Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-07-23

houEh: Ia India by the Apostle Thomas,
the one of the twelve who doubted the
resurrection until he had seen the Risen
Lord with his own eyes. The careful stu
dents of history in late years have denied
the claim of the ancient church in south
crn India that 1t is the direct descendant
of the congregation organized by St
Thomas, but even the most learned and
critical admit the historical truth of ST.
Thomas visit to northwest India. In that
section, however, there is no remaining
Christian church.
The legend of st. Thomas Is firmly be-
lieved By the many native Christians of
southern India, however. and a cathedral
at Madras marks the reputed site of his
pulpit Leaving aside the controversial
origin of the Indian Christian church, it
| is certain that the Christian community
in Malabar had reached a position of i'm
portance in the second century after
Christ. Grants of land for church pur-
poses, engraved on enduring metal plates,
leave no room for doubt on that score.
IR the fifth century this church adhered
to the HISTORIAN schism. The HISTORIANS,
who denied that the divine and human
natures were blended in Jesus, were
driven from Europe and Africa to find
|
great Importance in India, swept over
China and Korea. and even penetrated
Japan. The ancient Indian church sub
jected itself to this schism, and looked
to the Patriarch of Babylon as it's spir-
itual 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 no
manned killed the HISTORIAN church,
broke its communications and forever de-
stroyed its Importance.
For six or seven centuries the small
church of southern India lived to itself,
Iunprogressive but peaceful. Then came the
Portuguese invasion of India. The Port
uguese endeavored to bring the church
under the rule of the pope and this was
II: minally effected at the synod Of DIAM
per in 1883. The consolidation was in the
n1tTIe nf a compromise, as the Syrian
rite and liturgy, purged of Nestorianism,
was permitted to continue in use, the
church acknowledging the supreme spir-
itu1l power of the pope. About fifty
years later many of the members re-
VOTED and re-established the old indie
pendent church without re-adopting Mes
torian doctrines.
Carmelite mission sent out from
Rome in 1860 succeeded in bringing most
of the Indian Christians back into the
fold, but the remaining few received sup
port from the Protestant Dutch. always
at war with the Portuguese, and estab-
iished a separate church. In this way
arose the two native churches which still
exist in India. One is the Old church.
or Syrian Catholic. owning allegiance to
its own bishops under the Patriarch of
Antioch; and the other is the New
Church of Jacobite. which maintains the
use of the Syrian language in the ritual,
some dogmas and rites peculiar to itself.
but which acknowledges the spiritual SUI
premacy of the pope.
Much more active and influential is the
Roman Catholic church proper. 1t owes
its foundation in India indirectly to
Portuguese arms. but its strength is
heritage from one of the greatest preach
ers and missionaries of the whole history
of Chrlstendom. st. Francis Xavier came
to India in 1912. The Franciscan breth-
rem had been in India 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 estab
fishing a living church. He then went
on to the farther east. and died on the
coast of China. His body was brought
back to India and now rests under a
beautiful shrine in the Church of Bonn
Jesus at Goa. Fifty years later a Jesuit
mission began work in southern India.
founding schools and parochial institu-
lions which still exist.
All these Catholic bodies were brought
under control of the Inquisition of Goa
and so continued until its dissolution in
1912. Goa is still the headquarters of the
church in India, although the name is
now given to a newer city. OF the an
Client capital of the Portuguese empire in
India nothing remains except ruined forts
a dozen majestic churches and the attend
ant priests. The secular population of
that once-great city is now only twenty
eight.
The first Protestant mission was estab-
lished in India in 1705 by Lutherans 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 i'm |
India. A Swede mission to Calcutta was
founded in 1858, two years after the IA |
nous tragedy of the Black Hole.
The East India company. which ruled !
India until 1858. was incorporating in !
It's opposition to missions and placed ev-
cry possible difficulty in the way of the 4
In spite of this obstacle, |
William Carey, an English Baptist, sue |
ceeded in gaining admission to the coun- l
try in 1893. He founded a famous Bap- /
list mission. in a tiny city then owned by |
Denmark, which became the inspiration !
and model for all subsequent missionary /
effort by the evangelical protestant de-
1t was not until 1914 that the East India /
permitted the establishment of /
4 bishopric of the Church of England. !
A company chaplain had been stationed |
here in charge of the English community, |
but with the establishment of a diocese /
the work among the natives was begun. /
Bishop IIeber, the second bishop of Cal /
cutta, was great writer and his books !
and hymns stimulated the Church of /
England to its first active missionary
work. Adoniram JudsOn, an American /
Baptist came to Burma in 1913. He is |
known as the Apostle to the Burmese"
and has been called the greatest of /
American missionaries. Hundreds of /
churches and chapels in the east have his
name, which is also borne by a great in
stituIional church in Washington Square.
New York.