The all India Christian Conference Leaders

“The all India Christian Conference Leaders or an Associated Body once met in the Ashram at Sabarmati for their committees discussions. We lived the simple ashram life and of course practised strict vegetarianism in recognition of the spirit of the place. But this did not set any bar on free discussions on Vegetarianism, on Pacificism, on Imperialism, on Commercial Morality, Caste, Metempsychosis and so on. One day, quite accidentally, Mahatma Gandhi who like all Hindus everywhere made no distinction between life and soul disappointed some Christian thinkers by the apparent shallowness of his arguments for ahimsa in the extreme form. C. F. Andrews, the Dinabandu, was present and though in practice he was a vegetarian within the borders of India, i.e. out of respect of respect for Indian sentiment - yet as a Christian priest he put up a reasonable defence for meat eating, while condemning needless cruelty and the causing of pain. Andrews argued that Nature is replete with evidence that the higher animal devours the lower, and therefore a chicken might be killed for the health and growth of a human being. With a twinkle in his eye and with a fascinating smile, Mahatmaji retorted, “Charlie, you are a Christian and I respect you for being a true disciple of your great master. Your doctrine of the cross fascinates me, for it proclaims the fact that Christ because he was divine, sacrificed his life to save us humble men. This I can understand, i. e. that the higher life willingly and and voluntarily offered itself in sacrifice in order to save the lower life. Your argument that the lower life must be sacrificed to help the higher life is something I cannot understand and I am sure it does not square with your Christian thesis on redemption.”