Malaysia Message News
01 Jul 2020

Sadhu Sunder Singh in Malaysia – the early Missionary work

The itinerant Sikh evangelist, Sunder Singh, awakened an interest on his former tour through the Malay Peninsular that was commented upon in the reports of every part of our work at Annual Conference. From here he went to China and Japan, returning to Singapore, April 24th for five days only on his way back to India. His fame rests not on any remarkable tactics that he adopts, but on his simple yet forceful presentation of the gospel message, backed up by illustrations that appeal to his auditors. The fact that he is himself an Asiatic summoning his fellow-continentals to faith in Jesus Christ, carries its own weight. His work has attracted interest even in America as will be seen from the following excerpt from the “Record of Christian Work”.

“There is a new personality who is awakening wide interest in India, a Sadhu, or wandering Sikh preacher named Sunder Singh. He is of wealthy and high caste antecedents, and was educated in an American Presbyterian Mission School. Cast off by family and friends at conversion, he took up the career of wandering evangelist, moving, winter and summer, across India from Kashmir to Madras, from Bengal to Gujrat and even into Thibet. He wears a saffron robe, goes barefoot and carries a New Testament. Remarkable stories of widespread movements toward Christ, which are gathering momentum in the recesses of Hindu society, are related by him. “The day is soon to come and is almost at the door, when every tree and every twig will shout praises to the Lord Jesus, and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” Sunder Singh believes that this imminent turning to the Lord is a sign of the Second Coming of Christ. The movement seems to have connection with early Christian movements, and is described as the secret Christian Sanyasi Mission. The converts, scattered all over India, are working quietly until the time shall come to announce themselves. Sunder Singh tells of falling into the hands of a mob in Thibet, who brought him for execution to a local official. This man, after listening intently to Sunder, told him that he too was a follower of Christ, – at one time student in Calcutta University, and had received the baptism of the Spirit. He took Sunder to a place of worship, where 250 people met weekly. Mr Saunders of the Madura Mission writes that Sunder preached in the Victoria Edward Hall in Madura, to an audience which packed the building to the doors, telling in simple and earnest way what Christ had done for him personally.”

The Malaysia Message
Vol. 28 No. 8
May 1919