The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-03-03
Christian Missions to India.

pamphlet, respecting the rise of Native
Indian Church, in contrast to any mere re-
production of our divided Christian commun-
ions at home:-
at cannot surely be desired" he says,
"by an intelligent Christian-I might use
stronger language, and assert that it ought
not to be tolerated by any reasonable man,
unless proved to be unavoidable-that our
several Churches should reproduce, In order
to perpetuate in the new world of Chris
tianised India. those forms or symbols which
in the old world have become marks, not OF
our union as Christians, but of our dsunion
as sects. We may not, indeed, be response
bic for these divisions in the Church which
have come down to us from the past. We
did not make, nor can We now, perhaps, I'M
make them. We find ourselves born into
some one of them, and so we accept OF 1t
and make the most of it as the best we can
get in the whole circumstances in which we
are placed. But must we establish these
different organisations in India? Is each
part to be made to represent the whole!-
Is the grand army to remain broken up into
separate divisions, each to recruit to It's own
standard, and to invite the Hindoos to wear
our respective uniforms, adopt our respec-
tive shibboleths, learn and repeat our re-
spective war-cries, and even make caste
marks of our wounds and scars, which to us
are but the sad mementoes of old battles !
Or, to drop all metaphors, shall Christian
converts in India be necessarily grouped and
stereotyped into Episcopal Churches, Pres
byterian Churches, Lutheran Churches,
Methodist Churches, Baptist Churches, or
independent Churches, aud adopt as their
respective creeds the Confession of Faith,
the Thirty-nine Articles, or some other for
mula approved of by our fOrefathers; and
the separating sign of some British or Amer
lean sect? Whether any Church seriously
entertains the design 1 know not, though l
suspect it of some; and feel assured that
it will be realised in part, as conversions in
crease by means of Foreign Missions, and
be at last perpetuated, unless it is now care
fully guarded against by every opportunity
being watched and taken advantage of to
propagate different idea, and to rear up an
independent and all-inclusive native Indian
Church. By such Church mean one
which shall be organised and governed by
the natives themselves, as far as. possible,
Independently of US. We could of course
claim, as Christians and fellow-subje to
be recognised as brethren, and to be received
among it's members, or, if it should so please
both parties, serve among its ministers, and
rejoice always to be its best friends and most
generous supporters. In all this we would
only have them to do to US as we should feel
bound to do to them. Such Church might,
as taught by experience, mould its outward
form of government and worship according
to its inner wants and outward circum-
stances, guided by history and by the teach
ing and spirit of Christiaity. Its creed
for no Christian society can exist without
some known and professed beliefs-would in
clude those truths which had been confessed
by the catholic Church of Christ since the
first; and, as necessary to its very existence
as a Church, it would recognise the supreme
authority of Jesus Christ and His Apostles,
1t would also have, like the whole Church,
its Lords day for public worship, and the
sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Sup
per. Thus might new temple be reared
on the plains of India, unlike perhaps any
to be seen in our Western lands, yet with
all our goodly stones built up in its fabric,
and with all our spiritual worship within its
walls of the one living and true God-Fath-
er, Son, and Holy Spirit. A Church like
this, would from its very nationality, attract
MANY man who does not wish to be ranked
among the adherents of mission Churches.
1t would dispose, also, of many difficulties
inseparable from our position, whether re-
garding baptism or the selection and sup
port of native ministry. And, finally, it
would give ample scope, for many year to
come, for all the aid and efforts which our
home Churches and missionaries could afford
by schools and colleges, personal labor, and
also by money contributions, to establish,
strengthen, and extend it.
"Moreover, it seems to me that India af-
fords varied and remarkable elements for
contributing many varied gifts and talents
to such Church as this. The simple peas
ant and scholarly pundit, the speculative
mystic or self-torturing devotee, the peace
full South-man and the manly North,man /;
and the weak Hindoo who clings to others
of his caste for strength, and the strong
aborigines who love their individuality and
independence ;-one and all possess power
which could find its place of rest and bless
inc in the faith of Christ and in fellowship
with one another through Him. The incar-
nate. but unseen Christ, the Divine yet hu-
man brother, would dethrOne every idol;
Gods Word be substituted for the Puranas;
Christian brotherhood for caste; and the
neace of God, instead of these and every