Page:Krishnayya - Mahatma Gandhi and the USA, 1949.pdf/9



It was the early twenties and Mahatma Gandhi had just begun his task of bringing freedom to India. At that time a pastor in a New York City church called John Haynes Holmes preached a sermon in which he said that the Mahatma was the greatest living man of his times and ended it thus—“When I think of Gandhi I think of Christ. "This sermon was arevelation to us, the Indians. Till then we were sure of Gandhi's greatness but it was an American who pointed out to us the unique character and personality of the man of destiny of modern India. By the way, Dr. Holmes, who has been one of the keenest students of Gandhi's life for the last thirty years, met the Mahatma for the first time face to face just a few weeks before his assassination.

Since Dr. Holmes' famous sermon on Gandhi Americans had taken the most lively interest about him. I believe that Gandhi was the best known foreigner in this country. He was universally known. Many Americans became his champions and thus the champions of the cause of freedom for India. I will quote just a few instances. I remember the great and wonderful lady