{
  "book_metadata": {
    "book_name": "History of Christianity in India: Source Materials",
    "book_author": "M. K. Kuriakose",
    "publisher": "Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge",
    "published_on": "2011"
  },
  "chunks": [
    {
      "chunk_index": 1,
      "chapter_name": "1835. Bishop Wilson’s Description of Holy Communion Service without Caste Distinction",
      "page_numbers": [
        121
      ],
      "image_paths": [
        "raw\\pages\\00145-676b027175fd1edc9ff6.webp"
      ],
      "chunk_title": "Bishop Wilson’s Communion Description",
      "chunk_data": "90. BISHOP WILSON'S DESCRIPTION OF HOLY COMMUNION SERVICE WITHOUT CASTE DISTINCTION (1835 A.D.)\nIn his diary, under the date 27 January 1835, Bishop Wilson of Calcutta describes a service of Confirmation and Holy Communion in the Madras Presidency, in which distinctions of both caste and class (though he did not see the necessity for eliminating the latter distinction) were disregarded. Cited in Daniel Wilson, ed., Bishop Wilson's Journal Letters, pp. 52-53.",
      "time": {
        "start_year": 1835,
        "start_month": 1,
        "start_date": 27,
        "end_year": 1835,
        "end_month": 1,
        "end_date": 27,
        "time_display": "27 January 1835"
      },
      "meta": {
        "people": [
          "Bishop Wilson",
          "Daniel Wilson"
        ],
        "places": [
          "Calcutta",
          "Madras Presidency"
        ],
        "event": "Bishop Wilson described a Confirmation and Holy Communion service conducted without caste distinction.",
        "tags": [
          "Religion",
          "Caste",
          "Christianity"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "chunk_index": 2,
      "chapter_name": "1835. Bishop Wilson’s Description of Holy Communion Service without Caste Distinction",
      "page_numbers": [
        121
      ],
      "image_paths": [
        "raw\\pages\\00145-676b027175fd1edc9ff6.webp"
      ],
      "chunk_title": "Rain and Divine Grace",
      "chunk_data": "A fine rain of two hours has been falling; but a more gracious rain has also, as I trust, been descending.",
      "time": {
        "start_year": 1835,
        "start_month": 1,
        "start_date": 27,
        "end_year": 1835,
        "end_month": 1,
        "end_date": 27,
        "time_display": "27 January 1835"
      },
      "meta": {
        "people": [
          "Bishop Wilson"
        ],
        "places": [
          "Madras Presidency"
        ],
        "event": "Bishop Wilson compared the falling rain with the descent of divine grace.",
        "tags": [
          "Religion",
          "Weather"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "chunk_index": 3,
      "chapter_name": "1835. Bishop Wilson’s Description of Holy Communion Service without Caste Distinction",
      "page_numbers": [
        121
      ],
      "image_paths": [
        "raw\\pages\\00145-676b027175fd1edc9ff6.webp"
      ],
      "chunk_title": "Confirmation and Communion Service",
      "chunk_data": "Such a Confirmation and Sacrament at the Mission Church at nine this morning! Forty-eight candidates.",
      "time": {
        "start_year": 1835,
        "start_month": 1,
        "start_date": 27,
        "end_year": 1835,
        "end_month": 1,
        "end_date": 27,
        "time_display": "27 January 1835"
      },
      "meta": {
        "people": [
          "Bishop Wilson"
        ],
        "places": [
          "Mission Church",
          "Madras Presidency"
        ],
        "event": "A Confirmation and Holy Communion service was held at nine in the morning for forty-eight candidates.",
        "tags": [
          "Religion",
          "Christianity"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "chunk_index": 4,
      "chapter_name": "1835. Bishop Wilson’s Description of Holy Communion Service without Caste Distinction",
      "page_numbers": [
        121
      ],
      "image_paths": [
        "raw\\pages\\00145-676b027175fd1edc9ff6.webp"
      ],
      "chunk_title": "Two Converts Receive the Gospel",
      "chunk_data": "Two came forward at the time to renounce heathenism and Popish Christianity, and receive the Gospel.",
      "time": {
        "start_year": 1835,
        "start_month": 1,
        "start_date": 27,
        "end_year": 1835,
        "end_month": 1,
        "end_date": 27,
        "time_display": "27 January 1835"
      },
      "meta": {
        "people": [
          "Bishop Wilson"
        ],
        "places": [
          "Mission Church"
        ],
        "event": "Two people renounced heathenism and Popish Christianity and received the Gospel.",
        "tags": [
          "Religion",
          "Conversion",
          "Christianity"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "chunk_index": 5,
      "chapter_name": "1835. Bishop Wilson’s Description of Holy Communion Service without Caste Distinction",
      "page_numbers": [
        121
      ],
      "image_paths": [
        "raw\\pages\\00145-676b027175fd1edc9ff6.webp"
      ],
      "chunk_title": "Communion Without Caste Distinction",
      "chunk_data": "There were 149 communicants, the chief civil and military personages kneeling at the altar with Soodras and Pariahs without distinction.",
      "time": {
        "start_year": 1835,
        "start_month": 1,
        "start_date": 27,
        "end_year": 1835,
        "end_month": 1,
        "end_date": 27,
        "time_display": "27 January 1835"
      },
      "meta": {
        "people": [
          "Bishop Wilson",
          "Soodras",
          "Pariahs"
        ],
        "places": [
          "Mission Church"
        ],
        "event": "One hundred forty-nine communicants, including elite officials, Soodras, and Pariahs, knelt together at the altar without caste distinction.",
        "tags": [
          "Religion",
          "Caste",
          "Social Equality"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "chunk_index": 6,
      "chapter_name": "1835. Bishop Wilson’s Description of Holy Communion Service without Caste Distinction",
      "page_numbers": [
        121
      ],
      "image_paths": [
        "raw\\pages\\00145-676b027175fd1edc9ff6.webp"
      ],
      "chunk_title": "A Diverse Congregation Gathered",
      "chunk_data": "The congregation consisted of upwards of 1000 persons, of whom at least 300 were heathen, crowding outside every door and window as far as the eye could see.",
      "time": {
        "start_year": 1835,
        "start_month": 1,
        "start_date": 27,
        "end_year": 1835,
        "end_month": 1,
        "end_date": 27,
        "time_display": "27 January 1835"
      },
      "meta": {
        "people": [
          "Bishop Wilson"
        ],
        "places": [
          "Mission Church"
        ],
        "event": "More than one thousand people attended the service, including at least three hundred heathens gathered outside the church.",
        "tags": [
          "Religion",
          "Mission",
          "Christianity"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "chunk_index": 7,
      "chapter_name": "1835. Bishop Wilson’s Description of Holy Communion Service without Caste Distinction",
      "page_numbers": [
        121
      ],
      "image_paths": [
        "raw\\pages\\00145-676b027175fd1edc9ff6.webp"
      ],
      "chunk_title": "European and Native Attendees",
      "chunk_data": "Seventy were European gentry, the rest were native nominal Christians from twenty villages around.",
      "time": {
        "start_year": 1835,
        "start_month": 1,
        "start_date": 27,
        "end_year": 1835,
        "end_month": 1,
        "end_date": 27,
        "time_display": "27 January 1835"
      },
      "meta": {
        "people": [
          "European gentry",
          "Native nominal Christians"
        ],
        "places": [
          "Twenty villages around the Mission Church"
        ],
        "event": "The congregation included seventy European gentry and native nominal Christians from twenty surrounding villages.",
        "tags": [
          "Religion",
          "Society",
          "Mission"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "chunk_index": 8,
      "chapter_name": "1835. Bishop Wilson’s Description of Holy Communion Service without Caste Distinction",
      "page_numbers": [
        121
      ],
      "image_paths": [
        "raw\\pages\\00145-676b027175fd1edc9ff6.webp"
      ],
      "chunk_title": "Tamil Service for Four Hours",
      "chunk_data": "The service lasted nearly four hours. I pronounced the Confirmation prayer, the Sentences on delivering the elements, and the Benediction, in Tamil.",
      "time": {
        "start_year": 1835,
        "start_month": 1,
        "start_date": 27,
        "end_year": 1835,
        "end_month": 1,
        "end_date": 27,
        "time_display": "27 January 1835"
      },
      "meta": {
        "people": [
          "Bishop Wilson"
        ],
        "places": [
          "Mission Church"
        ],
        "event": "The service lasted nearly four hours, with Bishop Wilson delivering key parts in Tamil.",
        "tags": [
          "Religion",
          "Tamil",
          "Worship"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "chunk_index": 9,
      "chapter_name": "1835. Bishop Wilson’s Description of Holy Communion Service without Caste Distinction",
      "page_numbers": [
        121
      ],
      "image_paths": [
        "raw\\pages\\00145-676b027175fd1edc9ff6.webp"
      ],
      "chunk_title": "Wilson Explains Social Order",
      "chunk_data": "I told the congregation that I aimed at no distinction of civil ranks; that the Europeans would naturally approach the altar first; that the respectable and educated natives, Soodras and Pariahs, would naturally come next; that servants and persons of the humblest stations would follow; but that there was to be no inseparable barrier, no heathen dread of defilement, only the natural gradations of society which prevailed in Christian churches at home.",
      "time": {
        "start_year": 1835,
        "start_month": 1,
        "start_date": 27,
        "end_year": 1835,
        "end_month": 1,
        "end_date": 27,
        "time_display": "27 January 1835"
      },
      "meta": {
        "people": [
          "Bishop Wilson",
          "Soodras",
          "Pariahs"
        ],
        "places": [
          "Mission Church"
        ],
        "event": "Bishop Wilson explained that social order might determine the sequence of approach to the altar, but no permanent barrier or fear of defilement would separate worshippers.",
        "tags": [
          "Religion",
          "Caste",
          "Social Equality"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "chunk_index": 10,
      "chapter_name": "1835. Bishop Wilson’s Description of Holy Communion Service without Caste Distinction",
      "page_numbers": [
        121
      ],
      "image_paths": [
        "raw\\pages\\00145-676b027175fd1edc9ff6.webp"
      ],
      "chunk_title": "English Gentry Mix With Natives",
      "chunk_data": "However, the English gentry voluntarily mixed themselves, on purpose to show the natives there were no inseparable divisions in Christianity, but all were one body.",
      "time": {
        "start_year": 1835,
        "start_month": 1,
        "start_date": 27,
        "end_year": 1835,
        "end_month": 1,
        "end_date": 27,
        "time_display": "27 January 1835"
      },
      "meta": {
        "people": [
          "English gentry"
        ],
        "places": [
          "Mission Church"
        ],
        "event": "The English gentry deliberately mixed with native worshippers to demonstrate the unity of Christians.",
        "tags": [
          "Religion",
          "Caste",
          "Christianity"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "chunk_index": 11,
      "chapter_name": "1835. Bishop Wilson’s Description of Holy Communion Service without Caste Distinction",
      "page_numbers": [
        121
      ],
      "image_paths": [
        "raw\\pages\\00145-676b027175fd1edc9ff6.webp"
      ],
      "chunk_title": "Pariah Kneels Between Officials",
      "chunk_data": "Positively, a Pariah kneeled between the Collector (the chief personage of the station) and his lady, at the lady's request.",
      "time": {
        "start_year": 1835,
        "start_month": 1,
        "start_date": 27,
        "end_year": 1835,
        "end_month": 1,
        "end_date": 27,
        "time_display": "27 January 1835"
      },
      "meta": {
        "people": [
          "Pariah",
          "Collector",
          "Collector’s lady"
        ],
        "places": [
          "Mission Church"
        ],
        "event": "At the Collector’s lady’s request, a Pariah knelt between the Collector and his lady.",
        "tags": [
          "Religion",
          "Caste",
          "Social Equality"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "chunk_index": 12,
      "chapter_name": "1835. Bishop Wilson’s Description of Holy Communion Service without Caste Distinction",
      "page_numbers": [
        121
      ],
      "image_paths": [
        "raw\\pages\\00145-676b027175fd1edc9ff6.webp"
      ],
      "chunk_title": "Most Remain for Communion",
      "chunk_data": "Out of five hundred, ten or twelve only left the church, and would not submit to my demands.",
      "time": {
        "start_year": 1835,
        "start_month": 1,
        "start_date": 27,
        "end_year": 1835,
        "end_month": 1,
        "end_date": 27,
        "time_display": "27 January 1835"
      },
      "meta": {
        "people": [
          "Bishop Wilson",
          "Church attendees"
        ],
        "places": [
          "Mission Church"
        ],
        "event": "Only ten or twelve of five hundred people left the church rather than comply with Bishop Wilson’s requirements.",
        "tags": [
          "Religion",
          "Caste",
          "Mission"
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "chunk_index": 13,
      "chapter_name": "1835. Bishop Wilson’s Description of Holy Communion Service without Caste Distinction",
      "page_numbers": [
        121
      ],
      "image_paths": [
        "raw\\pages\\00145-676b027175fd1edc9ff6.webp"
      ],
      "chunk_title": "Wilson Praises God’s Goodness",
      "chunk_data": "Such is God's goodness!",
      "time": {
        "start_year": 1835,
        "start_month": 1,
        "start_date": 27,
        "end_year": 1835,
        "end_month": 1,
        "end_date": 27,
        "time_display": "27 January 1835"
      },
      "meta": {
        "people": [
          "Bishop Wilson"
        ],
        "places": [
          "Mission Church"
        ],
        "event": "Bishop Wilson concluded his account by praising God’s goodness.",
        "tags": [
          "Religion",
          "Christianity"
        ]
      }
    }
  ]
}