The Conversion of Sadhu Sundar Singh

...There was no doubt about that. The train was always punctual, and very soon now he would put his plan into action. Time was running out. He had decided that if the unknown God to whom he had been praying so desperately did not reveal himself before five o'clock that morning, he would fling himself on the line for the train to pass over him. He could bear the turmoil in his heart and mind no longer.

...he was compelled to study the Bible, and although, against his will, he found himself attracted by some of the things he read, he was still convinced that it was false, and determined to oppose it.

He opposed it, eventually, in quite a dramatic manner. Obtaining possession of one of the Gospels one day, and calling some of his school friends to see what he would do with it, he tore it in half, then set light to it.

"That's what I think of it!" he said defiantly.

...It was only a few days after this incident that Sundar came to the point of desperation that led him to the decision to throw himself under the Ludhiana express if God did not reveal to him the true way of peace. Find that way he must, either in this world or the next. He had made up his mind.

At three o'clock in the morning he arose from his bed and went out into the moonlit courtyard for the ceremonial bath observed by devout Hindus and Sikhs before worship. Then he returned to his room and knelt down, bowing his head to the ground, pleading that God would reveal himself. He prayed, then waited silent and expectant, then prayed again.

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I remained till about half past four praying and waiting and expecting to see Krishna or Buddha, or some other Avatar of the Hindu religion; they appeared not, but a light was shining in the room. I opened the door to see where it came from, but all was dark outside. I returned inside, and the light increased in intensity and took the form of a globe of light above the ground, and in this light there appeared, not the form I expected, but the living Christ whom I had counted as dead. To all eternity I shall never forget his glorious and loving face, nor the few words which he spoke. 'Why do you persecute me? See, I have died on the cross for you and for the whole world.' These words were burned into my heart as by lightning, and I fell on the ground before him. My heart was filled with inexpressible joy and peace, and my whole life was entirely changed.

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Excerpts taken from "Sadhu Sundar Singh," by Phyllis Thompson, Armour Publishing Pte. Ltd., Singapore, 2005.pp.1,13,17,18

Sterling Hill, Simla, India photo from http://www.harappa.com
Image of S S Singh taken from http://glowormdesign.com.au/shop