I have mooed

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Building Up When A Bridge Collapses

The bridge across the Mississippi on Interstate Highway 35W, connecting twin cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, collapsed yesterday during the afternoon rush hour. It is a tragedy of historic proportions.

At such times:

• People, who have not understood the gospel, question the existence of God, saying, "If there was a God, this would not have happened."
• Some, though not questioning God's existence, may question His actions saying, "Where is God when we need Him most?" or "How can a loving God allow a tragedy like this?"
  
• Some preachers use this opportunity to say that this is God's punishment on a sinful generation.
  
• Sure enough, you have others reacting to these preachers, making them look heartless and flippant.

I found the reaction of one good pastor very refreshing and edifying.
Link to: Putting My Daughter to Bed Two Hours After the Bridge Collapsed

Mental Illness and Prayer

My previous post was about a woman we called Flower Queen who probably was schizophrenic. I knew another person who was very close to me, and a believer, who had schizophrenia. Whenever the person stopped taking the prescribed medication, after a few weeks, the voices were back, and we would sometimes have some bad episodes. We would then find some way of motivating the person to take the medicines, and when that was accomplished, relief was almost instantaneous because the person came back to us from the terrifying world of insanity in a matter of hours. The times when the person refused to take medication are similar to the stuff that nightmares are made of. I know that there is a chemical imbalance or something biological that is behind the condition.

Pastor John MacArthur has been criticised for his opinion about most so-called mental illnesses actually being results of sin and treatable by prayer and repentance. We have been reading his books for 20 years now, he has won over our confidence many times over, and I do not think he would have expressed his opinion on this matter without much thought.

I do not know how exactly to reconcile his opinion with my experience, and my little brain cannot begin to understand all the ramifications of either theology or medicine. This much I know that all our mental states--pleasure, anger, sadness, and so on--result in the release of chemicals called neurotransmitters in our brains. These chemicals are also responsible for cravings and addictions in people. Sinfulness and a lack of faith in God must impact our mental well being profoundly, and such mental illnesses can therefore be relieved by godly counsel.

But if organic and irreversible changes take place in the brain, we probably need to complement our spiritual healing with medicine. After the illness is brought under control by medication, mentally ill people need to be counseled by pastors who are really godly men who base their teachings on the word of God. The ill person may need to continue to take their medication as well. I am sure that counseling from a pastor is absolutely necessary, but I am not sure if medical treatment can be dispensed with in many cases.

Having expressed my doubt about whether it is advisable to avoid psychiatric treatment in many cases, here are some reasons why I, as a believer in Christ based on the infallible word of God, am uncomfortable about going to a psychiatrist:

• Far too many conditions are being treated as psychological disorders when they could just be psychological problems resulting from bad parenting and so on.

• Our minds and our spirits are not separate aspects. As a redeemed person, I am a new creation; surely my mind is different in some way now. My interests have changed. My perspective is different. With sanctification comes the renewal of my mind. How can a psychiatrist, who is not a believer, be able to sort through the reasoning of this new species that books on Psychiatry do not even acknowledge?
  

The conditions that we perceive as mental illness may have various causes; some may be a direct result of sin; some may be the result of sin that has since been forgiven; some may even be demonic; some, like the case I mentioned, may be inherent in the individual and really really need medical intervention; some may be a combination of these causes. In all cases, we must pray first and pray much.

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:13-16)

Flower Queen

Maharani slept on the pavement with her son. She tried desperately to eke out a living by selling flowers in Chennai, and her mental problems did not help matters. I tried to help her but found it difficult to sift through the facts that she gave me. It was impossible to be completely sure when she was under a delusion and when she was telling me the truth.

She was waiting for compensation from the Government because her husband had been killed in a road accident, and I found that she was no match for the general apathy and corruption through which she would have to fight her way. I published the journal that I maintained at the time, calling my book Flower Queen. It is available at Amazon.com
Click here for the editorial review, pricing details, and Search Inside feature

An excerpt from the book:
"My husband's sister is our family saathaan and brings misfortune to the family.” Whenever Flower Queen said these ‘profound’ things, she took on an expression that looked like something between a puppy and a learned sage.

She flashed her wise puppy look at me another time when she took me into her confidence and whispered in my ear that it would not rain in Chennai till she got a house because she had cursed the city. She predicted that it would rain in torrents the day she got a house.

“Only after I sleep a night in the new house will it rain, you will see.” She also had some kind advice for me

“Do not go out in the sun because the sun will be extra hot these days.”

“Why is that so?” I asked her absent mindedly.

“Because of my curse. I have cursed the city with a dry spell.” Then she continued. “Amma, if you walk in the sun, you will go wonky in the head like me. Then you will start roaming the streets as I do.”

I was going wonky already. I also had to keep these stories to myself because Philip said they made him sick.

India Gets Her First Woman President

Rashtrapati Bhavan (Presidential palace)

The President of India or the Rashtrapati is a figure head because the executive authority lies vested with the Prime Minister and the Council of ministers. Nevertheless the President is looked up to for guidance, much like the British Crown, in that the President reigns but does not rule. The President can intervene during crisis situations, and if required, declare National, State, or Financial emergencies.

The President is elected by the elected members of the houses of parliament, at the centre and in the states, and enjoys a term of five years. During the term of office, the President lives in the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Presidential palace and the biggest residence of any President in the world.

Yesterday, Pratibha Patil became India’s 13^th President and first woman President. Although the presidential campaign was bitter, we hope her tenure sees many good changes for the great country that she must now guide and lead.

He predecessor A P J Abdul Kalam, the missile man, will be sorely missed. He will return to Anna University to teach aeronautical engineering, nano-technology, bio-technology, and space applications.

NDTV reports:

He liked everything simple in life, but A P J Abdul Kalam got a grand farewell as the country's Head of the State at a ceremonial function on the forecourt of the majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The colourful ceremony began with the arrival of Pratibha Patil, shortly after she was sworn in as the country's first woman President, as rain clouds gathered over the Presidential palace adding to its glory.

Patil was driven in a buggy pulled by eight stallions to the forecourt where she inspected the guard of honour by the three services in the presence of dignitaries including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The new President, dressed in an off-white saree with a broad green border, savoured every moment of her reception as she smiled and cheerfully waved at the battery of lensmen gathered to catch on camera the historic moment.

After inspecting her first guard of honour, she was escorted into the red sandstone structure from where she emerged sometime later along with Kalam, according to tradition.

Kalam then inspected his farewell guard of honour and exchanged pleasantries with Singh, senior cabinet ministers, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Supreme Court Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and chiefs of the armed forces.

He even posed for a photograph with the family members of Patil before he drove out of the palatial building, his home for the last five years, accompanied by the country's new Head of the State.

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time (1 Tim 2:1-6)

Article 25 of the Constitution of India grants Indians the 'freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion.' We must pray that no force emerges in that free land to threaten this precious freedom.

Baptism in Conversion

My father Gnana Bhaktamitran speaking to the church after a baptism (Madurai India)

Wrong practices are often born when good men overreact to other wrong practices. That is how, perhaps, was born the notion that baptism is dispensable.

At the outset, please allow me to confess that I am not a theologian, but how can any Christian escape theology; our lives are worked around growing in the knowledge of God and delighting in Him.

Baptismal regeneration must have been the heresy that led to the error of baptism being treated so lightly. It is fairly easy to prove that baptism is not dispensable. But my fear is that we have perhaps over shot the right position in the matter of baptism out of a genuine desire to avoid the heresy of baptismal regeneration.

I lament the relegation of baptism to the status of a good-to-do option—almost dispensable. I think this is unbiblical.

• Baptism was the culmination of the conversion experience as we see in the book of Acts and served as an initiation into the church, the people of God.
• Baptism is a command of Jesus
• Jesus, our greatest Example, was baptised.

The latter two points are easy to understand and should suffice, even if the first point were not true, to make baptism mandatory in the life of a Christian.

The first point needs some explanation.

The book of Acts speaks of many conversions. Receiving the word, faith, repentance, and baptism in water are mentioned in many of these accounts. If the frequency of mention has any weight, baptism holds a very important place in the conversion stage of an individual.

When the Jews were cut to the heart by Peter’s first sermon on the day of Pentecost and asked what they were to do, Peter replied, “Repent and be baptised every one of you for the remission of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38) Does this verse teach that baptism is essential for the remission of sins? By looking at this scripture in isolation, it does seem that way, but we must compare scripture with scripture. It becomes obvious that faith, repentance, and submission of one's self to the Lord are spiritual steps or changes that must precede this external ritual of baptism.

Greek grammarians have pointed out that the sentence ought to read as Repent and be baptised because of the remission of sins. For some reason, no standard translation actually replaces the word ‘and’ with ‘because of’.

However, other Greek grammarians point out that the receiving of the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit pertains to both repentance and baptism equally because of the conjunction ‘and’ (Gk kai) that is usually used to connect two equals.

Whether or not grammarians can ever resolve this problem amicably, this much is obvious that Peter does mention baptism in the context of conversion.

My leanings on this subject do not lie on the side of baptismal regeneration and I can assure you that I do not believe that baptism saves or that the water in the baptistery is holy or anything like that. But I am afraid that we may have undermined the importance of baptism in conversion and strayed away from apostolic practice.

Acts 9:17-19 speaks about Paul’s conversion.

And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

We see that he was baptised immediately. It is interesting that Paul did not even eat before that, in spite of the fact that he had not eaten for a considerable amount of time (vs9). Only after he was baptised did he eat.

Today we do not baptise anyone without, justifiably, being reasonably satisfied that the candidate has been sufficiently taught and has truly believed and repented. But it is worrying that sometimes weeks, months, and years intervene after the candidate has believed.

A look at the way Paul himself narrates this experience is even more interesting.

"Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there, came to me; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that same hour I looked up at him. Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’ "(Acts 22:12 – 16)

Just because we know that the Bible cannot possibly be telling us that we are saved by baptism, we cannot wish away the fact that baptism is mentioned here in the context of salvation.

I believe that the most natural meaning of this scripture stares us in the face and yet we cannot see it because of preconceived assumptions. We assume that if we conceded that baptism is indeed mentioned in the context of salvation, we would in some way be giving credence to the error of baptismal regeneration.

Then look at: He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:16). One brother explained that it was written in the style of “Whoever believes in Jesus and goes to church will be saved,” where it is believing that is important and not the going to church. Perhaps it is written in that fashion. But what if it is written in the style of “Whoever turns to Me and believes in Me will be saved.” At least, we can all agree that baptism has been mentioned in this scripture in the context of salvation.

Baptism is mentioned in the great commission as recorded by Matthew . “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all he nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matt 28: 18-20)

Amen? We are afraid to even allow our eyes to rest on these scriptures for fear that we would be giving in to the notion of baptismal regeneration. We fear because we know that the error of baptismal regeneration renders to the act of baptism the place that must be reserved for grace, for the sacrifice on the cross, and to the Lord Himself. Only God can save. But I fear that we fear needlessly. I fear that we have not pin-pointed the real error of baptismal regeneration, and in avoiding all that we confuse with it, have moved away from apostolic practice itself.

Let me try to explain what is on my mind with an example. If I owed the government a loan of a million dollars that I could not pay, and a philanthropist offered me a check for the amount and I deposited the check in the bank. Would you say that it was my works in going to the bank that repaid the debt? Was it not the kindness of that individual, who generously paid my debt, the reason for my deliverance? He paid my debt, his kindness paid my debt, my acceptance of the check paid my debt, and my going to the bank paid the debt. All these are true in their context, but the works that I did are not works whereby I can boast (Eph 2:8-9). I have gone to the bank on innumerable occasions. Going to the bank is no great deal. Accepting the check from that person was in fact the most important thing that I did in that example, although I cannot boast about it. Similarly believing in the Lord Jesus and going through the exercise of repentance is of more significance than baptism which is just a dip in the water, like going to the bank, an action that we may do at other times in life. But when the check of a million dollars is in my handbag, the drive to the bank assumes great significance. When the Lord has spoken to my heart and my heart has believed and accepted, the act of baptism becomes significant and worthy of mention in the same breath as faith or repentance. Without faith, a baptism is nothing more than getting wet.

Just because some have erred and assigned to the mere ritual the honour that belongs to the saving grace of God, should we throw the baby with the bathwater?

It has been argued that the new covenant is a spiritual one and concerns the heart, and that we are finished with outward types and rituals. Although this is true to a great degree, we still have the Lord’s table and baptism that were both given to the church through His apostles by the Lord Jesus Himself. Can we take undue liberties with what our Lord has instituted? Should we not endeavour to include these rituals in our churches according to the spirit and practice that we find in the New Testament?

Many of our church practices from Christian orthodoxy seem to assume that baptism flags the beginning of the Christian life. Membership in a local church and the privilege of participating in the Lord’s table are prerogatives of the people of God. Why then do we find these privileges being enjoyed only by those who have professed their faith publicly in baptism? If baptism did not indeed have a place in the process of conversion, would we not be acting presumptuously in denying any child of God a part in the table of the Lord?

In my understanding baptism is an important step in conversion, less significant than faith and repentance but more visible than those. Baptism is a simple act of obedience that closely follows and reflects what is happening in the heart of the individual.

At what point is one saved? From the case of Cornelius’ household, I see that it was possible for the Holy Spirit to come upon them before they were baptised. This to me is a strong point against baptismal regeneration. However, even here, baptism followed immediately.

Incidently, I do not think the Bible tells us at what point we are saved? At what point do we get saving faith. Does it happen in a second or does it take days? Does a person repent after one has this faith or during the process. If one repents after one believes, then is he saved before his repentance is complete? We do not ask these questions. Neither should we ask whether one can be saved without baptism. It is akin to asking if a person can be a Christian and not ever be a part of any local church. The answers to these questions are academic, cannot be answered with a simple 'Yes' or 'No', and totally unnecessary.

Even if one did not connect baptism to the conversion stage the way I do, it is obvious that baptism is a command. Jesus also, who is our role model and example, was baptised. How then can anyone say that baptism is dispensable. How can you have a Christian who has been saved for years who has not been baptised. Can one be sure that all is spiritually well with such a person? Although we may point to the fact that it is God’s grace that saves and that He knows our hearts and so on, it is far more preferable to be as accurate as possible when dealing with matters that pertain to eternity.

Because baptism is a symbol of the inward experience of salvation and also happens about the same time, the Bible uses baptism synonymously with salvation in some places.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism (Eph 4:4-5)

Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Rom 6:3-4)

Ending on a humble note: Luther, Ryrie, Knox, Wesley, Ziegenbalg and a host of others would not subscribe to all that I have written here. I am humbly aware by logical reasoning that I too may be wrong in my understanding of this subject. Every aspect of baptism--the mode, the timing, the teaching that goes with it--has been understood and practiced differently by the people of God. I do not want to conclude therefore that the ritual of immersion is not important or that it may be dispensed with. When any theological concept is studied, we do not doctor our understanding of the doctrine to accommodate the practices of men, whatever be their spiritual stature. The word of God must be our guide, and we do our best in all honesty, though we often seem to see rather dimly. The part that God does in conversion is the part that saves and the part that is always accomplished perfectly. Praise God! Baptism is man's part and the visible part and the part that many of us if not all of us have understood imperfectly.

Miss Jean Fritchley

I mentioned earlier that the circumstances in 1976 surrounding the first time I saw The Fiddler on The Roof could make for another post. A letter to a beloved teacher decades later, and her reply will suffice to describe what happened. This teacher, Miss Fritchley had been a teacher in Baldwin Girls High School in Bangalore, where I studied from 1974 to 1977. After retirement, she taught in another school called Bethany.

Miss Jean Fritchley in the mid 1970s

Chennai
28 January 2000

Dear Miss Fritchly,
. . . We were standing in the pouring rain under a tree next to a smelly pile of cow dung. We had just seen the film, ‘The Fiddler On the Roof’ in Lido theatre in Ulsoor. Those of us who were in the Russian folk dance had been asked to see the film because it had some dancing in it. After the film, I was supposed to go home on my own but you would not let me. With us were Daphne David, my dance partner, and some other borders. It was fast becoming dark and we were trying in vain to get some transport to get to the school.

While we waited, between prospective autos, you were telling us about the film. You did not feel that we were old enough to understand the film. Daphne said that she understood it. I had been too distracted by the theatre, the seats, the huge and intimidating screen and the sound that was all very unfamiliar to me. You told us about God’s curse on His people, the Jews, and the subsequent dispersion. You explained that the film tried to show how they continued to maintain their identity over 2000 years because of their traditions. You explained how they adjusted and settled down so fully wherever they went and yet maintained their distinct identity. It was pitch dark by then and still raining hard. We had waited, what seemed to me like, over an hour.

Suddenly a car pulled up next to us and a man called out your name. He wanted to know if he could be of help to us in any way. We answered him by getting into the car and telling him to take us to school. On the way you tried to find out who he was. All we could gather was that he knew you from church. At the school’s side gate we all got out, and even before we could thank him, he left. You told us that perhaps he was an angel sent for our protection. ‘The Fiddler On the Roof’ is my all-time favorite film.

My dance partner Daphne David (right) and myself doing the Russian folk dance

The other incident that is so special to me happened two days after this during our dance practice when you and your sister, Mrs. Hicks, were playing the piano for us. Even while we had been standing in the rain the other evening, my father had been searching for me. He had purchased a ticket for the next show of the film and had combed the theatre hall. After much effort he had finally contacted the pastor and found me at the school close to midnight. But I did not want to go home with him. I had always wanted to see what it was like in a school hostel. So I begged my father to let me spend the rest of the night in the dorm and to join them for worship in Cooke Town the next day, being Sunday. Daddy allowed me to stay probably because he was still in a daze with relief at finding me, his only child, alive and safe. Perhaps he did not know how he himself would get home at that late hour. He gave me 25 paise for the bus and left.

The next day, just as I was about to leave for church, my class teacher sent word that I had to stay to make the headwear for our costumes. I was in a dilemma. I waited for 45 minutes, but when she did not come, I left for church. On Monday morning, during the dance practice, I was told that I had been taken out of the dance because of my disobedience and that one of the substitutes had been put in my place.

You and Mrs. Hicks began to play the accompaniment as usual. But suddenly both of you stopped and Mrs. Hicks asked where I was. When the class teacher explained, both of you refused to play till I was put back in the dance. You said that after so many weeks of practice, this was very unfair. You also explained how worried my father had been in the night and how he had given me instruction to be in church. You said that you knew my father and that our family was very strict about church attendance. Wow! That was the first time someone had spoken up for me. You had actually noticed that I was not in the dance that day. It was amazing.

There are many more incidents I remember, but these two are really important to me and I have spoken about these to many people. My children love the ‘angel’ story. For a long time I have felt that I needed to somehow convey my gratitude to you. I have had some very awful teachers—people who did not love or understand children and who should not have been allowed to teach at all. But having had the privilege of knowing a wonderful teacher like you made up for everything.

I pray that the Lord will continue to use you in the years to come to do that special work that only you can do in the lives of students. I for one would have lost something very important if I had not been your student. I have thanked the Lord for you and I am glad for this opportunity to thank you. Thank you Miss. Fritchley.

With love and prayers,

Nahomi Dhinakar, nee Selvi Bhaktamitran

Bangalore
4 February 2000

Dearest Nahomi (Selvi – the name I well remember!)

Thank you so very much for the sweet, encouraging letter—I believe the Lord made it come when I was feeling rather down-hearted and 'blue'. After reading it, I felt life was worth living again.

I remember the first incident you mentioned so clearly. We were in a soggy dripping group near a pushcart vendor and were contemplating crawling under his cart to escape the pouring rain! I had on a nylon sari which, instead of shrinking got longer and longer!! Yes, I recall the "angel in disguise" who appeared out of the teeming rain and offered us a lift. In desperation we got in after apologizing for dripping all over his car seats and foot rug. Then only did I start having some misgivings as to who he was and what we had got ourselves into, but was reassured when he said he was related to Mrs. Thomas who lived across the road from the school. After making the girls change quickly after we got back to school, I dried their hair with my hair dryer. Incidents such as these, I know, make lasting memories.

The second incident I remember vaguely—but I know you were so enthusiastic and such a bouncy cheerful personality that you couldn't but be noticed. I remember you always had a big smile. . .

I'm glad you remembered my sister. She passed away of cancer on March 12^th last year. She had been working in Bethany with me and we were so happy together—Bethany has been very good to us. Last year at this time, we were getting ready for the Valedictory Function. In spite of her increasing weakness she insisted on going to school for the practices when suddenly, a week before the function, she got jaundice which was really the last stages of liver cancer. Someone else had to play the piano. About ten days after she went to hospital, she passed away in St. John's Hospital. Her funeral service in the Methodist church was one of the most inspiring ever experienced by those who were present—the music and tributes all struck a note of victory. She was remembered for her cheerful courage all through her year-long sickness, her dedicated service, her selfless concern for others and her wonderful talent for music. I am alone now in the Senior Citizens Home where we had lived together for 19 years since the passing away of Mr. Hicks in 1980.

I leave for school at 8 a.m. and return at 4:30 p.m. when household chores have to be done. I fill my lonely hours listening to music and reading. I take singing classes from the Pre-Nursery to Std V, look after the Assemblies, help with the School Choir and of course, in all the school programmes. I now have a lady to help me with the music classes—but I miss my sister terribly. We were of one mind and no one can play like she did with such sensitivity and finesse. I'm praying much for guidance—and patience!

. . . Thank you for remembering me and saying such sweet encouraging things. I'll keep on trying to be of some use as long as the Lord gives me health and strength. I cannot bear to think of an old age of idleness!

Once again. Thank you & God bless you, dear.

With much love

Jean Fritchley

Sadly, Miss Fritchley passed away two years ago after living a full life that was anything but idle.

Salt of the earth, preserve stall brake

Ultimately, without God nothing matters and nothing has meaning. As a race, we are on a trajectory of moving away from God.

In the West, so-called modern rational thinking has caused us to delete God and the Bible from our moral equations. Whether in science or archeology, or any other field, we have clung to whatever theory subscribes less to the facts contained in the Bible. In the East, we have clung to our three million gods, pet theories and mysticisms without the pain of having to explain a thing. Scientific temper is relegated to a mention or two by some rationalists in speeches once in a blue moon. Yet another of our great religions moves ahead in great strength driven by misguided zealots on a road cleared by misplaced political correctness and sheer fear. The sum and total of all our collective actions has placed us, as mentioned earlier, on a path moving away from the God of the Bible.

In a world of ever increasing chaos and moral entropy, God calls His chosen ones to hold aloft His standard in the world. In the old times, Jews were given the law and were expected to hold to that moral standard as lights in the world. As long as they adhered to the law and feared God, they were supreme among the nations. Whenever they lost that focus, which was repeatedly, they suffered under the hand of their enemies. But when they returned as a people to the Lord, their cries were heard and they were given the opportunity of upholding God’s moral standard again. Israel proved unfaithful again and again and again until God sent the Lord Jesus into the world.

The old order changed and the Lord Jesus now called for Christians to be a preservative, like salt slows down decay in a piece of meat. In an ever-darkening world, the Lord called for His disciples to be lights. Even in the first century that process of moral decay had begun; it was a time when the New Testament declared that the spirit of the antichrist had already come. In the centuries that followed, Christendom has, however imperfectly, done much to brake earth’s headlong plunge towards moral destruction. Every land that welcomed Christianity moved instead towards reason, health, culture, and truth.

I can think of the dear country of my birth. Christianity came to India in its fullest sense between the 18^th and 19^th centuries by the prayers and gifts of many and spearheaded by the efforts of men like Ziegenbalg, Carey, Schwarz and many many others. Their coming was not because of the British and other foreign powers in the subcontinent, but rather in spite of them.

With sickly Ziegenbalg also came the first printing press to India. With him too came the first moves against caste divides. With Carey, the poor shoemaker with a wife who was broken by the stress of the mission, came the abolition of Sati in India and the ban on babies being thrown into the Ganges. These missionaries came in love and at great personal cost for the sake of the gospel. And with the advent of Christianity in India, we dared to think beyond caste lines, became monogamous, let our young widows live, educated our girls, and grew in moral stature as a nation. Of course, we soon forgot how we got to this stage.

My new country of New Zealand has moved away from its Christian heritage that is still evidenced in the gentleness of the people here. But today this beautiful country has moved away from Christian principles. If the face of the family is changing in the US, it has already changed in New Zealand. I fear that when the Bible is not given its due place, the country degenerates. Prostitution is legal in New Zealand, marriage is a quaint old custom, and it is an offense to smack one’s child to correct or punish.

In this world where the word has been preached even to the farthest reaches, and only a few tiny patches may remain where the light of the gospel has not penetrated, the light of the gospel is slowly growing alarmingly dim everywhere. Like meat in the heat of summer, moral values are fast decaying. Perhaps it is the beginning of the end. Of course, it is possible that we will see yet another great reformation. But it could be the beginning of the end.

Believers everywhere must be the salt and light that they have been called to be. You in your small corner and I in mine. We must each act as little brakes in this time of moral decline.

A special role is played by American Christians. They can slow down the speed of decline in that nation. If the US becomes morally barren, the rest of the world will follow in double-quick time. I have often wondered how even conservative churches in the US have fairly large congregations, when all over the world, the numbers of believers have dwindled. Yet, like with Queen Esther, who knows whether this privilege has been given them for such a time as this, to slow down the speed of moral decline in the US and therefore in the rest of the world.

America’s influence in the world is vitally important. American debates on abortion, stem-cell research, homosexuality, and evolution have been observed by the world. If not for America’s conservative Christians, the world would have gone far ahead in its self-destructive path without braking. But for now, a sizeable number in the world’s super power stand responsibly and resolutely true. They must hold the beacon while we littler ones do our bit in our small corners as well.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
The trumpet call obey;
Forth to the mighty conflict
In this His glorious day.
Ye that are brave now serve Him
Against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger,
And strength to strength oppose.
                      George Duffield, Jr.

O Lord, how long?

Christians look forward to the return of the Lord Jesus. We long to be able to see our Lord face to face---
He who gave His life as a ransom for our sins,
He whose righteousness covers us and makes it possible for us to be at peace with a holy God who cannot tolerate sin,
He who will bear the marks of that sacrifice into eternity,
He who stooped down down down to raise us up
---we long to see Him.

Yet another reason for this yearning is the fact that until He comes or until we ourselves die, whichever is sooner, we have to persevere and live holy lives. We hold on thus, despite having a sinful nature that is ever ready to compromise holiness in thought, word, and action.

What is our motivation? Is it the fear of losing the benefits of the grace of God? Are we afraid that God, like an angry warden, will throw us out if we sin? Nay, the Bible promises us that as long as we have truly repented and believe, He will never let us go. The Bible also tells us that once we have come into His fold, every time we sin, we can go to Him in penitence, confess our sin, and be forgiven.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 Jn 1:9)

Why do we not then use this as a license for sinning? Why do we strive to be holy? We do so because God has changed us and given us a new heart and, having become new creatures spiritually, we are now programmed differently, to hate sin.

Yet, we are still in the body of sin with its sinful tendencies. So although holiness is what we want, it still is an effort to keep sin in check.

. . . we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope . . . if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. (Romans 8:23-25)

We need to endure and hold on. We yearn to endure and hold on. We will endure and hold on. We cannot but endure and hold on. And what a relief it will be when He comes, when the redeeming work in our lives is completed and we get new sinless bodies to match the change that has begun in our hearts.

Here is a poem I wrote in 1996 that reflects this yearning.

I wish I had no free will now;
For am I not Your slave?
Me chaining of my body,
Me making me behave,
O Lord, how long?

In Yours to lose my thinking,
Enslaved and totally free.
How much more of struggle
Before Your face I see?
O Lord, how long?

I almost hear the trumpet;
I almost feel me fly.
Redemption of my body
In the twinkling of an eye
O Lord, how long?

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” (I Cor 15: 51-54)

Agnosticism, a call to intellectual honesty

Agnosticism is a call to intellectual honesty. I was of the impression that agnostics were atheists. I now appreciate the difference between these two words. An agnostic believes that it is wrong to claim something as truth if you cannot prove it by providing evidence that logically justifies it. While an atheist does not believe in God, an agnostic believes that it is not possible to prove or disprove the existence of God. I like agnostics. I believe that to be an agnostic is more honest than being what the majority of people who call themselves Christians are.

I am a Christian because I believe that a strong case exists for the fact that the Bible is the word of God as also for the fact that Jesus Christ rose again from the dead. I have looked into that matter enough to be satisfied. Having done that, I would stake everything, even my life and my family and everything that I own, if need be, for this fact. When the stakes are that high for a person, it would be foolish to be dishonest; it would be foolish to be careless; it would be foolish to be foolish.

Most so-called Christians are what they are because of their upbringing, for the same reason that Muslims are Muslims or Hindus are Hindus. Usually they are what they are because they have not bothered to look at religion objectively.

Moreover, religion, whichever one it is, by its collections of wise sayings, demands, practices, rules, and traditions, offers some structure and comfort in an unpredictable and chaotic world. Tradition gives you a path to walk by in the labyrinth of life, and having no one returned to us from the grave, people have no inkling about the soundness of the path that has been marked out and handed down to them.

In India, people generally like to justify their beliefs by the fact that they have followed after their elders. Elders are in some inexplicable way supposed to be infallible. When people become elders themselves, their children look up to them, while they themselves may either be too senile to realise that they are not that wise after all, or having no better path to offer, keep silent. Thus it is that this package of religion and tradition becomes a crutch for weak people, unthinking people, and dishonest people.

Zeroing in on Christendom, it is like logs in a fireplace that has been largely untended for hours. There is a semblance of warmth but the fire does not rage. Perhaps, it can if it is stoked and the millions using it as a crutch are dislodged from their positions of comfort. This stoking has happened in the past by way of wide-spread movements of reformation, restoration, and revival where people have applied their mind and heart to what they believed and have bravely corrected their positions. But these movements have been rare and far between. We have a promise that the gates of Hades will not prevail against the true church of God, and so we know that the fire is alive although its warmth can hardly be felt.

What is happening is something more subtle and largely invisible, the revival in the hearts of individuals and little groups and churches across the world. Little groups are stoked into life when honesty and right thinking play a role. I believe that this is man’s role in the matter and that God provides the impetus.

But most of Christendom is dead and cold. The appearance of warmth is more likely orange, yellow, and red streamers of fanciful ideas and theories introduced by people in greed for gain, wolves, who are promoted and aided by gullible people, sheep, who have not been grounded in the scriptures enough to recognise spiritual hogwash. Undiscerning men and women who are, in the words of Lord Tennyson, no better than sheep or goats that nourish a blind life within the brain.

The soul that comes close to this ‘fire’ in search of warmth is either disappointed and disgusted by hard cold hopelessness or deluded into comfortable and stupid blindness.

To become an agnostic may be the first step out of this hopelessness. A friend of mine and an agnostic described his path to agnosticism as exhilarating. Mind you, the agnostic has no concrete hope, and they know of nothing beyond the grave. But this is their honest position, and there is always joy and freedom in honesty and knowledge. As far as their knowledge is concerned, as the very word 'agnostic' suggests, they know that they do not know. This is rock-bottom honesty. However, if agnostics could genuinely be convinced about God and the Bible and eternal hope in Jesus, they would jump to it. This hope would then no more be the illusionary crutch that Christianity is for millions in Christendom.

2 Tim 1:12 . . . nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day."

The Fiddler on The Roof

I haven't seen many movies in my life but among those that I have seen, my favourite is The Fiddler on The Roof. I was 11 when I first saw this movie in 1976. The circumstances under which I saw it are etched in my brain and will make for another story to post in this blog. I know all the songs by heart and can rattle off most of the dialogues as well. Philip and the kids also love it.

But The Fiddler on The Roof is primarily a play, a famous Broadway production that has won 11 Tony and Olivier Awards. Mrs Snowball from church informed me that it is performing in theaters in New Zealand this month.

And I chanced to see Topol the main actor interviewed on TV. He was explaining how it was so much easier to be Tevia now than it was when he first did the play as a young man. Then, he had to remember to walk like an old man. He had to imagine how it might be to give one's daughters away in marriage. Now he was an old man and had a wealth of life's experiences behind him and found it easy to be Tevia. What an actor! I wished I could see the play. I also wondered how several of the scenes in the movie would be presented on a stage.

When I went on line to see when this play was being staged in Auckland, I noticed that the tickets were very expensive. The cheapest ticket was priced at 59 dollars and my manager at work assured me that if I bought that ticket, I would be seated firmly behind a pillar.

Some of the reviews read as follows:
‘The standing ovation from the large audience was fully justified and you would be mad not to see this production’
Capital Times, April 07

‘The milkman still delivers – a star performance that lives up to its reputation’
Dominion Post, April 07

“Topol is that rare creature: an actor with palpable charisma. His eyes glitter, his gaze touches all, his timing and delivery are impeccable and he delicately balances pathos with humour”
Herald Sun, June 06

On Friday, I went to pick the kids up from their youth meeting at Justin and Ingrid's place. Justin came over to the car on the street and said that he and Ingrid wanted to get tickets for our whole family to go and see The Fiddler on The Roof. He wanted to know which day we would be free to go. I said I would call him and let him know. The weekend is over and I have not called him yet.

I have a very good feeling about the fact that someone understood how much we liked The Fiddler on The Roof. I do not think the good feeling I might get at seeing the production itself will match this. I feel satiated and thankful. Incidently, we are not free on any evening this week and will not be able to go. But somehow it does not matter anymore.

New Age systems Vs Jesus Christ

A friend of mine and a professing Christian wrote that she had done several short term courses in fields of New Age belief systems and alternate healing techniques. To name a few, she had done courses on Pranic healing, Reiki, magneto therapy, Electro homeopathy, Siddha, Yoga therapy and Sutkriyas.

"I understand from holy scripture," I replied to her, "that Jesus is the only Way to true life not just for this world but for eternity. There is no other method that can give us true and lasting meaning and happiness in life. If Jesus shows Himself to you from the pages of the Bible, suddenly the Bible will become living and dynamic and will really be the voice of God to you. On that day, all other popular therapies, including Reiki and Pranic healing and various "ways" to happiness will fade in the clear light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray for that day to come for you."

I am not an expert on these "sciences," but at least some, if not all of these, involve spiritual powers. This makes them dangerous for Christians to dabble in. Yoga, for instance, up to a point seems innocuous enough, but after a while it becomes dangerous. The yoga that people are taught in schools and organisations is usually limited to physical exercises, relaxing, and concentrating. I am not sure if it is dangerous at this stage, but certainly becomes so when the concentrating is taken to the next level of transcendental meditation.

Sometimes, these 'sciences' are taught along with ancient systems of medicine like Siddha and Ayurveda. I do not know anything about Siddha, but about Ayurveda, I know that the system includes extremely valuable information. However, like much of ancient Indian scholarship, religion and superstitions were not divorced from science, the ancient sages having had a holistic approach to learning. Ayurveda includes information that is valuable as well as information that is erroneous and even dangerous. The task of filtering out the erroneous has begun with scientific organisations and pharmaceutical companies subjecting the material to modern medical research methodology and stringent laboratory testing. Some companies like Himalaya Health Care have brought out some excellent products.

Over 15 years ago, my brother, a psychiatrist in Texas, had a colleague with some terminal form of liver disease. She had been told that nothing more could be done for her. At that stage, my brother offered to have Liv52, a popular Ayurvedic drug shipped to her from India. My mother would buy several containers of this drug and ship them over to her regularly. The diseased liver healed completely.

Organisations such as American Association for Integrative Medicine and several others across the world are useful for our purposes only upto a point. They may rule out an ancient medicine as dangerous in the light of modern scientific knowledge. However, they are attempting a "multi-disciplinary approach" to medicine to provide "maximum therapeutic benefit" and will not therefore balk at most of the "sciences" I feel are dangerous from a spiritual stand point. In the future, we are in for even more medical confusion. As we move away from the principles that God has laid out for us, we move towards confusion and chaos in every sphere of our lives.

If lay people do short term courses on subjects like the Ayurvedic system, they could endanger those to whom they minister. As a rule of thumb, I accept medication or therapy only from medical doctors of Western medicine. All other systems must conform to the high standards of testing and research of modern science to be usable in our day. I use this rule of thumb in all cases except two, relaxing it for one and making it stricter for the other.

I relax the rule for some simple home remedies. I feel a bowl of chicken soup is good for a cold because my aunt made me some when I was sick and I felt better. This is a very unscientific subjective approach and should be avoided for anything more than chicken soup.

I would be careful about some forms of treatment, even if a medical doctor approved it, if it has something to do with the mind. For instance, some doctors recommend Yoga as a form of exercise to help concentration and breathing. The spiritual baggage that comes with Yoga is not an issue for many doctors, but it is for me. Even worse, psychologists in India often recommend Reiki and Pranic healing. Both of these involve spiritual forces. I have heard of some who tried these therapies, felt better initially but ended up even more deeply depressed than when they went in for treatment.

Most people learn about these belief systems in their quest for happiness and answers. The New Age movement focuses on powers that supposedly lie within our minds in a latent state. People believe that they can draw on these powers to be healthier and happier. Most of them take up this route for a while and give up. Many of those who go on end up with depression and other problems.

To those who have surrendered their life to the Lord Jesus, He offers far more than any New Age system can even promise to offer.

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”(Jn 8:12)

as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, . . (2 Pet 1:3,4)

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. (Col 2:8-10)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, (Eph 1:3)

Surely we have no need to look elsewhere for direction, truth, and life.
Jesus said . . ., “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

As a child

I sit on His knee
'Fore the Book open wide,
At the place
Where the Lord
Calmed the storm,
Stilled the tide.

Turn the pages
And a young man
With a stone
Felled a giant;

Turn again
To see angels
Close the mouth
Of hungry lions;

Split the sea
The enemy's routed;
Fall the walls
When triumph shouted;

A queen saved her people
In a faraway land;
Against God's will
Whoever could stand!

What a Book!
What a Lord!

As we travel the sod,
Do we need to every worry
Flustered in a frenzied hurry?

What a show!
What a sight!
What a Savior
And what might!

And to think
As a child
On His knee,
I sit still
'Fore the Book open wide,
As my heart drinks its fill.

Here I'll stay,
Here abide,
All my life,
As a child.

-n-

Miss Emma Norton Horton

On 23 June 2007, Miss Horton will celebrate her 90^th birthday with family and friends in Victoria, BC, Canada.

She must have been nearly 65 when I got to know her. When I asked her why she had not married, she said that she had still not met her Prince Charming, and that she was still waiting. To the best of my knowledge, she has not married in the intervening years.

When I grumbled at home that I found reading the Bible boring, my father thought for a moment and said, “Tell God that you want to read His word and will do so, but that you find it boring. He has made the reading of His word so delightful to me, and He can for you too, if you ask Him.” I did pray. Today the word of God is delightful to me too, but between then and now, God used many circumstances and people to acquaint me with His word. One early person that He used was Miss Horton.

She was a headmistress in Clarence High School, Bangalore. To be more precise, she was the headmistress of the Primary Section, which had until recently been calling its classes Teddybears, Bunnies, Bambies, and Bees, the Bees being the senior most in the Primary section. My best friends Annamma Abraham and Gladys Mathai had been Teddybears and Bees and all.

But I joined Clarence only in Standard VIII, which was a part of the high school. One normally would not expect a newcomer in high school to be known by the Headmistress of the Primary section. But Miss Horton lead the Scripture Union (SU) classes.

Once a year, the SU people came to our school and presented the gospel by way of interesting stories and new songs. But the rest of the year, they were still active in a hidden way. They had a school teacher conduct weekly SU classes, and they also published Daily Bible Reading workbooks called God and Me for various age groups.

Miss Horton, as our SU teacher held classes on Friday evenings after school. I do not remember much about what we learnt there. Strangely, I remember that the closing hymn was always ‘Blest be the tie that binds;’ we held hands and stood in a circle to sing it. I am sure we must have learnt useful things during those meetings but it was so long ago, and so many things were happening in our lives at that time. Even our school song, in the third stanza, acknowledges that we were neck deep in ‘work and high endeavour.’

For our teachers we would thank Thee,
O fill them daily Lord,
With deep and true devotion,
To them Thy grace afford.
Bless all the hours of childhood,
The sunshine and the care,
The work and high endeavour
In which we now have share.

One SU meeting stands out because we did not have someone to play the piano, and Miss Horton felt she had to. (One would have thought that for someone from the Brethren assembly, singing acappella would be a natural thing.) To put it mildly, Miss Horton was not very good at playing the piano, and we had to hold the notes till she was ready to play the next ones.

One thing Miss Horton did as our SU teacher was to motivate us to follow the God and Me workbooks. The workbook recommended that every morning, before we left for school, we spend time with God. Before we read the portion of scripture assigned for the day, we prayed, as advised in the workbook, in the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 119:18, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” Then we read the passage for the day. Next, we read a short devotional paragraph that made the reading meaningful to us. After this, we solved a little puzzle or answered a set of questions based on the reading. Finally, we prayed for God to bless the reading and help us live through the day as His children. One could do all this in 15 minutes, and if we were good and did it, we did not have to watch out for Miss Horton.

Every morning, Miss Horton would come in briskly from the side gate near an enclosed long rectangular area called “The Nursery Lane” and walk toward her office. She leaned forward as she walked, as if she were perpetually walking uphill. She would ask every child along the way, “Have you done your God and Me today,” and go on to make a more detailed comment about the passage for that day. It was amazing to me that she would do this with children of all age groups, which meant that every morning, she did four different God and Me readings, puzzle and all. As Headmistress, she must have been a very busy woman. But she found time for this. One day we will know what the Lord was able to do in the hearts of Clarencians over the years, because of her faithfulness.

I remember how she coached my friend and I to participate in an inter-school SU Quiz. That was the first time, I had to read such a large portion of scripture in such great detail. We went to Miss Horton’s office every evening after school. She taught us for about half an hour. I remember some of the details she pointed out during those classes.

• That the Bible records that 153 fish were caught, when it could have been rounded off to 150. Perhaps this underlined the fact that every person saved for eternity is precious, Miss Horton suggested.
• That John outran Peter as they ran towards the tomb of Jesus, but when he did reach the tomb, he was reluctant to go in and was nervous. But Peter joined John at the entrance of the tomb, huffing and puffing, and went straight in without any hesitation. I fell in love with simple, impetuous, unaffected Peter after those evenings with Miss Horton.
• That Jesus made to proceed on His way on the road to Emmaus when the disciples reached their destination. He went in only when they invited Him; eventually they recognised Him when He broke bread. Jesus does not force His presence or His teachings on anyone. We too must be gracious and dignified when we present the gospel.
  

When she was through with her lesson for the evening, she would set a kitchen timer for 10 minutes and tell us that we could chat with her till it rang. That was when we heard her say that she was still waiting for her Prince Charming. We also came to know with a keen sense of loss and wonder that she did not live her birthday one year because she was flying back to India from Canada, having boarded late on 22^nd June to reach early on the 24^th. We also asked her about Canada, her home and her family.

Another memory is of the jolly time we had in the SU camp in Quiet Corner at the foot of the Nilgiris mountains, where we learnt about the fruit of the Spirit. I remember how she pretended that she did not know about our midnight feast.

Miss Horton had taken us up the mountains by bus to Ooty and had shown us Hebron School where she had worked at some stage. On our way back, the girls bought whatever they could from the shops for a midnight feast. I am not sure whose idea it was to buy stickjaws. We woke up at midnight as planned and moved to the designated room, some making it across wet grass to get there. We could hear the hyenas in a distance, which added to the terror and excitement of the night. What did not go as planned was the fact that we popped the stickjaws into our mouths and wrestled with them for the next hour or so, got tired, and went back to bed. I digress.

One day, she invited a bunch of us to her home; she stayed in one portion of the Flack residence. Again, I do not remember what she taught us, except that I was comfortable and happy. For a treat she offered us some of Mrs. Flack’s guava cheese. I remember biting off tiny bits at a time to make it last for as long as it possibly could.

Have an enjoyable 90^th birthday Miss Horton, and may God bless you.