Sadhu Sundar Singh A Biography

On one of his journeys, Sundar encountered a pathetic sight, where a man stood mourning and grieving over
the death of a companion. The story of this mourner was that he and his friend were travelling, when his companion
suddenly took ill, collapsed and died. There lay the body covered by a shroud by the roadside. The narrator of this
sad story went on to say that he was absolutely penniless and had no money with which to cremate or otherwise
arrange for the removal of his companion's body.
Sundar Singh was moved by pity, and although he had so little and carried hardly any money, he tried to do
for this man what he could by way of relieving his distress. He had not proceeded far from the sad scene, when
Sundar Singh heard even yet louder and more frantic wails. The man whom he had just tried to comfort and relieve
came running to him saying, "My friend has really died!" Then it was that Sundar Singh came to realize that these
were two conmen who employed this ploy to obtain alms and gifts from the travellers who passed by.
After receiving help from Sundar Singh, this fellow had gone back and called on his friend to rise, but his
friend made no response. It was their practice to play the dead man in turns. Once the road was clear, they would be
their usual selves again! Now, though the road was clear, he could not rouse his friend who would normally spring
back to 'instant health' when called. Now to his real sorrow and distress, he found that his companion was dead. This
must have come as a great shock to Sundar Singh himself. No man of God would desire the death even of a deceiver.
While God Himself has no joy in the death of a sinner-Ezekiel 18:32: "I have no pleasure in the death of him
that dieth"-yet there is a very particular retribution which is meted out to those who lie, deceive and slander men of
God who are key instruments in the building of His work and Kingdom. The present writer himself has seen cases
like this, when God used his late father in great revival power, when mighty works of God spontaneously took place
and were witnessed by thousands of people. We have seen strong men suddenly fall down and come close to dying,
and even expiring suddenly, when they uttered blatant lies where God was at work, i.e., in the midst of a revival
environment. Pretence, deception, lies, stealing and adultery, when deliberately hidden in the midst of praying
people, carry a very heavy penalty and can be visited with serious judgments from God.
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