When the Church was passing through its ‘dark ages’, God sought for men who could hold out the burning torch of His Kingdom to dispel the darkness. Many upright, zealous men of God came into God’s view for this purpose. God wielded them as mighty weapons for His Kingdom in defence of the faith. Soon ‘Reformation’ set in, in the 16th century. A mighty movement of the Holy Spirit was witnessed in several parts of Europe, in the centuries that followed. Consequently, the gospel truths (mysteries) which were preached during the apostolic times and were lost to many in the dark ages were brought to light once again. Yes, the Lord does seek men who are faithful and of an upright heart before Him to fully reveal the truths of His Kingdom. “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him”
(II Chron.16:9). The Lord’s eyes found such an upright man in Pastor Paul, in the 20th century.
While in Sri Lanka, Pastor Paul found Jesus, the true Light, Who illuminated his life. From the time he was saved, his life was wholly committed to the Saviour’s will. Subsequently, he was led to the knowledge of the deeper truths.
His longing to taste the ‘flowing with milk and honey’ experience was satisfied when God filled him with the Holy Spirit. He enjoyed the abundance of the love and joy of the Lord. Being filled with divine power, he danced with exceeding joy. Of all who waited for the Holy Spirit that day, he was the only one who received it. He describes the extraordinary experience he had : ‘I realized my belly being filled and a power taking control of my tongue. When the Spirit of the Lord began to speak through me, I feared that my tongue would be plucked off from my mouth. A week later, I clearly spoke in unknown tongues. The continuing struggle had ceased and I received an inner peace … I received a deliverance from all evil desires. That very day heaven was established in my heart !’
This Pentecostal experience that Pastor Paul had in 1921 is very similar to the one that John Wesley had in the 18th century. Wesley in his words describes it thus : ‘My whole heart was filled with divine power, drawing all the faculties of my soul after Christ, which continued three or four nights and days. It was as a rushing mighty wind coming into the soul, enabling me from that moment to be more than conqueror over those corruptions which before I was always a slave to.’
Thus began a Pentecostal movement in the eastern land of Sri Lanka. Pastor Paul became a yielded instrument in the hands of the Lord. He received divine revelations and doctrines that could prepare the Church to become His Bride. God spoke to him about the sublime life of consecration that His servants should lead. He distinctly revealed to him that faith life was indispensable to them. Pastor Paul surrendered in implicit obedience to the Lord’s command and set out by faith to serve Him. The Lord made it clear to him that it was imperative that His servants hate and forsake their all, in accordance with Luke 14:26,33. Well realizing what the cost of discipleship meant, he yielded to the will of God, in perfect obedience. Based on the revelations he received from God, he founded the Pentecostal Church in Sri Lanka, known as the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission. A unique trait of character observed in him was his constant waiting upon God for guidance to lead the Church.
Since the founding of this Church, this work has had its opening and establishment in many parts of India and in many countries of the world.
In this context, we reckon ourselves privileged to have had access to many facts relating to the life and works of Pastor Paul, and the way in which he was led by God to establish this Church, which we have chosen to compile into a book, forming his biography. We can say that the history of the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission (now known as The Pentecostal Mission in India) has had its beginning in the life of Pastor Paul.
“Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken to you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation” (Heb.13:7).