Not Crazy - But A One-Track Mind

       When he told me of these five periods in 1931, Dr. Sung did not know the details of course; he only knew that there were to be five periods, and their symbols were to be Water, Door, Dove, Blood, and Tomb.  This was all so strange that he did not want to tell most people.  He was not mentally unbalanced, but he was different.  I myself was somewhat unsure of him at first, until God so blest his ministry among us that I knew he was a man of God.  I'd like to have a one-track mind like his if I could. It only takes all you have.  "Leave all and follow me."

       Dr. Sung returned to China in 1927.  On the ship he took all his diplomas and honors and threw them out of the porthole.  From that time on he wore only a plain Chinese gown, and looked like a Chinese coolie.  The first time I saw him, I was greatly disappointed.  This man was supposed to be such a wonderful preacher, but I thought to myself, "This man is no good." He didn't even look bright, his hair hanging down over his eyes.  He wasn't quite like the hippies of today, but he was very strange appearing.  However, we were happily surprised.

       Back in Hinghwa, they put him to teaching science in the mission school.  But the times were revolutionary, and the students ran him out of the school.  We heard about him.  He spoke at the district conferences and other meetings in his own province, Fukien, and there were some articles in the Methodist China Christian Advocate which mentioned him.  But when we wrote about having him come for meetings with our students about 1929, the missionaries replied that he was no good for students, only for country people with whom he did religious education work.  Later events proved that they were mistaken, for he had a great ministry with students all over the Orient.  However, we did invite him, and he tried to come, but got sick in Foochow and couldn't come.  This was because the "Door" period had not yet arrived.  Two years later he did come to us, as we will tell later.