“Some Punjabis, probably soldiers, had come to a fair for no good intention, and soon were at their game, molesting some Hindu women, who had come to worship; but no one in the crowd came forward to protect these women. Fortunately, however, some Mission Schoolboys arrived on the scene, and they at once fell upon these hooligans and smote them hip and thigh. And when the crowd perceived which way the battle was going, it joined very wisely the winning side. As this little affair happened at the shrine of the goddess of murder, I asked the staff and boys which side the goddess took in the fight? This question was rather a poser, for some said that the goddess was on the side of those who attacked the women, and others maintained that she sided with the schoolboys. Opinions were divided on this important subject until a Solomon solved the difficulty by explaining that as Kali was the goddess of murder and blood, she would naturally side with the party which shed the most blood, and that honour certainly fell to the Mission School boys. This decision pleased and comforted us all.”
– from “Beyond The Pir Panjal: Life and Missionary Enterprise in Kashmir” (1912 ) By Ernest F. Neve. The boys were from the newly opened Christian Missionary School (CMS) now simply known as Tyndale Biscoe School after the name of its legendary principal – Rev. Cecil Tyndale-Biscoe. Neve actually quotes words of Biscoe describing the incident.
There are many anecdotes related to Tyndale Biscoe in Kashmir. One famous saying is that Mr Biscoe used to say that "Kashmiri Men are not men (read eunuchs) because they are afraid of HardWork and Men should not be afraid of hardwaork"..Thats the reason of the motto.."In all things be Men".
Yes, making a "Man" out of Kashmiris was one of the main objectives of the Biscoe (in particular) and early Missionaries sent to Kashmir (in general).
Will post more on it soon.
Dipen/et all
You folks are making too much of the motto? Yes, the curriculum in Biscoe was different from the routine, and ahead of times… but the context of "making men" is not just about physical aggression alone. Read up on the whole missionary concepts that all missionaries propagate world around. The underlying thought is – that without the missionary light everyone is an animal till they hear the message of the Bible.
It doesnt always mean religious conversions have to be an end result…something that differntiated from the catholic run missionary institutions.
BTW… CMS was run by CNI/Dioceses of North Amristar, who also ran the Mallinsons next door for girls. Know their motto?
-A Soul in Exile
(btw,…have been a biscoe boy myself, for full 12yrs)
Here's the post: More about the Biscoe School Motto and the discussion.
I talked around and then Dipen told me that Mallinson School Motto is the 'cryptic' "Faithful in the Least".
"Faithful in the least" has a Bibical reference.
Luke 16:10 says "He who is faithful in the least is also faithful in much"
Awesome, I was really wondering about the meaning of that line. Thanks! So you are still great at giving Biblical references 🙂