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.)

Crown of Thorns

“In His lifetime Jesus was always being mistaken for the wrong kind of king. Herod tried to kill Him because he misunderstood what the Wise Men meant when they called Him ‘the king of the Jews.’ Satan thought he could bargain with Him, as he had bargained with many another king, for a throne that would cost nothing but a denial of His Father. The people of Israel saw all the qualities of kingship in Him when He fed a multitude with five barley loaves and two small fishes. And Pilate, writing better than he knew, wrote a title and put it on His cross: JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

“It remained for a detachment of pagan soldiers to crown Him with the only crown He was willing to accept. They platted a crown of thorns and put it on His head - and He did not refuse it. For this was the crown which His Father had prepared for Him, and by it, He would assert His lordship over sin, death, and hell.”

“Men still mistake Jesus for the wrong kind of king. They try to make Him the symbol of some race or nation or sect. They try to build His kingdom with power and the sword. They try to make Him a mere bread giver. They try to depict Him as a false king who cannot hold His own against the men of steel and blood who ‘really run things’ on this earth.

“But today, as in His earthly lifetime, the Lord Jesus refuses every crown except the crown of thorns - the symbol of His victory, the seal of our liberation. By this crown we recognise our rightful King - the King who came not as a despot to enslave us but as a liberator to set us free.” - from Off-Key Praises,

By John Strietelmeier (Concordia Publishing House).
MARCH 18, 1968. THE CHRISTIAN CENTURY.

The Throttle of Divine Power - Committed to Human Hands

The Holy Spirit teaches hearty co-operation rather than mere submission, the active entering into God’s plan, instead of a vague yielding to circumstances - a positive claiming and appropriating of the promises which are set before us in God’s Word - as being the will of God for His servants.

Learn the secret of victory through authority - as well as through prayer - and our churches will come into a place of strength, and be able to take the aggressive against the enemy.

It is not the question of an imposing faith - but an all-sufficient Name!

By James A. MacMillan,
Author of "The Authority of the Believer"

Pentecost and Evangelism

In recent issues we have discussed Pentecost; it’s outworking in the life of the Early Church, and its relevance for the Church today. We conclude this series with a consideration of the importance of Pentecost in terms of evangelism.

In Acts, chapter 7, we have the account of the defence and martyrdom of Stephen. His death precipitated a crisis in the life of the Church. But it was God’s method of leading His people out into A WIDER MINISTRY AND WITNESS FOR CHRIST. This persecution scattered the members of the Early Church, and put them on the move in witness to their Lord and Saviour.

In Acts 1:8 Jesus had indicated that the disciples would be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth. Persecution, following Pentecost, led to the fulfilment of this word of Christ.

One of the important implications of these varied events was the conversion and subsequent ministry of the apostle Paul. The greater part of the Acts of the Apostles revolves around him and his service in the name of Christ.

Surely, this was one of the great miracles of Pentecost! The dynamic of Jesus resurrected life so gripped the life of this highly trained, sensitive Pharisee that he was willing to count all as loss for the sake of Christ. His heart burned within him to share the message of redemption with others. Evangelism became his consuming concern.

A study of the life and ministry of the Early Church has much to teach us with regard to evangelism. In seeking to understand its impact upon the world of its day, there are several relevant factors we do well to consider.

In the first place, EVANGELISM HAD PRIORITY IN THE EARLY CHURCH. That is because evangelism was a way of life with these early Christians. They were not out to make a name for themselves. They were not looking for worldly success and prominence. Their one desire was to proclaim the name of their Lord. They were a people on the stretch for God. The compassion of Christ had enlarged their hearts. The power of Pentecost controlled their lives. SHARING THE LOVE AND SALVATION OF THEIR LORD became the driving force of their lives.

Evangelism was their primary task. They experienced a rich fellowship through faith in Christ. Its members knew forgiveness of sin, and victory over it. It possessed something a lost world needed, and determined to share it.

This evangelistic concern was a natural outgrowth of their experience of Pentecost. IT WAS NOT A PROGRAM INSTITUTED BY THE APOSTLES. IT DID NOT SPRING FROM COMMITTEE ACTION. Rather, it DEVELOPED SPONTANEOUSLY when the power and love of God controlled their hearts and lives.

Does this speak to our situation today? In many areas of the Church there has been a de-emphasis on evangelism. The impetus which results from the love and compassion of Christ in the lives of His children is sadly lacking. We have been too strongly influenced by humanism and modern theological thought which puts the emphasis upon the greatness and the dignity of man. As a result we often fail to realise that men and women around us are lost. Our hearts are seldom moved in compassion for them, and their need of Saviour.

Where is the dynamic which will motivate all God’s children to be concerned for the lost? Where is that Pentecost experience by which God waits to equip His children for the task of world evangelisation, for which He commissioned all of us? Certainly, the Book of Acts, and Pentecost, have much to say to us in this regard.

A second thing of which we must be aware is that the EARLY CHURCH DID NOT EQUATE EVANGELISM WITH DIALOGUE. They were not concerned with an evaluation of the various religions of the Roman Empire, and a synthesis of the religions with Christianity. They were not interested in a comparative study of Christianity and the pagan religions which surrounded them. It was not an amalgamation which they sought, but a proclamation. Their one desire was to proclaim the name of the Saviour. There was no question in their minds regarding the uniqueness and completeness of Jesus Christ, and the salvation He offered.

What a rebuke they are to many in the Church today! Syncretism and dialogue rank high in the theological vocabulary and efforts of many Church leaders. “Ecumenism” seems to be the magic word regarding relations within the Church. “Syncretism” seems to be the magic word regarding relations with the world. Both are earnestly sought through “dialogue”.

Today the Church is preoccupied with these issues and feels dialogue to be its most potent instrument. That is only because we have largely lost the vision and dynamic of Pentecost. Our great need is for burning hearts that will allow the Holy Spirit to use them in proclaiming the name of Jesus, and in the evangelisation of the lost around us. Had the Early Church spent its efforts and resources on secondary issues, as the Church so often does, today, how different history would be!

The Book of Acts speaks clearly and forcibly to this point. It is a record of evangelistic compassion, and its glorious results in the transformed lives of those who heard the name of Jesus, and responded in faith.

May God grant His Church, today, a new vision of Christ, a new depth of compassion for the lost, and a new touch of spiritual power which will enable us to fulfil His commission to reach the lost and dying. May God give us a new day of evangelistic concern and effort. Only then will first century truth become highly relevant to us, and first century power an experience in our lives and ministry.

— Revival (Editorial) - Gordon Coles.

The Tongue

Set a watch, O Lord upon our tongue: that we may never speak the cruel word which is untrue; or, being true, is not the whole truth; or, being wholly true, is merciless; for the love of Jesus Christ our Lord. O God of mercy, who are the Giver of all good things; Keep the door of our heart, that only love may enter therein; and our lips, that only love may speak through them; for Jesus Christ’s sake.

Amen.

Meditation

“So the tongue is a little member and boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire and the tongue is a fire. The tongue is an unrighteous element among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the cycle of nature, and set on fire by hell.” James 3:5-6.

The tongue though a small member of the body, it is a valuable vehicle of communication in the human society and in the proclamation the GOOD NEWS. But St. James had to warn the Christians about the potentialities of the evil of the uncontrolled tongue, because of his experience in the early church.

St. James did not subscribe to the common view that silence is golden. He was not negative in his thought and advice, but very positive as the previous verses (verses 3-4) of his letter reveal. He advises the effective control of this dangerous tiny organ in the body.

Boasts of great things: Self boasting in itself is evil enough, but when the boasting is at the cost of others, it does tremendous harm to the individual, the society, the church and other organisations. “The range of evil tongue covers the whole earth and reaches heaven.” “A man can drop a malicious word, or repeat a scandalous and untrue story about someone … and cause infinite damage and harm. The very range the tongue can reach is the tongues greatest peril.”

As a spark of fire can destroy a great forest, the evil potentialities of the tongue can destroy an individual as well as institutions.

The tongue is evil world: St. James equals the tongue to the evil world. It can make evil attractive and good, and entice the people to stray from the truth. The tongue is a world without God and hates Jesus. Thus, it poisons the whole personality.

Makes the whole of life a blazing hell: What St. James thought that the action of the tongue was like wheel set on fire. The fire from axle spreads through spokes and destroys the whole wheel. So in general the tongue being the centre if used without control burns completely everything The destruction caused is complete.

In our daily life, in the society, in the church and in our institutions we know that much harm had been done by uncontrolled tongue. So St. James teaches us to exercise control by the power end wisdom given by God. Let us ask God, who gives generously.

— N.M.I - Rev. K.G.S. Dorairaj

The Mystical Body of Christ and the Present Denominations

(in the light of Christian Unity)

In 1 Corinthians 12 the emphasis is laid first on the unity given by the One Spirit which therefore is spiritual unity; secondly on diversity: St. Paul cries out “are all apostles? All prophets?” etc. and also argues “If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? (verse 17). And if they were all one member, where were the body?” Applying the metaphor to the present situation one might cry out - If the whole church were the Anglicans where were the Methodists or the Baptists or the Presbyterians or the Congregationalists (not to speak of the Pentecostals and the Quakers)? Or if the whole church were the Methodists or the Congregationalists, where were the Anglicans or the Lutherans? If the whole were the Catholics where would be the Evangelicals? For under the Plan of Union the United Church would automatically assume the features of the Anglican Communion and those of other denominations would fade away. But the emphatic word of God through Paul says - But now are they many members, yet but one body. (verse 20). Let us meditate on this. Why should there not be the different denominations with their various church constitutions (containing their theological basis and administrative principles and rules), forms of worship, diversities in minor doctrines and practices as they exist at the present time? And yet be the one Body of Christ? Where is the hindrance? If we are honest with ourselves we must confess that the hindrance is in our mind and spirit and not so much in the outward divisions which are natural and even necessary for the development of the full Christian life. The real difficulty is in our false pride in repudiating them as unworthy of fellowship on the ground that some of us belong to the true church and the rest are sects which have no validity. They must be validated and then only can they eat and drink with us. This spiritual egotism is based on a wrong theology. So the real hindrance is in refusing to embrace Christians as fellow believers and brethren. All Christians believe and accept the Holy Scriptures as containing things necessary for salvation and citizenship of the Kingdom of God. Can anyone prove from the Word of God that differences in church organisations and methods of worship etc. are invalid in the eyes of God? It is only a question of time and opportunity. Once a condemned sect now a mighty church!

Though church unionists talk a lot about spiritual unity, love, fellowship and brotherhood; they are really giving us under the Plan a Uniformity leaving unity behind as an orphan. Whether there is one church organisation or many constitutions in different denominations, so long as there are sins among Christians they can never love one another. So long as they are not purged and washed by the Blood of Jesus and United in Christ, they can never be one, they will always quarrel, hate, and butcher one another. The Episcopal umbrella or Apostolic Succession, or numerical strength, or their wealth or organisation will not be able to save them from disintegration - moral and spiritual. Church Union without the basis of salvation through Christ and sanctification by the Holy Spirit may have another result - a church static, sterile and dull and enveloped in Maya of Unity. The sensible thing for all Christians irrespective of communal diversities is to let open their doors of fellowship, and reform, revive and regenerate the churches by preaching the full Gospel of Christ.

The Church has been one from the beginning, is one now, and shall remain one, even without the recognition of many and in spite of the misunderstandings of others. What God hates and is angry with is not the different natural divisions within the One Holy Catholic Church but the narrowness and lack of vision, the blocking of fellowship by refusing Intercommunion, spoiling of brotherhood and social life by caste and class distinctions of an invidious nature and sins in personal and group life. With these present in the Church God cannot bless the Christians. Some Christians have the wrong notion of thinking that Hindus do not get converted and join the church because of these denominational divisions. The truth is that Hindus are familiar with natural and inevitable sectarian classifications within their own religion - the different Margas, Gurus, Acharyas, and Avatars. They are not dismayed with these divisions. Because they know that in spite of all these denominational differences there is a wonderful and admirable fellowship of faith, effort and goal in the catholicity of Hinduism - there is real religious and spiritual fellowship. They just ignore the irksome social distinctions due to the caste system. Caste divisions and sectarian divisions are not one and the same. The former are today based on inequalities supposed to be due to birth according to Karma whereas the latter represent different approaches to God and truth and various ways of religious life. No serious Hindu enquirer is really prevented by the denominational differences among Christians or there would not have been so many intelligent conversions in the past. What they dislike and bemoan is the exclusiveness of certain communions and sects - the utter lack of unconditional interchange of membership, pulpit and unhindered participation in the Holy Eucharist. There is no such block among Hindus in the free flow of spiritual and religious life. They worship in one another’s temples, participate in all religious activities and follow and change ways of religious life without any question. Of course, they observe caste rules, but in matters of social life - dining and marriage - which are slowly breaking down under the influence of Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and stress of modern secular conditions and from internal pressures. The Hindu, on the whole, finds a social brotherhood in the Church with negligible exceptions, but he is horrified to see the dismal lack of spiritual fellowship among the denominations. Unity should not depend on doctrine or discipline. It must be the fruit of Christian love and the Holy Spirit. Has not the church gone wrong at the fundamental point and is not the proposed remedy through church Union (organisational, constitutional and administrative uniformity) mainly a human effort based on human wisdom - a measure of human ambition and pride? Had it been the work of the Holy Spirit primarily, and essentially it would not have taken that long 40 years - and the achievement is not yet complete! The motive of church union, I am sorry to say - has been Rajasik - the strength of number and worldly unity, a sense of worldly prestige, confrontation with other faiths especially Hinduism with this unspiritual sort of strength, recognition by the world political powers that be. This sort of ignoble inspiration together with some spiritual intentions is lurking in the depth of the mind. Unless we can be purged of all this and rely entirely on the divine power of the Lord - Crucified and Risen - apparently so weak and helpless - Christianity will die within the united, rich and strong church. But thank God he has his children and servants everywhere, though few, in whom and through whom the true Church will persist and God has his unorthodox ways of saving his Church and extending the Kingdom.

A divided world need not and will not die because of mere division, if the division is on account of truth, righteousness, love and peace, and unless there are inner sins in collective and personal life - such as untruth, hypocrisy, hatred, pride, greed, etc., that corrode and disintegrate all life. The Word of God is quite clear; the world in spite of divisions - religious and political - will continue and struggle till Judgement. The undying Body of Christ, to be sure, and not the Society of Christians called the church with a human constitution and discipline, but the Fellowship of Christ in the various branches of the church - the Sangha of believers and disciples washed by the Blood and filled with the Spirit - will be the residue and persisting factor in the life of the world acting as Salt preserving all truth and goodness and warning all evil and falsehood till the Lord comes.

Yes, the existing denominations with all their weaknesses and divergences are basically united, nay, are one because all acknowledge one Triune God, one Holy Catholic Church, one Holy Book, one Baptism and participate in One Holy Food and Drink. Because the church’s one Foundation is Jesus Christ incorporating the believer who can sincerely accept “Thou art the Christ - the Son of the living God”. This is the basis of unity of the denominations. The divisions are not central they belong to the periphery. In the entire Church throughout the world in all its branches - orthodox, Catholic, Evangelical, Protestant, etc., - there is a wonderful unity of essential theology. Who will not accept the Apostolic and Nicene Creeds though some may not mutter them during worship? There is a large unity in Christian practice and way of life whatever our national or sectarian differences. Saints have appeared everywhere. There is almost a uniformity in respect of Christian witness to the world - in the ministry of the Word, in humanitarian service, and through the Monasteries and Ashrams both in the East and the West. What more do we need more than these to be basically united?

Of course, among all Christians there must be climatic, cultural, racial, and psychological differences in respect of our approach to God, in modes of worship and way of Christian life, in ways of evangelism and also in forms of church administration etc., and some amount of difference in interpreting the scriptures - the valuable personal and group freedom must be there. These are real differences due to our human makeup, but they never should affect our basic unity as indicated above. All differences, theological or otherwise, should stand corrected by the Word of God and the collective wisdom (tradition) of the Church. The “Sin of division” or separation does not lie so much in the differences themselves but in the fact that we in our pride or ignorance shut the door of natural fellowship to those who differ from us in these non-essentials. We ignorantly think that the church saves and mediates instead of Jesus Christ, that correct doctrine leads us to heaven without realising that the garb of righteousness is given to us by the Saviour because of his shed blood and the Holy Spirit, that some organised Christian bodies are the true church and others are not etc. This sheer ignorance of Holy Writ, mere human prejudice, pride and aggrandisement. Until and unless we get rid of these through proper knowledge and by the mercy of God there will always remain the “sin of division”. An artificially united church will not solve this inner spiritual problem. It will burst up again. Whatever has been said above does not preclude the wise step of unification that some denominations can undertake - churches whose polity, practice, mode of worship and doctrine are more or less similar and even identical. That will be good and right immediately.

(to continue) - R.C. Das.

Christians in India - Some Observations

By Sri Prakasa

¹ Friends, coming as I do from the ancient city of Kashi - known as Banaras and now called Varanasi - which has been a centre of Hindu thought and culture through the ages, and regarded as a very sacred place of pilgrimage by Hindus from all over the country, I have been familiar with the work of many of Christian missions that have been actively functioning there. In fact, in my own neighbourhood, there is a Church that was established as far back as 1818, round which there was much Christian activity in the form of a girls school and a flourishing hospital. I knew the good ladies that were working there under the auspices of the Church Missionary Society with whom the relations of myself and my family were very friendly and cordial. I had also close friendships with the heads of other missions - Methodist, London Mission, etc.

I came to admire the good work that they were doing fairly early in life, and always kept in touch with these friends who always extended to me every courtesy and consideration. I was actually associated with some of them in local temperance work as well as some other social welfare activities. I am, therefore, glad to meet you all, my friends, who are pastors at various places and have come, as I understand, from different centres of Christian endeavour in Bihar and my own home State of Uttar Pradesh.

RELIGION, so far as I can see, is not only a set of doctrines that is embodied in its sacred books. It is actually a way of life, and is judged not from what it teaches through its literature, but by the actual lives of those who profess and follow it.

Christianity, if I am not mistaken, pre-eminently stands for charity, and this virtue I have found is not only stressed in the sermons of its preachers, but actually lived by Christian men and women. The missionaries of the faith work among the poor, the depressed and the down-trodden, and try to raise them by instilling in them feelings of self-respect and self-confidence, and helping them to live a better life than they were used to life of human dignity and self-reliance.

I saw this very clearly visible in the work of my missionary friends in my city of Banaras where humble and very greatly depressed persons belonging to what was known as the “Dom” caste and condemned by birth to very dirty occupations, were brought up as decent carpenters, and enabled to turn better wages so that they could live cleaner and happier lives. I also saw what change came over the girl in the Christian Girls’ School who, from being discarded as a dirty outcaste, became quite decent members of society. As Governor of Assam, I came very closely in touch with Christian missionaries not only in the very popular and efficient hospitals that they established in the comparatively large cities of that north-eastern strategic State of ours, but in educational and medical institutions that they founded in the very heart of the mountains and forests there. They literally buried themselves in remote and actually dangerous places carrying the message of Jesus and serving fellow humans for whom no one else cared. There I found leper asylums where men and women, and particularly children suffering from the fell disease, were most carefully and affectionately tended, I really felt that these good people, from far off countries of Europe and America, brought knowledge where there was the darkness of ignorance, and relief from pain where there was much unmitigated physical suffering.

And the great thing is - so it strikes me - that those men and women came from good families, and had received the best possible education in their own lands. I have known very brilliant scholars leaving all material prospects aside and responding to the call of these missionaries and joining them in their work.

There is a great deal of charity in our country, but this is mostly on an individualistic basis. What strikes me about the methods of Christians is that they have conducted their charity through organised institutions, and that ensures continuity. Their charity does not depend upon this individual or that, but the work goes on even as individuals are withdrawn. This is a great lesson that we can learn in our own country and for our own work in different fields.

India unfortunately is a country of castes, and new castes are easily created here. As the great missionary and humanitarian, the Rev. C.F. Andrews, has said in his book Indian Renaissance, Christianity has not been free from this virus, and our people who have become Christians do maintain caste distinctions among themselves. In the South we hear of caste Christians and non-caste Christians, and we find that marriages are also confined to such groups as can claim to have come from the same original Hindu castes.

Unfortunately, because of the very special political situation in the country in which the British were our rulers, there came to be a wall erected between the European Christian and the convert Indian Christian. This was particularly felt when distance and difference were observed between the European Christian missionary and his converts. Let me recall an interesting experience. I remember I had gone to dinner with a good European Christian missionary friend of mine at Banaras. It was a bright-moonlit night, and the incident comes forcibly to my memory. As I came out of the compound of the bungalow on my bicycle, someone stopped me. I got down. This person said to me: “You are a Hindu. Mr. so-and-so is a Christian missionary. You and he are friends. He goes to you, and you come to him for meals. This I believe is possible because you regard yourselves as social equals. I am a convert to Christianity from this caste (and he mentioned a humble one). I live in one of the out-houses exactly as I did before I was converted to Christianity. There is no feeling of equality or brotherhood between the missionary and myself. The situation as it actually was, was thus forcibly brought to my mind. I had not thought along these lines at all. Mr Andrews obviously refers to such a situation, and expresses unhappiness that it should be so.

This recalls to my mind a very touching story. There was missionary friend of mine, who started his work in Madras. It is said that after one of his sermons on human brotherhood and Christ’s great work in that behalf, someone in the audience called out: “You say all this, but how do you behave? Are there any social relations between the European missionary and we Indian converts from humble classes? Is there any sense of equality or fraternity between you and us?” This very greatly touched this particular missionary; and I understand that that very evening he went to the quarters where Harijan converts to Christianity lived in their humble abodes. He is said to have chosen the ugliest girl he could see there whom he married. She became a very devoted wife and a true comrade to her husband in his good work. But this is a very rare case, and in the very nature of things cannot readily be multiplied. Still it is worthwhile mentioning as emblematic of the genuine Christian spirit of equality and fraternity that animated the minds and hearts of many missionaries that come to us from abroad.

I also recall a book that I read long years ago written by Sir Henry Cotton who was a very eminent Civil Servant of those remote days - incidentally one of my early predecessors in the Assam Governorship when it was, I believe, a Chief Commissionership; and who was really a good friend of the country having even become the President of the Indian National Congress in 1904. He says in his Indian and Home Memories, if my memory is not deceiving me, that the British of the country regarded European missionaries as their colleagues in the adventure of Empire building. As they themselves, in order to keep their position and their status, could not mix with their subject Indian people freely, they wanted to utilise the missionaries who, by the very nature of their work, were constantly mingling with all manner of men and women of the land, in what should be the common task of holding the country under them. It may be that some of the earlier missionaries yielded to some extent to this complex, and may have earned some unpopularity too in consequence. One cannot blame them for they were also human, and needed human society among their own people. This they found with the European Government officials, and had unfortunately to pay the cost of the same.

Christianity in India has also stood for European civilisation; and whether we like it or not, those of our people who became Christians attuned themselves, in accordance with their social and financial position, to European ways of life and thought. The standards of even the humblest were comparatively raised in the physical sense. European civilisation has come from three sources: Greece, from which they have taken the ideal of Beauty; Rome, from which they have taken respect for Law; and Christianity, from which they have imbibed the spirit of Charity. Western civilisation thus very prominently stands for dignified organised existence with its inevitable concomitant of widespread social service. It is not necessary to be a Christian missionary or an avowed Christian person to be solicitous of a neighbour’s needs or be helpful to a fellow human being or even an animal in distress in the street. We find that those who become Christians do imbibe this very fine spirit of social service which is all for the good. We need it very badly in India for we are so inconsiderate towards others and so indifferent about fulfilling the requirements of our brethren even when we can do so without loss or trouble to ourselves.

I hope that you gentlemen will keep this spirit in your minds, and act accordingly, for then you will be giving real practical lessons by your own example to others, and serving as a leaven for the betterment of our behaviour in life in all fields of human existence - domestic, social, economic and public. All this is very necessary for it is the lack of this that has resulted in so much corruption among our people of which we hear so much and from which we suffer greatly. Your great task as pastors is to set good examples, and to see that this evil is eradicated as far as possible.

The great mistake, to my mind, that the British did, was not to make themselves one with our people, but to keep themselves apart as a separate ruling caste. This reminds me of the very beautiful story of the coming of the Parsis in India. Driven from their own homes about 1300 years ago, they almost in a body migrated to our country. They landed somewhere on the shores of Gujarat and sent an appeal to the king whose name, I believe, was Yadhav Singh, that they needed asylum. The king, it is said, sent back in reply a bowl full of milk to the brim. That was to indicate that the land was already full of people, and that there was no room for more. The head of the Parsi immigrants put some sugar in the bowl, and sent it back as much as to say that they will not take more space, but will mix with the people as sugar mixes with milk. The king thereupon bade them welcome on three conditions, one was that they would put on the same clothes that the people did; secondly, that they would speak the language of the country; and thirdly, that they would respect the sentiments of the people and not slaughter the cow. I myself think that this king was the wisest man that ever lived. He knew exactly what turns a foreigner into a citizen of the country to which he comes.

If newcomers would only put on the clothes of the people among whom they sojourn, speak their language and respect their religious sentiments, they would no more be strangers, but become one with the people around in no time. The British are by nature a people who will not change, but would like others to conform to their ways, and so they introduced their own clothes, their own language and were far from respecting the religious sentiments of the people in the matter of the cow or anything else. They, therefore, remained a separate community, and those of our people who wanted to line up with them also became strangers in their own land.

You have to be very careful on this point. I know that there has been a movement for an Indian Christian Church for some time past. The racial feeling that was inevitable in our political struggle against the British, despite all the efforts of Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders that we should keep this out, could not help invading other spheres of life as well. The Christian community also was not able to keep itself exempt; and so, if I am not mistaken, there has been a strong movement for an Indian Christian Church which certainly has had a tinge of anti-European feeling. Now that the British have left us, and now that the Christians, like others, cannot depend on any foreigner and have to be one with their own people, they need to have no prejudices, and they can and must and should make common cause with everyone else.

You pastors, as leaders of Christian men and women in your own centres of activity, have a heavy responsibility resting on your shoulders. You represent Christianity which is not one of the religions born in the country; you also represent western civilisation which brought Christianity to our land. You have to be good Christians yourselves, and make others so. You have to make Christianity one of the religions of the country itself in every sense of the word. You have to cast aside any traditions of association with and assistance from foreigners that may militate against your regarding yourselves as children of the motherland. You have to keep up the spirit of Christian charity and show how organised work is better than individual endeavour. You have to suppress all feelings of caste that may come into your hearts sometimes because of your ancestry, and help others also to eradicate the feeling of inferiority and superiority that castes unfortunately breed. You have to bring the best of European life culture and civilisation, and orient it with our own so that we may be able to harmonise the West and the East, the ancient and the modern, and project an image of ourselves in the world which may be for its good as well as our own.

At the close of the lecture a delegate asked: “Mr. Sri Prakasa, what is your opinion of Jesus Christ?” Mr. Sri Prakasa answered: “To be quite frank, I am no believer in the cult of personality. I certainly regard Jesus as one of the greatest spiritual leaders of all time. The world today would certainly be a worse place to live in than it is, if he had not lived and preached, and if his disciples had not spread his teachings throughout the world. Unfortunately, as it happens, innumerable miracles surround his life. That part of his life is not helpful to us because such miracles do not happen in our lives, and if we feel that unless they happen we cannot live and work as Jesus did, then Jesus and his life are of no value to us. We have, therefore, to take from him, as from all other spiritual leaders, what they did and could do as common human beings because we can also do the same. We have to discard miracles for one cannot expect to have them in our own lives and be, therefore, helped by them. We really have no need of them to become good men and women, truly religious in every sense of the word.”

It is a privilege to publish an article by Shri Sri Prakasa. As many readers know, Sri Prakasaji was for nearly forty years one of the most distinguished figures in Indian national life and even in retirement he has maintained a lively and well-informed interest in public affairs. A year ago he graciously accepted our request to address the pastors of the Lucknow Annual Conference of the Methodist Church in Southern Asia who were attending a refresher course at Rajpur. His very appreciative account of personal associations with Christians, combined with some critically helpful observations, offers an unusual and valuable commentary on the Church in India.

Shri SRI PRAKASA was born in Banaras (Varanasi), a son of Dr. Bhagavan Das, the renowned scholar and philosopher. He was educated at the Central Hindu School and College at Banaras and later went to England where he took the degrees of Bachelors of Arts and Laws at Cambridge University and qualified himself for the Bar at Grays Inn, London. On his return to India in 1914 he first joined the Hindu University, Banaras as a professor, but soon took to journalism and politics. He joined the Indian National Congress in 1916 and was a member of the All-India Congress Committee from 1917 onwards. He was the Secretary of the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Congress Committee (1928-31) and also of the Indian National Congress (1929-31) and was imprisoned for political activities on four occasions between 1930 and 1942. Sri Prakasaji was elected a member of the Central Indian Legislature in 1934 and served in that capacity until 1947. He was member of the Indian Constituent Assembly in 1946 and became the first Indian High Commissioner of India in Pakistan (1947-49). He was Governor of Assam (1949-50), Minister of the Central Government (1950-51), Governor of Madras (1952-56) and Governor of Bombay, later Maharashtra (1956-62). Following his retirement he built a house at Debra Dun and has since devoted himself to literary work. He is the author of many articles and several books in Hindi and English on social and political subjects.

— Courtesy - “Reflection”

Sharing Christ With Mature Hindus

By RALPH RICHARD KEITHAHN

I have just received a thought-provoking letter from a new Hindu friend whom I am yet to meet. He is in Germany and was introduced to me through a common friend. He writes.

“Here they are celebrating Christmas. But I wonder, how far away have they gone and how far away are they going by doing so. It would be a brute truth if I would say the same to a so-called Christian but is it ours to celebrate Christmas and sing the song of glory, but to forget the ideals. He lived and commanded? It (Christmas) comes to get drunk, to have delicious dishes, to have new suits, ornaments and jewellery. It also comes for others just to have it watched, who can afford nothing - even a toy for their child will be a luxury. But it goes without thinking forever. Still, they are proudly followers of Christ. Please do not conclude that I have fundamentally anything against the Christians. I know you are the one yourself. I would like to call myself one if they would allow me to do so, nevertheless, I would call myself, a Buddhist. But there is my opinion no need to be called anything at all … not even Tolstoyan or Gandhian. My little knowledge of the history convinces me to believe that all the distress that has come to humanity has been imposed mainly for two reasons … Religion and Nationalism.”

Surely, no one of us questions our duty to share the Eternal Christ whom we identify with the historical Jesus. At the moment I am not questioning anything that has happened in the past. There was much justification for certain methods that were used that may not be suitable today. I am even ready to recognise that certain old methods have a place even in this new day. However, a letter like this, from a thoughtful and devoted Hindu, who has great admiration for Jesus Christ, should make every Christian rethink his missionary expression in this land.

As I have often indicated, there are many Hindus who are close to Jesus Christ; several of them have accepted Jesus as their master. Missionary Stanley Jones recognised this group and had a place for them in his Fellowship. He gives special attention to their needs at the Sat Tal Ashram. However, the Church and the average Christians have very largely ignored such people. At Christmas and Easter time I often say that “we Christians tend to keep our Christ in our Church compounds.” Seldom is there a service at these important times when the Hindu or Muslim, who loves Jesus, may attend. I often wonder why we think that we belittle Jesus Christ by introducing him as a great man to the public. We must meet people where they are. In our hospitals and schools we do present Jesus Christ as a man of great divinity who has much to say to us for everyday life. As people become interested we can take them on step by step to a greater appreciation of the Eternal Christ. Surely, this is what we do in our homes with our children: Psychologically, I think there is much to be said for such progressive introduction of Jesus Christ to the Hindu or Muslim.

The Rev. D.I. Niles, Dom Bede Griffiths and others are saying that no missionary ever brings Christ to another people. The Eternal Christ is already there. Surely, many Hindus and Muslims have had their own experience of the Christ. This has been true of Sri Ramakrishna and many another. I am not saying that such an experience is the same experience as that which a Sadhu Sunder Singh experienced. However, we must recognise it as real. Even Christians do not have the same experience of Jesus Christ. We but need to read the biographies of Christian leadership to realise how varied this experience of Jesus Christ is. Surely, we must take the Indian experience of Jesus Christ as valid. If we feel there is a lack, then patiently, lovingly, and persistently we should share that experience that we have had which may not be the experience of our Indian friend. In some cases, we may find that we have something to learn from the Hindu or Muslim. It will be truly a sharing process, we hope, a growing process for all concerned. - The Guardian.

(Dogmas such as the uniqueness, Resurrection, atonement, Divinity - particularly when presented dogmatically - destruct and repel the Hindu. The historical Jesus a perfect man and an example appears to him. He naturally traces divinity in him. He easily begins with hero worship considering him as a Friend, philosopher and Guide and sooner or later ends with Guru, Saviour, and God. He uses an inductive method in his search for truth. This is the normal and average religious psychology in India. Did not the disciples follow the same process? - Editor Church of Christ).

Lord Condemns Second Water Baptism and Noisy Pentecostal Prayers

Two thousand years ago, Peter, one of the chief disciples, wrote as follows - “But there were false prophets also among the people even as there shall be false teachers among you” (Holy Bible 2nd epistle of Peter chapter 2 verse 1.) In literal fulfilment of those words, false teaching and wrong practices are present in the churches today at the time of the Lord’s Second appearance. Men have taken to interpret the Bible in their own way and so the church is now divided into about 850 denominations and groups. In the middle group there are two sections. One section interprets the passages of the Bible to suit its views. The second section interprets the Bible in good faith, according to its own ready mind.

Beware of Second Water Baptists

The Second Water Baptism is false teaching. Those who advocate Second Water Baptism fail to understand the real significance of Baptism. They give importance to the outward sign and neglect the important part which is the inner change.

Beware of Noisy Pentecostalists

As far as we know most of the Pentecostalists, except for a few, are addicted to noisy prayers and praise. Loud songs of praise by all are a commendable part of divine worship. While we are yet to learn of the history of this noisy affair, we are reminded of the prophets of Baal in the Holy Bible. In 1st Book of Kings chapter 18 verses 27-80, to whom Elijah the prophet said, “Cry aloud for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth and must be awoken …”

An Independent missionary of North India came to Bangalore a few years back on his return from Kerala state. He narrated the story of a Pentecostal evangelist, who (known as a prophet) invited that missionary to address a conference. But when he actually arrived at the place of conference, the prophet had disappeared from the place. Tha Pentecostal conferences people made such terribly loud noises during worship in addition to the deafening sounds of drums that snakes came out of certain holes in the ground.

A friend of the Editor of the Rapture once said that a Pentecostal pastor and wife took him outside the town and began to call upon God so very loudly that he was afraid that their hearts would burst. This disturbing and noisy practice is slowly spreading to other places of worship. In this matter to whom can we look for guidance except the Lord. The following is the message of the Lord to the inner fellowship of Dr. Ottmann, a prophetess, on 24th April 1923 at Berhampur:

“Children! I am Jehovah your Father. There is much difference between the power of the Spirit and the power of the senses. Many think that by prayer men must shake. Many think that men must shout when they pray or that they should cry out and turn their hands and others think that men must fall in witness. These are not the works of the power of the Spirit. Hear. When the disciples were at the Pentecost they were quiet, afterward they spake in tongues … they did not jump or dance. The work of the Spirit is to embrace the Throne in silence - that is the work of the Spirit. You see the silence of this place. As you are silent, so I will silently be made manifest. Children! By this many people are being deceived. Whenever you see this, think it is the power of the senses, not the power of the spirit … do not put your trust in them. When the power of the Spirit came upon the disciples that fell down and so the people thought they were drunk. Children Grace be with you, Amen.”

— The Rapture - Editor, Captain A.S. Jayanandom, M.A., LT., B.C.D., D.S.S., (Leeds).

Notes

1. All India Congress on Evangelism at Deolali

January 1-8, 1970 organised by the Evangelical Fellowship of India. 300 delegates (Chosen out of 1000) from far and near representing 20 major denominations. It must have required a long and laborious preparation costing a good deal of money. There were 37 prayer cells, 20 discussion groups, 7 regional groups. Estimated budget of expenses was 58000/- 48000/- came readily. The Congress was a direct result of the Asian Congress in Singapore. Our comments:

1. We appreciate the fellowship that is natural and normal in such gatherings. Was it of a big order, could it be of a deep spiritual quality without common participation in the Holy Eucharist? Friends represented separate churches, remained separate in spite of common prayer and meditation, returned to their respective stations separate in the matter of the deepest and inmost sacred communion. Such social, intellectual, and prayer fellowship could be enjoyed by members of different religions meeting together! In this lack of fundamental unity adequate for effective united evangelism?

2. The Congress is impressive, almost propagandist. In that consonant with the spirit of the life and work of the humble and unobtrusive Nazarene? Such show and propaganda offend, frighten, pique our countrymen and put them on their mettle. It defeats the very purpose of winning them over to Christ.

3. There is so much of organising by human wisdom that the Holy Spirit will find very little scope to inspire and lead them.

4. How many delegates are actual evangelists among Hindu - Muslims at the grassroots and deal with brass tacks? Are not many mere easy chair evangelists theorising on evangelism, lacking love and compassion glibly talked about, and living in ease and comfort which effectively prevents realistic contact and identification with the people whom they want to evangelise?

5. Prompted by Singapore, Deolali is an imposition on India. It has not risen out of a sense of locally felt need and is therefore really artificial. These extraneously motivated and western inspired evangelical friends, if genuine and sincere, ought to join or co-operate with the National Missionary Society and the Christian Ashrams instead of running big religious Tamasas or circuses (like the Indian National Congress conducting Tamasas or farces costing the poor Indian taxpayers at least 50 lakhs annually) at a big cost to the west and under its indirect and insidious leadership.

6. Has God or Man supplied such a vast sum of money for a week conference on one single topic? Certainly it is a shameful waste of good money though another. Western money in Indian banks and distributed by Indian agencies does not make it our own.

7. The delegates may all be Indian in their physical complexion and in political citizenship. But are not most of them western in their dress, eating habits, thought processes, emotion and sympathy, and ideas of Christianity and evangelism? Are they rooted in the indigenous culture? If not, how can they secure adequate respect and confidence of the people? The Congress was held in an Anglo-Indian (or European) school and one learns from reliable sources that beef was served as a food item and meals cost 10/- per head per day. Is this decent and right for disciples of Christ in a country where the great majority of the people lack enough food and respect and even worship the cow? The gathering ought to have been held in an Ashram, or in a church compound at quarter of the expense.

8. “Going ahead to defeat the dark powers.” This shows a militant spirit untraced of Christ and his early disciples and unworthy of modern Christians. The spirit is thoroughly unsuitable for proclamation of the Gospel in India. Is India so benighted and the Christian evangelist so illuminated by the light of Christ that they can adopt this attitude in communicating the Christian truth to Hindus and others? The Bible and actual facts belie this assumption. Let there be a little humility.

9. “United evangelistic efforts” and “maximum use of mass media” are futile. True evangelism is essentially and fundamentally personal, even individualistic. Effective communication of faith leading to conversion of soul is at the contact of personalities and not achieved by joint or united efforts and the use of mass media that cheapens the value of spiritual messages. A sensible Hindu will not respect or accept into his heart a Christian message coming through artificial media and not directly from a believing preacher’s agonizingly loving heart. The Cross cannot be presented except through rich heart - experience conveyed from soul to soul in direct touch. United efforts and mass media will produce braggart and prestige so detrimental to spiritual life but, of course, will bring dollars for easy appropriation.

10. 1. Yes, Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. India has been yearning for it through the ages and their soul’s prayer has gone up from her forests and hills and homes. But to posit the claim to supremacy and finality in front of preaching or tagging it on at the end every time, and constantly harping on it, jars the Hindu ears and confuses his mind. About the last thing the Hindu understands and accepts is the uniqueness of Christ not to speak of the superiority of Christianity. He is led step by step, up and forward. (b) Yes, Christ seeks India and America too; but have we realised that India (Hindu India in particular) has been seeking Christ for ages? Do we know that this spirit of search (Jidnasa or Mumuksha) has been at work and leading India’s soul towards Him? If we did, our approach would be different.

11. Obeying the Lord. Take up thy cross and follow me. A corn of wheat falling into the ground and dying. Yes, this is the way and this is the spirit. Are evangelicals in India and everywhere ready to give up living high, talking high, travelling high, and be content to be humble and remain obscure under the leadership of the Oriental Guru?

12. For 6 decades of our public life and ministry of the Gospel, we have seen and participated in hundreds of conferences, councils, revival meetings, seminars, campaigns, Gospel Teams, assemblies of thousands in this country costing life, energy and crores of money. But no appreciable advance of the cause of fruitful evangelism. Beware, learn and shed the spirit alien both to India and Christ.

13. In spite of fairly wide criticism, the practice of sending abroad young Christian men and women for a smattering of Theological and practical training and sending them back to India for pastoral, educational and evangelistic positions has not stopped. For this individual missionaries commanding means and influence, some churches, some foreign missions, some foreign cultural institutions in this country are responsible. These young friends know nothing of their country, its problems, needs, culture and faith, and yet they are trained by foreign agencies to teach, lead and preach here. So the aims, policies, and approach of Christian efforts in different fields - education, theology, evangelism, humanitarian service - are confused and vitiated. These young people with high monetary ambitions and big western standards of life get demoralised inevitably and due to tensions between their status and actual Indian situations, get frustrated very soon, and their lives become unhappy, empty of meaning and futile, why cannot they see the reason - those who are responsible for this affair, and get them trained in some of the simpler Bible schools or preferably in the Ashrams of which there is a good number now in the country? Humble and poor Christians cannot possibly respect them. Even educated congregations in towns find them misfits and out of tune in the Indian atmosphere. There is utter confusion in the Christian leadership which normally misleads. The proper remedy lies in all Christians being truly indigenous in home life, in worship, in education, in evangelistic work. Then there will arise a harmony and unity. As long as Christians are led and influenced by Germany, Italy, Belgium, Scandinavia, U.K., U.S.A., etc., there will be rivalry and conflict of interests and ideologies. Grants of foreign money with strings attached by implication and foreign leadership, however covert and indirect, must be rejected if the church in India wants to stand united and strong.

2. Latest Missionary Slogan in Support of Their Continued Leadership of the Indian Church

The earliest slogan (since 1910) was “I (missionary) must decrease he (Indian) must increase” (John the Baptist); It was a flash of true light which soon became dim. The force of the slogan slowed down in no time. Then came a powerful scheme for retaining the missionary with all his heavy and costly paraphernalia and institutions inside the Indian church. The attractive slogan was “Integration” by which missions (some of the bigger ones) merged into their churches here. The missions as such and nominally disappeared only to reappear in another form and colour as part and parcel of the churches. The foreign missions inside the churches were declared to be the mission of the Indian church in an ecumenical sense. But the scheme largely failed as some big missions and numerous small missions did not implement it. So the missionary felt restive and frustrated under double pressure from Government and some agitation by the Indian church. They have now adopted a very clever plan seemingly innocent and acceptably Christian. Under the umbrella of ecumenism they demand, since the church of Christ is universal, full participation in the life and activity of the church, free passage of foreign funds, etc.

Indeed, the Church is Catholic in its Fellowship Brotherhood and there should be effective instruments for sustaining and promoting the unity on the spiritual and moral level. But in mundane matters like church building, use of money, and leadership alien direction is harmful because men are imperfect. God knows that very well and spoke through Paul. And he (God) made of one every nation of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth having determined their appointed seasons and the bounds of their habitation - Acts 17:26. The national boundaries must be respected; the initiative, self-respect and the talents of different nations must not be violated but allowed scope and development. When will overseas servants of Christ realise this truth? It is now two centuries - their planned systematic leadership, and even domination of the church.

3. Evangelism in Cities, Towns and Religious Centres

There is hardly any effective Christian witness in places like Calcutta, Puri, Gaya, Prayag (Allahabad) Vindraban, Mathura, Haridwar, Delhi, Lucknow, Agra, Bombay, Madras, and hundred of other places, one does not know for how long. These represent a truly unoccupied field. Vast populations are concerned; most of them educated and religious with seeking and hungry souls.

We admire the zeal of so-called evangelicals - but not their spirit vis-a-vis India, not their activities and policies which are largely on the wrong line. Many of them must be well-educated, some may be converts from other faith. Why they should not feel a call from the Hindus and others in the urban areas? And why should they pay so much attention to Christians? If they feel the call for work among Hindus, then their experience (though unpleasant and hard be sometimes) will make them better workers in the church. Of course, they will need to shed certain biases, prejudices, and presumptions and humbly learn from the life and faith of the people. They will have to identify themselves with the people and share their joys and sorrows, their problems, hopes and struggles. It will mean lots of patience, love and sacrifice, some training in practical and theoretical studies too. But this sadtan (discipline) and experience will pay rich dividends. Apart from spiritual fare from the Word of God the famished and anaemic church needs infusion of new blood.

The evangelicals are numerous, but many of their efforts are misdirected and fruit of their hard labour is not commensurate to the cost involved in money, energy and time. Will they pay some attention to our counsel and warning and take to indigenous lines in their evangelical approach?

— Editor - Church of Christ.

4. The Temptation of Our Lord

“He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan.” Mark 1:13.

Temptation does not mean as we usually think to seduce or to entice people to do wrong or evil. Temptation means testing the ability or worthiness of a person or community to fulfil His mission. So the temptation itself is not wrong but to fail in the test is wrong. The first temptation of our Lord to turn stones into bread to satisfy his hunger shows the temptation to think only of our own requirements and failing to have the vision of our mission. This is true of our churches. Our Lord won the test by denying himself to fulfil His mission.

The Second temptation of our Lord to gain popularity by doing miraculous or spectacular performances as big meetings to draw souls of the people in this country. But our Lord rejected the temptation of domination from the pinnacle of the tempter because the gain he would make by that would not be permanent. So the churches, negligence for the individual souls and to have spectacular functions is to yield to this temptation. Our Lord won over it for He sought to do His Mission in a humble way caring for the individuals.

The temptation for the world dominion in an organisation was the temptation to have power. The church is not exempted from that. The over organisation in the churches has tempted the people to seek for power by creating “Yes Men” by bestowing unmerited benefits on them. But our Lord rejected this for His mission by relying on His father, to whom alone His obedience was due. May the church in India realise this relevance of our Lord’s temptation to the commission to win India for Christ and repent and get over these tests by concentrating on her mission.

— N.M.I. - Rev. K.G.C. DORAIRAJ, General Secretary, N.M.S.

In the Fellowship of Faith and Work

1. SADHU A.N. SIRCAR of Katpadi, North Arcot, Tamil Nadu. In recent months he has been very much used for evangelistic services in Kerala, Madras and until the end of May in Andhra. In this last area his work was undertaken in co-operation with the Revival Literature agency of Visakhapotnam. Gospel preaching and Divine Healing with songs, prayers, sermons and colour film are special features. He has trained a Team in his home centre to help him and to carry on the work in his absence.

2. ISHANANDA S.E. PAUL of Immanuel Ashram and church (Jamboo, Orissa) has been taking long tours in different parts of the status and is in Ganjam side at present for two months. He is also collecting donations towards developing a “Khrista Mandir” in Puri on the seaside.

3. PASTOR DEBABRATA (David) DUTT of Calcutta has been in Switzerland preaching the Gospel in bitter cold. God be with him!

4. Our dear sister Mrs. BINA DUTT (David’s widow mother) in spite of ill health is finishing her life of Christ in the current spoken Bengali. We have the privilege of editing her MSS.

5. Brother RODRIGUS, Director - Christnagar Mission (with extensive literature work through their own Press and evangelistic enterprises and the editing of the Crusader) has been pestered by Romans with court cases and other forms of persecutions. Help and gifts, however small, towards legal expenses and the work will be gratefully acknowledged,

6. ARCHBISHOP PILLAY in New York is continuing his significant interpretation for American readers of the Word of God through the EASTERN WINDOW.

7. Our dear Brother and sincere minister of Christ, Dr. VICTOR PAUL WIERWILLE, after much misunderstanding and persecution from his church because of his radical views on policies of mission work in India - has built up over the years on independent lines a vast network of Biblical services, education and evangelism in New Knoxville (Ohio, U.S.A.). His life and work is a strong testimony to the reality and power of the Holy Spirit.

8. Brother J. JAMES of Visakhapatnam whose writings have appeared in a past issue of the “Church of Christ” has now brought out a paper entitled “Gospel Time” to disseminate the truth of Christ. We wish him God-speed.

9. World renowned Evangelist, author of many helpful books on Christ and the spiritual life and Founder, Acharya of Sat Tal Ashram in the Himalayas is now preaching the message of Christ in Kerala in his mid-eighties. We wish and pray that his ministry may help promote peace and unity in the split churches of that region and also in the political confusions and conflicts in the State.

10. Rev. Fr. B.K. MUNDLA has been engaged for nearly a year in important work under the Patna Diocese at Santal (Jalpaiguri), W.B.

11. Brother Satyen Choudhury and his Mizo wife have been engaged in difficult peace work in that troublesome area in Tripura. The other day they visited us in the Ashram with their sparkling baby. Let us pray for their future plans.

12. Dr. C.B. Mondol is quietly continuing his medical ministry in Siliguri (Darjeeling District) West Bengal.

13. OBITUARY

1. Shri Keshub Chandra Mondol passed away in December last at the age of 84. A Railwayman, a righteous and staunch union worker - we knew him in Lalmanirhat, North Bengal, in the later twenties. He was a Superintendent at Sealdah at the time of his retirement. Until death, he lived in his own home “Udayan” at Hazaribagh with his children and grand children. His wife predeceased him. We have known few believing, faithful and loving Christians as he was. Our sincere condolences to his surviving children.

2. An old St. Paulian of Calcutta died on the 24th January this year. DANIEL BISWAS of CHAPRA (Nadia) W.B. - an old student and friend was a quiet humble Christian. A teacher all his life and a Sadhu - he was an original thinker. His many flashes of light and truth have been published in the “Seeker” as our magazine was called before 1963. We convey our grief and sorrow at his demise before his ‘guru’ to the surviving members of his family especially to his younger brother - Rev. Robin Biswas of Doyapur (Banaghat).

3. Acharya Das has been in continuous residence at the Ashram since July last year. He twice attended the Executive of the Tract Society in Allahabad and paid a short visit to Calcutta in December. The rigours of the winter this year were irksome and uncomfortable and made him ill. For the last 6/7 years he has gone away for the summer and winter to avoid the extremes of climate in his advancing age (82). But he was detained this year for the reason made explicit in the next paragraph. Among those who visited the Ashram are Mr. Mandrell - new Secretary of the Tract Society, Rev. Mangavadi - Secretary of the Bible Society, Shri J.K. Biswas and family, Pastor R.K. Nath, Srimati Santi Das and family, Dr. I.N. Ghosh (Calcutta), Shri Satyen Choudhury and family (Tripura), Shri B.B. Bhattooharya and wife (Bhadrakali, W.B.).

In spite of much prayer over the years and some publicity and consultation for some plan to continue the Christian witness to the Hindu city through the Ashram no Clear light was received, and it appeared that the Ashram has to be closed due to lack of funds and the growing age of Acharya Das. Before Christmas, he was engaged actually in liquidating the establishment which was simple. But in his spirit he was not reconciled to it and did not feel that closure was God’s will. Rather suddenly three suggestions came one upon another unsought. One of these has materialised. God’s ways are mysterious. Pastor - Evangelist Brahmachari Rabindra Kumar Nath, aged about 40, who has had experience in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, has just joined the Ashram at a great sacrifice. Needed guidance and training will be available. A local advisory committee will be there too. A generous friendly party has accepted the minimum financial responsibility. We are sincerely thankful to God and grateful to men.

Acharya Das will spend sometime in Bengal and try to organise certain evangelistic efforts possibly through an Ashram there. He will come up to Varanasi as long as he can undertake a rail journey. We appeal to our readers, friends and supporters to pray for us and help us morally and materially. God bless you.

Cordially yours in His service,

Executive Secretary - Bharat Khrist Sangh

Available from:

Rev. R.C. Das, M.A.,
Khristpanthi Ashram,
129, Dashashwamedh, Varanasi, India

Printed at:

Evangelical Press,
“CHRIST NAGAR MISSION”,
Badagayedapadavu Post, Mangalore Taluk, S. India