DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0516
506 Modern Theism. Rammohun Roy's successors.
influence of the spirit of Christ is manifest in domestic concerns.' ' Yet,'
he added, ' it grieves me to find that the once crucified Jesus is crucified
hundreds of times every day in the midst of Christendom. The Christian
world has not imbibed Christ's spirit.'
At Birmingham he said:—
' Since my arrival in England I have found myself incessantly sur-
rounded by various religious denominations, professing to be Christians.
Methinks I have come into a vast market. Every sect is like a small
shop where a peculiar kind of Christianity is offered for sale. As I go
from door to door, from shop to shop—each sect steps forward and offers
for my acceptance its own interpretations of the Bible, and its own
peculiar Christian beliefs. I cannot but feel perplexed and even amused
amidst countless and quarrelling sects. It appears to me, and has always
appeared to me, that no Christian nation on earth represents fully and
thoroughly Christ's idea of the kingdom of God. I do believe, and I
must candidly say, that no Christian sect puts forth the genuine and
full Christ as he was and as he is, but, in some cases, a mutilated,
disfigured Christ, and, what is more shameful, in many cases, a counter-
feit Christ. Now, I wish to say that I have not come to England as one
who has yet to find Christ. When the Roman Catholic, the Protestant,
the Unitarian, the Trinitarian, the Broad Church, the Low Church, the
High Church, all come round me, and offer me their respective Christs, I
desire to say to one and all : " Think you that I have no Christ within
me ? Though an Indian, I can still humbly say, thank God that I have
my Christ."'
This remarkable statement has become invested with far
deeper significance and interest since the publication of Mr.
Sen's last year's lecture, on the subject' India asks, Who is
Christ ?' It might have been expected that his English visit
would have brought his Theism into closer affinity with
Christian dogma. But such was not really the case. I may
state, however, as an interesting fact, that two of his Hindu
travelling companions were afterwards baptized.
On his return to India Mr. Sen applied himself zealously to
the work of social reform, and at once started what was called
'The Indian Reform Association' for female improvement,
for the promotion of education among men and women, for
the suppression of intemperance, and generally for the social
and moral reformation of the people of India. This society,
open to all classes and creeds, was founded November 2nd,
influence of the spirit of Christ is manifest in domestic concerns.' ' Yet,'
he added, ' it grieves me to find that the once crucified Jesus is crucified
hundreds of times every day in the midst of Christendom. The Christian
world has not imbibed Christ's spirit.'
At Birmingham he said:—
' Since my arrival in England I have found myself incessantly sur-
rounded by various religious denominations, professing to be Christians.
Methinks I have come into a vast market. Every sect is like a small
shop where a peculiar kind of Christianity is offered for sale. As I go
from door to door, from shop to shop—each sect steps forward and offers
for my acceptance its own interpretations of the Bible, and its own
peculiar Christian beliefs. I cannot but feel perplexed and even amused
amidst countless and quarrelling sects. It appears to me, and has always
appeared to me, that no Christian nation on earth represents fully and
thoroughly Christ's idea of the kingdom of God. I do believe, and I
must candidly say, that no Christian sect puts forth the genuine and
full Christ as he was and as he is, but, in some cases, a mutilated,
disfigured Christ, and, what is more shameful, in many cases, a counter-
feit Christ. Now, I wish to say that I have not come to England as one
who has yet to find Christ. When the Roman Catholic, the Protestant,
the Unitarian, the Trinitarian, the Broad Church, the Low Church, the
High Church, all come round me, and offer me their respective Christs, I
desire to say to one and all : " Think you that I have no Christ within
me ? Though an Indian, I can still humbly say, thank God that I have
my Christ."'
This remarkable statement has become invested with far
deeper significance and interest since the publication of Mr.
Sen's last year's lecture, on the subject' India asks, Who is
Christ ?' It might have been expected that his English visit
would have brought his Theism into closer affinity with
Christian dogma. But such was not really the case. I may
state, however, as an interesting fact, that two of his Hindu
travelling companions were afterwards baptized.
On his return to India Mr. Sen applied himself zealously to
the work of social reform, and at once started what was called
'The Indian Reform Association' for female improvement,
for the promotion of education among men and women, for
the suppression of intemperance, and generally for the social
and moral reformation of the people of India. This society,
open to all classes and creeds, was founded November 2nd,