The Pope of Caodaism by DaoCongTam
The Pope of Caodaism
The conversion of Mr. Le-Van-Trung who was to become Pop of Caodaism, was one of the great events of Indochina's history.
It was also in 1925, Mr. Le-Van-Trung was living in the city of Cholon. Given to diverse enterprises, in the tumult of that town devoted to the worship of money, he had a spirit completely averse to religion. One evening, at the invitation- of one of his relatives, a convinced spiritualist belonging to a religious sect called "Minh-ly" at Saigon, he went to a seance that was to take place in the suburb of Cho-gao.
At that meeting, it was the spirit Ly-Thai-Bach that was manifested. Taking Mr. Trung aside. he revealed to him his spiritual origin and at the same time announced to him his future religious mission. He then exhorted him to quickly submit himself to the regime imposed by the new faith. Moved by grace, Mr. Trung without hesitation, sustained by his faith, had the courage to cease smoking opium and follow a vegetarian diet ; he also left his business enterprises in order to consecrate himself entirely to religion.
The conversion of that man, the day before still attached to wealth and pleasure, is so striking that we may ask ourselves whether the spiritualistic seances organized at Cho-gao had not been inspired by missionary spirits with the unique aim of bringing back Mr. Le-Van-Trung in the way of the Law. In the latter had made up his, mind
faith which he had adopted, they ordered the dispersion of spiritualistic group, to the great astonishment and sorrow of its members.
In Saigon, the Great Master, feeling the the mediums of Le-Van-Trung. He then sent two of these (Mr. Cu and Tac) to the newly converted, with the order to organize there a seance during which, he should give him instructions.
Mr. Trung although he did not know these mediums, yet accepted their proposition when he understood their motives.
An evocatory seance took place. The Great Master, besides other teachings, announced to Mr. Trung his
new religion he was going to found to save humanity.
That revelation confirmed the allusions of various spiritualismtic messages that Mr. Trung had received at Cho-gao with other mediums. It fortified his conviction and encouraged him to consecrate himself with out reserve to religious exercise.
Some time after, the Great Master sent Messrs. Trung, Cu and Tac close to the Phu-Chieu, who had to guide them in the religious way as an elder brother. This man having been so ordered by the Great Master, welcomed them most cordially. He immediately put them in contact with his first co-religionists. The caodaist cell thus formed was composed of a dozen members, all of French culture and most employees in various administrative departments in Saigon.
The earnestness and disinterestedness of these pioneers soon attracted to them an increasing number of adherents. The Caodaist religion then came out of its limited circle to spread among the people at the begining of the year Binh-Dan (1926).
The Phu-Chieu used to his solitude, was annoyed by the influx of adherents who bothered him. As an official conscious of his responsibilities, he decided from then on, to keep himself free of this great religious movement. Mr. Le-Van-Trung was then named by the Great Master to replace him at the end of April.