كتاب منهج دراسة الأديان بين الشيخ رحمت الله الهندي والقس فندر
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had no idea that I should immediately serve Him as a padre, for what qualification did I have that I should resolve to assume so great a task? No doubt, after baptism I thought much about immediately selecting some special thought from the Holy Bible which above other thoughts would especially engage my attention. What I mean to say is that each and every teaching and guidance of the Bible is a precious pearl. While continually amusing myself with these pearls, I still wanted to select one of them to fashion an amulet around the neck of my spirit which could ever be before me. I read the Bible frequently, absorbed in choosing the proper thought, and finally fastened on the thought recorded in Isaiah and Peter, namely, that the People shall be accounted righteous through knowledge of the Messiah (Tawrat, Isaiah 53: 11) and that through the knowledge of the Messiah we have received all things which pertain to life and godliness (Injil, 2 Peter 3: 1). Thus I know that the fundamental thing is that I be in pursuit of the knowledge of the Messiah, so that I may find all and all may be easy.
Through this search I have found three things which are helpful in knowing Christ. I have found nothing else. The first is intelligent reading of the Word of God with prayer. The second is to listen attentively to each sermon delivered by any Christian preacher and to derive some benefit from it. The third is to ponder the cry of the petitioner's spirit at the time of prayer, because the Spirit which utters "O Father! " speaks such things which man does not comprehend.
I follow after these things in order to attain my goal. Though I worked six hours daily for two years in government service also after my baptism, yet my heart was fixed upon Him who captivated me. Then God opened this new way for me, calling me from government service to work in the mission. He himself disposed of my necessary concerns and even provided me opportunity to devote all my time to this work. Until today, my purpose continues to be the same and at death it will be perfected, for He is my constant support.
I do not say that I have gone on progressing in a knowledge of Him-never! But I am constantly concerned with the knowledge of Him. In short, these seven years have been spent in this joy and I have learnt that He is surely high and exalted. Who can fully comprehend His reality? He is far beyond whatever we may discover of Him.
God has granted me a third blessing, in that He has allowed me within this period to write some books for the benefit of my brothers, other people and myself. They are as follows:
6. ... Tarikh-i Muhammadi ... 1. ... Tahqiq ul-lman
7. ... Ittifaqi Mubahatha ... 2. ... Hidayat ul-Muslimin
8. ... Athar-i Qiyamat ... 3. ... Haqiqi cIrfan
9. ... Tafsir-i Mukashafa ... 4. ... Naghma-i Tamburi
10. ... Waqicat-i cImadiyya ... 5. ... Taclim-i Muhammadi
At present I am writing another book which I am hopeful of finishing with God's help. All of these previous works are products of His grace.
