A father’s legacy

A father’s legacy

Last Friday, we were privileged to have brother Frederick Segar share with us. Brother Frederick’s father was a Hindu-Sanyasi-like person, someone who put on yellow robes and keep a long beard and go about walking barefoot. People like that sought to set themselves aside from being polluted by the world, and become close to God. He had a regular job but after work would don his “holy man” clothes and go from house to house and teach people from the Hindu scriptures how they could be close to God, and they also would give him an offering. 

He became a trusted person in the community, and when he came upon the idea of collecting funds to improve the road to the local school for the children, the people trusted him and gave funds freely for the cause. However, a more educated friend whom he had trusted to hold the funds took all the money for himself. Distraught at what had happened, brother Frederick’s father gave up totally on his religion and tried to commit suicide by drinking acid. Fortunately, someone found him shortly after consuming the acid, and quickly rushed him to the hospital. He was later transferred to General Hospital in KL, and was in a bad state as many of his organs had been corroded by the acid. His brother who was working in KL was a taxi driver and became very sad because of what happened. 

Now, it was his normal practice to fetch a particular Christian family to church every Sunday, and when they saw his countenance that particular week, they were concerned, and asked him why he was so sad. He shared the situation with them, and they invited him to go to church that Sunday. Usually, he would not go, but he was so sad that he agreed. In the church, he did not understand the sermon but was attracted to a window painting that had the picture of a man taking off his burden and putting it at the feet of the cross. After the message, the pastor shared his situation with the congregation, and they prayed fervently, even crying for his brother. He was amazed at how these people could cry for a complete stranger. After the service, the pastor and a few members followed him to the hospital to pray for Frederick’s father, and he was completely healed.

Thereafter, Frederick’s whole family became Christian, and his father exclaimed how the Bible was the answer to life. After his conversion, he again went back to his house to house excursions but without the robes, and now telling people about Jesus. As for brother Frederick, he grew up with the church and became a youth leader and Sunday School teacher. 

He also went on to become involved with promoting the music and songs of the Sastriar family which originated form the great songwriter and poet Vedanayagam Sastriar. He was a devout disciple of the Lord who composed many great songs which continue to be sung to this day. He was also active in preaching the gospel and wrote many books. Famously, he prophesied before he died that there would always be a descendant who would continue his ministry of song, poetry and preaching the gospel until the day the Lord returned. Interestingly, for the next 6 generations up till today, there has arisen at least one family member each generation who has taken up this mantle to continue the ministry.

Brother Frederick also shared an interesting story when Vedanayagam was a poet and songwriter in the king’s palace. The king liked him very much above all the other poets and called him “brother”, as they had gone to school together. One day, out of jealousy, the other poets came across a plan to get Vedanayagam out of favor. They suggested to the king that he should compose a song to praise the god that the king worshipped, and the king thought it was a good idea. However, Vedanayagam apologized to the king that he could only write songs to praise Jesus. The king persisted, asking him to just compose 4 lines, but Vedanayagam would not give in. Then the king became angry and ordered Vedanayagam to leave immediately. As he left, the great poet composed a sweet song “I only praise Jesus, only Jesus, only Jesus, I only praise Jesus, no one but Jesus” and this song has continued to be sung through the decades and is popular among the Christian Tamil congregations up to this day.