CURRENTS AND COUNTER-CURRENTS IN INDIA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 9, 1 November 1907, Page 27

CURRENTS AND COUNTER-CUR-RENTS IN INDIA.

(By Rev. J. P. Jones, D.D.)

The Christianisation of India is a problem which is no nearer solution to-day than it was a quarter of a century ago. But our American Methodist friends are doing their best to solve the problem in the right way. They celebrated, the other day, in North India, the J übilee of the founding of their mission in this land. And they made a remarkable showing. No body of Christian workers, from any land, have put more enthusiasm and -seal, and I am inclined to think, of wisdom, into their half-century of effort than have these brethren. The Salvation Army came with more of a rush and made a little more noise; but their efforts have left very few substantial results. One can point to a few American missions in this land which stand in the van for method and spirit, and which number on the roll of their converts to-day fully one-half of all Protestant Indian Christians. And this at a time when there are nearly one hundred Protestant missions working in the land!

It was a great achievement to bring an offering of Rs. 50,000 from their native Christians on this occasion, wherewith to launch forth new enterprises for the cause of India. This was nearly one rupee for every adult member. The spectacular wav in which this groat sum was announced and the Jubilee Fund of 200,000 rs given from America, was somewhat oriental. And so was the baptismal gathering in which 523 men and women from distant villages were brought in to receive baptism at the hands of American delegates of various denominations 1 It was an inspiring occasion and carried a deep impression upon all, and especially upon those people who had crossed oceans to unite in this commemoration.

Presbyterian Unity. It is to be hoped that, by and by, these ardent representative of Methodism will cease to plough so deeply their sectarian furrow and will broaden out into a wider and more cordial fellowship with other denominations. Perhaps their greatest need is that of breathing in more fully the spirit of comity and co-operation with sister bodies just over their denominational fence. ’ For the present, this noble and inspiring work of cultivating fellowship had to be left largely to other denominations. And we are glad to see the Presbyterian denomination in India assuming a leadership in this movement. At the recent General Assembly of tho Presbyterian Church in India, which represents a recent union of all the many-named bodies of Presbyterian polity in the land, a definite proposition of union with other denominations in the country was heartily carried, and a committee was appointed to approach other bodies to see how far we could meet together and unite as fellow members of the Church of Christ. This fraternal advance lies in printed form before me, and I am glad that it emphasises not only the need of union, but also that the union should be distinctly on oriental lines.

“Recognising,” it says, “'also that our aim is to secure a united, indigenous church of Indian Christians, rather than one of foreign missionaries with its peculiarly Western characteristics, we feel it to be of supreme importance that the Indian brethren, as far as possible, should be responsible for its development, that the future church may grow in harmony with Oriental rather than Occidental ideas.” It is well that missionaries are coming to appreciate that no successful union is possible in this land, save as Western denominational differences aro ignored and a new edifice, in the spirit of India, and in tho name of Christ, shall be reared by all who bear his name. The Presbyterians and Congregationalists are, I think, best qualified to inaugurate this movement and to build up a church which shall be of the East eastern, and which shall gather in, by and by, all the scattered forces of our faith throughout the land. I believe that tho General Assembly has simply caught the spirit which now animates both Congregationalists and Presbyterians in South India—a spirit which has led to a scheme of union which will be perfected and accepted by the six missions concerned in a few months. We believe it is a movement begotten of God, representative of the highest spirit of our faith and sure to spread with ever-increasing blessing all over this land; then shall our Methodist brethren of England and America be lifted out of their sectarian ruts; and the Baptists, Lutherans and members of the Church of England shall bury their differences and reach tlieir hands ono to the other in mutual appreciation and hearty fellowship and co-operation.

The Secretarial Deputation. Drs Creegan and Hitchcock many times over have earned a respite from their home labours; and many times over will they repay to the home

(Jiurelies and the Board end missions the investment of thrs journey, and carry to them the inspiration and new blessing which they themselves have received in the many lands that they have visited. To all the missions they have brought the inspiration and deep helpfulness of their stirring presence and words. The only strange thing is that they ivere not sent earlior, as the only wise thing is that such officers of our Society should be periodically sent forth to acquaint themselves, on the spot, with the work w'hose interest it is their business to advocate and with whose characteristics they should be personally familiar.

Theosophy’s Influence. An interesting figure passed away recently, at Madras, by the death of Colonel Olcott, tho President-Founder of Theosophy. He was a staunch American, and was a man of considerable power. But it is difficult not to regard him as a charlatan. Many things which he did and his association with that clever, but unscrupulous, Russian, Madam Blavatsky, are not calculated to impress us either with his integrity or with his superior ability. And yet there is no doubt that Colonel Olcott has done a remarkable work in this land in and through the Theosophical Society. That Society has been most strikingly favoured in the East by the fact its origin synchronised with that of the wonderful religious and political movements of India and the East in general. Theosophy lent itself admirably to this new revival of religious thought and life and to the new dawn of an awakened national consciousness. It identified itself with this movement and, in the Indian mind, ivas incorporated into its methods and ambitions. So that today there are thousands of educated Hindus who believe that Colonel Olcott and his Theosophy have helped marked, ly to rehabilitate their declining national faith and to place it once more, with that other child of India, Buddhism, in the brotherhood of respectable faiths. And they have had much success among Hindus, Buddhists, Mohammedans, and even a few Christians, in urging Theosophy upon the land as the great “harmoniser of religions.” Mrs Besant will now probably take the reins of the movement into her own hands; and it will bo interesting to see where that equally gifted, erratic and unreliable woman will lead the society.

National Self-Consciousness Growing. The recent annual meeting of the National Congress, and its allied societies, created unusual interest and not a little excitement. The most striking thing about the Congress meeting was that it revealed a marked division of sentiment. This is what the Congress had never done before. It has never manifested conviction and character enough to engender division. Or the leaders have kept it so well in hand as to convert its sessions into occasions of placid acquiescence and meek subjection. There lias always been universal assent to every attack on government which have been the limit of its labours.

But this time the question of boycotting Western goods, as a political weapon against government, created an animated debate in which no little acrimony was indulged. Bengal has lost her head and wished to draw the whole country into the political boycott. Other provinces declined to do drawn into this method of revolt. And around this question waged a strenuous battle; and Bengal suffered an important defeat. This struggle has been a helpful thing for the Congress in many ways. Dissent and conflict are most useful in such gatherings._ The most remarkable thing about the Congress meeting, however, was the stand it took, and the claim which it made, the first time in its history, for “Self-Government for India on the model of British Colonies.” It is remarkable that this claim should be made. Never before was the Congress daring enough to ask even half so much as this. There is a growing number of people, especially among the educated classes of this country, who think that India should now enjoy the right to govern herself. I doubt whether many of the most thoughtful people of the land would dream of asking, or receiving. so fatal a gift as this .

The difficulty now is that the rising politicians of India have gone mad on their rights, and have largely forgotten their responsibilities. There is a wide difference between India and Canada, for instance. Canada is able to take care of herself; India is not; nobody soberly thinks that sho is. Let England withdraw her hand and the next day there will be anarchy, and the day following the land will become a prey to somo other foreign power or to a new Mohammedan l'Be. India really knows this, and would dislike nothing more than to have the British rule and pax Brittanica pass away. I believe that when India is capable of self rule it will come to her without a struggle and perhaps, without her asking.