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The Pentecostal Mission E-Books-
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THE BIOGRAPHY OF PASTOR PAUL
CONTENTS:
1.
The childhood of Ramankutty
2. Ramankutty returns to his own home
3. Experiencing the ‘flowing with milk and honey’
4. Apostolic consecration and faith life
5. Ceylon Pentecostal Mission in its beginning years
6. Prayer and praise coupled with faith
7. An evangelist with excellent traits
8. The manner of gaining souls
9. The leading of the Holy Spirit
10. Training the fellow-workers
14. The last days of the saint
15. We will serve the Lord our God
16. The disciple about the master
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PREFACE
When the Church was
passing through its ‘dark ages’, God sought for men who could hold out the
burning torch of His Kingdom to dispel the darkness. Many upright, zealous men
of God came into God’s view for this purpose. God wielded them as mighty weapons
for His Kingdom in defence of the faith. Soon ‘Reformation’ set in, in the 16th
century. A mighty movement of the Holy Spirit was witnessed in several parts of
Europe, in the centuries that followed. Consequently, the gospel truths
(mysteries) which were preached during the apostolic times and were lost to many
in the dark ages were brought to light once again. Yes, the Lord does seek men
who are faithful and of an upright heart before Him to fully reveal the truths
of His Kingdom. “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole
earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward
him”
(II Chron.16:9). The Lord’s eyes found such an upright man in Pastor Paul, in
the 20th century.
While in Sri
Lanka, Pastor Paul found Jesus, the true Light, Who illuminated his life. From
the time he was saved, his life was wholly committed to the Saviour’s will.
Subsequently, he was led to the knowledge of the deeper truths.
His longing to
taste the ‘flowing with milk and honey’ experience was satisfied when God filled
him with the Holy Spirit. He enjoyed the abundance of the love and joy of the
Lord. Being filled with divine power, he danced with exceeding joy. Of all who
waited for the Holy Spirit that day, he was the only one who received it. He
describes the extraordinary experience he had : ‘I realized my belly being
filled and a power taking control of my tongue. When the Spirit of the Lord
began to speak through me, I feared that my tongue would be plucked off from my
mouth. A week later, I clearly spoke in unknown tongues. The continuing struggle
had ceased and I received an inner peace ... I received a deliverance from all
evil desires. That very day heaven was established in my heart !’
This Pentecostal experience that Pastor Paul had in 1921 is very similar to the one that John Wesley had in the 18th century. Wesley in his words describes it thus : ‘My whole heart was filled with divine power, drawing all the faculties of my soul after Christ, which continued three or four nights and days. It was as a rushing mighty wind coming into the soul, enabling me from that moment to be more than conqueror over those corruptions which before I was always a slave to.’
Thus began a
Pentecostal movement in the eastern land of Sri Lanka. Pastor Paul became a
yielded instrument in the hands of the Lord. He received divine revelations and
doctrines that could prepare the Church to become His Bride. God spoke to him
about the sublime life of consecration that His servants should lead. He
distinctly revealed to him that faith life was indispensable to them. Pastor
Paul surrendered in implicit obedience to the Lord’s command and set out by
faith to serve Him. The Lord made it clear to him that it was imperative that
His servants hate and forsake their all, in accordance with Luke 14:26,33. Well
realizing what the cost of discipleship meant, he yielded to the will of God, in
perfect obedience. Based on the revelations he received from God, he founded the
Pentecostal Church in Sri Lanka, known as the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission. A
unique trait of character observed in him was his constant waiting upon God for
guidance to lead the Church.
Since the
founding of this Church, this work has had its opening and establishment in many
parts of India and in many countries of the world.
In this context,
we reckon ourselves privileged to have had access to many facts relating to the
life and works of Pastor Paul, and the way in which he was led by God to
establish this Church, which we have chosen to compile into a book, forming his
biography. We can say that the history of the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission (now
known as The Pentecostal Mission in India) has had its beginning in the life of
Pastor Paul.
“Remember
them which have the rule over you, who have spoken to you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end
of their conversation” (Heb.13:7).
*********
CHAPTER 1
Ramankutty was
asleep. All on a sudden, he woke up realizing that someone had called him. It
was an endearing call of love. He looked around. All were fast asleep. No one
else was around.
He had heard
that voice calling him the previous night also and had told his mother about it
that morning. She had instructed him to ask, ‘Who calls me ? What do you want ?’
if he heard the voice again. The little boy remembered this. He therefore
eagerly asked in reply: ‘Who is that ? ... What do you want ?’
He heard the
same voice clearly again : ‘I am Jesus’.
They were
mellifluous words mingled with affection which fell on his ears. His heart
repeated in a soft voice, ‘Jesus’. That name hitherto unheard of,
could not remain in his mind for long. He fell into deep sleep again.
The little boy
woke up early the next morning on hearing the blowing of the conch in the temple
of Shiva nearby. This was his daily practice. His grandfather was the priest in
that temple. The faint memory of the previous night’s incident which almost got
submerged in the ringing of the temple bell for worship early in the morning and
the chanting of mantras soon fell into oblivion. Ramankutty was soon immersed in
his daily chores.
The event
described above is one of the childhood incidents in the life of Pastor Paul,
the founder of The Pentecostal Mission, (then known as the Ceylon Pentecostal
Mission).
Ramankutty was
born in the year 1881 in a Hindu family in the village of Engandiyur in the
Trichur district of the state of Kerala. The voice which he heard was not
accidental. It was the voice of God that creates all things out of nothing ! It
was the voice of God Who calls into being things that be not as though they
were ! It will never once be heard accidentally. The voice which Moses, the man
of God heard from the midst of the burning bush at Horeb and the voice which
Saul heard near Damascus and fell being shocked, resounded only according to the
eternal purpose of God. Even so, through the subsequent history we shall
understand that the voice of God which Ramankutty, the grandson of the Hindu
priest heard, was only according to the eternal purpose of God.
It was the aim of Ramankutty’s father to make him a priest in the temple
like his grandfather. His mother too was a pious woman. Since she was a Hindu,
she brought up her son according to the principles of that religion. Their
condition in life permitted them to impart only primary education to their young
child. Meanwhile, Ramankutty had come to know from his own mother that it is
only from God that one could have true peace. While continuing with his
religious and school education, he had also to help his grandfather in the
rituals and worship in the temple.
These apart, as
an adolescent he had to face the problems of his livelihood. It was customary in
those days for many from South India to go to Sri Lanka to earn money. Young
Ramankutty too made an attempt to go over. He was only fourteen years old when
he undertook his journey to Sri Lanka. In a few days of his reaching there, he
got a small job. Dr.Asarappa, one of the wealthy men of the city of Colombo
employed Raman.
Dr. Asarappa was
a godly man who had been converted to Christianity (Church Mission Society) from
Hinduism. He allowed Ramankutty to stay in his house. His wife too loved
Ramankutty as one of her four sons. At times they took him along with their
children to attend the services in the church. Raman had come to know many
things about Christianity in that manner. However, he had no desire to become a
Christian. He often said that Christianity was a religion in which one attained
heaven by being on one’s knees and that he did not need such a religion.
However, Mrs. Asarappa continued to teach Raman the Christian doctrines.
Observing the extraordinary attributes of Raman, the doctor hoped that Raman
would become a Christian and hence presented him a Bible. But Raman refused to
accept it. Besides, he did not hesitate to openly reply, ‘I am a Hindu, I do not
need a Bible’. The doctor then said, ‘There is nothing wrong in trying to know
about all religions. After you understand what Christianity is, then if you do
not like it, you may reject it’. Raman had such zeal for his religion that on
one occasion he even went to the extent of daring to answer, ‘If you again
compel me to read the Bible, I will burn it up’. Both Dr. Asarappa and his wife
being good, continued to deal lovingly with Raman.
In his
eighteenth year, Raman had a vision of the Lord Jesus Christ. He clearly saw
Christ the Lord in his vision. However, he did not come forward to tell anyone
of this vision. Thereafter, gradually, a change began to take place in his
heart. Besides, Ramankutty began secretly to meditate on Christ the Lord and
even pray to Him. After seeing the vision of the Lord Jesus Christ, the faint
memory of the divine experience of having heard the voice of God while young,
would now and then return to his mind and then vanish. However, he had kept all
these as a heavenly secret. The divine vision of Christ Jesus combined with the
remembrance of the divine voice heard years back, brought about a change which
made him excel in his works and character. Dr. Asarappa and his wife encouraged
Raman in matters pertaining to God. The excellent character of Ramankutty earned
him respect from all who came in contact with him.
Ramankutty who
had reached Colombo in his fourteenth year, was now aged twenty one. This young
man once again had the vision of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus spoke to
him. The echo of that divine voice reverberated in the depth of his heart : ‘If
you are ashamed of Me ... I too will be ashamed of you when I appear as King’.
This voice of God which tries the hearts and reins, which pierces even to the
dividing asunder of the joints and marrow, brought to light his secret Christian
life. It was not possible now for this young man who had been ashamed to confess
the Lord, to hide his true state. The voice of God was transforming his heart.
Ramankutty had a true repentance. He fully believed in Christ and received
salvation. He could not remain silent. He began to proclaim that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the
world.
Dr. Asarappa and
his wife were filled with joy. The eagerness to learn more of Christ increased
in Ramankutty’s heart. Therefore, without delay, he was baptized by the parson
of the CMS church and was given the Christian name ‘Paul’.
CHAPTER 2
RAMANKUTTY RETURNS TO HIS OWN HOME
It was to earn
his livelihood that Ramankutty set out from his home. But now in the place where
he went, he chanced to find the true God. His joy knew no bounds in attaining
this great a privilege in his life. He delighted in testifying about his
Beloved. The parents came to know of their son having become a convert.
Immediately his father sent some relatives to bring Ramankutty back to his own
country. Paul did not know the mind of the relatives who had come. So he started
for his home in Kerala.
The hat that was
blown away by the wind :
Paul, who was
eager to use every opportunity he could find to glorify the name of God Who had
saved him, was witnessing about the Lord Jesus Christ to his fellow-travellers
in the train. At that time a strong wind blew suddenly and Paul’s hat was blown
off the train. ‘Hey, has your God cheated you? If He was the true God, you would
not have lost your hat’, they said and laughed mockingly at him. After having
travelled about twenty miles, the train stopped at a station. When Paul stepped
out he found his hat on the footboard of the coach, and when he returned with
the hat on his head, his fellow-travellers were wonder-struck ! ‘This is the power of Christ the Lord’,
said Paul who was then but a babe in faith. He rejoiced in that God’s name was
glorified.
Paul in the home
of a Christian :
It was evening
twilight. Paul alighted from the train and continued his journey on foot. It was
a way to which he was unaccustomed. The travelling facilities of today were not
available in those days. He journeyed a little distance from the city.
Continuing his journey seemed hard to him. He thought it would be good if he
could find a place to stay overnight.
Paul made haste
towards a house. That was the house of one Kuruvilla, a teacher, who was a godly
and devout catechist in the CMS church. Paul informed the householder of his
purpose of having come there. But now that the night had fallen, the man of the
house could not instantly come forward to accept into his house, a young man
with whom he had no prior acquaintance. Paul turned away from there. But the
Spirit of the Lord spoke to him in a tender voice saying, ‘This is the house
wherein you have to stay tonight’. Therefore, Paul approached that house again.
The man of the house could not now but accept him when he came to know that the
young man had come to his house only according to the revelation that Jesus
Christ had given him. Paul explained to him his experiences in detail. He ate
the food he served him. After handing over the money he had with him to the care
of the householder, Paul rested on the bed prepared for him.
Except the
householder, all else in that home had gone to sleep. He was keenly observing
the unacquainted guest who had come to his house at nightfall. He slowly got up
and peered into the room where the young man lay. He found that his guest had
trimmed the lantern kept by his bedside and was reading his Bible in its light.
His fear having left him, the man of the house went to sleep in peace. A little
later, when he woke up, he found the young man on his knees in prayer. Every
time he looked into the room, this was the scene that met his eyes. He decided
that his guest, the young man who was constantly reading the Bible and praying,
could not certainly be an ordinary man. After having spent the night in prayer,
when Paul departed early the next morning, the householder was sad.
Paul in his own
home :
It was after
seven years that Paul had returned home. The reception accorded to him was not a
happy one. The news that their son had been converted was now confirmed. Paul
did not draw back from witnessing to the Lord, and he did not fear the wrath of
his family in this regard. He attended the worship service in the church of the
Salvation Army nearby.
The hostility of
the family increased day after day. The father’s intention was to have his son
reverted to idolatry at any cost. He became furious with his son who resisted
the rituals of the Hindu religion. But Paul who had wholly believed in Jesus
Christ and loved Him, did not in the least yield to their desire. Without
getting wearied, the father endeavoured to make his son worship the idols. But
Paul waxing bold, openly declared to his father and his relatives that idolatry
was wrong, that the dumb idols made with the hands of men are not gods, that
these idols cannot save their poverty-stricken family, that Jesus Who was
revealed to him was the only true God and Saviour and that he would henceforth
serve Him alone. To him, the Word of God was true and clear : “They (the dumb
idols) have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They
have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have
hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not : neither speak
they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them ; so is
everyone that trusteth in them” (Psa.115:5-8). Seeing that his son had become
established in the Christian faith and that he hated idolatry, the father
decided to expel him from his home and from the Hindu religion. He performed the
necessary rites for it. But the matter was not to end here. He conspired with
his younger brother to have his son killed.
Delivered from
death :
One day
Ramankutty’s mother found a huge knife hidden under her husband’s pillow. She
had a presentiment that something dreadful was going to happen. The
tender-hearted mother feared that her husband would murder their son. When she
enquired about it, the father like a fanatic, openly told her the frightening
secret of his intention.
The previous
night the father had thrice attempted to kill his son. His younger brother too
had been an accomplice in this. But all the three times, just when the time
neared to commit the crime, the younger child would wake up crying, as if by a
nightmare, waking up the mother in the process. This prevented the father from
committing the hideous crime.
The thought that
their innocent son would be killed at the hands of an enraged father, made the
mother lose her courage. Therefore, giving the son a little sum of money, she
counselled him to flee for his life. Paul did not wish to flee like a coward.
However, he trembled when he thought of the punishment his father would meet
with, in the event of his being killed. Generally, the love and mercy of a
father makes him forget the faults of his son. But here the fanatic father was
bent on killing his innocent son. As regards Paul, the son, his faith in no way
seemed a hindrance to the love that he had for his father. When he thought of
the punishment his father would have to face if he had him killed, he decided he
had better leave the place.
Back to Sri Lanka
:
Paul’s relatives
tried their best to stop his journey. But the Almighty God delivered him from
their craftiness most miraculously. That very night Paul left his home. There
were no journeying facilities in those days, as we find today. The postmen of
those days travelled by foot in order to deliver letters and made use of torches
to light their way by night. Paul followed a postman journeying in this manner
and reached the house of Kuruvilla the teacher of Kunnankulam where he had
stayed on the earlier occasion. The members of the household who heard of his
matters, rendered him all help and co-operation. (A special mention is to be
made here that the family was brought to the Pentecostal faith in the later
days).
Having returned
to Sri Lanka from India, Paul began to bear witness to the Lord even more
zealously. How excellent is God’s care in delivering Paul from the cruel wiles
of the adversary and the horrifying snares of death, choosing him as He did,
like Ezra, Nehemiah and Zerubbabel. They had to build the broken walls of
Jerusalem and the temple, and now Paul had to build and raise the holy Church
which was almost fallen into the darkness of false doctrines which deviated from
the apostolic doctrines. Who can comprehend the breadth, the length, the depth
and the height of the love of God even toward the Gentiles ?
Paul approached
Dr. Asarappa again. He rendered all the help and co-operation needed to this
devout Christian who was rejected even from his own home. ‘What have you decided
to do?’ asked Dr. Asarappa. The reply that Paul gave him without the least
hesitation, ‘My desire is to become a catechist’, made the doctor glad. Without
delay, the bishops of the Anglican church in Colombo sent him to the CMS Bible
Seminary in Kottayam for training. There he underwent training for two years.
His fellow-students and responsible officials of the Seminary were captivated by
his spiritual zeal and extraordinary character and very reverentially addressed
him as ‘Paul, the catechist’. After being trained at the Seminary in Kottayam,
he was called back to Sri Lanka. Very soon he was ordained an evangelist in the
Malayalam Mission at Colombo.
Paul was much
grieved on seeing the lethargic state of the church in which he ministered.
However, he did the work of the Lord zealously and lived according to the truths
he had known.
Those days Dr.
Asarappa entrusted the maintenance of his property to Paul. It was the doctor’s
intention that the catechist should become rich. Several ways to earn money were
kept open before Paul, but, for him it was a delight to spend his earnings in
going about to testify of Christ and to serve Him to gain souls. In due time
many from Kerala became members of the Anglican church. The members of the
assembly had boundless love and respect towards Paul, the catechist.
Chapter 3
EXPERIENCING THE
‘FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY’
Paul married a girl hailing from a traditional Christian family in Trichur. The
members of the family did not initially desire to get the girl married to Paul.
It was hard for them who were traditional Christians to get their daughter
married to this new Christian who had been converted from Hinduism ! On
receiving the revelation: “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common”
(Acts 10:15), they later consented to this marriage. That girl proved to be an
apt life-partner to Paul, the catechist. She was very ardent in prayer and in
other spiritual matters.
Their marriage was solemnized in the house of Kuruvilla, the teacher about whom
we mentioned earlier. That house had become as Paul's own home by then. It was
this dear family that had negotiated the proposal and had the wedding
solemnized. Even now there are people hailing from that family who still help in
the Lord’s ministry.
The wife of the catechist was of great help to him in the gospel ministries and
spiritual matters. Five children were born to them — three sons and two
daughters — named Helen, Freddy, Dora, Sam and Harry respectively.
Discouragement in
the ministry :
Paul observed that almost all the members of his church had no proper
understanding of the doctrinal truths. They who were satisfied with the rituals
alone, considered it impossible to attain the spiritual blessings, holiness and
other divine attributes which could be happily imbibed in Christian living.
Concerning that particular period, he had the following note in his diary :
‘At one time, I laboured without rest day and night to win souls for the Lord
Jesus Christ. However, I was unable to bring even a single soul to salvation.
All my labour was in vain. Those days I was a minister in the CMS church. I
began to lose heart even in my church ministry ’.
Paul was conscious of the shortcomings in his personal life too. The note in his
diary tells us that he faced a certain kind of discouragement.
‘I had not known the victorious life promised in Christianity. I was facing
defeat in my life. My shortcomings were not outwardly visible. I had been filled
with
zeal for earthly things. I
longed much to become prominent and that my descendants should become great in
this world and to this end, I desired to save money as well. Besides these, I
greatly desired to seek souls, to captivate strangers and make them disciples.
But none of these gave me satisfaction’.
Eventually, Paul decided to give up his work as a catechist. He revealed this
decision to Rev. P. I. Jacob, his former fellow-student in the Bible Seminary
and later, pastor of the Baptist Mission.
Rays of hope :
Rev. Jacob, on hearing of Paul's decision said, ‘Paul, the Word of God speaks of
an experience of flowing with milk and honey’. These words brought in rays of
hope in the heart of Paul, who had by now plunged into depths of despair.
Rev. Jacob continued and said that this was the ‘baptism in the Holy
Spirit’ and that any child of God who obeys the commandments of the Word of God
could tarry and receive it. Paul took interest in knowing more of these things
from his spiritual friend.
Some of Rev. P.I.Jacob’s children lived in Madras. It was customary for him to
go to Madras to visit his children. Once, while in Madras, Rev. Jacob had an
opportunity to get acquainted with two Australian missionaries, Todd and
Ebenezer. Having a Pentecostal experience these missionaries conducted prayer
meetings in Madras. Rev. Jacob could experience a revival and the presence of
God in these meetings. He heard and learnt from them the deeper truths of the
gospel.
Rev. Jacob was attracted by the scriptural truths relating to the experience
involving a ‘flowing with milk and honey’. This led him to desire to receive the
baptism in the Holy Spirit. Subsequently, Paul, too came to know of this through
him.
Rev. Jacob discussed these experiences with his spiritual friends at Colombo.
Following this, they all desired to receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
What had to be done for this? They decided that they should invite those
Australian missionaries to Colombo and conduct tarrying meetings, so that all
might receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Consenting to the invitation of Rev. Jacob, the missionaries reached Colombo.
All waited with one accord for the Holy Spirit. Even as the one hundred and
twenty disciples of the Lord in the first century tarried for the baptism of the
Holy Spirit in the upper room at Jerusalem, according to the commandment of the
Lord Jesus Christ — “...wait for the promise of the Father (baptism of the Holy
Spirit), which ... ye have heard of me” (Acts 1:4) — there waited a small group
of sixteen of them with one accord and with longing in their souls.
Through the Word of God, the missionaries explained to them the necessity of
taking water baptism in obedience to the commandment of God, before
receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Peter had commanded the same on the
day of Pentecost : “... Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the
Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). They also expounded to them the necessity to take
immersion baptism in order to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and that
infant baptism and baptism by sprinkling were contrary to the Word of God.
However, some who had received infant baptism had no inclination to take the
right baptism again.
Rev. Abraham, an English preacher argued :`I have been baptized once. I am not
prepared to be baptized again'. So Paul, the catechist was perplexed, not
knowing what to do. Hence, he prayed as follows : ‘Lord, if You reveal to me
that I need to be baptized again, I am prepared to take baptism again. I will
not refuse’.
Being led to
experience the ‘flowing with milk and honey’ :
Along with those who had no mind to receive immersion baptism, Paul, the
catechist also took part in those meetings with the determination that ‘he would
take baptism if the Lord so revealed’. The tarrying meetings which turned out to
be of great blessing, continued for ten days. They spent their time in fasting
and in prayer.
Following is what Paul notes concerning the above :
‘With my mind wholly attentive on God, I waited in His presence. In a few
minutes, I felt that my sins were like a huge mountain. I was gripped with the
fear of the awful condemnation to hell I would have to face because of my sins.
Suddenly, I had the vision of the Lord Jesus Christ. Through His blood which
gushed forth, my sins which seemed as a mountain vanished. This caused in me an
immeasurable love towards Christ’.
It was only at this prayer meeting that Paul who had been saved, and involved in
the work of the Lord for several years, received an experience of deep
repentance. Though it seems strange that he who once had received the remission
of sins now found his sins appearing as a mountain before him, it reveals a
spiritual truth which cannot be denied. Even today, there are many amidst
Christians who claim that they have been saved, without having received the
assurance of the forgiveness of sins. But this incident points to us the fact
that when being led to deeper truths, one would have a deeper conviction of sin.
Without this experience, none can accept the deeper spiritual truths. Our Lord
revealed the mysteries of the holy Word only to His apostles who had followed
Him all along, without departing from Him. Only the apostles had forsaken their
all and followed the Son of man Who had nowhere to lay
His head and had continued with Him in His temptations. Though multitudes had
seen the Lord Jesus and had heard His words and had enjoyed His goodness, it was
only a little group that believed the promise of the Lord and waited in the
upper room. It was only upon them that the Lord sent the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit. Such incidents take place even today. When there are crores of people
who have a general understanding of Christ, it is only a very few who are led to
the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus.
Isaiah, one of the major prophets, had no just cause whereby either he himself
or others
could reckon him as defiled or unclean. However, when he beheld the King, the
Lord of hosts, we read that he acknowledged his faults himself saying, “...Woe
is me! ... I am a man of unclean lips ... ” (Isa.6:5). There we find a deeper
sanctification, followed by a revelation of the Lord.
During night, we can see the huge objects around us in the light of a candle.
But this light is not sufficient to detect small and minute objects. Every
electric light has a certain measure of illumination. All other lights lose
their brightness in the light of the sun. When the light of the Lord shone
around Saul once and then disappeared, it proved to be an incident - a light -
that turned the very course of his life-history. Saul, the enemy of the gospel
was changed as Paul, the apostle.
Here, the Lord had set His eyes on an ordinary man to have a great work
accomplished. Paul, who was cleansed by the pure blood of the Lord Jesus Christ
and was renewed, had new experiences and divine visions.
Concerning this, he continues and says : ‘Later, I saw yet another vision.
Thousands of precious souls were hastening towards hell with the burden of sin
on their backs. Seeing this, I began to weep. Then the Lord appeared to me
again. I was filled with His love. I felt guilty within me that the days of my
youth had been spent in vain and that I had done nothing at all for the Beloved
of my soul. I felt a hatred towards myself, on realizing that I had not used my
body for the glory of God and for the ministry. I fell on the floor as one dead.
At once, the Lord appeared to me again. I received new life. The second time
too, I fell on the ground as dead. This happened three or four times. All these
times, I beheld the Lord and received new life’.
Even some people of God consider visions, dreams and the voice of God as rare
events. True, there were times when these were rare. We read of the times of
Eli, the priest. “...And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there
was no open vision” (I Sam.3:1). However, through the prophet Joel, the Lord had
given word saying, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my
spirit upon all flesh ; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your
old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28). These
experiences continue even today. In the light of these, what Paul had received
was nothing new. People who lack such experiences ask such questions as, ‘Will
God speak to men?’
The afore-mentioned tarrying meetings in which Paul had taken part, was a great
blessing. A great longing to receive the Holy Spirit, almost like a frenzy took
hold of him. Owing to the spiritual thirst, he forgot his food and drink. The
days rolled by.
He describes the extraordinary experiences he continued to have:
“After this, I saw myself standing together with the Lord on the top of a very
high mountain. The Lord asked, ‘Why do you need the Holy Spirit ?’ I replied,
‘Lord, there are many poor people in Sri Lanka ! I desire to bring them into
salvation’. Then the Lord Jesus filled me with the Holy Spirit”.
The Lord leads a man to a heavenly experience through a heavenly vision. In
order to show him the Bride, the wife of the Lamb, the Lord took St.John to a
great and high mountain in the spirit. Here in the above vision God made Paul
understand the need for receiving the Holy Spirit in order to do His ministry —
to lead souls to the Lord. How pathetic it is that even today many who have been
baptized with the Holy Spirit do not care for the perishing souls, but are
themselves enslaved by the fashions of this world and get entangled in the
snares of the devil ! May that not befall us !
Those who receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit, speak in unknown tongues. The
body is shaken by the power of the Holy Spirit. They even dance in the joy of
the Holy Spirit. “Therefore, being by the right
hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy
Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear” (Acts 2:33). It is
very common to see the signs of the filling of the Holy Spirit in those who have
received it ; these signs which are the physical manifestations are likely to
instil hatred and fear in those who have not witnessed them before. However,
those who have received this experience have no fear, but enjoy only the perfect
love of God and the fulness of eternal joy.
To Paul this experience was only the simple beginning of a very great plan. Let
us read his own words :
‘I realized my belly being filled and a power taking control of my tongue. When
the Spirit of the Lord began to speak through me, I feared that my tongue would
be plucked off from my mouth. A week later, I clearly spoke in unknown tongues. The continuing struggle had ceased and I received an inner
peace’.
Being filled with divine power, Paul danced with exceeding joy. This became a
cause for fear in others who saw it, says a note in his diary. Due to that, many
did not join the missionaries in their prayer. Of the sixteen who waited, it was
only he who had received this extraordinary experience. This incident took place
in the year 1921.
When the overcoming life which he thought impossible to attain became attainable
through the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Paul's joy knew no bounds. A great
change took place in him. Nothing of this world could thereafter seem a cause of
temptation to him. He received many excellent revelations. The following is what
he had written in his latter days about the overcoming life which he obtained,
after receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit:
‘Prior to this, I used to chew betel nuts and leaves, smoke and even drink. All
these evil habits left me that day. There came an end to my love of money. Never
after did the revelry of this world allure me. The evil desire for fame and name
also departed from me. Pleasing God became my only desire. There came an end to
trusting man. My ‘self’ was destroyed. I began to pay much attention to the
welfare of others. My relationship with this perishing world was broken. I began
to love another Person more than my wife and children. Christ always had the
pre-eminence in my whole mind. After that I did not desire excellent costly
apparels. I received a deliverance from all evil desires. Deciding to offer
myself a sacrifice for Christ, I was prepared to endure any suffering for Him.
That very day heaven was established in my heart ! Due to the personal
relationship I had with Christ in this manner, there came a true repentance in
many members of the Anglican church who were one with me and had had no inward
change, whatsoever. Besides, it is to be specially mentioned here that they
received the same gifts of the Holy Spirit which the forefathers in the early
Church had received’.
CHAPTER 4
APOSTOLIC CONSECRATION AND FAITH LIFE
Paul had been
receiving an income from the Anglican Church as he ministered there. Now, as a
result of a deep commitment, the inner thirst in him increased day after day.
However, he did not have a clear-cut idea of the nature of ministry he had to
carry on soon afterwards — a ministry that would be commensurate with his
spiritual longing.
In this matter,
Paul sought the counsel of the Lord. When he was in the Spirit, he heard the
voice of God. The Lord spoke to Paul about apostles in the first century, who,
when they were called for the gospel ministry, forsook all their worldly
occupations and followed Him.
The Lord asked
him, ‘Did they receive regular wages for their ministry ?’ ‘No, Lord’, was
Paul's reply. The Lord also pointed out the fact that the apostles who did the
work of the gospel in the first century, did not save anything for themselves.
The Lord also reminded him of the verse, “If any man come to me, and hate not
his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea,
and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Lk.14:26). The Lord told him
about forsaking all that he had. Then He told him, ‘You think it over ; later, I
will come and ask you’.
The catechist
apprised his wife of all that the Lord had told him. She was a virtuous woman
and a godly mother who loved the Lord much. She was prepared to implicitly obey
whatever God commanded. She would have known for sure that a life of this kind
was not quite easy. With no definite source of income how could the family with
the little children be fed ? However, finding God to be all-sufficient, she
readily consented to it.
The Lord again
appeared to the catechist in a vision and asked him, ‘Are you prepared to do all
that I have commanded you?’ ‘Yes, Lord, I am prepared. It is enough if You could
only give grace’, said Paul. God said, ‘Press forward by faith. I will
meet all your needs. The just shall live by faith’. The echo of that voice of
promise resounded in the reins of the heart of that servant of God. Paul
understood that if he journeyed through the King’s highway of the will of God,
he could have all his needs met by faith.
Leaving CMS :
After having
received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Paul had continued as a minister of the
CMS church only for about three years. Now, as a result of the Lord having dealt
with him, he had to take leave of the CMS church which he had been loving and
serving until then. May this be a good lesson to the many Christian believers
and ministers of today. When the Lord visits and convicts a person and reveals
to him the doctrines pertaining to a higher life, it is not right that he
continue in fellowship with those who do not believe that truth. He must live a
life wholly separated from such individuals and that church and preserve
himself. Only then will God continue to give revelations about a more excellent
life. Many true people of God who have the baptism of the Holy Spirit and have
an apostolic calling, have forsaken their high calling and have perished by
being entangled in the snares of false teachers. Beloved friends, hearken unto
the heavenly voice and come out in order that you may not be partakers of the
sins of the churches fallen from grace, and that you may not receive of their
plagues. “...Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her [the
church fallen from grace] sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues”
(Rev.18:4).
An event which
occurred in those days encouraged Paul in the matter of winning souls. As he was
conducting a prayer meeting, one of his hands became paralyzed. That hand became
so lifeless and useless that he could not move it. Instead of bringing about a
shock, this impediment which struck him suddenly in his body, led him to another
spiritual revelation, offering him a new thought. He was now made to understand
that lifeless Christian living is as useless as his hand that became lifeless.
He also received a revelation that the gospel of life should be proclaimed to
those dead in sin. This incident led him to a still deeper commitment. The
withered hand gradually received life again. Yea, many amidst the modern
Christians are without life. Though they consider themselves alive, they are
dead indeed. The living amidst them too have fallen into a spiritual sleep.
“Wherefore .... Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ
shall give thee light” (Eph.5:14), say the holy Scriptures.
Paul was now
gaining in zeal in the gospel ministry. Atlast he decided that he would not do
the work of the gospel receiving monthly wages from the church and that
henceforth he would do a ministry of faith according to the revelation he had
received. He had little doubt that God Who is aware of his needs would enquire
after him and care for him.
Paul resigned
his ministry in the CMS church. This caused grief to all those who had truly
loved him there. But it was not possible for any to make him draw back from the
will of God. According to the words of Jesus : “... when he, the Spirit of
truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth ...” (Jn.16:13), the Holy
Spirit led Paul in a progressive path. The verse, “... for the labourer is
worthy of his hire...” encouraged him. The promise that “the just shall live by
faith” became his motto and investment.
The initial days
of his ministry of faith was full of difficulties. Many who had loved him
earlier, turned out to be his enemies. His family had to meet with new
experiences such as reproach and starvation. But this could not make him
disobedient to the heavenly vision he had received. With an unwavering faith and
zeal in the spirit, he pressed forward in his life and ministry.
Paul did not let
people know of his needs. In the beginning, when he lived spending the money he
already had in hand, life did not seem very difficult to him. As time rolled by,
the situation changed. All that he had and that which he had saved up were
spent. The money he got by selling his children’s jewels were also spent. Though
he was much economical in spending, it was difficult to pass the days without
starvation. They came to a state where they could not even pay the house rent.
Poverty now began to rear its head.
Faith being tried
:
No answer came
forth even after much prayer. There were only a few coins remaining in the
wallet. But many were the needs. There was not enough money for food, clothing
and travel. The children were starving. Alas, it was pathetic! The catechist was
caught in a trial.
‘Lord, did I not
set out trusting You?’, he sighed and groaned in his heart. The answer came
suddenly:
‘Spend what you
have in hand’.
Dr. Asarappa had
deposited a certain amount in the bank, in his daughter Helen’s name. Helen had
then completed her fourteenth year. Brother Paul did not draw that amount from
the bank intending to have it as a saving for her wedding.
To this man of
God who had been anxious about his daughter’s wedding, the Lord said, ‘Helen is
Mine; that amount too is Mine’. Without delay, he withdrew even that amount from
the bank and spent it for the gospel work. After he came to a state of having
nothing, the Lord began to honour his faith.
Faith being
strengthened :
Having left the
CMS church once and for all, and having given up his work there as a catechist,
Brother Paul now started conducting prayer meetings in a small house where he
had been staying earlier. Later, he rented a house for seven rupees a month in a
place called Borella, in the city of Colombo and held devotional services there
every Sunday and conducted other prayer meetings. After this, he rented another
place, more spacious than the other, for forty rupees. By then he had imbibed
the faith needed to receive the house rent and all other needs from the Lord
through prayer. Many brothers and sisters joined as gospel ministers to minister
along with Brother Paul's family, who had set out by faith like Abraham. The
group grew into a big family. For this reason, they had to shift to another
bigger house for a rent of one hundred and sixty rupees.
Faith life and
faith homes :
Today's life in
a faith home was what the Lord had revealed to Brother Paul who was pressing
forward in life and ministry, obeying His commandments. Those staying in the
faith home are to be full-time servants of God and therefore, their whole life
is devoted to the ministry. The meaning and purport of the compound name ‘faith
home’ is not what it generally appears to be. It is not simply a place where a
group of people pray and receive from God and dwell and minister. Nor is it
simply a place where men and women brought up in different traditions and
different stations in life dwell together as brothers and sisters without any
distinction of caste and colour. There is more to it besides all these.
According to the
foremost Scriptural truth — to “...present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” —
faith homes are like workshops where people are moulded in their character, and
where people are united. Such a perfection can be attained only through the
unity of the doctrine (faith). The doctrine of Christ alone forms the basis for
this.
Man can combine
one object with another and form a new compound. But to unite one man with
another is something noble and impossible for man to effect or attain by
himself. If two are of one mind in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and are
united in one spirit, God can do great works for and through them. Such a unity
would bring to nought the plans of the devil. The aim of the devil therefore, is
to overthrow all efforts taken to be made one in Christ. The unity that we now
talk about is not a man-made unity.
God’s plan
concerning us is that we should become His temple and that we should abide in
Him and He in us. Although everyone who has received the baptism in the Holy
Spirit individually become the temple of God, all should be made one
collectively and be compactly built together as the temple of God. This
resembles a building work done with lively stones. The temple comes into
existence through the lively stones built compactly together. We are those
lively stones. It is only when we make the Lord Jesus Christ Who is the Author
and Finisher of our faith, our measuring rod, and be sanctified accordingly, and
grow to the measure of the stature of His fulness, that we can be made perfect
in Christ. To receive this perfection, we must give up our own desires and
ambitions.
Those who live
in the faith homes are those who have committed themselves first to God and then
to the leaders. They are also bound to do any work which is according to the
will of God. To minister unto others like a servant is also an important part of
the ministry.
The progress of
each one’s faith life will depend on the depth of each one’s consecration and
commitment. Those who desire to attain the perfection of Zion must forsake all
that they have. Only then can they exercise a life of complete trust in the Lord
and lean upon Him and have the Lord alone for their hope. Such a life as this
leads to rest. Is it not said, “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord,
and whose hope the Lord is” (Jer.17:7)? It is only when one presses forward with
an aim, firmly holding on to faith in a circumstance of being wholly emptied,
that faith is seen in action. There is no intercession or supplication made
here. Everything is taken for granted by faith and it is only ‘Amen’. Man and
God are made one here. Man becomes the house of God; he becomes a vessel unto
honour. Poverty here is changed to be the treasure house of riches. Here, our
nothingness becomes the origin of God’s riches. God can fill us only to the
extent that we empty ourselves.
We receive
treasures of every kind like the divine counsels and revelations of the
mysteries of God, according to our state of consecration. How very deeply
significant is the commandment that the servants of the Lord must forsake all
that they have and serve as poor men. Let us here remember the words the apostle
uttered, “... as poor, yet making many rich...” (II Cor.6:10). It is because
sacrificial servants of God who have consecrated themselves are here on earth,
that those who seek the truth are made rich toward God. These servants receive
all their needs from God and make others also rich.
There may be
some who view this divine plan with doubt. They try only to find fault, looking
for its disadvantages and failures. They do not have a vision of the high and
the most holy aspects of such a plan. Since they measure others too with their
own standards, they do not have an enlarged and a holy view. The words of Lot
who lamented, “... I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me ...”
are fulfilled in them.
To judge a
matter without examination and to describe it mockingly would not be doing
justice to it. What could be more excellent than the holy brotherly fellowship
formed through divine love? It would not be just to despise the overcoming life
that is effected through the infilling of the Holy Spirit. The burden concerning
souls, the responsibility of the ministry, a simple life, fasting, prayer and
other ministries are means which enable us to attain our goal. Above all, the
grace of God encompasses every man and preserves him. Our Lord Jesus did not
flee human society to live a victorious life. Our Redeemer did not remain hidden
in the caves of the jungle to attain perfection. There is no victory without a
trial. The crown is only for victors. The saints who have already triumphantly
run in the race tell us that we too should run to obtain victory. Therefore, may
we also run and run to victory!
Those who draw
back shall certainly stumble and fall. The faith homes are only for saints who
have made a covenant with the Lord by sacrifice. Many are not able to understand
the meaning of the holy Scriptures which say, “... and there be eunuchs, which
have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake ...” (Matt.19:12).
Only those who have received the gift can understand that divine mystery. Only
the called, the chosen and the faithful will be gathered at the coming of the
Lord. They alone shall receive the prize. God is not one Who changes any of His
eternal purposes seeing and fearing the unfaithfulness of man. Nor do the
apostles who are the stewards of the mysteries of God, change them.
Chapter 5
CEYLON PENTECOSTAL MISSION IN ITS BEGINNING YEARS
In the previous chapter, we observed how Pastor
Paul and a few others together with him lived and ministered by faith. In the
year 1924, this fellowship was registered in Sri Lanka as the Ceylon Pentecostal
Mission. This ministry was begun according to the revelation that God had given
Pastor Paul. He was very diligent to do this ministry too according to the will
of God, just as Moses obeyed the command of God, “... look that thou make them
after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount” (Exo.25:40), when the
tabernacle began to be reared. But when he asked the Lord how he could nurture
this Church and lead it, God gave him, as a reply, the revelation that it can be
preserved only by faith.
Worship service
and the manner of attire :
In the earlier
days, during services in this Church, the congregation would be seated on
chairs, as in the Anglican churches. But Pastor Paul who desired a simple way of
worship, conducted services in those days with the congregation seated on the
floor. That pattern is continued even today. Moreover, in the earlier days, the
servants of God of the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission too followed the European mode
of dress adopted by the ministers of the Anglican church. Later, they began
wearing saffron robes and the turban. But when Pastor Paul realized that as far
as possible, a social life and acquaintance with others was very essential for
the ministry, in course of time, adopted the present way of dressing so that our
dress might not be a hindrance to a free movement with others. He did not want
to introduce special kinds of garments or garments of beauty worn by the priests
of other churches. He was particular that the mere ‘form’ of godliness should
not by any means find an entrance into the church.
Pastor Paul and
those who followed him :
From the very
beginning of this ministry, Pastor Paul and his family lived by faith. Later
brothers and sisters joined them in large numbers. It was one Adam, a leper, who
followed him first. Pastor Paul prayed for Adam to be healed. The Lord granted
him perfect healing. Very soon Adam received the baptism in the Holy Spirit with
the sign of speaking in tongues. Though uneducated, Brother Adam was rich toward
God. He had the gift of healing and was also a prayer warrior.
Brother Varghese
who was a father of two children was the next to join Pastor Paul. He permitted
Brother Varghese to live with him. Brother Varghese who carefully listened to
the doctrine of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, tarried to receive the Holy
Spirit and received it soon with the sign of speaking in tongues. Though he was
uneducated, Brother Varghese was always filled with the Holy Spirit. It is to be
specially mentioned that this prayer warrior who strove in prayer day and night,
was a great help to the progress of this ministry.
The third person
to join Pastor Paul was a leading merchant in the city of Colombo. This person
who had incurred loss in his business, had borrowed money from many and had
plunged into debt. Being unable to pay up the debt, he decided to commit
suicide. When he was in such a state Pastor Paul met him. That merchant who was
desperate and troubled revealed his true state to the servant of God, without
hiding it. Pastor Paul prayed fervently for him, saying, ‘Lord, let the old man
in him die and help him live as a new man !’ Then Pastor Paul preached to him
this truth and said, ‘The old man is dead. Henceforth, live as a new man’.
Without delay, he took baptism and his name was changed to Matthew. Through the
renewing by the Spirit of God, Brother Matthew truly became a new man. He was
very ardent in reading the Word of God. The Lord granted him the eloquence and
grace to expound the truths of the holy Scriptures to the people of the
congregation.
Obeying the
command and casting the net :
Pastor Paul was
a minister who cast the net (spread the gospel) obeying the command of the Lord.
On account of this, he never once had to labour in vain. The Lord had given him
extraordinary grace to meet individual souls and obtain for them a deliverance
from God in all their predicaments. Once, according to the command of God, he
met a person who was about to fall into the terrible snare of sin. Owing to this
meeting, he was not only preserved from falling into that danger, but was also
led to repentance and the essential experiences of water baptism and baptism in
the Holy Spirit. Later, he became a minister in this Church, and in process of
time became one of the leading servants of God and shone as a precious
instrument in the hands of God. We have cited here only one example of the many
who had been won through the efforts of Pastor Paul — all because he met them at
the right time.
Pastor Paul was
always of the idea that we should minister not only to those who come seeking
and asking for us, but also to those concerning whom we feel that they need our
help. He lived an overcoming life and there was always a smile on his face. Such
a life of his helped a large number of souls to be led to Christ.
When this
Mission grew, and he came to be considered as the most prominent, he was
addressed by others as ‘Pastor Paul’.
Faith life and
suffering :
The apostles
confirmed the souls of the disciples, and exhorted them to continue in the
faith, saying that they must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of
God (Acts 14:22). Pastor Paul had to encounter much suffering in his life in
order to be established in faith. Pastor Paul was now living a life of faith by
looking only unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, as pattern and
goal. He had long before given up the earning he received in the CMS Church and
the income he got from the garden of Dr. Asarappa. He had also forsaken all
other means whereby he could receive money and had cast aside a comfortable
life. In all this, he had the firm assurance that God is more concerned about us
than we could be for ourselves. Therefore, Pastor Paul who looked unto God never
once had an occasion to be ashamed.
Pastor Paul who
followed the footsteps of the apostles of the first century had to similarly
face difficulties, wants, griefs, stripes, watchings and starvation several
times. Since he had decided that he would not let anyone else know of his need
except God, he and his household drank only water without murmuring and kept
praising God, when at times, there was no food in his house. On many an
occasion, having no food, he would be famished and drinking only water from the
taps on the streets, he would journey on his bicycle or go on foot, proclaiming
the apostolic truth. Thus, as a result of the immense and untold sufferings he
had endured, it was possible for him to lead thousands of people to this faith
life.
His life-partner
was an apt support to Pastor Paul in his gospel work. In family matters too, she
believed the Lord without any murmuring and was of great help to his faith life.
On several occasions his children too had swooned and become unconscious due to
hunger. Once his younger son Harry was famished and fainted. One of the pastors
lifted him and hugged him and asked him, ‘Whom do you wish to become in future?’
The young lad Harry replied, ‘I must become an apostle’. ‘If it be so, this is
nothing great; you have to endure more sufferings’. So saying, he let Harry
down. The Lord honoured the lad’s desire. In latter days, Harry was exalted to
be an apostle, a precious instrument in God's hands. In this manner, Pastor
Paul’s children too were a help to his faith life. It is to be particularly
noted that they were neither discouraged, nor were they desirous to turn back,
remembering the things they had forsaken. In the earlier days of the inception
of this Church, people in general did not have an idea or knowledge about faith
life, as they have today. Therefore, many did not come forward to help Pastor
Paul in his need.
Once Pastor Paul
and his family had to go through extreme starvation for several days at a
stretch. They were really grieved at this juncture. God Who had led Elijah to
the widow at Zarephath, led Pastor Paul to a poor mother who was a widow. When
he reached there, he saw the miserable state of the mother and children who had
gone without food for many long days. Now God commanded him saying, ‘Do you see
this? They are suffering without food for many days. Give them food to eat’.
Pastor Paul believed the God of Elijah. He prayed fervently. The Lord heard the
prayer of that righteous man. God duly rewarded him. That household was fed
miraculously. And he too was fed along with them.
Once the
believers raised a collection among themselves to conduct a convention. The
pastor who was there then did not reprove them for this matter. Pastor Paul who
came to know of this, reproved the pastor who was in charge of the assembly
there. He made him ask pardon in public for his having failed to reprove the
members of his assembly for their action which went against the principles of
faith life. In like manner, he withstood all things that detracted from faith
life.
Faith abounds :
Pastor Paul
prayed and got victuals to feed thousands of people who approached him. He once
said, ‘Had I placed my trust in England (on foreign aid), I would have suffered
much in the matter of feeding this great multitude of people’. There is no need
for God to send ravens from Western countries to feed the people of God in
India ! Is it not a fact that the faith of the great prophet Elijah did not
depend on the king of that day ?
Chapter 6
PRAYER
AND PRAISE COUPLED WITH FAITH
The glorious expansion of this Church today is a
result of prayers and praises coupled with faith. God granted Pastor Paul all
that he needed, honouring his prayers and praises offered with faith. It was
customary for him to offer grateful praises with the faith that his prayers were
answered instantly. He did this in the light of the firm faith he had in the
promises mentioned in verses such as, “Now faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb.11:1) and “... for he that
cometh to God must believe that
he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (vs.6).
Pastor Paul trained his fellow-workers too in this faith life. He exhorted them,
telling them of the Beloved Lord’s promise, “... What things soever ye desire,
when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mk.11:24).
Healing through
the word of faith :
Once our present
Chief Pastor, Pastor C.K.Lazarus was suffering from severe pain in his stomach.
He approached Pastor Paul at that juncture and asked him to pray for his
healing. Pastor Paul only replied, ‘You go’, meaning, ‘Go with the faith that
you have been healed’. Pastor Lazarus went with faith. He received perfect
healing instantly. During the service, when Pastor Paul found Pastor Lazarus
perfectly healed, he asked him to stand up and testify about his healing. Pastor
Lazarus did so, and until today, for more than fifty five years, he has not been
afflicted with that ailment.
The trial that
rose against faith life :
When Pastor Paul
was doing the gospel work being stedfast in faith life, a missionary named, Miss
Livini met him. That lady had come to know that Pastor Paul was living a faith
life having given up the ministry in the CMS church. Therefore, she rendered a
small financial help to Pastor. Two months later she informed Pastor saying that
she was prepared to continue to help him financially, if he joined her in gospel
work. However, he did not accept it. He had well realized that it was against
the norms of faith life to receive regular financial aid from someone to do the
ministry of God. Therefore, he said that he did not need such financial
assistance. Pastor Paul who had consecrated to minister without a definite
source of income according to the pattern of the early apostles, continued his
ministry, being stedfast in his faith in God.
The efficacy of
prayer made by many with one accord :
Pastor Paul was
a godly man who had well understood the power of prayer offered by many with one
accord. He had great faith in the holy Word, “...if two of you shall agree on
earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my
Father which is in heaven” (Matt.18:19). Pastor Paul had often prayed saying,
‘Lord, it is not two but many of us who ask of You with one accord and so You
must fulfil this need of ours’. He had indeed received definite answers for such
prayers instantly.
Once Pastor Paul
asked the Lord for a thousand rupees for the ministry. But he had no means of
receiving that amount. Through the firm faith which they had in the promises of
the Lord, he and his fellow-workers tarried in prayer with praising. As a
result, the faithful God gave it to him without delay. A rich lady was preparing
to leave for England. (She was not a Pentecostal believer). One day she took
part in a meeting that Pastor Paul conducted at Borella(Colombo). At the end of
the meeting, she gave a cheque for thousand rupees to Pastor Paul and requested
his prayers for the blessings of her journey to England. Thus he received that
amount instantly as a result of earnest and collective prayer.
The effect of
prayer and praising by faith :
Pastor Paul
prayed for a car, to facilitate transport and conveyance during the ministry. At
that time, there was none among the members of the Church who could afford to
offer a car. However, they prayed, believing that the Lord was able to give them
one. He made them praise God in faith, as if they had already received the car.
This he did according to the words of the Lord: “And if we know that he hear us,
whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him” (I
Jn.5:15). He too was praising God.
One of those
days, the wife of one Mr. Beuwel, the Secretary of the YMCA, Colombo, took part
in the prayers of the faith home. On hearing the Pastor and his co-workers
praise and glorify God during the prayer for the car given them, Mrs. Beuwel
greatly rejoiced. Very eagerly she went to the backyard of the Borella faith
home to see the car newly gotten for the gospel work. She could find none there.
She was disappointed by the answer received, on inquiring about it. She
muttered, ‘These mad people, have simply praised God for nothing’. However, the
Lord honoured the faith of His children and gave them a car without further
delay. Pastor Paul could thus exhort his fellow-workers to stand firm in the
faith, and establish them in the faith through his personal experiences. “Now
unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,
according to the power that worketh
in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages,
world without end. Amen” (Eph.3:20,21).
Faith and patience
in tribulation :
Some faint in
tribulations. Their sad countenance reveals it. Whereas, Pastor Paul patiently
endured tribulations. His countenance would not change, neither would he murmur.
He considered problems, difficulties and losses he had to face in life as
chariot-like agents that could transport him to heaven. He had a clear faith
that all things happened only with the knowledge of God. His desire was to
wholly fulfil the will of God. He trained his co-workers too on this line. He
believed “that if we suffer, we shall also reign with him" (II Tim.3:12).
Praising God in
everything :
Even at the time
of facing losses, Pastor Paul would be seen with a smile. This was because he
believed ...that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to
them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom.8:28). Even on occasions
when he had to incur loss through others, Pastor Paul comforted himself saying
that the will of God was fulfilled. At all such times, he remained joyful,
singing, ‘Hardship is my delight and loss my gain’. Once in the faith home where
he was, all had to go without food for many days, because someone had stolen the
little money they had. In a few days’ time the thief was caught. They brought
him to Pastor. They had thought that Pastor would either rebuke him or punish
him. However, he sent him away without doing anything as they had expected.
Later he asked, “Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord
commandeth it not? ” (Lam.3:37). So saying, he praised God and mollified them
all. One day, when a brother was bringing a cup of coffee for Pastor Paul,
someone accidentally knocked against him, spilling the coffee and breaking the
cup on the floor. The brother who brought the coffee, angrily used an abusive
word against the one who dashed against him. Hearing that Pastor Paul advised
him saying, ‘Are we not the children of God ? Not abusive words but only praise
should proceed from us’.
On many an
occasion, Pastor Paul had been miraculously delivered from accidents. Once they
were travelling by car from Colombo to attend a convention in Jaffna. While
going through a narrow path on the way, the car fell into a huge ditch. Since it
was a terrible accident, those in the car were thrown off and lost their
consciousness. In a little while, all regained consciousness and started getting
up. Each one thought that he / she was the only one saved. The car was in a
badly damaged state. And at that time the sound of no other word except that of
praise could be heard from there.
Though the car
was badly damaged, there was no injury to those who had travelled in the car nor
damage to the musical instruments. Since God had sent His angels and preserved
them, they rejoiced exceedingly and glorified God. Even Pastor's countenance did
not seem sad though the car was damaged. All the while, he was just praising
God. To remain with gladness of heart even in the midst of difficulties, losses
and problems was an excellent nature most evident in him.
Pastor Paul was
indeed a saint who like the apostle Paul had a desire to know and experience the
resurrection power of Christ and the fellowship of His sufferings and by any
means to rise from the dead at the secret coming of Christ. The method he
adopted to find deliverance in times of difficulties was to remember the ways by
which God had delivered him from difficulties in former days and to praise Him
much.
Fearlessness even
on the sick bed :
The grace of God
was seen to abound in Pastor Paul when he was laid up sick in bed. There was no
fear of death or complaining about sickness from him at this time. He would say,
‘Though my outward man perish day by day, the inward man grows in me roaring
like a lion’. Even as our beloved Lord has said, “... Except a corn of wheat
fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone : but if it die,
it bringeth forth much fruit” (Jn.12:24), the aim of his life was that Christ
must increase, but he must decrease. During times of sickness, if anyone
approached him and asked, ‘Do you have pain?’, he would only answer with a smile
saying, ‘Can Paul have pain ?’ Once when he was continually ill for several days
and was laid up in bed, he became extremely weak. He had not the least strength
to either sit up or stand on his own. Though he was in this state, he did not
want anyone to assist him. Once in a situation where he had not so much strength
as to stand even by holding on to something, others tried to help him. However,
he did not permit them to do it. The chief reason for this was that he had
believed that he would receive the ministry of angels in times of difficulty. It
is rare to see such people who in this manner have strong faith in divine
healing. Even as he believed, the Lord also granted him perfect healing from
that terrible sickness.
Chapter 7
AN EVANGELIST WITH EXCELLENT TRAITS
The virtues of Pastor Paul were such that they
could allure many towards him. He was always seen with a smile and was meek and
loving. He did not desire fame or greatness. He lived a blessed life of being
hid in Christ. Many desired to make his name renowned when God performed
miracles, signs and mighty works through him. He being humble did not give room
to it, but hid himself. He was not in favour of his name being published in the
newspapers. He did not feel elated when others praised him, neither was he
grieved when others spoke contemptuously of him. He only desired that the name
of the Lord Jesus be exalted and that the name of God be glorified.
Overcoming evil
with good :
Pastor Paul
evinced a fatherly love that was in David who said concerning the son who rose
against him to destroy him and usurp his position : “Deal gently for my sake
with the young man, even with Absalom”. He also had the divine love of the Lord
Jesus Who could call Judas who betrayed Him, “friend”.
There were many
enemies against him and the doctrines he preached. Concerning them, he would
say, ‘Vengeance is not ours’. When an eminent Christian minister in Kerala
challenged him saying, ‘I will see to it that your ministry is utterly
destroyed’, the answer this saint gave was, ‘I shall pray for your betterment as
best as I can’. He remained silent before certain Pentecostal people who
shouted, ‘Let the Sri Lankans go to the other shore of the sea’. If anyone spoke
against the leading, his only reply was, ‘I did only that which the Lord had
said’.
Once a
convention was in progress. A large number of people took part in those
meetings. Some who were envious seeing this, came and distributed pamphlets
against this Church to all those who attended the meetings. After the meeting
came to a close, they were brought to Pastor. Those who brought them thought
that Pastor would rebuke them and give an apt reply to all their false
publications and would stop them from indulging further in such activities. But
what truly happened was that he welcomed them with love and respect, enquired
after their welfare and asked those responsible, to share with them the meagre
supper they had with them that day. He did not in the least have a thought to
wreak vengeance, but finally prayed for them and sent them away.
All those who
worked against him were met by God and became members of this Church in the
latter days. It is to be specially mentioned that some of them became important
ministers of this Church. Pastor Paul never desired to take steps to avenge his
enemies. When some who were backsliders and enemies to the gospel spoke against
him, he would affectionately call them, entertain them and willingly give them
the money he had with him and would lovingly say, ‘Buy something for your
children’. Does not the Word of God say, “...avenge not yourselves, but rather
give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith
the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him
drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head”
(Rom.12:19,20) !
One night,
Pastor Paul and a few other brothers were asleep in a room. They had kept the
door open because of the heat. Pastor Paul sensed that someone unfamiliar had
entered the room. He looked about with a lamp-light but found no one. Later,
when they searched the whole place, they found the robber hiding behind the
door. Very meekly Pastor Paul questioned him, ‘Why have you come into this room
at night?’ He replied, ‘As I had no clothes to put on, I came to take some’.
Pastor handed over a small sum of money to him and said, ‘Why have you come to
take old clothes? Buy new clothes for yourself with this money’. He hesitated to
take that money. But Pastor Paul forced it on him and sent him away. Though he
had taken the money, he began to repent. He began to ponder over the love that
Pastor Paul had shown him-how he had given money, without persecuting him, how
he had dealt lovingly with him who had come to steal. Understanding that the love that was in
him was the love of God, without delay, he received the assurance of salvation,
took water baptism and joined this fellowship. Without rendering evil for evil,
Pastor Paul could thus do good and gain a soul. ‘Be not overcome of evil, but
overcome evil with good’ (Rom.12:21).
Faithfulness in
the ministry :
Pastor Paul had
the knowledge that he was the servant of the God of heaven and earth. He
therefore did the ministry always trying to please God and with fear, godliness
and trembling, that the ministry might not be blamed. He reiterated the fact
that we should perfect holiness in the fear of God, as holiness in life
constituted an important aspect of the ministry. It could be easily said of him
that as “Moses was faithful in all the house of God”, he too was faithful in all
things.
Punctuality :
Once there came a need in his life to make a vow in the matter of punctuality.
Though he was diligent in observing the virtue of punctuality, one day he failed
to go to the worship service at the appointed time. That day it appeared to him
that the Spirit of the Lord was grieved over him. When he examined its cause,
the answer he received from God was, ‘I had come here at the time appointed, but
you were not seen here’. Feeling guilty, he asked the Lord for His forgiveness.
Never again, in all his days thereafter, did he trangress the word of oath he
had given God that day, that he would faithfully take part in worship services
and prayers at the appointed time.
The manner of
taking food :
He made it a
point to praise God before he ate the food he received. He would never take his
food without praying. The Scriptures teach us, “For every creature of God is
good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving : For it is
sanctified by the word of God and prayer” (I Tim.4:4,5). He desired only very
simple food. Many have marvelled seeing this. He would mostly fast during the
day. And for his dinner he would usually have only some rice porridge. He did
not prefer special foods or delicacies, but often said, ‘He who has a longing
for food will never reach the other shore’. He was however, very diligent in the
matter of serving food to others.
Having no love of
money :
There was no
love for money nor signs of seeking it in his words or his deeds. He would
gratefully remember that it was only God Who had delivered him from the love of
money. He praised and glorified God Who set him free from the love of money.
“For the love of money is the root of all evil : which while some coveted after,
they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many
sorrows” (I Tim. 6:10).
Humility :
The chief cause
for his greatness lay in his humility. Though it was in the will of God to
perform miracles, signs and mighty deeds through him, his heart did not become
lifted up by the greatness he achieved through them. He did not have the proud
thought that all these achievements were by the strength of his arms. At all
times he accorded all glory to God saying, ‘The ministry is not mine, it is the
Lord’s : What am I!’ He was humble and very diligent in giving all glory to God.
Though he earned the respect of the high and the honourable men of society, he
remembered that he was simply Ramankutty. Is it not written, “For whosoever
exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted”
(Lk.14:11) ?
A father to all
children :
Pastor Paul was
the father of five children. Nevertheless, he loved not only his children but
all children alike. The children too loved him. Very affectionately they called
him ‘papa’. He had never revealed a special love towards his children.
Once, the son of
an evangelist slapped one of Pastor Paul’s children on his cheek. The son who
received the blow ran to his father weeping and complained to him. The son
thought that since his father was a responsible leader, he would severely punish
the little boy who had slapped him. But the father pointed to the son the verse
from Matthew 5:39 and reminded him of the commandment of the Lord Jesus which
said, “... but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the
other also”. Alongside, he also said, ‘Son, run to him and show him the other
cheek’. The son did likewise and won that lad.
One day one of
Pastor’s sons asked him for chicken curry. Pastor said to him, ‘You tell your
need to your Father in heaven. Then He will fulfil your need’. The son prayed
accordingly. In a few hours’ time, a sister who was a believer brought chicken
curry and placed it before Pastor Paul. He called his son and said, ‘Your prayer
has been answered’ and gave it to him. In like manner, he trained his children
and co-workers to believe the Lord for all things, small and great.
Pastor Paul’s
children were mischievous when young. He took much effort in disciplining them.
Though he rebuked them and chastised them severely, he could not see in them the
result expected. However, as he had surrendered his children to the Lord, God
exalted them. They all remained faithful in the ministry till the end. His
eldest son was exalted to be a Chief Pastor.
Considering the
welfare of others :
A brother
testifies thus : ‘When I was with Pastor Paul at Borella faith home in the year
1940, I have marvelled, observing certain of his attributes worth mentioning.
Once when he saw that my clothes were torn, he gave me his own clothes. Once in
the Kandy faith home, noticing that I walked bare-footed during winter, he gave
me his new pair of footwear. Very soon he received another pair’.
One day, the
Pastor in charge of the work at the Tiruvalla Centre sent him a letter from
Kumbanad. The content of the letter was this : ‘Great miracles and signs take
place in Kumbanad. Many from the Indian Pentecostal Church are prepared to join
us. Therefore, you have to come immediately to Kumbanad and hold a convention
there. With that, many would join our Church. If you let us know of the date,
that would suffice. We will make all the preparations’. His fellow-workers who
perused the letter were very glad. So they told Pastor that he had to fix the
date for the convention and intimate it immediately to them. He remained silent
for a while and then said as follows : ‘Brother Abraham (IPC Pastor) has some
souls there. I will not go there to trouble them. We do not need that work’.
In the early
days of the ministry, a brother named Rajayya in Sri Lanka, came to the
ministry. He gave a sum of Rs.2,000 to Pastor Paul. Several of them said that a
small sum of it must be used for buying utensils and all other articles needed
for the faith home. Then Pastor Paul said, ‘This amount would not be sufficient
even for dinner tonight’. When fellow-workers asked him why he said so, he wrote
on a piece of paper the names of all the faith homes which were going through
many wants. ‘All these are our homes. They are without sufficient food and
clothing.’ So saying, he sent the amount to all those faith homes through postal
Money Order. He sent the whole amount to the other faith homes saying, ‘It does
not matter even if we have no dinner tonight; we must help all those in
difficulty and sorrow’. This incident is an excellent example to show that he
loved all other faith homes as his own, and his fellow-workers as his own
brothers and sisters, and helped them in their suffering.
Service expecting
no reward :
Pastor Paul was
a man of God who did not serve the Lord with a desire to receive any reward or
honour from men. He considered it the responsibility of the people of God to
help their brethren in times of their sickness and difficulties and declared
that such assistance reflected the love of God.
He had also told
his co-workers that as they teach other doctrines to people, they must also
teach them to do good, and to do deeds of charity, for this is a way for them to
become blessed. “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such
sacrifices God is well pleased” (Heb.13:16).
Prayer warrior :
It was habitual for Pastor Paul who was a prayer warrior to sleep only for a
short while during the night. He would wake up before 3 a.m. to tarry in prayer.
He would himself lead the ‘praising’ at 4 a.m. As long as he had in him the
strength to walk, he took part in common prayers also.
Guileless love :
Those who met
Pastor Paul would never have the mind to part from him. His guileless love with
everyone as that of a mother loving her children is something that cannot be
forgotten. If anyone approached him with the intention of arguing with him and
began a conversation, he would say, ‘We will pray for a little while and then we
can talk’.
Once a servant
of God continued to describe the difficulties and problems in his ministry. He
also told Pastor that he desired to join another missionary and minister along
with him, as he had promised him a salary. Pastor Paul heard this quietly, gave
him the fare for his journey and then sent him away peacefully. But two years
later when that missionary went back to his own country, he entrusted that
church and the servants of God to Pastor Paul.
CHAPTER 8
THE MANNER OF GAINING SOULS
Pastor Paul gave more importance to life than to
the ministry. He would explain to his fellow-workers, ‘If the savour of life
proceeds from us, then souls would come to us in multitudes’. He would say that
the flowers do not go seeking the honeybees but the bees come in search of
flowers with nectar in them. Hence, he did not have the experience of going
around much day and night without rest, to win souls. Today many servants of God
endeavour to go around much, trying to add souls to their religion. After having
brought them into their religion, they neither pray for them, nor do they teach
them sound doctrines which would help them be stablished.
Pastor Paul
would not allow one to become a member of the Church for the sole purpose of
getting married. He welcomed only those who sought the truth, loved God and had
holiness as the goal of their life, as members of the Church. He would say that
the efforts taken to bring back backsliders whose hearts are so hardened as not
to return to the Church again, is like watering a dried and withered tree.
Dispersing abroad
and giving to the poor :
According as it
is written, “... He hath dispersed abroad ; he hath given to the poor : his
righteousness remaineth for ever’ (II Cor.9:9), it is very rare to see people
like Pastor Paul who are very liberal in dispersing and giving to the poor with
a large heart. To those who followed him, he taught the commandment of the Lord
Jesus — “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). “Give, and it
shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and
running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye
mete withal it shall be measured to you again” (Lk.6:38).
As poor, yet
making many rich :
Many who had no
means of survival approached Pastor Paul. As a result of his having prayed for
them, God made them rich. Once a relative of Pastor Paul approached him seeking
financial help. Though he had money with him then, he did not help him but
prayed for him and sent him away. God soon gave that person the money he needed.
Besides, he also got a job. He became rich. Another person approached him with
the desire that his business should flourish. He prayed for him and from that
day forward, he made much profit in his business day after day and became rich.
Thus the experience of apostle Paul, of making many rich though they were poor
was true of Pastor Paul too.
Helping those who
tarry for the Holy Spirit :
He brought about
in those who tarried for the Holy Spirit, a conviction of the necessity to
receive it. Just as the object of sacrifice laid on the altar is burnt to ashes
by the fire upon the altar, our ‘self’ must be wholly burnt to ashes by the
Spirit of glory. He taught that as the ash is used as manure for the trees, only
those who are completely dead to their ‘self ’ can become profitable to souls.
He was also one
who clearly explained to the people of God, the usefulness of the spiritual
gifts which are a gift of the Holy Spirit. He also emphasized that the gifts
must operate not for self-glory or for the satisfaction of the mind, but for the
spiritual edification of the Church and for the glory of God's name. He
possessed the gift of discerning. He was very diligent to teach that all those
who have received gifts must be careful to destroy the ‘self’, the glorying and
pride in them.
Ministering to
others :
A faith home
with some facilities had been taken in a certain place which enabled the gospel
workers to rest, while on their journey to different places. But the servant of
God in-charge of that place wrote a letter to Pastor Paul complaining that he
faced problems because many came to stay there and he found it difficult to
minister to them. Pastor Paul replied, ‘You have been sent only to minister to
them; the money you receive has also been given you by God only to minister to
them.’
Pastor Paul who
found joy in ministering to others, always stood in the forefront when it came
to supporting the poor and the orphans.
[Given below is
a translation of the letter which Pastor Paul had written on 2.2.1942, from
Colombo, to Pastor A. Jacob who was then the Pastor-in-charge of the work at
Nagercoil Centre.
The just shall
live by faith.
Beloved Jacob,
We are all keeping well here by God's grace and trusting that the same attends
you there, I praise God. Even a straw could become a weapon in the hand of a
mighty man. We can find God's strength in our weakness. He is faithful. He is
all-sufficient. His grace is sufficient for us. How is your health? Do not
attempt to do any great work. Tarry in prayer, know the will of God and do it.
May the Lord bless you.
With love,
Yours in Him,
sd /-
(Pastor Paul) ]
Chapter 9
THE
LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The secret of Pastor Paul’s overcoming life, and
the progress of his ministry lay in his perfect obedience at all times to the
leading of the Spirit. Even as our beloved Lord said, “...when he, the Spirit of
truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth...” (Jn.16:13), Pastor Paul
always obeyed the Holy Spirit. He did not accept human opinions or doctrines
that rose contrary to it. He tarried in the presence of the Lord for the leading
of the Spirit. The establishing of the Lord’s ministry has its basis in
obedience to the leaders and to the guidance of the Spirit. This is the basic
law that has been given to the servants of God of this Church. At times, he
would be upright on his knees for a long time to understand the leading of the
Spirit. He always preserved the relationship he had with the Lord as that
between a disciple and his master.
Prayer according
to leading :
Pastor Paul used
to make known his needs to the Lord through prayer with praising. His common
prayer in the meetings would be one of few words according to the leading of the
Spirit. He would always make a supplication in all his prayers that the Lord
should teach him His divine guidance.
Ministry according
to leading :
Whenever someone called him to pray for the sick, he would invariably ask the
Lord saying, “Lord, should I go?” He would go only if he received the leading.
Once one of his co-workers called him to pray for a sick person. He had no
leading to go. But he set out, owing to the compulsion of that co-worker.
Before setting
out from home, he prayed saying, ‘Lord, You have not permitted me to go to pray
for that sick man. Yet I am setting out, because this brother compels me. If
this is not Your will, bring us back by at least making us fall from the vehicle
we are riding’.
It happened even
as he had prayed. When they neared the sick man’s house, the motor bike on which
they rode, skid and fell. Pastor Paul was knocked down. Getting on to his feet
again, he said, ‘Let us now go back’. And they returned. Even if it meant death,
his desire was only to do the will of God.
Sermon according
to leading :
His sermons were
only according to the leading of the Spirit. He was not in the habit of making a
note of the points, of studying them and delivering them collectively as a
sermon. Long sermons too were rare. He used to deliver the divine message needed
for the Church in twenty five to thirty minutes. At times, the sermon would
prolong for even an hour. Praying on his knees for hours together was his
preparation for the sermon. When he preached the divine counsel brought into his
mind through prayer, it created new life and power in those who heard them. The
revival induced through them led many to a sacrificial mind and a higher
consecration.
Once he was a
principal speaker at the convention. His sermon was over in half-an-hour's time.
However, many people came only after the sermon was over. Hence, some of them
requested him to continue with his message. Nevertheless, Pastor, who had been
accustomed to obeying the leading of God, ended the meeting. Next day, the
pandal (shed) overflowed with people before the time appointed.
Pastor Paul did
not have the desire to be the chief speaker in all the meetings that he
conducted. Only if he had received from God the message required for the people,
he would stand up to preach. He did not desire to have the names of the
preachers printed and published in the convention wall-posters. Even today the
same discipline is being followed in this Church. Once he rebuked the
worker-in-charge of an assembly for publishing the convention notice wherein it
was stated that Pastor Paul would be the preacher. Pastor Paul asked him, ‘Who
told you that I would be preaching in this meeting?’ The following verse is an
eye-opener in this regard. “... and we know not with what we must serve the
Lord, until we come thither” (Exo.10:26).
Once the deacon
of another denomination invited Pastor Paul to preach. Pastor Paul replied, ‘I
am not eloquent like you’. But the deacon replied, ‘We know to preach well. But you know the Lord Jesus Christ
more intimately than we do’.
In one instance,
Pastor Paul had to deliver a message in the convention. Owing to heavy rains,
the meeting that day did not take place in the venue appointed. The servants of
God and others who had gathered there were very grieved. They began to cry and
pray fervently that the rains might be stopped. When he came to know of this,
Pastor Paul said that God would not work in a place where there is sin and that
it was because of this that, he did not then have a leading to pray for the
rains to stop. The defeat that the children of Israel faced in the city of Ai
because of Achan is to be remembered at this juncture.
Meetings only
according to leading :
Even to decide
to hold ordinary meetings, he depended on the leading of God. In a particular
place, a certain rich believer was of great help to the Church in financial
matters. Once, Pastor Paul decided to hold a convention there, according to the
leading of the Lord. But that believer who was rich did not desire it. Owing to
this, he did not come forward to render any financial help. He thought that the
convention would not be a success for want of sufficient monetary help. But
since this convention had been arranged according to leading, it ended in a
blessed manner. After the meetings came to a close, a large sum of money was
needed to meet the travelling fare of the servants of God who had come there and
also for several other purposes. Pastor Paul did not have this large sum with
him then.
When the
meetings of the convention ended well, the rich believer was pricked in his
heart. So he requested Pastor Paul to come to his house and pray. He had planned
to give a huge sum of money to Pastor when he came to his house. However, the
leading was contrary to this. Pastor Paul did not consent to his invitation. God
honoured Pastor. At the specified time, Pastor received the amount needed for
the travelling expenses of the servants of God by a telegraphic money-order.
This incident provides a good lesson for the people of God.
One could
clearly see the leading of the Spirit in the meetings conducted by Pastor Paul.
One of the pastors once brought some of his honourable friends to a meeting
conducted by Pastor Paul. He had considered that Pastor Paul’s sermon could
touch their hearts and that by this they would be led to salvation. But the
meeting that day went on in a very different way. Neither a sermon that could
impart courage and cheer, nor an admonition that could touch the heart was given
that day. From the beginning of that meeting until the end there were
prophecies. The pastor who had brought his friends to that meeting did not like
it. However, God worked. Before the meeting came to an end, those new honourable
souls had been led to salvation.
Transfers of the
ministers of the Church only according to leading :
Pastor Paul
transferred the servants of God according to what God had shown him. It was a
blessing to the obedient who joyfully yielded themselves to it and a loss to the
disobedient few.
Once Pastor Paul
transferred an experienced servant of God. But he had no mind to obey. Even the
believers of that assembly did not desire his going on a transfer from there.
Pastor Paul wrote to him again, strictly directing him to go to the place
specified. Even that proved to be futile. He then wrote to him again saying,
‘You remain there in obedience to the believers of the assembly. I will send a
person to take charge of that assembly’, and he did accordingly.
Once he sent a
new servant of God to an assembly. That brother told him his difficulty saying,
‘I do not know to preach’. Pastor advised him saying, ‘Pray for a long time. It
would suffice if you then read in the church, the verse that comes into your
mind. That itself would become a sermon.’ He went obeying the leading.
That faithful
servant prayed for a very long time. The verse that he received that day to
preach was ‘Jesus wept’ (Jn.11:35). With all his inefficiency in preaching, that
brother continued to read that verse aloud in the church. The Spirit of the Lord
worked. Those who heard that verse were broken in their hearts and wept. There
was a great revival in that assembly that day.
For those who
made an effort to deliver a message to the assembly, simply with enticing words
of men, without receiving it from God, Pastor Paul had this to say : ‘A man will
not be able to survive if he is given hay for food.’ He insisted that every word
of the message delivered should be filled with the Spirit and power and should
be able to kindle those who heard them. Rightly does apostle Paul say : “And my
speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in
demonstration of the Spirit and of power”; “For the kingdom of God is not in
word, but in power” (I Cor.2:5; 4:20). Pastor Paul used to quote the proverb,
‘Even a straw could become a weapon in the hands of a mighty man of valour’.
However weak a man might be, if God used him, he would be able to lead many
thousands to Christ.
Journey according
to leading :
In the year
1942, Pastor Paul fell seriously ill. For a few days, he was completely laid up
in bed. Meanwhile, he had a leading in the Spirit to go and pray for a patient
in the hospital. It was night then. Nevertheless he started. On his way, he met
a believer. That believer told Pastor that if he went at that hour of the night,
he would not be allowed into the hospital. But Pastor said, ‘It does not matter;
God will see to it; let us go to the sick man’. And they started, Pastor Paul
leading the way. When they reached there, they were permitted to go in and they
prayed for the sick person and returned.
Every work
according to leading :
Once in a
certain faith home, the rent had not been paid for several months. The
Pastor-in-charge suffered much for want of money to pay the rent. The owner of
the house pressed him, insisting that they vacate the house, if they failed to
pay the rent. That Pastor sent a message by telegram, requesting Pastor Paul to
help him. Pastor Paul prayed for this matter. He did not have a leading to send
any cash. So he sent a reply saying, ‘The Lord has given the money’. God worked.
That Pastor immediately received the money he needed. He at once informed Pastor
Paul about this through a telegram and alongside sent him also a sum of money.
Many came to
understand the mysteries of the holy Word of God through the ministry of Pastor
Paul who had thus been working through the leading of the Spirit of God and
several were led to the path of righteousness. His fellow-workers also were
subject to and obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit revealed through him.
This was one of the important reasons for the progress of this ministry.
Selecting the
new workers, appointing them for specified ministries, giving them a transfer
when required, ordaining elders as Pastors and all such works — he did only
according to the leading of the Spirit. All these were a cause for the blessings
of the churches and individuals alike. There are very few who like Pastor Paul
discern the leading of the Holy Spirit and work in obedience to it.
Chapter 10
TRAINING THE FELLOW-WORKERS
Earlier, we saw that brothers Adam, Varghese and
Matthew were the ones whom Pastor Paul received as fellow-workers when he began
the gospel work in the city of Colombo. However, within a short time, Mrs. Alwin
and her children i.e. Alwin, Francis and Freeda (who were later known as Pastor
Alwin, Sis.Francis and Sis.Freeda) came forward for the gospel work and joined
Pastor Paul.
Since the Church
grew gradually, certain important people of the assembly opined that an
executive committee be formed and that money be saved and a fund be started.
However, Pastor Paul who had set out like Abraham, not knowing whither he went
(Heb.11:8) taking steps of faith and pressing forward, trusting the Lord alone,
did not accept this. Having begun a ministry with the apostolic consecration, he
could not accept such opinions as saving money and organizing committees. As a
result, even today there is no room for such things to find entrance into the
Church.
He admonished
the servants of God saying that they should esteem others better than themselves
and that they should be perfectly obedient. It was the principle that the
servants of God selected for the ministry should be fully consecrated, have no
earthly possessions for themselves and that they should sell all that they had
and offer it for the gospel work (Lk.14:33; Matt.19:21). He also taught them
that they should live by faith, that they should neither let others know of
their needs, nor ask and receive from them and that they should ask the Lord
alone and receive from Him. Though these laws could not be comprehended by those
whose eyes of understanding were not enlightened, it was not difficult for those
who had surrendered themselves to follow the Lamb and had set out in that path,
to understand them.
Only those who
had a determination as mentioned above did Pastor Paul accept as his
fellow-workers. The ministers who had been separated for the gospel work sold
their property and gave it to Pastor Paul. However huge the sum may have been,
Pastor Paul would use it then and there for the gospel work and not accumulate
it. He took care to impart the truth that faith was the foundation of the lives
of those who had been separated for the ministry. He made efforts to see that
this truth was embedded in their hearts. He clearly taught the new workers the
apostolic consecration and faith life from the Scriptures.
“As every man
hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good
stewards of the manifold grace of God” (I Pet.4:10). He taught them saying that
they had to minister one to another through the spiritual gifts that they had
received and that they should not be ashamed of any kind of ministry.
There are no
servants or masters in the faith home. All are servants one to another. He made
his fellow-workers understand that cooking, cleaning the house and its
surroundings, washing vessels, washing clothes, cleaning the bathrooms and the
toilets in the faith home is a necessary part of the ministry just like the
ministry of preaching or singing. He preached that those who do not have a
desire to humble themselves and minister, cannot put on the character of
humility like the Lord.
With regard to
those who surrender themselves for the ministry, Pastor Paul would not take into
account their high degrees or their eloquence for preaching as qualifications.
When God chooses a man who fulfils His commandments, He does not reckon the
abundance of his wealth, the greatness of his family or his academic ability as
merits which qualify him. Not one of the dear disciples of the Lord Jesus had
excellent educational qualifications ! They were fishermen, tax collectors and
ordinary folk, not generally held in esteem, but despised by others. Still no
power on earth could stop the flow of the good tidings of the gospel which
flooded through them. The ‘holiness revolution’ which they wrought through God
was enough to turn the world upside down. They conquered the world through
divine wisdom and through the power of love. Could there be any scholarly
learning greater than the divine wisdom received through the Holy Spirit of God
and could there be a civilized life better than the excellency of the divine
character formed in a man through the love of God ?
He always
exhorted his fellow-workers to remain humble, to destroy their self altogether,
to grow in the nature of sacrifice and to love nothing else and no one else in
this world more than the Lord. He also taught that servants of God ought to die
to sin daily and live unto righteousness, and crucify their opinions and
desires, to allow Christ to reign in them. He also insisted that they should
surrender themselves to walk according to the counsel of the Holy Spirit. He
reflected in his own life the divine character of the Lord Jesus Christ Who was
a pattern of all these.
The divine revelations that Pastor Paul received regarding the servants of God of this Church and some of the exhortations that he gave them:
The servants of
God should have the fulness of the Holy Spirit and the apostolic consecration.
They should keep the mystery of the faith, should not borrow and should hate all
things they ought to, for the sake of the Lord. The brothers and sisters who are
the servants of God of this Church will have authority in them only according to
the measure of their growth in holiness.
The brothers and
sisters who are in the faith home are forbidden to marry one another. It is good
for those who do not yield to the laws and the revelations of this ministry to
leave the ministry. We need not endeavour to keep them in this fellowship. They
are like Esau.
The servants of
God must always be very diligent about their lives. They should be occupied with
the ministry of the Lord, and should neither indulge in strange things even for
a minute, nor while away their time in idleness. They should not stay longer
than the time needed in any place other than in the faith homes. The goal of
their life must be ‘Holiness unto the Lord’. Idle words, mockery, indisciplined
acts should all be avoided. Brothers and sisters who are the servants of God
must speak to each other only things that are most indispensable, and that, in a
few words. They should neither speak against their fellow-brethren, nor give ear
to such conversation. They should not believe all that they hear, and judge
anyone accordingly, but must retain that matter in their mind and deal gently,
till they meet the particular individual. They must deal directly with each
other and have all grievances set right. They should not be ashamed of anything
save sin. Cutting firewood, making purchases from the shop, drawing water,
cooking food and washing clothes are no mean jobs. They are our necessities. We
have no business other than gaining souls and preparing them for the coming of
the Lord. Therefore, we should be ready to spend and be spent in this ministry.
We should be servants not only to those who seek our help, but also to all those
who are in need of our help. The ministers of the assembly must be able to give
the message needed for the people, receiving it from the Lord.
Besides teaching
such things to his fellow-workers, Pastor Paul also took diligent care to see
that they lived accordingly and that they observed such discipline in their
practical living.
The Word of God alone is the base :
Pastor Paul
loved the Holy Bible with godly fervour. He took much effort to observe the laws
of the Word of God in the right manner. He gave due honour to the laws of the
Scriptures, read and grasped them in his heart and taught others the revelation
that he received from them. He relied on the Word of God for a base to establish
this ministry. Yes, our law of faith is the Word of God alone. His most
delectable portion of the Scriptures was the thirteenth chapter of I
Corinthians. He insisted that his fellow-workers read this chapter at least once
a day.
Seeing the devil :
One day Pastor
Paul prayed to the Lord that He must reveal Satan to him. Then the Lord replied,
‘Son, do not desire to see Satan, for if you see him, you will be terrified’.
However, being dissatisfied with that reply, he besought the Lord again. The
Lord heard his prayer and said ‘I will show you Satan’, He showed him a form
which had its mouth wide open and was bound with a huge chain. The cruel form
roared aloud. As soon as he saw Satan, Pastor Paul swooned and fell to the
floor. Well realizing that it lay in God’s manifold wisdom not to reveal
unsearchable and deep secrets to man, he greatly praised God and glorified Him.
Worship and service through songs :
Like David, the
sweet psalmist of Israel, Pastor Paul found great delight in praising God
through songs. He was one who understood the need for according an important
place to songs in God’s ministry. Songs therefore have been accorded a primary
place in our spiritual ministries even today. The translation of a few lines of
the song which delighted him the most is given below :
Jesus ! Thy
Person is so very fair to my eyes
Change Thou
me Thy servant into Thine own image
Can anyone
refrain from loving Thee
Having seen
Thee the Personification of love?
Fill me to
the brim with Thy love
And burn and
consume me to ashes with that love.
The King's highway :
Pastor Paul had
a clear assurance concerning fundamental doctrinal truths. He never thought that
he had reached his goal. Pastor Paul established his co-workers in the doctrine
and encouraged them saying, ‘Many might fall; but, press on boldly in the path
of truth’. He had firm faith in the doctrine that he had established. If anyone
asked him about this Church and about its doctrines, he would answer aloud
saying, ‘We are walking in the King’s highway through which the Lord Jesus
Christ and His disciples journeyed’.
He who prays shall reign :
Pastor Paul
taught that only he who spends much time in the presence of God in prayer, can
remain temperate. He well knew that prayer was indispensable to preserve the
Church. He made his fellow-workers understand this secret : ‘He who prays shall
reign’. Only those who pray can live an overcoming life. The reward is only for
those who overcome. Only those who keep their members under subjection (those
who live an overcoming life), will be able to exercise dominion over nations in
the Millennial reign. He would often quote the verses : “To him that overcometh
will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set
down with my Father in his throne” (Rev.3:21). “And he shall rule them with the
rod of iron...” (Rev.2:27). “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty;
and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city” (Prov.16:32).
No crown without the cross :
Many Christians
today desire a life without hardship. Pastor Paul was not of this opinion. If
anyone approached him for prayer for deliverance from difficulties, he would
pray to the Lord saying, ‘O God, may Thy holy will be fulfilled in him. Whatever
be the hardship that he has to face, make him thereby worthy of the crown that
You are preparing for him’. He had known that we would lose our reward if we
fail to remain content in the path that the Lord is taking us through, though it
may be hard.
More labourers in God's husbandry :
Pastor Paul had
given the first training for the ministry to brothers Adam, Varghese and
Matthew. Following them were brothers Titus, James, George, Thomas, Kochukunju,
Philip, Alexander, Jacob and Samson who surrendered themselves for this
honourable ministry and were trained by him. Thereafter, every year, brothers
and sisters who were called of God, consecrated, sacrificial and were
constrained by the love of God, joined Pastor Paul and ministered along with
him. Thus the number of the servants of God kept increasing year after year. As
a result, many thousands came into the path of faith like the early apostolic
times. Many from among Hindus, Buddhists and Christians of other denominations
too believed this truth and joined this Church.
Chapter 11
A MACEDONIAN CALL
Jesus said to His apostles, “But ye shall receive
power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses
unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the
uttermost part of the earth.” This was becoming true even in the life and
ministry of Pastor Paul. In the year 1928, a group of people who were under the
leadership of Kochukunju sanyasi (sage) in a place called Aaramada, near
Trivandrum, went to Sri Lanka. There they took part in certain meetings
conducted by Pastor Paul. This group of people being fully satisfied with the
evangelical ministries and the manner of life of Pastor Paul, extended to him
and his co-workers an invitation to come to Kerala.
Pastor Paul's first missionary journey in India — Aaramada :
Pastor Paul and
his co-workers came to Kerala that very year. They took part in an evangelical
meeting held in a place called Aaramada which was situated in the vicinity of
Trivandrum. A large number of people including gospel ministers from various
parts of India had gathered to listen to the divine messages of God given by
Pastor.
Tarrying meetings :
Pastor Paul who
had well known the importance of the tarrying meetings had set apart much time
for it. Tarrying meetings were held there for a week. Those days the Lord
baptized many with the Holy Spirit. Many who had already been baptized with the
Holy Spirit also took part in those meetings. Pastor Paul who had received the
gift of discerning spirits, exhorted some of them to tarry again and receive the
Holy Spirit. He also drove out the evil spirits that were at work in some of
them.
On the pulpit :
He delivered
short sermons inspired by the Spirit of God. They brought about a spiritual
awakening and enthusiasm in the people. The anointed messages which Pastor Paul
delivered to the people were the divine counsels that he had received from God.
These messages were able right then and there to clarify the doubts and solve
the problems of those who gathered for the meetings. Besides, these messages
imparted to them a knowledge concerning the goal that they had to reach, and
also created a heavenly desire in them. Several people who had been discouraged
because of no progress or victory in life were revived through the meetings
conducted by Pastor Paul. Many witnessed to this fact.
He revealed the
will of God to those who approached him seeking the divine will. Entire
sanctification, perfection, consecration and the secret coming of the Lord were
the most important truths that he taught the people. The purpose, “...to present
every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Col.1:28) was the goal of his ministry.
Visiting homes and
praying for the sick :
Along with
conducting tarrying meetings, he visited several homes and prayed for the sick.
Bearing about a heavenly disposition and lack of anxiety about the circumstances
around him while travelling, were some of the extraordinary virtues that could
be observed in him. A great majority of those in the homes he stepped into, have
come to the Lord.
He prayed for a
mother, who, was paralyzed and unable to walk after her confinement. The Lord
granted her perfect healing. On one occasion, he touched and prayed for a leper
whose wounds were festering and stinking. That saint who had the compassion of
Christ exhibited no contempt or hatred in this regard.
The mighty
Pentecostal revival continued to sweep through many parts of Kerala
like Trivandrum, Aruvikkara, Anthiyoorkonam, Erutthavoor, Punnamoodu,
Venkadampu, Aanaavoor and certain other places in Kanyakumari district. As a
result of this, a large number of people from other Christian denominations and
from among the heathen came into the Pentecostal experience. However, as in the
apostolic times, those who obeyed the truth had to endure persecution from other
Christians and from the heathen. Society despised them. They were not invited
for public functions. For the sake of the truth, they even lost the privileges
which they rightfully deserved, and had to joyfully endure the spoiling of their
goods. Reproach, shame, scourging etc. became their portion. There were
hindrances in worshipping together. Since they were counted worthy to endure
shame for the name of the Lord like the apostles were, they were neither
discouraged nor were they grieved by these reproaches. Instead, they were only
filled with joy. The people of God gathered in houses and in other places and
prayed with one accord. The Lord performed signs and wonders and granted great
boldness to the ones chosen of Him to preach His Word with all confidence. The
number of the believers increased.
Convention at Quilon :
The convention
at Quilon in the year 1928 was held under the leadership of Pastor Paul. Food
was served freely to those who participated in the convention. This was
witnessed for the first time in Kerala. It surprised everyone, for until then,
there had been no such custom. All had to share the expenses in arranging food.
Since it involved much expense, it was a matter of wonder in those days as to
how Pastor Paul would go about this. But through the experiences in the
following days, everyone understood that greater things than this were possible
through faith and even today this practice continues.
The ministry of baptism and the opposing powers :
Through the
ministries carried on in those days, a large number of people in many places
were revived. Many among them decided to take baptism. When a large number of
people decided to obey the Biblical truths, powers working against this also
increased. In a certain place, when a group of people decided to obey the
counsel of God in water baptism, the relatives of some of them planned to
persecute them. Pastor Paul who understood this, did not administer baptism to a
particular few that day. Furthermore, he also exhorted his co-workers, saying
that they have to walk circumspectly. In this context we remember our Lord’s
saying: “... be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves”
(Matt.10:16).
Mayyanad — Pioneering Ministry :
There was a
spiritual revival among the Protestant Christians of Mayyanad, between the years
1925 and 1930. During those days, a sage from Aaramada had come, preaching the
gospel and leading many to repentance.
During this
time, some of those who had gone as a family from Mayyanad to Sri Lanka seeking
employment, were led to repentance as a result of the ministry of the Ceylon
Pentecostal Mission and they joined that fellowship. While on vacation, when
they returned to Mayyanad, they joined the gospel workers, in preaching the
gospel and thus helped them. That was the time when Pastor Paul, the founder of
The Pentecostal Mission and those who followed him, used to come to Kerala to do
the gospel work in various places. In the year 1928 when they were preaching the
gospel at Quilon, the Pentecostal believers who had returned from Sri Lanka
invited, Pastor Paul and his co-workers to Mayyanad. Those days the Ceylon
Pentecostal Mission was known only as a group of ascetics. Soon they hired a
house at Quilon, and having Mayyanad and Ashtamudi, the places around Quilon
district as centres, they began their gospel ministry. In the initial days, the
gospel workers suffered much and often finding manna only for the day, they
enjoyed having it and they lived joyfully for the Lord.
Some of the
members of a certain rich family in Mayyanad joined the Ceylon Pentecostal
Mission and stepped out for the gospel work forsaking their all. The one
prominent among them was Sis. Job (Thangamma). Sis. Job was contemplating
opening a clinic at Mayyanad, after completing her M.B.B.S. studies. At that
time, her sister was mentally affected. Pastor Paul and those who had come from
Sri Lanka with him, prayed for her. She was healed miraculously. Sis. Job
understood the deep truths of the gospel and joined the ministry. She went to
Sri Lanka and ministered together with Pastor Paul, and with Pastor Alwin. Her
knowledge of English was of great help to the gospel ministry in those days.
Mr. P.S.
Govindan who was a teacher in the Mayyanad Government Middle School, resided in
the house of Sis. Job, together with his family. His wife Devaki was laid up in
bed owing to a stroke. Pastor Paul visited them during that time. Devaki had no
faith in prayer. But Pastor Paul explained to her that it was his duty to pray
for her and he did pray. Within a week, the symptoms of her disease disappeared
and she was able to sit up and even gradually walk. Later she received perfect
healing. Following this, Sis. Devaki attended the services regularly, shared her
experiences with others and also began to pray. Devaki’s uncle, Mr. Govindan was
the District Collector those days and held a high position in society. This
lended a credence to the person of Sis. Devaki and through her personal
testimony, many were led to salvation. She who had been confined to bed for two
years owing to the stroke, was now witnessing to God’s miraculous healing !
The cruel attack of the enemies :
While witnessing
the mighty work of the Spirit in the meetings held at Mayyanad when Pastor Paul
laid his hands on people for prayer, many became his enemies. Some were of the
wrong opinion that he practised some charm and was deceiving people. They
decided to wipe out this ministry from the land at any cost. And for this they
plotted together to first beat up Pastor Paul and the others with him and
torture them. They devised a subtle plan to bring him to their place. Just then
Pastor Paul and those with him had returned to Quilon after conducting a
meeting. Cunningly they sent a lady to him to bring him saying that there was a
sick person to be prayed for. That lady was acquainted with those who were
there. However, the Lord revealed to Pastor Paul that she was an instrument in
the hands of the enemies. Due to this, he refused to accept their call.
However, having
heard about the sick person, Pastor Titus and another person being moved with
compassion, managed to take Pastor Paul’s permission and followed that woman to
the sick person’s house at Mayyanad. Since it began to get dark, they journeyed
with the help of a lantern. When they reached a particular spot, some people who
were lying in wait welcomed them with heavy blows. The first blow fell on the
head of the person who accompanied Pastor Titus. He fled for his life. Later,
they surrounded Pastor Titus, tortured and wounded him, showing no mercy. He was
whipped with the tail of a particular species of fish and drained of all his
strength. They broke the lantern that was in his hand. But he glorified God and
endured all these. With his body bleeding, he somehow managed to escape and hide
himself from his enemies and returned the way he had come. Having no light, he
groped for his way and continued his journey in gross darkness. His body was
bruised and wounded in several places. Yet his enemies would not let him go.
They followed him and tortured him again. Having beaten him, they left him
exhausted by the way, took to their heels and disappeared. Pastor Titus was not
even sure of the way to return. He prayed on his knees thus, “Lord, You are the
Way, the Truth and the Life. Show me the way to my destination” .All of a
sudden, he saw a bright light. He followed that light and reached his place of
residence at Quilon. How wonderfully the Lord helps His children !
Pastor Titus was
wounded all over his body. They found it hard to remove his clothes which were
soaked in blood and were stuck fast to the bleeding wounds. He said that he felt
no pain at all when he was beaten up. At this time, a servant of God saw a
vision of a crown shining on his head. In a few days’ time, Pastor Titus was
miraculously healed. In process of time, many from the families of those who had
tortured Pastor Titus, came into this Pentecostal experience and obeyed the
truths in the Word of God.
The hands of the
one who beat Pastor Titus became immobile and after thirty years, in that same
state he passed away.
Pastor Paul went
to visit a certain house. Seeing a watch dog at home, he asked, ‘Brother, do we
need a dog? Don't we have angels?’ As soon as this was asked, that dog whined
aloud, fled to a place nearby and died there.
A boil in the
body of a mother at Mayyanad dried up and was healed when Pastor laid his hands
on her and prayed for her. Later she repented, took baptism and became a member
of the Pentecostal Church.
When Pastor Paul
prayed for a woman who was demon-possessed over there, the devil departed from
her. Pastor asked the devil, ‘What is the sign of your leaving her?’ The
devil-possessed woman answered him in reply, ‘I will smite both the ears with
both my hands.’ The devil did accordingly and left that body.
That was the
time when Pastor Paul and his co-workers were conducting gospel meetings in
places around Tiruvalla. Once while conducting an open-air meeting in a place
called Meipraal near Tiruvalla, some people invited Pastor Paul to a house to
pray for a sick person. When Pastor Paul prayed to God about this matter, he
received no leading to go there and so he did not go. It was actually a ploy to
torture Pastor Paul. But God rescued him from that as well.
Since Pastor
Paul perfectly obeyed the divine leading, he was saved from such impending
persecutions.
Chapter 12
THE TRUTH SPREADS FURTHER
The co-workers of Pastor Paul - Pastor
Kochukunju, Pastor Alexander and others were serving the Lord in Kerala. During
those days Pastor Cook, a missionary from the West, was residing in a place
called Mulakulaa and was conducting Bible Studies in the places around. (India
Full Gospel Church of God). Once Pastor Kochukunju and Pastor Alexander went
there to meet the missionary. The Bible Study was going on and they attended it.
Later, they all had lunch. After lunch Pastor Kochukunju and Pastor Alexander
washed the plates along with the others. The missionary observed this and the
enthusiasm they evinced even in a simple ministry, impressed him. He shook hands
with them joyfully, saying that humbling oneself to serve is the sign of a true
gospel minister. Besides, he also decided to meet Pastor Paul in person and
speak to him. Thus they got acquainted with each other.
Pastor Cook who
was drawn by the excellent virtues of humility and love evinced by Pastor Paul,
took him as the preacher to several gospel meetings he held in India. As a
result, Pastor Paul took part in many meetings and delivered God’s message to
the people. In his messages, he narrated experiences from his own life and
expounded the consecration, whereby, like the apostles of old, one forsakes and
sells all that he has to do the gospel ministry. He also told them about the
ministry of faith. Certain ministers who were encouraged by the excellency of a
life of faith, refused the little monetary aid they were receiving from
missionary Cook and decided to live a life of faith. Prominent among them were
Brother K.E.Abraham and Pastor Oommachen.
On the 13th of
January, 1930, in a coconut grove near Muttuman junction, a convention was held
under the leadership of Brother K.E.Abraham. Consenting to their special
invitation, Pastor Paul attended those meetings. His personal testimony
attracted the crowd that came to the meeting. It served to lead many to Christ.
Many servants of the Lord who had understood the aspects of faith life clearly
gave up the financial aid they were receiving from abroad and decided to do a
selfless gospel ministry. Following this, Pastor Paul and his co-workers
participated in the meetings held at Ranni too.
Pastor Paul
preached at the convention held at Keekolur, Pullicad, from January 23rd to
26th, 1930. During those meetings, many received the baptism in the Holy Spirit
and obeyed the Pentecostal truths.
Brother K.E.
Abraham, in Kerala was an experienced Pentecostal servant of God. He had been
ministering, jointly with the foreign missionaries, but was not ordained a
pastor until then. By this time, an independent Pentecostal church by name,
‘South India Pentecostal Church of God’ was formed under the guidance of Brother
K.E. Abraham. Then Brother K.E. Abraham and his co-workers decided to call
Pastor Paul - he being an apostle and the founder of the Ceylon Pentecostal
Mission which had grown independently without counting on foreign aid — to
perform the ministry of laying on of hands. This matter was brought to the
notice of Pastor Paul. After the meeting in Ranni, Pastor Paul had stopped at
Quilon on his way to Sri Lanka. He complied with the invitation given him and
returned to Kumbanad. As soon as he reached there, he fasted and prayed to know
the leading of God. According to the leading of the Holy Spirit, on
March 6, 1930, he laid hands on Brother K.E. Abraham and ordained him pastor.
Pastor Paul also prophesied about the divine calling that Pastor Abraham had.
Pastor Paul
preached at the general convention at Kumbanad from the 6th to the 9th of
January, 1931, held under the care of Pastor K.E. Abraham. The glowing spiritual
messages which he continued to give at those meetings served to impart spiritual
life to a multitude of people and also to lead them to salvation.
Pastor Paul also
delivered messages in the special gospel meetings held at the Aaramada Carmel
meeting hall from the 13th to the 17th of April, 1932. He himself conducted the
dedication service of the newly constructed church hall. The surroundings of
that meeting hall abounded in scenic beauty with many big rocks. During those
days when the meetings were going on, some drunkards sat on the rocks and were
engaged in a discussion to disrupt the meeting. But a startling change took
place in their midst. Having been thoroughly captivated by Pastor Paul’s sermon,
they forgot about the plan they had just designed and were forced to admit
saying, ‘He is no ordinary man; he is a wonderful man’. Some of them repented
that very day. This served to bring about a transformation amidst the drunkards.
Through the
gospel meetings held at Aaramada, many were revived. Forty of them were baptized
by Pastor Paul at the Karamana river. The wife of Pastor Kochukunju from
Chaathanur was one among them.
Brother
Kochukunju was an eminent servant of God of the Church of God at Aaramada and
was also a missionary of the Pentecostal churches at South Travancore. In one of
the important meetings held on Sunday, April 17th, 1932, Pastor Paul ordained
him a pastor.
Pastor Paul
conducted gospel meetings at Pelumoodu near Kattakada in Trivandrum district. It
is noteworthy that even from there, the Lord has raised up souls.
An independent
Pentecostal minister named Manuel owned a meeting hall in a place called
Punnamoodu, and he had an assembly there. Consenting to Brother Manuel’s
invitation, Pastor Paul conducted meetings even there. As a result, many souls
were revived. We now have a church there. With Pastor Paul, the following word
of God was becoming true : “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread
upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses” (Josh.1:3).
This mission was
strengthened even as many men and women joined the ministerial household of
Pastor Paul who submitted to this faith life and ministry, and followed the
footsteps of the Beloved, overcoming several difficulties.
Prior to the
year 1933, certain of the servants of God came first from Nagercoil and then
from Kottarakara to Venkadampu and conducted prayer meetings in certain houses
and highlighted the gospel truths.
Prayer meetings
were first conducted on the terrace of a rented two-storeyed building that was
situated opposite the City Press, in a place called Palayam at Trivandrum.
However, they could not continue the ministry there for long. They then rented
the house of a Hindu in a place called Thamalam and continued their ministry
there.
During those
days, preparations were made to conduct a convention at Thamalam under the
leadership of Pastor Paul and announcements too were made for this. Coconut
leaves, bamboo poles etc. were brought to erect the shed (pandal). But the
non-Christians residing in that area opposed them saying that the convention
should not be held there. They did not permit the shed to be erected. That being
the rainy season, the erection of the shed became a necessity. As an
alternative, the worker-in-charge requested the members of the LMS Church for
their community hall. This was joyfully given by that church and the convention
held there proved to be a blessing. But even there the enemies pelted stones
which fell on some. Nevertheless, God preserved His people miraculously from
every danger. The enemies strove in vain to remove the poles of the shed erected
to serve food to the people who had gathered there. But they could cause no
great evil. It is also to be noted that a few were baptized in water at the
close of the convention. Very soon they vacated the house they had rented at
Thamalam and in its place rented the top floor of a building near Killipalam.
They stayed there and ministered for some time.
However, they
could not continue their ministry there for long. In a few days, the faith home
was shifted to Andiyirakkam near Karamana. Pastor Paul held a Communion Service
there. People of God were filled with joy, having placed a firm faith in the
verse he preached that day, “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s
good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Lk.12:32). Mockery, reproach, lack of
food etc. were the daily experiences of the people of God in those days. The
ministry did not continue for long even there. Just according to the words of
our Lord, “But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another”
(Matt.10:23), the faith home there was shifted to Tholukal near Neyyatinkara and
the gospel work continued there peacefully. The ministry of this Church was not
founded in Trivandrum for eleven years.
In 1939, they
again rented a house at Parampukonam, Trivandrum and continued their ministry.
In the years 1941 and 1942, Pastor Paul conducted conventions at Trivandrum.
Once they decided to hold a convention but the circumstances were not
favourable. As Pastor Paul and his
co-workers arrived there, a miracle took place. A sister who was sick was
brought there for prayer. Pastor Paul prayed for her and God healed her
miraculously. On being healed, she removed her golden chain and presented it as
a gift to Pastor. The sale of that chain brought in money which was sufficient
for the expenses of the convention. Yes! A wonderful God indeed ! The way He
leads His beloved ones is truly marvellous !
Once Pastor Paul
and his fellow-workers came to Venkadampu and conducted a convention there. As a
few from other Christian groups accepted the truth, the old believers had to
face severe opposition. The close relatives of those who had newly come into the
faith, intimidated them. Yet, they endured it all and remained firm in this
fellowship. In those days, believers from Chani, Manivila, Venkanji,
Neyyatinkara and other places partook of the services held at Venkadampu.
In the early
days, servants of God in these places experienced much affliction and
difficulty. There were occasions when they had to go without food for days on
end. In one such situation, a certain person obeying an urge he had in his
dream, brought a cluster of tender coconuts to the faith home. This served as
their food for two to three days. Most of the days their food was only palm
juice. Many were the times when they satiated their hunger by eating boiled
leaves. The servants of God and believers had to put up with much persecution
from other Christians in the land. The cruelty of these sufferings did not
discourage them, but only served to help them remain stedfast in the truth that
they had known.
Once a gospel
meeting was held at Venkadampu. People in that place did not like it and they
began to fling stones. But the people of God escaped without much harm.
Embracing her six month old baby, a mother testified that the Lord protected her
from the stones.
At another time,
in a place called Kuttamuthu, a person hit a servant of God, a sister, on her
head with the pot used for collecting palm juice and wounded her. However, by
God’s grace the meeting was blessed. Yet again, in a place called Punnamootukada
at Venkanji the enemies killed a snake and wound it like a muffler around the
neck of a believer in order to disturb the open-air meeting that was going on.
Nevertheless, by God’s grace, even there the work of the Lord prevailed over the
enemies.
Once Pastor Paul
was travelling via Trichur. In those days, like the other workers, he too was
clad in saffron robes. One day, going down on his knees before a Syrian
Christian church, he began to pray with his hands lifted up. As he prayed thus
for a little while, many people gathered around him. He preached the gospel to
them and prayed for the sick and they were wonderfully healed.
In the year
1934, hearing that Pastor Paul and his company had come to the house of one
Mr. Periyappa at Kayamkulam, Puthupalli, Brother K.C.Varughese went there and
invited him to conduct a convention at Pallipad. But because Pastor Paul found
it indispensable to attend a convention at Mayyanad in Quilon, he gave word that
he would come at another convenient time. He then left with the others from
Kayamkulam for Quilon.
While journeying
from Kayamkulam to Quilon by boat, they reached a harbour named Aayiranthengu
where the boat got damaged and the journey had to be halted. All the efforts taken by the crew to get
the boat restarted was in vain. At this juncture, when Pastor Paul stood there
and prayed, the Spirit of the Lord commanded him saying, ‘Go to Pallipad’.
Pastor Paul who obeyed the voice of God, gave up his journey to Mayyanad, and
set out for Pallipad. They all journeyed on foot via Kayamkulam and came to
Salai to the east of Aloor cottage. Being exhausted, they rested on the sand.
Pastor Paul and the brothers and sisters sang, played the violin, the tambourine
and other musical instruments. Brother Kochukunju (father of late
Mother A.K.Pennamma) on seeing this, sent his son, A.K.Philippose and invited
them home and entertained them lovingly. Those days, the members of this Aloor
household belonged to the Brethren Mission church.
The household of
Aloor where Pastor Paul had now stepped in for the first time, accepted the
truth. Some from the family were separated for the glorious ministry of the
Lord. Later, they erected a shed in a grove in Kumpampuzha to conduct the
convention at Pallipad. Pastor Paul conducted the first convention there. Many
accepted the Lord Jesus as their personal Saviour in that convention and many
were miraculously healed.
A
demon-possessed man hard to be controlled, was brought to those meetings. Having
the words of the Lord Jesus — “He that believeth on me, the works that I do
shall he do also: and greater works than these shall he do...” (Jn.14:12) — as
example, Pastor bound the devil in that man and commanded him to go to the
bottomless pit. While in prayer, Pastor Paul had a vision. He saw the earth
opening its mouth, the angels casting the devil therein and shutting it. And the
demon-possessed man was instantly delivered.
During the
convention days at Pallipad, an incident occured attesting to the humility and
sacrificial nature of Pastor Paul. One day when Pastor was lying on a mat spread
on a cot, a brother came and took a mat, which was rolled and kept under the
cot. Seeing this a young brother angrily told him, "Don't take that mat. It is
mine and I have kept it there". Hearing this Pastor Paul told that brother to
take the mat and offered his own mat to the young man. The Lord has given that
house where Pastor Paul rested and its surroundings to this Church.
In the year
1939, when a convention was being conducted at Kaarthikapalli, one Kunjariyachan
of the Paandiyalaikal cottage was suffering from palsy. He was brought there,
carried on a cot. At the end of the meeting, Pastor Paul prayed for him and he
returned home on foot, having been miraculously healed.
A brother named
Kochukunju had received only the experience of salvation and was a deacon in the
Marthoma church. He was laid up in bed, with an attack of small pox. As he
underwent excruciating pain, on the fourteenth day, he asked his younger
brother, Matthew of Pandhalam (an IPC Pastor) to meet Pastor Paul at Quilon and
request his prayers for his healing. Pastor Paul prayed immediately and sent him
away saying, ‘The verdict has been given. Hereafter I will pray only for your
comfort’.
Even while
Pastor Paul was praying, Brother Kochukunju sat up on his bed and asked for some
porridge. It seemed as if he was partially delivered. However, as God had
revealed to Pastor Paul, he died on the fifteenth day. A little before his
death, he called his four sons and spoke his last words to them saying, “For if
they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?”
(Lk.23:31). And he exhorted them to come into the Pentecostal fellowship. God
graciously hearkened to the prayer of Brother Kochukunju and as a result, the
children of his third generation too are in the Pentecostal experience today.
One of the
former Chief Pastors of this Mission, Pastor V.G. Samuel was a good believer in
the assembly at Pallipad and had the gift of prophecy. In a convention conducted
by Pastor Paul in the year 1939, he was separated for the Lord’s ministry. In
the initial days of his ministry, Pastor Paul laid his hands on him and prayed
for him. Consequently, spiritual gifts began to shine in Pastor Samuel’s
ministry.
When one of the
former Associate Chief Pastors, Pastor Philip Chandapillai was an eight year old
boy, Pastor Paul conducted meetings at Pallipad. In one of the meetings little
Philip testified and his testimony greatly pleased Pastor Paul. At the close of
the meeting he called Philip and said, ‘God needs you. Would you like to come
along with me to do the Lord’s service?’ Philip agreed and though his father
resisted this in the beginning, he later consented and Pastor Paul took the
young lad along with him to Sri Lanka.
In the year
1931, Pastor Paul and others with him (Pastor Titus, Sis. Chinnamma and Sis.
Hitch Cock) reached Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia with the gospel
truth. The Lord performed many signs and wonders and mighty deeds through them
and fulfilled His gospel ministry. The following is the testimony of Mr. Dato,
the Principal of Carmel School in the year 1936 : “I suffered from a serious
disease in those days and was in bed for two months. Then I came to know that
Pastor Paul had come to the faith home at Ipoh. I reached there at midnight. I
was sleeping on the ground floor of that storeyed building. And then I dreamt
that a lion stood by me. With this, I was perfectly healed. I mentioned this to
Pastor Paul. He comforted me saying, ‘Only the Bridegroom must grant healing to
the Bride’ and sent me away”.
Chapter 13
THE ANOINTED MINISTRY
The year 1933 proved to be a critical period for
the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission. Did we not read earlier that Pastor Paul and his
co-workers preached the gospel first in India in the year 1928 ? Since then the
ministers of the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission began to minister in several parts
of India. In the pioneering days, places like Quilon, Mayyanad, Chathanur,
Trivandrum and Venkadampu were considered to be strategic points for the
ministry. In Kerala they ministered only in co-operation with other Pentecostal
ministers during those days.
Eminent people
from other Pentecostal churches of Kerala participated and preached at several
important conventions that were held in Sri Lanka. Similarly, Pastor Paul and
his co-workers were invited for their meetings conducted in Kerala. However,
when the truth that ministers should be Spirit-baptized was revealed, there
arose a difference of opinion, and consequently ministers from other churches
separated from us.
When the
doctrinal truth that the Lord truly accepts the ministry of those who are
Spirit-baptized was brought to the fore, many prominent ministers of the
Pentecostal church in Kerala accepted it. The importance of this doctrine is
that only those who have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the sign of speaking in tongues, have
the right to do the New Testament ministry. Through this, all those who had been
baptized by those who had not received the Holy Spirit, were re-baptized in
water by those who were Spirit-baptized. Pastor K. M. Zechariah and Pastor K. C.
Cherian were prominent among those ministers who were re-baptized in obedience
to this truth.
The first faith home in India :
The ministry of
the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission was started in India in the year 1928. However,
the home which Pastor Paul dedicated at Tuticorin in the year 1933 is generally
considered to be the first faith home in India. Sis. Chelladurai and Sis.
Hitchcock were the two sisters who began the ministry at Tuticorin. Though the
faith home was dedicated in the year 1933, it is to be mentioned in particular
that prior to this, the evidence of the emergence of the faith and ministry of
this Church was much noticeable in several parts of Kerala.
Pioneering ministry at Quilon district :
In the year
1929, a house was rented in the city of Quilon and a convention was held there.
The doctrines of this Church, the exemplary life and the victorious living of
the servants of God allured many to the Lord and they joined this Church. In the
very same year seventeen of them obeyed the Lord in water baptism. Another house
was rented at Quilon for a faith home in the year 1930. In 1931, a faith home
was rented at a place called Kottachara for the work of the Lord in places like
Kattanam and Baranicavu. The faith home at Kottarakara was taken in 1934. During
those days the servants of God had to face opposition and undergo starvation. It
is to be specially mentioned here that in the pioneering days, a few like Pastor
Kochukunju, Pastor M. Daniel and Mother Rahelamma endured much suffering and
hardship. Because of this, the way was paved for the expansion of the work in
Kottarakara and its surroundings. God raised up many families from places like
Vaappaala and Punalur. A faith home was rented at Adoor in 1937 and the ministry
began over there. It was during those days that the ministry was started in
places like Pooyapalle and Kottara. While there came a
wide opening of the doors for the ministry in various parts of Kerala, there was
also an increased assault of the enemies which had to be endured.
Tribulations and mockery :
Any man who
preaches the gospel truth has to essentially endure persecutions and mockery at
all times. This was true in Pastor Paul's life also. Since he had the
understanding that he had been called to endure all these for the sake of the
Lord’s name, such instances gladdened him.
Once Pastor Paul
and his co-workers were conducting a convention at Colombo. Enemies of the
gospel created a commotion in that meeting, and endeavoured to persecute Pastor
Paul and those with him. However, the Lord openly punished the leader of the
gang instantly. An ox butted him and he died on the spot, because of which the
fear of God was instilled in the hearts of the people. Circumstances which arose
to stop the preaching of the gospel only enhanced its proclamation all the more.
God cannot be mocked :
Once Pastor Paul
conducted a revival meeting at Sri Lanka. It continued for thirty days. The
Spirit of God began to work mightily in the midst of His people. The people who
were deeply immersed in the power of God began to leap and dance. But a
launderer residing nearby, ventured to mock at the people of God. He too began
to shake his body mockingly and noisily ridiculed the works of the Holy Spirit.
God chastised him too in such a way as to instil fear into anyone who dared to
mock at God. Even as he was mocking, he suddenly fell down and died. Those who
witnessed this, were gripped with fear. This incident convicted others to fear
God and glorify Him.
Miracles and divine healing :
Some presume
that the age of miracles is over and that they could only have occured in days
of yore and are not meant for this age. If that be so, how could the work of
building up the true Church of God continue ? St. Paul says that miracles and
wonders are signs tending to salvation : “How shall we escape, if we neglect so
great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was
confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both
with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost,
according to his own will?” (Heb.2:3,4). During His days of ministry on earth,
Jesus Christ gave importance to miracles, signs and divine healing.
God has helped
even this Church to progress through signs and wonders. The truth, “For the
kingdom of God is not in word, but in power” (I Cor.4:20) was practically
revealed in Pastor Paul’s life. His sermons were not with enticing words of
man’s wisdom, but were in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.
The daughter of
a Buddhist died in Sri Lanka. They were making preparations for performing the
last rites. Then the Lord told Pastor Paul, ‘Go and pray; do the very works that
I did’. In submission to God's word, Pastor Paul went there, preached the gospel
and prayed for that child. That child was restored to life. This incident was
published in the newspaper too. Pastor Paul also made a mention of this in a
convention held at Mavelikkara in the year 1933.
Once a group of
people strove to disrupt an open-air meeting conducted by Pastor Paul and his
co-workers. The servants of God were troubled and did not know what to do but
Pastor Paul prayed, rebuking the devil in the name of the Lord Jesus. At that
time, a horse grazing nearby fell down. This distracted the adversaries who
stopped assaulting the people of God and ran to the place where the horse fell.
Thus the Lord delivered His people from danger.
Pastor Paul had
prayed for a downpour at times when there was no rain and it did rain in answer
to prayer. Similarly, hindrances brought about by rain during conventions, had
been removed through prayer. His prayers were instantly answered. What is its
secret? His sacrificial nature, humility, meekness, consecration and faith were
virtues which enabled him to pray with power.
Pastor Paul who
had a firm faith in the truth of divine healing, prayed for many who were sick
and in answer to his prayer, the Lord healed many of several kinds of
sicknesses.
The God of Ramankutty had come :
Once a person
belonging to Pastor Paul’s family was attacked by the devil. Since the relatives
were Hindus, they sought for deliverance in several ways. But all their efforts
had no effect. Eventually, a magician said, ‘A person in your family has become
a Christian. Only if he prays, this sick man will be delivered from his
binding’. His relatives who heard this, sent people to Sri Lanka to fetch Pastor
Paul. Pastor Paul sent a message saying that since he could spare no time to
come to his native place, he would pray to God Whom he served and that He would
help them. He prayed and God answered the prayer of that righteous man. At that
very moment, a miracle took place in his home. The demons in that sick man cried
aloud saying ‘Ramankutty’s God has come. Ramankutty’s God has come’ and departed
from him.
Handkerchiefs and aprons :
Once while
Pastor Paul was having a bath, some people came seeking him, requesting him to
come immediately to pray for a sick person. Since he could not go at once he
handed over one of his garments to them which when they placed on the sick
person he was instantly healed.
In another
instance, Pastor Paul was called to pray for an insane person. However, he could
not go and so he prayed and sent a towel which he had with him. When they cast
it over the patient, he received miraculous healing. Having been delivered from
his insanity and now perfectly sound, he was brought to Pastor Paul. Do we not
see that, “... God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul : So that from
his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases
departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them” (Acts 19:11,12) ? God
who had thus been with St. Paul and had worked in the first century, was also
with Pastor Paul in the twentieth century and wrought His works through Him.
Magnifying God greatly :
The following
incident is a clear evidence to the fact that the measure of our faith and
divine experiences are largely dependent on the extent to which we glorify God.
A person suffering with a carbuncle approached Pastor Paul. He prayed for that
sick man and said, ‘You have been healed. Return, glorifying God greatly’. He
obeyed the word of that saint but when he went home and removed his shirt, it
was brought to his notice by others that the carbuncle still remained. Since it
was on his back, he was unable to see it and as he had absolutely no pain, he
could not feel its continuance there. Nevertheless, as Pastor Paul had said, he
did not give up glorifying God. Sorrowfully he asked, “Lord, did not that saint
pray for me and say, ‘It has been healed. Glorify God and return’?” That very
moment, that affected part of the body became as normal as the rest. He received
perfect healing. Do we not read about Abraham, “He staggered not at the promise
of God through unbelief ; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God...” ?
(Rom.4:20).
Chapter 14
THE LAST DAYS OF THE SAINT
Pastor Paul’s health was badly affected by
constant travelling and hard labour. Though his health deteriorated as days
passed by, he zealously continued with the work of the Lord. Even when he became
extremely weak and was unable to stand up and preach, he never ceased from
labouring for the Lord. He preached, being seated on a chair. Even in such a
state, he obeyed the specific leading of the Lord, went to certain assemblies
and also conducted tarrying meetings there.
His last message :
The last
assembly that Pastor Paul visited was the one at Madras. A meeting was arranged
there. Since he could not walk up to the venue of the meeting, they carried him
in a chair. Seated on the chair, he delivered the message to the people. That
indeed was his last sermon, a message that really glowed. Before concluding his
message, he said thus to the people of God who had gathered there :
‘I do not live
by my strength or by my prayers. I live by the prayers of each one of you. God
is exalted above all. Surrender yourselves wholly to God. If we give just
quarter, or half or three quarters of our burdens to the Lord, we may have to
bear the rest of them. If we hand over all our burdens to the Lord, He will bear
them all. He who is consecrated has faith. And he who has faith has rest. They
shall obtain rest just like a child that reposes in the bosom of its mother.
Since some forsake the joy of the Lord Jesus Christ, they are enslaved by evil
desires. The Lord Jesus is coming soon. Be of one mind. Continue instant in
prayer and praising. The Lord has been good and all-sufficient to me for the
past twenty one years. May the holy name of the Lord be glorified.’
His last stage :
After conducting
the meeting at Madras, Pastor Paul's condition worsened and he immediately
returned to Sri Lanka. Nevermore could he journey anywhere else for the sake of
the gospel work. A large number of people came to meet him daily as he was in
bed. His face did not indicate the physical pain he was enduring. Nothing could
provoke that saint who was free of enmity and hatred and was resting in the Lord
Jesus. The incident cited below is just one of many such instances to prove
this.
One day he was
in much pain. A backslider who greatly hated him came to meet him. He lashed out
against Pastor Paul using many abusive words. He did not even hesitate to tell
him that he was now being punished for the mistake he had committed. With no
feelings of compassion or respect, he continued to abuse Pastor Paul. A few
brothers who had been taking care of Pastor were beside him and could not
tolerate this. However, none of them dared to speak anything. Finally he started
to leave. Pastor Paul smiled sweetly at him. His feeble hands groped under his
pillow for something. He gave a few rupee notes to that man, blessed him and
sent him away.
Later, when the
brothers saw him at the time of laying Pastor Paul’s body to rest, they found
that he was sobbing bitterly, unable to bear his grief.
His last words :
Pastor Paul's
weakness increased day after day. He exhorted his co-workers on the leading of
the ministry that had to be continued. He blessed them all. His last moments
drew near. Many of God’s people came to see him. Eyes welling with tears,
enquiries filled with grief, songs of hope sung soft and low — all filled the
whole atmosphere with solemnity. Prayer prevailed on all lips. A supernatural
heavenly silence pervaded the place.
Before his
death, he said thus to his co-workers :
‘In the
pioneering years of my ministry, I worked independently and not through God.
Later, God and I worked together. At the end, God worked through me and I was at
rest ... My ministry is now over ; all of you remain united; do the will of God
always.’ These were the last words of Pastor Paul. He finished his race
triumphantly.
‘I have fought a good fight’ :
It is hard to
find a person like Pastor Paul — full of love, consecrated, a man of prayer, a
hero of faith and one who gave alms liberally.
In his 65th
year, on July 4, 1945, the veil finally fell over that majestic life. Pastor
Paul departed from this earth and went to be with the Lord. He was a noble soul
who had a life filled with miracles
and selfless acts of love. He had extraordinary achievements and accomplished a
great ministry. As first among the end-time apostles, he has entered within the
veil into Zion.
His Christian life is a great example of how one who has completely surrendered
his ‘self’ to God can become a yielded instrument in His hands.
He hailed from an ordinary family and possessed no high degree, linguistic skill
or eloquence for preaching. Yet, he was a hero of faith who yielded to the total
control of the
Holy Spirit, joyfully obeying the heavenly vision and ceaselessly labouring for
our Lord with zeal. It is a great history and a reflection of God's grace and
power, that Ramankutty who was born and brought up as only the son of a Hindu
farmer, became ‘Paul’, the Christian saint, who began as a catechist and later
with the infilling of the Spirit, became the founder of the Ceylon Pentecostal
Mission, now known as ‘The Pentecostal Mission’.
“I have fought a
good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there
is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge,
shall give me at that day : and not to me only, but unto all them also that love
his appearing” (II Tim.4:7,8). This portion of the Scripture was fulfilled in
our beloved Pastor’s life.
Chapter 15
WE WILL
SERVE THE LORD OUR GOD
Pastor Paul had surrendered his children Helen,
Freddy, Dora, Sam and Harry into God's hands. Have we not seen the result of
this surrender on the part of the father ! All his children grew up to be not
just eminent people but powerful weapons in the hands of God as arrows are in
the hand of a mighty man. His two daughters and three sons ended their race as
servants of God in this Mission. The children began their training in faith life
when the father consecrated the family for the apostolic ministry. His youngest
daughter Dora, entered glory in her twenty-sixth year during Pastor Paul's time.
Pastor A.C. Thomas has referred to her last moments in his testimony about
Pastor Paul (Ch.16). His eldest son, Pastor Thyagadas Freddy Paul became the
Chief Pastor of this Mission and then entered glory. A brief sketch of his
life-story is given in Chapter 17.
The life-partner of Pastor Paul :
One of the
secrets of victory and progress in Pastor Paul’s life was that his wife had
always submitted herself to the will of God. She was an apt help for him in the
gospel work. When occasions arose in her daily life for her to yield herself to
changes that tended to sufferings according to divine revelation, the zeal that
she evinced through her implicit obedience had surprised Pastor Paul on many an
occasion. When Pastor Paul informed his wife, the words of the Lord that he had
to forsake his all and set out for the Lord’s work, she replied saying, ‘You
need not worry about me. You may proceed as the Lord has shown you. The children
and I will follow you’. He was used to hearing such words of co-operation,
comfort and obedience from his wife. They were a source of zest and fervour for
Pastor Paul’s ministry.
As a saint who
greatly loved God above all, she was ready to obey whatever God commanded. She
entered eternal glory when Pastor Paul’s gospel ministry was gaining widespread
acclamation.
Pastor Samuel Paul :
Pastor Samuel
Paul was President of the work of the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission at Sri Lanka.
He was the last of Pastor Paul's children to enter glory.
Samuel was born
on July 13th in the year 1919, as the second son of Pastor Paul. As a child he
provoked his father very much with his disobedience and was even beaten for it.
One day the Lord told Pastor Paul, ‘You need not beat him. Give him to Me’.
Pastor Paul never beat his son after that.
While a student
in the Faith School, he was nicknamed, ‘the boy with blue trousers’. He was
always dressed in a pair of blue trousers, not because he was fond of it but
because he had no other pair. Even when he was very young, he learnt to live a
life of consecration. The consecration and faith he developed at such a young
age turned out to be precious assets for the long road of service ahead. His
eagerness to win souls was manifest in him even at a very young age. When he
worked in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit, a great ministry was
wrought through him.
Enduring hunger,
weakness and tears, he continued to zealously serve the Lord in many places.
Faith homes and assemblies have now been established in all those places. In
many parts of North India our ministry was established through Pastor Sam Paul.
With his feet “shod with the preparation of the gospel”, he would go to the
uttermost ends of the land that he could reach. During nights he would sleep in
railway stations, on sheets of newspaper. He would return looking dishevelled
and in dirty clothes, like a poor man. While involved in the work of proclaimimg
the deep doctrinal truths received from the Lord, he had to endure innumerable
hardships and mental sufferings. But he received from the Lord the grace and
inner strength needed to face them courageously. He had travelled many miles on
foot, braving loneliness and difficulties.
Pastor Sam Paul
maintained a very strict discipline in his life and expected the same in the
lives of his co-workers. Some characterize him as a very strict person. He was a
fearless preacher who did not care for people's opinions. He never longed for
name or fame. He did not worry about oppositions or cross-questions. “If God be
for us who can be against us?” (Rom.8:31) was the confidence of St. Paul and
Pastor Sam Paul took the same stand. He did not refrain from stablishing the
truths nor did he dilute them in order to please men. His aim was to lead
everyone into a life of holiness. Giving no preference to anyone, he zealously
preached the Word of God, just as it is. He gave prime importance to holiness
and consecration. Since he was zealous in the matter of consecration, even
before he went to any place, the people there would be heard saying that a very
strict pastor was to come there. Nevertheless, he never misused his authority as
a pastor, but only reproved others out of love. He was generally misunderstood
in his ministry and opposed on many occasions. But the very same people who
opposed him grew to love him and cherish him much after they understood him.
Pastor Sam
conducted gospel meetings in most of the states in India, and in America, Japan,
Malaysia and Singapore. He was one who led the way and pioneered the gospel work
in all the places where he went. For eight years, he served as the President of
the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission in his homeland, Sri Lanka. He also served in
North India for many years. Believers over there loved him much. He not only
loved that ministry greatly but also often expressed his desire to accomplish
his ministry and to finish his race there.
He was a prayer
warrior. During all the days of his ministry he himself conducted the praising
session regularly every morning. During these sessions he would give his
fellow-workers the advice and counsel needed for their life that day.
He was ready to
do any work however mean, for the sake of Christ. By fulfilling the will of God,
living a sacrificial life and hating comforts, he had set a good example for his
fellow-workers. He had the ability to converse fluently with people in many
languages and get acquainted with them.
He deeply loved
the people of God who were holy and consecrated. He often remarked that the
greatness of the church was not in the size of the congregation, but in the
measure of its holiness. He was meek before those who opposed him. He was a
saint who acted like a lion or a lamb according as the situation demanded. The
difficulties, afflictions and reproaches that he endured and the labour he put
in are beyond description.
Pastor Sam Paul
had firm faith in the truth of divine healing. Many times he was miraculously
healed of serious illnesses. He did all things well and gave all the glory to
God and remained hidden in Him.
Pastor Sam Paul
entered glory on 8th April, in the year 1987, at the age of 68. He has gone to
be with the Lord Whom he loved and served, after completing a long and glorious
service of 52 years. Let us press forward, following the example of Pastor
Samuel Paul who followed the Lord wholly and was seen as a burning and shining
light in the spiritual realm.
Pastor Harry, the
younger son entering within the veil :
Harry Paul was
Pastor Paul’s younger son. He was a saint, who, even while young, shone in the
Lord’s ministry. Qualities of an outstanding apostle were well manifest in him.
He had served in countries like India, England, and Malaysia and conducted
gospel meetings in those places. While ministering in Sri Lanka, shouldering the
responsibility of the work there, he entered glory on the 30th of December,
1973.
Helen, the eldest daughter entering glory :
Sister Helen was
the eldest daughter of Pastor Paul. From the age of eleven till she was sixty
seven, she did this honourable ministry quietly, with meekness. She had a great
burden for the perishing souls. The longing of her heart was to prepare souls
for the coming of the Lord. Going on foot or by conveyance, she not only met
souls and gave them the message of perfect salvation, but also ministered
through correspondence to the gospel ministers
and believers in distant lands and was enthusiastic in giving them the needed
counsel and encouraging them. This sister taught many to enter the eternal
kingdom through the narrow way, overcoming several trials and difficulties. On
January 20,1980, Sis. Helen went on a transfer to Jaffna. Thereafter, she took
ill. However, she never murmured or complained. In a vision, she saw saints who
had passed away. So she understood that her end was near. She surrendered
herself wholly to the will of God. She became weak physically. The people of God
were praying and praising, standing around her. Sis. Helen entered glory on the
1st of March, 1980.
Chapter 16
THE DISCIPLE ABOUT THE MASTER
A brief testimony about Pastor Paul given by Pastor A.C. Thomas in the
year 1975.
On one occasion,
during the days before the inception of this Church, the Lord said to Pastor
Paul, ‘My Church is My Body. The members of My Body should be wholly sound. But
now they are lifeless.’
Immediately
Pastor Paul asked the Lord, ‘What am I to do in such a situation, O Lord?’ To
this the Lord replied, ‘You have to give up all that you have, empty yourself
and come to Me’. This came as a bewildering surprise to Pastor Paul. Until then
he had heard nothing about gospel ministers who had no means for a livelihood.
He had desired to become rich. His only thought was to somehow earn money. It
was not possible for such a man to forsake his all.
‘O Lord ! how
can I live without anything? If people come to me, how can I provide them a
livelihood? Is there a law that I should nourish and cherish those who come to
me? I have never heard of that’. Pastor Paul thus questioned the Lord on all the
doubts that he had.
Beloved, the
Church is a group that comprises the believers and the servants of God.
Believers must be nourished and cherished by the servants of God. The servants
of God are not the ones to be cherished by the believers. The servants of God
must have more than the believers. Only then can they provide for others. Pastor
Paul received this wisdom from the Lord. Only a very few ask, ‘Lord, how shall I
nourish those who come to me?’ The Lord consoled Pastor Paul with words of
comfort. The Lord said, ‘I have a bountiful supply and I’m looking for a person
who can dispense that to others’. Pastor Paul replied, ‘Lord, if it be so, let
it be as You say. According to Your commandment, I forsake all that I have’. So
saying, he consecrated all that he had.
After this
conversation, Pastor Paul said to his wife, ‘I have resigned my job and I have
consecrated all of you. What is your decision?’ His wife replied, ‘You need not
be anxious about us. Press on as the Lord has shown you. The children and I will
follow you. You need not worry about us’.
Such is the sign
of an obedient and faithful wife. “.... her price is far above rubies” (Prov.
31:10). The obedience of Pastor Paul’s wife reminds us of Sarah who followed
Abraham calling him ‘lord’.
In this manner,
Pastor Paul and his family began a faith life. They rented a house for seven
rupees and began doing the work of the Lord on their own. There was none else to
join them. He was a prayer warrior, spending all his time in prayer. Every
evening he went for street-preaching with someone accompanying him.
One day Pastor
Paul came across a missionary lady from Sweden. She requested Pastor Paul to
interpret her sermon in Sinhalese. When Pastor Paul finished interpreting at the
first time of the street-preaching, he was offered hundred rupees by her.
Hundred rupees amounted to quite a large sum in those days. That was the time
when his wife and children were starving at home. It was at a time when they
could not even afford seven rupees for the house rent, that he received this
amount. Under such circumstances, would anyone refrain from receiving the amount
offered to him by someone? However, at the start, without any consideration, he
received the amount and went away. Later, he was greatly perturbed about it in
his mind : ‘Is this indeed God-given money? Is this actually a faith life? Lord,
are You raising up this lady and helping me through her? If this has not come
from You, I do not need either this missionary lady or her money’. Thus he spoke
to the Lord. The following day too he went for street-preaching. Again that day
the missionary lady preached. In her sermon she said that there is no place
called eternal hell. Pastor Paul was astonished at this doctrine. He thereby
understood that this lady was not raised by God to help him. In those days that
lady said to Pastor Paul, ‘Every month I receive a sum of thousand rupees from
Sweden. I will return to Sweden, making arrangements for that amount to reach
you.’ The words that Pastor Paul said in reply are worthy of consideration. ‘I
neither need you nor your money. Even if my family and I were to die of
starvation, I do not need this money’, he declared boldly. It is to be noted
that this took place in the year 1928 and this was at a time when they were able
to purchase 1 kilogram rice for 4 paise. Pastor Paul had decided to starve
rather than acquiesce in a preaching of the false doctrine. This is indeed a
lesson to hypocritical and covetous men who for monetary gain these days,
pervert the doctrines and change their way of life.
Only a man with
inward courage could have answered as Pastor Paul did. Can ordinary people speak
thus? How many of us can speak in this manner? Pastor Paul had refused a monthly
income of thousand rupees.
Beloved children
of God ! Had Pastor Paul accepted that sum from that missionary lady on that
day, this Pentecostal Church would not have come into existence and these higher
doctrines or this holy life would not have been revealed to us today. It was
only because the Lord raised him up that day that we are able to enjoy the
excellency of this apostolic ministry today.
Pastor Paul did
not fear starvation. He courageously dedicated himself and his children to the
will of God with an unflinching determination that he would not depart from this
faith, even if his children were to die of starvation. His eldest son (Freddy)
was only eighteen years old then, and he was studying in the Royal College. The
famous Dr. Asarappa was his god-father. When Dr. Asarappa heard that Pastor Paul
had stopped his children’s education and that as an insane person he was going
to live something called faith life, he concluded that Paul had gone off his
mind. Dr. Asarappa called him and authoritatively said to him, ‘Your son Freddy
is my son. I am his god-father. Hand him over to me. I will send him to England
along with my children and educate him there.’ In those days it was no easy
matter to send someone to England for education.
His reply to Dr.
Asarappa was, ‘I am going to die for my Lord. I must see my wife and children die before that. Therefore, I
will not send my son to England. He neither needs British education nor any
other. It is enough if he dies for the Lord Jesus’. This was the beginning of
Pastor Paul’s faith life. And none of his children died during those days. About
forty years later, his eldest son, Freddy Paul became the Chief Pastor of this
Mission and visited the Western countries including England several times to
conduct gospel meetings.
Dora, the
younger of Pastor Paul’s two daughters, died at the tender age of twenty six.
Her father was lying ill while she was dying. He was informed of the last
moments of Dora. Then I (Pastor A.C. Thomas) was beside Pastor Paul, ministering
to him. He desired to see his daughter, but being unable to walk even to the
next room, he was taken there. But when he approached her, her eyes were closed.
She was breathing her last. But still she sensed her father’s presence near her.
‘Papa, papa, do
you see Jesus? Can you hear the angels sing, Papa?’ the daughter asked. ‘No
daughter, I cannot hear it’, the father replied. She said again, ‘I am going,
Papa. Jesus is calling me. Do not pray and stop me from going’. Can a father’s
heart remain unmoved on hearing these words which can really break one's heart !
However, the response of the father was ‘Goodbye child, goodbye, I’m going to
sleep.’ Saying so, he went to rest in the next room. Dora soon after went to be
with the Lord Jesus.
Pastor Paul
lived as a saintly warrior who could challenge even death. He believed that his
God was all-sufficient to him.
I came into this
fellowship only after Pastor Paul started this ministry in this manner. One
thing was very amazing to me during those days. It was that Pastor Paul used to
praise God during prayer time, saying that God had given them India and ten
thousand servants of God from there.
Today when I see
you all having gathered here, I remember those days. In those days Pastor Paul
had seen you with eyes of faith. He captured India and thousands of servants of
God also by faith. This ministry was begun even without a single coin in hand,
but now we are spending thousands in God’s cause. He taught us faith. In all
this, he never once said, ‘Look to me’. He would always extol the greatness of
the Lord and say, ‘Look to the Lord Jesus’. He would also add, ‘How faithful a
God we have !
Whatever be the difficulties we face, we need not fear them for any
reason’. If we live according to the laws of God, we need not fear anything. We
truly live according to the laws of God. We have the great confidence that we
are the true Israelites. Once we were in Egypt; He delivered us from there and
now we are God’s own people. God has brought us to the land of ‘Canaan’. What
does the word ‘Canaan’ mean? It means ‘rest’, or ‘comfort’, or ‘the land of
inheritance according to promise’. With hope let us await the land of rest, the
heavenly Canaan to come, and be prepared for it. “... for the marriage of the
Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready” (Rev. 19:7).
SAINTS AFTER PASTOR PAUL
The
good things we find in the lives of the saints who have gone before us are for
us to emulate. The lives of the saints of our times are also a source of
inspiration besides the ones we find in the Bible, though they are next only to
them. Beside others, there are sources of saints of this Mission who have lived
and gone and whose lives would be much worth our consideration and review. And
it would not be without benefit if we consider a few of them, mainly the Chief
Pastors who have succeeded Pastor Paul.
‘ The heroes of faith before us pass on
Their battles are fought
and their victory is won
They lived for
their Master and showed us the way
Though dead, they still speak to
the saints of today.’
********
PASTOR FREDDY PAUL
Pastor Thyagadas Frederick Paul was a shining
star in the spiritual realm. He was the son of Pastor Paul. He was the Chief
Pastor of this Mission from 1962 to July, 1973.
He was born on February 1st, in the year 1915.
He was the second in a family of five children and oldest among the sons. He was
highly efficient and an eminent student of the Royal College at Sri Lanka.
However, since his father received the heavenly calling from God for the
glorious ministry, Thyagadas had to discontinue his college studies early. When
the father began the faith life, the son too hated the comforts of this world
and followed him. Even as Isaac had wholly obeyed Abraham, right from his young
age, Freddy obeyed his father in all aspects.
In his ninth
year, Freddy was baptized with the Holy Spirit. He himself testified saying that
the anointing of the Holy Spirit was the cause for a complete turn-over in his
life. Right from his young age he was a prayer warrior. ‘More things are wrought
by prayer than this world dreams of’ were the golden words that he adhered to in
his life. As the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission grew, the Lord raised up a large
number of brothers and sisters as fellow-workers of Pastor Paul. The
extraordinary attribute of this little boy amidst them was his love for them,
without expecting it to be reciprocated. Owing to that, he was able to live a
life harbouring no bitterness against anyone till the end. In the initial stages
of their faith life, when the parents endured several difficulties, Freddy had
placed his joy and trust in the Lord. His experiences were like what the apostle
Paul speaks of —weariness, painfulness, watchings often, hunger, thirst and
fastings often (II Cor.11:27). Amidst all such sufferings, Freddy used to sing
this verse with a smile on his face.
‘Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.’
Difficulties and
predicaments created strength and courage in him. Just as Moses chose to esteem
the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, Freddy
forsook a life of pleasure and comfort in this world, and surrendered his life
to the apostolic ministry.
Right from his
fourteenth year, he began to take part in the ministry with enthusiasm. He was
ordained an elder in 1942 and pastor in 1945. He went to eastern countries like
Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia and Japan and to the Western lands as France,
England, Belgium, Italy and also to several parts of America and Africa with the
gospel truths and won many thousands to the Lord.
He was a loving
spiritual father. Anyone could approach him with any kind of problem at anytime.
He used to have a diary with him. He would note down the names of those who
requested prayer in that diary. Even during times of physical weakness, one
could see him in his bed, praying zealously for the progress of the people and
with a burden for souls. He always had a burden concerning the churches. At
times, unsolvable problems of the Church had confronted him. The remedy that he
had discovered for this was to keep talking to God for hours on end. As a
result, he would be found smiling, with all his burdens removed. Therefore all
loved him greatly. Many were those who had forgotten their problems, seeing the
pleasant smile on his face.
Amidst storms :
The year 1962
was a critical period for the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission. In the midst of
opposition, storms and winds, he was found with humility and great calmness. He
was prepared to meet any kind of danger. Many marvelled, witnessing his manner
and sweet nature by which he obtained a great victory when a strong wind of
trials blew fiercely in those days. During this period of conflict he revealed
many extraordinary virtues. That same year he was ordained to be the Chief
Pastor of this Mission with an unanimous approval. Having accepted this esteemed
post, he had to shoulder heavy burdens on several occasions. For a space of
eleven years, he faithfully shouldered them and finished his race triumphantly.
The last stage of his ministry :
Though Pastor
Freddy’s physical weakness increased, his excellent virtues were not affected.
He had taken ill several times due to long journeys and tremendous work. While
involved in the gospel work in America in the year 1969, he was laid up with
pneumonia. Those who were ministering to him thought that he would die.
Therefore they brought him to Sri Lanka. Soon his condition changed. Then in
March 1973 he attended the convention held at Madras. Though he was extremely
weak, he preached for a little while at the devotional service on Sunday morning
and this encouraged the people. That was his last convention sermon. He presided
over the General Body Meeting held the following day, selected the servants of
God, and returned to Sri Lanka thereafter.
He was taken to
Kandy for rest. Towards the close of May, 1973, he was brought to Mattakuliya
from there. Though he seemed to gradually recover, two weeks prior to his death,
his physical condition became very critical. He lost his appetite frequently.
When asked why he was not eating anything, he replied, ‘Man does not live by
bread alone.’ He was on the verge of death. This was intimated to the Deputy
Chief Pastor, Pastor A.C.Thomas who was conducting the convention at Malaysia.
He immediately returned to Sri Lanka. Both of them spent much time in prayer.
Pastor Freddy spoke many things to Pastor Thomas. After this, Pastor Freddy was
found very cheerful. In the presence of prominent servants of God in Sri Lanka,
he ordained Pastor A.C. Thomas the Chief Pastor of this Mission on the 24th of
the same month. For a few days after this, he was very weak physically. Yet on
the eve of his death, he spoke lovingly to all those who came to see him,
exhorted them and prayed for them.
Entering glory :
He was asleep
when the regular evening prayer was going on that day. Many were coming to see
him. He became a little restless at about 9.30 p.m.. While all around him were
singing and glorifying God, he too joined them in singing and praising. He slept
again and woke up the next morning at 3.30 a.m., on the 30th of July, 1973.
Realizing that those around him were singing and praising God, he said, ‘Sweet
hymns, Hallelujah’. Then it seemed as if he fixed his gaze steadily on someone
standing before him. When others were praising God, he looked around as if he
was following the one who had stood before him. He stretched out his hands as if
to shake hands with that invisible guest. He then let his hand down, departed
from the body and went to be with the Lord.
‘Thyagadas’, (in
Indian vernaculars means ‘a sacrificial servant’) a faithful and an excellent
servant of Jesus Christ lived up to his name and entered glory.
PASTOR A.C. THOMAS
Pastor A.C. Thomas who was a faithful disciple of
Pastor Paul was the Chief Pastor of the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission from 1973 to
1976.
Pastor
A.C.Thomas hails from Seluvallur (Kollakadavu) which is situated near
Maavelikara, in central Travancore. The family of Kaliyakal, residing there, was
a wealthy Christian one. Thomas Kunjomaachen was born on June 2, 1907 as the son
of Chacko and Mariamma. When about two and a half years old, he took seriously
ill and was at the point of death. His grief-stricken mother made supplication
to the Lord, vowing that she would consecrate him to the Lord if he was restored
alive to her. Hearing her prayer, the Lord healed the child. The mother would
often keep reminding Thomas of his being consecrated to the Lord even as a
child. Nevertheless, in his childhood, he did not seem much inclined to serve
the Lord. After a simple education he went to Sri Lanka in search of a job and
secured one.
Thomas was
twenty three when the Lord met him. Prior to this, he heard the voice of the
Lord rebuking him for a certain fault of his. This led him to repent and created
faith in him. With repentance, he asked forgiveness of the Lord. He realized
that the Lord had forgiven him all his sins and that he had thereby become a
child of God.
The year 1935
was a prosperous one for A.C. Thomas. One day, seeking a quiet and peaceful
place to pray, he went to a nearby church. The sexton granted him permission to
pray there. When he stepped out that night, after praying, he saw a stranger
with a Bible in his hand, standing before him. His dress and the appearance was
that of a servant of God. ‘Who are you?’ asked Thomas in surprise. ‘I am a child
of God’, was the simple reply. On further enquiry, he understood that the
stranger had left home a week earlier and that he was now returning home. He
invited Thomas to accompany him. On the way, he spoke of the glorious salvation
one may receive from Christ. It was around 9 p.m. when they reached his dark
little hut. Both the stranger and his wife were children of God. Thomas offered
them a little monetary assistance when he understood how poor they were,
although spiritually very rich. After sharing with them a meal prepared in a
short while, Thomas left their home at around midnight. His conversation with
this servant of God had given him deep spiritual insight. It was midnight and he
was prayerfully returning through an unfamiliar route. But the Lord miraculously
led him to the very church to which he had resorted for prayer earlier.
High calling :
Thomas then
understood that the Lord Himself was leading him. He did not sleep that night.
He silently meditated on the words of that servant of God. At around 2 a.m., the
Lord spoke to him saying, ‘Read the 8th chapter of the book of the prophet
Isaiah.’ The message of God to Pastor A.C. Thomas was, “Behold, I and the
children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel
from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion” (Isa.8:18). ‘You will be a
sign and a wonder’, said the Lord to him. On hearing this, he was drawn to the
Lord. ‘Thomas have you ever said that you will never get married ?’ the Lord
continued. ‘Yes, Lord’, replied Thomas. ‘Why ?’ asked the Lord. ‘I am needed to
unite my family’, replied Thomas. ‘Is it not necessary for the whole world which
is a family to be united? You should become a partner in fulfilling My work. Who
will take care of My children doing My ministry who have been entrusted to Me by
their parents? I desire that you take up this responsibility too’. The Lord
posed many such questions. As Thomas made no reply, the Lord Himself furnished
the answers too. Thomas too, on his part, asked many questions,
to which the Lord gave suitable answers. To Thomas, this was a very important
meeting with the Lord.
The Lord
commanded Thomas to forsake everything and become His worker, as mentioned in
Luke 14:26-33. The Lord ordered that he should have nothing in this world to
call his own and that he should become nothing. When Thomas asked, ‘How can one
live like this?’ the Lord asked in return, ‘Did I not create this world out of
nothing? I can create a new man in you only if you come to the state of
nothingness’, said the Lord. Young Thomas was overjoyed on hearing this and he
decided to leave all and follow the Lord. He wanted to resign his job. ‘Do you
not see a large number of men, women and children around you? They shall all be
your brothers, sisters and mothers. I desire to give them all to you. How can I
give them into your hands if you do not consecrate your father, mother, brother
and sister? Have I not promised to give you the whole world?’ asked the Lord.
Thomas had no
doubt about the matter of consecrating his parents, kith and kin. But when the
Lord told him to consecrate his Bible too, he doubted as to whether it was
really the Lord Who was asking him to do this. The Lord explained that he had to
consecrate everything bought with his own money. The Lord promised not only to
give him a new Bible, but also to provide all his needs. When he obeyed this,
his consecration was perfect and he felt light and free, as if he were flying in
the air.
This dialogue
between the Lord and Thomas continued from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m.. He stepped out of
the church, and lifting up his hands to heaven he said, ‘Lord, I have none but
You in this world.’ To this the Lord replied, ‘If you are Mine, you have
everything. I have called you to walk with Me. Just I and you, you and I. All
will forsake you. But I will not forsake you. Will you forsake Me?’ asked the
Lord. ‘No, Lord, by Thy grace, I certainly will not’, replied Thomas. Needless
to say, he was indeed a faithful servant to the Lord till death.
Guided to holy fellowship :
Having made all
the consecrations as declared by the Lord, Thomas now wondered where and how he
was to serve the Lord. The next day he was miraculously led to the faith home of
the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission. He spent a whole night at the faith home. While
there, he saw two sick persons, one suffering from malaria and the other from
diarrhoea. He volunteered to minister to them. That night the Lord revealed to
him the glorious ministry that he was to do in the days to come. The next day,
he participated in the Convention held at Colombo. There he received water
baptism. But before one could become a servant of God in the Ceylon Pentecostal
Mission, three indispensable conditions had to be fulfilled in his life : (1) He
had to receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit with the sign of speaking in
other tongues (2) He should have a good report in the church (3) He should have
consecrated his all for the sake of the Lord. The third condition he had already
fulfilled. But he had not yet received the fulness of the Holy Spirit that is
accompanied by the sign of speaking in tongues. Besides, since he was new to the
Ceylon Pentecostal Mission, the condition that he had to have a good report in
the Church was also not fulfilled. This constrained him to pray that the Lord
might speak to the prominent leaders of the Mission. Early next morning, he was
preparing to leave, when Pastor Paul, the founder and Chief Pastor of the Ceylon
Pentecostal Mission stopped him saying, ‘You are a chosen vessel. The Lord has
called you for His great ministry. Receive the Holy Spirit and love the Lord.’
He was thus accepted as a servant of God. Leaving Thomas in the custody of a
brother by name Kavalakadan Matthew, Pastor Paul said, ‘Brother, this is a new
soul. He has to be taken care of.’ Elder Kavalakadan spoke to Thomas about the
ministry of the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission, its great responsibilities and the
greatness of this ministry. Moreover, he said, ‘Do not consider everyone to be a
saint. Decide to live as a saint in their midst. When we become saints, they too
will become saints. Do not keep company with those who hold on to racial,
linguistic and other distinctions. This will lead to factions. Everyone should
be considered as a brother or sister. No one should be treated differently on
the basis of any distinction.’
Receiving the anointing of the Holy Spirit and early ministry :
Soon afterwards
Thomas received the anointing of the Holy Spirit with the sign of speaking in
tongues. He lived a blameless and victorious life. True to His promise, the Lord
gave him numerous brothers and sisters. He was also given the responsibility of
teaching thirty children at the Mattakuliya Faith School. He was ready to do any
hard physical work and whole-heartedly did any kind of menial work too. The
exhortations that the leaders had given him qualified him to take up responsible
duties.
At a time when
there was a set back in the ministry in South India (1943), Pastor A.C. Thomas
was sent to Kerala. Accepting the responsibility of the ministry at the
Tiruvalla Centre, he began ministering with enthusiasm. At the outset, the
congregation doubted whether he would be able to understand the state of the
church and manage its affairs, for he was only a youth and an inexperienced one
at that. But very soon their doubts vanished, for the grace of the Lord was
manifested through his ministry. Those were days of want and difficulty. But he
carried out his responsibilities most meticulously. The ministry grew and
spread. As mentioned by apostle Paul in II Corinthians 12:12, ‘the signs of an
apostle’ were seen in him.
The progress of the ministry :
This ministry
that depended on the grace of God extended to the regions of Kottarakara and
Trivandrum. Thereafter, Thomas was sent to Madras. There he had to face many
oppositions from other Christians.
Since the Lord was with him, there too, the ministry was established.
Another place where his ministry was fruitful was Bombay. Owing to his
relentless labour, the Lord gave him many precious souls there.
Ministry in foreign countries :
The Lord Himself
was moulding Thomas for greater responsibilities and leadership in the ministry.
At the age of fifty he was given charge over the ministry in France. For a while
he was in great difficulty, having no place to stay, not knowing the language
and facing adverse climatic conditions. But the Lord created favourable
circumstances that helped construct the faith home at Paris. From there he
travelled to other parts of France, and ministered there. Later, he went to
America where he served the Lord for a short period. Then he returned to India
to take up the responsibility of the general ministry there. Special mention
should be made of the fact that wherever he went, the Lord raised up
fellow-workers and fulfilled all his spiritual and material needs.
Excellent traits of character :
Prayer with a
deep consecration, and a life without guile are some of the special traits
worth- mentioning in his life. His unwavering faith enabled him to fearlessly
confront all the problems of life. He has often testified that the secret of his
victorious life lay in the policy : ‘Thomas has to die in order that Christ may
live’. When a fierce storm blew against the Church in the year 1962, he stood
along with Pastor Freddy Paul in the fore-front of the host, armed with the
weapons of the kingdom of God, and resisted the evil forces and thus preserved
the Church. During the twenty-six years of his ministry at Madras, he joined
Pastor C. John in leading the church in an effective manner. He paid special
attention not only to the spiritual progress of the gospel workers, but also to
their accomodation, food requirements and other facilities. On the 24th of May
1973, a little before his death, Pastor Freddy ordained him the Chief Pastor.
Encouraging the youth :
Thomas often
remarked that the youth were the back-bone of the Church and that their problems
therefore required special attention. On his last visit to Singapore, the youths
there requested that a meeting be held to give them a chance to get their doubts
cleared. He realized that meeting their needs was a work that ought to be given
first preference. It was needful for him to discuss with them the problems faced
by the youth who are saved and live a life of separation from the world. Looking
upon him as a father and not as a pastor, they opened their hearts to him. They
were able to speak out their problems openly and explicitly. Pastor Thomas
supplied clear-cut answers to their questions. He also conducted youth meetings
and youth camps in many places all over the world. He encouraged the youth to
shoulder heavy responsibilities in the Church. Wherever he went, he moved
closely with the youth.
Literature ministry :
Pastor Thomas
had the desire to publish literature on the apostolic doctrines that we preach.
The Exposition of the Book of Revelation is one of his famous books today. It
was his great desire that the people of God understand all the important gospel
truths. He admonished those involved in the Christian literature ministry to
take heed to denounce through their publications, the erroneous doctrines and
wrong practices that were creeping into the Church.
The last lap of his race :
Though
physically weak during his last days, he did not deem it a hindrance to his
serving his Beloved. He constantly had the burden to perfectly fulfil the
ministry entrusted to him. He understood that he had reached the last lap of his
life's journey. His important goal was the holiness and perfection of his
fellow-workers. In the workers’ meetings he last conducted, he firmly taught
that a victorious life was indispensable in preparing for Zion and New
Jerusalem. All his thoughts and words during his last days were only of Zion.
Two weeks before his departure to be with the Lord, at a monthly meeting held at
Kottarakara, he preached on the verse, Isaiah 52:1: “Awake, awake; put on thy
strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city.” On
Monday, June 21st in the year 1976, at 12:27 noon, he entered glory at the
Tiruvalla faith home.
The departure of
Pastor A.C. Thomas was a heart-breaking incident in that it was a great loss to
the whole Pentecostal establishment and could not be compensated by man. This
great saint who began his ministry as a humble servant of God became a vessel
chosen of God unto honour like Moses, Joshua, David and apostle Paul. There had
never been any distinction of any kind of nationality, caste or language in his
heart. His works that were pure and void of enmity, exalted him to the highest
post in this Mission. He associated himself with the believers with a love that
was more than the love of a father.
He had to face
many obstacles and oppositions. At all such times, one could only see a smile of
love on his face. He revealed nothing, but words of comfort to those who
approached him with diverse needs. “Thou hast well done that thou art come”
reads Acts 10:33. Accordingly, all those who came to him enjoyed his loving
hospitality and his good nature that was so refreshing. This sacrificial man who
was determined to establish the essence of the apostolic truths, laboured hard
for more than forty years in the ministry of God. In all the foreign countries
visited by this valiant man, people accepted the truth. Though his hard, long
and relentless labour affected his health, following his Beloved with perfect
love till the end, he led the Church like a warrior. The final words of his
successor Pastor Jacob Ratnasingham at the funeral service held at the
Headquarters of the Pentecostal Mission at Adyar (Madras), seem appropriate here
: ‘There is no need to describe pure gold’. Following the footsteps of this
saint, walking in his ways, is itself a sacred memory of him.
“Be ye followers
of me as I also am of Christ” (I Cor.11:1).
PASTOR JACOB RATNASINGHAM
Pastor Jacob Rathnasingham who was a ‘father of
many nations’ was the Chief Pastor of our Mission from 1976 to January, 1990.
Pastor Jacob was
truly a ‘father of many nations’. Right from birth, the hand of the Lord was
upon him. While a babe he suffered from a disease of the intestines. His father
was away at work when he received the news that little Jacob had died. It took
twenty minutes for him to cycle back home. Taking the child in his arms, he
prayed, ‘Lord, if You will restore my child back to life, I will give him for
Your ministry.’ The moment he offered this prayer, the child came back to life.
But little Jacob opened only one of his eyes. He had lost sight in the other
eye. All his life this was a reminder of his life being a gift from God and of
his being a chosen vessel to do the ministry of the Lord.
When Jacob was
eight years old, doctors advised his parents that his healthy eye needed to be
operated upon, failing which he would lose his eyesight altogether by the time
he became sixteen. Being strong in faith, little Jacob trusted in the Lord for
healing. So he replied, “God shall see to it”. The Lord Who is faithful honoured
his faith. Till the end of his life, he had good sight in his remaining one eye.
As he had godly parents, he was brought up in the fear of God. The Sunday School
ministry of our Mission was started in his house. Pastor Paul’s children and the
family members of Pastor Jacob were among the first few students.
Jacob’s father
was a very consecrated believer. As a result, Jacob learnt to live a faith life
even in his childhood. His father was a tireless evangelist. Although he cared
for his family with a great sense of responsibility, his greatest burden was for
perishing souls. He used to cover many miles a day on foot, witnessing to the
Lord and distributing the Scriptures and gospel literature.
At one time,
when he had walked thirty miles doing gospel work, he took seriously ill. His
sickness kept increasing day after day. To his son John who came to see him he
said, “Son, I am leaving nothing for you all but God will abundantly bless all
of you.” So saying, he departed from this world. Truly the Lord has most
wonderfully undertaken for all of them.
Concerning
Pastor Jacob’s academic career, Dr. A.M. Moothathambi of Colombo bears this
witness : “Jacob and I were not only close relatives but also very close
friends. Both of us studied at Wesley College at Colombo. He was quiet and
soft-spoken and very humble. Even from the beginning he was god-fearing and very
obedient to his parents. Godliness and simplicity in dress, conduct and speech
were virtues exemplified in his life. It was clear that he had nothing to do
with the fashions of the world that entice others. He spent most of his leisure
quietly and peacefully at home. If not at his studies, he can be seen reading
the Bible.”
Even while a
student, Pastor Jacob had a deep conviction concerning the imminent return of
the Lord and he desired to surrender himself for the ministry. But Pastor Paul
advised him to complete his studies first. Before he could do so, his father too
retired from work. One of Pastor Jacob’s brothers was earning a small sum. He
therefore wanted Jacob to earn and assist the family for a short period before
surrendering himself for the ministry. But Jacob suddenly fell ill with a severe
case of scabies all over his body. Pastor G. Thomas spent a whole night in his
house, praying for his recovery. All the members of his family agreed upon
sending him for the ministry immediately if the Lord healed him. At four, early
next morning, the members of his family saw him completely healed. All
opposition to his joining the ministry was also removed.
Pastor Jacob
joined the ministry in 1936 at the age of 21. The Mission was going through
diverse trials in those days. After working for a few years in the Faith School
at Navina and thereafter in various parts of Sri Lanka, he was sent to India.
After serving at Madras for a short period, he served at Kottarakara and in many
parts of Tamil Nadu as Centre Pastor. Later from 1957 to 1962 he served in
Malaysia and Singapore as Superintendent Pastor. In spite of the many
difficulties faced in Malaysia, he won many Chinese souls to the Lord.
When the church
was facing a great trial, Pastor A.C. Thomas had to return to India and Pastor
Jacob was sent to America in his stead. The work had just then begun at New York
and there were only a few believers. As the faith home there was a spacious one,
they did not have enough money to get the whole building heated during winter.
There was also shortage of food. Pastor Jacob and those with him went through
much suffering. Even when his health was affected, he never became discouraged.
In the face of all this, he continued his ministry. Pastor Jacob was a source of
inspiration to all.
Later, when the
work at France was shaken, in the year 1963, Pastor Jacob took charge of the
work there. He rebuilt the shattered faith of the believers and won their
confidence. Pastor Jacob was not disheartened though there were a few enemies as
in the days of Nehemiah who scoffed saying, “What do these feeble Jews?” Calm
but firm, Pastor Jacob laboured in the Lord’s vineyard and eventually won the
love and affection of all. In later days, the people came to look upon him as a
father.
Pastor Jacob
continued as Pastor-in-charge of the ministry in France till 1974 when he was
called back to Madras, and given the post of Deputy Chief Pastor. Following the
home-call of Pastor A.C. Thomas in 1976, Pastor Jacob succeeded him as the
Chief Pastor and travelled to various parts of the world, holding conventions,
separating new workers and supervising the administration of the church. Though
the church faced trials, from time to time Pastor Jacob proved to be a pillar of
strength and a source of comfort, faith and courage to all.
Pastor Jacob was
very humble and he could be easily approached with any problem. He was one who
could kindle a revival and give guidance and counselling to everyone. His words
were few but weighty and beneficial. He had the patience to pay keen attention
to what others said. He was tender-hearted, kind and compassionate and was
actively involved in the spiritual progress of children and youth. In his
continued journeys, it was customary for him to visit again and enquire after
the well-being of those whom he had met earlier in several parts of the world
and encourage them. This he also did frequently over the telephone. Truly, the
Lord had made him a ‘father of many nations’.
He was very
meticulous and orderly in doing all things, even if they were matters small and
minute. He would very diligently observe things which others generally
overlooked. His sermons and his teachings were always centred on practical
aspects of Christian living. When teaching the servants of God he laid emphasis
on the fact that one’s life is of greater importance than one's ministry. His
messages were mostly prophetic in nature and could bring about God's presence
and conviction in the hearts of the people.
His God-given
wisdom and far-sightedness made him seek the will of God in all matters. He
never came to hasty conclusions nor did he allow himself to be swayed by the
opinions or constraint from others. He was upright and sincere. When once he had
understood the will of God in any particular matter, whatever the cost, he would
never compromise. This was particularly perceived in the trials that arose in
those days in the matter of changing the name of our Mission.
His health
steadily declined in 1989 and he was unable to preach much. Yet he participated
in conventions and workers’ meetings. He also travelled to Malaysia, Singapore
and many parts of India. On returning to Sri Lanka from India in October, he
became extremely weak. On the 4th of January, 1990, the Lord called him to
Himself in his 74th year. His last words were his words of counsel to the Deputy
Chief Pastor, Pastor V.G. Samuel.
Many who had
loved him from different countries attended his funeral service conducted in Sri
Lanka. The sweet fragrance of his life will waft over us always. He being ‘dead
yet speaketh’. His life was truly an epistle written by the Spirit and read of
many all over the world. To God be all glory and praise for another stone laid
in Zion.
“For the eyes of
the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in
the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him” (II Chron.16:9).
PASTOR V.G. SAMUEL
Pastor V.G.Samuel who lived a righteous and holy
life, served as the Chief Pastor of our Mission from January 4, 1990 to August
19, 1991.
‘The memory of
the just is blessed’ (Prov.10:7). This is the reward given by the Word of God to
a just man who surrendered himself to the purpose of God and lived with a
guiltless and upright heart. The grace of God exalted him who continued
faithfully in the revelations and truths given to him. He was able to boldly
assert with St. Paul, “His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain”
(ICor.15:10). He laboured more than all others. Yet it was not him but the grace
of God that was with him. Though he is now dead, he still speaks of the mighty
deeds manifested in his life by this grace.
Pastor
V.G.Samuel hails from Chennithala near Maavelikara in Kerala. Born to his
parents as the fourth son, he was brought up in a godly manner in the Marthoma
faith. Besides, he was very zealous in spiritual matters. It was at this time
that he accepted the Lord Jesus as his personal Saviour. After this he received
water baptism having learnt about the truths of baptism by immersion and the
anointing of the Holy Spirit from the early Pentecostal Missionaries like Pastor
K.E. Abraham. When the Marthoma Bishop came to know of all this, he questioned
Pastor Samuel who replied that he had acted only according to what was written
in the Scriptures.
Pastor Samuel
and a few others lived together forming a separate fellowship. In this period,
he and those with him waited for the anointing of the Holy Spirit and received
it with the sign of speaking in tongues and the gift of prophecy. He faced many
kinds of oppositions and persecutions at the hands of his relatives and the men
of his place. He was invited to join the church where he had been baptized. But
he prayed over this matter. Then the Lord said, “I will show you the fellowship
you have to join”. In May 1937, the
work of The Pentecostal Mission was started at Pallipad and Pastor Samuel began
to attend their services. In 1939, Pastor Paul, Pastor Alwin, Sis. Francis and
Sis. Job conducted a convention at Pallipad. When Pastor Samuel participated in
that convention, the Lord said to him, “This is the group I spoke to you of.
These are those who live by faith, who live sacrificially and who obey Me”. He
surrendered for the gospel ministry and was selected for it during this
convention. He began his ministry first at Maavelikara. During those days he had
to endure much starvation and sickness. When it came to rebuking those who
committed wrong, he did not spare even those who loved him dearly. When the
faith home at Puthankaavu in Chenganur became the centre faith home, Pastor
Samuel was transferred there.
At one time he
had to starve continuously for thirty days. Though many who were standing in the
forefront backslid at that time, he stood firmly for the truth and encouraged
many. He was at the point of death when suffering from cholera at Puthankaavu
and when ill with typhoid at Tiruvalla. But on both occasions, the Lord
delivered him miraculously.
Apart from his
experiencing the wonderful healing power of God, many others too received
miraculous healing through his prayer. Right from the start of his ministry he
was a prophet. God had given him not only the gift of prophecy but also the gift
of discernment. Those who had committed even small faults feared to attend
services that were conducted by him. Many who received divine counsel through
his prophetical ministry have consecrated and surrendered themselves to serve
the Lord. He lived a humble life and was a prayer warrior. Since he lived in
close fellowship with the Lord through prayer, he was not troubled or dismayed
by anything. Since he was a holy and righteous man, he was always as bold as a
lion. He was a good preacher. He was also like a judge, able to quickly arrive
at a solution to any problem. Nevertheless like a father, he comforted,
encouraged and loved the believers and his fellow-workers. He was always joyful
in the Lord.
Through this
gift of prophecy which he had received freely, he strengthened and consoled
many. As the early days of the ministry were fraught with diverse difficulties
and afflictions many became weary and disheartened. But Pastor Samuel’s
prophecies and words of counsel and exhortation encouraged such people and
enabled them to stand as victors. He came to be fondly known as prophet Samuel.
Pastor Samuel’s prophecies brought fear and conviction of sin and changed the
hearts of many. He was an excellent apostle who lived up to his prophecies.
Living a humble
and lowly life he was filled with the wisdom of God. Though he was not highly
educated, God had filled him with His own wisdom. Hence he possessed the ability
to solve not only spiritual problems but also earthly ones. Whatever the crisis,
through prayer he was able to emerge victorious. This proved that he was always
with the Lord and that the Lord was always with him. As he always leaned upon
the Lord for His guidance, everyone obeyed his leadership. As a leader, he was
fully aware of the burdens and difficulties faced by those under his leadership.
When people came to him for prayer, even before they could tell him their
problems, Pastor Samuel would tell them what they needed, through the revelation
given by the Spirit. He desired the joy of others and was very concerned about
meeting their needs.He won many through love. Secret love and open rebuke were
seen in him (Prov.27:5).
Many were
attracted by his sacrificial and consecrated life. He was zealous in holiness
and he taught and practised the consecration after the order of Melchisedec.
Many servants of God acknowledged that they have learnt a life of faith and a
life of consecration from him. He was a father who could train others according
to the abilities and grace they possessed. His desire was that gospel workers
should have the mind of a father and should live like fathers. His humility,
meekness, and the special anointing that was upon him and the perfect grace seen
in him led him naturally to the responsible office of the Chief Pastor. It was
the fulfilment of the prophecy spoken concerning him in the year 1940. It was
that the Lord had given into his hands this great ministry and that he was going
to take him in His hands and use him as a mighty weapon. But after this prophecy
was spoken, Pastor Samuel took ill with cholera and died. Servants of God prayed
that his life span be extended by fifteen years. The Lord heard their prayer and
added to his life not fifteen years but fifty.
He did not live
according to his own desires. His life was one that displayed the qualities
needed for one to stand with the Lamb on Mount Zion, as mentioned in Revelation
14:1-5. He often remarked that the end of one’s life should be better than the
beginning. His life, shone with all the five offices of an apostle prophet,
evangelist, pastor and teacher.
His last words
were that we should fight and overcome and prevail, that we should make known to
heaven all our affairs and that we should always rejoice in the Lord. It is
clear from the life of Pastor Samuel that the Lord desires to train His servants
in His ways and in His divine traits.
Jesus testified
of Himself saying, “I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do.”.
Similarly our beloved Pastor went to rest with the Lord on August 19, 1991 after
fifty three years of service, having finished the work given him. As a chosen
vessel of God, he fought a good fight and finished his course. He kept his
consecration and the faith once delivered to the saints, until the end. He
received a perfect testimony in his ministry, following the footsteps of St.
Paul, living for others and doing the gospel ministry being an example to the
flock. The Lord finished the good work started in him and took him to Himself as
a precious fruit, as a glorious stone in Zion. May the Lord grant us the grace
to emulate the life and faith of the saints who have joyfully entered within the
veil, that in eternity we may behold the Father’s face and serve Him.
PASTOR
HENRY ERNEST PAUL
Pastor Henry Ernest Paul was the Chief Pastor of
our Mission from August 19, 1991 to October 14, 1994.
Pastor Henry Ernest Paul, born on June 11,
1927, in Thimbirigasyaya in Sri Lanka, was brought up by godly Christian
parents. He was the youngest in the family of four brothers and a sister. As a
result of the visit of Pastor Paul, the founder of our Mission, his mother was
first saved. This was one among the five believers’ families of our Pentecostal
Church in Sri Lanka in the days of its inception. When he was ten years old it
was customary for little Ernest’s mother to take him along to the Borella faith
home to attend the services. When his mother called him to go along with her to
the services, he would hide himself somewhere in the house. But in 1937, when
his mother slept in the Lord, young Ernest who until then had no interest in the
services, began to show an interest in things pertaining to the Lord. This
became a turning point for good in his life, whereby he was able to live a
higher life and fulfil a glorious ministry in the days to come. To be made a
precious stone, his life was captivated by the Lord, while still young.
According to the heavenly purpose which He had planned in His mind, the Lord
began His work in that life that had been unconditionally surrendered to Him.
When he was
sixteen years old, young Ernest obeyed the truth of water baptism and received
the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Since then, as the love of Christ constrained
him, he took active part in the Sunday School ministry, evangelical work and
other spiritual meetings. The longing to lead a higher, holy life welled up in
his heart. Simultaneously, he attended to his ailing father. His father also
took baptism and later, in the year 1947 he slept in the Lord.
Young Ernest who
lost his parents while very young, preserved his youth from being defiled by the
world, as he had yielded himself into the protecting hands of the Lord. As a
little boy, it was a habit with him to be on his knees, praying for long hours.
Having successfully completed his studies in St. Peter’s College in Colombo, he
was employed in a Government factory as an apprentice foreman. Realizing that
this job would be a hindrance to his spiritual growth, he gave up the job and
secured a job in the Bank of Ceylon. However, his heart was always set on the
Lord’s business. He realized that like the Lord Jesus Christ, he too had to be
after his Father's business. The yearning to serve the Lord was burning in his
heart. At the appointed time of the Lord, yielding to His high call, in 1948 he
dedicated himself to serve the Lord full-time. He was then twenty years old.
According to the good pleasure of His will, God continued His work of shaping
and moulding him secretly, but victoriously.
In accordance
with the verse, “...who hath despised the day of small things ? for they shall
... see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven ; they are the
eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth” (Zech.4:10),
God’s eyes were fixed on Brother Ernest who began his ministry in a small way.
He lived in this world almost as a stranger and a sojourner, hating himself and
choosing the path of humility. Those who saw Brother Ernest in the early days of
his ministry, going about any menial job willingly and in all lowliness, owing
to the humility and obedience found in him, and forsaking all that was gain to
him as loss for Christ, would not have known that in later days, God would do a
beautiful and a glorious ministry through him. Being stedfast in His purpose
concerning him, the Lord was mindful and diligent in preparing him for a higher
ministry.
Young Ernest who
had been ministering joyfully at the training centre in Sri Lanka, was sent to
pioneer the work in Nuwara Eliya. Without a proper place to stay and without
food, he walked miles to visit souls and led them to the Lord. Residing with a
believer, he toiled without ceasing for the Lord. Owing to the love he had for
the Lord, the suffering he endured seemed not hard to him. From there he was
sent to other parts of Sri Lanka to minister. God was with him wherever he went
and blessed his ministry.
He had read the
Bible a number of times and had searched deep into its mysteries. He was skilled
in playing the violin. Involving himself greatly in the ministry among children
and youth, he conducted special meetings for them and helped them shine for the
Lord. He was of immense help to the saints because he could interpret and drive.
He who had great pleasure in winning souls for the Lord ministered effectively
by means of the talents given him. Although he did many ministries in the
forefront, he would volunteer to do any humble, menial job in the faith home,
without becoming wearied. He was always prepared to meet the needs of anyone who
came to him seeking help, whether spiritual or physical. Many could have claim
over him as their father because he loved everyone alike, irrespective of their
being rich or poor, literate or illiterate.
Brother Ernest
who had offered himself to follow the Lamb wherever He went, was sent
by the saints in 1959 to Western countries like France and England, to minister
there. At that time, the ministry had just begun in these parts and it was a
period of crisis. He ministered there as a good shepherd who lays down his life
for his sheep, and became a recipient of the love and respect of the children of
God there. Without any difference whatsoever, and counting himself as one of
them, he learnt their language and endured patiently the afflictions that came
upon him in those strange lands. The ministry there flourished once again. In
1967, according to the will of God, he returned to Sri Lanka.
Right from his
young days, Brother Ernest had a loving, kind and humble disposition. As
days went by, these virtues grew in him and he became a silent, but living
epistle read and known of all men. Being ready to lose anything for the benefit
of his neighbour, he reflected Christ to the world.
In 1971, he was
ordained Pastor. Though he had many a burden and responsibility to shoulder,
without any change whatsoever in the divine characterstics that had been formed
in him, he remained calm, gentle and extremely humble. Despite the various kinds
of ministries which kept him busy, his kindness and mindfulness for the poor
believers did not diminish. Because of his responsibilities, he had to encounter
reproach, shame, misunderstandings and threats by strangers. However, in all
this, he was not disheartened, but followed the Lord Whom he loved and served,
uprightly. He did not seek a way of escape in the midst of tense situations, but
stood his ground boldly and triumphed over them. He always obeyed the leaders
and thereby refreshed the bowels of the saints. Thus it was the will of God to
lift him who was so humble.
In 1987, he was
appointed President of our Mission in Sri Lanka. In his days, many new faith
homes were opened in Sri Lanka. As souls thronged the services, worship halls
had to be extended. The ministry grew rapidly. Pastor Ernest who laboured
ceaselessly in the garden of the Lord, took severely ill during those days and
was miraculously healed through the quickening power of God. People could see
him singing and praising God even in his sick bed. Once he was bitten by a
snake, but the Lord wonderfully preserved him.
Pastor Ernest
who continued to serve God with the same cheerfulness and love that he had at
the beginning, was exalted by God as Deputy Chief Pastor of our Mission in 1989.
The more he was exalted, the more he humbled himself. He hid himself in the
garment of humility.
In 1991, he took
the responsibility of the church as Chief Pastor. In this capacity, he had to
journey to various parts of the world in the cause of the ministry. Since he had
gone through much privation and hardship in the ministry in his young days, he
had become weak. However, the immeasurable grace of God sustained him at this
juncture. When at this time, the church had to go through many a distressing
situation, he carried on with the help of the Lord with confidence and preserved
the Church. Divine wisdom and counsel were revealed in him. In September 1994,
he presided over the Pastors’ meetings at Madras. The following Sunday morning
at Adyar faith home, Madras, he shared the message of the Lord and also his
testimony of how the Lord had preserved him and led him until then. That day he
returned to Sri Lanka with the realization that his ministry was soon going to
be over.
Having thus far
victoriously accomplished his ministry, he took ill in October, 1994. The words
he uttered were pertaining to his end. With his mind alert till the end, he
nominated and blessed those who had to continue the ministry after him. On the
14th morning at 10.30 a.m., he entered glory, to be forever with his beloved
Lord Whom he had loved and served for so long. With the saints all around him,
these were his final words: ‘My battle is over : take charge of the ministry and
continue to do it’.
The Lord Who had
captivated his young heart, triumphed in His work of shaping him as a precious
stone. May we also follow in the footsteps of such saints !
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