The reburial ceremony of Dr. John Sung Shang Chieh’s remains and the memorial service of the 80th anniversary of his death were conducted at his newly completed cemetery in his hometown on August 18.
Starting in 1928, the renowned Chinese evangelist known as the "Wesley of China," Dr. John Sung began preaching in China. In 1935, he made five mission trips to Southeast Asia, healing the sick, casting out demons, and spreading the gospel. He is hailed as the greatest revival evangelist in modern Chinese Christian history and one of the most influential Chinese Christian evangelists worldwide in the 20th century. On August 18, 1944, Dr. Sung passed away due to illness in Xiangshan, Beijing, and was buried in Xiangshan, Beijing, on August 22.
In 2009, with the consent of Dr. Sung’s family and the relevant cemetery authorities, his remains were relocated from Beijing to Putian, Fujian, and placed at the Kengbei Church in his hometown, Xiuyu District. Due to the relocation of the local church, his remains were temporarily moved to a prefabricated house. After continuous efforts by his family and the church, a new cemetery was finally established near Liucuo Village in Xiuyu District in the summer of 2024, where his remains were reburied. The previous tombstone in Beijing bore the inscription: "Resting Place of John Sung, Servant of Jesus Christ, Who Was Born on September 27, 1901, and Slept on August 18, 1944," with "I Am Coming Soon" engraved on the left side and "Even So, Come, Lord Jesus" on the right.
It is said that Sung’s cemetery will be open to the public in the future.
Last Sunday marked the 80th anniversary of Dr. Sung’s death, and the ceremony was attended by nearly a hundred members, including staff members and believers from Xiuyu District CC&TSPM, Hushi Pastoral Area, Kengbei Church, and descendants of Dr. Sung.
After staff workers and choir members performed the hymn "John the Baptist of China" in commemoration of his 110th birthday, Rev. Huang Songyan, a retired pastor from Xiuyu District, was invited to deliver a sermon titled "Imitate John Sung," based on Hebrews 13:7.
In his sermon, Huang began by exhorting the congregants on the importance of imitating spiritual role models throughout history from both the Old and New Testaments. He first explained the essence of spiritual role models, their significance to the times and the church, and the importance for Christians to emulate such models. Based on this, he introduced Dr. Sung as the first doctor from Putian, the 20th-century John the Baptist, the apostle of the Chinese church, a pioneer of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement, a prophet of church unity, and the first missionary from Putian to work overseas, who bore abundant fruit in God's kingdom. He encouraged Christians to imitate Dr. Sung, who was mindful of the Father’s work, did what the Lord did, and walked with the Lord. They were urged to be faithful servants of God, saints, messengers of the gospel, and role models for the nation and people.
After the sermon, a Christian woman named Du Xinmei, a representative of Dr. Sung’s descendants, was invited to speak. In her speech, she expressed gratitude to God for the final resting place of Sung’s remains, which had finally been laid to rest. She also prayed that the Holy Spirit would continue to be with all believers and staff workers and lead them to follow Dr. Sung in spreading the gospel and saving souls with the hope of the Lord’s return.
(This translation is a combined excerpt of two articles, "The Reburial Ceremony of Dr. John Sung's Coffin and the Commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of His Passing Held in Putian, Fujian" and "Dr. John Sung's Coffin was Returned to His Hometown in Fujian Many Years Ago and is Currently Stored in a Temporary Shelter," originally published by the Gospel Times and edited by China Christian Daily under permission.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
8月18日，宋尚节博士灵柩迁葬仪式暨归天80周年纪念礼拜在其故乡新竣工落成的宋尚节博士墓园举行。
1944年8月18日，知名华人布道家“中国的卫斯理”宋尚节博士因病在北京香山荣归天家，8月22日，安葬于北平香山。宋自1928年起开始在国内布道，随后于1935年五下南洋布道；医病赶鬼，传讲福音。他被誉为中国近代基督教历史上最伟大的奋兴布道家、也是二十世纪世界范围内最有影响力的华人基督教布道家。
2009年，经宋博士家人及墓地相关方同意，宋博士灵柩自北京迁回福建莆田，并安置在故乡秀屿区坑北教会。随后因当地教会动迁，宋博士灵柩被临时转移置放于一活动板房内。后经家属及教会多方共同努力，于2024年夏正式在秀屿区刘厝村附近建立新墓，灵柩再度安置。在北京的墓碑上，正面刻了“耶稣基督的仆人宋尚节安息之所；一九零一年九月二十七日生，一九四四年八月十八日睡”，左边刻着“我必快来”，右边刻着“主啊！愿你快来”。
据了解，宋博士墓园未来将对公众开放。
上周日是其归天整整80周年的日子，来自福建省莆田市秀屿区基督教两会、秀屿区笏石牧区、坑北教堂同工、信徒以及宋尚节博士的亲属后裔等近百余位信徒参加了此次仪式。
牧区同工及诗班献唱了纪念宋尚节博士诞辰 110 周年的赞美诗《中国的施洗约翰》后，秀屿区荣休牧者黄松岩牧师围绕希伯来书13章7节经文，以《效仿宋尚节》为题进行了证道。
证道中，黄牧师从圣经新旧约中关于效仿历代属灵榜样楷模的劝勉讲起。首先向会众阐述了属灵榜样的实质，属灵榜样对于时代与教会的意义，以及基督徒应当努力过效法属灵榜样楷模的重要性。以此为据，他引出了宋尚节博士作为莆田首位博士，20世纪的施洗约翰，中国教会的使徒，三自爱国的先驱，教会合一的先知，莆田首位海外宣教者在神的国度中结出了丰盛果实。借此，他劝勉会众效法宋博士，以父神的事为念；作主所作，与主同行；成为神的忠仆密友、福音的圣徒使者以及国家与众人的楷模。
证道结束后，宋尚节博士的家属后裔代表杜新梅姊妹受邀致辞。致辞中，她对宋博士灵柩历经辗转终于尘埃落定、入土为安一事向神献上了感恩。并祈求圣灵能够继续与所有信徒、同工同在，带领大家与宋博士一同踏上广传福音、拯救灵魂的道路，在盼望中迎接主的再临。
宋尚节博士灵柩迁葬仪式在归天80周年举行
The reburial ceremony of Dr. John Sung Shang Chieh’s remains and the memorial service of the 80th anniversary of his death were conducted at his newly completed cemetery in his hometown on August 18.
Starting in 1928, the renowned Chinese evangelist known as the "Wesley of China," Dr. John Sung began preaching in China. In 1935, he made five mission trips to Southeast Asia, healing the sick, casting out demons, and spreading the gospel. He is hailed as the greatest revival evangelist in modern Chinese Christian history and one of the most influential Chinese Christian evangelists worldwide in the 20th century. On August 18, 1944, Dr. Sung passed away due to illness in Xiangshan, Beijing, and was buried in Xiangshan, Beijing, on August 22.
In 2009, with the consent of Dr. Sung’s family and the relevant cemetery authorities, his remains were relocated from Beijing to Putian, Fujian, and placed at the Kengbei Church in his hometown, Xiuyu District. Due to the relocation of the local church, his remains were temporarily moved to a prefabricated house. After continuous efforts by his family and the church, a new cemetery was finally established near Liucuo Village in Xiuyu District in the summer of 2024, where his remains were reburied. The previous tombstone in Beijing bore the inscription: "Resting Place of John Sung, Servant of Jesus Christ, Who Was Born on September 27, 1901, and Slept on August 18, 1944," with "I Am Coming Soon" engraved on the left side and "Even So, Come, Lord Jesus" on the right.
It is said that Sung’s cemetery will be open to the public in the future.
Last Sunday marked the 80th anniversary of Dr. Sung’s death, and the ceremony was attended by nearly a hundred members, including staff members and believers from Xiuyu District CC&TSPM, Hushi Pastoral Area, Kengbei Church, and descendants of Dr. Sung.
After staff workers and choir members performed the hymn "John the Baptist of China" in commemoration of his 110th birthday, Rev. Huang Songyan, a retired pastor from Xiuyu District, was invited to deliver a sermon titled "Imitate John Sung," based on Hebrews 13:7.
In his sermon, Huang began by exhorting the congregants on the importance of imitating spiritual role models throughout history from both the Old and New Testaments. He first explained the essence of spiritual role models, their significance to the times and the church, and the importance for Christians to emulate such models. Based on this, he introduced Dr. Sung as the first doctor from Putian, the 20th-century John the Baptist, the apostle of the Chinese church, a pioneer of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement, a prophet of church unity, and the first missionary from Putian to work overseas, who bore abundant fruit in God's kingdom. He encouraged Christians to imitate Dr. Sung, who was mindful of the Father’s work, did what the Lord did, and walked with the Lord. They were urged to be faithful servants of God, saints, messengers of the gospel, and role models for the nation and people.
After the sermon, a Christian woman named Du Xinmei, a representative of Dr. Sung’s descendants, was invited to speak. In her speech, she expressed gratitude to God for the final resting place of Sung’s remains, which had finally been laid to rest. She also prayed that the Holy Spirit would continue to be with all believers and staff workers and lead them to follow Dr. Sung in spreading the gospel and saving souls with the hope of the Lord’s return.
(This translation is a combined excerpt of two articles, "The Reburial Ceremony of Dr. John Sung's Coffin and the Commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of His Passing Held in Putian, Fujian" and "Dr. John Sung's Coffin was Returned to His Hometown in Fujian Many Years Ago and is Currently Stored in a Temporary Shelter," originally published by the Gospel Times and edited by China Christian Daily under permission.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
'Wesley of China' John Sung Reburied in Hometown on 80th Anniversary of Death
