GOING FORWARD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 30, 6 February 1939, Page 10

GOING FORWARD.

CHURCH IN INDIA.

MISSIONARY'S EXPERIENCE

REV. D. N. MacDIARMID HOME.

After an absence from New Zealand of five months, the Rev. D. N. MacDiarmid, director of missions of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, returned by the Mariposa this morning. He was accompanied I>y Mrs. MacDiarmkl, who is a Doctor of Literature. Mr. MacDiarmid visited the New Zealand mission stations in China and India and attended the world missionary conference at Madras. In addition, to Mr. and Mrs. MacDiarmid, New Zealand was represented at the conference by Bishop Bennett, of the Church of England, and Mr. George Falloon. who ' attended on behalf of the student movement.

"We travelled 6000 miles through India from Ceylon to within sight of the Himalayas," said Mr. MacDiarmid.

"The purpose was to see the work of the New Zealand Presbyterian Mission in the Punjab. "There is not the slightest doubt that Christianity is going forward in India and is now one of the greater religions of the country. The Christians outnumber the Siklis, who are of great [tolitical importance. For that reason the Hindoos are exerting a great deal of pressure to prevent them going over to Christianity because they would then lose tlieir communal voting rights. Despite all this. Christianity continues to advance rapidly, especially amongst the outcast people."

Mr. MacDiarmid said that if there was a much greater influx of Indians into the Christian Church the present mission forces would not be able to cope with the movement. Their ranks would need considerable reinforcement. "India is a difficult country to work in," he said. "The natives, while recognising that there are some benefits to be derived from being part of the British Empire and while acknowledging great affection for individual Britishers, seem generally critical of our Governmental administration. There is something of the same feeling in the Christian Church of India also —a desire for a greater measure of control and self-expression. I was surprised at the size and growing power of the Christian community of India."