What Wisdom is This?

Tuat Sundar Singh was taught of God was unmistakably shown by the wonderful hearing he got amongst non-Christians thus early in his career. His friends recognized that he possessed unusual powers, and that his presentation of the Gospel held people by its attractiveness and persuasiveness. So much was this the case that they felt it desirable to widen the sphere of his operations by including the Christian community among those to whom he went. But for this some definite preparation was needed. and they advised him to join the St. John’s Divinity College, Lahore. This he did, passing on entry the examination usually imposed at the close of the first year, and proceeding at once to the second year’s course. The years 1909 and 1910 were spent in study, and during vacation time he continued his evangelistic werk as heretofore.

Sundar still wore the saffron robe. The sadhu idea for a Christian was something quite new at that time, and was a cause of considerable doubt to many. But he never swerved from his first resolution, although the criticism he was often subjected to, tended to make these years hard for him.

Whilst Sundar was in college Mr. Stokes returned trom furlough, having gone to England and there started the idea of a brotherhood, whose work should be exclusively for the glory of God and the help of man, in whatever form it might present itself—not necessarily the work of preaching. The humbler and harder the labours, the better! The Archbishop of Canterbury was approached on the matter, and seemed to think it would be a good thing, so that after Mr. Stokes returned to India this brotherhood was started with five persons, the only Indian being the Sadhu. The brotherhood was inaugurated in a solemn service in Lahore Cathedral, when two of the five took the vows, but Sundar remained a novice, having already vowed himself to the life of a sadhu for Christ’s sake.

Upon leaving college he was recommended for deacon’s orders by the Diocesan Mission Council and was granted a licence to preach. Soon after leaving college his heart turned to Tibet, whither he went for the six months of hot weather, returning to Kotgarh, where he worked in connexion with the Church Missionary Society for some time.

Like the great English preacher, John Wesley, the Sadhu looked upon the world as his parish, and he preached everywhere and to all who would give heed to his message. It was not long before dissatisfaction was expressed at his methods of work. He was told that in deacon’s orders it was undesirable, and that as a priest it would be impossible, to continue working in this way. The pure and simple spirit of the man never for a moment staggered or stayed to contemplate what would be the result if he declined to obey. The sheltered life of a priest with its possibilities of preferment held no temptation

WHAT WISDOM IS THIS? EL for Sundar. On his knees and in the quict of his own spirit he settled the momentous question, and then took the step that for ever sct him free of all sects. He returned his licence to preach, to his Bishop, explaining that he felt called to preach to all, and wherever God sent him. Bishop Lefroy (late Metropolitan of India), with a generous large-heartedness, accepted the reason with the licence.

The great crisis of his career was safely past. From that day Sadhu Sundar Singh made himself the possession of Christians of all creeds, and also set himself free for a mighty work amongst non-Christians all over India.