Page 50 - Malayan Story
P. 50
MALAYAN STORY
in a cave and were rescued by a spear which opened the door for them to escape. This spear was
under the control of the god Subramanium and we guessed that this was that magic spear.
As we left the cave and descended the 350 steps, we met an English speaking Indian who tried to
explain to us what we had seen. Going up on the other side was a man with a bundle of sugar cane
across his shoulders and suspended from it, a dripping wet cheese cloth bundle. Inside the bundle
was a tiny dark skinned baby. “He had made a vow” our friend explained, “either when the baby was
bom or when it was sick, and now he is coming to present it to the god to fulfil his vow.”
As we left the bottom of the steps we looked around. There were crowds of beggars holding out their
bowls for alms or food. On our right was a “holy man” attracting a large crowd. Further on another
large
group had gathered round a woman with long dishevelled hair who seemed to be in a trance. She
was dancing around in one direction while on her head was balanced a large coloured jar which
was spinning in the other direction.
We gave our Tamil tracts and spoke of the Lord Jesus to those who understood English, but there
were thousands to whom we had no way of approach because we could not speak their language
and they could not read.
We had almost reached our car and were resting for a moment to cool off, when a straw covered
hut by the river attracted our attention. On a stool sat a young man with glazed eyes as if in a
trance. Some men were inserting 4 foot long spears into his body - 130 of them - and on top of the
spears was balanced a coloured havada such as we had seen when we were climbing the steps.
Encouraged by the bystanders, he staggered to his feet, crossed the market space and sped up the
steps to bow before the god. Another man in the same area was having rows and rows of flat pins
stuck through his skin all around his body. He did not seem to be in a trance, but not a murmur
escaped his lips and we were told that he was doing penance for something.
We became aware that day of the spiritual darkness and degradation of these people and we were
so concerned that, as early as our 3rd Field Conference we recommended to HQ that we commence
work among the Tamil people in their own language.
In 1957 we finally saw an answer to our prayers when two couples belonging to the Strict Baptist
Mission in South India were seconded to us for work amongst the Tamils. Ben and Ethel Orchard
and Wilfred and Doris Kuhrt reported to our Field Conferences and from not having a Tamil
speaking church at all, their work began to bear fruit and the Tamil people were soon building their
own churches.
NOTE
Percy became aware of the difficulties of working with people of other religions. Not only were we
trying to penetrate the darkness of the Hindu religion, but we were facing the problems of letting
50
in a cave and were rescued by a spear which opened the door for them to escape. This spear was
under the control of the god Subramanium and we guessed that this was that magic spear.
As we left the cave and descended the 350 steps, we met an English speaking Indian who tried to
explain to us what we had seen. Going up on the other side was a man with a bundle of sugar cane
across his shoulders and suspended from it, a dripping wet cheese cloth bundle. Inside the bundle
was a tiny dark skinned baby. “He had made a vow” our friend explained, “either when the baby was
bom or when it was sick, and now he is coming to present it to the god to fulfil his vow.”
As we left the bottom of the steps we looked around. There were crowds of beggars holding out their
bowls for alms or food. On our right was a “holy man” attracting a large crowd. Further on another
large
group had gathered round a woman with long dishevelled hair who seemed to be in a trance. She
was dancing around in one direction while on her head was balanced a large coloured jar which
was spinning in the other direction.
We gave our Tamil tracts and spoke of the Lord Jesus to those who understood English, but there
were thousands to whom we had no way of approach because we could not speak their language
and they could not read.
We had almost reached our car and were resting for a moment to cool off, when a straw covered
hut by the river attracted our attention. On a stool sat a young man with glazed eyes as if in a
trance. Some men were inserting 4 foot long spears into his body - 130 of them - and on top of the
spears was balanced a coloured havada such as we had seen when we were climbing the steps.
Encouraged by the bystanders, he staggered to his feet, crossed the market space and sped up the
steps to bow before the god. Another man in the same area was having rows and rows of flat pins
stuck through his skin all around his body. He did not seem to be in a trance, but not a murmur
escaped his lips and we were told that he was doing penance for something.
We became aware that day of the spiritual darkness and degradation of these people and we were
so concerned that, as early as our 3rd Field Conference we recommended to HQ that we commence
work among the Tamil people in their own language.
In 1957 we finally saw an answer to our prayers when two couples belonging to the Strict Baptist
Mission in South India were seconded to us for work amongst the Tamils. Ben and Ethel Orchard
and Wilfred and Doris Kuhrt reported to our Field Conferences and from not having a Tamil
speaking church at all, their work began to bear fruit and the Tamil people were soon building their
own churches.
NOTE
Percy became aware of the difficulties of working with people of other religions. Not only were we
trying to penetrate the darkness of the Hindu religion, but we were facing the problems of letting
50
