The Church of Christ
(Based on the Word of God; dedicated to the promotion of independence, Indianisation, unity, co-operation, and to the removal of corruption and evil in all forms and in all places.)
| Volume | Date | Issue |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 1973 | 1 |
The Secret
Not for the wise the teaching,
But for the little old;
Not for the strong the guidance,
But for the meek and mild.
The feast is for the hungry,
The treasure for the poor;
The naked and the outcast
Eater the open door.
The pure in heart behold Him,
From vulture's eyes concealed;
And to the bruised and bankrupt
The kingdom is revealed.
Where human wit is baffled,
Love fades the golden key;
And with anointed vision
Reads heaven's mystery.
Bay, wilt thou come and enter
This strange yet blessed school
Where only fools learn wisdom,
The wise becomes a fool,
Where littleness is greatness,
And bigness becomes small,
Where pride strips off her glory,
While nothingness gains all?Prayer to God for the Human Environment
Lord God, out of chaos you created order,
You spoke your Word and the worlds came to be.
Through Moses, you announced your law so that the peace might know
and do what is right.
Through your prophets you called for righteousness, peace justice.
Lord, in our day we have lost respect for your creation.
We have despoiled, used up and broken the fabric of the world and of human relations.
We have sought immediate good at the expense of deeper a long-term good.
We have trampled on the rights and aspirations of our fellow humans.
Help us, O Spirit of God, to enjoy your creation with misusing it,
to use this earth without marring it,
so stimulate our neighbours without stifling them,
so seek order and peace, but not at the expense of justice and right relations,
That this world may be such as you delight to look upon,
as you did when light first dawned, when man walked the earth unashamed, and
were was harmony between God, man and all created things.
We pray through Obrist, your living Word to men. Amen.(This prayer was written by Dr. D’Arcy Wood, Secretary of the ACC Division of Faith and Witness, for the United Nations Association of Australia to mark the occasion of the UN Conference on the Environment.)
Courtesy: IN UNITY, JULY 1972
Guardian 16-11-1972
God’s Mathematics
Ten spies said it could not be done, two said it could, and it was!
Elijah stood alone against the 400 priest of Baal.
David was armed with a few small stones and a sling.
Gideon’s army was hopelessly outnumbered, and finally the victory was won by a devoted and trustworthy 300.
It was Jeremiah against the entire government.
Jesus fed 5,000 with a boy’s lunch.
The Christian church began with 11 faithful men pitted against the whole Roman Empire.
Every Christian church represented an almost infinitesimal minority.
Practically every victory the Christian cause has ever won the fruitage of the loyalty of a minority.
Then there is the matter of the tithe — a principle that runs through the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. Again and again those individuals who have accepted it as their financial rule of life have discovered that they lived better on nine-tents than they ever did on ten-tenths.
The rendering of the tithe is not a clever scheme for raising money for godly causes. It is, instead, a great adventure of faith. Let any man dedicate one-tenth of his income to the service of God as an act of faith, and God will not let him down. Literally millions of Christians will testify to the truth of the principle.
— Sel.
We All Are Zeroes
But, if one Zero has one behind it, it becomes 10 which is more valuable than Ten thousand Zeroes!
The Apostle Saint Paul puts forth the same thought by saying:
“IF GOD BE WITH US, WHO SHALL BE AGAINST US?”
— Romans 8:31
Or “WITH GOD, ON MY SIDE, I AM IN MAJORITY”!
.
FAITH = RELIGION = HEART = INTUITION
REASON = SCIENCE = HEAD = INTELLECT In these modern times, there is a conflict going on between Faith and Reason or Religion and Science, or Heart and Head or Intuition and Intellect! Therefore, in the case of many persons their Faith contradicts their Reason and their Reason contradicts their Faith.
But Faith, should support their Reason; and Reason should stengthen their Faith! It is well said that “Faith has eyes to see (God), but no mouth to speak (or explain) while, Reason has mouth to speak but no eyes to see Him!” So, the best results can be obtained by the combination and co-operation of both Faith and Reason!
Faith minus Reason leads to Superstition and Reason minus faith leads to Materialism, agnosticism or Atheism!
But Reason plus Faith leads to True Religion!
True Religion must satisfy both the Head and the Heart, and therefore it should be, not only Logical, but also Theological; and not only Theological, but also Logical!
- Doubt = ?
- Belief = !
- Doubt your Doubts = ? =! Belief
- i.e., BELIEF CANCELS DOUBT or BELIEF BRINGS RELIEF!
How big is your God? How strong is your Faith?
It is no use having a strong faith in a weak God or a weak Faith in strong God! In the first instance, it is like a person going to beggar and asking for a thousand rupees while in the second instance it is like a person going to a King and asking for a one paise! If you have a great God and strong Faith, you can, like William Carey, “Expect great things from God and achieve great thing for His glory” and at the end of your life’s journey deserve His approbation, “Well done, good and Faithful Servant”!
EVOLUTION OF MANKIND (Four Stages):
- “Kill and Live” = Rule of the jungle (Might is right!)
- “Live and Let Live” = Toleration.
- “Live and Help Live” = Cooperation.
- “Die so that others may Live” = Sacrifice for others good (Christ’s Model)
EVOLUTION OF RELIGION (Four Stages):
- “Swa-Dharme Nidhanam Shreyah, Para-Dharmo Bhayavaha” = Fear or dislike of other religions.
- “Swa-Dharma Nishte Para-Dharma Sahishnute” = Devotion to one’s religion and toleration towards other religions.
- “Aano Bhadrah Krutavo Yanthu Vishwathah” = Welcoming Truth from all sides and countries.
- “Satyameva Jayate, Na Anrutam” = Let Truth alone conquer and not Untruth!
And since Jesus Christ emphatically said “I am the Truth” many Christians equate Christ with Truth and say “Satyameva Jayate” actually means “Christameva Jayate”.
HIGHEST CONCEPTION OF GOD’S LOVE TO MANKIND
- Non-Christian View: God gives us sun, rain, crops, fruits and children: — his blessings.
- Christian View: Besides the above, God gave His only-begotten Son for our Salvation! Which means he gives himself.
HIGHEST CONCEPTION of MAN’S LOVE for MAN
Non-Christian View: Man sacrifice his life for his friend, country or cause.
Christian View: Christ sacrificed his life for us who, as sinners, were His enemies!
Swami Vivekananda: “If I, as an Oriental, am to worship Jesus of Nazareth, there is only one way left for me, and that is to worship Him as God and nothing else!”
Jesus Christ said “I am the Truth”! Gandhiji Said “Truth is God”!
GOD INVITES EVERY ONE TO THE KINGDOM, HEAVEN, BUT CANNOT FORCE THEM TO GO THERE
(Because He has given them not only Conscience but also freedom of Choice!) All are called, but few are chosen because few choose to be chosen!
“The FEAR OF GOD is the beginning of Wisdom”! But the LOVE OF GOD is the Climax of wisdom!
Logic can convince a Person! Bible can convict a Person! And The Holy Spirit can convert a Person!
Positive: I was once a BEGGAR! Comparative: I became a BANKER by His Grace! Superlative: I must become BANKRUPT for His Sake! (WHAT ABOUT YOU?)
— C.S. Kirby.
What Kind of Church?
(continued from previous issue)
The early church members were middle-class people, not presumbly thinkers. By the end of the 4th century, when the church was 300 years old, it was entirely changed. It was then led by highly educated men from the intellectual classes, trained in the prevailing Greek system, having the Greek outlook on life and Greek interest in metaphysics and rhetoric. The church was wealthy, it was fashion able, it had political power.
The intellectual, Greek educated bishops shifted the early emphasis on ethics and service to intellectual belief. The Nicene Creed, enacted by the majority of bishops in 325 A. D. is entirely different from the Apostles Creed of the first century. The Nicene Creed enunciates a metaphysical concept of God, of Jesus, the world and of men; and agreement with this creed became the criterion of a Christian. No longer is the emphasis on ethics, love and service; it is whether a person believes the same metaphysics as the majority of bishops. Not necessarily to live with love, but to have specific intellectual beliefs, is the test of Christian faith. And the has remained in the churches.
I vividly recall an occasion when my husband and I were living in New York. A clergyman, accompanied, not by his wife, but by another woman, bad come a long distance for a conference with us, although we had not known him before. At the close of the conference, he had the audacity to say, “Mrs. Modak is a good woman, but I do not believe she is”saved”.” I did not reply but could have said, “I was never lost. How can a man be lost when Jesus said that we are the temples of God?” The man’s religion was of metaphysical belief instead of moral conduct.
And disagreement with the metaphysical beliefs of the bishop condemned a person as a “heretic.” This led to schism and to the Inquisition when Christians were terrorised by other “Christians” and with hideous cruelly, killed.
“Sell what you have and give it to the poor” had become, “and give it to the bishops” for their costly robes and decoration of the churches to rival the grandeur of the emperor and city of Rome. Belief was substituted for morality and service. The conduct of the bishops was such that rules had to be enacted to bar from celebate bishops houses any woman except mother or sister. Later the so-called nephews of the popes became wealthy potentates of the church. The church later ruled the Roman Empire.
Christianity was the state religion, wielding power. One famous leader of the fourth century was the Bishop of Milan. As a government officer he had decided a church quarrel, and was invited to become bishop while “not even a Christian.” Such arrangements in the church were in complete contradiction of the church of the first century, a libel on the life of Jesus. The rough-hewn staff with which the shepherd guarded the sheep had become encased in gold and now signified the power of the bishop.
The voice of the prophet was stilled, the spontaneity of the early preachers, sincerely and deeply moved by God, as early as the 2nd century, had become a rhetorical dissection on metaphysical beliefs. The preachers were master of fine phrases, truths of utterance rather than truths of life, no longer spoken “as the spirit gave them utterance.”
In reaction to this intellectuality and grandeur, monasticism entered. Since life in the world as Jesus had demanded was no longer encouraged as an expression of the Christian spirit, lonely contemplation of God, absence from marriage, desertion of the family, flagellation of the body, characterised a struggle to disentangle the spirit from the body — this superseded service to society. After the church had become a great power, nunneries were set up, often against the wishes of the bishops, to serve the community. Monastic withdrawal from life was, moreover, a reaction from the dilution of the moral and ethical claims of Jesus.
Do we, today, return to high morality and loving service?
(to be continued)
— Smt. M.R. Modak.
Over 40% of People Live in Poverty
NEW DELHI, October 15.
More than four out of every 10 persons in the country are still below the poverty line, their consumption being below the nationally desirable minimum of Rs. 27 per month for rural areas and Rs. 40.5 per month in urban sectors.
According to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry which made a study of the spread of poverty recently, at the end of 1969 out of the total population of 529.5 million, 818.3 million - i.e., 41.9 percent — were below the poverty line.
Numerically, poverty is very high in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar - 38.6 million and 27 million persons respectively and together account for 30 percent of the total number of poor people in the country.
But, percentage-wise, Orissa tops with 64.7 percent of population below the poverty line.
Arunachal Pradesh follows with 57.4 percent below the poverty line.
In Nagaland 52.9 percent of the people are below the poverty line.
In 10 other States, the percentage of people below the poverty line varies between 40 and 50: Andhra 42.9, Assam 40.6, Bihar 49.4, Jamma and Kashmir 44.6, Madhya Pradesh 44.9, Manipur 42.7, Mysore 41.3, Rajasthan 45,6, Uttar Pradesh 44.8 and Tamil Nadu 40.4.
Delhi has the minimum percentage - only 12.2 percent. Goa, Daman and Diu also has a lower percentage of 14.8.
The per capita income in these two areas is also relatively very high as against the country’s average of 589. It 18 Rs. 1,185 for Delhi and Rs. 1,180 for Goa, Daman and Diu.
Punjab and Haryana with high per capita income - Rs. 1,002 and Rs. 903 respectively — have a lower percentage of people below the poverty line at 20.8 and 25.6 respectively.
— The Guardian 26-10-1972
Evangelicals in India
(Their missions, churches and institutions)
Entirely dependent on foreign money especially from U.S.A. flowing constantly and in abundance. Consequences -
Suspicion the minds of many Indian citizens (including Christians) and Government that they may be directly or indirectly connected with the C.I.A. which is trying to corrupt our national life and loyalty the country.
This foreign money arriving late in the development of the Indian Church is defeating the very purpose of having withdrawn money and direction, or heavily reducing in some cases, by the older and bigger missions, viz, self-reliance.
It is decoying many of our young boys and girls into American ways of training, living and preaching, hence presenting Christ in a wrong way to our countrymen, etc.
Foreign direction. In some cases through remote control and via Indian mediums. Results-
- Killing of Indian initiative, independence and creative genius, thus repeating the creation of sterile slave churches.
- Making a few Indians counterfeit Americans with high living and low or no thinking.
- Production of a spirit of dependence and slave mentality and destruction of self-respect.
Spoliation of our youth of promise who would naturally contribute to the building up of an autonomous indigenous church. Some of these young boys and girls happen to be immature converts from Hindu Muslim communities lured away by secret and suggestive inducement. They develop wrong ambitions and add to the number of nominal Christians.
Few of these evangelical groups are sober and courteous in their approach to India. They ride roughshod over the feelings of their host country. They should rather cooperate with the major churches and indigenous organisations (such as the National Missionary Society and the various Ashrams). Some of them get a bad name through association with the extremist and bigoted sects like Pentecostals.
To organise a separate Federation of Evangelical Churches over against the original church organisations such as the N.C.C. would be an unwise step. It will injure the cause of the unity of the church in India. Would they agree on a common theological basis? If so, would that basis be very different from that of the Church of South India or the C.N.I.? Or for that matter, from that of the N.C.C.? After some experimentation for a time they will be apt to disperse and scatter on grounds of personality, power and pelf doctrinal angularities (of which there are too many imported from America these days) and financial inequalities as is proved by the history of similar movements in the past in this country.
Stealing sheep from original churches through re-baptism in the name of so-called conversion (salvation from smoking, drinking, lying, idolatry, caste, etc. from which many Hindus are free without the help of Christ) on the basis of a narrow and incorrect interpretation of the meaning and form of baptismal ceremony. It never pays.
In their Bible schools (nourished by lavish foreign funds and enjoying high foreign materialistic standards) a theology of confrontation (proud and militant) with other cultures and faiths, rather than a humble loving offer, is definitely taught and emphasised. This is a revival of the Jewish-Muslim iconoclastic spirit.
This is dangerous indeed in the present world situation and in politico-social condition of India — which is volcanic and full of tension. It creates hatred and hostility against others and amongst Christians. Is that a Christian attitude? Or rather, should we not adopt a spirit of respect and toleration to, and understanding of, neighbours? Are not these other ways more Christian? e.g., sharing of our Christian experience with others on the level of our common humanity, presentation of our Christian faith (or rather the Person of Christ) through reasonable persuasion, by appeal to men’s conscience through friendship and by identification with those in ignorance and in sin — which is the essential mission of God, the Father, through the incarnation of his beloved Son.
Use of mass media imported from the mechanised civilisations of the so-called Christian countries of the West. Effects -
Mechanisation of the very message which ought to be living and creative.
The message of Christ, and for that matter any message, would be dynamic and effective only when personally communicated by self-less dedicated servants of God. Because of this loving personal contact in the pioneering day of missionaries, when Hindu orthodoxy was stronger, more worthy converts in much larger numbers came into the church
The use of these human instruments for conveying divine messages keeps the preachers behind and at a distance which creates suspicion about their motives in the minds of the audience. It also helps create a Christian society which remains aloof from the currents of national life.
Over emphasising the importance of the prophetic ministry and of the Last Commission creates a church which is exclusive self-righteous and contentious and lacks richness of Christian life due to non-cultivation of the more important Christian virtues of love, humility, obedience, holiness, consecration, meditation, self-sacrifice, austerity and service of man.
Name and Form: Many of these organisations have proud bombastic, theological and militant names — such as, All India. International, Full Gospel, Apostolic, Biblical, Ambassadors, Crusade, Operation Mobilization, Every Home, Pentecostal, All One in Christ, Last Apostle, World Vision, etc. These names suggest and beget pride, militancy, insincerity, theological limitation, religious bigotry, political rivalry leading to war-mentality. They also produce the spirit of confrontation and aggression in the leaders and their assistants. Is this not very different from the spirit of the humble and loving Galilean and of the Apostles? Of course, we know that the Christianity of the West is different from the Gospel.
Why do they live in expensive buildings in big cities? Where living standards are high, and rents, land prices, building costs are prohibitive except for millionaires. They should settle down in smaller towns or villages, in religious centres or 50 kilometres out of big cities. Some of the good moneys, they waste on themselves on buildings and their committees and conferences most unnecessarily, have perhaps been contributed by poor believers? Or, is it that foreign Governments under a religious and humanitarian cover supply the dollars in which they rock and roll, and swim? Some of the International religious organisations give the impression that they are money catching racketeers.
There may be, and there are, very good souls and sensible men among evangelicals. In an artificially created atmosphere of rivalry, superiority, hatred and aloofness, these good men are spoilt. Their effectiveness, is seriously marred. Many get frustrated and leave the field. This is defeatism. There is a via media between restlessness and unsound over activity leading to failure and despair on the one hand, and aggressive confrontation leading to actual hostility on the other - The Way of aggressive Love, the Way of the Cross leading to self-effacement - which is peaceful and yet effective and leads to true and satisfying evangelism. Evangelicalism may be for self-aggrandisement prompted by ulterior unspiritual motives but sound Evangelism of the Gospel of Christ leads to peace, unity and salvation of man motive by pure Love.
Why do they have so much to do with Christians in already established churches? Most of their activities are in the form of conferences, seminars, Bible schools, retreats, National prayer assemblies, evangelistic meetings for Christians or co-called Revival Meetings, etc. the main task, for which they profess to have come and which only can justify their existence in India, is the evangelisation of the 550 million of heathens and gentiles. But how many of the leaders and their assistants actually do the preaching and witnessing? Some do it through immature and inexperienced preachers and colporteurs and write up pretentious reports of propaganda to net dollars. Leaders either busy teaching young boys and girls a lot of American theology unsuitable in India. Other leaders jump about the whole country holding conferences. They cogitate on the theology of evangelism sitting on easy chairs instead of getting out actually down amongst the people with the Gospel in the heart and hand. In fact most of them who can pray well, are devoid of the evangelistic urge flowing from passionate love for their neighbours. And they are all ignorant of the religious situation or the spiritual need of the people, and they do not care to be acquainted with the faith, beliefs and practices, and their culture.
How are they here to preach the Gospel of Christ to Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists? By the main prop of money and organisation. Are they free from selfish interests and worldly ambition? If not, they are not fit to be here on God’s work. They are careerists and jobbers. They should leave and seek other pastures. If they have an acquisitive spirit to amass money and establish property for themselves and their children through receipt of high salaries ample emoluments they are not worthy to preach the Gospel of forgiveness, peace and love in a country that does not understand hatred, competition, conflict and is averse to materialism and activism.
— R.C. Das
In a Strange Land
[NOTE: The following poem was first composed and publish in the U.S.A. where I had been a student of the Holy Bible a Christian Theology for seven years.]
The bird I chased
On a spring, summer day;
The flowers I smelled
So fragrant, beautiful and gay;
The streams, rivers, the valleys,
The hills, mountains and sunset
No more these do I see
And I know
I am in a strange land.
I looked around for friends
Who accompanied me
In schools and colleges.
Their memories haunted me.
I visualised their faces
And as though heard their voices
Calling my name gently and sweetly.
I turned around to behold
But there was none
And now, I know
I am in a strange land.
Separated by seas, I wander
In a land so rich and great
Abounding with rights, duties
And opportunities;
Where all govern all.
But as for me
Here I have no citizenship,
No claim, no vote
And no history to boast.
I feel lonely, homeless and homesick
Therefore, I know
I am in a strange land.
O Bharatmata agelong and beloved
I will return
I will haste home
To serve Thee and Thy children
My kinsmen;
To fight hunger, ignorance, ill-health
And even the swarms of Locusts
That fly from the north
So I may see Thee
Eternally vigilant,
Morally strong,
Religiously God-fearing.
For this is my debt, I pay
My homage with folding hand
To Thee
My dear, My Motherland.The Holy Bible says, “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”
— Premanand James Deshpande
In the Fellowship of Faith and Work
(News, reports, and comments)
A. Rajama’s Healing Touch
Mrs. RAJAMMA DEVANANDAM, the faith healer of Hyderabad, demonstrated her healing powers for diseases, infirmities and afflictions on those who had strokes of misfortune and who sought relief and solace from her, when they gathered at Christ Church Parish School, Byculla, on July 28 and 29.
8OME grief-stricken people, afflicted by diseases of various kinds, got instantaneous cure, others got some relief from affliction like cancer, deafness, semi-blindness etc.
UNLIKE last year, the organisers had made special arrangements by issuing free passes well in advance to those who were needed.
— Blitz 12-8-1972
(Mrs. Rajamma Devanandan visited Varanasi in November and held healing services in St. Paul’s Church for about a week, and then she left for Allahabad. There were a number of cures of serious diseases and defects. The public were appreciative of her beneficial work and praised God. - Editor)
B. Testimony of a Converted Hippie
I was brought up in America in a Christian family. My personal ties with the church were never strong. For being a typical youth the fundamental truths about life did not interest me. I was fortunate enough to be able to travel to eight countries and travelling began to show me what was wrong in my life. I went from place to place like many travellers do, but my dissatisfaction with this aimless life grew. My self-interest depressed me more and more, consequently frustration and confusion took hold of me.
As being frustrated I came forth to Varanasi after two and half months being a hippie in Kathmandu, Nepal. I knew my direction was all wrong, neither I knew the way nor I had the power to change myself. I was ever blinded and lost the hope in myself. As I contemplated that fact a true man of God brother Jacob approached me with the answer in his hand on 14-8-1972 in a hotel situated Dashashwamedh (Varanasi). I tried to push it and him away, but God said it was time to change, and finally I realised, that being human I have no power to change the evil in me. I confessed my sins to God and accepted his son Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour. I was baptised into the Christian faith on 20.8.1972 as Varanasi in Varuna River by the above Evangelist.
PRAISE THE LORD!
— Donald Russ Stewart (19 years), Chicago, U.S.A.
(Brother Jacob - a Telegu Evangelist on faith lines — for whom Christian experience Brother Bakht Singh’s ministry was instrumental - has been trying to touch the constantly flowing number of Hippies in Varanasi for the last one year. He has also favourably contacted some Hindus. He is a quiet personal worker of loving nature. He needs the support of prayer and material help to build up his work from believing friend. - Editor)
C. My Visit to Bangladesh
It was a cool November night in the city of Dacca, Bangladesh. I was standing among the vast crowd in the Awami League meeting organised to facilitate the father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Soon there was excitement in the vast crowd as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujib arrived. The cry of the crowd “Joi Bangla, Joi Mujib”! (victory to Bengal, victory to Mujib) filled the air. A sense of pride filled my heart as a Bengali, to realise that I was standing amidst the people of Bangladesh who have paid the price of freedom for their “Sonar Bangla” (Golden Bengal). I stood there sharing their freedom.
Soon Mujib stood to speak. His voice of authority which had been the source of inspiration during the dark days of freedom struggle, and his majestic personality captivated the people as they listened to his words. He reminded them of those critical days of horror, torture and death for the millions under Pakistani rule. In closing, he proclaimed, “If the Pakistanis confess their sins and murder committed in Bengal, God will forgive them, and we too will forgive”. He revealed his broadness of heart and understanding of the way of peace through forgiveness and love.
As I stood that night in Dacca amidst the vast crowd who had realised their hard-earned freedom, I was conscious of the great fact of the Pardon of Christ. Truly if He had not forgiven us where would we have been? The guilt of our sine would have been upon our conscience. I thanked Christ for paying the price for sins and giving His precious life for me. I was burdened for the souls of the masses in Bangladesh.
In the following days I stood before the people in different Churches proclaiming the Gospel, sharing their testimonies of the miraculous way the Lord protected His people during the days Pakistani atrocities. In most of the cases one can see the hand of Lord covering His people from the dangers. The Christians with Sign of the Cross were able to save many belonging to other religions. This was their opportunity to reach them with the Gospel of deliverance. As bullets kept flying over the heads of the Christians in trenches they kept on praying to the Lord for His help. The Lord stood by them.
I found the Christians in Bangladesh much united in the work of the Lord, for during the days of trouble they were forced to unite in prayer. I also found a fine group of zealous Bengali Christian young people anxious to do their part in World Evangelism. I was able to arrange the distribution of clothes from Germany, circulate our Bengali publications and those of Christ for the Nations and contact Christian leaders for further Gospel Campaigns. The entire trip has been a success. The door is now wide open for Gospel outreach in Bangladesh.
The Silvery jet airliner was flying over Bangladesh, I was returning to Calcutta. I looked down on to this blood stained land. The many rivers flowing through it were glittering in the sunshine. My heart was burdened for the 75 million - Bengalis in this newborn nation. The national anthem of Bangladesh written by Tagore echoed in my mind “Oh! Golden Bengal I love you.” Yes, I saw the fields of Bangladesh golden with grain. The harvest was ready everywhere. So is the spiritual harvest. Let us pray for Bangladesh.
— David Dutt, India Evangelistic Crusade, 60-C, Ritchie Road, Calcutta-19
D. In Thankful Remembrance
Dr. Jones Cremated
NEW DELEI, Jan. 29 (PTI) Dr. Stanley Jones an American missionary and friend of India, who died at Bareilly on Thursday was cremated here in the evening.
Dr. Jones, who was 89, worked in India for several years. He was the author of several books on religion.
In a condolence message, The Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi has expressed ‘deep grief’ at his death.
— Northern India Patrika, 30-1-1973
(Dr. Jones was the first among a few missionaries who encouraged me in an independent approach to India without being influenced by foreign money or personnel. I had known from very early times when he dedicated himself to the service of India. He was one of the very few who genuinely identified himself with India which be adopted as his country. He felt a special call to preach the Gospel freely and frankly to educated Indians. Over the years he traversed the whole country and addressed very large and popular gatherings in the cities and towns of India. He is the first to introduce the Round Table Conference method (now called Dialogue) with religions Indians to mutually share spiritual experiences. Sat Tal Ashram stands out as a witness to his faith in the indigenous expression of Christianity and ite outreach in this country. He soon became a world-evangelist and a peacemaker. The scores of small Ashrams will preserve and promote spirituality in an otherwise secular, materialistic America under a superficial mechanical civilisation. We are proud of the noble service he has rendered to India and the world. “Blessed art thou, good and faithful servant.” Now Bon Voyage to higher service!)
— R.C. DAS.
E. Sadhu A.N. Sircar
Recently his birthday was observed with great eclat. Nearly 300 admirers and friends came to his home at Katpadi to congratulate him. Among those were several assistant bishops and clergy, Catholics, other Christians and Hindus.
One of his disciples of Bangalore is arranging for the Sadhu, an evangelistic trip to Ceylon and Singapore. Our good wishes for him and party.
F. Acharya Das
He fell seriously ill on the 2nd December 1972. On this day after a very pleasant bath he was hit hard by acute and high fever. This sudden virile attack, in his natural weakness in old age, reduced him to almost nothing, and he was at death’s door. Friends, both Hindu and Christian and children came and prayed. After about five days he was slightly better. A thorough checkup revealed nothing except that his blood pressure was towards the low. During periods of apparent coma he saw wonderful visions obviously of the spiritual world. He is grateful to friends and children who came from far and near with their good wishes, benedictions and gifts of food and fruit and flower. He is not quite clear why the Lord has spared his life at this age though he was prepared to go. He is still weak and asks for prayers of believing friends.
Notes
1. Grotesque Claim and Perverted Interpretations by a Demented Mind
Vide “End Time Evangel”, 1972 — Edited and published by B.B. Samaddar (End-Time Apostle of Christ all-one-in Christ Church Fellowship) from 5/1B, Hatibagh Road, Calcutta-14. Editorial. The quotations are his own words.
In a meeting “it was emphatically declared that the Devil was misleading most of the Christians to do the works of God instead doing the will of God.” This is shallow thinking.
Can there be any contradictions between the works of God and the will of God? Our Lord came to do the works of God, and sometimes he would say the will of God. The two are one. Will would mean intention, purpose, aim, decision, command etc., which is in the mind. Works are the concrete manifestation of the will in actual deeds of love, truth, parity, humility, charity, devotions, service of needy man etc. in our daily conduct. Our Lord did the works of God perfectly according to his will. There need to be no inconsistent between the two.
“The will and plan of God in this end-time is to bring about second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
None can “bring about”, cause to happen, the Lord’s second coming. He will come of his own accord, freely and in his own time. He has not given as the time. He has only indicated that certain signs precede his coming. But many, if not all, of these signs have appeared during the past many centuries again and again with a frequency. But he has not come yet. He said that many would come in his name and deceive the faithful, that the natural upheaval, wars between nations were only the beginning of sorrow and the end is not yet. The Gospel must be preached to all creatures before he would come. Has this vast task been even marginally accomplished? He asked us not to be restless Vide Mark 13. But parties like that of Samaddar have always been over-anxious about the coming exciting people that he would come soon. Indeed, he said he would come soon, but do we realise what this ‘soon’ means from his eternal point of view and what we mean from a human historical point of view? He asked us to be indeed in readiness always to be prepared for his coming any moment. That does not mean that we should be praying 24 hours, be waiting in gathered meetings, read the Bible and meditate neglecting our more weighty obligations to do his works and walk in his way and to preach the Gospel to those who do not know and serve in heed. It is signifcant that sects and groups like this normally do not go out among non-Christians but remain confined in their activities among Christians who belong to bigger churches. It is more meaningful that they have never served others in love but only done prophetic preachings emphasising doctrines at the cost of love, purity, saintliness, knowledge and learning, and social helpfulness. The leaders of these virile groups have indeed misled many Christians away from central Christian truths and fixed their minds on secondary marginal truths and cut them off from the larger life and fellowship of the universal church. The plan and will of God covers a much larger area than the second coming and preparation for it which is over-emphasised and narrowly viewed divorced from other and deeper Christian truths and more urgent Christian duties. These friends are indeed diffident and afraid and unqualified to redeem the big world in utter need and to face it with any courage and hope. So they have chosen an easy chair of preaching doctrines without objectively facing the real problems of humanity. They have selfishly chosen a cosy corner of safety and security indifferent and unconcerned to the serious obligations of the church for a sad and sinful world.
“This Fellowship is raised and led by God to bring about the second coming.”
This implies that the vast church of Christ which comprise 99% of all Christians do neither know, believe, preach, nor prepare for the second coming. What a vast ignorance and impudent assumption. It is only Pentecostals who have been chosen by God to do the job. This is sheer spiritual pride causing dissensions and conflicts among those who should live in humility, love and good fellowship. After all, how much do we know, how perfect are we, what have we done to justify our condemnation and separation?
2. Fatal Blind Bigotry and Superstitious Faith
“Nabayan” the monthly Bengali journal of the church has published a very sensational incident in its issue of January 1973 in its editorial column under the caption “Murder of a woman in the name of Christ - spiritual murder,” A quotation from the letter of a responsible Christian citizen describes a horrible incident which must cause anxiety to the readers of a Bengal Church. The data is just before Christmas 1972. A family at Kanchrapara — a few miles north of Calcutta who were formerly member of the Anglican church later on joined the “All one in Christ Church” of Sri Samaddar. A 16-year-old girl of the family was suffering from Typhoid. A group of healers anointed the girl with olive oil and prayed for her recovery. Giving a hard slap on her back they tried to convince her that Jesus healed her, and she should give thanks to God. They did not listen to the advice of neighbours to call a doctor. In reply, they retorted that they were not men of the world to call a doctor. The result was that within a few hours the girl expired.
Such incidents are not rare among Pentecostals who deny and defy medicines and doctors. This is divine healing with a vengeance. It is simple stupidity to be so obdurate that even in a serious case of illness they continue to pray till the patient dies. Some healers resort to physical violence. We remember in our young days the great evangelist Allauddin Khan of the Church of God carried on thrilling spiritual movement in Bengal, Assam and Orissa and partially in a few other centres of India including Kerala and the Punjab. They used to go in for Divine Healing on a large scale. But all were not healed. There were cases where medical care would have saved life. There was the case of a man who had a tough boil. They could not burst the boil by prayer, but they continued to pray until the boil became septic and the man died. A little incision by the surgeon’s knife would have saved the man. After such fatal cases, the leaders of the church had recorded thought the day. The views on the matter of the church of God and some other bodies are saner.
To blindly believe in death that prayer and faith alone heal and that doctors and medicines are the devils creation is crasss idiocy and dangerous superstition and very risky example. Don’t the fools see that doctors, medicines and surgery, as well as Ayurveda are healing millions of patients daily throughout the world? Surgery today has attained miraculous dimensions. Human wisdom and skill are God’s gifts like the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Some friends do not and cannot have a whole harmonious view of Christian life and truth. They sidetrack and go at a tangent and reach a quandary.
But we thankfully remember many cases of cure instantaneous and of very serious illness, disease and defect. God has used many servants of his to give relief and health to numerous people through his wonderful and highly grace. Acharya Das was miraculously and instantly healed from a dire disease and did not need a doctor of medicine and enjoyed good simple health for half a century. Though he has been suffering from some ailments in his old age. We must have rational judgment on the subject.
3. “Believer’s Baptism”
It is a superstitions idea invented by leadership seeking and sect producing greedy men. You cannot prove it from New Testament or tradition. Was Jesus immersed in shallow Jordan? To the contrary? Were the three thousand immersed in the almost waterless pool of Bethesda in one day? Rational minds with a perspective and discriminating judgment will say ‘no’. Why so much emphasis on drowning water? After all, does water save? Little or Much? Then why worry?
4. Crisis of Character
Prabir K. Gupta
A state of discontent and frustration among the youth community is being felt for the last few years in our country. Prominent politicians and economists hold inter alias the two crisis viz., political and economic, responsible for this atmosphere of unrest and rumpus; but a deep thought fortified with a clear view records with regret that society of today is facing an acute crisis of character. As the age has advanced people have been politically more and more conscious but increasing weakness in moral and spiritual spheres in the mentality of modern man has become an object of grave concern. Not much importance is being attached to morality and spirituality by the youths of today. In recent years particularly erosion of moral values of life to a great extent is disturbing the society. Dishonesty and corruption have polluted the air in the social life.
An alarming rise in adopting dishonest means and indulgence in antisocial activities are causing bombastic damage to the economy of the country. Dark clouds of disaster in social life of people are adding fuel to the fire. High ideals and lofty morals and spiritual teachings are not looked to in the path of life. Prayer and meditation which characterised the Indian culture and tradition so far are being devalued and dishonoured by us. Even, in Brahmo Samaj where Upasana or prayer-services once illuminated the horizon of many minds and led the Brahmos along the ideal ways of life, the spirit of prayer and worship of the lord of life has degenerated to a deplorable stage.
In the context of this crisis of character and conduct every conscious and perceptive intellect from both political platform and religious pulpit should caution the youth community that should they go on neglecting and even decrying the tradition of their culture and civilisation the condition will take a worse turn. Unless the modern minds and characters are in a happy mentality to love, honour and cherish the moral and spiritual values and ideals of life an increasing strain and stress in the flow of life of today will bring forth tide of uncertainty, chaos and frustration. Life will be lost in perverse darkness.
Therefore, restoration of moral and spiritual values in the conduct of all people, respect to the ideologies cherished through generations and a bow and program (salutation) to the Lord of life will promote a healthy and harmonious social and economic life.
— Indian Messenger 7-12-1972
5. Today Is the Auspicious Great Day - Christmas
(Jagantar: 10th poush, 1379: a leading Bengali Daily)
“On this holy day of Christmas all men, irrespective of whether they are Christians or non-Christians, are paying their homage to Jesus Christ and remembering him with hearts full of reverent gratitude. Born in one far side of Judea ruled by Rome, Jesus Christ gathered under his banner one-day peasants, workers, and landslaves who were deprived in the name of religion and truth. But he was soon brought before the imperial court being accused of treason by the machinations of Jewish landowners, merchant and priests. And the mighty Roman Governor, Pontus Pilate, under a farcical trial, sentenced him to death by crucifixion. The religion he preached spread all over Europe and later from there to America, Asia and Africa as one of the principal religions of the world. The art, literature and culture of two thirds of humanity were transformed by the light of this religion. All should with care ponder over the glorious history of this Christian life and culture. It has been said in Christian scriptures that the Son of God came to earth as Emmanuel, Christ with the mission of saving men enveloped in sin. That is why he was born of immaculate Mary and the righteous labourer Joseph was divinely commanded to accept being his foster father. For fear of Herod — the butcher of innocent children - his earthly parents, before his birth, took shelter in the stable of a rich man. And it is there where was born in the extremely cold night of December the Supreme person Jesus to whom the three worlds (Heaven, Earth, Hades) offer today their humble obeisance. Is has already been mentioned how came the end of his earthly life. How his teachings and philosophy of life were spread in the world that story is also beautiful and instructive. After the chapter of events connected with his death on the cross two chief disciples - Peter and Paul together with a band of their followers and lovers of Christ came to Rome. In the darkness of catacombs they hid themselves and preached the message of the supreme God - their heavenly father. This life and preaching appeared as a terribly superstitions religion in the materialistic Roman society. One by one Christians were captured and thrown into the mouths of lions. Year after year horrible precedents of Christians persecutions were created by emperors like Nero, Caligula. But they could in no way weaken the Christian Fellowship (Church). At last Emperor Constantine accepted the Christian religion and from here and now begins the victorious march of Christianity as a state religion. Into the decaying ribs of Greco-Roman capture Christianity gave the throbbing of new life. But, while on the one hand this new life flowed in a hundred streams through literature, art, science and learning. On the other hand, it had to meet in a long-standing struggle, the sprawling Islamic imperialism. The historical name of it is crusade.
Then came the Middle Ages. Christianity became a prisoner of the church sanctuary. And in its name the syndicate of clergy, merchant and feudal, aristocracy started a tremendous tyrannical treatment of others and went they out with the fireman of great or small kings on a conquering campaign to the four corners of the world. With the priest in front and army behind they built up huge colonies and empires in Asia and Africa. Through this imperial exploitation limitless wealth and prosperity come to Europe. After this, in the 18th and 19th centuries there appears modern science which brought about a revolution in the sphere of movement (progress) and production. It also shook powerfully the religious faith and confidence of man. In spite of this Christianity protects itself and moves on through various ideas for the good of man and by many humanitarian efforts. Then in the 20th century arises communism as a rival to religion, and it equally challenges all religions — Christianity in particular. Having been a captive of capitalism and priest-craft, the Lord Christ today takes his shelter in the breast (heart) of man who have been deprived and exploited. It is with their obeisance and in their tears that he is being anointed and crowned today the Prince (of love, justice and peace).
Letters of Benediction
(translated from Bengali)
1. My Dear Most Revered Acharya Das
Before everything else, please accept my respectful salute. My earnest prayer to God the Father is that he may graciously enable you to live up to be a centenarian so that you may help the Christian church in India guiding her on sound lines by your good counsel. I have received your paper No. 3 of 1972, and thank you for it. I have always and consistently been a member of the Christian church and have fellowship with all devotees of Christ.
Humbly your,
Rev. P.K. Adhicary, B.A.
Duff Church, Calcutta.
2. I Salute Thee, O Jesus Christ, the Divine
To:
25th December 1972, Varanasi
The most revered one who is like the form of God. Today is the day of the appearance of God - Jesus Christ. Rising early I prayed at the feet of the Lord, remembered and meditated on his words and said again and again “Thy Kingdom come.” Your life is full of Christ, a salute to you.
The Lord did not come for “Christians” alone. He came for all mankind. He is the Jagat Guru (master, Saviour) of the world. He came also for this humble Hindu Brahmin. The day when there was no man called Christian, God Jesus Christ was. In that day to the great might of the Lord was mysteriously working behind the curtain. He was there on the day when he gave himself for the propitiation of the “accumulated sins of mankind.” He neither appears nor disappears. He is eternal, absolute, the everlasting Person. Thai is why one day at Shantiniketan I heard from the lips of the great poet - Rabindranath - “Victory to the great Conquerer of Death, Hail.”
I am meditating today on the Lord sitting alone and silently in my humble cottage. And I am impelled to say “O Lord, forgive us; the world today is mad with hatred, they have heard thy word but have not accepted it in the heart of their hearts. That is why the inner anguish that started on the cross about two thousand years ago is not extinguished yet. O Lord, forgive the nominal Christians who only hold up the flag of religion, forgive this Brahmin Benode Behari, forgive the sin stained humanity. We are yet far, very far, away from thy holy feet. But, yet, hope is awake in the cry of our heart. Again Rabindranath sang”O thou great prince! I have not given up hope.” The Lord has swallowed you up. I salute you. I salute the Church of Christ. I salute the optimistic fellowship of mankind!
Yours in obeisance,
Benode Behari Bandyopadhyaya
(This was an unexpected letter to Acharya Das from Professor B.B. Banerjee, M.A. giving an idea of his Christmas prayer and contemplation. He has been a dear and respected friend and Brother in Christ for over many years. Prof. Banerjee is a noted literate and author of several books, the last one being on the Life and Teaching of Christ published in 1959 — a big book of over 600 pages written in superb Bengali. He taught History and English in three Colleges in Calcutta and retired as Head of the English Department in Deenabandhu College in Howrah a year ago. He is now a ‘Vanaprasthee’ in Varanasi to spend his last days in prayer and devotion. Acharya Das is grateful for this wonderful letter and with the permission of Prof. Banerjee is glad to share it with other believers and lovers of Jesus Christ. - Editor)
Ashrams & Indigenous Evangelism
(Acharya R.C. Das)
What is an Ashram? Mainly a spiritual home or brotherhood or colony, or Fellowship or community. Object is co-operative search for truth. An Ashram offers the appropriate atmosphere for experiments in the spiritual life and for discipline - for Sadhan and Bhajan. It has a long history in Hinduism. Different types of Ashrams have different aims (vide article “Seeker” winter 1951)
Ashrams in the history of the Church - both Eastern Orthodox and Western Catholic. The Apostolic band was a genuine Ashram.
Ashrams have come to stay in the Indian Christian movement.
The Ashram can salvage true Christianity, protect it and communicate it in the present age as it has done in the past especially Europe in the Middle Ages.
The advantages of Ashrams over modern western missions.
- Its appealing and attractive power.
- Its simplicity.
- Its comparative inexpensiveness because of its sacrificial basis and Indian economic standards.
- It can secure and gather genuine converts without formally affiliating them to western denominations - leading to the formation of Christian assemblies - an automatic, autonomous, self-expansive Church.
- It can experiment freely e.g., sitting under trees for worship or instruction, indigenous methods of worship, practice Yoga etc.
Other Indigenous Methods
- Identification with your neighbours so far as it is not inconsistent with Christian principles.
- Constant friendly visiting.
- Worship and prayers amongst and with Hindus.
- Practice of silence and meditation and use of Indian songs.
- Production of original literature, music and art.
- Bible school with theological enquiries and discussions.
- Study of Hinduism and other Indian religions and cultures.
- Special city evangelism — through institutes, literature, social service, lectures, personal contacts - all conducted by men of the highest qualifications of head and heart Vide “How to present Christ to a Hindu” by Rev. R.C. Das, available at 129, Dashashwamedh, Varanasi for Rs. 1/- a copy.
N.B. Read in this connection a short article on the Ashram (Vide “Seeker” No. 3 Vol. 4 Winter 1950.1),
Available from:
Rev. R.C. Das, M.A.,
Khristpanthi Ashram,
129, Dashashwamedh, Varanasi, India
Printed at:
Evangelical Press,
“CHRIST NAGAR MISSION”,
Mijar Post, Mangalore Taluk, S. India