in the Japanese treaty port for over a year before obtaining a thatch-roofed, mud and stonewalled house at the edge of Pusanchin. In this modest home the women began sharing their faith as their Korean language improved, teaching classes for children and adults. On 22 April 1894 the first three of their converts were baptised—their language teacher and two women. In Dec 1894 they were able to move into a newly built house while their previous one housed girls, homeless, orphaned, physically handicapped or in danger of being sold as kitchen slaves or prostitutes. These girls were supported by individuals or groups in Australia where their names were well known.

The orphanage became the centre of Belle Menzies' work. 'The most effective and far-reaching evangelism is to be found in these rescued and regenerated lives.' The teaching of these girls to read was the beginning from which grew the Il Sin Girls' School. The girls became teachers, nurses and the wives of church leaders, one even a governor's wife. Around them grew the Pusanchin church. Belle Menzies taught in the local church, week-long classes for village women, and in the Women's Bible Institute which during two winter months each year trained Bible women.

She was the wise counsellor and friend to whom Koreans, women, children, and men too, and fellow-missionaries went in times of perplexity, suffering or loneliness and found strength through her humble witness, her loving concern. All called her 'Mother'. A very special orphan was Sinpogie, a baby abandoned in the garden on a wintry night in 1914. Belle Menzies adopted her and took full responsibility including a return to Korea seven years after retirement to arrange her marriage in 1931.

Although it was premature, Pusanchin church and community celebrated then the 40 years since she came to Korea and set up a stone beside the church to honour her 33 and Bessie Moore's 27 years of service.

C B Anderson, PWMU Chronicle May 1908, 7-8; PWMU Minutes, Ballarat Courier 11 Sept 1935

HELEN MACKENZIE