When the annals of God’s love for the Chinese people are opened in the ages to come, John Sung will be given a throne near to our Lord. Son of a pastor, Sung Shang Chieh was born on Sept 27, 1901 in China. He excelled in schooling so much that he was given an academic scholarship to come to Ohio Wesleyan University in 1920, graduating at the top of his class of 300 in 1923. From there he went to Ohio State University, graduating at the top of his class, then received his M.Sc. in 1924 and his PhD in Chemistry in March of 1926.
Now sitting on top of the academic world at 24-1/2 years of age, job offers carried his ego to dizzying heights. Waking up the morning after the glamorous night of his self-exaltations, there came a still small voice, however, from his innermost being, "For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" (Matt 16:26). A pastor friend at Ohio State remarked to John that he did not look like a scientist, but like a pastor. In the ensuing conversation Dr Sung revealed his original purpose of coming to America and the conflict ever more raging in his soul! "Why not study at Union Theological Seminary in New York then?"
If you would like to read his full story, go to:
http://www.hograce.org/eng/document/Teacher/index.htm
In after years Dr Sung made a humorous word-play of this situation, "I was enrolled in a seminary that taught a 'God-is-dead' theology, under the caretaking of a principal surnamed Coffin. But this seminary became a cemetery to my troubled soul." Slowly and steadily Dr Sung's faith in God was whittled away. Coming close to being an atheist, the brilliant scholar in science but befuddled student in theology turned to sages and sutras of the Orient for relief, Buddhism and Taoism, and finally to the Koran. He concluded neither science nor religion could satisfy the quest of his soul.
After John Sung came to the end of himself and was gloriously filled with God's Spirit, the Union Theological Cemetery arranged for him to be placed in the Bloomingdale Hospital psychopathic ward. What John Sung projected to be a one-week vacation in some country hotel became a six-and-a-half month ordeal, 193 days to be exact! Here is a brief summary of what happened to John during his "cemetary" training. Oh that we all might have such "cemetary" training by the hand of God's Spirit. I have read few stories that are more inspiring and amazing!
quote:
"Looking back on this episode of my life I consider it rather a drama of paradoxes. From the day of my admission to the Hospital to the evening of my discharge, according to God's timetable, there was a total of 193 days. What I'm going to say hereafter is a recounting of the lessons I've learned in the Mental Hospital.
The first lesson I've learned is how to become an obedient servant. God has thoroughly molded my character and temperament. The day of my complete capitulation and surrender to Him was the day of my graduation from God's Seminary!
"The second lesson was my understanding of Holy Scripture. So, I have declared the Mental Hospital my Seminary from which I have graduated. The Holy Spirit was my Teacher, teaching me the deep things of Truth. The day of my leaving the Hospital was the day I received my diploma.
"The Bible was my textbook. Other teaching materials consisted of visions, pictures, circumstances, inter-personal relationships.
"The Bible comprises 1189 chapters. By the Lord's instruction I've derived 40 methods of study, reading the Bible 40 times. Of course I did not read the Bible crudely word by word. When I read the Bible I was so carried away by it that I kept on and on, like enjoying a delicious meal.
"The Bible is the inspired Word of God, written by the moving of the Spirit of God. Therefore the Bible reader, unless it is revealed to him by God at the instruction of the Holy Spirit, how can he understand it? I thank God that He has shown me the mysteries of the Bible. I know that every chapter, every verse, every word has something good for my spiritual life. At first God taught me through pictures and diagrams, giving me the key verse to each chapter of the Bible. Then He showed me certain key words like `love', `faith', `righteousness' which led me to link them up through the whole Bible. He showed me certain words which had a deeply religious meaning and I would trace such word through the whole Bible. I recorded the findings of every method of Bible study. In a few days I had filled a stack of notebooks. I have told some of my dreams and visions but there are those I have never divulged from the recesses of my heart.
Edited by John 10:10, : No reason given.
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