{
  "bookName": "History of Christianity in India: Source Materials",
  "authorName": "M. K. Kuriakose",
  "publisherName": "Indian Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge",
  "publicationYear": 2011,
  "chapterNumber": 158,
  "chapterName": "1921. The Christukula Ashram",
  "pageFrom": 323,
  "pageTo": 325,
  "pages": [
    {
      "pageNumber": 323,
      "ocrText": "SOURCE MATERIALS\n323\nXVII. That in view of a state of flux in the principles and cons-\ntitution of the Indian National Congress, it is the opinion\nof this Conference that Indian Christians should reserve\njudgement as to the advisability of either joining or\nrefraining from joining the Indian National Congress.\n157. GANDHI ON WESTERN CHRISTIANITY (1921 A.D.)\nCited from Young India, September 22, 1921, in A. T. Hingorani,\nThe Message of Jesus Christ, pp. 33-34.\nI consider Western Christianity in its practical working a nega-\ntion of Christ's Christianity. I cannot conceive Jesus, if he was\nliving in the flesh in our midst, approving of modern Christian\norganizations, public worship or modern ministry. If Indian\nChristians will simply cling to the Sermon on the Mount, which was\ndelivered not merely to the peaceful disciples but a groaning world,\nthey would not go wrong, and they would find that no religion is\nfalse; and that if all live according to their lights and in the fear of\nGod, they would not need to worry about organizations, forms of\nworship and ministry. The Pharisees had all that, but Jesus would\nhave none of it, for they were using their office as a cloak for hypo-\ncrisy and worse. Co-operation with forces of Good and non-\nco-operation with forces of Evil are the two things we need for a\ngood and pure life, whether it is called Hindu, Muslim or Christian.\n158. THE CHRISTUKULA ASHRAM (1921 A.D.)\nOne of the best known of the Christian ashrams established follow-\ning the First World War is the Christukula Ashram of Tirupattur in\nNorth Arcot District. It was started by Dr. S. Jesudason and Dr. Ernest\nF. Paton in 1921. Writing some years later, Dr. Jesudason explains\nthe rationale, origins and ideals of the ashram. Dr. Savarirayan\nJesudason, Ashrams, Ancient and Modern. Their Aims and Ideals,\npp. 36-51.\nIn writing about this Ashram, we have felt it necessary to refer\nto personal experiences in order to make things clear, in the confi-\ndence that those for whom the pages are meant will understand\nthe spirit in which they are written.\nDuring the years immediately preceding the last dreadful war,\nmany professing Christians seemed to recognize their kith and\nkin only in those of their own particular colour or race or nationality,\nor even in those only of their own particular little sect or denomi-",
      "status": "completed"
    },
    {
      "pageNumber": 324,
      "ocrText": "324\nHISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA\nnation. With the nations of Europe all armed to the teeth, suspi-\ncious and defiant of one another, and with the Christian people\nblinded by this spirit of self-seeking isolation, it required no great\nprophet to foretell the bursting at any moment of the conflagration\nthat involved almost every nation of the world. The organized\nchurches that should have exercised a ministry of reconciliation and\nunderstanding, were carried away, and too often used as tools for\nwar propaganda. The memory of those dreadful years is still\nvivid to every one, but although the eyes of many have been opened\nand some are filled with a new idealism of peace and reconciliation,\nthe world seems to be now in an even worse plight. For the war\nhas in most cases increased the materialistic outlook on life, opened\nup new channels for exploitation, and led to the discovery of new\nand more dreadful weapons of destruction.\nThere has been in almost every nation a turning away from\norganized forms of religion, as many really good people seem to\nhave lost hope of the Christian Church as a vital force for bringing\nabout the regenerated society they look for, or even for over-\ncoming the forces making for war, hatred, and oppression.\nBecause of its false associations, the very name 'Christian' is\nshunned by many who are Christlike in their life...\nThe Eastern nations are impatiently longing for the birth of a\nnew freedom, both in their internal social order, and in the removal\nof those political and commercial disabilities imposed upon them\nby the more aggressive civilizations of the west arrogating to\nthemselves a superior and dominating position...\nThen again during these days the consciences of many have been\nstirred by the cruelty and injustice of colour and caste barriers.\nWe see the results of these not only in international relationships,\nbut wherever the different races are competing in civic, social and\neconomic relationships. Sadder still, these false standards are\noften assumed as legitimate even within the Christian Church, as\nif they were part of a divine order and that for the sake of peace and\nefficiency it is good that the different groups be kept apart without\nallowing any dangerous intermingling...\nIt was for such a deeper personal experience of the life in Christ\nand the fellowship of love and the power for service springing out of\nit that we among many others were longing and still long and\nstrive. There had also been growing in us both a strange longing\nfor friendship with members of other races as we met few of such\nand began to realize something of the supra-national character of\nthe kingdom of God, in which there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond\nnor free, East nor West, Black nor White. Many were sharing\nwith us in these ideals and aspirations and yet we knew the practical",
      "status": "completed"
    },
    {
      "pageNumber": 325,
      "ocrText": "SOURCE MATERIALS\n325\nrealization of them could only come as we made real attempts\ncorporately, in little groups, to set out on the path even when we\ncould see but a step or two ahead, in the faith that, as we strive to\nbe true to the light already given, fresh light and better ways will\nbe made clear to us...\nSo much for the establishment of the ideals which had been\nmoving us. We felt that war was utterly opposed to Christ's teach-\ning and we as his followers could not take part in it under any\ncircumstances. But we hoped that by our working together we\nmight be able to do something towards putting these ideals into\nactual practice...\nFor the great majority of the people the natural and the right\nthing is the married life and God has wonderfully ordained that man\nshould co-operate in his creative work through the bringing up of\nchildren as members of His great family on earth, and hence the\nhome is so sacred that it must have their first thought and devotion.\nThere are others whose gifts and calling are for a different mode of\nlife. To some rare few of these the presence of God is so real that\nwithout depending on any human companionship they go every-\nwhere as wandering prophets or Sadhus of the Kingdom; for others\ntheir fullest life purpose can only be fulfilled in loving comradeship\nin a group of those likeminded with themselves, devoting their\nwhole life and energies for the fulfilment of a God-given vision.\nJesus made this plain when he said that some had made themselves\neunuchs for the sake of the Kingdom of God, (Matt. XIX., 11 & 12)\nand His own life on earth is the best example. For some of\nthese who seek to fulfil their mission in life in such an intimate\ncomradeship, the permanent membership of the ashram family is\nintended. We fully realized that permanent membership under\nthese conditions could not be lightly undertaken, as it could only\ncome about through growing personal understanding and love\nresulting from the bearing and sharing together of the joys and\nsorrows, failure and successes of the common life and service. So\nwe also welcome those who desire to come for shorter periods for\none or two years, whether they come with the purpose of later\npermanently joining the ashram family, or whether because of\ntheir other circumstances or obligations they can only be with us\ntemporarily. These of course are not expected to make any\ndecision as regards property or marriage, but share for the time\nbeing in the common life of the family.\nIn any case we felt we should not ask any to make a decision\nto join permanently until they have been at the ashram for\nat least four years. We also hope and expect that after having\nbeen in the ashram for one year, some may be led to definitely\nenlist themselves as probationers, i.e., those who are trying their",
      "status": "completed"
    }
  ]
}