The Sabbatb

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19052, 16 September 1933, Page 14 (Supplement)

The Sabbatb

HIGH PLACES. Not unto sky-born Everest would I dare my trembling rhyme, Giant, from man remote, from passing days, from time. -« Not to Mont Blano, half Ice-clad splendour and half dream; Not these, within the feathered compass of my pen I deem. Yet, through a small heart love may flow, its voice have wings, And—lifted by that love beyond itself, In ectasy It sings. Thus, when to holy Olivet my thoughts be hesitating bent, Life lies around, above, below, In mystery of-sacrament. And If I whisper to its twisted trees, their leaves reply They knew Him well and'honey-bees stay labouring to sigh. And oft my wandering fancies tread that memorable hill Of life’s beatitudes—which dominate the inner wisdom still. Yes. And I’ve dreamed of Golgotha, where cold men, laughing, said ’Twas Christ, hut more than one heart knew —’twas Death was dead. ■J.M.B. DAILY TEXT. Sunday. Righteousness Brings Rejoicing.— When tiie righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when, the ;wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. —Proverbs 29:2. Monday. Fear Destroyed.—Fear thou not; for I am with thee; he not dismayed; for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.—lsaiah 11 :10. Tuesday. Our Hope.—And now, Lord, what wail I for? My hope is in thee. Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the j foolish. —Psalm 39:7, 8. Wednesday. Life and Good Days.—lie that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his bps that they speak no guile.—l Peter 1 3:10. ! Thursday. | The Highest Rock.—Hear my cry, 0 1 •God; attend unto my prayer. From Hie end of the earth will I cry unto thee: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.—Psalm 61:1,2. ;

Friday. A Constant Prayer.—Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, 0 Lord: let they loving kindness and thy truth continually preserve me. — Psalm 40:11. Saturday. Faith and Works.—Trust in the Lord, and do good: so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.—Psalm 37:3. SADHU SUNDAR SINGH. SAINT IN FANATIC’S STRONGHOLD. There is reason to believe that one of the most saintly characters of modern times has joined the great company of Christian martyrs. Four years ago the Sadhu Sundar Singh, the Indian mystio who roamed the Eastern world i preaching with apostolic simplicity the gospel of Christ, Journeyed into Tibet, there to spread the Word where no white missionary dare go. He went, as was his wont, barefooted, lacking all but the robes he wore and leaving to the will of Heaven the provision of his food and nightly shelter. For a little while vague rumours of hi" progress filtered through to missionary stations in India, but by the spring of 1930 these rumours ceased, and since then there has been such absolute silence as to his fate that his death has been officially presumed .and probate of his will granted. This was not the first time that the Sadhu had carried his message into the Stronghold of Fanaticism. He had suffered ruthless persecution there —had been beaten, and flung into dungeons. Once, indeed the Tibetans passed sentence of death on him, and hurled him down a well that was already the grave of several malefactors. Three days passed and on the third night the cover of the well was unlocked and opened by an unseen hand, which also let down to him a stout rope. The Sadhu climbed up into freedom, and In the morning showed himself again in the village. Those who had condemned him were astounded, for the key of the well had not been removed from the chain which one of them bore. This was but one of the many escapes from death —escapes which he j regarded as miraculous, and tokens of ; Divine compassion. Thai, he has at last given his lire in martyrdom for the Master he served with such utter selflessness is believed to be the only solution to the mystery of his end. The search for (Continued in next column.)

him was thorough and long, but no traoe was found. All mouths closed at the mention of his name. It was as If the vast Tibetan plateau Itself packed In a good big clean sack, why, then vqu have your sleeping bag. With your •had opened and swallowed him up. There are many people In England who will mourn the Sadhu Sundar Singh—the wandering "Holy Man” who was likened by those who knew him best to St. 'Francis of Assisi, writes F. G. Prioe-White in the Daily Mail. Thirteen years ago he went to England, visited Oxford, and preached to thousands in the Royal Albert 'Hall. Those who saw him standing there In his saffron-ooloureti robes, and heard his soft low voice telling In slow, but almost faultless English of the

Wonderful Experience# of the spirit will remember him well and with affection. An official of the Church Missionary Soolety said: “The Sadhu made a tremendous impression on everybody he met here. His was an extra'bfdinarily attractive personality whioh radiated kindliness and sympathy and a strange power. His personal appearance was so striking that an instant quiet would descend on his audience when he appeared before them. A beautiful smile would light up his deep-ollve-toned faoe, and a glow would come Into his large dark eyes when he began to speak.” His stay in England lasted about six months.

The Sadhu was baptised by a Church Missionary Society missionary at Simla In 1905, when he was 16. He was the son of a wealthy Sikh landowner of Kampur in the Punjab. At a very early age the spiritual oast of his mind became evident, and it was fostered by his mother. He began by hating Christians and Christianity, and whenever a New Testament oame into his hands he would tear it up and burh it.

At the age of 15 he was spiritually in despair, and contemplated suicide. Then he had a vision in which, he claimed, he saw Christ, and heard a voice saying: -“How long will you persecute me?” he determined to become a Christian forthwith.

His family pleaded with him, and offered him jewels and large sums of money to remain a Sllch; but it was in -vain. He

Was Made An Outcast.

He was compelled to cat his food outside his father’s house, was nearly poisoned, and finally driven from home. A missionary at Rampur cared for him, and gave him his first Christian teaching.

The boy determined to become a Christian Sadhu, and immediately after his baptism he started on that remarkable evangelistic career whioh has led him through terrible hardships and suffering to the cross of martyrdom which he ever desired. . The Bishop of London once said of the Sadhu Sundar Singh that “no other man seems to have done or suffered so much for Christ as ho has done." Those words might now stand as the Sadhu’s epitaph.