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The arrival of the firstborn in 1887 to Pastor Tow Khee Hien and his wife called for more than usual thanksgiving and rejoicing. Being the first family to be converted to Christianity in the village of Iam Tsau (“salt oven”), the common gossip among the idol-worshipping villagers was that the Tow clan was doomed to extinction for having forsaken their ancestral altar to go after a foreign god.
The couple eventually had seven children, four sons and three daughters. To this, the unbelieving villagers had no answer.
But Pastor Tow had been well and truly won to Jesus Christ when, as a village youth of nineteen, he came under the sound of the gospel. Shortly afterwards, he answered God’s call and gave himself wholly to serve the Lord. Under the watchful eye of Rev Tan Soo Chuan of the Presbyterian Church, the young man received his theological instruction as well as the hand of the pastor’s daughter in marriage.
Grandfather gave his eldest son two names: Keng Kee ( “good prospect”) his official or public name, and Moh Ngee ( “ seeking righteousness”) his family or home name. Grandfather had hopes that his firtborn might follow his footsteps to be a servant of God, seeing that his father-in-law was one of the first converts of William Chalmers Burns, associate of Robert Murray McCheynne, who had left his native bonnie Scotland to be a minister of the gospel to the Chinese in the Teochew and Hokkien districts of South China.
Whatever hopes Grandfather might have entertained that his eldest son would one day be a servant of the gospel, the lad had ideas of his own. Even as a boy he showed an unusual interest in adult affairs. Of particular annoyance to his childish dignity was the wearing of pigtails by men, a custom enforced by the Manchu masters. In the village school, he excelled in studies and began to read widely of happenings in his homeland and abroad.
By the age of twelve he was asking searching questions. Why was China being ill treated and discriminated against by foreign powers of Europe, and Japan? Why were foreigners lording over the people of China on Chinese soil? A doctor uncle took a particular interest in young Keng Kee, and became a hero to the boy. He had an unfailing supply of answers to his probing enquiries.
One day young Keng Kee asked, “Uncle, why do men and boys wear pigtails? ”
“This is a degrading practice introduced by our Manchu rulers. They are the ruling power established by the Ching Dynasty since 1644, over two hundred years ago. ”
The corrupt Manchu administration, their age-old evil and oppressive rule, their inept handling of foreign affairs, kowtowing to the Western powers, the crushing burden of “unequal treaties” and territorial concessions — all these had reduced the proud “Middle Kingdom” to a semi-colony, laughing-stock to the rest of the world.
Father grew up with mounting resentment against the Manchu regime. It was common knowledge that at the entrance to a public park in the British concession in Shanghai was displayed a sign reading “Dogs and Chinese not admitted. ” Could it be that our once proud ancient civilisation should be subject to such national humiliation?
But what was the use of anger and resentment without action? Talk of revolution among student groups began to gather momentum, and soon a mass movement began to take shape.
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” (Eccl 3:1 ). The days of Manchu dominance were numbered. Their power was rapidly declining amidst the rising tide of popular unrest and discontent. The writing was on the wall. The time for change had come!
“For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another” (Psalm 75:6-7 ).
In 1905 revolutionary pioneer and national hero Dr Sun Yat Sen formed the Tongmenghui (Universal Allegiance Society). As a young medical student, Father imbibed the revolutionary fervour, and became a member of the society. Thus began his intrusion into Chinese political circles which, before long, saw him treading the corridors of power, “hobnobbing with kings. ” Filled with visions of greatness, Father rushed headlong into China’s political broadway, little realizing that he was treading on thin ice. Ensnared in the intrigues of Chinese politics, he would have lost his life on two occasions, but for God’s amazing deliverance.
Father of the Chinese revolution, Dr Sun was also known as Sun Wen () and Sun Zhong Shan (). Sun Wen was the leading patriot and pioneer of the movement which led to the overthrow of the Qing Dynastry, the Manchu rulers and the establishment of the Chinese Republic in 1912.
Tongmenghui which he founded in 1905 had this political platform: “To overthrow the Manchu barbarians, to restore China to the Chinese, to establish a republic, and to distribute land equitably. ”
In 1912, the Republic was born and Dr Sun became the first president. The Tongmenghui formed the nucleus of a new party, the Kuomintang (Nationalist Party).
You might call it ambition, but realistically speaking, it was purely and simply youthful adventurism, and short-lived adventurism at that. Only by the unspeakable grace of God, Father was snatched from the jaws of death and given a new lease of life in Nanyang (South Seas).
His political adventurism took him on a tight rope experience until God transplanted our family to Nanyang.
The major happening of Father’s association with Dr Sun took place in 1909 (at the age of twenty-two). He was sent by Dr Sun on a secret mission to Zhangzhou. The successful undertaking was rewarded by Dr Sun with two portraits of himself and an autographed calligraphy of his famous slogan ( “bo ai”), meaning “Charity to All. ” This priceless writing now adorns the Sun Yat Sen museum in Singapore.
By his association with Dr Sun, Father got to move among the highest circles of government and the military top brass, hobnobbing with names such as Chiang Kai-shek, Hu Han-min, He Ying-qin, Wang Ching-wei, Chang Chih-chung, etc.
In 1924, under the Kuomintang Administration of the Chinese Republic, the Whampoa Military Academy was founded to train military commanders for the National Revolutionary Army at the Whampoa Dock in Guanzhou with General Chiang Kai-shek as its first Principal.
It was General Chiang who appointed Father to the post of Medical Superintendent of the Whampoa Military Hospital, an appointment he held from 1924 to 1926, when our family migrated to Nanyang.
With the advantage of hindsight, and writing as a detached reviewer, Father’s involvement in Chinese revolutionary politics is best described as a piece of vainglorious adventurism, accommodated by a father figure in the gracious person of Dr Sun.
In the midst of Father’s vain pursuit of earth’s glory shines the unfailing mercies of God, and His lovingkindness to an unworthy and straying child. But for His longsuffering and forebearance, Father should have perished — a victim of his own misdirected ambition.
Our God is good. Out of the crucible of testing and trial He transplanted us to peaceful Nanyang. Here, in Malaysia and Singapore, our family received God’s unspeakable blessing through His servant John Sung. In one fortnight of revival meetings in 1935, Father, Mother, and the entire family were returned to the fold of God. An amazing work of salvation and revival brought about an amazing transformation of lives, ambition and zeal for God’s Kingdom.
Out of God’s book, the voice of Jeremiah speaks down the ages: “Seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest “ (Jer 45:5 ).
Father’s years in Nanyang are an eloquent testimony to God’s unspeakable mercies. Fired with a new zeal of discipleship, Father served the Lord faithfully for the rest of his life, in Batu Pahat and Singapore, until the Lord took him in 1979.
No more hobnobbing with the kings of earth, Father now walks with the King in heaven.