RELIGIOUS PHASES IN INDIA
Hindus and Roman Catholicism. Parsees and Christianity.
Their works of charity. Persian visitors. Religious
controversy. Mr Hole's pictures. Hindu family quarrels.
Indian repartee. Appreciation of the dignity of labour.
English-speaking Hindus, who are often eager to talk about religious
matters, are inclined to take up the cudgels in favour of
Protestantism, as compared with Roman Catholicism. But meeting an
intelligent Brahmin in a train in the Mysore State, he did just the
reverse, showing an unusual knowledge of ecclesiastical affairs. "Do
you know how the Pope is elected?" he asked of an old engine-driver
who happened to be a fellow-traveller, who seemed rather embarrassed
by such an unlooked-for question from such a source. "It is the most
extraordinary thing on earth," the Brahmin went on to say, and he
proceeded to describe pretty accurately the process of election.
"Now if the Pope was to come to St Paul's Cathedral, would your
Archbishop of Canterbury receive him with due respect as the greatest
dignitary on earth?" asked the Brahmin.
I said that the circumstances were not very likely to occur, but that
if they did, I had no doubt the Pope would be received with the
respect due to his office.
"And if your Archbishop went to Italy, would he stay with the Pope?"
said the Brahmin.
I replied that I did not think it likely that he would get an
invitation, but that if he did, he would probably accept it. The
Brahmin at times made use of semi-profane expressions when talking
English. "Good Lord! what a crowd," he said, putting his head into the
window of a carriage when we were changing at a junction. But in spite
of his knowledge of ecclesiastical affairs, he called on the Hindu god
_Rama_ when settling down for the night.
Meeting a Parsee, who having been educated at a Roman Catholic school
knew something of Christianity, I asked him how it was that this
knowledge had borne no practical fruit. His reply was that when in
Christian colleges attendance at a religious class is compulsory, it
makes the heathen boys hate Christianity.
Very few Parsees have become Christians. I asked another Parsee the
cause of this. He said that their religion was so pure that they did
not need to seek a better, and that they only looked upon light as a
symbol of God. But when the electric light was turned on in the
railway carriage where we were sitting, another old Parsee, looking up
at it, put his hands together and touched his forehead, after the
manner of a Hindu saluting an idol.
The real secret of their want of interest in Christianity probably
lies in the fact that they are the successful business people of
India, and their minds being much engrossed in worldly affairs there
is little room left for religious thought. Some of the richest people
in India are to be found amongst them. You seldom see a poor-looking
Parsee, partly perhaps because they have the reputation of being very
charitable towards their own people, and so they will not suffer one
of their number to feel the pinch of real poverty. They are also
lavish in their gifts for public purposes, although their act would
have more grace if the name of the donor was less prominent.
One day two Persian ladies came to see the village church, with an
English lady as their companion. The latter said that one of the
Persians was a big personage, and did not wish her name to be known.
They had noticed the boys playing about as they were passing by, and,
attracted by their faces, came in. On entering the church, the chief
Persian lady seeing the embroidered picture of the Crucifixion,
genuflected, and sending a little boy of hers to put some money on the
altar, she told him to kiss it and return. On leaving, she asked that
two candles should be burnt for her on the altar the next Sunday.
The effect that the church has upon visitors has been described
already, and how the din of controversy dies down within its walls. In
discussing theology with people of an entirely different religion to
one's own, it is almost inevitable that the conversation should
gradually become controversial; and when it reaches that stage, all
power for good in the intercourse is at an end. The proximity of the
church can then be turned to good account. "Would you like to see the
church?" is a question which nearly always draws out a ready assent,
and the pending risk is averted.
Many of Mr Hole's beautiful pictures illustrating the Life of our Lord
are framed and hanging round the walls of the church, something after
the fashion of the Stations of the Cross. In a church which Hindus
often frequent the Stations are not suitable, not merely because they
only represent the suffering side of our Lord's life, but because they
leave Him dead and buried. A selection from Mr Hole's pictures, from
the Annunciation to the Ascension, enables us to take a Hindu round
the church and tell him our Lord's life delightfully in picture story.
The best testimonial to the fidelity and correctness of detail in
these pictures is that they commend themselves entirely to the Eastern
mind. Even quite young Indian boys will turn away from large and gay
cartoons supposed to illustrate correctly some Scripture subject, and
will eagerly study its smaller and more sober counterpart, often
pointing out with much discrimination wherein the large cartoon errs,
and the particular points in which the smaller painting excels.
A young Hindu, who began by being very controversial, after visiting
the church and expressing extreme pleasure at what he saw there,
finished up by saying as he went away: "You Christians believe in your
religion. We Hindus don't believe in ours, and so we are all divided
up."
I asked one of our visitors what work he was doing. He said that as he
had not been able to qualify for Government service, he was not doing
any work. It transpired that he possessed some land, and I asked why
he did not occupy himself usefully by cultivating it. He replied that
he had quarrelled with all his relations, and so there was no one to
help him in its cultivation. As he was married, I said that in the
north of England a farmer and his wife were quite capable of
cultivating a small plot like his, without relations at their elbow.
He said that in India this would be impossible.
As it appeared that he had not been on good terms with his relations
for some years, I said that Hindus were habitually quarrelling and
refusing to forgive, but that a true religion would teach the sin of
remaining for long periods at enmity with others. He answered that
this was one of the weak spots in their religion; that India needed
reform in its methods of trade and other matters; that when it had
been reformed its religion would improve.
I replied that that was beginning at the wrong end, and that before an
effectual reform of morals could take place there must be the
foundation of a true religion.
"Then is Hinduism not the true religion?" he asked.
On my replying in the negative, he said: "If I had time I would prove
to you that it is, only unfortunately my brother will be home
presently and I must go to meet him." And he went away.
Indians, nowadays, are rather inclined to back out when it comes to
solid argument, but they are often clever in rapid repartee and in
scoring a point quickly. A Hindu boy having been rude and troublesome,
I said that he must not come again for pictures for three months, and
that if he came I should not give him any. "Not if I come on the
King's Coronation Day?" (which was close at hand) he asked promptly.
And I was obliged to smile and say that if he came on that day it
would be all right.
Indians are beginning to understand something of what is meant by the
dignity of labour, although they are slow in making personal
application of the lesson. I was pointing out to a middle-aged visitor
the Boys' Home in the distance, on the other side of the compound.
Looking across, he caught sight of one of the Sisters carrying a pail
of water for the garden. "Why, the Sister is working!" he said with
eager astonishment and approval. "That is what we need to learn to do
in India, instead of sitting about talking or sleeping."