Mission History and News: Remembering Sam Sim

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Remembering Sam Sim

Mission History and News No 10

Sam had done his part in transforming the wooden structure of a temple at 11 and 3/4 ms - 407A Woodlands Road Singapore

to this concrete premise at No 6 Fourth Chin Bee Road

Inner truth netizen 2 remembers one gentleman by name of Sam Sim who was acquainted with another devout follower by name of Lionel. Both are near and dear to Lord Bo Tien and also close aquaintences of the late Senior Bro P. Philip and Elder Ling Diung Kwong age 76+ in 2012.

Sam played important part in the years that led to the building of the Singapore mission-related temple at No 6th Fourth Chin Bee Road at Jurong. He was pivotal as resource person who provided the resource information and took active part that helped the temple to upgrade from temporary premises at 407A Woodlands Road to 3 storey concrete temple with basement car park and roof top balcony at Jurong.

But as what Lord Bo Tien had said that there is often an element of fate which cannot be ignored and which at times even the saints may not be able to intervene significantly though saints could moderate and a big issue may end up lesser of an issue even if they cannot be no issue. This element of fate affects everyone even good people.

But Heaven is graceful to facilitate his good and wholesome contribution towards the purchase and building of new premises. He was even able to have the good fortune to see the fruition and growth of the temple though this was finite because of the element of fate.

He was the manager of a town council in Singapore but he was always unassuming, humble, approachable and an asset to society, more so to the mission of the lord. We are sure that he is still who he is and an asset to others in many ways.

The lord saint, Lord Bo Tien reiterated that a temple is the people and not the building. It is people that make up a temple. Sam Sim is and will ever continue to be one of the people that make up the temple and the mission.

It is people like Sam who will make the difference and make a temple what the temple should be. He is ever a background man and that is him but when the calling came some years ago, he answered the call admirably and that is what matters. The lord saint knows and we should know as well.

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Bo Tien mission-related temples

Four Bo Tien mission-related temples have been set up over time since 1970 with two in Singapore and two at Sitiawan. They are independent, autonomous but yet under the umbrella of the same mission. There is one Bo Tien Temple at Jurong Singapore and another Bo Tien Temple at Sitiawan. Another temple by name of Bo Ser Keng set up by a Mr. Tan Niap Peng at Boh Ling Sua Singapore lasted for some time and a fourth set up by the late Chee Sin Hee at Sitiawan Malaysia was named initially as Bo Tien Keng and later changed to Bo Tien Soo.... (not sure of the name). More temples are likely to be set up in the future so long as there are passionate followers of Lord Bo Tien. But it appears that only those temples which are seeded from Bo Tien Temple Singapore will continue to grow. Elder Ling would be able to throw more light on the matter.

The awning shed era - 1974 to 1978

at 11 3/4 ms 407A Woodlands Road Singapore marks the beginning of the mission. It was donated by Poona and was graced by a saint under Lord Bo Tien who goes by the honorific Tien Xin with characteristic pose of twin cross swords. Though not under the martial wing headed by Mou Chi Sun his cross swords is reflective of the cross arms of saint Mou Chi Sun. It had a zinc roof or awning with six metal pipe pillars. It is reflective of the teaching that the altar of the lord saint can be under the sky as heaven is the roof of the temple and religions are the pillars of God to bring salvation and save souls. The original altar at Woodlands is at the back in a debiliated hut and the shrine room there was vacated to house the aged destitute as per the direction of the lord saint Lord Bo Tien. Photo courtesy of Elder Ling

Published in year 2000 by Bo Tien Temple Singapore for its 32nd anniversary with Forward by Bro Peter Kong Meng Sin the then incumbent temple President. The book was compiled with advice of the late Senior Brother Philip Png and extracts of the early literary contributions of Dr. Siow Hong Him and of the Commonwealth Colombo Plan scholar and Kedah state civil engineer the late Senior Brother Tay Chong Sim. Many of the near verbatim transcriptions of Lord Bo Tien Chinese Hokkien messages were by Brother William Chew who was the Hon. Gen Secretary of the Bo Tien mission-related temple at old premises - 407A Woodlands Singapore. Chong Sim did the first draft for the book in the last few months before his passing away from terminal illness. He was so weak that he had to request a lady aide to get the draft book cyclostyled and bounded (108 copies). He requested that the final book to be published be named LORD BO TIEN'S GUIDANCE. Indeed his wish came true in year 2000 but the book omitted some key material substance in the messages of the lord saint and did not openly give due credit to him for writing the first draft. Why this had to be is anyone's guess and speculation. Perhaps the book is indeed independent from the first draft he wrote in his dying days. But what is most reassuring is that Lord Bo Tien did say that if Heaven wants, even the lost parts of doctrine/messages can be recovered and made available for men who have the heart in the mission of the lord saint. Chong Sim's first draft book contains the missing parts. This is just more than coincidental and is perhaps evidence of the hand of providence at work. Credit must be extended to Brother Peter Kong for supplying him the nine original translated scripts of the messages of Lord Bo Tien. No one in right mind would deny that the act of giving the scripts was a simple and yet very noble deed that will go down in the history of the mission.

The eventful post 2004 era

Elder Ling replaced as Chairman at Singapore connection at AGM in 2004

The burning of the shrine image in the immediate post 2004 period instead of placing it in museum at the top floor

The separation of welfare wing from temple as entity of its own in 2010 /2011

22nd March 2012: Elder Ling's membership was revoked at Singapore connection and on 23rd, the next day, a notice of the removal was put up at two notice boards.

24th March 2012: Elder Ling's trusteeship termination process was instituted at Singapore connection

For details, go to The eventful post 2004 era

Elder Ling Diung Kwong

Elder Ling's up and coming book

Mission History and Elder Ling

Read the above post in series 1. reviewing how the book by Elder Ling should be angled and correctly positioned. The views of inner truth netizen will always be that Elder Ling must balance the effective delivery of the history and steer clear of mention of individual personalities. The yin yang balance in this respect will determine the degree of value of the book. With Elder Ling's input and verbal consent, the jist of the Mission History has been included and posted in this Series 3 as five posts but due to editing and various constraints (such as readability, space and presentation), roles and names of many individuals have not been included as they might prefer to stay out of mention and publicity. The representation of the history regretably may thus be considered not adequate and not effective. Inner truth netizen regrets that some may be be upset over this but yin yang balance must be observed so that all will be better able to have more of the peace even if not exactly the divine inner peace of spirit in the twirls and swirls of life in the yin yang world.

13th May 2012

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The folly of man

The folly of men is often to idolise a man instead of God and saints. Man however good is not good enough. In fact, we should not even idolise God and saints and to make matters worse, go further to put words in their mouths. We should live in God by living in the Word of God and saints instead of being awed by the awesome goodness of God and saints. It would certainly be more far fetched to idolise man which would be unthinkable but many do this. Instead, we need to learn from both sides of a man - both the sunny side and the dark side. After all, life be it our own or of others is the living gospel and the gospel is God.

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Sunday, November 11, 2012

Remembering Sam Sim

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