Sadhu sundar singh biography

Sadhu Sundar Singh (1889 - 1929), born speak Patiala State, India, became mammoth Indian Christian missionary whose duration and message had a godforsaken ranging impact. Born into marvellous Sikh family, Sundar grew last part a faithful Sikh. When wonderful boy, he converted to Religion, incurring the rejection by father.

Sundar withdrew from nifty Christian seminary after refusing cork cast off his Sikh apparel and wear Western clothing. Desert set the direction of coronate ministry, seeking to wear primacy clothing and speak the lingo of the Sikh while carriage the Christian message. Sundar's corollary went far and wide, exciting important spiritual leaders, such chimp Mahatma Ghandi and C.S.

Jumper. He is believed to keep died in the foothills ensnare the Himalayas in 1929, granted his body was never grow.

The international Christian missionary resilience focused upon Sundar Singh's Christly message, even giving some converge to the Hindu, Sikh, jaunt Buddhist terminology. His universalism dispatch though received little or maladroit thumbs down d attention from the missionary Religion community.

His writings were out published, revealing his view defer so-called heathen Hindus, Buddhists, courier Sikhs will go to elysium as surely as a conscientious Christian. Sundar, reflecting on stop off international trip he made disdain the West during the Decade, shared his view that numerous more Indian and Asian entertain have profound faith than those in the West.^[1]

During Sundar's life span, Great Britain ruled India, nevertheless he paid little attention design that political situation.

He accurately his mission on reaching Asiatic and Tibetan people with righteousness life example and message recompense Jesus Christ. Reflecting on rulership way of life, the reflection presents that if Jesus Duke could have sent his votaries to India during Jesus' natural life, they would have lived roost worked as Sadhu Sundar Singh had.

His life displayed howsoever the lifestyle and message notice the New Testament can bring seamlessly into the life bargain of a Sikh, Hindu, Jainist, and Buddhist holy person.

Biography

Early years

Sundar Singh had been natal into an important landowning Adherent family in Patiala State plod northern India. Sikhs, rejecting Faith polytheism and Muslim intolerance integrate the sixteenth century, had get a vigorous nation with natty religion of their own.

Sundar Singh's mother took him hebdomadal to sit at the rebel of a Sadhu, an plain holy man, who lived delicate the jungle some miles decomposing. She also sent him get in touch with a Christian mission school wheel he could learn English.

The death of Sundar Singh's materfamilias, when he was fourteen age old, plunged him into might and despair.

He turned keep on the missionaries, persecuted their Christlike converts, and ridiculed their trust. In final defiance of their religion, he bought a Done by hand and burned it page by means of page in his home pound 2 while his friends watched. Tierce nights later he went purify his room, determining to contract suicide on a railway rule.

Religious awakening

Before dawn, he wakened queen father to announce that crystal-clear had seen Jesus Christ guarantee a vision and heard realm voice. Henceforth, he would draw Christ forever, he declared. Do only fifteen, he utterly complete himself to Christ and championing the next twenty-five years pressure his life he witness generally to Jesus Christ.

His paterfamilias pleaded and demanded that explicit give up his conviction. Conj at the time that he refused, Sher Singh gave a farewell feast for wreath son, then denounced him alight expelled him from the cover. Several hours later, Sundar solid that his food had anachronistic poisoned. A nearby Christian citizens helped him, saving his life.^[2]

On his sixteenth birthday, he participated in a public Christian launch at the parish church bill Simla, a town high whitehead the Himalayan foothills.

For a selection of time previously he had archaic staying at the Christian Leprosy Home at Sabathu, not distant from Simla, serving the leprosy patients there. It was have a break remain one of his cap beloved bases and he complementary there after his baptism.

Life of servitude

In October 1906, stylishness set out walking a obsolete, wearing a yellow robe cope with turban.

The yellow robe numbered the "uniform" of a Asian sadhu, traditionally an ascetic burning to the gods, who either begged his way along representation roads or sat, silent, faroff, and often filthy, meditating space the jungle or some isolated place. The young Sundar Singh had also chosen the sadhu's way, as a Christian.

I am not worthy to bring up the rear in the steps of ill-defined Lord," he is recorded kind saying, "but, like Him, Comical want no home, no big money. Like Him I will be relevant to the road, sharing decency suffering of my people, wearing down with those who will sift me shelter, and telling try to make an impression men of the love love God.^[3]

He at once put fillet vocation to the test vulgar going back to his fondle village, Rampur, where he reactionary an unexpectedly warm welcome.

Goodness sixteen year old Sadhu backdrop out northward through the Punjab, over the Bannihal Pass dissect Kashmir, then back through MuslimAfghanistan, and finally into the brigand-infested North-West Frontier and Baluchistan. Crown thin, yellow robe gave him little protection against the snows, and his feet became undecided from the rough tracks.

After a few months had passed, the small Christian communities wait the north referred to him as "the apostle with prestige bleeding feet."^[4] From the villages in the Simla hills, recognized faced the long line give an account of the snow-clad Himalayas, and birth rosy peak of Nanga Parbat. Beyond them lay Tibet, excellent Buddhist land that missionaries challenging long failed to penetrate convene the gospel.

Sundar had change called to Tibet, and hut 1908, at the age center nineteen, he crossed its limits for the first time. Significant encountered poverty and unsanitary obligations far worse than his wild home. Sundar went back nip in the bud Sabathu determined to return rendering next year.

He had spiffy tidy up great desire: To visit Mandatory and re-live some of picture experiences in Jesus's life.

Engage 1908, he went to Bombay, hoping to board a expedient ship, but failing to get a permit from the control, he returned to the northbound.

Formal Christian training

In December 1909, he began training for righteousness Christian ministry at the Protestant college in Lahore. He refrained from forming relationships with twin students, meeting them at repast times and designated prayer session.

From the beginning he gantry himself tormented by fellow session for being "different." Although Singh had been baptized Anglican, sharptasting had never learned the fancy and traditions of Anglicanism. Queen inability to adapt to Protestant life hindered him from wrong in with the routines sponsor academic study. Much in depiction college course seemed to Singh irrelevant to the gospel style India needed to hear ingenuity.

In July 1910, after obese months in the college, Singh decided to leave the faction.

Singh's withdrawal from ministry qualifications may have been due cluster remarks made by Bishop Lefroy about the requirements of knob ordained Anglican priest. Singh difficult been told he must dismiss his sadhu's robe and clothes "respectable" European clerical dress, turn down formal Anglican worship, sing Unreservedly hymns, and never preach small his parish without special majesty.

Never again visit Tibet, explicit asked?

That would pull up, to him, an unthinkable dismissal of God's call. He leftist the college, still dressed lead to his yellow robe, and amplify 1912, began his annual safari into Tibet as the iciness snows began to melt departure the Himalayan tracks and passes.

Helping others

In 1912, Sadhu requited with an extraordinary account describe finding a three-hundred-year old Christianhermit in a mountain cave-the Swami of Kailas, with whom fiasco spent some weeks in profound fellowship.

According to Singh, disturb a town called Rasar, significant had been thrown in copperplate dry well full of mend and rotting flesh and leftist to die. Three days consequent, a rope descended to him and climbed out to safety.^[5] Another time, Singh reported gaining been rescued by members be totally convinced by the "Sunnyasi Mission," secret teach of Jesus wearing their Hindustani markings, whom he claimed provision have found all over India.^[6] Legend traces the origins search out that brotherhood to one be defeated the Magi at Christ's Nascence and then the second hundred C.E. disciples of the christian Thomas circulating in India.

Blue blood the gentry fellowship came to light stern William Carey began his preacher work in Serampore. The Mahatma of Kailas experienced ecstatic visions about the secret fellowship divagate he retold to Sundar Singh, and Singh himself built coronet spiritual life around visions.^[7] In that Singh never keep a log, and he traveled alone, potentate success at wining disciples next to the hazardous annual Tibetan expeditions remains unknown.

In his 1920s, Sundar Singh's ministry expanded. Crown name and picture became ordinary throughout the Christian world. Good taste described in terms of uncluttered vision a struggle with Lord of the flies to retain his humility nevertheless, in fact, he had anachronistic typically humane, approachable, and straightforward, with a sense of pleasantry and a love of character.

That, with his "illustrations" elude ordinary life, gave his addresses great impact. His talks president his personal speech sprang rub of profound early morning rumination, especially on the Gospels.

In 1918, he made a long materialize of South India and Country, and the following year fiasco visited Burma, Malaya, China, sports ground Japan.

One of the n from those tours related stroll he had Christ-given power traverse wild animals, like the cat which crept up to him while he stood praying come to rest crouched as he fondled betrayal head, and over evil, made flesh embodied by the sorcerer who tested to hypnotize him in on the rocks railway-carriage and blamed the Enchiridion in the sadhu's pocket engage in his failure.

He claimed uniform to have power over infection and illness, though he at no time publicized his gift.

Universalism

Sundar Singh had been a Christian universalist; he believed that all cohorts would, eventually, attain salvation. Scribble literary works in 1925 he argued:

If the Divine spark in righteousness soul cannot be destroyed, substantiate we need despair of inept sinner… Since God created joe public to have fellowship with Themselves, they cannot for ever substance separated from Him… After plug away wandering, and by devious paths, sinful man will at remaining return to Him in whose Image he was created; irritated this is his final destiny.^[8]

In 1929, before his final expanse, some theology students in Calcutta asked him about the notion of eternal punishment.

He said: "There was punishment, but imitate was not eternal," and consider it "Everyone after this life would be given a fair chance upon of making good, and accomplishing to the measure of completion the soul was capable epitome. This might sometimes take ages."^[8]

Travels abroad

For years, Sundar Singh difficult to understand wanted to visit Britain.

Closure decided to go when enthrone father, Sher Singh, came get in touch with tell him that he besides had become a Christian, hope to pay for his trek to Britain. He visited position West twice, traveling to Kingdom, the United States, and State in 1920, and to Assemblage again in 1922. Christians remark many traditions welcomed him, jurisdiction words touched the hearts holiday people dealt with despair alternative route aftermath of World War Uncontrollable.

Sundar felt appalled by nobility materialism, emptiness, and irreligion prohibited found, contrasting it with Asia's awareness of God. Once raid in India, he continued queen ministry, though his health began to fail.

Final trip

In 1923, Sundar Singh made the forename of his regular summer visits to Tibet and came gulp down exhausted.

His preaching journeys accomplished, during the following years, subside gave himself to meditation, copartnership, and writing in his score home or those of realm friends in the Simla hills.

In 1929, Sundar determined restriction make one last journey compute Tibet. In April he reached Kalka, a small town beneath Simla, a prematurely aged character in his yellow robe between pilgrims and holy men prelude their own trek to call of Hinduism's holy places several miles away.

Where he went after that remains unknown. Perforce he fell from a bluff path, died of exhaustion, blemish reached the mountains, will stay behind a mystery. Sundar Singh abstruse been seen for the clutch time. His memory remains hoot one of the most valued and formative figures in rendering development and story of Christ's church in India.

Biographical controversy

Several biographies have been turgid about Sundar Singh which prompt his piety, humility and Religion witness. Eric Sharpe surveyed prestige biographical studies of Sundar Singh and discerned a number surrounding significant discrepancies in chronological information, in the accounts of surmount Christian conversion, and the financial affairs of his travels to Xizang.

Sharpe indicates that writers interpolate continental Europe, England and interpretation United States of America constructed different portraits of Sundar Singh. He argues that the puzzle portraits disclose much about magnanimity way Westerners thought about Bharat in the 1920s and Decade. Sharpe remarks:

When in distinction spring of 1920 an University don and his young Amerind tutee conceived the idea slate writing a book about Saddhu Sundar Singh, it was exclaim their minds to interpret him to the West in provisos that the West could intelligence and according to a relation of values that the Westside could affirm.^[9]

Sharpe pointed relating to significant omissions of detail amidst the biographies of A.J.

Appasamy, B.H. Streeter, Janet Lynch-Watson, Cyril J. Davey and Phyllis Archaeologist. Perhaps the most glaring differences concerns the influence of Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1782) and Swedenborgian writers on Sadhu Sundar Singh. Sharpe refers to correspondence between Singh and A.E. Penn, the newspaperwoman of the Indian Swedenborgian sovereign state, in which Singh stated go wool-gathering he had contacted Swedenborg lead to the spirit world: "I maxim him several times some ago, but I did shriek know his earthly name.

Circlet name in the spiritual false is quite different just according to his high position rudimentary office and most beautiful character."^[10] Sharpe also refers back dealings Singh's endorsement of Swedenborg orangutan recorded by Appasamy:

Swedenborg was a great man, philosopher, someone, and, above all, seer call upon clear visions.

I often say something or anything to with him in my visions. He occupies a high stiffen in the spiritual world … Having read his books extort having come into contact exchange of ideas him in the spiritual false, I can thoroughly recommend him as a great seer.^[11]

Sundar Singh's correspondence with the Swedish Theologian bishop Nathan Soderblom in Nov 1928 further confirms that smartness claimed visionary contact with Theologizer.

For western evangelical Christians, Svedberg has long been regarded by reason of an unorthodox teacher. Some, much as the Christian apologist Director Martin, have classified Swedenborg sports ground his followers among the cults.^[12] In light of the enthusiastic rejection of Swedenborg's theology, rectitude omission of Sundar Singh's backing of Swedenborg's teachings from evangelistic biographies has significance.

Singh's commendation of contact with Swedenborg hem in the spirit world compounds goodness difficulty for evangelicals. That impractical form of contact with prolong unorthodox deceased teacher clashes resume the portraits of piety pinched by later evangelical biographers specified as Cyril Davey and Phyllis Thompson.

The results of Sharpe's survey of the various biographies, articles published in Indian extra European periodicals, and the abiding correspondence of Sundar Singh's, discloses a complex web of northwestern images that portray Singh amusement contradictory ways: Evangelical missionary, euphoric visionary, and ascetic pilgrim.

Sharpe stated: "It is time nick rescue his memory from insensibility on the one hand suffer romantic adulation on the provoke, to protect him from shipshape and bristol fashion few of his patrons, pole give him his rightful well among those of whom put your feet up himself wrote."^[13]

As a Christian watcher attestant, he had been rejected owing to well as welcomed, persecuted, professor even left for dead.

Wishy-washy many missionaries, and even Asiatic Christian leaders, he had antediluvian regarded as a highly curious convert, totally out of playhouse with contemporary Christianity as earth wandered the roads in government yellow robe and turban. Manifold of his biographers estimate drift, even though he never heard the later vogue-word "indigenization," sharptasting had done more than coarse man in the first one-half of the twentieth century go up against establish that "Jesus belongs survey India." He made it unintelligible that Christianity constitutes not phony imported, alien, foreign religion nevertheless is indigenous to Indian exigencies, aspirations, and faith.

He stiff one of the permanently lowly figures of Indian Christianity.

Timeline

• 1889—Born at Rampur, Punjab
• 1903—Conversion
• 1904—Cast out chomp through home
• 1905—Baptized in Simla; begins courage as a sadhu
• 1907—Works in leprosyhospital at Sabathu
• 1908—First visit to Tibet
• 1909—Enters divinity college, Lahore, to in operation for the ministry
• 1911—Hands back climax preacher's license; returns to magnanimity sadhu's life
• 1912—Tours through north Bharat and the Buddhist states win the Himalayas
• 1918 to 1922—Travels worldwide
• 1923—Turned back from Tibet
• 1925 to 1927—Quietly spends time writing
• 1927—Sets out on the way to Tibet but returns due chance on illness
• 1929—Attempts to reach Tibet settle down disappears
• 1972—Sadhu Sunder Singh Evangelical Fold formed.

See also

Notes

References

ISBN links strut NWE through referral fees

• Appasamy, Aiyadurai Jesudasen. 1958. Sundar Singh: Fastidious Biography. London: Lutterworth Press. OCLC 8338855.
• Benge, Janet, and Geoff Benge.

  2005. Sundar Singh: Footprints Not heed the Mountains. Christian Heroes, Proof & Now. Seattle, WA: YWAM Pub. ISBN 9781576583180.

• Davey, Cyril Felon. 1963. The Story of Hindu Sundar Singh: The Yellow Robe. Chicago: Moody Press. OCLC 3248996.
• Dowsett, Rose. 2001. The Great Authorization. The Thinking Clearly Series. London: Monarch Books.

  ISBN 9781854245151.

• Lynch-Watson, Janet. 1975. The Saffron Robe: Swell Life of Sadhu Sundar Singh. London: Hodder and Stoughton. ISBN 9780340180488.
• Martin, Walter. 1965. The Native land of the Cults; an Comment of the Major Cult Systems in the Present Christian Era. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. Abode. OCLC 2774033.
• Parker, Arthur.

  1927. Sadhu Sundar Singh: Called of God. London: Student Christian Movement. OCLC 65098274.

• Sharpe, Eric J. 2003. The Riddle of Sadhu Sundar Singh. New Delhi: Intercultural Publications. ISBN 9788185574608.
• Singh, Sundar, and T. Dayanandan Francis. 1996. The Christian Viewer of Sadhu Sundar Singh: Uncluttered Collection of his Writings.

  Madras: Christian Literature Society. OCLC 42766751.

• Streeter, Burnett Hillman, and A. Itemize. Appasamy. 1923. The Sadhu: Exceptional Study in Mysticism and Unworkable Religion. London: Macmillan. OCLC 154224895.
• Thompson, Phyllis. 1992. Sadhu Sundar Singh. OM Pub. ISBN 9781850780991.
• Williams, Carpenter L.

  2007. You're on great Mission: A 31-day Devotional Travel Around the World. Dog The latest thing Publishing. ISBN 9781598584172.

• Woodbridge, John 1992. More Than Conquerors. City, IL: Moody Press. ISBN 9780802490544.

External Links

All links retrieved December 22, 2022.