Christian: Sholapur
Christian: Sholapur
This is an extract from a British Raj gazetteer pertaining to Sholapur that seems |
Christian
Christians are returned as numbering 625 and as chiefly found in Sholapur. Of the 625 Sholapur Christians, 158 were Europeans mostly soldiers, sixty-eight Eurasians, and 399 Natives who are mostly converts of the American Maratha Mission. [Details are given in the Ahmadnagar Statistical Account.] The mission began its work in the district in 1862. To spread Christian knowledge the mission opened schools, kept for sale a large stock of the Holy Scriptures and other Christian books and tracts, and its missionaries preached to the people. By the end of 1877 sixty Hindus were converted, one-fifth of whom were high and middle caste Hindus, and the rest were Mhars and Mangs. At present (1882) Sholapur has three American mission churches one each at Sholapur, Dhotre in Barsi, and Vatvat in Sholapur. The congregations are under two European missionaries aided by twenty-five natives as preachers, pastors, and catechists. Most of the converts have kept their names and surnames; but in naming their children they generally prefer Christian to Hindu names. Persons bearing the same surname intermarry; but close relationship is a bar to marriage. They form one community eating together and intermarrying But Brahman and other high class converts are averse from marrying with families who originally were Mhars and Mangs. They do not differ in food, drink, dress, calling, faith, and customs, from Ahmadnagar Native Christians. Most send their children to school and show signs of improving.
