Rev. S. L. Sung (or Sung Xuelian), the father of Dr. John Sung Shang Chieh who was a renowned evangelist known as the "Wesley of China", was a pastor of a Wesleyan Methodist church in Putian, Fujian. John Sung was called "little pastor" when he was young, as he acted as a temporary deacon and shared in his father’s church affairs.
When Rev. Sung (John’s father) was 16 years old, he went to Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian Province, to study theology for three years. In the first two years, he just studied with the class according to the course schedule. He was mechanically in pursuit of scores without enthusiasm to know Jesus Christ. So, he spent two years in the seminary in a muddle.
In the second semester of the last year, he realized he was a sinner due to the illumination of the Holy Spirit when he studied the Gospel of John and Romans.
There was no peace in his heart, as he couldn’t get rid of sin. In desperation, he cried to God. Getting up early in the morning every day, before other people got up, he went to the wilderness to pray and read the scriptures. At night, he couldn’t fall asleep, so he asked the Lord for happiness and peace.
One day at dawn, he confessed all the sins of his life before the Lord. This time, he received the Holy Spirit when he was eighteen, which was a turning point in his life.
After graduating from the seminary, he returned to his hometown - Fengji Village in Putian, Fujian, beginning his preaching ministry for five or six years.
Then, it was time for him to get married when he was twenty-five years old. The bride was a rich young lady from a Buddhist family, as they were betrothed when they were still in the womb by parents of both parties following the old custom.
He often taught her to read and write in the evening after he preached in the countryside. His pagan wife was moved by the Holy Spirit and was soon baptized.
Within a year after their marriage, John Sung’s eldest sister and eldest brother were born one after another. The load on the father’s back got heavier, as his salary was only five or six yuan a month which was not enough for the family of four, though the cost of living was low at that time.
One night, he couldn't fall asleep until midnight, as a voice in his head said, "How could I, a well-educated man, live a life that I was never sure for my next meal? Can I not survive if I give up the job as a pastor?"
He was determined to quit his ministry in the poor countryside, and to move to the city to work as a newspaper journalist, or a teacher in a foreign school.
However, after following the work of the devil, the Holy Spirit spoke to him, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5) and the lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. (Psalms 34:10)"
This spiritual battle lasted from the middle of the night to the dawn. He clearly heard the voice from heaven, "Don't be afraid, my servant. I’m here and know all you need."
From then on, he gave in his resignation and preached the gospel again. The church where he served had always only 200 members, but the next year there were five or six hundred believers and in the third year more than a thousand churchgoers.
As he was good at writing, he was invited to edit for a regular publication called Revival Magazine, which was popular throughout Fujian. Also inheriting him, John Sung learned to keep a diary and formed a daily writing habit.
(This article is provided by a 93-year-old elder of the Church of the True God, Fenghua District, Ningbo, Zhejiang and is originally published by Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
宋博士的父亲宋学连牧师，宋尚节的父亲宋学连牧师是莆田美以美会的牧师。宋尚节童年时全家搬到莆田县城。宋尚节年少时就已充任临时执事的角色，爲父亲分担些教会事务。人们称他为“小牧师”。
宋学连牧师十六岁那年就到福建省城进福州神道学校；读了两年，不过随班上课，做一个时间表的奴隶，机械地去追求分数。他没有热情，不想真正认识耶稣基督。这样就糊里糊涂地过了两年的神学院生活。
到了第三年，在最后的一个学期，在上约翰福音和罗马书课的时候，他得到圣灵启示，觉得自己是多罪之身。
罪既陈列在目前，总得想法解决，一日不解决，即一日不能得平安。在无可奈何之际，他只得向上帝呼求，每天总是一清早起来，在人们还未起床时，便到旷野去祈祷读经；在晚上也是深更不眠，在人们都入睡以后，求主赐以心灵的快乐和赦罪的平安。
有一天，在一个黎明，他把有生以来所有的罪过愆尤，一一向主倾吐无遗。在这一次，他得到了圣灵而来的生命。这时他十八岁，是一生的转折点。
他在福州神道学校毕业以后，就回到故乡——福建兴化（莆田县）凤迹村——开始布道,过了五六个年头。
宋学连已二十五岁，到了燕尔新婚的佳期了。新娘是佛门子弟家庭中的一位千金小姐。照旧时的习惯指腹成婚
宋学连常在四乡布道之暇，挑灯教她读书识字。经过一番循循善诱之后，这位异教新妇果然受了感化，不久便受洗归主。
新夫妇结婚不到一年，宋尚节博士的大姐和大哥接连来到。一家四口，做爸爸的担子也一天重似一天了。那时，他的薪金不过是每月五、六元，虽说那时生活费用低，这区区之数实在难于支配。
在一个晚上，宋学连到了午夜还不能入睡。他思想里面似乎有个声音说："哦！捱着叫化子一样的传道生活，吃了早餐没有午饭，这么苦的生涯，难道是一个能吮笔濡墨的我消受得了的吗？我也是个书香子弟，怕抛了这穷饭碗就活不成吗？"
他得到一个结论：决意辞传道职，离开穷乡僻壤，到城市里去做报馆记者，或者钻进洋学校去做一名教书匠。
可是，魔鬼说话以后，圣灵也跟着说话："你要专心仰赖耶和华，不可依靠自己的聪明。”（箴言三：5）‘少壮的狮子还缺食忍饿，但寻求耶和华的什么好处都不缺！’"
这场心灵上的恶战，从深夜苦斗到天明。宋学连清清楚楚听见天上来的声音："我的仆人啊，不要怕，有我！你所需要的，我早都知道了。"
从此以后，他便打消辞意，再度传道。他所主持的礼拜堂，一向只有教友二百人。可是翌年便有五、六百人，第三年便有千余人了。
因为他文笔好，人们便请他主编一个定期刊物《奋兴报》，福建全省传流很广。他也喜欢写日记，每天记事不辍，宋博士后来之有天天写日记的习惯，就是从父亲那里学来的。
（本文由浙江宁波奉化区基督教真神堂93岁长老提供）
http://www.gospeltimes.cn/article/index/id/59129
宋尚节博士父亲的重生与得胜
Rev. S. L. Sung (or Sung Xuelian), the father of Dr. John Sung Shang Chieh who was a renowned evangelist known as the "Wesley of China", was a pastor of a Wesleyan Methodist church in Putian, Fujian. John Sung was called "little pastor" when he was young, as he acted as a temporary deacon and shared in his father’s church affairs.
When Rev. Sung (John’s father) was 16 years old, he went to Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian Province, to study theology for three years. In the first two years, he just studied with the class according to the course schedule. He was mechanically in pursuit of scores without enthusiasm to know Jesus Christ. So, he spent two years in the seminary in a muddle.
In the second semester of the last year, he realized he was a sinner due to the illumination of the Holy Spirit when he studied the Gospel of John and Romans.
There was no peace in his heart, as he couldn’t get rid of sin. In desperation, he cried to God. Getting up early in the morning every day, before other people got up, he went to the wilderness to pray and read the scriptures. At night, he couldn’t fall asleep, so he asked the Lord for happiness and peace.
One day at dawn, he confessed all the sins of his life before the Lord. This time, he received the Holy Spirit when he was eighteen, which was a turning point in his life.
After graduating from the seminary, he returned to his hometown - Fengji Village in Putian, Fujian, beginning his preaching ministry for five or six years.
Then, it was time for him to get married when he was twenty-five years old. The bride was a rich young lady from a Buddhist family, as they were betrothed when they were still in the womb by parents of both parties following the old custom.
He often taught her to read and write in the evening after he preached in the countryside. His pagan wife was moved by the Holy Spirit and was soon baptized.
Within a year after their marriage, John Sung’s eldest sister and eldest brother were born one after another. The load on the father’s back got heavier, as his salary was only five or six yuan a month which was not enough for the family of four, though the cost of living was low at that time.
One night, he couldn't fall asleep until midnight, as a voice in his head said, "How could I, a well-educated man, live a life that I was never sure for my next meal? Can I not survive if I give up the job as a pastor?"
He was determined to quit his ministry in the poor countryside, and to move to the city to work as a newspaper journalist, or a teacher in a foreign school.
However, after following the work of the devil, the Holy Spirit spoke to him, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5) and the lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. (Psalms 34:10)"
This spiritual battle lasted from the middle of the night to the dawn. He clearly heard the voice from heaven, "Don't be afraid, my servant. I’m here and know all you need."
From then on, he gave in his resignation and preached the gospel again. The church where he served had always only 200 members, but the next year there were five or six hundred believers and in the third year more than a thousand churchgoers.
As he was good at writing, he was invited to edit for a regular publication called Revival Magazine, which was popular throughout Fujian. Also inheriting him, John Sung learned to keep a diary and formed a daily writing habit.
(This article is provided by a 93-year-old elder of the Church of the True God, Fenghua District, Ningbo, Zhejiang and is originally published by Gospel Times.)
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Story of John Sung’s Father: Bebrith and Victory Over Ministry Struggles
