{
  "bookName": "History of Christianity in India: Source Materials",
  "authorName": "M. K. Kuriakose",
  "publisherName": "Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge",
  "publicationYear": 2011,
  "chapterNumber": 160,
  "chapterName": "1921. The National Movement and the Indian Church: Resolutions of the All-India Conference of Indian Christians",
  "pageFrom": 330,
  "pageTo": 331,
  "pages": [
    {
      "pageNumber": 330,
      "ocrText": "330\nHISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA\nfrom beneath has forced its way to the surface, and this in the end\nwill be creative, not destructive; it will go forward until the whole\npeople is at last awakened to full national consciousness.\nWhilst I myself find ground for hope and encouragement in the\nprospect which I have thus outlined, I have had myself, in the\npast, the strongest leaning towards a conservative onservative and gradual ideal\nof progress; I can understand the attraction which it has for many\nof the most thoughtful and patriotic Indian minds. But I would\nask those who hold it, how can you face the historical prospect\nof an ever-increasing dependence, an ever-increasing deterioration,\nif the British imperial rule continues? How can doles of Home\nRule, meted out at the will of the rulers, create a new inner vital\nforce?\nThe doubt in my own mind has been so great, that I have most\ngladly turned for encouragement to the other prospect. There, in\nMahatma Gandhi, we have a moral genius of the first order, who\nhas revealed to us all the hidden power of a living freedom from\nwithin, who has taught us to depend, not on any external resources,\nbut on ourselves. My whole heart goes out to his appeal, and\nI have a great hope that, along this path, independence will be\nreached at last.\n160. THE NATIONAL MOVEMENT AND THE\nINDIAN CHURCH: RESOLUTIONS OF THE ALL-INDIA\nCONFERENCE OF INDIAN CHRISTIANS (1921 A.D.)\nIn its 1921 resolutions, the AICIC reiterates its opposition to the\nNon-co-operation Movement. It also illustrates the fact that for\nIndian Christians the National Movement had ecclesiastical as well\nas political implications. The Indian Church, like the Indian nation,\nshould be liberated from foreign rule. Report of the VIII All-India Con-\nference of Indian Christians held in Lahore, on 28th, 29th & 30th Dec.\n1921, pp. 40-41.\nIII. In view of the gravity of the political situation in the country\nand also in view of the possibility that the situation may become\nstill more acute in the future, this Conference resolves:\n(a) That in order to restore peace and harmony in the country\nit is necessary for Government to adopt a policy of conciliation,\nby ceasing to put into force the Criminal Law Amendment Act,\n1908, and the Prevention of Seditious Meetings Act of 1911 and\nsuch other measures as have a repressive effect, and by releasing\nthose arrested and imprisoned under these Acts; while, on the other\nhand, the campaign of Non-co-operation should forthwith be",
      "status": "completed"
    },
    {
      "pageNumber": 331,
      "ocrText": "SOURCE MATERIALS\n331\nsuspended by the Leaders of Non-co-operation, so as to facilitate\na sane settlement under conditions essential for mutual under-\nstanding.\n(b) That in order to facilitate a sane settlement, a Round\nTable Conference be arranged of some leading Non-co-operators,\nModerates, and Government Officials to see on what grounds a\ncompromise can be brought about.\n(c) That a Committee of the following six gentlemen be\nappointed to take possible practical steps in this direction :-\nthe President, Prof. S. C. Mukherji, Mr. A. Nundy, Mr. K. L.\nRallia Ram, M.L.C., Mr. K. T. Paul, and Prof. Cornelius, this\nCommittee being empowered to co-opt others and also to draw\nup their findings in the form of resolutions to be sent to the bodies\nmentioned below.\n(d) That copies of these Resolutions and the Findings of\nthe Round Table Conference (when ready) be forwarded to the\nGovernment of India and the Provincial Governments, the Presi-\ndent of the Indian National Congress and the All-India Muslim\nLeague.\nForeign Missions and the Indian Church\nIV. This Conference is of opinion that the time has come,\n(i) When Protestant Missions as such should be completely\nmerged in the Indian Church and that in future all Foreign Missio-\nnaries should be related to it.\n(ii) In the meantime the Missions should appoint Indians\nof ability and character on an increasing scale as their Lay and\nOrdained Missionaries.\n(iii) In view of the complaints made by the various Missions\nthat educated young Indian Christians of character are not available\nto take up positions of trust and responsibility, this Conference\nrecommends that the policy of finding youngmen, who are suitable\nfrom other Missions, be adopted by all Missions instead of allowing\ndenominational barriers to stand between such youngmen and\nresponsible positions.",
      "status": "completed"
    }
  ]
}