Indian Methodist Church celebrates 150 years of ministry

The Indian Methodist Church celebrated 150 years of ministry in India October 20–23 with hundreds of delegates from the 12 regional conferences of the Indian church and Methodist leaders from other nations assembling at Isabella Thoburn College, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

Nearly 700 Indians and dignitaries from Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, the United Kingdom and the United States converged in Lucknow to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Methodist Church of India, a 649,000–member autonomous denomination affiliated with the United Methodist Church.

Speaking at the opening service of thanksgiving and Holy Communion, (Rtd.) United Methodist Bishop S. Clifton Ives said, "Give thanks to God for he has placed us to bring the Gospel – the love and peace of Jesus Christ – to this fractured world and to people living in a multi–religious milieu."

Earlier in the morning, Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav lauded Methodist schools and colleges for educating the masses, especially illiterate girls and women and for playing an important role in the development of the society. "[You] have played an important role in spreading the message of brotherhood, peace and humanity in India," Singh said, lauding the achievement of the Methodist churches and institutions.

Yadav also assured the assembly that he would make sure that the status of Isabella Thoburn College is changed to that of a university. "I am aware of the great service being rendered by the College under the dynamic leadership of its president, Dr. E.S. Charles," he said.

The college was begun in 1870 by Isabella Thoburn, a missionary sponsored by the Women's Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

The origin of the Methodist church can be traced back to 1856 when the Rev. William and Clementina Butler arrived in India and began ministry at Bareilly near Lucknow. They later moved to Nainital. "India shall yet be one of the brightest gems in the diadem of Christ," William Butler had said.

James M. Thoburn became a missionary to India in 1859. In 1888, General Conference elected him missionary bishop for India, a role he filled until 1908.

Subsequently, William Taylor, a preacher at spiritual revival meetings, won many souls for Christ and organized followers into Methodist congregations in Bareilly, Nainital, Poona, Madras, Bangalore, Calcutta, Baroda, Hyderabad, Jabalpur and Khandwa.

Another renowned evangelist, the Rev. E.A. Seamonds, came to Bidar near Hyderabad and started mass spiritual revival meetings; these revivals at Dharur continue after 83 years.

The first women missionaries from the Methodist Episcopal Church arrived in 1870; they included Isabella Thoburn and Clara Swain, who was the first female doctor in Asia.

E. Stanley Jones, perhaps the best–known Methodist missionary, arrived in India in 1907. His innovations in proclaiming the Gospel caught the attention of high–caste Hindus who wished to learn about Jesus Christ. In 1930, "Brother Stanley," as he was addressed, founded the "ashram" or "forest retreat" at Sat Tal, at the foot of the Himalayan mountains. It was there that people of all faiths could join in a common quest to experience the spirit of Jesus Christ.

Judges, bureaucrats, lawyers, doctors and administrators went to Sat Tal Ashram, and many accepted Jesus as savior though the experience. The confession, "Jesus is Lord," was used as a greeting by Jones and is now used throughout the International Movement of Ashrams in 40 countries.

Jai Singh, 74, is a Methodist who converted from Hinduism. At the assembly, he described how he accepted Jesus Christ after attending the Sat Tal Ashram in 1963. "The Lord has led me to share his blessings with three Methodist churches in and around Lucknow," said Singh. "I have found peace and joy in Jesus Christ."

In a keynote address at the three–day gathering, Bishop Robert Solomon of Singapore related an incident from Jones' life: Brother Stanley once told Mahatma Gandhi, father of the Indian nation, "You are an ardent practitioner of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount; why don't you join the church?" to which Gandhi replied "I have no problem with Christ; my problem is with church."

Solomon encouraged his listeners to follow Jones' example by reflecting Christ in their lives. The bishop said Jones' life and spirit will continue to invite people to experience the love of God.

According to Dr. Charles, president of Isabella Thoburn College, the Methodist Church would grow stronger in the next 25 years. "Education is important as India is poised to become a global power for education opens the mind," she said, adding that the denomination would focus on addressing India's social, political and economic problems.

"I shall work for removing gender bias and many social problems, (such) as girl infanticide, promoting women literacy and empowerment, which I believe were also envisioned by pioneer educationist Isabella Thoburn," Dr. Charles said. "I endorse the recent government legislation to protect the Indian women from domestic and external violence."

In addition to empowering women, Methodist leaders also vowed to focus on young people in the church.

"My predecessors of the past five generations ministered in Methodist congregations starting in 1863, when the first convert in the family was ordained a local deacon," said the Rev. Isaac P. Mann, a pastor in the Delhi Regional Conference. "My vision is to lead the youth of the Methodist Church to Jesus Christ through biblical values in these changing situations of our society."