PREFACE
The words of Christ -
"Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am." (John
xiii.13)
"Take my yoke upon you and learn of me . . . and ye shall find rest
unto your souls." (Matt. xi.29)
There is nothing so perfect in the world as to be quite above
objection and criticism. The very sun which gives us light and warmth
is not free from spots, yet notwithstanding these defects it does not
desist from its regular duty. It behooves us in like manner to carry
on to the best of our ability what has been entrusted to us, and
strive constantly to make our lives fruitful.
When the truths set forth in this book were revealed to me by the
Master they deeply affected my life, and some of them have been used
by me in my sermons and addresses in Europe, America, Africa,
Australia, and Asia. At the request of many friends I have now
gathered them together in this little book, and though it is possible
that there are defects in setting them forth, I am sure that those who
read them with prayer and an unprejudiced mind will benefit from them
as I have.
It would be impossible for me to set forth these truths that have been
revealed to me except in parabolic language, but by the use of
parables my task has been made comparatively easy.
It is my prayer that as God by His grace and mercy has blessed me by
these truths, so also they may be a blessing to every reader.
Your humble servant,
Sundar Singh
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INTRODUCTION
First Vision
Once on a dark night I went alone into the forest to pray, and seating
myself upon a rock I laid before God my deep necessities, and besought
His help. After a short time, seeing a poor man coming towards me I
thought he had come to ask me for some relief because he was hungry
and cold. I said to him, "I am a poor man, and except this blanket I
have nothing at all. You had better go to the village near by and ask
for help there." And lo! even whilst I was saying this he flashed
forth like lightning, and, showering drops of blessing, immediately
disappeared. Alas! Alas! it was now clear to me that this was my
beloved Master who came not to beg from a poor creature like me, but
to bless and to enrich me (2 Cor. viii.9), and so I was left weeping
and lamenting my folly and lack of insight.
Second Vision
On another day, my work being finished, I again went into the forest
to pray, and seated upon that same rock began to consider for what
blessings I should make petition. Whilst thus engaged it seemed to me
that another came and stood near me, who, judged by his bearing and
dress and manner of speech, appeared to be a revered and devoted
servant of God; but his eyes glittered with craft and cunning, and as
he spoke he seemed to breathe an odour of hell.
He thus addressed me, "Holy and Honoured Sir, pardon me for
interrupting your prayers and breaking in on your privacy; but is is
one's duty to seek to promote the advantage of others, and therefore I
have come to lay an important matter before you. Your pure and
unselfish life has made a deep impression not only on me, but upon a
great number of devout persons. But although in the Name of God you
have sacrificed yourself body and soul for others, you have never been
truly appreciated. My meaning is that being a Christian only a few
thousand Christians have come under your influence, and some even of
these distrust you. How much better would it be if you became a Hindu
or a Mussulman, and thus become a great leader indeed? They are in
search of such a spiritual head. If you accept this suggestion of
mine, then three hundred and ten millions of Hindus and Mussulmans
will become your followers, and render you reverent homage."
As soon as I heard this there rushed from my lips these words, "Thou
Satan! get thee hence. I knew at once that thou wert a wolf in sheep's
clothing! Thy one wish is that I should give up the cross and the
narrow path that leads to life, and choose the broad road of death. My
Master Himself is my lot and my portion, who Himself gave His life for
me, and it behooves me to offer as a sacrifice my life and all I have
to Him who is all in all to me. Get you gone therefore, for with you I
have nothing to do."
Hearing this he went off grumbling and growling in his rage. And I, in
tears, thus poured out my soul to God in prayer, "My Lord God, my all
in all, life of my life, and spirit of my spirit, look in mercy upon
me and so fill me with Thy Holy Spirit that my heart shall have no
room for love of aught but Thee. I seek from Thee no other gift but
Thyself, who art the Giver of life and all its blessings. From Thee I
ask not for the world or its treasures, nor yet for heaven even make
request, but Thee alone do I desire and long for, and where Thou art
there is Heaven. The hunger and the thirst of this heart of mine can
be satisfied only with Thee who hast given it birth. O Creator mine!
Thou hast created my heart for Thyself alone, and not for another,
therefore this my heart can find no rest or ease save in Thee, in Thee
who hast both created it and set in it this very longing for rest.
Take away then from my heart all that is opposed to Thee, and enter
and abide and rule for ever. Amen."
When I rose up from this prayer I beheld a glowing Being, arrayed in
light and beauty, standing before me. Though He spoke not a word, and
because my eyes were suffused with tears I saw Him not too clearly,
there poured from Him lightning-like rays of life-giving love with
such power that they entered in and bathed my very soul. At once I
knew that my dear Saviour stood before me. I rose at once from the
rock where I was seated and fell at His feet. He held in His hand the
key of my heart. Opening the inner chamber of my heart with His key of
love, He filled it with His presence, and wherever I looked, inside or
out, I saw but Him.
Then did I know that man's heart is the very throne and citadel of
God, and that when He enters there to abide, heaven begins. In these
few seconds He so filled my heart, and spoke such wonderful words,
that even if I wrote many books I could not tell them all. For these
heavenly things can be explained only in heavenly language, and
earthly tongues are not sufficient for them. Yet I will endeavour to
set down a few of these heavenly things that by way of vision came to
me from the Master. Upon the rock on which before I sat He seated
Himself, and with myself at His feet there began between Master and
disciple the conversation that now follows.
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I. THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD'S PRESENCE
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SECTION I
The Disciple,--O Master, Fountain of life! Why dost Thou hide Thyself
from those that adore Thee, and dost not rejoice the eyes of them that
long to gaze upon Thee?
The Master,--1. My true child, true happiness depends not upon the
sight of the eyes, but comes through spiritual vision, and depends
upon the heart. In Palestine thousands looked upon Me, but all of them
did not thus obtain true happiness. By mortal eyes only those things
can be perceived that are mortal, for eyes of flesh cannot behold an
immortal God and spiritual beings. For instance, you yourself cannot
see your own spirit, therefore how can you behold its Creator? But
when the spiritual eyes are opened, then you can surely see Him who is
Spirit, (John iv.24), and that which you now see of Me you see not
with eyes of flesh, but with the eyes of the spirit.
If, as you say, thousands of people saw Me in Palestine then were all
their spiritual eyes opened, or did I Myself become mortal? The answer
is, No! I took on a mortal body so that in it I might give a ransom
for the sins of the world; and when the work of salvation was
completed for sinners (John xix.30), then that which was immortal
transfigured what was mortal into glory. Therefore after the
resurrection only those were able to see Me who had received spiritual
sight (Acts x. 40,41).
2. Many there are in this world who know about Me, but do not know Me;
that is they have no personal relationship with Me, therefore they
have no true apprehension of or faith in Me, and do not accept Me as
their Saviour and Lord.
Just as if one talks with a man born blind about different colors such
as red, blue, yellow, he remains absolutely unaware of their charm and
beauty, he cannot attach any value to them, because he only knows
about them, and is aware of their various names. But with regard to
colors he can have no true conception until his eyes are opened. In
the same manner until a man's spiritual eyes are opened, howsoever
learned he may be, he cannot know Me, he cannot behold My glory, and
he cannot understand that I am God Incarnate.
3. There are many believers who are aware of My presence in their
hearts bringing to them spiritual life and peace, but cannot plainly
see Me. Just as the eye can see many things, yet when someone drops
medicine into the eye does not see it, but the presence of the
medicine is felt cleansing the inner eye and promoting the power of
sight.
4. The true peace which is born of My presence in the hearts of true
believers they are unable to see, but, feeling its power, they become
happy in it. Nor can they see that happiness of mind or heart through
which they enjoy the peace of My presence. It is the same with the
tongue and sweetmeats. The faculty of taste which resides in the
tongue and the sweetness it perceives are both invisible. Thus also I
give My children life and joy by means of the hidden manna, which the
world with all its wisdom knows not nor can know (Rev. ii.7).
5. Sometimes during sickness the faculty of taste in the tongue is
interfered with, and during that time, however tasty the food given to
the sick person may be, it has an ill taste to him. In just the same
way sin interferes with the taste for spiritual things. Under such
circumstances My Word and service and My presence lost their
attraction to the sinner, and instead of profiting by them he begins
to argue about and to criticize them.
6. Many believers again--like the man born blind, on receiving his
sight--are able to see Jesus as a prophet and the Son of Man, but do
not regard Him as the Christ and the Son of God (John ix.17, 35-37),
until I am revealed to them a second time in power.
7. A mother once hid herself in a garden amongst some densely growing
shrubs, and her little son went in search of her here and there,
crying as he went. Through the whole garden he went, but could not
find her. A servant said to him, "Sonny, don't cry! Look at the
mangoes on this tree and all the pretty, pretty flowers in the garden.
Come, I am going to get some for you." But the child cried out, "No!
No! I want my mother. The food she gives me is nicer than all the
mangoes, and her love is sweeter far than all these flowers, and
indeed you know that all this garden is mine, for all that my mother
has is mine. No! I want my mother!" When the mother, hidden in the
bushes, heard this, she rushed out and, snatching her child to her
breast, smothered him with kisses, and that garden became a paradise
to the child. In this way My children cannot find in this great garden
of a world, so full of charming and beautiful things, any true joy
until they find Me. I am their Emmanuel, who is ever with them, and I
make Myself known to them (John xiv.21).
8. Just as the sponge lies in the water, and the water fills the
sponge, but the water is not the sponge and the sponge is not the
water, but they ever remain different things, so children abide in Me
and I in them. This is not pantheism, but it is the kingdom of God,
which is set up in the hearts of those who abide in this world; and
just as the water in the sponge, I am in every place and in
everything, but they are not I (Luke xvii.21).
9. Take a piece of charcoal, and however much you may wash it its
blackness will not disappear, but let the fire enter into it and its
dark colour vanishes. So also when the sinner receives the Holy Spirit
(who is from the Father and Myself, for the Father and I are one),
which is the baptism of fire, all the blackness of sin is driven away,
and he is made a light to the world (Matt. iii.11, v.14). As the fire
in the charcoal, so I abide in My children and they in Me, and through
them I make Myself manifest to the world.
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SECTION II
The Disciple,--Master, if Thou wouldst make a special manifestation of
Thyself to the world, men would no longer doubt the existence of God
and Thy own divinity, but all would believe and enter on the path of
righteousness.
The Master,--1. My son, the inner state of every man I know well, and
to each heart in accordance with its needs I make Myself known; and
for bringing men into the way of righteousness there is no better
