- Tae-mo-nim Moves to Wahng-shim Village
- 1 Near the end of Tae-mo-nim’s time at the center in Jo-johng Village, a group of disciples from the Gahng family, led by Gahng Eung-chil and Gahng Sa-sung, became embittered and began scheming against Her. The disrespect they showed Her in the way they spoke and acted was unspeakable.
- 2 Problems began after the work of renewal concerning the Seven Stars, which Tae-mo-nim conducted with Go Min-hwahn in 1926. At that time, She entrusted Min-hwahn with much of the responsibility in the works of renewal. Feeling slighted, the senior followers, who had formed a clique, spoke of their own contributions and how long they had been faithful.
- 3 In 1927, when Tae-mo-nim opposed their having made such a group, their complaints grew stronger. Conducting themselves reprehensibly, they used coarse language when speaking to Her.
- 4 In 1928, when She made changes in the leadership of the center, they openly revolted and left.
- 5 In further retaliation, they stopped allowing Her to use the twenty-four rice paddies She had been using for about ten years. This made it impossible to manage the center.
- 6 Gahng Eung-chil, whose family wealth had been exhausted during his time as a disciple, had the center put under his own name and borrowed money against it without saying a word to Tae-mo-nim, leaving other disciples with the responsibility of repaying the loan.
- 7 In the end, Eung-chil sold the center to a neighbor. Tae-mo-nim was unaware of this until the neighbor came to claim it.
- 8 When Tae-mo-nim angrily refused to give him the center, the neighbor filed a suit against Eung-chil for not fulfilling the contract, beginning a legal dispute. People called this incident the Dao Center Trial.
- 9 Enraged by Eung-chil’s unjust act and the wickedness of the Gahngs in Jo-johng Village, Tae-mo-nim said She would move to Jung-eup County, and She ordered that a house be bought there.
- 10 On September 21, 1929, after the chee-sung for Sahng-jeh-nim’s birthday, Tae-mo-nim left for Wahng-shim Village in Jung-eup.
- 11 As She was about to leave, She summoned Gahng Hwee-mahn, who had been living in a small room at the center. “Stay and watch this house,” She said, leaving him in charge. She then walked out of the door carrying only Her pipe.
- 12 Those who accompanied Her consisted mainly of the disciples from Ohk-gu County. Among them were Go Min-hwahn, Ee Yohng-ghee, Jun Joon-yup, Gim Su-yul, and Jun Sun-pil.
- 13 Gahng Hwee-mahn later said, “Gahng Sa-sung, Gahng Eung-chil, and others who had served Tae-mo-nim at the center in Jo-johng Village did not even come out to bid Her farewell.”
- 14 The dispute over the ownership of the center led to a fierce legal battle. During that time, Gahng Dae-sung was struck dead by lightning in his rice field.
- 15 This was seen as a punishment from heaven and earth for the scheming and jealousy of those fighting to gain control of the center. After this, no one dared to complain about Tae-mo-nim having left Hwee-mahn in charge of the center, and he was recognized as the owner.
- (JSD Dojeon 11,168)
