The Words of David S. C. Kim
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The Words of David S. C. Kim |
David
S. C. Kim
It seems entirely logical and appropriate to me to preface this account with a brief, but nonetheless comprehensive description of my family, social, and diverse religious background prior to my dedication to the Principle Movement, since they are clearly relevant to my conversion to the Movement.
I was born at Seoul, Korea as the only son of an only son (my father was an only son, too). I graduated from the American Missionary University in 1939, having majored in English Literature, during the period when our beloved land of Korea was under Japanese domination. My family and I were fortunate to be able to maintain a fairly good social and economic status within the existing society, despite its domination and exploitation by the Japanese.
During the period beginning in 1945 (Liberation of Korea) until 1959 (the year I left for my mission to the United States), I had been employed by the Korean National Government (Federal Government), holding high-ranking positions. However, uppermost in my mind was always my concern and special interest in religion, and I continued to study and research religious matters unceasingly. Although I was serving as a deacon and choir director at one of the Christian Presbyterian Churches located in Kunsan City, and also was holding the position of National Disbursing Officer of Ministry of Finance, socially I was daydreaming of uniting the established Christian and Buddhist religions, gathering many faithful friends in order to discuss my ideas on religion.
We would all meet at my beautiful western-style residence, called "Wol-Myung Chang" (Mansion of Bright Full Moon), which was, in later years, dedicated to our Movement. Many religious persons from Confucianism, Buddhism and Christianity, as well as other small devoted religious groups from the mountains -- Buddhists Priests, spiritually-gifted individuals, astrologers, physiognomists, etc. -- visited me and stayed privately all the time. At that time my idea was to re-formulate a new religious structure, incorporating the good points of their religious based on Christianity, and I freely discussed this with my close friends from the Presbyterian Church at which I served. We also discussed spiritual phenomena in general, and also as it related to the prophecies dealing with the appearance of "True-Man" from the Korean prophetic book called "Chung-gam Rock", and with the appearance of "Miruk-Zonbul" in the Buddhist doctrine as the New Age Ruler, and finally with the appearance of the "Lord of the Second Coming" promised to Christians as related in the Bible.
After intensive and comparative study, I reached the conclusion that the four persons to come, prophesied by these different Oriental religions must be one and the same person who would lead all people to a United Religions or United Faith, and the main forces to unite these should come from the reformed new Christian concept, based on the ideal of the doctrine of the Second Coming of Christ described in the Bible. Clearly, then, I had already formulated an idea very similar to that which is the basis of our Principle Message, even before I met Our Master. Furthermore, I taught this concept before becoming personally involved in our Movement,
My grandmother, who was very spiritual, possessed deep wisdom in all matters, and was a very devout Buddhist. My father was a student of Confucianism and in his younger days had been brought up as a Christian My mother was a follower of Buddhism. My wife, Eui Hong, was brought up by very devoted orthodox Christian parents, originally from North Korea. She gave the Kim family the valuable and beautiful gift of five wonderful children before I converted to The Principle Movement -- one daughter and four sons, who are now in the United States.
Even though my wife had an orthodox Christian background, she did not oppose my new idea to unite all religion which was considered definitely heretic at that time; on the contrary, she was very cooperative, especially after she had witnessed a very remarkable spiritual healing, performed by a Buddhist Priest, one of the frequent visitors to my home, as previously mentioned. He succeeded in accomplishing a miraculous cure by his spiritual gift of healing, saving the life of the Deacon of our Presbyterian Church after the doctor had already given up all hope for his patient.
This religious experience made it possible for her to expand her religious insight. Furthermore, during the Korean War, my life and all my family were saved by the same Buddhist Priest, who used his spiritual gifts to communicate with the spirit world, to receive a message as to how to save us from a terrible crisis when we were at a mountain which was surrounded by Communist guerillas who were searching for my family and me with the grim intention of killing us all. These stirring religious experiences by my wife influenced her strongly toward conversion to The Principle in later years.
Soon after the Korean War broke out in 1950, the Korean Government had to retreat to the city of Pusan, at the south-eastern end of the Peninsula. I was transferred from the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of Social Affairs. Even after the Korean Government returned to Seoul, Korea in three months, I continued to think about my new religious idea. One day I met one of my University Alumni, Mr. C. W. Lee, who agreed with my religious idea, and with whom I had many private sessions at Seoul.
He had already contacted one of Our Master's classmates Mr. D. M. Um, who was associated with Our Master from college days, and His recent Second Coming Ministry in South Korea. He is the one who opened my door to The Principle Movement. At that time, Our Master was released from a North Korean Communist Prison by the miraculous means of God's special intervention to save our Master from the dungeon of the Communist prison in North Korea; and in South Korea, He was beginning His work all over again, gathering new flocks at the city of Pusan. As soon as he began his Ministry in South Korea, the established Christian churches started their persecution, compelling him to move to the city of Taegu, located north of Pusan. Thus, despite persecution, his work was expanding in both cities, Pusan and Taegu, in South Korea.
Mr. C. W. Lee, who already knew about our Master's group through Mr. D. M. Um, who was introduced to me, suggested that I make a short trip to Taegu to meet the advanced spiritual group that composed the core of our Master's early followers. However, I countered with the proposal that Mr. C. W. Lee, Mr. D. M. Um and informed me of the meeting, because I was over-confident in my new religious idea, had too much self-pride, and believed that I was the only one in the world who knew everything on religious and spiritual matters. According to the report from their trip to Taegu, there appeared the Lord of the Universe with the most powerful spiritual group and new ministry centering in him was already on the way.
Even after hearing the report, I did not respond, and continued to display an attitude more arrogant than ever. With this kind of attitude, the group in Taegu must have received information about me, and one of Our Master's followers from the North Korean Prison, Mr. Chung Hwa Pak was sent to Seoul to engage in a discussion with me on religious and spiritual matters. Mr. Chung Hwa Pak and I had a serious discussion, but he was unable to persuade me to recognize the group when he failed to answer several profound questions which I posed. This session between us took place at a certain hotel in Seoul, Korea.
This made me feel more proud, stubborn and arrogant than ever, believing that I was the only specialist in the Universe on religion and spiritual issues. Of course, the result of our session must have been reported immediately to Taegu, and they regarded me as a mighty big fish at that time. Within a week, Mr. Hyo Won Eu, (President of HSA at this time) was sent to Seoul, and he introduced me to the Principle Message. Even if I heard the entire message, I was neither surprised nor elated, nor did oppose it, but, instead, agreed with the general contents of the message, since they were so similar to my ideas on religion and spiritual matters. In other words, I was already prepared, a ready-made vessel for the message of the Principle, at that early date.
Very recently, Mr. Hyo Won Eu wrote in his report, during his world tour with our Master that I was so easily converted to the Principle in 1954 that he did not believe that I would follow through in this Movement up to the present. I recall my attitude of self-pride, arrogance, and over-confidence in everything.
Mr. Hyo Won Eu, Mr. C. W. Lee, and Mr. D. M. Um exerted a great deal of pressure upon me to visit the city of Taegu for the purpose of meeting a spiritually-advanced group under the leadership of Our Master, until I finally agreed. In January of 1954 I traveled from Seoul to Taegu, by myself. The few family members in Taegu showed me great hospitality and treated me like a state guest in the world of politics. It was on this occasion that I met Mrs. Se Hyun (Grandmother) Oak, one of Our Master's earliest followers from North Korea, who is a very spiritually gifted woman.
Before my arrival at Taegu, she had seen a vision about me in the morning who was talking to her in English, which she did not understand at all. At that time, our Master was forced to move to Seoul as the authorities were searching for him, having been instigated by the established churches. I was disappointed, as he was supposed to see me. In my mind, I had the same attitude of self-pride and arrogance, and I planned to leave for Seoul the next morning. Before going to bed, the Voice of Heaven came to Mrs. Se Hyun Oak about me and my attitudes.
"Dear Sang Chul! Since you have been searching Truth and God for 30 years, I have prepared for you and led you to this place. Why do you not obey and believe? Your mission is foreign missionary work to spread the Truth to the whole world, and your role is KING DAVID to fight the sinful world. I have been preparing for you for long years. So obey and believe."
God's voice through Mrs. Se Hyun Oak was actually scolding me like the Old Testament speaks of the time that God spoke through the prophets to criticize the Israel people. With this testimony on the Heavenly Voice, I obeyed and believed on the very spot. During the early morning hours in my dream, Our Master, with a big smile and brightness on his face, received me and as soon as I touched his hand, the most powerful electricity passed through my entire body, and it made me wake up immediately. Even though I did not meet our Master up to that time, already I knew who he was, and I made up my mind to follow him. By that time, there was no longer any need for me to seek further spiritual proof and evidence, in comparison with my past spiritual experience in my life. When 1 returned to Seoul and met our Master physically, I was not at all surprised to see that he was the exact same person I had seen in my dream in the city of Taegu.
On my return to Seoul, a trinity was formed, centering in Mr. C. W. Lee, Mr. H. W. Yu and myself, the three of us being actively engaged in witnessing to recruit new members from the Seoul area, distributing both English and Korean tracks. Thus, members of three cities -- Pusan, Taegu and Seoul -- were expanding our Master's work in South Korea, despite all manner of persecution and hardship.
From the month of March, 1954, at which time a strong foothold was achieved in the Seoul area, the need to set up an organization for the work was seriously discussed. In a small rented room, on May 2, 1954, the formation of an organization was initiated. Five Heavenly Family Members were present -- Our Master, C. W. Lee, Hyo Won Eu, David S. C. Kim, and H. M. Eu (a cousin of Hyo Won Eu). It was in this tiny room that Our Master submitted to us 3 names, asking us, in all seriousness, to choose the one most suitable for our new organization. They were all written in Chinese letters, and two of them I do not even remember now, probably because they were not relevant to our movement; but the third name is the one that we all agreed upon, that which we now use for identifying our work -- "Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity" (HSA-UWC).
I translated our final choice into English for a small sign board on which were written both Chinese and English letters. I had a little difficulty in translating it, because Holy Spirit implies one of the Trinity as taught in orthodox Christianity, but in Korea it means Holy or Spiritual Association for "Sil-Yung". I could find no other way to translate the original Chinese letters. After this was accomplished, we moved to a tiny, 2-bedroom house called The House of Three Small Doors." The small signboard was hung up on May 3, 1954, but nobody in the world realizes the significance of the birthday of our HSA, in Seoul, Korea at this tiny, cottage-type of small house, located at Book Hak Dong, Seoul Korea, and from that day, our movement began officially, in order to unite world Christianity, and further unite all souls and all faiths.
Our Master announced the official date of dedication retrospectively as May 1, 1954, even though the signboard was hung up on May 3. Mr. C. W. Lee was the 1st President of HSA-UWC. Before I went to England, Mr. C, W, Lee left The Principle; since that time, Mr. Hyo Won Eu has been President of our organization, up to the present. Even after the official formation of HSA, repeated, unbearable persecution and hardships confronted us. The tiny signboard was damaged by vicious vandals, knocked down to the ground many times by opponents, betrayers, and our enemies, but that same signboard has endured through all these tribulations, and today hangs at our Headquarters in Seoul, Korea, since 1954, as a symbol of our victory, and hope for the future of all mankind. Our Master, our movement, and the small signboard have all been sharing the common tears, toils, and sometimes heavenly joy, too. Of all the accomplishments I have been able, with God's Help to achieve, I am most proud of the fact that I was fortunate enough to have been one of the five living participants who were the originators of the establishment of HSA in the year of 1954, with our great Master, in Seoul, Korea.
I would like to tell you next about my missionary trip to England in 1954, as the first missionary of The Principle Movement to a foreign country, carrying over with our Master's heart and the Principle message. Realizing my heavenly mission, 1 tried to find out which channels to purpose in order to be able to go abroad to spread our new message, while I was still in a Korean Government position. Finally, I explored the possibility to obtain a United Nation's Scholars Program for 12 month study and research in the field of social welfare and administration, recommended by the Korean Government, to the United Nations, as one of 3 chosen representatives of the Korean Government.
In August, 1954, I was enrolled at Swansen College, University of Wales; for one year. During my stay in England, I did not neglect my heavenly mission to find people to spread our new message. Every weekend, I worked hard, visiting many churches and contacting many people wherever I went.
Before I left for England, Our Master gave me a special Bible passage to keep in mind, instructing me to write my missionary diary in which he gave his autograph beside the Bible passage. (The diary has been kept by me up to this very day.) I can recollect the scenes in front of the "Bando Hotel" where many Heavenly Families, in addition to my own family, gathered to say good-by, and to pray for my success; and the scenes at the airport to see me take off. They encouraged me to fulfill my mission handing me the autograph book in which more than 70 members signed their names for me with many kind and encouraging words.
At that time, there was no English edition of the Principle available and all of the families shared the message, copying from each other's notes in fragments. Still we were studying at least some part of the Principle. Even Mr. Hyo Won Eu was studying hard and learning day and night from our Master. At that time, not even lecture forms were available, yet Mr. Hyo Won Eu's contribution in organizing the difficult message so that it could be presented in lecture forms for each chapter, must be acknowledged and greatly appreciated, and will be recorded in the history of our movement as a tremendous achievement. Also, those of us who later followed, should, be ever grateful to Mr. Hyo Won Eu for his never-ending effort to make possible the compilation of the message into a book, which then enabled the Korean missionaries to translate the message into English, so that the Western world could also read and benefit by this powerful Truth.
One of the highlights of my missionary trip to England was my speaking engagement to 3.000 delegates and congregations from all over the world, who were attending The Apostolic Church International Convention held in South Wales, England, in 1955. I took advantage of this opportunity to tell them about our movement and our group in Korea. Originally scheduled to speak for 15 minutes, I actually spoke for 30 minutes appealing to the world delegates gathered at the convention, about our persecution, God's new revelation, and the established Church's responsibility to protect our group by sending representatives from the "Apostolic Church" to set up a mission to study this new message, and to help our movement.
The result was, unexpectedly so great that unanimously they decided to adopt my suggestion and to send someone as soon as possible to Seoul, Korea. The contents of my speech were widely publicized in their newspaper, "Apostolic Herald" which had world-wide circulation at that time. Finally then, Headquarters finalized the suggestion by sending an Apostolic missionary from the Australia Mission, Pastor [Joseph] McCabe, to Seoul, Korea in June, 1956 to see our Master and our group, to learn about The Principle.
During my stay in England, severe persecution began to be leveled against our Master, his followers, and our movement, from September 1954, when professors and students at the Ehwa Women's University, established by an American Methodist missionary, began to convert to our Principle movement, and it threatened Korean Christian Churches established by American missionaries. I heard and read about the persecution through the Korean newspapers at the Korean Legation in London, and got letters from my family, too.
Very often, Heaven revealed many things to me during my prayers and meditation, on what was taking place, centering on our Master, in Seoul, Korea, and was well-informed spiritually not to be disappointed, regardless of the situation in Korea, centering on our Master at that time. By the time I returned from England, the period of persecution was over and the present location of our Headquarters building was already obtained, and now the remaining families were working hard to restore the work that was undermined by the persecution. Of course I participated in the work of the recovery of our movement together with the remaining original members and additional new members.
On June, 1956, the above-mentioned Pastor McCabe from the Australian Apostolic Mission landed at Seoul, Korea to study The Principle, and to investigate our movement, and to find out the best way to protect our Heavenly Family from suffering and persecution to come. He stayed upstairs in Elder S. C. Chung's home for 83 days. Miss Young Oon Kim. Mrs. Won Pok Choi and David S. C. Kim worked hard to try to convert him, teaching the Principle. He reported back to his Mission HQ in detail, on what was taking place in our movement, centering in our Master, its church system and activities, and the contents of the Principle message, putting his reports in the world-wide circulated "Apostolic Herald" several times.
Pastor McCabe helped Miss Young Oon Kim's English translation and suggested to her to use the title 'The Divine Principle' for her book, when he was asked by her. Nearly 700 copies of the First English edition were printed for distribution during Pastor McCabe's stay in Korea. The Apostolic Church, stated in England, was based on extreme conservative theological doctrines showing many conflicts and gaps between the Principle teachings and their doctrines, as we experienced in established Christian churches in both Korea and the United States. Because of the doctrinal differences, the original purpose of helping our movement by foreign missions was not fulfilled. Thus, my mission to England was ended.
I was transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the Ministry of Social Affairs on my return to Korea from England. During my four years of service, I was again searching for a second chance to travel to schools and friends in the United States I was able to obtain another chance to be enrolled at one of the extreme conservative Baptist Seminaries in the West, as a seminary student.
I landed in the United States at Portland, Oregon, on September 19, 1959, while Miss Young Oon Kim, in the same year, landed at Eugene, Oregon on January 4, 1959. With new zeal and enthusiasm, my missionary work began at Portland, and St. Helens, Oregon. On January 6, in 1960 (Lunar) the United Chapel of St. Helens, the 1st Church outside Korea, was officially dedicated our Master, on his meaningful birthday and the Year of the New Age Dispensation from 1960, centering on our Master.
Since 1959, when I first arrived in the United States I have been under constant persecution and have traveled some mighty thorny roads. It was all I could do to survive and to remain in this country in order to continue to fulfill my heavenly mission. Later, I was expelled from the Seminary because I started teaching the Principle, which was, of course, contradictory to their doctrines, and a few betrayers from our group reported to the Seminary with false accusations, and to the US Immigration Department, in order to cause me to be deported back to Korea as soon as possible.
At the present time, I am working at the Job Corps Center as senior counselor, having been there for four years. This Job Corps Center is programmed by the Federal Government at Clearfield, Utah, to help problem youth in the United States, but my prayers, heart and energy are devoted to my Heavenly mission. I am now responsible for a portion of the West Coast in The Principle Movement, and am working together with Mr. Sang Ik Choi, of San Francisco, California, and Miss Young Oon Kim of Washington D.C. on the East Coast. My final wish is to be a full-time Missionary of the United Faith movement, and I determined to devote the rest of my life for this sacred cause and am now preparing for the time to come sooner.