Holland

The Hague

THE next country we visited was Holland. We alighted from the plane at Amsterdam where we were received by our friend Mr. Guy M. de Gelder who took us in a car to The Hague where he lived. He was a boarder in a house owned by a Dutch lady. We were comfortably lodged in the rooms provided for us. Mr. Gelder was enthusiastic in the work of the Spiritual Development Centre of which he was the founder and which had a membership of about fifty or sixty persons of both sexes. He was guiding the members of his organisation on the path of divine realization.

On the first evening of Ramdas’ arrival at The Hague a meeting was arranged in the sitting room in our residence. There was a fairly large attendance and Ramdas answered the questions put to him by the audience. At the next day’s meeting, as requested by friends, Ramdas spoke on Anandashram and its activities. All of them listened with rapt attention and appreciated the service done in the Ashram. In the course of the speech Ramdas laid stress on the importance of service to humanity. He said:

Divinise Work

Do not renounce work, but divinise work. Do everything in all humility, in full submission to the will of the Divine. Who is a true devotee of God? He who serves mankind. We have been taught that in each and everyone of us dwells the Divine and when we serve all, we really serve God. It is said that if a man says he loves God and does not love his neighbour, he is a liar. If we displease or hate anybody, we are not true lovers of God. If we love each other, God is highly pleased with us. That is why Ramdas often quotes Jesus. You will find the same teachings in all the religions of the world. Love is the thing to be practised in our life. If there is no love in our heart it will be insipid, arid, and we have no hope of gaining God’s grace. If we want God’s grace, we have to be sympathetic and helpful to humanity. Then He will make us feel His presence every moment of our life. If we humble ourselves and be lovers of our fellow-beings, then only we put into practice the great teachings of Jesus.

We met here a young man named Mr. Ernst Verwaal, who got deeply attached to us. He had lived in a Russian monastery for a few months. He hung on Ramdas’ words whenever he opened his mouth to speak on any spiritual subject. He expressed the desire to come to India some day and be in our Ashram for a few days. He was a law student residing in the same house as Gelder’s. Among the visitors were some young girls deeply interested in religion.

One day in the company of Gelder, Verwaal and the girl aspirants, we went to see the famous garden of the town. It was indeed most attractive with its lavish display of flowers of various charming colours. When we walked through the garden we felt as if we were moving in a paradise. The beautiful flower beds, rich and luxuriant, were a veritable feast to the eyes. The air was cool. A chill breeze was blowing, but we passed on from one part of the garden to the other, enjoying the glory of God revealed before us in all its magnificence.

Holland is mainly an agricultural country and the extensive farms all over the land produce the chief wealth of the country, namely, dairy products, fruits and foodstuffs, which are exported to various parts of the world. The sight of the vast green meadows on our way from Amsterdam to The Hague and back was a great relief to our eyes after living for some time - amidst the studded houses in the cities. The sea being close to The Hague, we saw in the evenings many people going to the beach for recreation.

Mr. Gelder was very kind to us during our stay with him. He impressed upon the friends who paid us visits, the importance of Ramdas’ mission and the spiritual benefit derived from his company.

When the time came for our departure to England, after the usual leave taking, we left for London by air from Amsterdam.