A Visit from the Master

This account was written by the author, Estella Brooks, ten years ago.

In the year of 1955, I lived at 125 S. Whipple St., Chicago. At that time I had only four children living with me. We occupied a six room apartment on the second floor. One of the six rooms was very small, just large enough for a single bed and one other piece of furniture. So I gave this room to my little girl, about nine years old.

She couldn’t sleep – always complaining of seeing a man standing over her.

At times she would scream for me to come and see him; when I would reach her I wouldn’t see anyone. I would take her in my arms and assure her no one was there, only God watching over her. As time passed on she became nervous and afraid to stay in the room, so I moved her out. I decided to make this into a prayer room since it was so small.

I set up my altar in this room. On the altar I placed my Bible in the centre; a statue of Jesus directly behind the Bible; on the right side of the statue of Jesus I placed the statue of the Blessed Mary; on the left side a statue of St Joseph. The next step down I placed a statue of St Anthony on the right and Blessed Martin on the left. I also put up a white candle, three of my astro-colours, and a brown candle. These candles I kept constantly burning. I would also burn incense to my delight. Always when I would go before the altar, such an inspiration I would get!

One day in this year of 1955 – I forget the month –, I went into this little prayer room to the altar. I don’t know what happened; but I couldn’t see anything on my altar but my Bible in the center. There was a strip of newspaper across my Bible with writing on it in heavy black ink.

I quote:

Stand still – where you are.

After I read this, I looked on the left side, – there was a big pan of incense that looked like sandalwood. It frightened me and I turned away from the altar.

I started out of the room, I caught hold of the doorknob to turn it, and I noticed the whole side of the room just opened up like a sliding door was there. In stepped Master Kirpal Singh as He looks today. I was so afraid I tried to get out of the door. I held on to the door knob and fell to the floor on my knees.

He held out His hands to me and said,

Get up, don’t be afraid; who are you serving?

I replied,

I am serving God.

He said,

Who is God?

I said,

God is Spirit.

He replied,

I am Spirit.

So the fear began to leave me, as I caught hold of His hands. As I began to feel embarrassed, I recall He disappeared.

As He held my hand, He said,

This is the way I want your altar.

It was cleaned off. No statues, no candles, just my Bible and the big pie-pan of sandalwood incense.

Thanks be to God, after a few years passed by I came to know Who the man was that visited my home. Today, being an initiate of His Holiness Sant Kirpal Singh Ji Maharaj and a member of Ruhani Satsang, with hours of meditation under His guidance, I am truly inspired.