Too Bright to be a Preacher

       Then they told him he was too bright to be a Preacher.  His father had dedicated him to the ministry, and he had gone to America expecting to be a preacher, but they said, “You are too bright for that.”  He was especially gifted in science.  He told me he never took the easy subjects like history or sociology, but only the difficult subjects for which he needed help.  He could read the others himself.  One summer he learned German by himself, and passed the examination for this required subject.  Then after Ohio Wesleyan he went to Ohio State and got his doctorate in chemistry, discovering a new poison gas.

       Upon completion of his doctorate, he had three offers.  One was to stay at Ohio State as an instructor.  The second was to go to Germany for further studies.  The third, which he chose, was to go back to China to teach science in the government university in Peking.  But as he was about to sign the contract, he told me, his hand shook, so that he was physically unable to sign.  Also, God said to him, "You can't do this; you belong to me.  Your father dedicated you to the ministry; you gave yourself to it.  I have helped you, and now you must preach." So he gave up his teaching plans.  Then a friend told him there was a man there from Union Theological Seminary in New York City looking for students.  After an interview with this man, he was offered a scholarship.  Naturally, they were glad to get a man with a Ph.D. degree.