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a contextual missiology of the spirit - eTheses Repository ...

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It is clear from <strong>the</strong> letters <strong>of</strong> CMS missionaries that <strong>the</strong>y struggled to sustain <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

mission in <strong>the</strong> state. As <strong>the</strong>re was no proper transport, travelling made mission<br />

even more difficult 18 and <strong>the</strong> lack <strong>of</strong> rain produced famine and poverty. The<br />

missionaries’ letters asked for medical personnel to help <strong>the</strong>m as well as <strong>the</strong> local<br />

community. 19 They found it difficult to help <strong>the</strong> increasing number <strong>of</strong> sick people<br />

in <strong>the</strong> villages. Such a mammoth challenge caused Shoolbred, to long for <strong>spirit</strong>ual<br />

gifts. He reflects in a letter to his home church in Scotland: ‘Into <strong>the</strong> smoky<br />

glimmer <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fire a poor consumptive man was carried on his rude couch. Alas!<br />

What could I do for him?’ Shoolbred confessed that <strong>the</strong>re were occasions when he<br />

longed for, and was ‘almost tempted to pray for <strong>the</strong> possession <strong>of</strong> those<br />

miraculous gifts which <strong>the</strong> Master and His first disciples dispensed.’ 20 It is<br />

apparent that <strong>the</strong>re was a scarcity <strong>of</strong> missionaries, particularly local missionaries.<br />

Haywood mentioned that <strong>the</strong>re was not even a single Bhil clergy man in <strong>the</strong><br />

state. 21 This created a tension in <strong>the</strong> Society about whe<strong>the</strong>r to continue <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

mission in Rajasthan or to hand over to some o<strong>the</strong>r agency. According to Lane<br />

Smith, due to <strong>the</strong> shortage <strong>of</strong> staff and money, all <strong>the</strong> western missionaries were in<br />

favour <strong>of</strong> handing over <strong>the</strong> Bhil Mission to o<strong>the</strong>r societies, but <strong>the</strong> bishop opposed<br />

<strong>the</strong> proposal. 22<br />

18<br />

It is important to understand that even today travelling to certain areas <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> state is a Herculean<br />

task. Detailed evidence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> increasing difficulty travelling in <strong>the</strong> state is found in Cherian’s<br />

research. See ‘Study <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Religion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Bhils,’ 10.<br />

19<br />

For example, Rev. A.I. Birkett asked for a doctor because <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> influence that a medical<br />

missionary could exercise and also because <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> need for proper medical advice for <strong>the</strong><br />

missionaries. See A.I. Birkett, 15 March 1916, CMS Letters, University <strong>of</strong> Birmingham Library<br />

(hereafter cited as CMS Letters).<br />

20<br />

Quoted in Carstairs, Shepherd <strong>of</strong> Udaipur, 54.<br />

21<br />

Canon, 15 March 1916, CMS Letters.<br />

22<br />

Smith H.J. Lane, 12 December 1919, CMS Letters.<br />

100

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