In 1954, he first preached in a dining hall of a restaurant but eventually transferred the place of worship to his residence along the Kilometer 6 mark in La Trinidad, due to increasing number of devotees. Then known as the "Chinese Buddhist Temple", the temple's membership is composed of primarily ethnic Chinese farmers. Membership continued to grow and the temple had to moved again to its present site along the Kilometer 3 mark in the 1960s and has since then became known as the "Bell Church". With support from the local Chinese community, the house in the current site was converted to a temple.[5]
The Bell Church has five patron saints which represents the religions of Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Confucianism. Its members pray to these saints. According to the group the patron saints are an acknowledgement that the Bell Church temples are open to prayers made by anyone.[6] These faiths are major religions in China.[3]
Philosophy and practice
The philosophy of the group revolves around the bell which it says represents unity. The group believes that religions are "only differences in beliefs" and advocates people regardless of religion to live in harmony by disregarding these differences.[6]
One of the basic principles of the Bell Church is the law of karma and members and devotees are urged to "live morally upright, always help others in need, attend Mass, practice other virtues" which is said to bring good karma.[3]
^ abTan, Chee-beng (August 20, 2014). "Syncretism as Religious Identity". After Migration And Religious Affiliation: Religions, Chinese Identities And Transnational Networks. World Scientific. p. 109. ISBN978-9814590013.