Sharing food, spreading faith and fellowship during Christmas season

The Collector is coming to distribute prizes to the boys in the government school tomorrow; all the principal people of the town will be present, and the "mamlatdar" will be very glad if you will come and show your magic-lantern pictures after the prize-giving is over," said a message received by the master of the mission-school at Khed, a week before Christmas in 1895.

- Chinmay Damle

Khed was a town of about four thousand inhabitants and twenty-six miles from Poona. It was one of the most important outstations of the Church Mission Society (CMS) with a school where boys received Bible as well as secular teaching.

The CMS had only just taken up work there, and there were not more than a dozen boys in the small English class.

Reverend R.S. Heywood, the incharge of the Poona Divinity School, was in Khed then. He told the "mamlatdar," the magistrate, that all their lantern slides were Bible pictures, but the "mamlatdar" made no objection, so the reverend gladly seized the opportunity.

On the evening of the function, a sheet was put up against the wall of the courthouse and the lantern was kept ready. The Collector came with his wife and so did the "mamlatdar." Prizes were distributed and the lantern show began. The Christian master incharge of the English class was interpreting. An opportunity to emphasise the Christmas message was not missed. The Christmas message was twofold - glory to god, and goodwill among men.

After the show, all the children were given laddoos made of wheat flour and jaggery. The Collector had brought with him some fresh fruits that were distributed among the children.

This was the first magic lantern address in India organised by the CMS. These shows almost always drew large audiences, including important people in the villages.

The organising missionaries took care to distribute sweets and fruits their audience liked after the show was over. Several pastors and reverends were known to address the crowds in the local languages at these gatherings.

European and American missionaries set sail for parts unknown to preach their religion. They navigated linguistic diversity on foreign shores and gained such a firm grip on languages that they were able to convincingly convey religious concepts to the natives.