{
  "bookName": "History of Christianity in India: Source Materials",
  "authorName": "M. K. Kuriakose",
  "publisherName": "Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge",
  "publicationYear": 2011,
  "chapterNumber": 151,
  "chapterName": "1913. J. R. Mott on the Syrian Church Unity Conference, Serampore",
  "pageFrom": 313,
  "pageTo": 314,
  "pages": [
    {
      "pageNumber": 313,
      "ocrText": "SOURCE MATERIALS\n313\n150. COMMISSION GRANTING V. S. AZARIAH\nEPISCOPAL POWERS (1912 A.D.)\nThe elevation of V. S. Azariah to the episcopate, as bishop of the\nnewly formed diocese of Dornakal, was an important step in the\ndevelopment of Indian leadership in the Anglican communion. He\nwas the first Indian bishop of that tradition. The following is the\nnotice of commissioning issued by the Rt. Rev. Henry Whitehead,\nBishop of Madras. Cited in C. J. Grimes, Towards an Indian Church,\nAppendix XI, pp. 242-243.\nI, Henry (Whitehead), by divine permission Bishop of Madras,\nhereby commission the Right Reverend. Vedanayakam Samuel\nAzariah to exercise full episcopal powers, oversight and jurisdiction\nin that part of the dominions of His Highness the Nizam\nof Hyderabad which lies East of the seventy-ninth degree of longi-\ntude, and in some adjoining portions of British territory; the\nboundaries of this area on the South and South East being identical\nwith the present boundaries of the Khammamet Mission District\nnow occupied by the Church Missionary Society, as shown on the\naccompanying map; and within the area I, Henry, Bishop of\nMadras, will exercise such authority and jurisdiction as the\nMetropolitan of the Province exercises within the dioceses of the\nsuffragan Bishops of the Province of India and Ceylon and such\nonly; provided always that in accordance with Resolution 6 of\nthe Synod of 1912 such authority and jurisdiction. be delegated to\nme by the Metroplitan.\n151. J. R. MOTT ON THE SYRIAN CHURCH\nUNITY CONFERENCE, SERAMPORE (1913 A.D.)\nJohn R. Mott here describes the circumstances under which he was\nasked to convene a conference of representatives of the Jacobite, Mar\nThoma and Anglican Syrian Christians, and also briefly describes its\nresults. Cited in Addresses and Papers of John R. Mott, vol. II,\npp. 399-400.\nLet me tell you briefly about another important experience not\nreferred to in my general letter. As you know, the. Syrian Church\nof Travancore is the oldest and one of the largest Christian Com-\nmunions in India. It has for a long period been seriously rent into\ndivisions which have stood aloof from one another. Some of\nthe younger and more progressive members of different parties\nasked me whether, before leaving India, I would not as chairman\nof the (Edinburgh) Continuation Committee consent to meet:",
      "status": "completed"
    },
    {
      "pageNumber": 314,
      "ocrText": "314\nHISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA\ndeputations of leaders of the various Christian bodies in Travancore\nto promote a better understanding and co-operation. I told them\nI would gladly do so, but that because of my crowded program it\nwould be necessary for them to come to North India, a three days\njourney. The result was the Syrian Church Unity Conference,\nheld at Serampore, near Calcutta, January 1-2. The number of\ndelegates from each body was restricted to six. The Jacobites were\nrepresented by their Metropolitan, Mar Dionysius, and five of his\nleading members. The Mar Thoma body was represented by their\nMetropolitan and his strongest workers. The Bishop in\nTravancore and Cochin and a group of young men represented the\nAnglicans. The Metropolitan of the body which recently split\noff from the Jacobites had started to the Conference, but because\nof the illness of his associate, was unable to proceed; however,\nhis community was represented by two students, and he sent a\nmessage pledging himself to help carry out the cor conclusions of the\nConference.\nAfter the Conference convened, I was asked to serve as chair-\nman and Mr. Eddy as vice-chairman. The discussions during\nthe two days were characterized by such wonderful frankness, unity,\nand constructive work as to be inexplicable to those familiar with the\nsad state of friction hitherto existing between the bodies concerned\non any other ground save that of the overmastering power of God\nin answer to prayer. Among the matters on which unanimous\nagreement was reached were these to unite in Christian student\ncamps; to unite in local conferences for the deepening of spiritual\nlife, the development of missionary spirit, and the promotion of\ntrue fellowship; to unite in apologetic lectures to educated non-\nChristians and in missions to the depressed classes, also to co-\noperate with the National Missionary Society of India (a highly\nsignificant action because, during long centuries, the Syrian Church\nhas not been missionary); to unite in establishing a modern, model\nhigh school which might evolve into a college; to combine in the\ntraining of workers; to observe the principle that no person shall\nbe received into another Church without the approval of the Church\nto which he originally belonged and that, in the case of dispute, the\nmatter shall be referred to arbitration on a plan adopted at the\nConference; to constitute a Continuation Committee for giving\neffect to the decisions of the Conference and for fostering these\nremarkable beginnings of unity.",
      "status": "completed"
    }
  ]
}