THERE is a village in South India, called Bookapatnam, where, until some years ago, all the people were worshippers of idols, and you know the word of God says that the things offered to idols are offered to devils. What a shocking thing to offer offerings to devils! It doesn’t matter what name the idol may have—all that’s offered to idols is offered to devils; God says so, and, of course, it’s true. So that, if a person offer an ox, with garlands of flowers to Jupiter (Acts 14:1313Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. (Acts 14:13),) or a wax candle and flowers to an image called “Mary” or “Peter,” it is all the same in God’s sight. “The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God.” (1 Cor. 10:2020But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. (1 Corinthians 10:20).)
Well, a young man named Suta Ram, a working goldsmith by trade, lived in this town of Bookapatnam, and, like the rest, he was an idolater. But one day a Christian man who was traveling that way gave him some portions of the Scriptures printed in the language which Suta Rani spoke, and which was Telugu. Now Suta Ram was fond of reading, and, as these Scripture portions were printed in his own language, he was curious to know what they were about, and therefore began to read them. The more he read, the more he became interested; and, as he found they were only a part of the Bible, he wanted to get the rest. This was not a very easy matter, but at last he heard that the whole Bible in his own language was to be had at another town, called Bellary, a long way off, and, having found some merchants who traveled to and from that place, he gave them a rupee to fetch him a Telugu Bible.
As soon as he got the “New Book,” as he called it, he began to read it right through, beginning at Genesis, and reading on day after day, until, at last, he was brought to Christ. Then he asked some of his neighbors to come to his house to “hear what the ‘New Book’ said,” and to speak together about it. This they did, and the Lord blessed it to them, so that, like Suta Ram himself, some of them also were led to Christ. But Suta Ram’s wife and mother did not like the “New Book,” and showed their hatred of it by purposely neglecting to light his lamp of an evening, or to supply it with oil, so as to hinder his readings with his neighbors as far as they could. However, Suta Ram, instead of using blows, as he would have done when he was an idolater, to make them do his will, won them over by gentle persuasion to attend the readings themselves, until, at last, they were brought to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and learned to love the Book they had once hated. In this way he went on for more than three years, gathering his friends and neighbors together around the word of Cod several times during the week, and always on the Lord’s day, to talk together over the “New Book.”
At last, though still a young man, the time came for him “to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.”
He was only twenty-eight years old, yet his health began to fail him rapidly; but his light only burned the brighter as the earthly vessel decayed. More earnest than ever in his ministry of the Word and in prayer, the “New Book” was his constant companion and theme, and the idols of his native village fell before it as Dagon fell before the ark of the Lord (1 Sam. 5.). Well, one evening he seemed even more anxious than usual to speak solemnly to all around him. After reading Rev. 21, he was much moved, and, laying down the Book, he spoke to his hearers of the beautiful City, and asked whether they could not even then see the glory of God by faith?
Then he spoke of the joys of that blessed scene of the street of gold and the gates of pearl, and
“What it would be to be there” —there, in the full blaze of the glory of God, and in the presence of the Lamb, who is the light thereof.
This was his last address on earth, for a little later in the evening he quietly sank to rest, breathing out his soul in perfect peace, without pain and without a struggle. Shortly before his death he had asked friends to send far and wide the Scripture portions which he had first read before he got the “New Book,” but his beloved Bible he begged them to keep and continue to read in his house after his death. This they did; and, when some English missionaries went there only a few months ago, they found that these dear saints were still accustomed to assemble themselves together, and others with them, around God’s blessed word. And there was one thing which pleased and surprised these missionaries much. What do you think that was? Why, the wonderful way in which these believers could quote the word of God, particularly Suta Ram’s widow, who could quote from memory whole chapters, and even larger portions of Scripture, and not only quote them, but compare prophecy with New Testament truth, and one part of Scripture with another, in a way that I am afraid would put a good many English Christians to shame. You see these poor saints had only one book among them all, and, as they loved God’s word, and wanted to know it well, they were in the habit of learning by heart as much as ever they could, so that, when they were at their own homes, or going about their several duties, they could, so to speak, read without a book! Thus “the word of Christ” dwelt in them richly; they were “mighty in the Scriptures,” and if anybody asked them a reason of the hope that was in them, or any other question as to their faith, they were in the habit of answering, not in their own words, but in the words of the Bible. I wonder how many believers in this country could do that? Could you? It is a great blessing to have the Bible in the house and in the hand, but a greater still to have it in the heart and memory, so as to be able to say, “It is written” to every suggestion of the enemy. It was thus, you know, that Jesus met Satan in the wilderness, and it is thus that believers, young and old, should meet him or his servants now. But how can they do so if they have only a general knowledge of truth, and not a particular knowledge of the inspired word itself?
“By the word of the Lord were the heavens made” (Ps. 33.). How mighty is that word! It is “the sword of the Spirit,” and is “able to build you up.” “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? Even by taking heed thereto according to Thy word.” There never was more need than there is now for believers, young and old, to have such a knowledge of the word itself as to be able to meet every form of error with, “It is written.” The “perilous times” long foretold have come (2 Tim. 3.), and every form of error now abounds. How will you meet “the opinions of men” but by imitating the precious example of Suta Ram and those dear saints in the far-off Indian valley of Bookapatnam? Yet to do this you must know the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation. May the Lord lead you to see the increasing need of this for His own glory’s sake and your blessing.
ML 10/07/1906