Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-18

r--z=s==z=z=SlOMBAY, India. - Chrlstlahlly
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own eyes. The careful stu
dents of history in late years have ue-
MED the claim of the ancient church III
southern India that it is the direct de-
scendant of the congregation organlzeu
by St Thomas, but even the most
learned and critical admit the histor-
ical truth of st. Thomas visit TO north
west India In that section, however
there is no remaining Christian church
The legend of ST. Thomas Is hrmly
believed by many native Christians Oh
southern India, however, and a eathe-
dral at Madras marks the reputed site
of his pulpit. Leaving aside the con-
troversal origin of the Indian Chrls-
tian church it is certain that the Chris
tian community in Malabar had reached
a position of importance in the second
century after Christ. Grants of lana
for church purposes engraved on en-
during metal plates, leave no room Tor
doubt on that score.
In the fifth century this church ad-
hered to the HISTORIAN schism. the
HISTORIANS. who denied that the dlVlne
and human natures were blended IN
Jesus, were driven from Europe and
Africa to find refuge in Central ASIA.
They rose to great Importance in lndla,
swept over China and Korea, and even
penetrated Japan. The ancient Indian
church subjected itself to this schlsm'
and looked to the patriarch Oh Bapy-
lon as its spiritual head. He supplied
bishops of the Chaldean or Syrian rite
for India, and that rite exists today.
The holy wars waged under the green
banner of Mohammed killed the Nes-
torian church, broke its communica-
tions and forever destroyed its import
ance.
For six or seven centuries the small
church of South India lived to ITSELF
unprogressive but peaceful. Then came
fhe Portuguese invasion of India. The
Portuguese endeavored to bring the
church under the rule of the pope, ana
this was nominally effected at the syn
cd of Diamper in 1899. The consollda-
ton was in the NJ ure of compro-
mise, as the Syrian rite and liturgy,
purged of Nestorianism. was permitted
to continue in use, the church acknowl-
edging the supreme spiritual power or
the pope. About fifty years later many
of the members revolted and re-estab-
lished the old independent church with
out readopting HISTORIAN doctrines
A Carmelite mission sent out from
Rome in 1860 succeeded In bringing
most of the Indian Christians back into
the fold, but the remaining few re-
ceived support from the protestant
Dutch always at war with the Portu-
guese and established a separate church.
In this way arose the two native
churches which still exist in India.
One is the Old Church, or Syrian Cath
olic, owning allegiance to It's own bish-
ops under the patriarch of Antioch; and
the other is the New Church of jacob
I,A 90
Syrian language In the ritual. some
dogmas and rites peculiar to itself. but
which acknowledges the spiritual su-
premacy of the pope OF Rome.
Much more active and influential is
the Roman Catholic church. proper. 1t
owes its foundation In India directly
TO Portuguese arms, but its strength Is
a heritage from one of the greatest
preachers and missionaries OF the whole
history of Christendom. st. Francis
Xavier came to India in 1912. The
Franciscan brethren had been in Irdia
for over forty years, but they had not
extended their labors far from the
Portuguese capital at Goa. For ten
years st. Francis Xavier labored
nightly on the Malabar coast and
the southern provinces of Madras,
converting thousands and establishing
a living church. He then went to the
farther east and died on the coast Of
China. His body was brought back to
India and now rests under beauti-
full shrine in the Church of Bonn
Jesus at Goa. Fifty years later
Jesuit mission began work in southern
India, founding schools and parochlal
institutions which still exist.
All these Catholic bodies were
brought under control of the inquisi-
tion of Goa, and so continued until its
dissolution in 1872 Goa Is still the
headquarters of the church in India,
although the name Is now given to
newer city. OF the ancient capi-
tai of the Portuguese empire in India
nothing remains except ruined forts.
a dozen majestic churches and the at
tendant priests. The secular popula-
ton of that once great city is now
only twenty-eight.
The first Protestant mission was es-
tablshed in India in 1705 by Luther
ans sent out under the protection of
the Danish kingdom. A half century
later came the devoted Swartz. who
founded a mission at Tinnevelly
which is reckoned as the beginning of
modern missionary effort in India A
Swede mission to Calcutta was found
ed in 1858, two years after the famous
tragedy Of the Black Hole.
The East India company, which
ruled India until 1855 was uncom-
promising in It's opposition to missions
and placed every possible difficulty In
the way of the missionaries. In spite
Of this obstacle, William Carey, an