Oh wow. I was googling my family history and came across this transcribed speech by my late grandfather, who was a Malayan Methodist church pastor. In it, he speaks against racial segregation in the US at the General Conference of the Methodist Church, held in Minneapolis in 1956. Could I be prouder?? Paul Athimuthu (Malaya) spoke in favor of the proposed amendment of W. Sproule Boyd, as follows: — Mr. Chairman and fellow Delegates: The Hindus who believe in Karma, who practiced untouchability and even unseeability for centuries, abolished untouchability by law and opened the doors of all temples and public places throughout India from the Himalayas to Cape Comorin by the influence of one man, Mahatma Gandhi. Thank God that in a Christian country like America the white Christian Brothers do not practice untouchability. Some of them use the service of colored brothers in their houses, in their churches, in their social halls, but unfortunately they do not allow the same folks to worship in their sanctuaries along with them. When Hindus could do away with a social evil which existed for centuries in a decade, why not the Christians of America do away with a minor evil? I think we will have to look toward India for moral and spiritual leadership. We want a Gandhi or another Lincoln in America. Here is a great challenge to the ministers of American churches where the colored Brethren are not allowed to worship. Who is going to open the doors of his church for the colored Brethren, irrespective of the consequences? We will have to face the issues now or never. There is no use of postponing this issue; one day it has to be faced. Why not we as a Conference face it now? Some may say there may be troubles, disturbances, uprisings and even murder. Abraham Lincoln would have foreseen these things when he emancipated the slaves. He had the courage to do it and even though it cost his life, God did not allow his cause to die, but it bore fruit and emancipation became a permanent thing. You, the Bishops of The Methodist Church, and you, the Ministers of The Methodist Church, and you, the Lay Leaders of The Methodist Church consider this challenge, ponder over it, pray over it and then abolish this injustice, segregation. Open the gates of the Church, the social hall and other public places wide and allow the colored people to enter in. Remove the stigma, the inferiority complex of the colored man. Treat him as your Brother, not in words but in deeds. He does not need economic security; your rich country gives that. He needs social justice. The whole world looks to this great Conference. What are you, the followers of Christ, who died not only for the white man but also for the colored man, and the followers of a brave man, John Wesley, going to do? I appeal to you to vote unanimously for this motion. Not only God but the whole of Christendom, of the whole world, would be behind you.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 02:25:24 +0000
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