With and Without Christ

In this book I have set out to describe some Spiritual experiences of Christians and non- Christians belonging to various walks of life, whom I have met in different parts of the world during my evangelistic tours. I have confined myself entirely to incidents which they have told me from their personal religious experiences, or to those which I have been able to investigate for myself.

I have attempted to compare the lives of men living with Christ with those of others who, either because they are strict adherents of their own faiths, or because their lives are governed by their own self-will, are living without Him. Along with this, I have given a little of my own experience of what I was without Christ, and of what the Living Presence of Christ now means to me.

My aim in writing this book has been to show, by simple narrative, the Living Presence of Christ and His saving power in the lives of men. For to me the proof of the power and presence of the Living Christ is found, not in this world’s philosophy and imperfect logic, but in the lives and experiences of true Christians. My earnest hope is that my readers will approach these facts with open minds, and will be helped by them to that experience of the Living Christ which has enriched my life and the lives of millions of others.

For help in the translation from Urdu to English I am indebted to Rev. T. E. Riddle, of Kharar.

THOUGH Christians and non-Christians are equally the creation and sons of one God, yet there is a great difference between them. Some men have a true knowledge and realisation of Him, and are transformed into His likeness and become the heirs of life and eternal happiness through living in the presence of His incarnation, Jesus Christ; others, walking in the dim light of the truth as they know it, and following the desires of their own wills, stray from the truth and deprive themselves of the blessings that ate to be found in Christ. -

The difference in the lives of those with and without Christ can be seen from the examination of the incidents which we now present.

It is a well-known fact that, in those lands where the Gospel has been widely preached, a noticeable change in thought has taken place, even though comparatively few have become professed followers of Christ; while the state of those countries where the Gospel has not been preached is little different from what it was in former days, when they were counted as uncivilised and altogether superstitious.

The Word of God tells us that all men are sons of God, because He is the same to all and is no respecter of any. It says that “in every nation he that feareth Him and worketh righteousness is acceptable to Him” (Acts x. 35), and it also says that “He left not Himself without witness” (Acts xiv. 17). The light of the truth which God revealed was sufficient to lead the nations back to Him, but it was not that full light of truth that was afterwards revealed in Christ, the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi iv. 2; John i. 9). Now that “the Light of the World” has come, conditions have changed, for those that are real seekers after truth have begun to follow Him in that Light, while others, whose eyes are blinded by self, have turned away from Him and walk in darkness (John Siw O52 1):

Unless man’s search for truth satisfies the craving of his religious nature he can find no rest, for when his conscience is awake, try as he may, he can never stifle its intense longing. Only those who, by deliberate neglect of God, have deadened the craving of their hearts and silenced the inner voice can know any degree of peace—but it is the peace of death.

Let us now tty to find out how far those without Christ have succeeded in allaying this craving of their souls for rest.

Some time ago, in Hardwar, I saw a Sadhu lying on a bed of spikes. I went to him and asked: “What aim have you in wounding and torturing your body in this way?” He replied: “Don’t you know that much when you are yourself a Sadhu? It means austerity and the mortifying of the flesh. I worship God in this way, but I confess that the pricks of these spikes are not so bad as the pain I get from my sins and evil desires. My object is to crush the desires of self that I may gain salvation.” I asked: “How long have you been doing this, and how far have you succeeded in your object?” He replied: “I began this eighteen months ago, but I have not yet gained my object, nor is it possible to do it in so short a time. Many years, and indeed many births, will be necessary to accomplish Tete

Then I told him of my own experience of failure when I tried to gain salvation by my own efforts, and of how, in an instant, the Lord Jesus changed my heart and calmed my restless soul with that true peace to gain which he was expecting to torture himself through many re-births; and I added: “If, in this present birth, you cannot be successful, then what proof have you that you will gain it in any future birth? Now, not because I am in any way worthy, or have any right, but by His grace and mercy, I have been freed from the pricks of my sin and evil desires and temptations, and have yielded myself up to Him who can take away not only my sins, but the sins of the whole world (John 1. 29). For, as the spikes have pierced the hands and feet of that Sinless One on behalf of sinners, so now by His sacrifice we are saved from sin and its consequences.”

When he heard this he made no attempt to agree, but said, “I can never admit that salvation can be obtained as a free gift, and in one short life.”

How difficult it is for those who have had no experience of this life in Christ to understand it or to admit that it can be true!

Then I saw another ascetic who, with a rope tied to his feet, was being swung about from a tree with his head downwards. I went away, and after a while returned when he had been untied and had rested. I asked him what motive he had, and what profit there might be, in such trying austerity. He said: “I do not feel like saying anything just now, but, as you are a brother Sadhu, I will explain my motive in a few words. Think for a moment why people are so amazed when they see me hanging head down, when the Creator Himself has hung all mankind upside down in their mothers’ wombs. Well, this is the manner in which I perform my wotship and my austerity. In the eyes of the world it is foolishness, but by acting in such a way, I want to remind myself and all men that, when we entangle ourselves in our sins, we turn ourselves upside down in the sight of God, even though, in the eyes of the world, we appear to be right side up. I want also to keep on outwardly and inwardly reforming myself until I am satisfied that at last I am right side up before God.”

I replied: “You have strange ideas. It is true the world is upside down, and its ways are also upside down, but we should not adopt their upside-down ways of doing things. How can we, by our own efforts, free ourselves from the entanglements of sin? It is a task beyond our strength. Hence the Lord of Love became man that He might set us free from our bondage (Luke iv. 18); and to set the world aright He uses as His instruments those whom He has saved and set free’ (Acts xvii. 6). On this the Sadhu gave a sign that he did not wish the conversation to continue, so I rose and came away.

One thing is quite certain—in spite of the horrible austerity he was undergoing, he had not as yet been able to effect any such reformation in his life as to give him either satisfaction or#eace.

After this I met another ascetic who in the hot weather used to sit all day long between ‘the five fires,” while in the cold weather he used to stand for hours in cold water. On his face, sadness and hopelessness were ex- pressed. I had with me another man wha asked him with great sympathy: “You have been torturing yourself in this way for the last five years; will you give me some idea of what you have learned from this manner of life? What good have you got from it?” The Sadhu replied: “I have no hope for any kind of benefit in this present life, and I can say nothing at all about the future, and that is all I can tell you about it.”

Once when I was spending a few days in the jungles of Rikhi Kesh, in which many Sadhus live, I saw a great many people sitting round a Sadhu seated on the bank of the Ganges. The Sadhu had one hand raised above his head, and from a distance I thought he was giving his blessing to the people. When I came near, I saw that the bones of his arm were set so that he could not lower it. When he had finished his talk with the people, I asked him how his arm had become dried and fixed. He gave his reply with the great pride of one who had overcome an enemy in battle. “Sir,” he said, “with this hand I have stolen much, and have beaten many, but there came a day when I had such a great shock that the foundations of my whole life were shaken. I left my old life altogether, and decided that I would either cut off this hand or, by making it useless, give it the punishment it deserved. I consulted my guru (teacher) and, on his advice, I held it up continuously above my head till it had completely dried up, and become fixed in this position. Now I am very proud of 1CiH

I replied, “I admire your courage and your good intention, but I am sorry, for you have been spoiling a gift given you by God. In- stead of destroying your hand you should have used it in helping others. In this way, to some extent, you could have made good the loss you caused by it. Real courage and victory consist, not in uselessly destroying your hand, but in using it to help others. My Guru, Jesus Christ, said, ‘If thy right hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off’ (Matt. v. 30), and His meaning is, that we should so cut out from our hearts the instrument of evil that in future it should never again be available for such a purpose.”

I had barely finished speaking when he jumped at me.in such a rage that there is no doubt, had his hand been of use, he would have struck me. Afterwards I respectfully pointed out to him how useless it was for him to have mutilated himself. It would have been better had he changed the intention of his heart, which was behind the hand, so that it might now move to fulfil God’s purpose in his life.

The next day I went to see another man, whom the people called Moni Bawa—a Sadhu who had taken a vow to remain silent for a number of years. This man was a real seeker after truth. For the last six years he had not uttered a word. He wrote on a slate the answer to any question I asked him. One of my questions was: “Why do you not make use of this God-given gift, for He has given you the tongue for speaking, for glorifying and worshiping Him, and for giving advice on spiritual matters? If God had intended you to remain silent He would have created you a dumb mute, and would not have given you a tongue.” Without any show of pride, he wrote his answer: ‘““What you say is quite true, but my temper is so bad that no good ever came out of my mouth. I used to lie, and say things to hurt people’s feelings. It is nearly six years now since I spoke last, but as yet I have not gained my object. It is better to be silent than not to speak good words. Thus far no blessing has come to me, nor any special message for the people, so silence is best for me.” I talked a little longer with him, and then gave him a Gospel, which he accepted thankfully and. promised to read carefully.

One day I had some conversation in Benares with an educated Hindu Sannyasi, and in the course of our talk he said: ‘““The ancient rules laid down for the orders of Sadhus and Sannyasis are admirable. There is first the state of student, then that of householder, then, later in life, retirement from family cares to the woods, and then, in old age, the state of Sannyasis or renunciation. But the method you have adopted is very strange, for in your youth you have become a Sannyasi.”

I said: “I am not opposed to your rules, but my motive in becoming a Sadhu is very different from yours. I have not become a Sadhu because I think there is merit or salvation to be gained by so doing. My aim is that without worldly encumbrances, in the simple way of a Sadhu, I may serve Him who has saved me by His grace. Is it not right that, in the best days of my youth and strength, I should serve Him who gave His life for me?

“Besides this, what would you say about it if any of your disciples, instead of present- ing you with a ripe, juicy mango, were to give you one that was only skin and stone, from which all the juice had been sucked out?” He answered: “Such behaviour would be unpardonable. It would be the height of loutishness and insult.” |

I replied: “Well, if in the days of our youth we waste ourselves in our own pleasures, and in the weakness of old age present only the bones and skin of our past to the service of God, will not that be to present to Him a gift of foolishness, insult and sin beyond pardon?” ‘The Sannyasi answered: “What have we to do with the salvation of others? Each must strive for his own salvation. The pleasure, the anger, and the service of God, mean nothing to us, for salvation depends entirely on our own karma” (works).

How much better than this is the golden teaching of Christ: “Thou shalt love the

Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind and with all thy strength... and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Mark xii. 30-31)! If we apply this principle our lives cannot be selfish, and between us and God there will be the relation of father and sons, and among ourselves we shall be real brothers and sisters. In this verse we have in a nutshell the Gospel teaching on salvation and the Kingdom of God.

The lives we have thus far considered are those of a few Sadhus who, unlike the ordinary run of men, devote their time entirely to spiritual and religious duties. But millions of other Hindus hold a like faith, while even such leaders as Mr. Gandhi confess that they have failed to realize God, for in his recently published autobiography he has stated: “I have not yet found Him, but I am seeking after Him’; and again he says: “It is an un- broken torture to me that I am still so far from Him.”