THE APOSTLE WITH THE BLEEDING FEET

Adapted from “Sadhu Sundar Singh: A Short Biography”
(http://gloryofhiscross.org/apostle1.htm)

Salvation

Sundar Singh was born in 1889 into a wealthy Sikh family in Patiala state, North India. The Sikhs reject Hindu polytheism and Muslim intolerance in the 16th century. Sundar’s religious mother saw to his religious upbringing. She sent him weekly to learn from an ascetic teacher who lived in the jungle. She also sent him to a Christian mission school so that he would learn English.

Sundar’s mother died when he was just 14. Her death caused him to be depressed and violent. He started to hate Christianity and persecute Christian converts. He even burned the Bible page by page in front of his friends. Driven to despair and hopelessness, he was determined to commit suicide by casting himself onto an oncoming train.

God had mercy on Sundar. The words of Scripture, which he had read before, came back to him – “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life”, “Come unto me … and I will give you rest”. These words of Jesus gripped him, but his tormented soul still found no peace. He wanted Jesus to appear to him if He was indeed true, or else he would end his life on the railway track. The Ludhiana Express was to pass by his house at five that morning. Just then, Sundar saw a bright light in his room and a voice saying to him, “Why do you oppose me? I am your Saviour. I died on the Cross for you”. Sundar woke his father up and told him that Jesus had appeared and spoken to him. He would now follow Jesus and be His disciple.

Sundar’s father would have none of it and tempted his son with a sizable inheritance if he would renounce his faith. Sundar refused. His father, Sher Singh, then disowned him and threw him out of the house. Before he was thrown out, he was fed with poisoned food. But the Lord delivered Sundar from death, and the Christians nursed him back to health.

Service

Sundar was baptised in the Anglican Church when he was 16 years old. For a while he resided at the Christian Leprosy Home at Sabathu, serving the leprosy patients there. Then, in October 1906, he decided to don a turban and a yellow robe of a Sadhu (a holy man) and go out preaching the gospel. He said, “I am not worthy to follow in the steps of my Lord, but like Him, I want no home, no possessions. Like Him I will belong to the road, sharing the sufferings of my people, eating with those who will give me shelter and food, and telling all men of the love of God.”

Sufferings

His first gospel outreach was to his home village, Rampur. Surprisingly he was warmly received when he returned. However this was not to be the case in the months to follow. He met with great hardships when he travelled northward through the Punjab, over the Banihal Pass into Kashmir, and then back through Muslim-militant Afghanistan and into the bandit-infested North-West Frontier and Baluchistan. His thin, yellow robe offered little protection against the cold and snow, and his feet became torn through much walking on the tough terrain. As he preached the gospel in the north, small Christian communities began to form, and soon he became known as “the apostle with the bleeding feet.”

Sadhu for Christ

Sadhu Sundar Singh became well known all over the Christian world by the time he reached 30 years of age. With fame came the danger of pride. He described how he had to struggle to keep himself humble, to resist the devil and all his evil temptations. Those who knew him described him as one who was approachable and had a sense of humour and a love for nature. His winsome personality and his teachings often using illustrations from ordinary life appealed to the masses. All his sermons were products of his early morning meditations, especially on the Gospels.

Sundar Singh not only preached in India and Tibet, he also preached in Ceylon, Burma, Malaya, China, and Japan. Some of the stories from his journeys were quite incredible. It was rumoured that he had power over wild animals, like a leopard which crept up to him and allowed him to stroke its head. Although it was said that he had the power to heal, he never allowed his healings to be publicised.

In 1920, Sundar Singh also visited Australia, Britain, and the United States. His father, Sher Singh, having converted to Christianity sponsored his trips to these countries. Sundar’s sermons searched the hearts of people who had just emerged from the horrors of World War I. He was appalled by the people’s shallow attitude to life, and especially the materialism and irreligion he found in the West.

In 1923, Sundar Singh made the last of his regular evangelistic trips to Tibet and returned exhausted. Since he was getting weaker physically, he spent the next few years in meditation, fellowship, and writing some of the things he had lived to preach.

In 1929, against the advice of his friends, Sundar made one more journey to Tibet. As he trekked up the Himalayas, that was the last his friends saw of him. What happened to him in his final visit to Tibet remains a mystery. At any rate, his memory remains, and he continues to be one of the most treasured figures in the history of Christianity in India.

SCHOOL OF PROPHETS REOPENS

 

FEBC opened again for another semester with a day of prayer on Monday, 6 January 2014. The principal spoke from 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” In order to train students for full-time Christian service, FEBC offers a full-orbed curriculum consisting of (1) Systematic Theology, (2) the Bible & Biblical Languages, (3) Church History, and (4) Pastoral Ministries.

The courses this semester are taught by the Rev Dr Jeffrey Khoo: Systematic Theology II (Biblical Anthropology), Life of Christ I, Greek Exegesis II; the Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew: Contemporary Theology IV, Hermeneutics, Homiletics, Hebrew Reading II; the Rev Dr Prabhudas Koshy: Ezekiel, Pastoral Theology II, Elementary Hebrew II; the Rev Dr Koa Keng Woo: Bible Geography III, Hymn Leading II; the Rev Stephen Khoo: Church History I; the Rev Tan Kian Sing: Colossians & Philemon, Mrs Ivy Tow: Elementary Greek II; Mrs Jemima Khoo: Teaching Children, Pianoforte; Miss Carol Lee: Theological Research & Writing; Mr Dennis Kabingue: Greek Reading II; Mrs Anne Lim: Intensive English II; Mrs Irene Lim: Intermediate English II; and Elder Han Soon Juan: Advanced English II.

We thank the Lord for sending us 12 new students from five countries, namely, Indonesia: Charyhon Shanta Rosa Sinaga, Deddy Crisno Manalu, Maritus, Mega Tuti Mawarniat Zega, Murniwati Mendrofa; Myanmar: Van Bawi Hoe, Van Thawng Hup; New Zealand: Ahn Yewon; Singapore: Chan Siew Pang, Esther Leong; Joshua Yong, and Vietnam: Huynh Ngoc Tan Phat. The five Indonesians were students at Calvary Batam Bible College under the Rev Kiantoro Lie. They are here to earn their degrees, to equip themselves for the Bible College work in Batam. Chan Siew Pang, a PhD (NUS), and member of Mt Gerizim BPC applied to be an off-campus, online student. Esther Leong from Tabernacle BPC is studying full-time for a semester while waiting to enter the National University. Joshua Yong has completed a three-year stint as a missionary to Kenya (BCEA) to begin studies towards the ThM.

The recent Bible Conference in Mindanao has resulted in nine signing up for FEBC’s online courses. They are Manuel F Artinen, Jonas G Ba-a, Ricele N Boniel, Anecito M Calibuhan, Albert R Lag-ud, Romeo F Larano, Einstine M Opiso, Patria Solidum, and Maggie Mae Zagado. All are sponsored by True Life BPC.

As you know, Life BPC sued FEBC the first time for property. God protected FEBC. Now we pray for the scheme to be drawn up soon by the High Court to regulate the sharing and use of the premises at 9, 9A & 10 Gilstead Road. Despite 1 Corinthians 6, Life BPC sued again last year, this time for money ($250,000). They claim we owe them for water and electricity since 1970. Mediation in the Subordinate Courts will take place on 29 January 2014. Pray the Lord to grant us the grace to bear a good Christian testimony for His sake and to show Christian charity to those who hate us for our faith in the total inerrancy of the inspired Scriptures God has infallibly preserved (Matt 5:18).

“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” (Matt 24:13-14). Pray the Lord to raise a new generation of faithful prophets who will preach repentance and teach the truth, fearing only God and not man. The Lord’s coming draweth nigh.

VERSE FOR THE WEEK

“Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.” Prov 28:7

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