Once again the world was reminded of the brevity and uncertainty of human life, even in those who occupy the most important places of power and influence in the world, when Jawaharlal Nehru died on May 27th at the age of 74 years. He left an indelible mark on his populous India, for he helped chart its course through the maze of contradictions which beset its early years of independent nationhood. He was born in 1890, of rich Indian parents, and taken to England where the finest of things on earth were at his command. He was educated at Harrow and Cambridge, and thus was in easy access to the truth of Christianity in the early days of this century, before infidelity had well-nigh wrecked the true faith by the inroads of modern unbelief with its deadening influences in England. But on this young man, who was brought up in the highest caste of Hinduism with all its secular advantages, Christianity had little effect.
To the time of his death he professed to be an agnostic- one who claims he does not know about God and the future. Evidently the vagaries of Hinduism had no appeal for him. We quote a few lines from the work on religions by John Lewis, B.Sc., Ph.D., published by Doubleday & Company of Garden City, New York. He quotes Sir Charles Eliot thus: "Hinduism has not been made, but has grown. It is a jungle, not a building. It is a living example of a great national paganism such as might have existed in Europe if Christianity had not become the State religion of the Roman Empire, if these had remained an incongruous jumble of old local superstitions, Greek philosophy and oriental cults such as the worship of Sarapis or Mithras."... "The behavior of most of the gods, including Krishna, the avatar of Vishnu, would be condemned by Christian standards, but not by Hindu ones." The Hindu would shrink from disregard of the caste system as a sin, but would not so categorize "indecency, untruth [and] dishonesty." Dr. Lewis says that India is covered with Temples and Shrines, some of which are "filled with obscene carvings and pictures."
A little further light on the religion of India may be shed by some of their religious writings. Dr. Lewis says that the Bhagavadgita (a poem composed of 700 verses) "is indispensible for an understanding of Hinduism. It was revered by Gandhi and is enthroned in the hearts of Hindus as a worthy rival of the New Testament." This writer also says that "The story of [the god] Krishna is told in many colorful legends and his personality is undoubtedly central to Hindu religion, in spite of the fact that the later stories are shockingly licentious."
O the sorrowful fact that Satan, the god and prince of this world, keeps millions enslaved in wicked paganism and then has it passed off as "a worthy rival to the New Testament"! And we need not turn to the pagan world for such daring effrontery to God; for men of letters, men of the cloth, men of renown in Christendom, have been known to teach that all people worship God in their own way; and some of them are willing to mingle with paganism as if any routes would land people in the same paradise. What arrant folly! Licentious, pagan religion and the Word of Truth and Holiness, given a similar value!
Such is the ancient religion of Hinduism. And while India's great leader claimed to be an agnostic, he was cremated with all the mystic rites of a national paganism, according to their custom. And as the flames rose about his body, a Brahman priest intoned a prayer: "In the name of Narasingh, god of half man and half lion, may the soul have peace! In the name of Vishnu, god of protection, may peace prevail! In the name of Shiva, god of destruction, may peace prevail! In the name of Agni, god of fire, we offer these cans of ghee [purified liquid butter] as a symbol, and may the soul have peace!" Then to the medley of pagan worship, and agnosticism, was added a touch of formal Christianity. The band played "Abide With Me," and "Lead Kindly Light."
A huge mound marks the spot where Nehru's illustrious predecessor, Mohandas K. Gandhi, was cremated 16 years ago. Both sites are near the banks of the Jumma River, a main tributary of the "sacred" Ganges River.
What is man who knows not his Creator? nor even his own coming or going? Surely apart from divine revelation, all the secrets of life and death, and of all that lies beyond the veil which hides the future, man knows nothing.
Christianity and God-given Judaism in its day buried their dead. God can raise the dead from the grave, from the depths of the sea, or from scattered ashes. But we quote the words of a man of God of a former year: "I look on the earth as a vast casket containing dust precious to God." G. V. W. Or, we can sing with the poet:
"Our earthen vessels break;
The world itself grows old;
But Christ our precious dust will take
And freshly mold:
He'll give these bodies vile
A fashion like His own:
He'll bid the whole creation smile,
And hush its groan."
Mary Bowley
According to the best translations of Phil. 3:21, He shall change these bodies of humiliation like unto His own body of glory. Strictly speaking, God's Word does not speak of the human body as vile, as many false religions do; but the body is for the Lord, and will yet be made like to His body of glory.
Nehru's fame may follow him to his pyre, but it cannot go any further. "His glory shall not descend after him." Psalm 49:17. But there shall be a resurrection both of the just and the unjust. The statesman Nehru will rise again and stand before the bar of God's just judgment. There the Lord Jesus who would be the Savior of all who receive Him will be the Judge of all who despise or reject Him. The lake of fire will be the judgment of all those who die in their sins.
And with all that Nehru did for the good of India, he may have left it largely leaderless. That great nation of about 480,000,000 people is still, after many years of enforced English leadership in an ordered government, torn by internal strife and threatened by outside enemies. It is questionable whether there is another man of Nehru's stature to hold the pieces together. Its citizens speak 179 distinct languages and 544 dialects. There are many diverse ethnic groups of men, and a huge rigid caste system of over 300 castes and sub-castes. Moslem and Hindu extremists and all the varied other religions of the vast subcontinent add to its confusion and basic lack of cohesion. The Pakistan Moslem nation, formerly a part of India, makes for an uneasy partnership on one side; and they are divided with India over the problem of Kashmir, while the Red Chinese pose a constant threat on their north. "There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked." Isa. 48:22. The world is at enmity with God; then how can there be peace on earth? Men cast out the "Prince of Peace," and "the way of peace have they not known."
When we stop to consider the brevity of life's span, and its uncertainty, we know not what shall be on the morrow. Before the ashes of Nehru had cooled, the power struggle began for the exalted post left vacant by his decease. The only man that could weld the diverse groups together into an agreeable selection was the short, ascetic Lal Bahadur Shastri. He was apparently free from any taint of corruption in a place where many are guilty. But within just eighteen days, the new leader was stricken by a heart attack and confined to his bed. Whether he will ever be able to assume the post of such gigantic proportions in seeking to bring order out of confusion, is problematic. Then, we have to remember that God is overruling all things, and He who sets up kings and removes kings will order all things according to the counsel of His own will.
As the new leader of India was stricken, his wife prayed for the health of her husband with prayers to Vishnu (the god of protection) and to Shiva (the god of destruction) for his recovery. Thus we see how the nation is steeped in Hinduism.
Without thinking of things which suddenly changed destinies of men and nations, we need only to remember that of all the world's leaders today, not one has a sure tenure of life or of office. President De Gaulle of France has recently had surgery, and for a time was not doing very well. The United States and Great Britain are to have elections, and changes in their important posts are likely. "His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour"; but the Christian should rest in peace, knowing God's will be done. Even the mighty Premier Khrushchev is past 70, and frequently has been reported as not in good health. Mao-Tse-Tung of China will soon be 71. He Chi Minh of North Vietnam, Tito of Yugoslavia, Ulbricht in East Germany, Togliatti (communist boss in Italy) are all about the same ages.
And so we sometimes sing:
"Passing onward, quickly passing;
Yes, but whither, whither bound?
Is it to the many mansions,
Where eternal rest is found?...
"Passing onward, quickly passing,
Naught the wheels of time can stay!
Sweet the thought that some are going
To the realms of perfect day....
"Passing onward, quickly passing,
Many in the downward road:
Careless of their souls immortal,
Heeding not the call of God."
And yet men struggle for a little power, a little fame, a little glory in this poor, passing world.
How important it is to have the really great issue settled, to have peace with God through the substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus Christ on Calvary-and then to tread in peace our place down here while we wait for Him who thus loved us to come and take us to Himself in the glory of God. It is not only to have the future secured, but to joy in God and rejoice in Christ Jesus until He calls us soon to be with Himself beyond earth's unrest and insecurity.