When the World War ended, the Indian Congress Movement for gaining Independence gathered momentum. Patriotic as he was, Paulaseer had great admiration for Indian leaders and avidly read their books. In August 1942 when the National leaders launched the 'Quit India' Movement against Britishers, he organized a big student strike in his college and took the leadership himself. He could not tolerate the sight of a foreigner in those days. If he came across any white man, he would tell him rudely "Get out of India, you white face". One day he went to the Bishop of Tinnevelly, an Englishman, and was so rude to him that tears welled up in the eyes of the Bishop. He also stole the Bishop's communion bread knife to spite him, and after insulting him went to enthuse the strikers he was leading.
The police got orders to shoot the leaders of the strike, and Paulaseer was prepared to die for his country and for Mahatma Gandhi who initiate the Sathyagraha movement. Had the police officer in charge to carry out this order not been a football friend of his and intervened with the Principal of the college, he could have been shot dead. An arrest warrant was issued instead. He was about to be clamped in a jail when his mother wept and pleaded, "Why are you living such a wicked life? You know that as the eldest son in the family you have been dedicated to the Lord's work". It was her tears that made him go away to Colombo, Ceylon in October 1942. The police attempted to apprehend him, but he managed to escape as he had two names - Paulaseer and Lawrie.
He got a job in one of thee tea estates as a stenographer soon after he landed in Ceylon. He started reading political books and despised the duplicity of most of the political leaders. Their language was earthly, devoid of any deep spiritual sense. He lost the enamour he had for Gandhi as a spiritual leader after he read the Bible Verses (I John 4:2-3). But he would have been drawn into the vortex of Communism had he not kept the spark of God alive in his heart. Communist way of thinking attracted him because he felt that in it lay the fundamentals to salvage the lot of the down-trodden people of India. The only drawback was this, the communists did not believe in the existence of God; and if he went over to their side he would have to throw out God. So he requested his comrades to give him a month's time to enable him take his final decision. During this time he started reading religious books in general. He never believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Saviour and Healer of the world's ills. A clerk of the same estate, E.W.Arulanandham came to him one evening and asked him, "Friend Paulaseer, are you saved?" In his usual menacing voice, Paulaseer told him to get out and threatened to kick him out, if he didn't. However that young man was persistent in coming for two consecutive days and always asked "Are you saved?" that Paulaseer began to like him. He even thought that such a man would be a good volunteer for Communism if only he can be roped in. However, Arulanandham succeeded in persuading Paulaseer to attend a night-long prayer meeting. Making up his mind to attend it just for the fun of it, Paulaseer stole plenty of oranges on the way to the meeting from the Superintendent's garden. He took the oranges to the meeting and started eating them there. The preacher who conducted the meeting interrupted his message and said that the power of God was not manifest and there must be sin in the group. He said he could see ball like things - may be fruits. He asked whether they could be oranges? When Paulaseer was convinced that he has been spotted, he confessed. Though he was shaken and was awake all through that night. Paulaseer was very happy over this incident. He had a demonstration of power of the God. Soon after this he started reading books on Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda, Buddha, and Scriptures of other religions such as Bhagavad Gita, Quaron and books of any religion he laid hands on. He stopped eating meat and practised "Yoga". Finally he came to the Bible, after reading the book, "The Fool Hath Said" by Beverly Nichols. This book made him interested in reading the Bible. When he started reading the Bible prayerfully, the Lord opened his eyes and he realized the God forgave sins only through Jesus Christ and that no other person in the world can do that, and that He alone was sinless.
Paulaseer took his friend Arulanandham with him and under a tea-bush confessed all his sins and promised to make restitution as far as possible. He returned the communion knife to the Bishop who was praying for it for nearly one year. This was on June 2, 1943. Immediately he saw Jesus on the cross, and a bright light came into his heart, and his sins were forgiven. The nasal trouble that had plagued him for long was healed.
He resigned his job in the estates because with this enlightenment in his heart he could not continue where there were dishonest dealings, and went to Colombo city. His father was much annoyed over his resignation. That day, the Japanese bombed Ceylon and they both ducked under a table till the raid was over. Paulaseer cried to his Heavenly Father, and that night he heard a voice speaking to him, "Go to Harrisons & Crossfield Ltd., and I have a job for you". He was taken on a job immediately on presenting himself to that firm. By virtue of his athletic and sport prowess, he became the secretary for 35 European mercantile firms and shot into fame. Football now became his god and playing the game, worship.
One day a man and his wife asked shelter for the night. Paulaseer offered them his room and slept on the floor in the front room. His father slept in the adjacent room. At dead of night his father felt as if a rat nibbled his hand, and felt blood oozing out. He switched on the light, but as the light did not come on, he switched on the light in Paulaseer's room and saw a cobra near Paulaseer's head. It was about to move when his father managed to kill it. But the rat bite is mysterious which could not be explained unless it is one of those ways of God to protect him.
Paulaseer's marriage problem was now giving concern to his father. To his father's chagrin he was rejecting so many proposals. Paul in the mean time was telling the Lord that unless He showed him his life partner, he was not willing to marry any girl. God kindly revealed to him his future wife in a series of four dreams.
Even though a saved child now, he still had his old hot temper. One day a man insulted his father. Paulaseer assaulted him the next day and fractured that man's collar bones and was taken into custody by the Ceylon Police on a charge of attempting murder and could have been fettered and locked up. He then prayed, what he calls one of his best prayers. The Lord sent a man to intervene, and the case was contested in courts for nine months. When on October 6, 1946 he decided to obey the Lord in every way according to what is taught in the Bible, he had a new blessing and the Lord showed him a vision wherein he saw a powerful light around him and he was guarded by the Lord. He assured him that his case in court would be dropped that week. The judge dismissed the case that week all of a sudden.
In 1946 he went to India on a short holiday. While going with his mother to a friend's house, he saw everything according to the dreams he had had about his wife-to-be. The Church, the road, the house and its immates and every detail flashed back in great vividness. Thus assured that the girl in that house was the one chosen by the Lord, he consented to marry, and they were engaged. His mother was there at hand, but his father was in Ceylon. So the marriage had to be postponed for six months, and it came off on May 26, 1947.
He lost his desire for football after he fractured his right leg in a match and was in bed for nearly 40 days, when the Lord was very near. Then his first son was born. He was born in the Tamil month of Chitrai (May) and, according to astrological calculations, it was predicted that the father would die before the child could walk. So his people were greatly worried. But God falsified all astrological predictions.
At nine months of age, the child was taken ill of diphtheria. He was so seriously ill that Bro.Lawrie and his wife prayed earnestly day and night. The boy was operated upon and a tracheotomy performed on him. One morning Bro.Lawrie and his wife went to the Anglican Church - St.Michael & All Angels - and cried and prayed to the Lord, that if He would heal their son, they would spend their lives in India for His work. The next day, to the amazement of the doctors, the child was healed! Faithful to the promise he made to his Lord, Brother Lawrie resigned his lucrative job in Ceylon which had brought him so much popularity. His resignation was again against the wishes of his father.
On their way back to India in 1949, while the train was passing through the Anuradhapura Jungles in Ceylon, a girl possessed of a demon lunged on their sleeping child with an intent to kill him. Most of the passengers were fast asleep. Paulaseer who was awake, grabbed her in time and wrestled with her who seemed to have enormous strength. Something prompted him to say "In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to come out". Immediately the girl collapsed down and she knew nothing about it when she came round to her senses later. This incident prompted Lawrie to study about these demons and evil spirits of which many do not believe these days.
While in India he went job hunting. He preferred a job which permitted him to work for the Lord during the leisure hours. After working for a month in Madras in a firm, he was discharged suddenly by the Marwari manager. He went home trusting the Lord, when there was a letter on his table offering him a job in the Yercaud Estate, South India. At Yercaud he organized a Sunday School, and participated in the believers' meetings. After some time he received a letter (in reply to his application) from the famous American Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore. As the salary offered was small, he decided not to accept that job. Suddenly their son fell sick which turned serious. Sister Lawrie opined that it must be God's punishment and that it was not good for them to expect a big salary but go to any place the Lord would lead them. After prayers Paulaseer agreed to go to Vellore. To their great happiness their son was healed. Trusting now fully that this was God's will, they left for Vellore.
The hand of God lifted Paulaseer up to the post of the Secretary to the General Superintendent even though he went in as an ordinary clerk. At Vellore he was very busy with the gospel work also and yearned to have more power from God. One evening while some believers were praying, a brother in the Lord cried out, "Paul, Paul, where are you. I need you". Nobody there knew him as Paul. For them he was Lawrie. When he told them that he was known also as Paul, that brother prophesied that he had the call of God and would have to work for the Lord fully. After these prophetic words, Paulaseer scrutinized his activities in the hospital and his gospel work, hoping that that was his call, but was so disappointed that he was really sick of his work. Yet he did his job conscientiously as a paid worker should.
During these days they were called out for a convention at Tanjore. On their way, at Thiruvannamalai, they met a prophetess who told them to go back to Vellore as God was against their taking part in the Tanjore convention. But it turned out to be false. When they turned back to Vellore, their son Dayavoo suddenly complained of pain in the stomach. For three hours he suffered a lot, that they came to the conclusion that God really did not want them to turn back. When they retrieved their steps to Tanjore, the child became all right.
BAPTISED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
On March 30, 1952, at about 1 o'clock in the night, Paulaseer was filled with joy unspeakable as spoken in Acts 2:4. He was baptized with the Holy Spirit and started singing and praising God from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. He spoke in unknown tongues. He told his wife the ecstasies of his new experience and she also started eagerly seeking the Lord.
Since the Lawries did not get themselves bound by any single denomination, they mingled with God's gospellors of all types. During these days, they were moving with Pentecostal people also, wherever they were called upon, they gave their testimonies. When in 1953, Bro.Branham came to Bombay, India, Bro.Lawrie went over there to attend the meetings. When Dr.Billy Graham came to Palayamkottai, the Lawries could meet him too and they had a personal talk with him.
He took leave and went to see his mother children and there had a family prayer, when the anointing spirit came on him. He was able to reveal the sins of the family, even the murder committed by the gardener many years back while in Burma. That night the Lord baptized his mother, sisters, brothers and the servant girl with the Holy Spirit, when he laid his hands on them. Then they all went back to Vellore guided by the Lord. The Lord was healing people so miraculously that his faith increased. The Lord spoke to him that He would take him from village to village, town to town, city to city, and all over the world to preach the gospel, and that He had blessed his right hand as He did Moses' rod and that he would give power to Paulaseer to heal the sick, cast out devils and perform miracles and administer the Holy Spirit.
Sister Lawrie was eagerly praying for a closer walk. Then Paulaseer was taken seriously ill of diphtheria and was placed in the isolation ward of the Vellore Hospital. As the disease turned worse, the doctors told Sister Lawrie that her husband would not survive the night. She wept bitterly and went home. Throwing all her jewels away, she cried to God, "Lord, you are making me a widow a young widow". Immediately the Lord baptized her with the Holy Ghost. The Lord spoke to her commanding her to obey her husband.
CONVERSATION WITH JESUS
Relating this as one of the important incidents in his life, Brother Lawrie asked this to be put in his own words:-
"That night I had a vision of a great train with a countless number of carriages full of dead bodies, maimed and sick people. Carriage after carriage with dead bodies were added. My soul came out of my dead body and I saw Jesus Christ, and He spoke to my soul, "Do you remember the promise you made four years ago, when your son was suffering from the same disease?" I said: "Yes Lord, I promised to serve you all my life with my wife in India. Then he asked me, "Have you done so?" I said "No". Then He commanded, "I require your entire life and your wife's too". Then I asked, "Lord, what about feeding my wife and three children?" The Lord replied, "Leave that to me. I will look after you all if you will believe me". In an awe inspiring voice Jesus Christ said, "Decide between these two - your life today, or your promise that you will serve me fully with your household". Then I wept and said "Heal me Lord. We will serve Thee forever". The Lord healed me instantly. Then I saw a vision of a train with many cars and all compartments filled with living people of all colours and races; and the train was driven by a gruesome person. Compartment after compartment were being dropped off into a pit of fire. Then Jesus put His arm on me and commissioned me and said, "Son, I am sending you to them. Do not bother if they listen or not. I will judge them by your words. I have blessed your hand like the rod of Moses and will take you all over the world".
"My wife came the next day fill of happiness and filled with the Holy Spirit, ready to follow Jesus. We both promised again that we would leave the job as soon as I was out of the hospital ward. But even after I was discharged from the hospital, I was hesitating to resign as our parents, friends and relatives were raising objections. Then the Lord spoke to me, "If you do not come now with honour, you will have to come out later on with dishonour. One morning while preaching, I came across a Verse in the Bible (Eccl. 5:4) which struck me down and I could not proceed. Quite convinced, I resigned the job on October 15, 1953".
At this juncture an important, perhaps the most important event in Bro.Lawrie's life, took place. He was leaving his job, and as he shook hands with his boss the Superintendent, God spoke to him: "This day I have become your Father and you are my Son!" See II Sam. 7:14. Although he did not realize fully the tremendous importance of this statement, he was highly elated spiritually, and had a great peace in his soul from that time on.
Immediately after this came the heart-rending experience of being disowned by their family and friends. When all their money was given to the poor, they became complete outcasts. They went to the parents of Bro.Lawrie and when they announced that they had resigned their jobs and renounced everything for the sake of God, they were sent out of the house rather rudely. Sister Lawrie went over to her parent's house alone, to judge their reaction. She came back with the same sad story. So they were compelled to take a very humble one-room apartment with a rental of less than a dollar a month. As the family came to occupy this house and opened the door, there stood Jesus welcoming them, and for two weeks He was living there with them, Hallelujah! Heart-warming as these two events are which will surely stir the readers' hearts, there are yet many incidents in the life of this great man of God which will thrill everyone to the core.
For about two years after they resigned their jobs at Vellore Medical College Hospital where Bro.Lawrie was the secretary to the superintendent and Sister Lawrie was the head dietician, they waited on the Lord in prayer, meditation and searching the scriptures. Brother Lawrie destroyed all the certificates and testimonials he had in order to fight the temptation of being driven back to seek a job when and if things went bad. It was a desperate time.
One night when all of them were asleep, Bro.Lawrie woke up with a start to hear a deep male voice sing (in English) close by:
"JESUS NEVER FAILS, JESUS NEVER FAILS,
HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL PASS AWAY,
JESUS NEVER FAILS".
To his surprise it was his youngest sons Deva Dayavoo, aged only three years and few months, who was rendering the son in deep bass. So he woke up his wife to make her witness this strange thing. She woke her son up and asked, "Could you sing that English song once again?"
The sleepy boy replied, "I don't know any English song".
"But you sang just now", his mother persisted. "I don't know", the boy replied.
His mother was still not letting him off and asked: "But who sang that song?"
The boy peevishly said, "Please Mommy. Let me sleep. I don't know who sang".
Fully convinced that Jesus never would fail, Sis.Lawrie went off to the market the next day to buy provisions for the family. Surprised, Bro.Lawrie questioned her where she was going. "Going to buy things" replied his wife with a twinkle in her eyes. "Where is the money?" To this she replied "Jesus Never Fails" and off she went to the market. Just them a lady came panting to her, thrust some money into her hands and said, "I heard a voice sister, to give this money to you". Sister Lawrie bought whatever that amount could buy. When she came home and narrated the incident and that she spent al the money, Bro.Lawrie was slightly peeved of his wife's thriftlessness and asked her, "Can't you keep something for tomorrow?" "Jesus Never Fails", she replied laughingly.
People began to criticize Bro.Lawrie's inactivity even though the power of God was amply manifest by his powers to heal the sick. Bro.Lawrie insisted that he would not launch on any ministry until he was shown to do so by God, as he had surrendered his life into His hands. After this long period of waiting and preparation, God spoke to Lawrie that he will have a few visitors. He even described the persons who would call on him and the exact moment they would turn up. When these people came the next day precisely as they were indicated by God, Lawrie rejoiced that his ministry had started in full power. One of them invited Bro.Lawrie to give a message in his Church which he accepted gladly. There were about 25 people gathered to hear him and most of them dozed off during the sermon. For a while this sorry state of affairs continued till a woman, whom the doctors had given up hopes of living beyond a week, was miraculously healed by Bro.Lawrie's prayers and a little later and insane young woman was also made whole. From that time onward, larger and larger crowds attended his meetings where many miracles were performed.
After preaching in various towns in South India, Bro.Lawrie crossed over to Ceylon on two missionary journeys. The first tour lasted from October 25, 1955 to December 20, 1955. The second longer tour was from April 8, 1956 until June 17, 1956. About 4,000 miles were covered in these campaigns and many miracles and healings took place; and the team was eagerly accepted by the large crowds. Just as God had told him that he would make his right hand like Moses' rod, he by touching people with his hand, brought many miraculous healings and deliverance from evil spirits.
Mr.A.P.Guruswamy, President of the Evangelical Fellowship of Ceylon writing about these visits says:
"When Bro.Lawrie preached on his first visit in Colombo, I sat in a crowded Church and listened as he preached under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. There was a large response to the altar call that night; and later at the Divine healing service which followed I felt the power of God at work while he laid hands on and prayed for the sick. The Lord led me to believe that this is exactly the sort of ministry where signs and miracles follow the preaching of God's Word that will bring our simple Tamil brethren - Christian & Non-Christian - to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I therefore offered Bro.Lawrie facilities to preach the gospel in some parts of Ceylon and invited him to return with a team. In the meantime Christian people both in India and Ceylon prayed for the team that was coming while the members of the team themselves spent much time in prayer and fasting. Just at this time one of the members of our fellowship who knows nothing of my plans sent us a donation of Rs.500, ear-marked for expenses for an evangelistic campaign.
Mr. & Mrs.Lawrie and the other members of their team arrived at Talaimannar on 4th April 1956 and were met by one of our fully equipped Gospel vans which they used throughout their campaign in Ceylon. They covered nearly 4,000 miles. They began their meetings at the Murungan Methodist Church. They preached in Church of Ceylon (Angelican). Methodist Church of South India and Pentecostal Churches. Only in some of the Churches they were permitted to pray for the sick. Bro.Lawrie was specially used of God for casting out evil spirits from devil-possessed folk. Some healings were spectacular. Bro.Lawrie is a humble man of God with a simple message which readily appeals to the unsophisticated Tamil folk. His emphasis was placed rightly on Salvation; praying for the sick was incidental. The members of the team sang well. Bro.Lawrie's sermons were simple, forthright, and convincing. His telling illustrations, drawn from everyday life, helped to build up the faith of the crowds who came to hear him. His expositions were Bible-based and scripturally correct.
After a campaign lasting two and a half months, "The commandoes" left Ceylon on 17th June. Many thousands of people who have never hitherto heard the Gospel heard the story of Jesus and of His love, for the first time from the members of this team. Many were saved. The E.F.C. has received many letters of appreciation of the good results achieved: and we thank God for the fruitful ministry of this team. They are cordially welcome back whenever they feel led of God to come to our shores".
On their return to India, they had their headquarters at the village, Nazareth. It was in 1957 that the prayer house, 'Elim' was built there. In July that year they went to conventions at far-off places near Kerala border. Parasalai and Palliadi were two places where they had major engagements. At every meeting the power of God was in such abundance that many went away bodily and spiritually healed.
As they shifted their area of work to Kanyakumari District, the Lawries decided to stay in Nagercoil. They chose a house no one liked to live in as it had the reputation of being haunted. The day before they moved in, Dayavoo met with a car accident. He sustained multiple injuries and fracture of the skull. He was picked up unconscious. But there was no need for them to look for medical aid because he was made perfectly all right by a prayer with faith!
For nearly one year and six months the husband-and-wife team worked in Kerala and Kanyakumari District. Preaching, praying and witnessing was their everyday life. They did get opposition in places where their presence clashed with the vested interests of the Poojaris (Hindu Temple priests) and those who made their livelihood by witchcraft. Mention must be made here of one such man, Chella Asan. This is his testimony:
"I am a native of Semponvillail. I indulged in witchcraft and native treatment (medicine) and knew all kinds of self-defence arts. After severe fasting I got the control of goddess "Pathirakali" and was able to produce currency, flowers, scent, etc., miraculously. I challenged servants of God if they could do so. I did witchcraft in many Hindu and Christian homes. When Bro.Lawrie came for meetings here, I questioned him from the Bible, and when he asked me what I should be prayed for, I asked him to pray so that Jesus will be with me always, just to fool him. That night at 12 the local Pastor, Bro.Lawrie, his brother and myself went to pray for a sinking child. At that time goddess "Pathirakali" in me attacked Bro.Lawrie several times, when we came to cross road. I also in the power of the devil went to assault him, but by the power of the Blood of Jesus I fell on the road and saw the Cross of Jesus on the south-west sky. Jesus saved me and now I am his child".
During these days, Bro.Lawrie undertook the 40 days' fast. He used to take nothing but water. The fast was undertaken to drive a devil out of one Hindu woman, Balammal. By the twenty eighth day, the devil left her. But Bro.Lawrie continued the fast for the rest of the period. He was very weak after this ordeal. Soon after the fast, a group of Gospel workers consisting of catechists of C.S.I. and L.M.S. Churches along with Bro.Lawrie and his wife were out on the beaches off Cape Comorin one night praying, when one of the catechists pounced on the then emaciate Bro.Lawrie and strangled him. It was another attempt of the Devil to do away with him when he was physically weak. Fortunately Sister Lawrie could get the assistance of other members in time and save her husband's life.
The leaflet "Healing Leaves" came off the printers in the year 1958. The origin of this too has a story to tell. The son of one Muthamma was suffering from urinary disorder. When he was fully relieved of the pains and discomfort by prayer, the grateful mother gave a gold chain she was wearing as her gift to Bro.Lawrie. As the Lawries had bound themselves with an oath not to accept gifts, they sold the chain, and out of the proceeds brought out this pamphlet which had been beneficial to many all over the world. Then came the invitation for Bro.Lawrie to attend the International Conference on Healing at Scotland.