ABSTRACT
With regard to Mahatma Gandhi’s relationship with Christians and the Christian Religion, I am fortunately able to draw upon abundant material from his own speeches and writings. There is also a valuable conversa tion with him in Johannesburg in early days, when his mind had been detached in a great measure from the outward ceremonials of Hinduism and he had constantly taken a silent part in acts of Christian worship by attending different churches and conventions. It will be the simplest course to quote in full a vivid description of his views at that time, as given by the Rev. J. J. Doke,
of Johannesburg, one of his closest Christian friends, whose faithful record Mahatma Gandhi himself endorsed. He wrote as follows:—
We have another record, in Mr. Gandhi's own words, of a friendship with a Quaker, named Mr. Coates, which may be quoted to complete the story of those times. It should be mentioned that both Gandhi and Tagore regard the Society of Friends as the nearest representation of what they themselves have read about the Christian life in the Gospels. He writes thus:—
“ Mr. Coates had a great affection for me. We went out walks together and he also took me to other Christian friends. In pure faith I consented to read the books he sent me, and as I went on reading them we discussed
But Mr. Coates was not the man easily to accept defeat. H e had great affection for me. He saw, round my neck, the Vaishnava necklace of Tulasi-beads. He thought it to be superstition, and was pained by it. ‘This superstition does not become you. Come, let me break the necklace.’
