Church News Volume 5, Issue 9 (August 2004)

Dear friends,

"I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." Isaiah 49,6.

Sundar Singh was born in a wealthy Sikh family in India in 1889. At seven he knew by heart the sacred scriptures of the Sikh religion.

In 1904 he experienced a wonderful conversion, and became a Christian. He was baptised at St Thomas' Church in Simla. In 1911 he adopted the life of a wandering Christian ascetic and preacher; he gradually became famous as a holy man throughout India.

Eventually he went to Tibet and it is believed he was martyred there, for he was never seen again. Here is one of his parables.

In the mountainous regions of North India, where it is very cold, travellers are helped to keep warm in this way.

They take a small vessel, put burning coals in it, and cover it.

They weave strings around it, and wrapping it in layers of cloth, carry it under their arms.

Three men were travelling thus towards the sacred place of Amar­nath.

One of them saw several other travellers suffering with cold, and taking the fire out of his vessel, lit wood so that everyone could get warm. So everybody left the place alive.

When they all had to walk in the dark the second man took the fire out of his vessel and lit a torch with it, thus they were all able to walk 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", they said to him.

When he broke open his vessel there was no fire, but ashes and coal only. 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 no use in the end 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 despise those who spend strength, time, money for the salvation of others; and yet it is they who will save many and be saved themselves.

But those who are not anxious and concerned that others should share in the salvation they have received, will lose their own.

Revd Ian M. Finn

News Letter Archive.