Ging Su Tang (金素坦), whose courtesy name was Yongji (雍基), was born on the fifteenth day of the tenth month of the lunar calendar in the solar year 1897. His father, Ging Ke Wang (金可望), was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
In 1913 Ging Su Tang joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church too. Later he enrolled for ministerial training course at China Missions Training School (上海三育學校).
In 1920 he entered denominational work in the North Fujian Mission (閩北區會). In 1921 the new building of Fuzhou Intermediate School (福州三育中學) was completed. In the fall of that year it began to accept students. Ging Su Tang was one of the teachers.
By 1924, as an evangelist in the mission, he with two others national evangelists, Ling Sing Ca (林新嘉) and Chai Guok Uong (蔡國望), was appointed as members of the mission committee. The fourth and only foreign worker in the committee was Pastor C. C. Morris (摩爾士), mission director, serving as the committee chairman. Ging Su Tang continued his service as a teacher and then as a preacher in the local mission.
In 1935 he was ordained to the gospel ministry. In 1940 he was appointed secretary for the Sabbath School and the Home Missionary Departments. A year later he was given an extra responsibility as General Field Secretary.
In 1942 he was acting director of the mission. A year later he succeeded C. H. Davis (戴天德) as mission director. He remained at that position until 1948 when C. H. Davis succeeded him as acting mission director, as Pastor Ging was transferred to Kulangsu [Gulangyu] (鼓浪嶼), Amoy [Xiamen] (厦門), as director of the South Fujian Mission (閩南區會).
In 1952, retiring from denominational work, he returned to his hometown where he continued working for God's cause.
On February 15, 1979, Pastor Ging rested in the Lord due to high blood pressure induced stroke. His wife, Ou Su Xing (歐蘇醒), bore him six children, three boys and three girls, as follows: Cheng Kang (昌康), Deh Mei (德美), Deh Rong (德榮), Cheng Ching (昌欽), Cheng Ming (昌明) and Deh Hui (德惠). They are all members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and all studied in the denominational schools. Wang En Bo (王恩波), husband of Deh Rong, and Lin Bo Ho (林伯和),husband of Deh Mei, are now (written before 2002) pastors of Fuzhou SDA Church.
Summary and Timeline
1913-- Joined the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church. Attended Shanghai San Yu School (上海三育學校)ministerial training course.
1920-- Began work as an employee of the SDA Denomination.
1934-- Formally ordained as an SDA minister. Taught at FuzhouSan Yu Research Institute (福州三育硏究社)and became its academic dean in later years. A Pastor of the Fuzhou SDA Church.
1941-- Served as General Secretaryand later Vice President ofNorthern FujianMission.
1943- 1951-- Served as President of the Northern and SouthernFujianMission.
1952-- Retired from denominational work; returnedto and continued working for God's cause in his hometown.
February 15, 1979--Rested in the Lord due to high blood pressure induced stroke. In addition to his wife, Ou Suxing (歐蘇醒), he is survived by his father, Ging Kewang (金可望), an SDA Church member; three sons and three daughters, all members of SDA Church and students of San Yu Research Institute; two son-in-laws, WangEnbo (王恩波)and Lin Bohe (林伯和). Lin Bohe is aminister of a Fuzhou SDA Church.
Translated by: Swee-Gin Leong