Appendix

Six sections follow the main chapters in the source edition: five appendices from the original 1920 text, and additional material added to the fourth American edition covering the Sadhu’s 1920 visit to the West.

I. The Sadhu and His Father

»SIRDAR SHER SINGH made various attempts from time to time to win back his son, and the Urdu letter on the next page is.one of them. In it he urged that Sundar should marry. “I do not want to ask you what you think, but I order you to get married immediately. Can you not serve your guru, Christ, in a married state ? . . . Does the Christian religion teach disobedience to parents?” He then goes on to say he will leave large sums of money to Sundar if only he will carry on the family name, and also chides him for living in poverty and dressing so poorly. . .

‘In his reply Sundar respectfully reminds his father of the definite call he has had to live the true sadhu life in which marriage is impossible, and that when she became a Christian he gave up all thought of earthly wealth, adding, ““ You are wise and experienced and can do as seems best; as for me, having once put my hand to the plough I will not look back.”

After fourteen years of unswerving: loyalty to Christ Saédhu’s many prayers were gloriously answered when he visited his old home in October, 1919. His aged father welcomed him with joy, and during the few days they were together Sundar had the great happiness of hearing that'his father had at last given his heart to the Saviour

Cine FUNKY A. sf EES EH LUD HEIN NEN fad Raa eae oa

9’. Noa akan ean ‘ Soar

FACSIMILE OF SIRDAR SHER SINGH’S LETTER TO HIS SON. who had so transformed his son. Sirdar Sher Singh earnestly desired baptism at his son’s hands, but, believing that Christ had sent him not to baptize, and in view of the fact that thousands throughout India have been refused the same favour, Sadhu felt that he could not accede to this most natural request.

It is a touching testimony to this happy reunion that Sirdar Sher Singh has made provision for his son to go on a great preaching tour to the West, and by the time this book is in the hands of English readers, Sadhu Sundar Singh will be labouring in their midst.

II. Travelling in Tibet

Upon his yeturn from Tibet last autumn the Sadhu wrote the following account of his journey :—

In the beginning of July, 1919, I left Kotgarh for Tibet in company with a Christian whose Tibetan name is Thaniyat. The Tibetan frontier is nearly 130 miles beyond Kotgarh, and preaching in Hirath, Rempur, Bushaher, Goura, Sachan, Chaura, Tranda, Pounta, Hachar, Kodgaon, Karcha, and Kempheran, we arrived at Yangpa, which is the first town of Tibet. From here for forty miles the country is entirely jungle and there is not a single village or dwelling-place, only here and there a flock of sheep and shepherd come into view. We remained in this wilderness five nights; one night we spent under a tree and another night in a cave; for from now onwards for a long distance there are no trees because of the extreme cold and great height, so that scarcely a blade of grass springs up anywhere. As far as the eye can reach there is nothing but bare mountains and plateaux.

THE CoLD oF THE MOUNTAINS

At a height of 16,000 feet we slept out on the open plain when the cold was so intense that all feeling went out of the body and we became numb all over. The whole of one night the rain fell in torrents, and in the bitter cold we had to sit all night under an umbrella.

This place is a very dangerous one, for many people have died there in the snow.

On July 15 we came to Hangpu La Pass which is nearly 19,000 feet high, where we saw the corpses of three men who had died from the terrific cold. At this great height we could scarcely draw our breath, our heads and lungs were filled with pain, and the beating of our hearts sounded in our ears. Here is a great glacier on which many people have lost their lives, and their bodies have never been recovered to this day. Thanks ‘be to God we passed through this awful place in safety.

On July 16 we arrived at a Tibetan village called Mudh, where the headman received us into his house kindly, and that night he invited an important Lama to dine with us, who understood Hindustani, and we preached the Word. He listened with great attention and pleasure and did not prevent others from hearing also. The next day we went on to Taling and Sangnam and again from there to Inamb, Kveling, Kuring, and Saling, and still further on to Sideng, Sara, Koze, and Rangrig, and preached in every place we passed through.

We then came to Koo Gunra, where there is a large temple. In the building connected with it some 400 Lamas reside, the Head Lama having been sent direct from Lhasa. This Head Lama is connected with Lhasa and was appointed through the Lama Tashi. With him we remained two days and he gave us little trouble, although he was very keen on discussing religion with us,

In PERILS OF RIVERS

In Tibet there are not only one but many kinds of hardships and difficulties. There are no roads, and although there are many streams and rivers there are no bridges to cross them, and the water is always as cold as ice. Wherever the water was shallow enough we were able to swim across, but sometimes the current was so strong and the river bed so full of rocks that ‘swimming became impossible. One day in swimming, across the river Morang I reached the other bank with great difficulty, for the water was so intensely cold that my whole body became stiff and numb. At Thaniyat I fell and went under the water three times and with great straining and difficulty I got out of that river, a river in which many men have sunk never to rise again.

Food is another difficult problem in Tibet. There is nothing to eat and drink in most places except campa or sattu (fried barley flour) and a kind of tea which is mixed with salt and butter. Again and again the fried | barley was so bad that even horses and asses would not eat it. In all these difficulties there was this great comfort, that this was the cross of Christ, and was necessary for the salvation of souls. For me Christ forsook heaven and took upon Himself the burden of the Cross, so that if I have left India to come into Tibet on His behalf to claim souls for Him, it is not a great thing to do; but if I had not come it would have been a dreadful thing, for this is a divine command.

The Sin of Washing Clothes

Tibetan houses are very small and exceedingly dirty. They are built of stones and mud, and the smell of the people is unbearable. In the village of Lara I saw a man who was quite black with dirt, and I think he could not. have had a bath for fifteen years at least. The people’s clothes, although made of white wool, from filth look as if they were made of black leather, because they never wash their clothes. In the village of Kiwar we washed our clothes in a stream and everybody came to see.

They were struck with amazement that we should be doing such a thing. An important Lama said, “ It is all right for sinful men to wash their clothes, but for good people to do so is very bad.”

Although there has been much difficulty in this journey, yet it has been less than at other times. The Lamas in some places received us well and gave us salted tea and fried barley flour to eat. One day they saw that I was uncomfortable because my hair had grown very long. Having no scissors to cut it, four Lamas came along bringing with them an instrument with which they are accustomed to shear the sheep, and with this they cut my hair.

In PERILS oF ROBBERS

From Kiwar we went to Chikan and then on to Skite, Hause, Sasar, and Pangre, and had fine opportunities for preaching, but there were very few dwelling-places, and great fear of many thieves and robbers. One good man said, ‘“ You cannot go without a gun or sword through this place, because many men have been killed here.” I replied, “I have only a blanket and. this Bible—the sword of God—and the Lord of Life is with me;. He will save me.” Therefore, thanks be to Him we went through that dreadful place preaching amongst murderers and doing His work, yet not a single thing happened to give us trouble of any kind. In this place were men whose legs or arms had been cut off by murderers and thieves, but God with great might brought us safely through.

TIBETAN RELIGIOUS PRACTICES

Although Tibetans are horribly dirty and often stupidly ignorant they are also very religious. In some districts the custom is for the eldest son to remain at home to look after the property, and all the remaining sons become Lamas or priests. Many people write upon paper or cloth, texts from their sacred books (of which there are 108 volumes called Khangiryur tangiryur) and hang them as flags above the roofs of their houses. Also they write the sacred words OM MANE PADME HUM many times on paper, and place the roll inside a brass wheel which they continuaHy turn round and round. Some fasten them on watermills, sometimes writing them on stones which they place in a heap and go round them. These, as it were, are their prayers, by which they believe they will gain forgiveness of sins and obtain blessing.

Concerning the true God these people know nothing, but in their religion they have a kind of Trinity which is called Sangi Kunchek, or Buddha God ; Lama Kunchek, or Priest God; and Ghho Kunchek, or. Scripture God. Buddhism entered Tibet about a.p. 629 in the time of King Shang Taing Suganpo, and Lamaism was founded in A.D. 749 by Padmasambhave, who started the first monastery near Lhasa.

In the year a.p. 1640 a Mongolian prince, Gusari Khan, conquered Tibet and made a present to the Grand Lama of Drepung Monastcry with the title of Dalai or Occan who thus became the first King-Priest and is known as the Dalai Lama. His name was Magwan Lobang. Being very ambitious and wanting to combine the rule of the State with the Church, he declared himself an incarnation. of the famous Chenrezing Avalokitesvara, the tutelary deity of Tibet. The Tibetans were no doubt delighted to have as ruler an incarnation of such a divinity, and the scheme worked well, but in order not to offend the older, and in one sense superior, Lama of Troshi Shumpo, he declared this Lama an incarnation of Amitabha. Thus Dalai Lama declared himself an incarnation of Avalokitesvara, while the Tashi Lama is an incarnation of a higher deity, yet it is an impassive deity who cannot meddle with worldly affairs which are left to his spiritual son Avalokitesvara, represented by the Dalai Lama of Tibet.

THe HeErRmMITs OF TIBET

The lives of many Tibetan hermits are very wonderful. They shut themselves in a dark room. Some do this for months, and some for years, and some for the whole of life. They are so shut away that they never see the sun and never come out of doors, but always sitting in the dark they continue turning a prayer-wheel in their hand just as if they were living in a grave. In these small rooms is a tiny window or hole through which ’ the people pass food to these hermits. “I tried to get into conversation with them, but never had a proper opportunity,- and all I could do was to throw some Scripture portion through the hole in the hope they ‘might read it if ever they came out.

This lesson I learnt from them: that if these people will endure such suffering in order to attain Nirvana, in which there is no future life or heavenly happiness nor any hope, believing that salvation lies in exterminating desire and spirit and life, how much more shall we not take up the cross with joy for Christ—the joy of our entrance into eternal life and of His great service who has given and will give us all things ?

In this country, because of the snow and intense cold, there is only one harvest in the year, which is sown in May and reaped in September. In some places wheat, and in others mustard, are sown. Some of the jungly country is beautiful with flowers ; wild onions and even gram are sometimes seen. But alas! all sorts of evil customs and horrible wickedness prevail, the very mention of which is impossible here.

In JouRNEYINGS OFTEN

We went to a number of other places and worked amongst the people, returning by another way through Kyamo, Hal, Maling, Khurik, Sumling, Phiti, and Boldar. My desire was to go alone to Kailash and Rasar, but this year my journey to Tibet was greatly delayed. Between July 80 and August 9 on that side the mountains become thickly covered with snow, and there are many rivers and streams, although some rivers have bridges of ice stretching across them. But there are many rivers which have no bridges at all and they are too dangerous. for swimming, so that it seemed as if every way was closed, and there was no choice but to return. May God grant that in the coming April I may journey to every place. If I had remained until September the heavy snows would have effectually barred my return, and by October it would have been impossible to reach India.

The Firstfruit of Coming Harvest

This time I went forty-eight stages into. Tibet, cach day being about ten miles. I should like to tell of every place I visited, but there is no time for more than this brief account. Those Christians who live in Tibet itself and on the borders, are by God’s grace well as far as I am able to find out. There is a boy in Tsering who knows Hindustani well and was very desirous of returning to India, with me but his mother prevented him. I trust another year he will come with me, and having received further training may become a good preacher amongst his own people in Tibet, so that the seed of God’s Word which has been sown on this journey by His grace may spring up and in His own time bear much fruit. Amen.

SunpDAR SINGH.

III. Tibet and the Great War

III. TrsET AND THE GREAT Wark

Wuttst the first edition of this book was going through the press English papers published the following :—

‘Tibet, the most solitary of the. hermit nations, has come forward with an offer of a hundred thousand men to help fight the battles of democracy on the European front. Our awed imaginations have lingered over the impossible terrors of the road to Lhasa, forbidden on pain of death to outsiders.’ The barred doors swing wide on rusty hinges, and the Grand Lama, most secluded of the world’s monarchs, steps into the fast-running currents of twentieth century history as the friend and defender of democracy.”

The natural prayer of the Christian is that this closed land may now open its doors to the Gospel, and that Sadhu Sundar Singh may “see of the travail of his soul’ in bringing Tibet to the feet of Christ.

IV. The Sikhs

IV. THe Srixus

THE Sikh States lie in the Punjab, roughly speaking between the rivers Ganges and Indus, and are bounded on the north by the mountainous region that separates them from Tibet and the Chinese Empire. The two capitals are Amritsar and Lahore.

Nanak was the first of the Gurus or Teachers of the Sikhs. He was born at Rayapur in 1469. From childhood he was inclined to. devotion and indifferent to worldly concerns. His father sought to divert his mind from religious things, and on one occasion sent him to - transact some business for him, which was to result in financial profit. On thé way Nanak met some hungry fakirs, and divided his father’s money between them, observing, “‘ The gain of this world is transient. I wish to relieve these poor men and thus obtain that gain which is eternal.” After partaking of food the fakirs entered ‘into a long discourse upon the unity of God, with which Nanak was greatly delighted. Returning to his home, his father asked what profit he had brought, and receiving the reply that he had fed the poor, his father abused and even struck him. Rai Bolar, the ruler of the district, hearing of this, interdicted Nanak’s father from ever again treating him in this way, and he himself humbly bowed in veneration before Nanak.

Nanak then, adopting the saffron robe, began to practise the austerities of a holy man, and soon became — cclebrated for the goodness of his life and character. He travelled to many Hindu holy places, and even to Mecca itself, in order to purify the worship of both Hindus and Muhammadans. Wherever he journeyed, he preached the doctrine of the unity and omnipresence of God. Born in a province where these two races were utterly opposed to each other, he yet strove to blend them in one harmonious peace, and to bring them back to a simple and pure religion.

Nanak taught that devotion was due to one God, and idol worship must be banished, his object being to reform, not to destroy, existing religions. Before his death his followers had become a distinct sect, and were known as “ Sikhs,” which means Disciples. In all his writing Nanak borrowed indiscriminately from the Shastras and Qur’4n. Many of the chapters of the Adi Granth were written by Nanak and were in verse. Nanak desired to abolish all caste distinctions, and place all men on an equality. He also declared that the most acceptable offerings to God are morning praise and the presentation of the body to him.

After the death of Nanak other leaders followed to the number of ten, the two most famous of these being Arjun and Govind Singh. A bitter persecution of the new sect by Muhammadan. converted a harmless religious people into a great military commonwealth, determined to avenge the sufferings they had endured. The martyrdom of their pontiff Arjun turned a hitherto inoffensive sect into a band of fanatical warriors. Har Govind, one of their leaders at the time, gave to all his followers the honourable name of “ Singh”’ (Lion), and the order that no Singh should allow his hair to be cut was issued at the same time.

Govind Singh, the tenth and last of the great Sikh leaders or pontiffs, wrote a large part. of the tenth book of the Granth, and held a place in the esteem of his followers at least equal to Nanak himself. Under Govind Singh the Sikhs assumed the character and rank of a military nation. Before his death he made the promise that whenever five Sikhs should meet together he would be present amongst them.

The temples of the Sikhs are generally plain buildings with a flat roof and sufficiently large to hold a number of worshippers, who stand during service. The forms of prayer and praise are simple. Portions of the Granth are read or sung, and the priest exhorts the people to “ meditate on the Book.” Daily worship is performed by pious Sikhs and portions of their scriptures are read. Sikhs believe that they were placed by their last and most revered pontiff Govind under the peculiar care of God.

V. Some of the Sadhu's Illustrations

THE Sadhu’s addresses go to the root of fundamental things such as repentance, faith, sacrifice. Almost every point is illustrated by some parable from nature or some actual experience. The following are examples :

Humility.—A poor Indian of the sweeper caste became. a Christian, and a high caste man who knew him was much struck by the great change in him. -‘ You used to come and sweep my house; you had no education, and yet I cannot help honouring you. What has changed you?”

The sweeper tried to explain the new life that had come to him, but still the high caste man did not understand. Especially he wondered at one thing: “ You are so good, and yet you are not proud!” —

“Why should I be proud?” asked the sweeper. “When Christ rode an ass into Jerusalem, people brought clothes and laid them upon the road. Yet the feet of our Lord did not tread on them, only the ass walked over them. Who ever heard of such honour being done to the feet of an.ass? It was only. because the ass carried Christ. When He had done riding the ass, the beast was of no account. So I am of no account, only I am as it were bearing Christ, and it is Him you honour. If He left me I should be nothing at all.”

Union with and Life in God.—From our own experience we do become united with God, yet we do not become

God. If a piece of cold iron is placed in a hot fire it will glow because the fire is in it. Yet we cannot say that the iron is fire or the fire is iron. So in Jesus Christ we retain our identity; He in us and we in Him, but with our own individuality.

Again we breathe air, yet man is not air nor is the’ air man. So we breathe by prayer the Holy Spirit of God, but we are not God. Some time ago I saw two villages in the Himalayas that were separated by an impassable mountain. The direct distance between the two was not great, but the journey round took travellers a week to accomplish. A man in one of the villages determined to make a tunnel through this mountain, declaring he would give his life to do it if necessary. He started on the work, and in the attempt he did actually lose his life. When I heard of it I thought this mountain was like the wali of our sin keeping us away from God. Jesus Christ came and made a Living Way by giving His life.. He gave His life of His own will, and the way is open to all who unreservedly accept Him as their Saviour.

The Better Part.—Once when I was crossing the mountains I met a girl.. She was of good family and was on pilgrimage, and her: bare feet were bleeding. In answer to my question she said, “I am looking for rest and peace, and I hope to get them before I get to the end of this pilgrimage. If I do not I shall drown. myself.” I saw she was in earnest. I thought how strange it is that people who are born Christians and have these great gifts without taking all this trouble should care so little for them, while this wealthy girl had given up her home and all she cared most for to seek salvation. She did not find peace on that pilgrimage, but she met a missionary who told her about Christ. I saw her afterwards and she told me that she had found all and more than she had sought, adding, “ Men may kill me if they like. I have found that better part that shall never be taken away from me.”

Ye are the Light of the World.—The wick of a lamp must burn and lose itself in order that the light may shine. The wick is between the oil and the: flame. There may be plenty of oil, but if there be no wick there can be no light. So to give hght to others we must be ready to sacrifice ourselves.

Ye are the Salt of the Earth.—If salt is to be of use it must be dissolved. So long as it remains in a dry lump it cannot give flavour to our food, but when it is dissolved every grain of rice has its proper taste and the food is good. So with individual Christians; they must always be giving of themselves. They may seem to disappear and be lost, but that is not actually the case. They live in the lives of those for whom they have given themselves, and their influence remains. ;

Safe in Christ——We are small, the attraction of the earth is great. But powerful as is the force of the earth, when we grasp anything in our hand the attraction of the earth cannot draw it away. So when we are in the hand of Christ earthly things can have no power over us, for in His keeping we are safe.

God in Christ.—Hindus are very fond of saying that God is in everything. I once came to a river which I had to cross. There was no boat to carry me over, and I stood wondering how it could be managed. Then a man called my attention to a deflated water-skin, and said that was the only way to get across. So we inflated it with air and I crossed over in safety. Then the thought came to me that there was plenty of air all round me, but it was incapable of helping me in my difficulty until it was confined in the narrow space of the water-skin. So it is as unreasonable to deny the necessity of the Incarnation of Christ as to declare that the air-filled leather boat was of no use to help in crossing that river.

Our Helplessness.—The little chicken in its shell lives in a very circumscribed and narrow world of its own. It is receiving its mother’s warmth and care .all the time, but it is unconscious of them because it cannot see or know her. It has wings, but they are closely folded and it cannot use them. So it is with us until God calls us out into His abundant life.

Abundant Life—I once knew a man who was very sick and could not rise from his bed. His house caught fire, and he strove to get out, but he had no strength. He cried aloud, and with al! his small stock of strength he struggled to get out of the burning room. He had life, but it was not enough to save him, and so he was burnt to death. Another man came by before the fire was over, and he was able to put it out, because he had abounding strength, but he was too late to save the sick man. Another man I knew was very ill, and he had lost all sense of taste. Pleasant dishes of food were prepared for him, but he disliked them and would not cat them, and so he got weaker and weaker. Many Christians have lost their taste for spiritual things. They have life, but there is not abundant life. Buddhism and Hinduism teach many good things, but only Chrisi offers this abundant life, and it is only by experience that anyone can really understand the difference between life and this abundant life which is the gift of Christ.

The Necessity of Suffering.—A silkworm was struggling out of the cocoon, and an ignorant man saw it battling as if in pain, so he went and helped it to get free, but very soon after it fluttered and died. The other silkworms that struggled out without help suffered, but they came out into full life and beauty with wings made strong for flight by their battle for fresh existence. —

The Water of Life——Some time ago a party of men were travelling in Tibet. One of them became very thirsty, but there was no water. As they went on they saw some pools surrounded by marshy ground, where the thirsty man determined to quench his thirst. Those who knew the nature of the country begged him to wait until they should reach a safe place, but he would not listen, and said he would take care. He plunged ahead towards a pool, and filling his hands began to drink. He called to his friends to tell them he had got his heart’s desire, and even as he spoke he began to sink in the morass. Soon he was half buried, and no one “could venture near to draw him out, and his companions looked helplessly on as he sank and at length he disappeared, miserably perishing as so many do who | drink the water of a sinful life.

Added Appendices to the Fourth American Edition

A World Evangel

“The glorious gospel of the blessed God was committed to my trust. And I thank Jesus Christ who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, . .. that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all long suffering, for a pattern to them who should hereafter believe on Him to everlasting life.’—1 Timothy 1. 11-17.

Going West.—Towards the end of 1919 a few of the Sadhu’s friends heard that he was contemplating a journey to England, but when early in 1920 he sent them word that it was imminent, the news came almost as a bolt from the blue. Arrangements were so hurried that little could be done in preparation, and many of his friends were in ignorance of his plans right up to the time of his departure. One reason for this was that the Sadhu desired to go West unheralded in order that God who had called him to ‘go, should be free to open doors of service which elaborate arrangements might have rendered impossible. He had his desire, for by the time his friends were able to write to England he was on his way thither.

Whilst numbers of people were anxiously awaiting passages the Sadhu obtained one immediately, getting an entire cabin to himself, thus allowing privacy for devotion and rest. The ares previous to his departure a farewell meeting was held in Bombay. One present said,

“To many matter-of-fact natures the thoughts of a mystic are unfathomable . . . but to those who heard him speak .. . one lasting impression remains, that of a soul that has seen Christ face to face, and to whom there can be but one object in life—Christ Himself. Few could listen to the story of the Sikh lad who sought so earnestly after truth, without their deepest feelings being stirred. St. Paul after he had seen the heavenly vision, could but testify to it.

“Now I not only know about Christ; I have seen Him,” says Sadhu of the twentieth century; and as he tells the story, you feel with him the surprise he felt when after his earnest prayer

. suddenly Christ stood before him.”

The Sadhu left Bombay by the “ City of Cairo” on January 16th and after an uneventful voyage landed at Liverpool on February 10th.

Amongst Quakers—The Sadhu began his work in England first at the request of the Society of Friends: he went from the north to Birmingham to be the guest of Principal Hoyland. In speaking to the students of the Friends’ Missionary Training College his somewhat limited vocabulary in English embarrassed him. One student said that the Sadhu had cleared his doubts with regard to the Atonement. Like his Master he lives above all wrangling sects and creeds, and the Sadhu’s appeal should reach the West through this very channel, since regardless of dividing opinions and doctrines he serves all, ceaselessly calling men back to visions of Christ so transcending all man-made divisions that have for so long held back the visible church from claiming a sin-wracked world for her Lord.

Amongst the Cowley Fathers.—In India the Sadhu had experienced much sympathetic kindness from the Cowley Fathers in Poona, and they gave him an introduction to their Father Superior at Oxford. So from

Birmingham he went down to Oxford, and both there and in London he was their guest. In Oxford he preached in the Church of St. John the Evangelist, spoke at Mansfield College, Somerville College for Women, and in the far-famed Hall of Balliol College to a packed audience of undergraduates. Passing on to London ke was for a few days the guest of Mr. Barber, and his first sermon in the metropolis wa: preached at the Blackheath Congregational Church, which for so long has been associat d with the School for the Sons of Nonconformist Missionaries.

By that time the Cowley Fathers had completed their arrangements, and a sma!l handbill was circulated inviting attendance at his meetings in which it was said,

‘In meetings which he has recently addressed in Oxford he made a deep impression by his transparent devotion to Christ, and the freshness and simplicity of his message.”

So hurried, however, were the arrangements that over large areas of London it was difficult to get news of his programme. The next few days large numbers crowded to St. Matthew’s Church, Westminster, and St. Bride’s Church, Fleet Street. London papers gave accounts of his work, and his picture appeared in many of them. One who was present at St. Bride’s spoke of the Sadhu as “ an instrument perfected for a purpose” and continued: “ Possibly for the first time in City records a preacher from the Far East nas come to refresh the religion of the West. There was no scene during the sermon, no sign of emotional stress, but nearly everyone knelt in prayer at the end,—an unusual thing in these general congregations—and went out very gravely into the rush of Fleet Street.” —

The Westminster Gazette said of him:

“His smile irradiates a strong Eastern face and when he unbends as with little children, he becomes a winsome personality and immediately wins their confidence. This morning as he entered the little room of the Cowley Fathers I thought I had never seen such a remarkable Eastern figure. His hair and beard are black, and the skin is a wonderfully clear olive. His garb is that of the Indian ascetic, and his tall manly figure adds dignity to the flowing robe. On his feet were sandals, which, however, he discards in his own country. es have our castes in India,’ he explained to me, ‘ our high castes and our low castes, and people o not understand you if you say that having embraced Christianity you belong to this sect or that. They think it is another caste. JI am free to go anywhere and there is no barrier of sect.’ He is carrying out his principles in England in a notable manner. High Churchmen like Father Bull and Evangelical Churchmen like the Rev. Cyril Bardesley are associated with his visit. The Bishop of London is to preside over a meeting of London clergy, when Sadhu Sundar Singh will speak. At the same time he is speaking in Westminster Chapel for Dr. Jowett, and in the Metropolitan Tabernacle for the Baptists. He is just teaching Western people the true Catholic spirit from Eastern lips.”

Amongst the Bishops.—On March 9 the Sadhu met and talked for an hour with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the following day he spoke at the Church

House, Westminster, to some 700 clergy of the Church of England, including the Archibishop of Canterbury and six Bishops; probably the first occasion when Churchmen of all shades of opinion met together to welcome one to whom sect is nothing, but Christ is all.

Varied Engagements—The Sadhu then went to Cambridge, and as at Oxford besides other meetings, he took one for undergraduates at Trinity College. ‘Returning to London he fulfilled some engagements for the Y. M, C. A., spoke at the annual meeting of the London City Mission, the Central Missionary Conference for Great Britain, went down to Brighton and thence on to Paris to address the meeting of the Paris Evangelical Missionary Society.

On April 1 he occupied the pulpit of Dr. Jowett at Westminster, who introduced him with the words, “T feel it an exceptional honour to have beside me in my pulpit a native Christian from India who has been so manifestly blessed in Christian work.”

The following day, Good Friday, the Sadhu spoke to a packed audience of Christian Endeavourers in the Metropolitan Tabernacle, forever associated with the name of Charles Spurgeon. The London Daily Chronicle in reporting this mecting asks: ‘‘ How is it that the Sadhu has so manifestly captured the religious world within the short space of six weeks? . . . The secret of this man’s power lies in his utter self-abandonment to a high ideal. . . . It is surely a token of good that we of. the West, who are so obsessed with the materialistic spirit of the age have come in close contact with one who stands for the supremacy of the spiritual.”

The Sadhu did some work in Scotland and Ireland, returning to London for the large gatherings usually held there in May. In Albert Hall ten thousand listened to him at the Church Missionary Society’s meeting and many could not gain admission. The London Missionary Society’s meeting was no less successful, when Dr. Garvie characterised his speaking with the words, ‘ Without a parable spake he not unto them.’ ‘ His Eastern illustrations and parables have a peculiar charm for Western audiences.’ One little child who heard him said, “ He talks in parables like Jesus.”

To the Sadhu the most interesting of all these meetings was the British and Foreign Bible Society’s Annual Meeting. All his Christian life he has felt a deep debt to this noble Society, and when asked to speak he most gladly bore his witness to the power of the Bible in bringing men to Christ. He much appreciated being made an honorary life member of the Bible Society.

In reflecting on the Sadhu’s presence in Scotland Dr. Maclean says,

“Tt is amazing how history repeats itself. Christianity goes through an endless cycle of death and resurrection. ong ago Christianity became a barren field for intellectual feats and it perished. The churches of Cyprian, Tertullian, Augustine were swept out of existence; cathedrals were converted into barracks. But Christianity is imperishable, and out of the East it will come again. The Sadhu is perhaps the the first of the new apostles to rekindle the fire on dying altars. -

“To conquer the world one must count the world as nought. Here is a man who asks nothing of the world, and the multitudes throng at his feet. We have forgotten. . . . The church has again to learn the lesson that only they who renounce the world can hope to conquer it. It may be that Sadhu Sundar Singh was sent by God to impress this vital truth upon our hearts and consciences.”

In America.—Dr. Jowett and others introduced the Sadhu to the American people. Curiously enough, when it was known that he was going to America there were good people who feared the result. Sincerely believing that his mission to the States would be more likely to arouse curiosity than accomplish any great spiritual purpose, a number of devout persons met together for prayer in New York to ask for God’s overruling provideuce in the matter.

There was no time for suitable arrangements to be made before the Sadhu’s arrival. The Pond Lyceum Bureau offered to arrange a full programme covering the States, and venturing the opinion that as a business proposition it would be an even greater success than the one they had carried through for Rabindranath Tagore. They published preliminary announcements, but when the Sadhu realised. what it meant he declined to have anything to do with it. The National Bible Institute then made necessary arrangements covering a couple of months, when the Sadhu was due to leave for Australia. For half of that time he was happy in having the companionship of Mr. Frank Buchman of Hartford Theological Seminary, who wrote afterwards, saying, é

“T agree with the newspaper reporters of America who interviewed him ‘Nearer the Christ than any living man we have seen.’ The leading papers gave him ample space. His pictures appeared in the movies, and he was able to reach influential and lay circles in the various cities. He is Spirit taught, and has almost a medium-like gift of sensing people and situations.

“ He brings the message of the Supernatural which this age needs. Men simply flocked to hear him that he had scarcely time for his meals. I have just received a letter from the head mistress of a preparatory school. She said there was a veil of light on every boy’s face as he left the Sadhu’s meeting. He said a true word when he predicted that America would have no spiritual leaders fifty years hence if she kept up her present pace. He has a practical message for America.”

In writing to the pastors of Hartford Bishop Brewster gave one of the chief reasons the Sadhu had in visiting America:

“The Sadhu is a remarkable and significant person in the Christian world to-day,” he writes. .“‘ He is specially anxious to counteract the influence of the many Swamis and other people who have been over in Europe and America trying to capture certain types of mind for Theosophy, Hindu Mysticism, etc.”

On May 29 the Sadhu was at Union Theological Seminary in New York. Then followed engagements in Hartford, Baltimore, Pittston, Princeton University, Brick Presbyterian Church, and the Marble Collegiate Church (New York), Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Boston and other cities. On June 25 he went to Silver Bay Students’ Conference, and spent four days addressing eight hundred students and their leaders. Early in July he was in Chicago, and passed on to Iowa, Kansas and other places, finally arriving at San Francisco, where his journey and work in America ended.

A marconigram was sent to Honolulu to tell the people that the Sadhu would be passing through en route for Australia, and during the few hours his steamer remained in that port he went ashore to preach. Whilst in America the Sadhu met with several of the chief religious leaders, amongst whom were Dr. Fosdick and Dr. Robert Speer. He was entertained in one place by Mrs. Stokes, the mother of his friend and fellow-sadhu of former days.

On July 20 the Sadhu left America for Australia.

In Australia.—The steamer spent one day at Honolulu, when Hawaiian, Chinese, Filipinos, Japanese, English and Americans gathered to the number of four hundred to hear the Sadhu. On August 10 he landed in Sydney, and for a week he held meetings in churches, chapels and the University buildings. A Sydney paper, commenting on one meeting, said,

“One could never forget Tuesday morning, August 17th, when the Sadhu walked into the grounds of St. Andrew’s Cathedral to address a meeting of '700 clergy and others in the Chapter House. It was the nearest conception one could form of what our Lord must have been like when He walked the streets of the Holy City of old, for the very presence of the Sadhu brought with it an atmosphere of things Christ-like and during the twenty minutes he was speaking there was not a sound. And now he has gone back to his own land, but ere he went he left us a new vision of the Christian Saviour.”

He spent his thirty-first birthday in Adelaide. In Melbourne Bishop Langley took the chair at his meeting in a Congregational Chapel, and the Sadhu was told that this was the first occasion that an Anglican Bishop had presided or taken part in a service in @ nonconformist place of worship in that city. People of varying creeds in all the towns of Australia where he called seemed to forget their differences, and united to give him a hearty welcome.

At Perth the Sadhu was forcibly taken from the ship and had to arrange to leave by a later steamer. The meetings in the Cathedral and Victoria Hall when the Archbishop of Perth presided, were very large. There was no building large enough to hold the crowds, and overflow meetings had to follow, necessitating his speaking twice following.

On September 25 the Sadhu landed in Bombay. His ship had called at Colombo and he had spoken at a meeting there, but had declined an urgent invitation to remain for further work.

India and Rest.—In spite of being obliged to speak much at large gatherings the Sadhu is no lover of great crowds, so that his popularity of later years has been a trial to him. Partly because of this and partly because of the need of rest he felt obliged to disappoint his friends in Ceylon, for to stay there would inevitably have meant touring through South India as well, and repeating the experiences of 1918. He therefore continued his journey to Bombay, and proceeded immediately to Sabathu for a period of prayerful quiet and meditation.

Before starting out-on his winter canipaign he wrote more than two hundred letters during the time he was resting. ‘The remainder of the year was spent in evangelistic work in towns and villages and conferences and conventions in the United Provinces, Chota Nagpur, Bengal and the Panjab.

The early months of 1921 were spent in writing a book entitled “ Maktab i Masih” or “ The School of Christ.” Each chapter dealt with such all-important matters as ““The Manifestation of the Presence of God,” “Sin and Salvation,” “ Prayer,” “ Service,” ‘“ The Cross and the Mistery of Suffering,” ‘“ Heaven and

Hell”: and like his preaching was, as he expressed it, “written in the language of illustration.”

Owing to his departure to Tibet the proofs could not be corrected, and the book did not appear until towards the end of 1921, when three separate editions in Urdu, Roman-Urdu and Hindi were published. An English translation in India and also in England gives this book to English-speaking people everywhere.

After the completion of the book Sadhu Sundar Singh made an evangelistic tour in North India, going in May to Khandesh to preach at a large Christian mela, and this was practically his last piece of work before starting for Tibet.

Tibet, 1921.—The following part-account of his work in Tibet was written by the Sadhu himself in English immediately upon his return, and now appears for the first time: “ We started for Tibet in the beginning of May from Kotgarh by way of Simla and Sabathu. Tibet is about 150 miles from Kotgarh. At Kulu we had good opportunities to preach the gospel and distribute gospel portions among travellers and the people of villages on the way.

“There are some hot springs in Kulu districts some are good for bathing, and some of them are too hot, so that the water is always boiling. Travellers often put their rice tied up in cloths to boil and the rice is cooked in fifteen minutes. Once a boy fell into these boiling springs, and in a few minutes he was taken out dead.

A Dangerous Pass.—‘‘About 160 miles from Simla is the Rotang Pass, about 14,000 feet high. It is a very dangerous pass and travellers never cross over it before the 15th of May. The road is closed for seven months in the year on account of snow, and after twelve o’clock in the day a terrible wind blows there which throws travellers over the precipice into a deep valley. Hundreds of people and animals have lost their lives here. A few miles from this place is the source of the river Beas, one of the five great rivers of the Panjab. It is said that the Hindu Saint who compiled the Vedas spent several years in prayer and meditation in a cave near this spot.

“We had many difficulties in crossing this Pass on May 30th. Snow fell and it was very cold, and when we crossed it was snowing. The effect of the bitter wind was painful, for it caused our skin to peel off, but thank God we got over without any loss of life. Snow slips are bad here. Once a whole village was buried and not a soul was saved. After crossing the Pass we arrived at Khaksar, and preaching in Sissu, Gandhal and in other villages, and arrived in Kyelang, one of the three Moravian mission stations near Tibet. There are nearly forty Lad’akhi and Tibetan Christians in this place, which is about 200 miles beyond Simla, but no European missionary since the War. We had a good meeting of some thirty people.

In Labours Oft.—‘ 1, with my two companions, one of them a Tibetan Christian, now entered Tibet by another route. In Western Tibet we found good opportunities to preach the Gospel and distributed several hundreds of gospel portions and tracts. We. visited thirty-seven towns and villages, including Chuprang, Gnanama and Rukhshak. Although some of the lamas were opposed to us the village people heard us gladly. We also visited some monasteries and caves, and the monks and hermits promised to read the Scriptures we gave them, though they did not like us to talk for more than fifteen minutes to them.

In Dangers Oft.—‘ It is not safe and easy to travel in Tibet. There are no roads at all and it is very thinly populated country. One may go sixty or seventy miles and never see a village; the only people living in these wildernesses being Gypsies who sleep in tents or caves and live by robbing people. There are also wolves and wild yaks, and many have lost their lives in passing through these desert places. One day 1 was ahead of my companions when I saw a wild yak come running towards me. Unfortunately there was no tree up which I might climb, but there was a large rock near by and I ran and climbed up and sat upon it. The furious beast began to run round about the rock, but I was safe, and I began to pray and thank God for this refuge. Thinking about the Rock of Ages I had a wonderful peace in my heart. When my friends saw the yak from a distance they began to shout, and on hearing the noise the Gypsies came out of their tents and caves, and the yak was driven away with stones. We decided to spend the night with the Gypsies; but now there was another danger, for wild people are more dangerous than wild animals. These robbers took everything from us by force, but thank God they did not take our lives. I said to them, ‘ You have taken away everything from us, but we have something more to give you,” and I began to preach. They listened and were deeply moved, when the Holy Spirit began to work in their hearts. They asked me to forgive them for robbing us, and gave us back everything they had taken from us.

‘Now there was another difficulty. The Gypsies prepared tea for us with salt and butter instead of milk and sugar, and when one of them began to pour out for me in a cup, I asked him to let me wash the cup first. In reply he said, ‘O how can this be? You are our honoured guest, we cannot allow you to cleanse the cup; I will do it for you.’ He put out his tongue, which was at least six inches long, and began to lick the inside of the cup. His tongue was long enough to reach the bottom of the cup. When he had finished he filled it with tea, and I then washed the cup and threw the tea away. He was much surprised to see this, and my Tibetan companion explained to him that it was the custom with Indians to wash their hands and vessels before meals. The Gypsy replied that this was a very foolish thing, because in that case the stomach should be washed every day.

“We then drank our tea with simpa or fried barley flour, and after prayer we went to sleep for we were very tired. Next morning, after telling them more about our Saviour and praying with them, we continued our journey to a village some thirty miles away.”

A World Evangel No. 2.—After his return from ‘Tibet the Sadhu spent the winter of 1921 in evangelistic tours in the Panjab and United Provinces. Several visits also had to be made in preparation for a contemplated visit west again, and also for the assistance und direction of two young sadhus who were receiving training.

Sadhu Sundar Singh’s somewhat hurried journey through England, America and Australia in 1920 had the result of taking him West again in 1922. So, early in the year, Sadhu Sundar Singh reached Bombay to make final arrangements. To his intense joy passports were granted him for Egypt and Palestine as well as for Europe, and an invitation to be the guest in these countries of Sir William Willcocks. K. C. M. G., completed the Sadhu’s happiness. Just before sailing he had time to accept an invitation to spend a couple of days with Mahatma Gandhi (a visit of no political significance) in the jungle. On January 28 he embarked on S. S. Caledonia, and leaving the steamer at Port Said, he immediately crossed over to Palestine.

In the Holy Land.—The greatest desire of his heart during sixteen years of Christian life now had its fulfilment, and who can tell what great experiences the Sadhu passed through as he trod in the footprints of the Son of Man! As he passed from place to place every detail of the written records of his Lord poured in upon his mind. The changes of centuries under foreign and cruel domination could not change for him the great fact that it was here his Lord had lived, worked, suffered, died and risen triumphant over death. To him a subtle spiritual atmosphere pervaded every scene, so that his soul overflowed with gladness and the spirit of praise and prayer.

Hours were spent in prayer on Olivet and in the Garden of Gethsemane, during which the Sadhu was conscicus of a great re-consecration; it seemed as if Christ Himself stood there, and spoke to him as He had done to His disciples, “ Peace be unto you; as my Father hath sent Me, even so send I you,” and rising from his knees he knew that he was being sent forth as a witness into all the world.

Through all these wonderful days, passing from Jerusalem through Bethany, Jericho, the Dead Sea, the river Jordan (in which he bathed), Bethlehem, Hebron, Rama, Bethel, Nazareth, Tiberias, Magdala, Capernaum, the Sea of Galilee and other holy spots, the Sadhu was all the time intensely conscious of the personal presence of Christ. “He is always with me wherever I go; He is walking with me at my right hand.”

He preached in the Cathedral in Jerusalem and spoke at other services, and then passed on to Cairo, where he preached in the American Church and again to Coptic Christians in Old Cairo. He visited the Pyramids, and was taken to a church which is supposed to occupy the site of the house where Jesus lived after the flight into Egypt.

The following Sunday the Sadhu preached in Marseilles, and from thence pushed on to Switzerland, to undertake the most strenuous tour of his life.

In Switzerland—The Sadhu reached Lausanne on February 27, and on the following day commenced his work at a town called Bienne, where a large meeting was held. But in point of numbers this was eclipsed at an open air meeting at Tavannes the next day. People came from all the villages round, over three thousand of them. Many climbed trees to get a better position, and at the close some of them said, “ This — | is a new religion, though it is about the same Saviour.” The day following snow began to fall, but apparently this in no way hindered the people, who gathered from far and near in a great crowd at a village up amongst the snowy mountains, in order to hear the Old Story told again in a quite new way.

In Geneva Sadhu Sundar Singh preached twice in Reformation Hall where the League of Nations had held its meetings, and although this was a large build- — ing thousands came and many had to be turned away. He also spoke at a meeting specially for ministers when over two hundred preachers gathered to hear him. From Geneva he passed to Neuchatel, where it was estimated ten thousand came to hear his message and many conversions appear to have taken place. After visiting other towns he then entered German Switzerland, and preached in Basle, Berne, Thun, Zurich, St. Gall and other cities, and on March 29 he completed a heavy programme of work in that country.

In Germany.—Passing from Switzerland into Germany the Sadhu wrote: “ Yesterday I went to Wittenberg, the Cradle of the Reformation. I saw the house in which Martin Luther used to live, and the Church where he used to preach. On the door of the Church he wrote ninety-five articles about the Reformation, and he is buried in the same old Church. This evening I am speaking in the Church.” He also spoke to the theological students and professors in that ancient town.

In Halle he met representatives of all the great missionary bodies in Germany at a Conference and spoke to them, and at Leipzig amongst other meetings he preached in the University to the professors and students. At Hamburg, Berlin, Kiel and other cities he preached, and had scarcely time to write even most necessary letters, but he described the meetings as “very large and blessed.”

In Sweden.—On April 13th he reached Tyringe to commence a month of hard travelling and continuous work, which again covered a large programme for cities and villages all over the country. On the way thither he spent a short time at Copenhagen and breakfasted with the Bishop there. After speaking in large meetings in Helsingborg, Lund and other places the Sadhu went to Upsala where he was the guest of the Archbishop, who also translated for him in the Cathedral, University and elsewhere. Just before the arrival of the Sadhu the Archbishop of Upsala had completed writing a book called “ Luther and Sundar Singh,” a title that called forth some astonishment among the people of the country that the name of Sundar Singh should be coupled with that of one whom all Swedes reverence in a high degree. Some pregnant remarks taken from an article by the Archbishop written for the International Review of Missions on “ Christian Mysticism in an Indian Soul” appear in the end of this book.

Passing from the city of Stockholn the Sadhu visited many smaller places. ‘I am speaking in some of the beautiful villages of this country, and people come in from seventy miles to the meetings.” Letters received from those present at those gatherings tell of how special trains had to be run to carry the numbers of people anxious to hear him to the places where he was preaching, and one writer says: ‘We have never seen such times before.” Both in Stockholm and smaller towns the largest buildings could not hold the crowds, and often people arrived some hours beforehand and stood waiting patiently, occasionally in bad weather, until the meetings took place.

Both in Switzerland and Sweden great numbers who had given God no part in their lives, under the Sadhu’s ministry surrendered themselves to Christ, and not only was there a revival of spiritual life amongst careless people, but fresh faith was born in the hearts of many as to the power of the Gospel to meet the needs of all nations. This resulted in many giving contributions towards missionary work who had dropped doing so, and others heard the divine call to carry the gospel to souls in other lands where Christ is little known.

The Russian Comtesse de Korff records that ‘the Sadhu’s powerful messages, which we had the privilege to hear, have been translated into Russian and blessed. to many. We pray for him every day, and we shall follow him on our knees everywhere.”

In Norway, Denmark and Holland.—From Sweden the Sadhu went.on to Norway, but as the time was getting short he was only able to give ten days to that country. He went to Hurdal, some sixty miles north of the capital and held a large meeting there. In Christiania he had several meetings, one of which was for University students only. Over 3,000 listened breathlessly to his discourse at one of the big gatherings in this city. After visiting other places, on May 24th he left for Denmark.

Even before this time the Sadhu was experiencing great fatigue and much weariness of brain and body, due io continual speaking in a foreign language, with much travelling, and also to the complete strangeness of his surroundings. As in South India in 1918 nobody seemed to realise that he was ever exhausted or needed rest, and the long unbroken toil in an atmosphere as foreign as the languages of the people, wore down his spirit. He longed not only for rest of body but for those periods of quiet meditation and prayer which are the very breath of his existence and source of his power. The need became so insistent that all requests from Kngland had to be cancelled or negatived, with the exception of a long promised visit to Keswick. Insistent calls to Finland, Russia, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Servia, Roumania, the West Indies, America and New Zealand had also to be declined, and an immediate return to India following the Keswick Convention was arranged for.

Arrived in Denmark the Sadhu spent three days in Copenhagen, and besides speaking at several meetings he received a call to visit the Dowager Empress of Russia at the King’s palace, and on May 27th this remarkable interview took place. At its close when the Sadhu rose to go Her Impcrial Majesty desired him to bless her. With humility he replied that he was not worthy to bless anyone, since his hands had once torn up the Scriptures, but that His piercéd Hand alone could bless her or anyone.

He then passed on to Liselund, Odense, Aarhus, Herning and Tinglev. At a place called Slagelse the crowds were so great that a meeting had to take place in a large garden, where hundreds of people stood for hours before the commencement. Many occupied the trees and sat on the roofs of surrounding houses, and whilst the Sadhu bore witness to the power of Christ to save men, giving his own experiences in testimony, tears rolled unheeded down the faces of scores of those who heard.

The same thing happened at Nyborg, the Danish Keswick, when deep waves of silent emotion swept over the assembled crowds in token of their response to the personal witness of one who loves his Lord above all else.

On June 2 there was an immense open air meeting at Herning, which vividly recalled to the Sadhu’s mind the Syrian Convention in North Travancore at which he had spoken four years before. More than 15,000 people from far and near amidst a great silence received the message of God, which fell on many hearts prepared by His Holy Spirit to receive it. The last meeting in Denmark was at Tinglev, where he spoke to over 9,000 people, and here, as in many other places, numbers bore witness to the spiritual blessing they had received.

On June 5 the Sadhu left for Holland, and, passing through Hamburg, was a second time entertained by Frau Bauer, a lady of the Royal House of Austria and an earnest Christian. In Holland Baron Von Boetzlaer not only entertained him, but also made arrangements for his work. Meetings were held in the pretty old town of De Bilt, in Groningen, Arnheim, Lunderen, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Amsterdam, and at

Utrecht the students of four Universities met for a special gathering to hear him.

In Journeyings Often.—When the Sadhu landed in England it was apparent to the few old friends who. saw him that he was utterly exhausted nervously and physically. Had it been possible for him to leave immediately for India at that time it would have been better for his own sake, but he felt obliged to fulfil a promise to speak at the Keswick Convention, and the time of waiting tried him. Many invitations to stay with friends were declined. One such invitation from a lady who had never seen him, touched the Sadhu’s heart. She was a great sufferer herself and found it . hard to move abroad, but hearing that he was very tired and suffering from his throat, she not only offered him what would have been the quietest possible place of retirement, but herself undertook a journey of 360 miles to see whether a specialist or any other help was required. The éxpense of the long journey and the - painful fatigue were gladly borne if only she might do something for him.

As week succeeded week it became more apparent that six months in the West of such continuous work had been too great a tax in many ways. The cost of doing this work and of living this life for so long can hardly be realised by those for whom it was done. People who have come under the personal influence of the Sadhu will understand that atmosphere means much to a man who is always working at high pressure in the spiritual realm. For more than sixteen years the Sadhu has been accustomed to a freedom with no bounds of time or place. He loves the cpen air by night and the open spaces by day, where without any eye to watch he can be alone with his Lord. In such an atmosphere he lives and gathers to himself those reserves of strength and peace which characterise him.

In the rush and hurry of the West no such periods of quiet of even the shortest duration were ever afforded him. Launched into one country after another where dull skies blotted out the sun, and religious work almost took on the aspect of unceasing business: the cast-iron tyranny of arrangements and hours held him like a forest bird imprisoned in an atmosphere that suffocated and sapped his vitality.

In a quict home in the Isle of Wight he somewhat recovered his serenity, but even there he could not be prevailed upon to go abroad for exercise. He went away to South Wales for a week-end of preaching, and eventually left for Keswick Convention towards the middle of July.

In England.—"The Sadhu only emerged “vom his seclusion on two occasions, namely to speak at the Keswick Convention on July 19-22, and to fulfil a long overdue promise to visit Porth in South Wales.” A Sunday with three good meetings fulfilled this promise to the Welsh people, and the Sadhu enjoyed his brief ministry among them.

At Keswick he spoke several times. For the benefit of many who could not be present, as well for those who had that privilege his sermon is reproduced further on. At a meeting for ministers the Sadhu spoke on Soul-winning, when he made a significant. remark.

“He reminded his hearers that when our Lord called certain of Flis disciples they were fishermen, and He turned them into fishers of inen. But after the crucifixion they went back to their old calling, and when Christ found them again they had ceased to be fishers of men,’ and were once more fishermen.

And some ministers to-day instead of being fishers of men are merely fishermen.”

Much blessing followed his work. Many consecrated themselves to mission work and hundreds of others received spiritual uplift and inspiration.

From Keswick he went to spend a night with Bishop Welldon at Durham at the Deanery. Writing from here the Sadhu said, “ This is not a simple place for a sadhu, but where the Lord sends me there I have to go; sometimes in the palace and often in huts and the open air.

He then went down to London for a few days and on Friday, July 28, he embarked for India on the P. & O. S. S. Plassey, proceeding to Bombay.

To bear witness to the power of Christ as revealed in the gospel and testified to in the heart of the true believer, Sadhu Sundar Singh came West, and thinks his work is done. He felt he owed it to his Lord to bear this witness at all costs, and it has been done. But in every country and to all people amongst whom this witness has been given the answer also must be given to the question “ What owest thou unto thy Lord?” Life cannot go on as it did before he came. Men must heed or be left worse off than they were before, and of such the Master truly said, “ Neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.” The supreme need in Europe to-day is a revival of true religion, and the call of Christ is as insistent now as when he uttered the words, “Take up thy cross and follow Me.” In Sundar Singh the transforming power of Christ has had full sway, and obedient to his Lord he follows on, carrying his cross. ‘‘ Who follows in his train? ”

The Sadhu in Literature.

For some years a growing body of literature has been springing up in various forms concerning the

Sadhu, both in his own and other countries. Long before his name was known beyond the borders of India, Indians had taken up the task of writing about him. He so far fulfilled the Indian ideal of a Christian holy man that much of what was written in one vernacular was immediately translated into others and was read with avidity all over India.

As he became better known in India, his method of life and work laid him open to criticism, chiefly amongst foreigners; a criticism not always kindly, and judged by his subsequent history one that showed a lack of perception and understanding of Indian life and ideals. ‘The Sadhu accepted such criticism with the words “If people did not say things against me, I should know there is something seriously wrong.”

The marvellous in his life always had its earnest believers, who looked for miracles and took them as fresh and indisputable evidence of his being a man “called of God,” whilst others scarcely knew what to think, and thus division of opinion was evoked. The Rev. C. W. Emmett of Ridley Hall, Oxford, discussed in the January number of Hibbert Journal of 1921 what he terms “ [he Miracles of Sadhu Sundar Singh,” dealing chiefly with those mysterious deliverances which have again and again been the Sadhu’s experiences in times of great peril. In these events Mr. Emmett sees “a choice between two ways in which God can be thought of as working. Does He help or protect His servants by sending ‘an angel’ or by the operation of His Spirit on the heart of men? The special interposition of a supernatural agency may at first sight seem attractive to some, but is it not a far grander conception to think of the Spirit of God as working through the personality of stich a one as the Sadhu, and so drawing out the response and the latent powers of good in his fellow-men? . . . We do believe that ‘there is Some One there.’”? The Divine Spirit “ passing into holy souls maketh them friends of God and prophets,” and working within the limits of that mind of man which is His own creation, is able to thrill and touch them with the immediate consciousness of the presence of “ the Beyond that is within.”

But with regard to miracles attributed to the Sadhu’s own doing Mr. Emmett says nothing. The Sadhu himself says nothing, although he does not trouble to deny their possibility. But frequently he has borne witness to the fact that “there is no power in these hands,” and simply claims that the power of Christ in answer to prayer is the only miracle. (See Canon Streeter’s book ‘“‘ The Sadhu,” p. 39.)

Years ago it became clear to the Sadhu that “ miracles’? detracted from instead of aiding his gospel message. Hence in 1918, when he was making his great tour through the South of India, he took the utmost care to prevent adding fuel to a fire whose burning could serve no true purpose.

His visits to China, Japan and later to the West caused the story of his life, written by different people to be read all over the civilised world. His sermons in English and other languages appeared in booklet form, and magazines in many countries discussed him from all points of view. But through good report and ill the Sadhu calmly passed on his way, the way of God; untroubled, because he feared no man and knew in Whom he had believed.

When he made his first visit West in 1920, many minds of a completely different type from his own were turned to the contemplation and discussion of the man, his experiences, methods of thought and work, and the probable influence of his unique personality and teaching in East and West. As Christianity came out of the East, it is natural that many earnest Christians in western lands should look again to the East, for that new stream of divine life, whose flow should bring a true revival of religion to those myriads upon whom the Great War has cast its black mantle of forgetfulness of God.

The Church of the West, blesed with an early vision of the Saviour of the world, has yet to mourn its inability to entirely meet the needs of those for whom He died. The simple Gospel, passing through the minds of men throughout the ages, has taken on the colour of those minds, and has thus become less potent for its great task; for not in ceremonial appealing to the senses nor yet in mighty organizations is the new birth found. The accretions of the centuries sanctioned by time can offer only a semblance of the life which is in Christ Jesus, and no other life can satisfy. The cry is ‘“ Show me a man hike Christ.” A Swedish Archbishop points to Sundar Singh and says: “ The Gospel has not undergone any change i in him,

In the history of religion Sundar is the first to Hic the world how the Gospel of Jesus Christ is reflected in unchanged purity in an Indian soul.”

To him nothing else matters than the “ new creature in Christ Jesus.” He has no interest in High Church or Low; Nonconformity in its many forms makes no appeal to him; indeed “ it would be heaven on earth,” he tells us, if we had not got these things. And as men watch him, study him, write about him, they all agree that through a pure channel men can fe and are being stirred to a life that is life indeed.

‘Christianity is imperishable,” says another writer, “and out of the East it will come again. The Sadhu is perhaps the first of the new apostles to rekindle the the fire on dying altars.”

A stream of literature in various forms preceded and followed the Sadhu in the countries he visited, and translations flowed into Russia, Italy and other places where he could not go. The Archbishop of Upsala besides writing articles in papers and his book, Luther and Sundar Singh,” contributed an important article to the International Review of Missions, called “ Christian Mysticism in an Indian Soul.” (April, 1922.) He is a man widely recognised as “ an authority on the study of comparative religions,” and in the course of his sympathetic article he says:

“What do we learn from tnis Christian mystic of the land of mystics? A surprising lesson—and one that puts to shame all our ingenious speculations as to the higher synthesis between the Bible and India. is the same good news that we know, except that it is The Gospel has not wndergone any change in him, but conceived and comprehended with, in certain respects, a surprising interpretation, which can teach us not only something of India but of the Gospel itself, which heretofore has been monopolised by the Occident, and to some extent transformed in its image. In the history of religion Sundar is the first to show the whole world how the Gospel of Jesus Christ is reflected im unchanged purity in an Indian soul. What is remarkable about him is not the fusion of Christianity and Hinduism, but a fresh presentation of genuine Biblical Christianity.”