{
  "bookName": "History of Christianity in India: Source Materials",
  "authorName": "M. K. Kuriakose",
  "publisherName": "Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge",
  "publicationYear": 2011,
  "chapterNumber": 84,
  "chapterName": "1828. Reply to Bishop Wilson on the Question of Caste Distinctions among the Christians of Tanjore",
  "pageFrom": 111,
  "pageTo": 114,
  "pages": [
    {
      "pageNumber": 111,
      "ocrText": "SOURCE MATERIALS\n111\n84. REPLY TO BISHOP WILSON ON THE QUESTION OF\nCASTE DISTINCTIONS AMONG THE CHRISTIANS OF\nTANJORE (1828 A.D.)\nThe Anglican bishop, Daniel Wilson, is well known for his opposi-\ntion to the maintenance of caste distinctions among Indian Christians.\nThe material here quoted is a reply to Bishop Wilson's questionnaire\n(Articles of Enquiry on the Question of Caste) by the missionaries in\nTanjore. Complete reply cited in H. Bower, An Essay on Hindu\nCaste, pp. 105-110.\nI. General\n1 and 2. The distinction of caste, though not in its full extent,\nhas been observed among the Christians of Tanjore since the estab-\nlishment of this Mission by the late Rev. Mr. Schwartz, soon after\nthe year 1762. Mr. Schwartz in permitting, with some restrictions,\na custom apparently so opposite and prejudicial to the spirit of the\nGospel, to remain in the new congregations, was guided by his own\ndiscretion as well as by the example of the Tranquebar Missionaries\nbefore him, and that both they and himself were actuated herein by\nmotives of prudence and caution, is plain from several of their\nletters still extant.\nIn the course of administration of the Mission affairs since the\ndeath of Mr. Schwartz, myself and several of my colleagues succes-\nsively have endeavoured to act with similar caution and forbearance\nat the same time seizing every opportunity to soften the mutual\nprejudices arising from distinction of caste, and to bring our Chris-\ntians by degrees into closer union with each other as brethren in one\nLord and Master, Christ. And we have had the satisfaction to\nobserve, that distinction of caste has, until of late, been seldom the\nobject of controversy among Christians, and has gradually lost a\ngreat deal of its importance\n4. The higher classes, at least the more intelligent and better\ninformed individuals among the Christians, do not, in the obser-\nvance of such distinction, act from a supposition that they are\nmorally better than those of a lower class, or entitled to greater\nspiritual privileges; but they insist on it merely as a badge of superior\nrank in society, as an ancient civil prerogative.\n5. They neither adhere to such distinction, because they attach\nany real value to it per se, but because by neglecting it they would\ngive offense to high and low among heathens and Christians, lose\nnot only their respect in society, but likewise all their influence\namong their heathen neighbours and relations.",
      "status": "completed"
    },
    {
      "pageNumber": 112,
      "ocrText": "112\nHISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA\n6. The more bigoted heathens consider every Christian convert,\nof whatever caste he may be, as degraded, and in former times he\nwas in their opinion undeserving of the rights of social intercourse;\nbut one who violates or entirely gives up his caste, is treated as an\noutcast. Every heathen will avoid him more carefully than he\nwould even Pariars, Pallers, and Sackliars.\nAt present high caste Christians meet with more respect from\nheathens than formerly, owing partly to their own personal character\nand conduct, partly to the high stations to which some of them have\nbeen advanced. And though the circumstance does not immedi-\nately contribute to the furtherance of the Gospel, yet it serves greatly\nto make Christianity in general more and more respected among\nthe neighbouring heathens. In regard to native priests and high\ncaste catechists this respect is of still greater importance. They\ngain easier admittance among respective natives of high caste, and\nmeet with more frequent and favourable opportunities to converse\nwith them freely on religious subjects, privileges no Pariar can look\nfor. This respect, however, and all the advantages derived from\nit, is forfeited for ever, as soon as they violate the observance of\ncaste; native priests and catechists will thereby render themselves\nentirely useless to the Mission\nII. Church\n1. At the church the Christians of the high caste, both men and\nwomen, sit on the right, and those of the low caste on the left side\nof the pulpit, but without any intermediate space between them.\nThere has never been used a separate chalice and paten for\nseparate castes in the administration of the Lord's Supper. But\nthey go up at different times to the holy table.\n2. The appropriation of separate places to the several castes\n(chiefly two, high and low) though not desirable, will be necessary\nas long as the distinction of caste itself remains; for any interference\nin this respect would at present be looked upon by all of them as an\nencroachment upon their civil rights. It rests on their own estimate\nof a proper gradation in the different orders of society, and as both\nsit according to their rank and station on their respective sides-\nthough they are not so very anxious about it the natural steps\nof rank and order are always conspicuous.\nIII. School\n1. No objection has ever been made by native Christians to\nsend their children for instruction to the Mission schools, because\nthey are open to all castes; nor have they at any time expressed",
      "status": "completed"
    },
    {
      "pageNumber": 113,
      "ocrText": "SOURCE MATERIALS\n113\na wish to have different schools for the higher or lower castes. It\nought to be remarked particularly that the teachers are very often\nof the low caste but this too has never been objected to.\n2. The children of one class sit indiscriminately, and take\ntheir places only according to their attainments and diligence in\ntheir respective lessons. This order has always been willingly\nsubmitted to by parents of high caste children.\n3. Children of Christian converts do not observe, nor would\nthey be permitted, if they wished to do so, any holidays but those\nwhich are of Christian origin. There are four principal heathenish\nfestivals, connected with more or less outward show, which children\nare fond to look at; but this is merely curiosity, and is never allowed\nto interfere with their attendance in the school\nIV. Social Intercourse\n1. Converts of Christianity from different castes will, in\nseparate places, eat and drink of the same provisions, if they be\nprepared by a high caste person, but not, if prepared by one of the\nlow caste. The objection is always made on the side of higher\ncaste, not by Sudras only, but by all successively, who have or think\nto have one caste below them. Thus the Sudra will not eat the\nmeal of a Kammalen, the Kammalen not that of a Parian, the Parian\nnot that of a Pallen, the Pallen not that of a Sacklien, &c., and\nthe two latter, thinking themselves higher or cleverer than the\nPariar, will not eat any thing prepared by them. But all will eat\nwhat is prepared by a Sudra.\n2. No marriage is contracted between parties belonging to\ntwo different castes. This custom is strictly observed, not from a\nreligious view of distinction of caste, but principally with the\nintention of preserving their family interests undivided, and of\nkeeping up their particular trade and calling..\nV.\nDistinction of caste in its full extent, as it prevails among\nheathens, is certainly a great hindrance to the propagation of\nChristianity; for it is so closely interwoven with the Brahmanical\nsystem, that while it receives from thence its principal strength, it\nagain becomes a powerful bulwark of Brahmanical imposition;\nand in its nature and tendency it opposes the very first principles\nof the Gospel, humility and love.\nThat such a barrier, therefore, should be abolished, must be\nthe wish of every one who is desirous of the success of the Gospel\nH.C.I.-8",
      "status": "completed"
    },
    {
      "pageNumber": 114,
      "ocrText": "114\nHISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA\nin this country. The experience, however, of more than a century\nhas proved, that it is not at once and by force, that this obstacle\nis to be removed, but by gentle means and by degrees. Compulsion,\nas in many other cases, would particularly here greatly increase the\nevil. Difficulties in bringing Gentiles within the pale of Christianity,\nalready great, would become nearly insurmountable, while the\nChristian congregations already collected would fall a prey to\nconfusion and contention.\nA great point is gained, when through the influence of the gospel\ndistinction of caste becomes divested of all its reference to and\nconnection with idolatry, and is thus reduced to its original shape\nas a civil distinction in the community. And what more may be\ndone, in order to overcome some remaining prejudices, to which\nparticularly new converts are liable, by a cautious and conciliating\nproceeding, Mr. Schwartz and other excellent Missionaries have\nsufficiently shown by their example. Christians who have been\ncarefully instructed and who have been imbibing the spirit of the\nGospel, will, though different in caste, always consider and esteem\neach other as members of one body in Christ, and as joint-heirs\nwith him, they will exercise the Christian law of love, and never\nrefuse their assistance, if they have it in their power, to one, because\nhe belongs to a lower caste.\nThat the high caste Christians do not intermarry nor eat with\nthose of low caste, is owing to the different occupation and way of\nliving peculiar to the several castes. The labourers in the field, the\nemployment of undertaker, and all the other mean occupations\nnecessary in a community, are according to the ancient Mammul\n(custom) exclusively the duty of the low caste people, whether\nheathen or Christian; nor would they allow any one of another\ncaste to intrude on their trade. This, of course, has a great influ-\nence on their way of living.\nTo oblige, therefore, a man of a higher caste and accustomed\nto a genteeler way of living, to eat with them, is doing force to\ncommon delicacy and to the natural feelings of sense, and may be\nsometimes of serious consequences to bodily health. Some of the\nancient Missionaries once persuaded a Siva convert (who according\nto the custom of his caste lived only on vegetable food) to eat meat,\nin order to show that he did not abstain from it on account of supers-\ntition and pride. He complied, but nearly died by making the trial!\nThere is every reason to hope that the more native Christians\ngrow in the knowledge and practice of the truth, the weaker will\nbecome their prejudices of every kind they will more and more\napproach each other, and by degrees become accustomed to put\nlittle or no value on their distinction of caste. But if compulsion",
      "status": "completed"
    }
  ]
}