Gandhi Before Gandhi

Author(s): Bipin Doshi, Priti Shah
Publisher: Jain Academy Educational Research Center Promotion Trust Mumbai

Page 158

GANDHI BEFORE GANDHIA
Buffalo Times, N.Y., August 8, 1894
Virchand Gandhi is the guest of honour at Cassadaga. He has already won his way to the hearts of the people by the soft persuasiveness of his reasoning, oriental in its simplicity, strength and power of conviction. His musically modulated voice and physical repose distinguish him no less than his Oriental costume at any time and any place.
Light of Truth, Cincinnati, August 11, 1894
Mr. Gandhi is a thorough student of the Vedic religion of India, thorough conversant with the Brahmanical tenets and the teachings of Buddha. He illumines all with spiritual halo and practical philosophy of this great teacher as well as his luminous mind.
The Illustrated Buffalo Express, Aug. 12, 1894
On Saturday afternoon one of the most enthusiastic audiences ever known to the auditorium of Cassadaga listened to "The message of India to the People of America," by Virchand R. Gandhi, B.A., of Bombay, India, who was elected by vote of 5,000,000 Jains to represent them at the world's Congress of Religions in Chicago.
Mr. Gandhi was given a perfect ovation as he stepped forward in his Oriental costume of royal purple silk and yellow turban and sash, and said : "Brothers and sisters of America: I greet you in the name of India and her three hundred millions of sons and daughters. I greet you as my brother and sisters and bring you a message of peace, love, universal brotherhood and fellowship from the aged and well-preserved nation of India, which is proud to clap the hand of the youngest child of the ages. Our country in all confidence places in your lap the key to its archives of ancient philosophy and attainments, because you are in a perfect intellectual condition to
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appreciate its mystical treasures of religious lore. India has been studied from the outside and from a limited point of view and consequently misunderstood."
The Jamestown All, New York, Aug. 13, 1894
The Buffalo excursion brought six carloads of people, and the Jamestown and Titusville the same. It was a "big day" and most of the people came to hear the learned Hindu, Virchand Gandhi. His subject on Sunday afternoon was his impression of our country and its various institutions. He complimented us, as a nation, on our hospitality, our common schools and universal education, thought our natural resources and industries marvelous, and made comparison between us and his own Jainist people. In his lecture on Saturday he gave "India's Message to America." And the lecture took every one by storm. He is so full of kindness and brotherly love for the American people, and so clear in expressing his ideas to us that no one can help but feel, after listening to him, that the Jainist people did well in selecting Mr. Gandhi as their representative to this country.
Buffalo Evening Times, Aug. 13, 1894
Mr. Virchand R. Gandhi, the east Indian, who represented 5,000,000 of his co-religionists at the congress of Religions, preaches the universal brotherhood of man. He is much farther advanced in the Esoteric philosophy than the western Theosophists, and gives far more lucid explanations of the Oriental teachings. The Hindu is decidedly the Lion of the season.
Buffalo Evening Times, N. Y., Aug, 14, 1894 Yesterday morning Virchand Gandhi, the Bombay B.A., delivered his