HIRALOLL was born at Berbice, S. A., on the Blairmont plantation. After serving many years as a priest in connection with the Brahman religion, and while yet a young man, he went one day to a neighboring town, and while there got into a riot of some kind. Whether results arising from this disorderly conduct filled him with alarm, I do not know, but however this may be, he was moved to go, to the place where a Christian was preaching to the heathen. There may have been some uneasiness or curiosity may have prompted him to turn his steps that way. But we know that God, who is said to be behind the “scenes, controls all scenes, and He it was who directed his steps hither. When he reached the spot, where a crowd was gathered about the preacher, he was noticed by the speaker, who ceased his address to those already gathered about him, and turned to the new comer. He said to him, “Who are you?” Hiraloll replied, “I’m a Brahman.” The preacher said, “Do. you know one who has leprosy?” “Yes” said Hiraloll. Preacher. “If the leper would give you silver would you take the money?” “Yes,” was Hiraloll’s reply. Preacher. “If the leper would ask you to come and sup with him would you sup with him?” “No,” said Hiraloll. The preacher then said, “As you could receive money from the leper, so take the Word of God, which is more precious than all gold and silver; and as you cannot eat with the leper, so do not live on pork and- beef, but take this precious thing, Christ, and feed on Him.”
The preacher then invited Hiraloll to come to service on Sunday. Hiraloll felt that he wanted to say, “No,” but something within seemed to impel him to say, “Yes.”, He was troubled about this for he did not wish to go, but now that he had given his word he must go, for a Brahman must not tell a lie.
When Sunday came he set forth, clad in his priestly robes. On reaching the building where the services were to be held, he found East Indians, like himself, gathering in, but they were clothed in what the coolies would call the Christian dress, and this was very disgusting to Hiraloll. However he felt ashamed of, his bare knees when he saw that the others were covered, so he waited until the rest had entered, then quietly slipped in and took a back seat near the door. He had not been there long when Mr. M., the minister, glanced over the -room to see who were present. Noticing Hiraloll at the far end he motioned to him to come forward. Hiraloll thought it must be somebody else that the preacher wanted, but he hid his head behind the pew, thinking he had no desire to go forward if he was the one. However, his curiosity led him to peep over the back of the seat, and to his surprise he saw the minister beckoning to him again, a third time he beckoned; then Hiraloll rose and bowed reverentially to him. Once more the minister beckoned, and this time said, “Come, come!” This led Hiraloll to go forward; he went on his tip-toes, and very humbly, and he bowed his salaam as, he approached the minister. The minister asked, “Where are you from?” “I am from Berbice,” he said. “Do you read English?” “Very little.” “Do you read Hindustani?” “Yes.” “Can you interpret the Hindustani?” “No, Sir, I can’t translate the English Bible into Hindustani.” “Never mind,” said the minister, “try.” He placed Hiraloll at his right hand, then opened the Bible and read from the third chapter of John, and preached from the words, “Ye, must be born again,” and from verse fourteen— “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up.” Poor Hiraloll began to interpret as well as he could, but having no right understanding of what was being said, he gave a wrong interpretation. The preacher said, “Look! —as Moses lifted up the serpent, so must the Son of man be lifted up. Look! If any man look he shall live.”
As, the interpretation proceeded, and Hiraloll earnestly sought to know the meaning of the words he was trying to put in his own language, conviction began to force itself upon him. To use his own words, while he “was telling lies,” the Word of God was piercing his conscience. And oh, marvelous grace, God enabled him then and there to look the look of faith Jesus lifted up on the cross was the One who died for his sins. He believed and his soul was filled with joy. The truth had taken possession of his soul in a few minutes of time for he had received it as a little child. As a sinner he had come to Jesus; by faith he looked upon Him, and he was brought out of death into life. He went out from the services a changed, and a saved man.
As, he came out there were some East Indians standing by. They said to him, “You’ve been there what you got?” Hiraloll said, “I got Jesus Christ.” “Didn’t you have God all the time?” they asked. “No,” he said, “when a man walks on the grass it withers, and the swine would not drink the water in which he washes his feet; when you were drinking that dirty water that washed my feet, you were killing your soul. My feet are unholy feet; Christ’s feet are holy, and He is mighty to save. So all of you leave off my feet and hold to Jesus’ feet. Then you shall pass from death to life. He died for you; He gives eternal life; Hearing these words made the men angry and they took up stones, and threatened to stone him.
But the Lord watched over this babe that He had brought to Himself. He grew in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, and soon it became a joy to him to proclaim that blessed Saviour to others who were in the darkness out of which he had been brought. If his people would, want to fall at his feet as before, he would not allow it. He said to them, “The angels in heaven prevent man to fall at their feet in worship, and must I allow you to fall at my feet?”
In another paper we may tell you how Hiraloll and his wife were tested in their Christian path.
ML 11/13/1904