Gandhi Before Gandhi

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

Page 5

A GANDHI BEFORE GANDHI
creedal Christ, a limited Christ, an emasculated truth, whatever it is, viewed from an educational or from moral and spiritual point of view, we recognize a universal idea, without limit, without fetters, totally free.
Not a shadow of hope of Christianizing
India!
Christ, we welcome... I have learned since coming to this country that the great Shibboleth of the host of Christendom is, "The Whole world for Christ." What is that? What do you mean? Who is that Christ in whose name you propose to conquer the world? Is there a Christ of oppression ? Is there a Christ of injustice ? Is there a Christ of misinterpretation ? Is there a Christ of denial of all rights? Is there a Christ of destruction of all holy aims and humane immemorial institutions? Is there a Christ of unjust and
exorbitant taxation for the
support of a government, foreign to our knowledge, our thought, our religion and our consent? Who of these Christ has inscribed his name on the banner of your conquests? If you seek to conquer us under such banners and in the name of such Christ we refuse to be conquered. But, if you come in the name and spirit of the Christ of Education, of Brotherhood, of Universal Love, or in the name of that Christ, who in the valley of the Ganges and on the shores of the sea of Tiberius, more than 1800 years ago, taught and said: "A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another;" then I say, we will welcome you, for, Him we know and, of Him we are not afraid. But all this must be understood in the full freedom of it. We cannot recognize a
My brothers and sisters of America, there is not a shadow of hope of Christianizing India. You send the missionary to my country to make converts, but every convert he makes, he transmits an industrious tiller of soil
into an idle worthless loafer and frequently a drunkard and he becomes a charge or a burden, on the contributions which are yearly sent by English and American societies to convert the heathens to Christianity. After two hundred years and after spending millions of dollars and with people who are with the British bayonet, to influence a conquered nation and force them to support Christianity, will not succeed. If you mean that three hundred millions of our people are going to be converted, that is to say, to be bought off by American or English money, you are mistaken.