We wish all our readers a very happy Independence Day!
Even as India celebrates its 65th year of Independence the nation needs to remember the Christian missionaries who contributed to the development of the nation in the fields of education, hospitals, language, literature and outlawing many social evils. Many Christians were also involved in the freedom movement which included K.T. Paul, V. Chakkarai & his colleagues, Bishop Paul Appaswamy, Bishop Waskom Pickett, E. Stanley Jones and Bishop V.S. Azariah.
The father of nation Gandhi wrote in 1920, “I revere the Bible. Christ’s Sermon on the Mount fills me with bliss even today. It’s sweet verses have even today the power to quench my agony of the soul…” Writing in The Harijan in January 1939, he said, “Though I cannot claim to be a Christian in the sectarian sense, the example of Jesus’ suffering is a factor in the composition of my undying faith in non-violence which rules all my actions, worldly and temporal.” The Bible and Christians like Charlie Andrews and Sushil Kumar Rudra influenced Gandhi deeply.
As Indian Christians the baton is passed on to us to carry on the good works done by the pioneering missionaries, so that “they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) We are also called to be “Influencers” wherever we are placed; as teachers, medical professionals, lawyers, engineers, government officials, businessmen, sportsmen so that this nation may come to know its Saviour Jesus Christ.
And as we know that though we are living in a free
India, there are many more evils that still keep our nation under bondage; the evils of corruption, casteism, communalism, etc. Let us work towards eradicating the same from our nation by proclaiming and practicing the gospel knowing that “if the Son (Jesus Christ) sets you free, you are free indeed” (John 8:36).
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