Abdul Masih: Icon of Indian Indigeneity Graham Kings

ho is this sea ted In­ its subject.7 This famous, early, W dian so sere ne an d dignified convert from Islam calm ? What is he reading, wi th became a medical missionary concentrated med itation, that and evangelist amonghis own is so eviden tly precio us? What people.He was the firs t Indian are those books and bottles in to be employed as a catechis t the background? Why was he (evangelist) bythe Church Mis­ celebrated wi th sucha comm is­ sionary Society and in 1825 be­ sioned portrait?Wh o is this man came the second Indian or­ whospans the centuries, speaks dained Anglican clergyman," to us in his silence, and draws The portrai t directs atten tion us into studying w ha t he him­ to the particular items that re­ self is reading? , late to Masih's significa nce as The re is no written clue on an icon of Indian indigene ity: th e front of the pai nting, buton his turban,his open Scriptures, tu rn ing it over the wordscanbe his books, and his medicine seen in ink: "The Revd. Abd ul bottles. Masseeh. Henr y Martyn's one convert- orda ine d by Bish op The Turban: A Heber. Revd. G. E.Corrie,Jesus Muslim Convert Coli : Cambridge. Luggage Train." Shaikh Salih cho se the name

I first saw this portrait in '" , Abdul Masih, Servan t of the 1993. Graha m Cray, the princi­ Mes siah, at his baptism in the palof Ridley Ha ll, the evangeli­ Old Church, Calcutta, on the cal Ang lican theological college d ay of Pen tecost, 1811. He was in Cambridge, di scovered it in conv er ted to Christ th rough a cupboard in the principal's the preaching and life of Henry lodge. Next to it he also found Marty n (17 81- 18 12) a t

fra m ed p rints of C harles / Cawnpore (Kanpur) in north­ Simeon and Henry Martyn. I ern India. In a fascinating criti­ had previously seen the mag­ calstu dy,MuslimsandMiss ion­ nificent oil painting of Abdul "Tile Revd. A bdul Masseeh. Henru Martyn's one convert. " aries in Pre-Mutiny India, Avril Masih' in th e headqua rters of A. Powell comments: "He is the Churc h Mission Society? in London and recognized his face signi ficant to thi s study beca use he became the agent, in turn, for in this fading watercolor, which is set in a w alnut frame w ith gilt th e conv ers ions, th ough in many cases very short-lived, of some edgings. Bishop Heber I knew to have been the second Anglican fifty Muslims and Hind us living in the vicini ty of Agra, an d bishop of Calcutta and great h ymnw riter."G. E. Corrie was new because of th e steps he took, altho ug h largely unsuccessful in his to me, and I ass umed that he must have been re lated to Daniel own lifetime, to en gage the attention of Muslim scholars in both Corrie, Martyn's friend, who had enco uraged Abdul Masih as a De lhi and Lucknow."? new discipl e and evangelist. Salih was born in Delhi abou t the yea r 1776 into a well­ The portrait, kindly on loan fro m Ridl ey Hall, now hangs resp ected Mu slim family, became zea lous in devotion , and was above the mantelpiece in my study at the Henry Martyn Cen tre recognized as a scho larly religious teacher in Luc know. When in Cambridge. It is a wa tercolor and (opaque) body color over working for an officer of the East India Compa ny, he even graphite on medium-weight, wove pap er.' its painter, date, induced a Hind u servant to become a Muslim." In considering proven an ce, history, and acquisition by Ridl ey Hall are all cur­ Salih for or di na tion in 1825, Bish op Heber remarked :"His rank, rently fascinating mysteries." Next to it han gs the p rint of his previously to his conversion, was rather elevated, since he was spiritual father, Martyn, and opposite is the print of Ma rtyn's Master of the Jewels to the Court of Oude, an appoin tment of father-in-God, Simeo n." It is a continua l inspiration to me be­ higher estimation in Eastern Pa laces than in th ose of Europe, and cause students and visito rs regularl y ask questions about it and th e holder of which has always a high salary ."!' In 1810 Salih was at Cawnpore, where he heard Martyn Graham Kings, a contributing editor, is thefounding Director of the Henry preach to the poor w ho asse mb led at h is door on Sunday after­ Martyn Centre, Cambridge, England, Lecturer in Mission Studies in the noons to receive alms." Salih, in his own words, we nt "to see th e Cambridge Theological Federation, and affiliated lecturer in the university. sport." He was struck by Martyn 's exposition of the Ten Com­ From 1985 to1991 hewasaCMS mission partnerin Kenyaandheisalsoa Vice mandments and wa nted to hear mo re.In the end he wasengaged President of the CMS . To view a colorversion of the Abdul Masih portrait, see to work w ith Martyn's cantankerous and erra tic assistant, Saba t, the Henry Martyn web page at www.martynmission.cam .ac.uk as copyist of the Persian New Tes tament tran slation .

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------The Open New Testament boat with him, whom he teaches, as we go along, to read, and to learn passages of the Scripture by heart: and when the Natives When Martyn had finished his Hindustani New Testament argue with him about Caste, he sometimes asks the Children if translation, the book was given to Salih to bind.13 In the words of they remember any passage of Scripture in answer; which one or the MissionaryPapers: "Thishe considered as a fine opportunity; otherof themusually does, to the admirationof the poorignorant nor did he let it slip. On reading the Word of God, he discovered people. He has composed many Hymns to Native measures, his state, and perceived therein a true description of his own which he sings with the Christian Children and Servants, after heart. He soon decided in favour of the Christian religion."!' we come-to for the night; and often, during the darkness and It is probably an edition of Martyn's Hindustani New Testa­ stillness of the evening, he and his little Church in the boat make ment that is being held so reverently by Masih in the portrait and these sandy plains and lonely wilds echo with the Beloved that forms its, and his, ultimate focus. Masih is not looking out at Name."19 us (as in the oil painting in Partnership House), but down at the InAgrawithCorrie,Masihwrotecommentarieson Matthew's Scriptures that convicted him, translated by the man who con­ gospel, Romans, and Hebrews, and many copies in manuscript vinced him. Our eyes are also drawn to that point, as we perceive form were soughtbyChristians in North India. During the years ourselves to be witnesses of the biblical devotion of one bound to 1813-14 their joint work led to the baptism of about fifty adults, Christ, and so ultimately Christ-bound, by his binding of the half of them Muslim, among whom "six were Mahomedans of Scriptures. He seems to have taken to heart the words of the the first respectability."20 Avril Powell has perceptively shown Anglican collect for the second Sunday in Advent-to "read, that althoughnone of them made any long-term impact, and two mark, learn and inwardly digest" the Holy Scriptures. key converts had returned to Islam by 1816, nevertheless "this However, disappointment was lurking in the timing of his first and short lived conversion phenomenon opens up the early baptism. When Martyn was about to leave Cawnpore for his interface between Muslims and evangelical Christians in this health's sake, Salih openly declared his faith and asked for region."21 Masih became a focus of curiosity, partly from the baptism. Martyn hesitated but agreed that Salih could go with respectability of his own family. His journals give evidence that him to Calcutta together with Sabat. Even there, Martyn was not Martyn'sHindustaniNewTestament(andparticularlyMatthew's yet convinced of his change of heart. It seems to me that in this gospel) was being requested and studied by leading Muslims in hesitancy he was probably influenced by the volatility and the Gangetic core region. The departure of Corrie in 1814 meant instability of Sabat's conversion experience.IS Martyn left for Masih was alone in Agra, and no new baptisms from among the "respectable" class of Muslims were recorded. Masih has also beendescribed as a pioneer medical mission­ Martyn left for Persia and ary of the CMS/2 and the bottles in the background may symbol­ Arabia and an untimely ize this concurrent calling. On his own responsibility, and with a limited knowledge of medicine,he set up a dispensaryat Agra on death, never being sure of which he spent a considerable amount of his own money. Soon his convert's conversion. he was attracting large numbers of patients and became known as the Christian doctor. After eight years of employment as a catechist, it seemed Persia, Arabia, and eventually an untimely death in Tokat, never appropriate that Masih should be ordained. Unfortunately the being sure of his convert's conversion." He handed him over to first bishop of Calcutta, Thomas Middleton (1769-1822), a strong two friends and fellow Cambridge missionaries in Calcutta. HighChurchman, did not license CMS-ordained missionaries in David Brown baptized him five months later, and Daniel Corrie his diocese, nor was he willing to ordain "native" clergymen (who later became the first bishop of Madras) taught him the because he was convinced that his letters patent did not give him faith and, toward the end of 1812, engaged him as a catechist of such authority. Masih was therefore ordained as a Lutheran by the Church Missionary Society at Agra." the Lutheran missionaries of the CMS. He continued to do some traveling around the upper provinces, but frequent illnesses The Books and Bottles prevented much journeying. The Missionary Register excelled itself with a delicate description, which has some backing from Corrie and Masih became great friends and enjoyed each other's the portrait itself: "latterly, an unnatural tendency to corpulency company and Bible study; perhaps Martyn's convertbecame the rendered long journeys irksome."23 friend Corrie lost in Martyn. Such cross-cultural companionship When Bishop Reginald Heber succeeded Middleton, he did and love seems to me to be the hidden testimony of the painting agree to Masih's Anglican ordination, though without asking itself. I have found no record of who commissioned it, but since him to renounce his Lutheran orders." Masih was introduced to the writing on the back refers to George Corrie (Daniel's young­ himduringthebishop'sstayat Agra,in January1825.The bishop est brother and biographer)," it seems very likely that Masih's remarked of him: "Abdool Messeeh's present appointments, as colleague in the Great Commission and translator of his journals Christian Missionary, are 60 rupees a month, and of this he gives for the CMS supporters was also the commissioner of this por­ away at least half! Who can dare to say that this man changed his trait. If this is indeed the case, then perhaps in this image we can faith from any interested motive? He is a most sincere Christian, imagine Masih as Corrie saw him-a faithful partner in the quite free, so far as I canobserve, from all conceit or enthusiasm." Gospel, able to reach many more thanhe ever could. Is there here He continued with a fine description, which also captures the a reflection of nonpatronizing partnership between West and character in this portrait: "His long eastern dress, his long grey East? Corrie is not in the portrait but may be outside it, present beard, and his calm resigned countenance give him already the during a sitting? It is difficult to tell. air of an Apostle.r'" Corrie recorded in his journal this description of a journey On November 30, 1825, in Calcutta, Heber thus ordained up the Ganges withMasih: "Hehas several native children in the deacon the second AnglicanIndianclergymanand ordainedhim

April 1999 67 priest the following month, on December 21, in the presence of However, in the archives of Ridley Hall, soon after the discovery Daniel Corrie, then archdeacon of Calcutta." Perhaps this is a of this portrait, I did find an old piece of paper with a hymn on clue to the mystery of provenance-was it an ordination portrait, it; it had a note added at the bottom: "Translation of a hymn in commissioned by Corrie? Masih's age and Heber's description Hindoostanee composed by Rev. Abdool Meeseeh, and sung by would match such a suggestion. him just before he expired. Thos Thomason" 5 June /28." The Masih then moved on to Lucknow to set up a permanent hymn by Masih matches the iconic portrait in manifesting the mission there. Reasons for this were that his aged mother (who profound evangelical devotion and trust of this elderly Indian remained a Muslim) and family were there, it was a center of saint: Muslim scholarship, and just prior to his ordination he had had an encouraging encounter and dialogue with a leading local Beloved Saviour, let not me scholar, Subhan Ali Khan." Sadly, this promised new phase of In thy kind heart forgotten be. activity was cut short when Masih suddenly fell ill. He died on Of all the plants that deck the bower," March 4, 1827, aged fifty-one. Thou art the fairest, sweetest flower. As mentioned above, no trace of the portrait has yet been Youth's morn has fled-old age come on, found in the official histories and archives of Ridley Hall or of the But sin distracts my soul alone. CMS, nor is it mentioned in the variousbiographies related to the Beloved Saviour, let not me life of Masih. Its provenance and history remain a mystery." In thy kind heart forgotten be.

Notes ------1. This is the accepted modern version of his name; other translitera­ catechist in Ceylon" by the SPCK (G. E. Corrie and H. Corrie, tions in missionary literature include Abdool Messeeh, Abdool Memoirs of Daniel Corrie, LL.D., First Bishop of Madras [London: Masseeh, and Abd al-Masih. Seeley, Burnside & Seeley, 1847], p. 363). David's IndianTamil origin 2. CMS, before its renaming in 1995, stood for the Church Missionary is corroborated by Laird (Bishop Heber, p. 27). Society. The oil painting in Partnership House, London, shows 9. Avril A. Powell, Muslims and Missionaries in Pre-Mutiny India(Lon­ Masihas a youngerfigure than thiswatercolor. Itwas commissioned don: Curzon Press, 1993), p. 111. by Thomas Thomason (an East India Company chaplain who trans­ 10. Biographical notices appeared in the CMS Missionary Register for lated the Old Testament into Hindustani), who sent it to his mentor July 1813 and an obituary in October 1827, both written by Daniel in Cambridge, Charles Simeon, who sent it to the CMS. See Eugene Corrie. These were summarized in MissionaryPapers for theuseofthe Stock, TheHistoryoftheChurchMissionarySociety: Its Environment,Its weeklyandmonthlycontributors totheChurchMissionarySociety, no. 62 Men, and Its Work, 3 vols. (London: CMS, 1899), 1:183. Rosemary (Midsummer 1831), and subsequently published in The Quarterly Keen, former CMS archivist, was delighted to hear of the discovery Papers oftheChurch MissionarySocietyforAfricaandtheEastfrom their of this portrait of the older Masih, unknown to the CMS. Commencement in 1816 to Christmas 1848 (London: Seeleys, 1849). 3. Heber was the author of "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty," Corrie also translated Masih's journal over the years 1812-27 from "Brightest and Best are the Sons of the Morning," and "From Hindustani (Urdu) into English, and extended extracts from these Greenland's Icy Mountains." See George Smith, Bishop Heber: Poet were regularly published in the Missionary Register. A few manu­ and ChiefMissionary to the East, Second LordBishop of Calcutta, 1783­ script translations for the years 1820-25 may be found in the CMS 1826 (London: John Murray, 1895); M. A. Laird, ed., Bishop Heber in archives, University of Birmingham, together with letters from the Northern India: Selections from Heber's Journal (Cambridge: Cam­ same period. Powell also notes that "polemical tracts compiled by bridge Univ. Press, 1971); and D. Hughes, Bishop Sahib: A Life of Muslimsin the 1850scontainsomereferences to discussions heldwith Reginald Heber (Worthing: Churchman, 1986). Abd al-Masih in the 1820s" (Muslimsand Missionaries, p. 111 n. 32). 4. I am very grateful to Celia Withycombe, paper conservator at the 11. Heber's journal for January 12, 1825, cited in Laird, Bishop Heber, p. Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge, for her generous 246. In commenting that no Muslim accounts have been found to advice and enthusiasm concerning the portrait. corroborate Masih's versions of his conversations and disputations, 5. F. W. B. Bullock's History of Ridley Hall, Cambridge, 2 vols. (Cam­ Avril Powell points out: "The one-sidedness of the extant accounts bridge:CambridgeUniv. Press,1941-53),madeno mentionof it, and is important, because Evangelicals were always anxious, as in the archival researchhasnot yetbeenfruitful. However, see n. 28below. case of Sabat [Martyn's assistant] to stress Abd al-Masih's ashraf 6. For Simeon'srela tionship to Martyn(Simeonwasinvolvedin found­ [well-born, respectable] origins" (Muslims and Missionaries, p. 111). ing both the CMS and the Bible Society) and Martyn's legacy, see 12. It is significant that, just as the campaign to allow missionary work Graham Kings, "Foundations for Mission and the Study of World among the population of India was gathering strength in England Christianity: The Legacy of Henry Martyn B.D.," Mission Studies14, with the renewal of the East India Company's charter in Parliament nos. 1-2 (1997): 248-65. due in 1813, Martyn, a chaplain of the company, was in fact quietly, 7. Someof thesequestionsled to a BBCRadio4 programon the portrait, indirectly thus engaged. From this "good news to the poor" a broadcast from my study in July 1997. strategic influential conversion resulted. 8. Eugene Stock, and some others following him, claimed him as the 13. George Smith, in his otherwise fine biography of Martyn, erred in first ordained Indian. He pointed out, with perhaps a look over his saying that this was the Persian New Testament (HenryMartyn, Saint shoulder at the SPG and SPCK, that Masih's was "the first Anglican and Scholar: FirstModernMissionaryto theMohammedans, 1781-1812 ordination of a Native of India. But Heber had already ordained, in [London: Religious Tract Society, 1892], p. 286). Missionary Papers India, a Native of Ceylon, a student at Bishop's College, Calcutta, makes it clear that it was the Hindustani translation, and Stock and named Christian David" (Stock, History, 1:191). However, George Powell correctly followed the information given in Missionary Pa­ Corrie, in his biography of his brother, clearly stated that David was pers. a "native of Malabar" who had "for many years been engaged as a 14. MissionaryPapers, no. 62 (Midsummer 1831).

68 INTERNATIONAL BULLETIN OF MISSIONARY RESEARCH 15. [awad bin Sabat later reverted to Islam and provided "insider" of many such to convince the Committee at home, by slow degrees, information on Christianity, in his book An Answer to Christians, of the need for organized medical missions." Masih is still a subject which was used by some of the disputing Muslim opponents of worthy of study in 1999, the bicentenary of the CMS. Masih (Powell, Muslims and Missionaries, pp. 114 and 116). 23. Missionary Papers, no. 62 (Midsummer 1831). 16. After the death of Martyn, Corrie wrote to Simeon in Cambridge on 24. Laird discusses the complicated question of the validity (or other­ June 23, 1813, "Could he look from Heaven and see the Abdool wise) of Lutheran orders in Anglican eyes (Bishop Heber, pp. 27-28). Messee'h,with the translated NewTestamentin his hand, preaching 25. Heber's journal for January 12, 1825,cited in Laird, Bishop Heber, pp. to the listening throng, ... it would add fresh delight to his holy soul" 246--47. (Corrie and Corrie, DanielCorrie, p. 250). 26. G. E. Corrie and H. Corrie cited a witness, "Nothing could equal the 17. For Daniel Corrie (1777-1837) see also Angus D. 1.J. Macnaughton, joy of Mr. Corrie: he appeared as if he could just then adopt the DanielCorrie, His Familyand Friends (London: Johnson, 1969). language of Simeon of old" (Daniel Corrie, p. 383). 18. George Elwes Corrie (1793-1885) was Norrisian Professor of Divin­ 27. For further fascinating details of the eventual setting up of a perma­ ity in the University of Cambridge, 1838-55, vice-chancellor, 1850­ nent mission at Lucknow after the 1857 uprisings, see Powell, 51, and master of Jesus College, Cambridge, 1849-85. As well as Muslims and Missionaries, pp. 116ff. writing Daniel Corrie's biography, jointly with another brother, he 28. If my suggestion above is plausible, that Corrie commissioned it as wrote papers on English church history and edited works of Angli­ an ordination portrait, then there may be a double hint, somewhat can theology. See M. Holroyd, ed., Memorials oftheLifeofGeorge Elwes far-fetched, of how it came to be at Ridley Hall. After Corrie's death, Corrie (Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1890). a chalice and paten, in his possession, werebroughtto George Corrie 19. Missionary Papers, no. 62 (Midsummer 1831). in Cambridge by Archdeacon Harper on his return to England 20. Daniel Corrie, "Remarks on India," Missionary Register, January (Holroyd, George Corrie, p. 318). In 1885, the year that George Corrie 1816,p. 23, citedby Powell, Muslims andMissionaries, p. 113.See also died,WilliamCarus,Simeon'sbiographer,presentedhis ownmemo­ Corrie and Corrie, DanielCorrie, pp. 274-75. rabilia of Simeon to Ridley Hall, which included a miniature portrait 21. Powell, Muslims and Missionaries, pp. 113-15. of Martyn and another of Masih (Bullock, Ridley Hall, 1:221 and 22. In the preparations for the 150th anniversary of the CMS in 1949, 2:252). Carus may have arranged for this large portrait also to be there was a series in the CMS newspaper called "Makers of C.M.S. presented. In the writing of the history of Ridley Hall, this may have History." The fifth in the series was on Masih, which, because it was been confused with the smaller one. St. Luke's tide (October 18), focused on his medical work. "The 29. See n. 2 above. pioneer efforts of this first C.M.S. medical missionary were pro­ 30. In the version printed in MissionaryPapers, this line is translated "Of phetic. Here was the spontaneous response of the man on the spot to all that deck the field or bower." the pressure of humanneed. And it tookthe accumulated experience

The Legacy of Johann Ludwig Krapf M. Louise Pirouet

he legacy of Johann Ludwig Krapf, first Protestant mis­ "Krapf and Rebmann, if they were somewhat impractical, had Tsionary to East Africa, has long been a matter of discus­ vision, tenacity and boundless courage."3 C. P. Groves, in his sion.' His first posting was to Ethiopia, but the mission was pioneering, if now superseded, Plantingof Christianityin Africa, forced to leave before it was properly established. In Mombasa ends his account of Krapf's work on a negative note:" and Krapf and its hinterland he and his companions made only a tiny is barely mentioned in Adrian Hastings' monumental Church in handful of converts, the mission he established became a back­ Africa, 1450-1950. 5 However, the major study by Roy Bridges, water, and his grand missionary strategy proved a nonstarter. which forms the introduction to the Cass reprint of Travels, This lack of apparent success gave the Church Missionary Soci­ Researches, andMissionaryLabours Duringan Eighteen Years'Resi­ ety (CMS) pause for thought: "It was natural that some discour­ dence in Eastern Africa, discusses Krapf's legacy at length and agement should be felt at the result so far of the large designs concludes that, in spite of all, "Krapf was a remarkable pioneer, formed for the evangelization of Africa; but after the most a good man, and a notable figure in the history of nineteenth anxious and careful review of all the circumstances of the Mis­ century Africa.:" Trained as he was by the Basel Mission, Krapf sion, the Committee felt that the disappointments hitherto met himself may have been unsurprised that he and his colleagues with must be regarded rather as a trial of their faith than as an made only slow progress. Basel missionaries in West Africa indication of God's will that the enterprise should be aban­ found their work equally slow at first; the emphasis was on doned.'? faithfulness rather than on spectacular results.' The evaluation of Krapf's work has continued to exercise Krapf was one of a number of Lutherans trained at the Basel historians. "These ... sad and other-worldly men achieved no Missionary Institute who worked for the CMS in the early part of great evangelistic success among the scattered and socially inco­ the nineteenth century. Born in 1810, near Tiibingen in largely herent Wanyika tribesmen," wrote Roland Oliver; but he added. Protestant Wiirttemberg, he was immersed in Pietism. In Travels, Researches, and Missionary Labours in EastAfrica he tells us little M. Louise Pirouet lectured in church history and African Christianity at about his family except that his father was a comfortably-off Makerere University,Kampala, Uganda, andNairobi University,Kenya,before farmer and that he was one of four children. He seems to have returning to Britain, where she lectured in religious studies at Homerton been an overserious child; he suffered a six-month-long illness College, University of Cambridge, until her retirement. following a severe beating for a fault he did not commit, and

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