IX. Table Talk

In form and matter there is not very much difference between what the Sadhu says on the platform and when talking to one or two individuals in private or to the company gathered at a meal. But he is obviously more at home discoursing in the informal, somewhat rambling, style of the Indian Guru amid his disciples than in the set sermon or platform address of the West. Moreover in small gatherings it is easier to appreciate his humor, his kindliness, his spiritual insight, to see the vivacity and changing expression of his face, and to feel the atmosphere of divine peace which he diffuses round him.

In this chapter we collect, under a convenient title, specimens of his discourse, public and private — chosen, sometimes for their penetrating insight, and sometimes for their picturesque simplicity.

The Preacher

"I don't sit down and write out my sermons. As I pray, I get texts, subjects and illustrations. Preachers ought to get their message from God. If they get it from books instead, they do not preach their own gospel; they preach the gospel of others. They sit on other people's eggs and hatch them and think they are their own."

Once a reporter from a London newspaper asked him on what subject he was going to speak at a certain meeting. He said that he himself did not know, but that he would speak as led by the Lord. He always, however, insists on a prolonged period for prayer and meditation before giving a public address: and he starts with a text and a few leading thoughts carefully chosen in view of the particular occasion. The actual development of the sermon depends a great deal upon the nature of the audience. "There is something or other in me which enables me to recognize instinctively the spiritual need of the audience, just as a dog instinctively traces out a scent more effectively than a learned man."

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Apropos of his method of preparing sermons we remarked: "What about minds that are not fertile? If they go into the pulpit as you do, without very carefully working out their sermons, they cannot hold the attention of the people." Said the Sadhu: "Only men called of God should enter His service as preachers. To these, though of poor intellect, God will give a message."

"There was once a sweeper who became a Christian. He gave his heart to Christ. He found that Peace in Him, and was saved, and so could bear witness for Him. People would say, 'There is something in him that we have not got. ' In his preaching he was listened to with great attention. A passer-by asked, 'Why are they listening so respectfully to a sweeper? ' The sweeper said, "When my Savior was going to Jerusalem riding on an ass, the people brought clothes and spread them under his feet. They did not spread their clothes under the feet of Christ but under the feet of the ass. Why do that for an ass? Because the King of Kings was riding on that ass. When the Christ got down from that ass, nobody cared about it. That ass was honored so long as the King of Kings was riding on it.' "

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"Have you any advice to give about the training of theological students?" "There should be more practical work. The professors themselves should go about the country for two or three months with their students to preach the Gospel/'

Life and Hope

"Life and life abundant are not the same. There is a great difference between them. What is the use of mere life? Let me give you an illustration. I went to a hospital and saw a man laid up with illness. He was not in a dangerous condition and yet I heard the next day that he had died. How did he die? That night a cobra fell on his bed from the roof. He saw it coming from near his feet towards where his head lay, and was filled with fright. But he had not the strength either to leave the bed or to kill the snake. It bit him on the neck and he died. Then another man came and killed the snake. The man who died had life and yet what a difference! Though the one had life, he could not protect himself from danger, while the other protected himself and killed the snake. Many Christians also have life, but they are unable to protect themselves from the old serpent. They cannot overcome temptation. How can they save others? They will die in sin because the old serpent bites them and the poison spreads all over the body. But those who have the life abundant will kill the old serpent, and besides conquering temptation themselves will help others to do the same. Thia is life abundant."

"If we can give ourselves to Him then He can work through us. If we put ourselves in His hands then He

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can use us. Through those who are men of prayer He can do great things. "

"The servants of God are sometimes disheartened. The people do not care, they do not listen. Sometimes I have been myself disheartened. But I have learned that our part is to preach and bear witness. If we do this, then the Holy Spirit will work in their hearts. But we must do our part."

"Let us never be discouraged by our weaknesses. The Sun has many spots. On that account does it cease to give light? So let us shine with the light which He, the True Light, gives us. He will remove our defects and make us perfect. Our duty is to shine. The fire-fly is one of the smallest of insects; yet it gladdens the heart of the traveler yrith its tiny light."

Service

" There was a rich man in a certain place. One day his son was sitting in his father's garden. At that time many birds came and ate up the fruits. Cattle trampled on the plaints. The son saw, but did not drive them away. "Is it right for you to see your father's garden destroyed in this way and keep quiet? Can you not drive these things out?' said the people to him. "My father has not asked me to do so,' said the son. 'So that is not my work. ' Then the father, hearing of what happened, drove his son out of the house. For it is not a special voice, but the needs and imperfections of those around us which constitute a call for God's service."

"In the mountainous regions of North India, where it is very cold, travelers are in the habit of keeping warm in this way. They take a small vessel, put burning coal

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in it and cover it up. They weave strings around it and wrapping it with cloth, carry it under their arms. Three men were traveling thus towards the sacred place known as Amarnath. One of them saw several others suffering with cold and, taking the fire out of his vessel, lit a fire so that every one could get warm. So every one left the place alive. When they had all to walk in the dark, the second man of the party took out the fire in his vessel and lit a torch with it and helped them all to walk along in safety. The third man of the party mocked them and said: 'You are fools. You have wasted your fire for the sake of others. " ' Show us your fire! ' said they to him. When he broke open his vessel there was no fire, but only ashes and coal. With his fire one had given warmth to others and another had given light. But the third man was selfish and kept the fire to himself, and it was of no use even to him.

"In the same way, it is God's will that the fire of the Holy Spirit which we receive should give warmth and light to others and help them to be saved. Many people despise those who spend their health, strength and money for the salvation of others and call them mad. And yet it is they who will save many and who will be saved themselves. But those who are not anxious that others should share in the salvation they have received would lose their own salvation and find their way to hell on the last day. There is no use in their lamenting then. So we should try to save others even now. ' "

" There was a king reigning over the Kingdom of Paras. He saw that his subjects were very lazy, and was troubled in his mind as to how they would fight when enemies invaded the land. Seeing that it was of no use to give them advice, he rolled a big stone where

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four roads met. Though the people saw this they did not attempt to remove the stone, but walked their own way. A week went by. Then the king ordered all his subjects to come together at that place. Then he lifted without any difficulty the stone, which was light as it was hollowed out. Under it was a bag filled with golden ornaments worth a lakh. On the bag were the words: "This is for him who lifts the stone.' The king showed them this and said: ' You lost this by your laziness. If you continue in this way you will lose this kingdom when enemies come. ' Every one who was there was sorry for having lost the opportunity of becoming enormously rich by having been afraid of trouble and labor.

" Christ likewise calls us to bear the cross and to endure suffering and sorrow for the salvation of others. Many go away unwilling to bear the cross, as they like to have wealth, health and influence. They think that the cross is heavy. But He says: ' My yoke is easy and my burden is light.' When we carry it, we shall find that it is light. Moreover, when we lift the cross, we shall see below it throne and crown and glory. Here is the cross, but thjere is glory. So we must be prepared to spend our health, our strength, and, if need be, our lives, for the salvation of our countrymen."

" ' There was a devout Christian who obeyed God 's call and worked in God's vineyard. The people beat and illtreated him and hung him on a tree upside down. But he said: "I am not surprised that you hang me upside down. The world is upside down, and so the deeds of the world are also upside down. So you have hung me also upside down. For this I thank you. Magic lantern slides are placed upside down, and then they are seen right side up on the screen. If they are right side

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np in the lantern they would oome out upside down on the screen. Here you have tied me upside down, but I shall be right side up in the heavenly home. If I were right side up here, I should probably be upside down there.' "

Religion

"Are not all religions much alike, they all teach good actions?" "Yes, but there is a great difference. Other religions say: Do all the good deeds you can, and you will at last become good. Christianity says: Be good, and then you can do good — it will come naturally from a good heart. The change of heart must come first."

"What," we asked, "do you think of the Buddha and his message? " " He is not a mystic, but only a moral teacher. For there is nothing in his teaching about God. In such a man this is rather surprising. He preached Nirvana or the extinction of desire. But salvation is not the extinction of desire. It is the satisfaction of desire. The proper way to deal with thirst is not to kiU it — which would mean death — 'but to satisfy it. "

" " Suppose we write one and place a number of ciphers on its right hand side. The more the ciphers the larger is the figure. But any number of ciphers on its left-hand side are mere ciphers. Christ stands for number one. On His left hand is the world. The riches which those who seek the world acquire are mere ciphers. But on His right hand is Heaven. The riches acquired by those who seek this are limitless. "

" Sects are strange unnecessary things. There is one God, why have so many churches? Why cause dissension? But, I stippose, this is the world. When all sects are one it will be the world no longer. It will be Heaven then."

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"One day I was passing through a street. I saw all the doors locked up. There was nobody to be seen. At once it occurred to me that so long as the heart is locked up against the Lord who made the heart, it is necessary to lock up all the doors in order to save property. But if the heart is opened to the Lord, then there will be no need to lock up the doors because there will be no thieves. "

Providence

"I saw a young man and asked him what work he was doing for his Savior. 'What has He done for me that I must do something for Him?' he said. 'Has He not shed His blood, given His Life for you?' I said. 'Stay,' said he, 'was that only for me? He gave His Life for all. What has He done for me in particular that I should serve Him?' After some months he became seriously ill and was on his death-bed. Then he was in the spirit and saw a vision. His room was covered with pictures portraying different events in his life. Li one he is seen falling down as a child from a balcony upstairs. As he is falling down, a Man receives him in His arms and lets him down gently; on His hands are the scars of nails. In another picture he slips from a rock and thinks he would certainly die. Then, too, a Man rescued him. On His hands he sees scars. In another picture he steps on a snake but One holds the snake so that it does not bite him. On His hands are also scars. Then when in the privacy of a room he is sinning. He appears before him and, showing him His wounds, pleads

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with him not to sin. As he saw all these pictures, He came and stood near him and said: 'Though I have done all this for you, you thought that I had not done anything for you. You are going to die now. If you die you are sure to enter eternal hell. But this time also I shall save you from death. Go and proclaim to every one the great things which the Lord has done for you.' So when he got well he became a servant of God. When I saw him again he told me, with great anguish: " In my ignorance I thought that God had done nothing for me. When on different occasions I escaped calamities my parents and I thought that they were due either to good luck or chance. But now I know that it is the Savior who has promised to be with us to the end of the world who is with me every day of my life and protects me from all dangers.' "

The Hekeafteb

"To the chick in the shell its eyes and wings are sufficient evidence of a world beyond. The eye is for sight, but what can it see within the shell? The wings are for flight, but how can it fly within the shell? It is therefore clear that the eyes and the wings are not for the life within the shell, but for the life outside the shell. In the same way there are many good desires and ambitions which cannot be fulfilled here. There must be an opportunity for their fulfillment. That is in Eternity.

" Certain conditions must be observed if wB are to enjoy hereafter the bliss of Heaven ajid not the punishment of Hell. The mother 's warmth is necessary for the chicken to come out alive, or the egg would become rotten and be thrown away. As it is necessary for the chick to

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receive warmth, even while in the shell, it is necessary for us to receive the warmth of the Holy Spirit to live even while on this earth. Just as the chick comes out, we shall also leave this world and, entering the kingdom of heaven, enjoy eternal bliss.

"Many discuss the Hereafter and say that after death we shall become nothing, and that it is idle to talk about Heaven and Hell. This reminds one of a conversation said to have taken place between a hen and her unhatched chicken. The hen spoke to a chick, and said, " Little one, in a minute or two you will leave this shell. Then you will see me, your mother. You will also see the world around you filled with beautiful flowers and trees.' But the chick obstinately maintained that all that talk about mother and the world was a lie. But soon the shell broke and the chick came out. It saw its mother and the world around, and knew that its mother 's words were all true. So those who say that there is no Heaven or Hell will find out the truth when the shell of their body breaks and their soul comes out.

"When you go to a strange country it is good to have a friend who will be kind to you. Become friends with Jesus Christ; then in Heaven you will have a friend."