THE DOOR PERIOD V

From "Door" to Dove"
1933-1934

"To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted" (Eccles 3:1,2).

The seeds of dissolution having been sown in the Bethel Band for sometime, as noted in the last chapter, the time of its dissolution was ripening fast. This happened immediately after the Bethel Summer Conference, 1933.

The first one to leave was Philip Lee the musician who sailed for the United States to study music at Moody Bible Institute. The second was Lincoln Nieh who was now detained in the home office. Thus the Band of Five was reduced to three. Restrictions were also placed on John as editor of Bethel's official magazine, the "Guide to Holi­ness", giving him now only half of its space for his sermons.

The depleted three-man team was to be sent to North China again but with a longer range into the border pro­vinces which formed part of Inner Mongolia - to Chahar and Suiyuan. With a little time on hand before this third northern expedition, the three-man Team made a brief trip to Kwangtung in the South in response to an invitation from the Baptists. This was August-September 1933. An inter­mezzo, so to speak, it is recorded in John Sung' s Auto­biography Part II in three sentences, for his sight evidently was set on the untouched interior of inner Mongolia. For the same reason Leslie Lyall gives but one sentence to his book on John Sung, like entering a log book.

An Unexpected Catch

Be that as it may, it was on this side trip that John Sung caught one of his biggest fishes, the conversion of Lim Puay Hian of Swatow.

Born the year after the Boxer Rebellion (1900) like John Sung, Lim Puay Hian was also a pastor's son, nurtured with the strictest Presbyterian upbringing from birth, and groomed in the Mission School. "To everything there is a season," so before God's hour struck, all the attention given Lim Puay Hian by his parents and the Church could only counter-produce a rebellious spirit. For Puay Hian was an ambitious man like any other young man of his time, aspiring to be somebody so that he might rise above the tumultuous times in which he lived. When Chiang Kai Shek came to his domicile at Kieh Yang, Swatow in his Eastern Expedition soon after Sun Yat Sen's death in 1925, the young hothead almost joined the Revolution by taking up arms under Chiang. This did not tally with God's will for his life, so he was obliged to self-study to be a physician.

But when God's hour chimed, he became soundly con­verted, and realizing for the first time the sacredness of his father's vow on him that he should serve God fulltime, he yielded the very day of his conversion with all the abandon of those who burn their boats behind them. Lim Puay Hian, though hailing from an unknown fishing village called Iam Tsau (near Swatow) nevertheless shot up to be a star for Jesus Christ in the wake of John Sung' s conquests, to become a Little Sung. Whereas God had given his spiritual father but fifteen years, Lim Puay Hian lived to serve his Master for double that number, his fields being Fukien Province and all over Southeast Asia up to Burma. While John Sung had won souls by the ten-thousands Lim Puay Hian had his share of thousands (as we shall see later), though the time of bumper reaping was limited to a brief five years. Nevertheless scores of souls continued to be saved through him in Southeast Asia up to the outbreak of the Second World War. After the War he found particular acceptance with the Chinese Churches in Indonesia. This same Lim Puay Hian, this minor prophet raised up of God in John Sung's steps, is made known to the English-speaking world by this writer in a 150-page book titled "In John Sung' s Steps." This same Lim Puay Hian is survived by a lawyer son Joshua Lim Heong Wee, a founder of Life Bible-Presbyterian Church and now an elder of Calvary Bible-Presbyterian Church, Singapore.

As different people see John Sung differently, it will help the reader to understand the nature of his ministry by reproducing from the life story of Lim Puay Hian the full account of the process of his conversion. This is taken from "In John Sung' s Steps," pages 47 to 52.

Life's Purpose Found

"Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it." (Mark 8:34,35).

One decade after the "August Second Typhoon" of 1922, Swatow was visited by a spiritual whirlwind that brought mighty showers of blessing. Whereas the Typhoon of 1922 destroyed much life and property, the Revival campaigns conducted by Dr John Sung and Andrew Gill, with other members of the Bethel Worldwide Evangelistic Band, 1932­-33, revived the lives of thousands and brought quickening to the church. Several subsequent meetings from 1934 to 1937 by John Sung himself rounded off the Swatow Revival with long-lasting results.

In August 1933, while the third campaign conducted by China's famed evangelist was upon everybody's lips, it was noised abroad to a little town seven miles up-river from Swatow. Here Puay Hian had recently established himself as a physician. Christians were heading for Swatow from every direction, not the least from Puay Hian's up-river abode. Puay Hian could not resist an inner urge to follow the crowds to the metropolis.

Now, Puay Hian had expected him who held such a high reputation, a doctor of philosophy, to be some genius and orator, with all the refinement of a Western education. Instead, he found Sung attired in a coarse white Chinese gown, his hair shabby and unkempt. His Mandarin spoken with a Hinghwa accent could little impress the intelligentsia, and when he started to preach, he dashed about the pulpit like one gone crazy. "What's all this excitement about?" he scoffed. With that he turned his back on John Sung. He was home by the next up-river boat.

That night Puay Hian addressed a haughty letter to John Sung. He posed some questions for the doctor to answer, like one of the lawyers of old tempting Jesus. The first thing next morning he took the letter to the post office. As he dropped it into the box, he complained like a spoilt child, "If old Sung refuses to answer them, then I will not hear him again." But, no sooner had this jargon escaped his jabbering lips than his conscience gripped him.

Back from post office he found himself unable either "to eat or sit," much less attend to clients waiting at his "medical hall" downstairs. All he could do was sink into a canvass couch and sulk. More than ever before, the dark cloud of a bitter, futile, struggling life surrounded him. He felt, as it were, swarmed by all the evil hordes of hell let loose. That night, he tossed on a bed that echoed to his groans, as happened once some years before. He wrestled with his wretched self till early morning.

When he got up with the sun, he felt an irresistible force driving him back to John Sung. A power stronger than the down-river current hastened his footsteps again to Swatow. Arriving a couple of hours before time, he found a seat at a vantage point. While he sat waiting, he was moved at the sight of a steady stream of earnest seekers, Bible and chorus book in hand, returning from an early lunch to secure their seats. For, the meeting hall that seated over a thousand would soon be packed, leaving no room to stand. Strangely, not a gossip or murmur disturbed the sanctity of the church hall. Little groups that gathered were engaged in earnest prayer. "0 God, break my hardened heart!" Puay Hian groaned on his part.

Nevertheless, when the hour of service began and John Sung once again started to hop like a huge grasshopper while delivering his sermon, Puay Hian suddenly stiffened, "What sort of a preacher is this?" With that he scampered off to Kakchieh, the "Horned" Rock residential district across Swatow harbour. The Revival was too hot for him, and he had gone there to cool off. And for his body too from the city's sweltering summer heat. Incidentally, Kakchieh was his mother's resting place since seven years ago.

Now, it happened that Puay Ngee his younger brother, whose birth-name is Juat Kia (Delight-in-the-Scriptures) was lying sick at the Theological College at Kakchieh, and needed his attention. This turned him temporarily into a nurse for his brother's sake.

Puay Ngee was in the employ of the China Inland Mission. He had also come all the way to hear John Sung. After two sermons, he was completely changed. Moreover he pledged to serve the Lord his whole life. Puay Ngee's conversion and consecration for fulltime service were attested by his own handwriting on a front page of his glittering new-bought Bible, autographed by John Sung with a Scripture verse. Reading the words of a born-again Christian in his brother made a solemn impression on his heart. This removed the prejudice that earlier jolted him from his seat in Swatow. Puay Hian softened to give John Sung another "chance."

As it happened, the evening meetings were shifted over to Kakchieh the very day of his "escape," as if to catch up with him. What could he do except go and hear John Sung again? Try as he did to get something out of the sermon, before God's time arrived, however, all he heard was a rumbling echo of unintelligible sounds from the preacher's lips. Though seated inside the auditorium, his soul was carried outside by rambling thoughts and fancies.

Paradoxically, this night at Kakchieh found Puay Hian soundly asleep, like Jonah stowed away in the ship's hold. As night sped into the early hours of morning, suddenly a chorus of angelic voices sweetly penetrated his slumbering ears. Was he dreaming? As he struggled to shake himself loose from slumberland, the heavenly voices flowed in more sweetly than ever, borne on the wings of an early southern sea breeze. Springing to his feet, Puay Hian made straight for the window. Like peering into Heaven's outskirts, his eyes were glued to a beeline of women and girls, faces aglow in lantern light, stepping fairy-like up the hill to pray. These faces he had seen at the Revival meetings shone with a radiance and peace Puay Hian sorely lacked. In that moment of ecstasy, Puay Hian could have responded as beauti­fully, "Hearken all! what holy singing…'tis a hymn with grandeur ringing!" However, as the songs of John Sung faded in the predawn gloom, Puay Hian, the "respectful and lofty," was plunged into a swelling tide of woe. No, his soul was still in outer darkness. He could not join in the song of the redeemed, just now.

Came August 30th, 1933, the last day of campaign. Not willing to miss this day of days, Puay Hian went. Contrary to expectation, there was no sermon that morning. Rather, it was a special, faith-healing session. As one by one knelt up the platform, John Sung would slap a hand dabbed with olive oil onto the patient's forehead, "Be healed of your sickness in the Name of Jesus Christ!" At sight of this and offended the more by John Sung's hoarse command, Puay Hian revolted for the third time: "If you can do this, so can I!" Turning thrice from the grace of God, where could such a soul in conflict after conflict go?

Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit?

Or whither shall I flee from Thy presence? (Ps 139:7)

Now, the first thing Puay Hian asked his wife upon reaching home that afternoon was, "Has Dr Sung's letter come?" When all he got from her was a plain no, Puay Hian could not hold out any longer. The growing burden of sin, especially this thrice-repeated rebellion against God, was crushing him to death.

Brushing aside the food his good wife had laid out for him, he escaped to an upstairs corner by himself. Falling upon his knees, he let go like a sobbing child. Just then, the old German wall clock struck one!

"0 Lord, be merciful to me, this condemned sinner! 0 Lord, forgive me this big rebel-sinner! As You forgave that thief on the cross, You can save this robber chief today. Lord, I have rebelled against You the last three years. I have fought You, and doubted even Your existence. O Lord, I now repent. I come back to You. Be merciful to me a condemned sinner!"

Confessing and weeping, weeping and confessing, he spent almost the last ounce of his physical strength. Though he managed to raise himself, he fell repeatedly before the Lord under that crushing load. Sorrowing to death for his sins, he recalled a preacher's word, "When you feel miser­able, then read your Bible." At that Puay Hian lost no time to turn to God's Word. One portion that brought him relief and comfort was Rom 2:4,5: "Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness; tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness should lead you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be re­vealed." (NIV)

Repeating these words of grace and admonition, it dawned on him that God had already forgiven him for Jesus' sake. As his sins were washed away by His precious blood, the living waters of His life gushed in. Joy that quickened his whole being flooded his soul. Praise the Lord, Hallelujah, a life-long conflict of soul, from schooldays till now, was ended. Brimming with tears of joy, Puay Hian burst forth into this John Sung chorus:

How bountiful His grace,

How bountiful His grace!

From deepest sin He ransomed me,

How bountiful His grace!

As Puay Hian tasted the sweetness of bountiful grace, the salvation he little deserved, there came to him a question, clear as daylight, "How must I repay my Savior's love?" Immediately he heard a still small voice within, saying, "When you were in your mother's womb, I had prepared you to preach my Word today!"

"Yes, Lord, I give you all my heart, I will serve you till I die." Just then, that old German wall clock struck four!

Praise the Lord, not only is that conflict of soul ended, Puay Hian's life's purpose is found! Henceforth, he can say with the Apostle Paul, "I am crucified with Christ: neverthe­less I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in, the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal. 2:20)

From this South China intermezzo, let us pick up where we left off. Let us follow the three-man team now in the ancient city of Kalgan, provincial capital of Chahar. Here was a modern city of two-hundred thousand Mongolians where by the faithful labors of missionaries several church­es were established. The names of the Norwegian Mis­sion, the Salvation Army and Methodist Protestant must be honorably mentioned. But even in such a faraway country modernism and liberalism had extended its tentacles.

Kweihua in Suiyuan, a hundred miles west of the Great Wall was their next destination. Awaiting them were gathered one hundred fifty leaders of the China Inland Mission from all over Suiyuan Province, many of these from bandit-infested areas, so that coming to Kweihua was a hazard itself. But more dangerous was the Enemy of souls who infiltrated the ranks of the depleted Bethel Band so that their power against sin was dissipated. For, a dissatisfaction over the financial aspect of the Bethel Band seemed to have cropped up at this crucial moment. No one can escape from this temptation of temptations, not even God's most faithful servants, yea, from that which is described by the apostle, "the love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Tim 6: 10).

It all arose from a love gift of $300 being sent by a sister to Dr. Sung' s father in Hinghwa because it was learnt that Pastor Sung had retired from his church. How did this sister know Pastor Sung' s address? It was suspected therefore that all this was a sleight of hand on John's part to divert funds for himself which, according to Bethel regulations, should come into the common pool. When John Sung demanded a proper inquiry and it was proven the love gift remitted to John's father was a spontaneous act, the matter was then laid to rest. Nevertheless, it left behind a scar on the team's mutual trust. As for John Sung he also learned a lesson on the financial management of a Church body from the Yesu Chiating (Jesus Family) which had put an over-emphasis on money. Hence, one of his famous remarks on money was, "If a pastor has a sideline in money-making, he is bound to go bankrupt!"

From Kweihua the Bethel Band headed straight for Paotowchen, terminus in Inner Mongolia of the Peking Line. Here was another CIM station (Swedish Alliance Mission). From Paotow they pushed on the Saratsi where an orphanage was run by the CIM (Swedish Alliance Mission).  This was a work of fighting infanticide, for baby girls were often left to die in the open or simply killed according to that heathenistic Chinese concept that boys are preferred to girls. (But what about the practice of abortion in the West where both male and female fetuses are killed in whatever stage of development?)

Though the loving missionaries had saved the foundlings with their tiny bodies they had a harder time saving their souls when they grew up. For this reason the Bethel Band was called. At a campaign at which five hundred attended, a sizeable number coming from the orphanage, God worked through His servants mightily to bring these young souls to Christ.

At Saratsi there were buried many of the one hundred eighty missionaries who died in the Boxer Rebellion, not a few of these being CIMers. Taken on camel back to visit their graves how their souls were solemnized before the God of earth, and how they must have thanked the Lord for the good seed the martyred missionaries had sown over three decades ago. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints" (Ps 118: 15).

A long ride back to Peking from where the Band turned southwards to Hopeh Province, they came to Paoting for another great revival which a lady missionary described as the most wonderful thing that ever happened. For the Church, being revived, new Preaching Bands were organ­ized who went everywhere praising God, seeking to win the lost.

As they headed southwards and southwards to Changsha, capital of Hunan Province the Band paid a return visit to Changteh where one pastor was born again. What a glorious situation now to meet with a revived church when its pastor was saved! Instead of a couple of hundred, over a thousand came to the meetings, the fruit of their previous sowing. What could not be accomplished by the intellect of the liberal missionaries, the power of the Blood had brought countless souls into the Kingdom.

Changsha (Long Sands), capital of Hunan Province, to the South of which lies Kwantung Province, is the city where Hudson Taylor founder of the China Inland Mission (1865) is buried. To his loving memory there was erected a hospital here, and here was also a Bible Institute affiliated to BIOLA (Bible Institute of Los Angeles). Changsha was also the headquarters of other missions and institutions, and of Government offices. To this citadel the Bethel Band was sent to take it by storm.

The excitement aroused by the visit of the Band was so great that Chinese and missionaries alike rushed with all haste to get a seat in the meeting hall lest they be left "in outer darkness." A German missionary of the Liebenzell Mission, associated with the CIM, remembers vividly how she was received by Dr Eitel of the Hudson Taylor Memo­rial Hospital when she arrived at Changsha after a tiring journey from Shanghai: "Leave your baggage and get into the rickshaw, quick! The meeting is on and we won't get a seat. Hurry!" Instead of the usual cup of tea she was shuttled right away to the meeting, where she met other missionaries also in the rush.

Preaching on the Prodigal Son, one of John Sung's favorite themes and singing with emotion the chorus "Coming home, never more to roam" the evangelist melted many a sin-hardened heart to bitter tears of repentance. It was another glorious day when through the praises of sinners saved by grace, earth was lifted up to heaven. It is observed that when a revival occurs, it is God's preparation of his own for a day of testing. True enough, when the Sino-Japanese War finally broke out in July 1937 Changsha became a mini-Armageddon between the two clashing armies. The horror of fire and bloodshed that overwhelmed Changsha is another tearful page in the annals of China's War of Resistance.

But Changsha is tearfully remembered also as the scene of the final split between John Sung and Bethel. On the way from Changteh to Changsha, Andrew Gih, on behalf of Bethel, challenged John to "open the coffin." His three charges were: 1) he did not stress the eradication of sin in his sermons; 2) he was greedy of filthy lucre; 3) he drew men to himself. John's reply was: 1) he did not believe in the doctrine of eradication of sin but he did stress the need of believers to let the Holy Spirit deal with the flesh to mortify it, moment by moment; 2) he challenged his accusers to bring out one instance of his having taken from others or asked from anybody. Whatever the Heavenly Father and the brothers and sisters gave, these sums were publicly accounted; 3) as to drawing men unto himself, he admitted he had exerted more than any other in the Lord's service. Being a member of an itinerant Gospel Team how could he draw men to himself? To work for peace between members of the Band Dr Sung concluded, "May God help me to improve myself. Please forgive me if I have done anything wrong. But if they try to thwart my work they will be defeated. As for me I need labor to sow and water. Let others happily reap. As for me I know I'm building on a good foundation. Let each be examined by His Lord before the judgment seat of Christ. God is One who looks into "the heart and the lungs" (1 Sam 16:7).

In Changsha the Band stayed with Rev Marcus Cheng, who was a faculty member of the Changsha Bible Institute. It was at this home that came the parting of ways between Andrew and John. A telegram was received from Shanghai summoning Andrew to return forthwith for the purpose of organizing two new Preaching Bands to the "twin" provinces of Kwangtung and Kwangsi. With deep sorrow John and Frank sent Andrew to the station. It was like the parting of Paul and Barnabas. As for Frank he would stick with John until their present schedule was accomplished, even as Rev Marcus Cheng, a third party, had advised with this tele­graphic reply, "Hengyang meetings fixed. People first, self last. Work completed will return."

From Changsha the duet detoured to Changteh in the same province where the Canadian Holiness Mission had a chapel, but other denominations would not cooperate, which drew this remark from John, "These many denominations which are brought to China from the west are a hindrance to spreading the Gospel in China."

Returning to Changsha en route to Hengyang, John got what he was expecting, a letter from Bethel asking him to leave and make alternative arrangements for his family then living at Bethel.

Before the John and Frank duet entrained for Hengyang, a telegram was sent to inform of the time of arrival. It was signed, "Sung, Ling." But when they arrived in Hengyang no one could be found who should receive them. A comedy of errors, two other gentlemen also surnamed Sung and Ling, upon arrival by the same train, were mistakenly driven away, who had also come to the Revival Meetings. Such errors are true to life!

Freed from an unequal yoke, the Holy Spirit worked through John with a new release of power. Rev J R Wilson gave a glowing report to the Church Missionary Society that sent him. Twenty years later Rev Wilson testified of the power that accompanied John's messages that had left a vividness in his mind that was still alive. Even the choruses he had learned were still humming! One outstanding mem­ory was the afternoon when the doctor gave a private counseling session. Rev Wilson, at the request of three Chinese colleagues, went along. After hearing their trou­bles, the doctor recorded their names and other particulars of his "patients" and then knelt down with them to pray. With earnest cryings to God on behalf of these seeking help, he prayed that they might live a victorious life by the power of the Cross and in the strength of the Holy Ghost.

"In the cross, in the cross Be my glory ever

All my sins are washed away, In the Blood of Yesu."

At the end of six months by the end of 1933, Bethel issued these statistics:

1. Cities visited         : 33

2. Meetings held       : 866

3. Professions made : 14,000

4. Preaching Bands organized : 729

5. Whole-time consecrators : 3,000.

When John returned to Shanghai to take his family out of Bethel, only his faithful co-worker and expert interpreter was permitted to send him off. How did Frank feel about this break between Bethel and John? Did he have qualms about John's integrity in money matters?

In 1976 William E Schubert, John's missionary friend, published through this writer a booklet "I Remember John `Sung." Frank Ling was asked to write a Preface to Schubert's account of sketches of John's life. This is what Frank Ling says of the man and his devotion:

"I have read several books regarding Dr John Sung, and reports of his work, both in English and Chinese by various authors, but none of them was Dr Sung's intimate friend as Rev Schubert, who knew him, prayed with him, worked with him, and has shown sympathy for him in his difficulties. The contents of this book are very rich, its facts are accurate and interesting. I took a whole afternoon to read it from the first page to the last. I felt what a great blessing that forty-two years ago I was Dr Sung's co-worker in his second three-year "Door" period, when the Bethel Worldwide Evangelistic Band was organized by us five Chinese young men.

"After I finished reading the manuscript, the way of Dr Sung's leading revival meetings was refreshed in my mem­ory. Now it seems to me that I am in his revival meeting again, and he is standing before me. I should carry on his unfinished work. I have never forgotten that when he and I were in Bethel Evangelistic Band, he said to me, `Frank, we are both Fukienese, why don't we band together to go on with our work?' God did not allow me to make this decision because I knew I was not as strong in spirit, in self-denial, in sacrifice, purity, and in faithfulness as God's servant, Dr John Sung. Yet God has had pity on me and has not put me aside from His work. The other three co-workers left him; I was the only one with him from the beginning to the end. I saw him and his family to the car, and said good-bye to him. From that time on each one had his own future and the work of God put upon him.

"When I read of Dr Sung's fifth, or "Tomb" period, it made me think of what he told me one morning. He said, ^‘The day will come that I need not run here and there to bring God's message to the people, but they will come to me, to my home, seeking the knowledge of God and studying the wonderful Word of the Bible.' God fulfilled Dr Sung's prediction in a miraculous way which Dr Sung never dreamed of."