Corps Treasurer Ng Fook Kum was a real trophy of grace. The seed of the gospel was first sown in his heart many years ago before the war when a young Lieutenant, Lim Siok Chin sold him a copy of The War Cry. He read it, put the paper away and gave no further thought to it.
Years later, after the war, he saw a group of people singing, testifying and preaching at an open air meeting at Dhoby Ghaut (so named because Indian laundry men used to wash clothes by the river). He remembered reading The War Cry.
When the open air meeting ended, he accepted the invitation and followed the Salvationists to their hall Temporary Hall at 30 Oxley Road. He enjoyed the meetings and later was wonderfully converted.
Thus began a life of great adventure for Christ. He became a salvationist, then local officer – first as Corps Sergeant Major and later, Treasurer till he was promoted to Glory. Every Saturday, Ng Fook Kum, armed with a bundle of papers, The War Cry, could be seen selling them to the queues of people outside the Cathay, Rex and Capitol Theatres. In those days, cinema goers had to line up for their tickets. There was no television and not many theatres then.
He was very active at the Central Corps (church) where we were appointed pastors 1970- 1974 and again in retirement for three months in 1997.
He brought his whole family to the Army and they, too, became salvationists. In December 1970, he was seriously ill and was admitted to the Singapore General Hospital. As the CO (pastor), I suggested to the band and comrades of the Corps that we should visit our Treasurer and sing carols to him. He himself had been a faithful caroler for many years. In those days we used to go caroling for two weeks before Christmas. There was no kettling then like we have today.
Permission had to be sought, so I wrote to the Chief Medical Officer requesting permission for the band to play in the hospital compound adjacent to the ward. What little faith I had! I dared not ask permission to sing carols in the ward. I waited several days but there was no reply. We thought then we would just visit the hospital to pray with him anyway.
Mrs Ng, his wife happened to visit the hospital and met Professor Freda Paul, whose father, Reverend Paul, a retired Methodist pastor, was in the next bed. Dr Freda Paul asked Mrs Ng if it would be possible for the Army band to play and sing carols in the ward.
Mrs Ng wasted no time to contact me. On Sunday afternoon, the band and carolers visited the hospital. On arrival, we were met by the Sister in charge of the Ward and escorted right to the bedside of Treasurer Ng and Reverend Paul! The band played, others sang, we read the Scriptures and prayed for the two men. Later on we were provided with refreshments by courtesy of the Hospital!
The next morning the reply came from the Chief Medical Officer, expressing regret that permission could not be granted for us to sing in the compound of the Hospital. Never mind, we had already done it – not in the compound but inside the ward!
I believe the Lord’s hand was in this. Who could have thought of a more wonderful Christmas gift – a delayed letter!
God works in His own time as He has eternity in His hands. Delays are not necessarily denials.
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Galatians 4: 4-7"
When the open air meeting ended, he accepted the invitation and followed the Salvationists to their hall Temporary Hall at 30 Oxley Road. He enjoyed the meetings and later was wonderfully converted.
Thus began a life of great adventure for Christ. He became a salvationist, then local officer – first as Corps Sergeant Major and later, Treasurer till he was promoted to Glory. Every Saturday, Ng Fook Kum, armed with a bundle of papers, The War Cry, could be seen selling them to the queues of people outside the Cathay, Rex and Capitol Theatres. In those days, cinema goers had to line up for their tickets. There was no television and not many theatres then.
He was very active at the Central Corps (church) where we were appointed pastors 1970- 1974 and again in retirement for three months in 1997.
He brought his whole family to the Army and they, too, became salvationists. In December 1970, he was seriously ill and was admitted to the Singapore General Hospital. As the CO (pastor), I suggested to the band and comrades of the Corps that we should visit our Treasurer and sing carols to him. He himself had been a faithful caroler for many years. In those days we used to go caroling for two weeks before Christmas. There was no kettling then like we have today.
Permission had to be sought, so I wrote to the Chief Medical Officer requesting permission for the band to play in the hospital compound adjacent to the ward. What little faith I had! I dared not ask permission to sing carols in the ward. I waited several days but there was no reply. We thought then we would just visit the hospital to pray with him anyway.
Mrs Ng, his wife happened to visit the hospital and met Professor Freda Paul, whose father, Reverend Paul, a retired Methodist pastor, was in the next bed. Dr Freda Paul asked Mrs Ng if it would be possible for the Army band to play and sing carols in the ward.
Mrs Ng wasted no time to contact me. On Sunday afternoon, the band and carolers visited the hospital. On arrival, we were met by the Sister in charge of the Ward and escorted right to the bedside of Treasurer Ng and Reverend Paul! The band played, others sang, we read the Scriptures and prayed for the two men. Later on we were provided with refreshments by courtesy of the Hospital!
The next morning the reply came from the Chief Medical Officer, expressing regret that permission could not be granted for us to sing in the compound of the Hospital. Never mind, we had already done it – not in the compound but inside the ward!
I believe the Lord’s hand was in this. Who could have thought of a more wonderful Christmas gift – a delayed letter!
God works in His own time as He has eternity in His hands. Delays are not necessarily denials.
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Galatians 4: 4-7"
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