After predawn prayer at the Natural Temple in Wolmyeongdong, Pastor Jung Myeong Seok would go up to the mountains and diligently cut the grass.  

The grass became better as much as he took care of it, and the places where he did not tend remained as they were, so he diligently did the work while sweating.

Pastor Jung always carried a sickle and a saw with him.

The trees that he trimmed became better as much as they were trimmed.

Regardless of how handsome the trees were, the ones that he did not trim remained in the same state. Thus, he trimmed those handsome trees and made them look even nicer.

In 1998, considering the places that required further care in the Natural Temple, there were still many such places. However, people have used those places, not knowing about them well. They thought that everything was fine, as long as they could use them.

This Natural Temple that God has given cannot be transported elsewhere, so we have to always take good care of it.

That is why Pastor Jung took care of the trees according to their appearances: Ugly trees were managed according to how they were and handsome trees were taken care of according to how they were.

He looked after the trees, knowing that they could become grand trees later on, even if that wouldn’t be fulfilled in this time period.

He did not look after the Natural Temple just for us and for this time period alone, but also for the future generations to come.

The places that he had tended 3 or 4 years and 5 or 6 years ago became nice, as if he had bought all the trees and planted them there anew.

At that time all the trees were scruffy, so he had no choice but to trim at least the trees that were visible from the street. But now, they have become grand trees.

He didn’t touch the trees that were not growing by the streets, because they weren’t in a dire state at the time. However, those trees were unable to develop any further, since they were entangled and blocked one another. But now, by laying his hand on those very trees, they were made to look beautiful.

-From Pastor Jung Myeong Seok’s morning message on September 8, 1998-

 정명석 목사는 월명동 자연성전에서 새벽 기도를 하고 

산에 올라가 열심히 풀을 베었습니다. 

가꾼 만큼만 좋아지고, 가꾸지 않은 곳은 그대로 있기에 

열심히 땀을 흘렸습니다. 

정명석 목사는 항상 낫과 톱을 가지고 다녔습니다. 

손질한 나무는 손질한 만큼 좋아지고, 손질하지 않은 것은 

제 아무리 잘생긴 나무라도 해도 그냥 있기에 

잘생긴 나무는 손질하여 더 멋있게 만들었습니다.

1998년 당시 자연성전에 가꿀 곳을 보니 

아직도 손댈 곳이 많았습니다. 

그러나 사용하는 사람은 사용을 해도 잘 모르고 

사용만 하면 되는 것으로 생각합니다. 

하나님께서 자연성전으로 주신 이곳 월명동은 

옮길 수 없으니, 늘 가꾸어야 합니다. 

그래서 정명석 목사는 나무가 못생겼으면 못 생긴 대로 가꾸고, 

잘생겼으면 잘 생긴 대로 가꾸었습니다. 

당세에 다 이루지 못하면 후대에라도 거대한 나무가 되니 

열심히 가꾸었습니다. 

정명석 목사는 우리만 위해, 당세만 위해서가 아니라 

미래를 위해서 자연성전을 가꾸었습니다.

3-4년 전, 5-6년 전에 손을 댄 곳은 

나무를 사다 심어 놓은 것 같이 멋있게 되었습니다,

그 때는 다 꾀죄죄하여서 할 수 없이 길가 옆에 보이는 곳만 

쳐놨던 나무가 이제는 큰 나무가 되었습니다.  

길가가 아닌 곳은 우선 급한 것이 아니기에 놔두었더니 

그 나무들은 치어서 더 크지를 못하고 있었지만 

그것도 이제 손을 대어 멋지게 만들었습니다.

 -1998년 9월 8일 정명석 목사님의 아침말씀 中-