Introduction

Hong Kong was a tranquil fishing port for centuries, but after the Opium War in 1842, it became a British colony authorized in the Nanking Treaty. The British intended to transform this little island into a trading port, so that British and other western businessmen could easily import goods from the west to mainland China. Since then, Hong Kong has become a transaction point for western and Chinese business, culture and religions. As a British colony, Christianity could be spread to Hong Kong without political obstacle in the nineteenth to the early twentieth century. As a result, Hong Kong Christianity is a galaxy of branches of European, British and American Christianity, and Pentecostalism was no exception. The Pentecostal message was brought to Hong Kong by Alfred and Lillian Garr in 1907. It was widely spread through a local preacher, Mok Lai Chi. He founded the Hong Kong Pentecostal Mission in the same year, which is the first Pentecostal church in Hong Kong and one of the oldest in the world. As Mok was one of the handful of Chinese who had excellent command of both English and Chinese languages in the early twentieth century, he was able to bridge Pentecostalism between the West and the Chinese. His periodical, the Pentecostal Truths, was an essential media spreading Pentecostalism to Chinese in Hong Kong, mainland China and North America in 1908-1917. Each issue contains three pages in Chinese and one page in English. Due to Mok’s intercultural acquaintance and the unique geographical, historical and political characteristics of Hong Kong, Pentecostalism as a global movement could be rooted in the Chinese society, bearing both the western and Chinese elements.

Since Pentecostalism in Hong Kong was first influenced by the Holiness Pentecostals, including the Garrs, T. J. McIntosh and J. H. King, besides the teaching of the baptism in the Holy Spirit evidenced by tongues, sanctification played a significant role in the formation of local Pentecostal doctrine. As the ‘Finished Work’ and Oneness Pentecostal doctrines were formulated and the respective denominations were established in North America, Hong Kong Pentecostalism was also shaped by those two streams through their missions. But to trace the doctrinal root of Hong Kong Pentecostalism, sanctification should be the starting point. This paper proposes that a sanctification-centred theology was the foundation for the early doctrine of salvation, Spirit baptism and healing. These three experiences were chronologically sequential and theologically conditional, since according to the logic of the early Pentecostals in Hong Kong, without the former experience the latter one could not possibly happen. This argument is consolidated through a careful study of the nineteen extant issues of Pentecostal Truths.[1] It contained both theological and testimonial sections which rationally and experientially demonstrate the significant role of sanctification in the Christian life and in the spread of the Pentecostal movement

Sanctification: A Formative Doctrine

Whilst the American holiness Pentecostalism stressed the three stages of crisis experience: conversion, sanctification and baptism in the Spirit with evidential tongues,[2] Pentecostalism in Hong Kong emphasised conversion and sanctification as the first single experience, the baptism in the Spirit with tongues was the second and healing was the final step for those who were sick. Sanctification is not only a chronological experience, but more importantly, from a theological perspective, it is an indispensable concept to interpret the other two steps. If we only analyse sanctification from an experiential perspective, we will overlook its significance to the other two steps. Hence, to understand early Pentecostal teaching in Hong Kong, it is necessary to take sanctification as the central doctrine which formulates the teachings of baptism in the Spirit and healing.

1. A Sanctification-centred Soteriology

As far as early Pentecostals in Hong Kong were concerned, conversion happened not because of a rationally-justified analysis of the gospel, personal preference of Christian moral teachings or good deeds, but solely through repentance of sin. Repentance is a crucial step in both sanctification and conversion, which are almost synonymous. I name this process as a ‘sanctification-centred soteriology’. Early Pentecostals in Hong Kong clearly stated that repentance was about confession, restitution and renunciation of unhealthy habits and hobbies. According to the statement of faith of the Pentecostal Mission, the first criterion of becoming a member was to repent, which was also the first stage of becoming a Christian. A true repentance required a serious attitude towards God’s words, which conveyed the truth, and the truth could sanctify (John 17:17).[3] On confession, Mok stated that people should know that they were sinners and should confess with sorrow. Similar to western Pentecostalism, Mok’s teaching was combined with Luther’s justification by faith and the Pentecostal emphasis of the faith in ‘the Blood’. This Blood was interpreted with the Wesleyan sanctification theory that it could save sinners through washing sins away, and they perceived that the Holy Spirit was the one who sanctified sinners through the Blood. This sanctification-centred soteriology, compiled with Reformation and Wesleyan emphases and embodying Christological and pneumatological metaphorical references, was believed to be the criterion of the next crisis experience, the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

On restitution, according to the statement of faith, people should search their past and their consciences to find out if there were sins against God and people in words, deeds and intention, because people had to pay the price for what they had done, like paying debt. They should not think that because they had asked for the cleansing of the Blood, they could avoid apology and seeking forgiveness. Whoever realised that they had offended either God or people should ‘reconcile with God; reconcile with people’ and seek forgiveness from them.[4] The only possibility for exemptions to happen was when the offended person was dead or could not be contacted anymore, and the offender could ‘trust in the previous blood of Jesus to cleanse (Matt 5:23-24)’. The Mission believed that restitution was ‘the true Christian way of life’ to heal divisions among churches.[5] It specifically urged people to pay back property or money obtained from committing fraud, extortion, robbery and theft. They should ‘give back what they took in pledge for a loan, return what they have stolen’ (Ezek 33:15)’ by all means and effort, like Zacchaeus. If they were not able to pay back immediately, they should turn to God for his providence. Restitution was a means to obtain and remain in salvation, as Jesus comments about Zacchaeus, ‘This day is salvation come to this house’ (Luke 19:9).[6] Whoever accomplished restitution would be rewarded with cleanness, peace and purity in the heart and would have no ground for accusation.[7]

Personal conduct and behaviour were strictly regulated in early Pentecostalism in Hong Kong. It was a concrete way to demonstrate one’s determination to live not according to the ‘flesh’, but the ‘Spirit’, and to ‘put off the old self’ and ‘put on a new self’ (Eph 4:22-24). As far as repentance was concerned, renunciation of harmful habits and hobbies and abstaining from sinful behaviour were indispensable in the repentance process; otherwise, all the confession and restitution would be in vain. This could not be done only by human effort, but also by ‘the precious blood of Jesus Christ’, which could ‘certainly cut off the chain and bring liberation.’[8] Mok listed habits, behaviours, attitudes and hobbies that should be avoided:

Bad habits: smoking Luzon cigarettes or opium, smoking with pipes or snuff bottles, or drinking;

Bad behaviours: telling lies, deceiving, blackmailing, worshipping idols, foul language, reviling, disputes, factions, avarice, stealing, beating, be friend with sinners, blaspheming against the Lord’s Day, arson, murdering, adultery, thuggery or making enemies;

Bad attitudes: jealousy, arrogance, anger or enmity;

Bad hobbies: attending theatres, partying, gambling, playing cards, horse-racing, cricket-fighting, reading erotic stories or witchcraft.[9]

Mok was especially concerned about getting rid of smoking. He published several articles to explain its harmfulness and sinfulness. One of them was a testimony of Lau U Ha, a preacher of the Church Missionary Society for 22 years, on how he gave up smoking. Lau perceived himself as being ‘bewitched by the tobacco demon’ since he wanted to smoke when he was walking, standing, sitting or sleeping. This perpetual habit was removed just by Mok’s single question to him, ‘“How dare tobacco smokers use that part of the human body which is called nostrils, into which the Lord God did once breathe the breath of life, for a chimney to let out our smoke of the poisonous weed?”’ Lau believed that this ‘tobacco demon’ was cast out by the Holy Spirit when Mok prayed for him. Afterwards, he began to ‘seek God’ and was dismissed by the CMS ‘without any cause’.[10] Mok rebuked those who justified smoking and drinking as ‘false teachers’, based on Proverbs 20:1, Joel 1:5, 1 Tim 3:3 and Titus 1:7.[11]

Furthermore, the Mission made clear statements against divorce, concubinage, adultery and visiting prostitutes. It forbade divorce unless it should happen because of adultery. Members were not allowed to abandon their husband or wife and marry another person. They could only remarry after the death of his or her spouse because marriage was ‘a tie for the whole life’.[12] Visiting prostitutes was regarded as a way of adultery as ‘those who are united with a prostitute become one with her’. The Mission was also strongly opposed to concubinage although it was a common practice in the traditional Chinese society, especially in wealthy families. Chinese accepted concubinage as it was a way to provide male descendants if the first wife was not able to do so, so that the familial business and properties could be securely inherited. Conventionally, it was believed that to have many children was regarded as a sign of blessing as a result of the male dominants’ virtue. Regardless these practical concerns, the Mission condemned this practice, as the statement says, ‘Those who marry more than one wife and keep concubines commit adultery. The adulterous cannot inherit God’s kingdom. May those who love God’s truth discipline their desire and respectfully follow these sound warnings.’[13]

Another ‘sin’ which Mok was strongly against (particularly between 1909 and 1911) was joining either the pro-emperor party or the revolutionist party led by Sun Yat Sin. He insisted that first, according to Paul’s teaching in Rom 13:1-7, it was against God’s institution to rebel against governments on earth; and second, according to Gal 5:19-21, it was wrong to join either party because hatred, variance, wrath and strife would grow; consequently, party members would have no right to inherit the kingdom of God. He criticised the Christians who joined the parties as ‘drunkards’, who were delighted by the bait but overlooked the fish hook. He anxiously exhorted them to ‘transcend this sinful world and rise above the secular trend’. They should also repent immediately so that they would be cleansed by Christ’s blood.[14] If people followed these instructions and had faith in the purifying blood, they were promised that they would not regret this and truly be saved (2 Cor 7:10). True repentance led them ‘for glory unto glory, from faith to faith to be filled with the fullness of God’s grace.’[15] This sanctification-centred experience was evidenced by a supreme joy or the seeing of visions.

However, these three elements of repentance are not necessarily exclusively Christian in origin; other religions and ethics, especially those of Buddhism and Confucianism in the Chinese context, also mention about renouncing of the old self and doing good, repaying debtors, and confessing mistakes and misbehaviours to the offended. What makes this teaching Christian, and particularly Pentecostal, is the emphasis on Jesus’ redemption, his blood and the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit. In his article published in Pentecostal Truths, Wong Kei Hing urged people not just to repent, but to repent thoroughly; not just to change, but to change completely; not just to be anxious about not repenting, but about not trusting in Jesus. He believed that without Jesus’ crucifixion and forgiveness of all evil ‘with his highest grace’, the spot of sin and marks of evil would remain because they could not be naturally cleansed away by repentance. To keep away from sin, people must repent, transform and trust in Jesus thoroughly.[16]

Wong makes the teaching on repentance Christian. To be specifically Pentecostal, Jesus’ blood is central in the entire sanctification and salfivic process. Mok clearly stated, ‘Jesus’ blood is completely holy, not sinful’ and is ‘still pouring out for all sin’. He explains that Jesus’ blood can ‘destroy’ sin, save souls and spirits, heal diseases and lead people from hell.[17] Human beings can be liberated from the bondage of sin and bad habits.[18] In his article published in Pentecostal Truths, an unnamed American preacher asserts that ‘the Lamb’s blood cleanses our dirty clothes to become white’ (Rev 7:14). Through sanctification, people were consecrated and became a holy living sacrifice to offer to God. It was also a preparation for being baptised by the Holy Spirit. Baptism in the Spirit could not cleanse sins away, but it was an evidence of being already sanctified.[19]

This emphasis on the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit vividly brings out the Pentecostal character of this sanctification-centred soteriology. This American preacher claimed that it was the Holy Spirit who touched ‘sinners with the precious blood’ in the first step; he was also the one who filled the sanctified sinners in the second step.[20] Mok named the Holy Spirit as the ‘secret power’ that revealed the hidden sins in human’s hearts and prompted people to ask for forgiveness from God and people. He exhorted his readers to seek the Holy Spirit on earth while they had the opportunity; otherwise, the sin would be exposed in the last judgment.[21] Li Xiu Fu, a member of an Alliance Church in Wuzhou in China, believed that people who acted out goodness and were baptised by water did not necessarily have the Holy Spirit. Hence, he advised readers to seek a holy life as a way to secure the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, ‘the holiest and purest God’ and this ‘water of life’ would not only flow from the belly, but also to eternal life.[22]

The 48 testimonies in the nineteen issues of Pentecostal Truths reveal that this soteriological emphasis was not always heard by believers and non-believers in that period. Some of them were born in a ‘gentile’ family and some were baptised as an infant, including Mok himself. They recorded that their conversion started from sanctification by sorrowfully confessing every single sin that they had committed since their childhood. Subsequently, they were filled with an unspeakable joy as an evidence of sin being forgiven. Mok recalled that before his Spirit baptism, he could not help committing sin such as ‘enmity, strife, aggression, jealousy, arrogance, pride, telling lies, mocking others, outburst of anger, dissension, disputes, drinking, smoking’, etc. His transformation happened when he was alarmed by the message of Jesus’ imminent return. He immediately sought for Jesus’ blood to cleanse all his sin away and he became ‘as soft as cotton and as clean as snow’.[23] Cheung Tsui King,a student of one of Mok’s schools, recorded that

I heard about the gospel in school, but I did not know about becoming a Christian through repentance. Until 1914, when I studied in Ming Dao Girl’s School, I realized that I had to repent and believe in Christ...He cleansed away my sins and flaws with his blood and made me full of joy.[24]

Chan Yuk Hing was ‘born in a family of gentiles’ and repetitively committed sins like ‘lying, outbursts of anger, hatred, worshipping idols and being superstitious of evil power.’ She recorded that at the Pentecostal Convention in 1915, she heard about the coming of God’s kingdom and it was necessary for people to repent, and so she did. She also asked for forgiveness from the people whom she had offended. In a few days she was cleansed and purified. She was so joyful and happy.[25] An anonymous person witnessed, saying,

On 3 June this year, I went to the Pentecostal Missions and heard Mr Mok saying that we sometimes sinned and should ask the Lord to wash it away with his precious blood; otherwise, even though you were baptised, you could not go to heaven. As I heard that, I was awake and found myself full of sin…I felt uneasy and poured out tears. In less than an hour, I was washed by the Lord’s blood and I was full of joy in my heart.[26]

Ko Tsui Lan, who had been baptised as a child and regarded herself as a Christian for more than a decade, realised her sin through Mok’s preaching. She said,

Although I went to church on the Sabbath, prayed and read the Bible sometimes, I committed a lot of sin. I admitted that I was a sinner serving God, but I did not know that it was wrong. Compared to the Christians in the past who served God, my baptism did not cut me off from sin.’

She also clearly described her repentance and sanctification experience by saying,

He (God) led me to light and I repented. I sobbed in front of God, but he had mercy on me. He cleansed my sin and scars with the precious blood of Jesus. I immediately felt at ease in my heart and spirit and was supremely joyful. Praise God. Thanks for his grace.’[27]

Wen Kwai Hing was also baptised by sprinkling of water few months after her birth, but she still worshipped Pusa (Bodhisattva). She realised her sin when she attended the Pentecostal meeting at the American Board Mission. She states that,

The sin had seemed to be small, but at that time it became so big. I had used to think

that it was not harmful, but I saw how bad it was. So I knelt down in front of God to seek his mercy, forgive my sin and cleanse my heart with his previous blood...On the day of my salvation, God gave me exceeding joy.

The salvation that she was referring to did not happen when she was baptised as a baby, but when she was sanctified through repentance.[28]

Wan Yan Chi sadly admitted that although she was born in a Christian family, she did not know the truth. For more than a decade, she described herself as having a withered hand that could not hold the Bible, and being a blind and dumb person who could not see and hear the truth. She was changed in June 1914 when she heard about repentance and the cleansing of sin of Jesus’ blood. She recorded:

At that moment, the Holy Ghost of God convicted me of my sins. I became restless

and I could neither sleep nor eat. I knelt before the Lord and asked for the cleansing of

His precious blood. That night as I was doing my evening prayer, the Lord answered my prayer. My sins were washed away. I shook and leaped a foot high. I was cleansed and felt as light as a feather, full of unspeakable joy for about a month.[29]

After being sanctified, these testimonies all recorded being baptised by the Spirit accompanied by evidential tongues or visions. They could clearly date these two experiences or tell the time gap between them, probably because these two experiences brought dramatic changes in their lives within a short while. Some of them who had suffered from diseases were healed. All their testimonies have an identical sequential pattern of spiritual experiences: a sanctification-centred conversion, Spirit baptism and healing. The following will analyse how sanctification enabled a person to be baptised by the Spirit.

2. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit: A Reward of Sanctification

The sanctification-centred soteriology raised an awareness of sin and encouraged a person to seek a renewed and purified life through the power of Jesus’ blood. This purified life created a space for the Holy Spirit to abide in a person’s heart. That entering of the Holy Spirit was called Spirit baptism, according to Acts 1 and 19, which was the crucial experience that the early Pentecostals in Hong Kong were determined to propagate. The method they taught to obtain this baptism was sanctification through a sorrowful repentance and faith in justification. Mok perceived that this teaching on sanctification preceding the indwelling of the Holy Spirit made the Pentecostals distinctive from other churches, as he critically questions, ‘Do churches not always talk about seeking the Holy Spirit? Yet we can hardly hear about being sanctified so that the Holy Spirit can dwell in us.’[30]This Pentecostal message of Spirit baptism was spread through establishing the church, mission outreach and the Pentecostal Truths. As the editor, Mok was particularly anxious about achieving the goal of the paper, which was lead to people to be baptised by the Holy Spirit. He said:

If you read this newspaper and understand its benefit but do not seek Spirit baptism, it will be a great pity for the reporter of this paper…if the Lord comes back and you say, “I have read this paper and I am saved”, it cannot possibly happen. Jesus will come back very soon. Dear Readers, please pray for the baptism quickly without delay. The way to pray for it is illustrated in each issue.[31]

‘The way’ that he mentions in the quote is illustrated in two articles printed in almost every issue, ‘Essentials for Seeking the Baptism of the Holy Spirit’ and ‘How to Tarry for the Gift of the Holy Spirit’. These two articles advised people, as analysed above, to repent sorrowfully, confess their sins, repay others, and know the grace of justification and sanctification, so that they could be baptised by the Holy Spirit. All the preparations for Spirit baptism were actions taken by individuals but were also the sanctifying power of the blood. Hence, the cleansing blood was regarded as the first cause of Spirit baptism and Spirit baptism demonstrated its power.[32] The Mission specifically distinguishes between sanctification and Spirit baptism as two different experiences. Based on John 15:3, ‘Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you’, and John 20:22, ‘Receive ye the Holy Ghost’, it firmly declares, ‘If you are not clean, you cannot receive the Holy Spirit’ because Spirit baptism is to empower the sanctified (Acts 2:3-4). The Mission was fully aware of the fact that many people were confused by these two experiences, which resulted to their loss of ‘the glory and power of seeking the true Pentecost’.[33] Mok believed that Spirit baptism was not given for every Christian, but only for ‘true disciples of Jesus’, who trusted in God, followed his commandments with all their strength, obeyed God completely, offered their lives to him, and sacrificed their family, property, reputation and other things which were dear to them—and certainly these disciples must have been sanctified already.[34] If anybody did not fulfil one of these criteria, his prayer for Spirit baptism would not be answered.

Moreover, Mok believed that people could not receive Spirit baptism because of their unbelief. He felt disappointed with some of the so-called intellectuals who strongly resisted the Pentecostal experience and boasted in their qualifications. He assertively declared, ‘The Pentecostal experience is the work of God. God does not start the work on our head, but our feet, so that we will bow on the floor in front of him. Please stop your own study, but let God come and examine you.’ Since there were many well-educated people in churches who rejected the grace of Spirit baptism, he regretfully said that the old-time power had been lost in the church and miracles such as healing, prophecy and tongues could only happen outside the church in his evangelistic work.[35] On the other hand, he withstood the idea that those who were not baptised by the Spirit also had the indwelling of the Spirit, which he condemned as a deception from the devil. If Christians were not baptised by the Spirit with speaking in tongues, they did not have the Spirit in their lives.[36]

Like many early Pentecostals, the Mission believed that the purpose of Spirit baptism was to empower believers and the church so that they would be triumphant. Without the power of the Spirit, human intelligence would be worthless, sincerity would be absurd and a large congregation would be useless.[37] It is not clear what he meant by ‘triumphant’, but certainly it could not be paralleled to the contemporary mega-church and prosperity mentality. It is possible that ‘triumphant’ referred to being a faithful disciple, as he said, ‘This baptism is to help us to be in God, walk in God and glorify God’ because it gave individuals an external and internal protection from the Holy Spirit. He explained, ‘When the Holy Spirit is outside our bodies, like our clothes, he protects us from attacks from the outside. When we have the Holy Spirit inside our hearts, he protects our hearts.’[38] The Mission did not follow other western Pentecostals who linked the empowerment to foreign mission. It was because, first, they did not believe in the myth of the ‘missionary tongues’, as Mok stated,

To get the Chinese, one must speak the language. Both preaching and teaching must be done in the Chinese language. The time being so short, the saints have to go to work at once. They have to work through interpreters.[39]

Nevertheless, early Pentecostals in Hong Kong shared significant common ground with other Pentecostals, especially from America, and that was the adherence to tongues as the evidence of Spirit baptism, based on Acts 2:4, 10:46, 19:6 and other scriptures from the Lukan literature. Tongues were believed to be the sign of physically being surrendered to the authority of the Holy Spirit.[40] It also proved to Pentecostals from different countries that they were baptised by the Spirit.[41] Mok declared, ‘If you claim that you have the Spirit baptism but don’t speak in tongues, you cannot convince me. If you don’t have the proof from the Bible, then the Holy Spirit has not come to you. Please don’t deceive yourself’.[42] On the other hand, he also thought that tongues was to testify to non-Christians about the power of God (1 Cor 14:21-22). No matter whether aimed at believers or non-believers, Mok encouraged people not to seek tongues, but Spirit baptism, because it was God’s commandment in the Bible.[43] Besides tongues, he also believed that Spirit baptism was also proved by the performance of signs and wonders, such as exorcism, picking up serpents, drinking poison but not being hurt, and laying hands on the sick to heal.[44] But more importantly, Spirit-baptised people were endowed with precious spiritual qualities, such as humility and obedience, which were externally demonstrated in their deeds and words. This emphasis shows that in his theology, Spirit baptism was not only aimed at empowerment for engaging in mission and evangelism, or endowment with charismata, but also sanctification and living a holy life. Sanctification cannot be excluded from any spectrum of spiritual experiences. All these experiences in the Holy Spirit must result in holiness and a nourishment of spiritual character and integrity.[45]

3. Healing: Physical Sanctification

Following many other early Pentecostals, the Pentecostal Mission believed that Jesus’ salvation covered all aspects of lives, both spiritual and physical needs. As far as the Mission was concerned, there was only one source of all kinds of diseases, and that was the devil. By trusting in the power of Jesus, the ‘wicked plan’ of the devil would be smashed triumphantly.[46] On the Christological account of healing, Mok gave a detailed explanation supported with scriptures in the Old and New Testament. He argued that the ‘stripes’ in Isa 53:5 referred to the whip marks on Jesus’ body at Pontius Pilate’s court and the blood shed at that moment was for the sake of cleansing our weaknesses and diseases. That suggests that healing was part of the work of sanctification. From the account of the exodus, he proposed two references to explain about healing. The first one was God’s promise to the Israelites, ‘I, Yahweh, who give you healing’ (Ex 15:26).[47] The second one was the eating of the lamb before the exodus and he believed that the meal kept the three million strong and healthy for the journey. As the exodus lamb in the Old Testament empowered the Israelites physically, so also the bread at Communion could maintain the partakers in good health or could heal the sick. Since Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Drink ye all of it. For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins’, the Communion could also save souls. He argued that if people did not believe in the healing power of the Communion, it would be worthless for them to celebrate it and consequently, they would remain unhealed. He radically stated that medicine was ‘poison’ and declared, ‘…if you take it, it will kill you and make you not take any regard for Jesus’ atonement.’ Whenever a sick person came to him, he strictly followed James 5:13-15 and prayed with oil.[48]

In the statement of faith of the Pentecostal Mission, exorcism was mentioned in the section of ‘Divine Healing’.[49] It shows that the early Pentecostals in Hong Kong considered that being possessed by demons was being ill or could cause physical sicknesses. The Mission taught its members that Jesus’ disciples had the authority to cast out demons and Jesus’ blood was a powerful weapon as it proclaimed, ‘Our battle cry: Victory in the Blood of Jesus.’[50] It instructed its members that if they were disturbed by demons, they could call out ‘Jesus’ precious blood’, or ‘with the Lord’s precious blood’.[51]

Mok had such a strong faith in healing and rejection of medicine partly because of his faith in the scripture based on his literal hermeneutics; partly because of his personal and family’s experience. He testified that his whole family of all ages had to make frequent visits to the doctor for many years. There was always somebody in the house being sick from day to night, suffering from either a cold or diarrhoea. He spent lots of money on medication and also produced some medicine himself. This all changed after he and his wife were baptised by the Holy Spirit. They were healed after prayer and never saw the doctor again.[52] His wife particularly suffered serious illnesses on two occasions. First in 1913, she lost a considerable amount of blood and bore lots of pain in her abdomen. Her heart was very weak that she could not feel the pulsation. As she was prepared to die, she called her children to give her the last kisses. But actually she could not compromise with the idea of leaving her children alone, so she exhorted them to ‘resort to prayer and ask God to return to them their mother’. Eventually she ‘was delivered from the grip of the enemy’ and praised God more than ever.[53] In the following year, she suffered from heart palpitations and was also healed by the ‘great Physician’ after continuous prayers.[54]

Healing was perceived to be both physical salvation and sanctification. It unarguably demonstrated the essence of salvation through Jesus’ blood, especially for those who suffered from chronic diseases and had lost hope of recovery, or for those who were close to death. It was also a physical empowerment for the poor who could not afford medical treatment, which was common in the Hong Kong society of that period. Moreover, if a sanctification-centred conversion and Spirit baptism spiritually liberated individuals from sin, then healing delivered them from physical flaws and imperfection. If holiness implies wholeness, and if holiness not only refers to the spiritual aspect, then healing is indeed a concrete way to show early Pentecostals the holistic meaning of holiness and sanctification.

Comments

The fundamental doctrine of sanctification which developed the theology of conversion, Spirit baptism and healing reveals a moral and spiritual perfectionism in early Pentecostalism in Hong Kong. In Pentecostal Truths, this perfectionism was expressed with language showing a sense of urgency that the bridegroom, Jesus Christ, would return very soon at any time, and hence the bride, which was the church, had to be ready by keeping itself flawless through sanctification. It advised people what they had to ‘do’ in order to be sanctified including repentance, restitution and renunciation of old habits before his return. However, this ‘doing’ mentality could easily neglect the other side of sanctification, which is the Wesleyan emphasis of the ‘free grace’ of God, followed by the ‘perfect love’. If holiness is regarded as an ‘achievement’ through ‘doing’, then it unavoidably leads to legalism and believers can hardly understand the freedom in the presence of the Holy Spirit. But if holiness is a gracious gift that Christians ‘possess’, it is a foretaste of heavenly perfection and the fruit borne from it must be love, love for God and for others. Steven Land rightly states that ‘the character of holiness is love in the believers. It is a perfect love filling the cleansed, emptied vessel and without which the believer’s gifts, sacrifices and righteous deeds will profit nothing.’[55]

Nevertheless, this sanctification-centred Pentecostalism is indeed a valuable heritage that contemporary Pentecostals cannot afford to forsake. Its emphasis on discipleship through constant reflection on spiritual life and repentance reminds Christians of the costly grace of Jesus’ blood. Its triumphalism regarding a true discipleship challenges the current triumphalism based on church growth and prosperity. Its balanced view of the Christological and pneumatological account of salvation and spiritual experiences may inspire some current Pentecostals and charismatics who pursue the gifts of the Spirit rather than the crucified Saviour. Undeniably, the formation of a doctrine can be influenced by specific political, social and cultural contexts of a certain historical period and some of the doctrines become obsolete as these contexts are changing. In the contemporary world which has been dominated by capitalism and utilitarianism, the self-disciplinary teachings of sanctification are not much appreciated. However, to preserve the distinctive Pentecostal identity and to protect the movement from going astray, it is worthwhile learning from the past and reflecting upon the current trend.

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[1] All quotes adopted from the periodical and applied in this article are translated from Chinese into English by the author.

[2] For the theology of Holiness Pentecostalism, please refer to Robert M. Anderson, Vision of the Disinherited: The Making of American Pentecostalism (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1979); Donald W. Dayton, Theological Roots of Pentecostalism (Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1987); Steven Land, Pentecostal Spirituality: A Passion for the Kingdom (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1993); D. William Faupel, The Everlasting Gospel: The Significance of Eschatology in the Development of Pentecostal Thought (Sheffield Academic Press, 1996); Grant Wacker, Heaven Below: Early Pentecostals and American Culture (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2001); Vinson Synan, The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition. Charismatic Movements in the Twentieth Century (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997); Aspects of Pentecostal-Charismatic Origins (Plainfield, NJ: Logos International, 1975).

[3] “Hong Kong Pentecostal Mission”, Pentecostal Truths (PT), 3/2 (February 1910), p. 2.

[4] Mok Lai Chi, “In the Future”, PT, 1/11 (November 1908), p. 4.

[5] “Essentials for Seeking the Baptism of the Holy Spirit”, PT, 2/3 (March 1909), p. 2.

[6] Mok Lai Chim “Restitution”, PT, 2/8 (October 1909), p. 1.

[7] “Hong Kong Pentecostal Mission”, PT, 3/2 (February 1910), p. 2.

[8] Mok Lai Chi, “Brief Notes”, PT, 2/4 (April 1909), p. 4.

[9] Mok Lai Chi, “Jesus’ Salvation”, PT, 2/3 (March 1909), p. 3; “What Is Repentance?”, PT, No. 34 (April 1912), p. 3; “Beware of False Teachers”, PT, 3/2 (February 1910), p. 2

[10] Lau U Ha, “A Native Preacher’s Testimony”, PT, 3/3-4 (March-April 1910), p. 4.

[11] Mok Lai Chi, “Beware of False Teachers”.

[12] “Hong Kong Pentecostal Mission”, PT, 3/2 (February 1910), p. 2.

[13] Ibid.

[14] Mok Lai Chi, “The Revolution and Pro-Emperor Party, Please Read It”, PT, 2/5 (May 1909), p. 3.

[15] “Sin and Repentance”, Mok Lai Chi (trans.) from Word and Witness, PT, No. 38 (March 1915), p. 2.

[16] Wong Kei Hing, “Repent Ye (Matt 3:2)”, PT, 2/8 (October 1909), p. 1

[17] Mok Lai Chi, “Jesus’ Blood”, PT, 2/5 (May 1909), p. 2.

[18] PT, 2/4 (April 1909), p. 4.

[19] Mok Lai Chi, “‘Three Truths in the Bible”, PT, 3/7-8 (July-August 1910), p. 3; “Jesus’ Salvation”, PT, 2/3(March 1909), p. 3.

[20] ‘Three Truths in the Bible’, Mok Lai Chi (trans.), PT, 3/7-8 (July-August 1910), p. 3.

[21] Mok Lai Chi, ‘The Holy Spirit Searches All Hearts”, PT, 2/4 (April 1909), p. 2.

[22] Mok Lai Chi, “You Should Seek the Water of Life”, PT, 2/13 (January 1909), p. 1.

[23] Mok Lai Chi, “A Sharing of the First Anniversary of My Baptism in the Holy God”.

[24] Cheung Tsui King, “Washing away My Sins, Taking away My Flaws”, PT, No. 39 (April 1917), p. 4.

[25] Chan Yuk Hing, “The Healing of My Physical Sicknesses”, PT, No. 39 (April 1917), p. 4.

[26] ‘The Lord Baptised me with the Spirit and Fire’, PT, No. 36 (January 1914), p. 2

[27] Ko Tsui Lan, “The Indescribable Happiness and Joy”, PT, No. 36 (January 1914), p. 2.

[28] Wen Kwai Hing, “God Gave Me Surprising Joy on My Salvation Day”, PT, No. 36 (January 1914), p. 2.

[29] Wan Yan Chi, “This is Truly from God”, PT, No. 37 (November 1914), p. 3.

[30] Mok Lai Chi, “Brief Notes”, PT, 2/3 (March 1909), p. 3.

[31] Mok Lai Chi, “Seek after It; Seek after It”, PT, 1/11 (November 1908) p. 3.

[32] Mok Lai Chi, “The Difference between Having the Holy Spirit and Being Baptised by the Holy Spirit”, PT, 2/13 (January 1909), p. 2; “Everybody Needs the Holy Spirit”, PT, 2/6 ( June 1909), p. 3.

[33] “Essentials for Seeking the Baptism of the Holy Spirit”, PT, 2/3 (March 1909), p. 2.

[34] Mok Lai Chi, “Have Ye Received the Holy Ghost?”, PT, 2/6 (June 1909), p. 2; “Offer Yourself to God, Be Sanctified”, PT, 2/7 (August 1909), p. 3.

[35] Mok Lai Chi, “Everybody Needs the Holy Spirit”.

[36] Mok Lai Chi, “Beware of False Teachers”.

[37] Mok Lai Chi, “Have Ye Received the Holy Ghost?”

[38] Mok Lai Chi, “The Difference between Having the Holy Spirit and Being Baptised by the Holy Spirit”.

[39] PT, 2/8 (October 1909), p. 4.

[40] Mok Lai Chi, “Everybody Needs the Holy Spirit”.

[41] “How to Tarry for the Gift of the Holy Spirit”, PT, 2/3 (March 1909), p. 3.

[42] Mok Lai Chi, “Beware of False Teachers”.

[43] Mok Lai Chi, “Brief Notes”, PT, 2/6 (June 1909), p. 2.

[44] Mok Lai Chi, “Jesus’ Salvation”.

[45] Mok Lai Chi, “Have Ye Received the Holy Ghost?”

[46] “Hong Kong Pentecostal Mission”, PT, 3/2 (February 1910), p. 2.

[47] Mok Lai Chi, “Yahweh Heals You”, PT, 3/7-8 (July-August 1910), p. 2.

[48] Mok Lai Chi, “The Healing Power in the Atonement”, PT, 2/5 (May 1909), p. 3

[49] “Hong Kong Pentecostal Mission”, PT, 3/2 (February 1910), p. 2.

[50] “Essentials for Seeking the Baptism of the Holy Spirit”, PT, 2/3 (March 1909), p. 2.

[51] “How to Tarry for the Gift of the Holy Spirit”, PT, 2/3 (March 1909), p. 3.

[52] Mok Lai Chi, “Divine Healing”, PT, 2/3 (March 1909), p. 4.

[53] “Mrs Mok Lai Chi”, PT, No. 36 (January 1914), p. 7.

[54] Mok Lai Chi, PT, No. 37 (November 1914), p. 4

[55] Steven Land, Pentecostal Spirituality, p. 128.