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Babasaheb Dr B.R Ambedkar

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z:\ ambedkar\vol-05\vol5-06.indd MK SJ+YS 23-9-2013 427<br />

CHRISTIANIZING THE UNTOUCHABLES<br />

427<br />

It is true that during the 1921 and 1931 Christianity has shown a<br />

great increase. From the point of growth Sikhism takes the first place.<br />

Christianity comes second and Islam another proselytizing religion comes<br />

third. The difference between the first and the second is so small that<br />

the second place occupied by Christianity may be taken to be as good<br />

as first. Again the difference between the second and the third place<br />

occupied by Islam is so enormous that Christians may well be proud of<br />

their having greatly outdistanced so serious a rival.<br />

With all this the fact remains that this figure of 6,296,763 is out<br />

of a total of 352,818,557. This means that the Christian population in<br />

India is about 1.7 p.c. of the total.<br />

II<br />

In how many years and after what expenditure ? As to expenditure<br />

it is not possible to give any accurate figures. Mr. George Smith in his<br />

book on “The Conversion of India” published in 1893 gives statistics which<br />

serve to give some idea of the resources spent by Christian Nations for<br />

Missionary work in heathen countries. This is what he says :<br />

“We do not take into account their efforts, vigorous and necessary,<br />

especially in the lands of Asia and North Africa occupied by the<br />

Eastern Churches for whom Americans do much, nor any labours<br />

for Christians by Christians of a purer faith and life. Leaving out<br />

of account also the many wives of missionaries who are represented<br />

statistically in their husbands, Rev. J. Vahl, President of the Danish<br />

Missionary Society, gives us these results. We accept them as the<br />

most accurately compiled, and as almost too cautiously estimated<br />

where estimate is unavoidable. In Turkey and Egypt only work<br />

among the Musalmans is reckoned.<br />

1890 1891<br />

Income (English Money) £2,412,938 £2,749,340<br />

Missionaries 4,652 5,094<br />

Missionaries unmarried ladies 2,118 2,445<br />

Native Ministers 3,424 3,730<br />

Other Native helpers 36,405 40,438<br />

Communicants 966,856 1,168,560<br />

We abstain from estimating in detail the results for 1892, as they<br />

are about to appear, and still less for the year 1893, but experts can<br />

do this for themselves. This only we would say, that the number of

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