The first suggestion was that the Indian labourers should be forcibly repatriated, so that the term of their indentures might expire in India. The Government of India was not likely to accept a Another proposal was therefore made to the effect a 1. the indentured labourer should return to India on the expiry of his indenture; or that 2. he should sign a fresh indenture every two years, an increment being given at each renewal; and that 3. in the case of his refusal to return to India or renew the indenture he should pay an annual tax of £ 25.
A deputation composed of Sir Henry Binns and Mr. Mason was sent to India to get the proposal approved by the Government there. The Viceroy at that time was Lord Elgin. He disapproved of the £ 25 tax, but agreed to a poll tax of £ 3. I thought then, as I do even now, that this was a serious blunder on the part of the Viceroy. In giving his approval he had in no way thought of the interests of India. It was no part of his duty thus to accommodate the Natal Europeans. In the course of three or four years an inden- tured labourer with his wife and each male child over 16 and female child over 13 came under the impost. To levy a yearly tax of £ 12 from a family of four — husband, wfe and two children — when the average income of the husband was never more than 14s. a month, was atrocious and unknown anywhere else in the world.
We organized a fierce campaign against this tax. If the Natal Indian Congress had remained silent on the subject, the Viceroy might have approved of even the £ 25 tax. The reduction from £ 25 to £ 3 was robably due solely to the Congress agitation. But I may be mistaken in thinking s a be possible that the Indian Government had in thinking so. It may sree A disapproved of the £ 25 tax from the beginning and reduced it to £ 3, irrespective of the opposition from the Congress. In any case it > trust on the part of the Indian Government. As was a breach of t trustee of the welfare of India, the Viceroy ought never to have approved of this inhuman tax. regard it as any great achievement to have could not aah ae tax reduced from £ 25 to £ 3. The regret succeeded in getting the t: was still meaa it had not completely safeguarded the interests of 8 114 MY EXPERIMENTS WITH TRUTH the indentured Indians. It ever remained its determination to get the tax remitted, but it was twenty years before the determination was realized. And when it was realized, it came as a result of the labours of not only the Natal Indians but of all the Indians in South Africa. The breach of faith with the late Mr. Gokhale became the occasion of the final campaign, in which the indentured Indians took their full share, some of them losing their lives as a result of the firing that was resorted to, and over ten thousand suffering imprisonment.
But truth triumphed in the end. The sufferings of the Indians were the expression of that truth. Yet it would not have triumphed except for unflinching faith, great patience and incessant effort. Had the community given up the struggle, had the Congress abandoned the campaign and submitted to the tax as inevitable, the hated impost would have continued to be levied from the indentured Indians until this day, to the eternal shame of the Indians in South Africa and of the whole of India.
XXII COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RELIGIONS If I found myself entirely absorbed in the service of the commu- nity, the reason behind it was my desire for self-realization. I had made the religion of service my own, as I felt that God could be rea- lized only through service. And service for me was the service of India, because it came to me without my seeking, because I had an aptitude for it. I had gone to South Africa for travel, for finding an escape from Kathiawad intrigues and for gaining my own livelihood. But as I have said, I found myself in search of God and striving for self-realization.
Christian friends had whetted my appetite for knowledge, which had become almost insatiable, and they would not leave me in peace, even if I desired to be indifferent. In Durban Mr. Spencer Walton, the head of the South Africa General Mission, found me out. I became almost a member of his family. At the back of this acquaintance was of course my contact with Christians in Pretoria. Mr. Walton had a manner all his own. I do not recollect his ever having invited me to embrace Christianity. But he placed his life as an open book before me, and let me watch all his movements. Mrs. Walton was a very gentle and talented woman. I liked the attitude of this couple. We knew the fundamental differences between us. Any amount of discus- sion could not efface them. Yet even differences prove helpful, where there are tolerance, charity and truth. I liked Mr. and Mrs. Walton’s humility, perseverance and devotion to work, and we met very frequently.
This friendship kept alike my interest in religion. It was impossible COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RELIGIONS 115 now to get the leisure that I used to have in Pretoria for my reli- gious studies. But what little time I could spare I turned to good account. My religious correspondence continued. Raychandbhai was guiding me. Some friend sent me Narmadashanker’s book Dharma Vichar. Its preface proved very helpful. I had heard about the Bohe- mian way in which the poet had lived, and a description in the preface of the revolution effected in his life by his religious studies captivated me. I came to like the book, and read it from cover to cover with attention. I read with interest Max Muller’s book, India — What Can It Teach Us? and the translation of the Upanishads pub- lished by the Theosophical Society. All this enhanced my regard for Hinduism, and its beauties began to grow upon me. It did not, how- ever, prejudice me against other religions. I read Washington Irving’s Life of Mahomet and His Successors and Carlyle’s panegyric on the prophet. These books raised Muhammad in my estimation. I also read a book called The Sayings of Zarathustra.
Thus I gained more knowledge of the different religions. The study stimulated my self-introspection and fostered in me the habit of putting into practice whatever appealed to me in my studies. Thus I began some of the Yogic practices, as well as I could understand them from a reading of the Hindu books. But I could not get on very far, and decided to follow them with the help of some expert when I returned to India. The desire has never been fulfilled.
I made too an intensive study of Tolstoy’s books. The Gospels in Brief, What to Do? and other books made a deep impression on me. I began to realize more and more the infinite possibilities of universal love.
e time I came in contact with another Christian tent: Wit euevertog T attended the Wesleyan church every Sunday. For these days I also had their standing invitation to dinner. The church did not make a favourable impression on me. The ser- mons seemed to be uninspiring. The congregation did not peie a as being particularly religious. They were not an eee of ie: souls; they appeared rather to be worldly-minded peop. a eee: church for recreation and in conformity to custom. Here, a pas would involuntarily doze. I was ashamed, but some of my ae = bours, who were in no better case, lightened the shame. licou d not go on. long like this, and soon gave up attending the service.
4 i he family I used to visit every Sunday was ahaa ER weet it mavens said that I was warned to visit it no more. It happened thus. My hostess was a good and simple woman, but somewhat narrow-minded. We always wa reli- gious subjects. I was then re-reading Arnold s Light of Asia.; Once we began to compare the life of Jesus with that of Buddha. ‘Look at Gautama’s compassion!’ said I. ‘ It was not confined to mankind, it was extended to all living beings. Doss not one’s n oye nor with love to think of the lamb joyously perched on his shoulders?
116 MY EXPERIMENTS WITH TRUTH One fails to notice this love for all living beings in the life of Jesus.’ The comparison pained the good lady. I could understand her feelings. I cut the matter short, and we went to the dining room. Her son, a cherub aged scarcely five, was also with us. I am happiest when in the midst of children, and this youngster and I had long been friends. I spoke derisively of the piece of meat on his plate and in high praise of the apple on mine. The innocent boy was carried away and joined in my praise of the fruit. But the mother? She was dismayed.
I was warned. I checked myself and changed the subject. The following week I visited the family as usual, but not without trepidation. I did not see that I should stop going there, I did not think it proper either. But the good lady made my way easy.
‘Mr. Gandhi,’ she said, ‘ please don’t take it ill if I feel obliged to tell you that my boy is none the better for your company. Everyday he hesitates to eat meat and asks for fruit, reminding me of your argument. This is too much. If he gives up meat, he is bound to get weak, if not ill. How could I bear it? Your discussions should hence- forth be only with us elders. They are sure to react badly on children.’
‘Mrs. —,’ I replied, ‘I am sorry. I can understand your feelings as a parent, for I too have children. We can very easily end this un- pleasant state of things. What I eat and omit to eat is bound to have a greater effect on the child than what I say. The best way, there- fore, is for me to stop these visits. That certainly need not affect our friendship.’
‘I thank you,’ she said with evident relief.
XXII AS A HOUSEHOLDER To set up a household was no new experience for me. But the establishment in Natal was different from the ones that I had had in Bombay and London. This time part of the expense was solely for the sake of prestige. I thought it necessary to have a household in keeping with my position as an Indian barrister in Natal and as a representative. So I had a nice little house in a prominent locality. It was also suitably furnished. Food was simple, but as I used to invite English friends and Indian co-workers, the housekeeping bills were always fairly high.
A good servant is essential in every household. But I have never known how to keep anyone as a servant.
I had a friend as companion and help, and a cook who had become a member of the family. I also had office clerks boarding and lodging with me.
AS A HOUSEHOLDER 117 I think I had a fair amount of success in this experiment, but it was not without its modicum of the bitter experiences of life.
The companion was very clever and, I thought, faithful to me. But in this I was deceived. He became jealous of an office clerk who was staying with me, and wove such a tangled web that I suspected the clerk. This clerical friend had a temper of his own. Immediately he saw that he had been the object of my suspicion, he left both the house and the office. I was pained. I felt that perhaps I had been unjust to him, and my conscience always stung me.
In the meanwhile, the cook needed a few days’ leave, or for some other cause was away. It was necessary to procure another during his absence. Of this new man I learnt later that he was a perfect scamp. But for me he proved a godsend. Within two or three days of his arrival, he discovered certain irregularities that were going on under my roof without my knowledge, and he made up his mind to warn me. I had the reputation of being a credulous but straight man. The discovery was to him, therefore, all the more shocking. Every day at one o'clock I used to go home from office for lunch. At about twelve o’clock one day the cook came panting to the office, and said, ‘Please come home at once. There is a surprise for you.
: i ist ‘You must tell me what it is. Now, what is this?’ I asked. n How can I leave the office at this hour to go and see it?’
‘You will regret it, if you don’t come. That is all I can say.’
I 1 in his persistence. I went home accompanied by a clark aa ie cbo who walked ahead of us. He took me straight to the upper floor, pointed at my companion’s room, and said, ‘Open this door and see for yourself.’ i rocked Heavy : ocked at the door. No reply! ocked heavily i it at Cee walls shake. The door was opened. I saw a Atte inside. I asked her to leave the house, never to return. id, ‘From this moment I cease to have ane URE Seen a Sai have been thoroughly deceived and have aga i ovER if, That is how you have requited my trust in you?’ Instead of coming to hi: ‘I have nothing to conceal,’ s ust leave me this moment. done. But you m here was no help for it. So I said to the This made him worse. TI d inform the Police Super- : ng: Please go and inform the Pol per nies standing downs piments, that a person living with me has mtendent, wil vf, 1 do not want to keep him in my house, but He pores ee ve. I shall be much obliged if police help can be e refuses to = iiie i him'that I was jn earnest. His guilt unnerved him. is showe 4 s senses, he threatened to expose me. aid I. ‘Expose whatever I may have 118 MY EXPERIMENTS WITH TRUTH He apologized to me, entreated me not to inform the police, and agreed to leave the house immediately, which he did.
The incident came as a timely warning in my life. Only now could I see clearly how thoroughly I had been beguiled by this evil genius. In harbouring him I had chosen a bad means for a good end. I had expected to ‘gather figs of thistles’. I had known that the companion was a bad character, and yet I believed in his faithful- ness to me. In the attempt to reform him I was near ruining myself. I had disregarded the warnings of kind friends. Infatuation had com- pletely blinded me.
But for the new cook I should never have discovered the truth and, being under the influence of the companion, I should probably have been unable to lead the life of detachment that I then began. I should always have been wasting time on him. He had the power to keep me in the dark and to mislead me.
But God came to the rescue as before. My intentions were pure, and so I was saved in spite of my mistakes, and this early experience thoroughly forewarned me for the future.
The cook had been almost a messenger sent from Heaven. He did not know cooking, and as a cook he could not have remained at my place. But no one else could have opened my eyes. This was not the first time, as I subsequently learnt, that the woman had been brought into my house. She had come often before, but no one had the courage of this cook. For everyone knew how blindly I trusted the companion. The cook had, as it were, been sent to me just to do this service, for he begged leave of me that very moment.
‘I cannot stay in your house,’ he said. ‘ You are so easily misled. This is no place for me.’
I let him go.
I now discovered that the man who had poisoned my ears against the clerk was no other than this companion. I tried very hard to make amends to the clerk for the injustice I had done him. It has, however, been my eternal regret that I could never satisfy him fully. Howsoever you may repair it, a rift is a rift.
XXIV HOMEWARD XXIV HOMEWARD By now I had been three years in South Africa. I had got to know the people and they had got to know me. In 1896 I asked permission to go home for six months, for I saw that I was in for a long stay there. I had established a fairly good practice, and could see that people felt the need of my presence. So I made up my mind to go home, fetch my wife and children, and then return and settle out there. I also saw that, if I went home, I might be able to do there some public work by educating public opinion and creating more interest in the Indians of South Africa. The £ 3 tax was an open sore. There could be no peace until it was abolished.
But who was to take charge of the Congress work and Education Society in my absence? I could think of two men — Adamji Miya- khan and Parsi Rustomji. There were many workers now available from the commercial class. But the foremost among those who could fulfil the duties of the secretary by regular work, and who also com- manded the regard of the Indian community, were these two. The secretary certainly needed a working knowledge of English. I re- commended the late Adamji Miyakhan’s name to the Congress, and it approved of his appointment as secretary. Experience showed that the choice was a very happy one. Adamji Miyakhan satisfied all with his perseverance, liberality, amiability and courtesy, and proved to every one that the secretary’s work did not require a man with a barrister’s degree or high English education.
About the middle of 1896 I sailed for home in the s.s. Pongola which was bound for Calcutta.
There were very few passengers on board. Among them were two English officers, with whom I came in close contact. With one of them I used to play chess for an hour daily. The ship’s doctor gave me a Tamil Self-Teacher which I began to study. My experience in Natal had shown me that I should acquire a knowledge of Urdu to get into closer contact with the Musalmans, and of Tamil to get into closer touch with the Madras pa A pee p f the English friend, who rea rdu with me, I Arbe AA Urdu Munshi from amongst the deck passen- gers, and we made excellent progress 1n our studies. The offcer Penis better memory than I. He would never forget a word after once he had seen it; I often found it difficult to decipher Urdu letters. I brought more perseverance to bear, but could never over- take the officer. k With Tamil I made fair progress. There was no help available, but the Tamil Self-Teacher was a well-written book, and I did not feel in need of much outside help.
120 MY EXPERIMENTS WITH TRUTH I had hoped to continue these studies even after reaching India, but it was impossible. Most of my reading since 1893 has been done in jail. I did make some progress in Tamil and Urdu, in jails — Tamil in South African jails, and Urdu in Yeravda jail. But I never learnt to speak Tamil, and the little I could do by way of reading is now rusting away for want of practice.
I still feel what a handicap this ignorance of Tamil or Telugu has been. The affection that the Dravidians in South Africa showered on me has remained a cherished memory. Whenever I see a Tamil or Telugu friend, I cannot but recall the faith, perseverance and selfless sacrifice of many of his compatriots in South Africa. And they were mostly illiterate, the men no less than the women. The fight in South Africa was for such, and it was fought by illiterate soldiers; Hindustani or broken English, and we found no difficulty in getting on with our work. But I wanted to requite their affection by learning Tamil and Telugu. In Tamil, as I have said, I made some little pro- gress, but in Telugu, which I tried to learn in India, I did not get beyond the alphabet. I fear now I can never learn these languages, and am therefore hoping that the Dravidians will learn Hindustani.
and children, he would say, have faith in Jesus and his Sacrifice, and their sins were sure to be redeemed. This friend revived my memory of the Plymouth Brother of Pretoria. The religion that imposed any moral restrictions was to him no good. My vegetarian food had been the occasion of the whole of this discussion. Why should I not eat meat, or for that matter beef? Had not God created all the lower animals for the enjoyment of mankind as, for instance, He had created the vegetable kingdom? These questions inevitably drew us into religious discussion, We could not convince each other. I was confirmed in my opinion that religion and morality were synonymous. The Captain had no doubt about the correctness of his opposite conviction.
At the end of twenty-four days the pleasant voyage came to a close, and admiring the beauty of the Hooghly, I landed at Calcutta. The same day I took the train for Bombay.
XXV P IN INDIA On my way to Bombay the train stopped at Allahabad for forty- five minutes. I decided to utilize the interval for a drive through the town. I also had to purchase some medicine at a chemist’s shop. The chemist was half asleep, and took an unconscionable time in dispen- sing the medicine, with the result that when I reached the station, the train had just started. The Station Master had kindly detained the train one minute for my sake, but not seeing me coming, had carefully ordered my luggage to be taken out of the train.
I took a room at Kellner’s, and decided to start work there and then. I had heard a good deal about The Pioneer published from Allahabad, and I had understood it to be an opponent of Indian aspirations. I have an impression that Mr. Chesney Jr. was the editor at that time. I wanted to secure the help of every party, so I wrote a note to Mr. Chesney, telling him how I had missed the train, and asking for an appointment so as to enable me to leave the next day. He immediately gave me one, at which I was very happy especially when I found that he gave me a patient hearing. He promised to notice in his paper anything that I might write, but added that he could not promise to endorse all the Indian demands, inasmuch as he was bound to understand and give due weight to the viewpoint of the Colonials as well.
‘It i > I said, ‘that you should study the question and aisciai sap paper. I ask and desire nothing but the barest justice that is due to us.’
The rest of the day was S| the magnificent confluence 0 planning the work before me.
This unexpected interview the foundation of the series 0 being lynched in Natal. ae T EM i to Rajkot without halting at Bombay and began igen Baer for writing a pamphlet on the situation in South Africa. The writing and publication of the pamphlet took about a month. It had a green cover and came to be known after- wards as the Green Pamphlet. In it I drew a purposely subdued ict of the condition of Indians in South Africa. The language I eed, ` more moderate than that of the two pamphlets which I Ena E a to before, as I knew that things heard of from a distance appear bigger than they are- us copies were printed and sent to all the papers and Hee cee pate in India. The Pioneer was the first to notice pent in having a look round admiring f the three rivers, the Triveni, and with the editor of The Pioneer laid f incidents which ultimately led to my 122 MY EXPERIMENTS WITH TRUTH it editorially. A summary of the article was cabled by Reuter to England, and a summary of that summary was cabled to Natal by Reuter’s London office. This cable was not longer than three lines in print. It was a miniature, but exaggerated, editign of the picture I had drawn of the treatment accorded to the Indians in Natal, and it was not in my words. We shall see later on the effect this had in Natal. In the meanwhile every paper of note commented at length on the question.
To get these pamphlets ready for posting was no small matter. It would have been expensive too, if I had employed paid help for preparing wrappers etc. But I hit upon a much simpler plan. I gathered together all the children in my locality and asked them to volunteer two or three hours’ labour of a morning, when they had no school. This they willingly agreed to do. I promised to bless them and give them, as a reward, used postage stamps which I had col- lected. They got through the work in no time. That was my first experiment of having little children as volunteers. Two of those little friends are my co-workers today.
Plague broke out in Bombay about this time, and there was panic all around. There was fear of an outbreak in Rajkot. As I felt that I could be of some help in the sanitation department, I offered my services to the State. They were accepted, and I was put on the com- mittee which was appointed to look into the question. I laid especial emphasis on the cleanliness of latrines, and the committee decided to inspect these in every street. The poor people had no objection to their latrines being inspected, and what is more, they carried out the improvements suggested to them. But when we went to inspect the houses of the upper ten, some of them even refused us admission, not to talk of listening to our suggestions. It was our common experience that the latrines of the rich were more unclean. They were dark and stinking and reeking with filth and worms. The improvements we suggested were quite simple, e.g., to have buckets for excrement instead of allowing it to drop on the ground; to see that urine also was collected in buckets, instead of allowing it to soak into the ground, and to demolish the partitions between the outer walls and the latrines, so as to give the latrines more light and air and enable the scavenger to clean them properly. The upper classes raised numerous objections to this last improvement, and in most cases it was not carried out.
The committee had to inspect the untouchables’ quarters also. Only one member of the committee was ready to accompany me there. To the rest it was something preposterous to visit those quarters, still more so to inspect their latrines. But for me those quarters were an agreeable surprise. That was the first visit in my life to such a locality. The men and women there were surprised to see us. I asked them to let us inspect their latrines.
‘Latrines for us!’ they exclaimed in astonishment. ‘We go and IN INDIA 123 perform our functions out in the open. Latrines are for you big people.’
‘Well, then, you won’t mind if we inspect your houses?’ I asked.
‘You are perfectly welcome, sir. You may see every nook and corner of our houses. Ours are no houses, they are holes.’
I went in and was delighted to see that the insides were as clean as the outsides. The entrances were well swept, the floors were beautifully smeared with cow-dung, and the few pots and pans were clean and shining. There was no fear of an outbreak in those quarters.
In the upper class quarters we came across a latrine which I cannot help describing in some detail. Every room had its gutter, which was used both for water and urine, which meant that the whole house would stink. But one of the houses had a storeyed bed- room with a gutter which was being used both as a urinal and a latrine. The gutter had a pipe descending to the ground floor. It was not possible to stand the foul smell in this room. How the occupants could sleep there I leave the readers to imagine.
The committee also visited the Vaishnava Haveli. The priest in charge of the Haveli was very friendly with my family. So he agreed to let us inspect everything and suggest whatever improve- ments we liked. There was a part of the Haveli premises that he himself had never seen. It was the place where refuse and leaves used as dinner-plates used to be thrown over the wall. It was the haunt of crows and kites. The latrines were of course dirty. I was not long enough in Rajkot to see how many of our suggestions the priest carried out.
It pained me to see so ship. One would expec sanitation and hygiene in a authors of the Smritis, as I kr emphasis on cleanliness both inward much uncleanliness about a place of wor- t a careful observance of the rules of place which is regarded as holy. The knew even then, have laid the greatest and outward.
XXVI TWO PASSIONS Hardly ever have I known anybody to cherish such loyalty as I did to the British Constitution. I can see now that my love of truth was at the root of this loyalty. It has never been possible for me to simulate loyalty or, for that matter, any other virtue. The National Anthem used to be sung at every meeting that I attended in Natal. I then felt that I must also join in the singing. Not that I was unaware of the defects in British rule, but I thought that it was on the whole acceptable. In those days I believed that British rule was on the whole beneficial to the ruled.
The colour prejudice that I saw in South Africa was, I thought, quite contrary to British traditions, and I believed that it was only temporary and local. I therefore vied with Englishmen in loyalty to the throne. With careful perseverance I learnt the tune of the ‘national anthem’ and joined in the singing whenever it was sung. Whenever there was an occasion for the expression of loyalty without fuss or ostentation, I readily took part in it.
Never in my life did I exploit this loyalty, never did I seek to gain a selfish end by its means. It was for me more in the nature of an obligation, and I rendered it without expecting a reward.
Preparations were going on for the celebration of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee when I reached India. I was invited to join the committtee appointed for the purpose in Rajkot. I accepted the offer, but had a suspicion that the celebrations would be largely a matter of show. I discovered much humbug about them and was consi- derably pained. I began to ask myself whether I should remain on the committee or not, but ultimately decided to rest content with doing my part of the business.: One of the proposals was to plant trees. I saw that many did it merely for show and for pleasing the officials. I tried to plead with them that tree-planting was not compulsory, but merely a sugges- tion. It should be done seriously or not at all. I have an impression that they laughed at my ideas. I remember that I was in earnest when I planted the tree allotted to me and that I carefully watered and tended it.
I likewise taught the National Anthem to the children of my family. I recollect having taught it to students of the local Training College, but I forget whether it was on the occasion of the Jubilee or of King Edward VII's coronation as Emperor of India. Later on the text began to jar on me. As my conception of ahimsa went on TWO PASSIONS 125 TWO PASSIONS 125 maturing, I became more vigilant about my thought and speech. The lines in the Anthem: j ‘Scatter her enemies, And make them fall; Confound their politics, Frustrate their knavish tricks.’
particularly jarred upon my sentiment of ahimsa. I shared my feelings with Dr. Booth who agreed that it ill became a believer in ahimsa to sing those lines. How could we assume that the so-called ‘enemies’ were ‘knavish’? And because they were enemies, were they bound to be in the wrong? From God we could only ask for justice. Dr. Booth entirely endorsed my sentiments, and composed a new anthem for his congregation. But of Dr. Booth more later. Like loyalty an aptitude for nursing was also deeply rooted in my nature. I was fond of nursing people, whether friends or strangers. Whilst busy in Rajkot with the pamphlet on South Africa, I had an occasion to pay a flying visit to Bombay. It was my intention to educate public opinion in cities on this question by organizing Meetings, and Bombay was the first city I chose. First of all I met Justice Ranade, who listened to me with attention, and advised me to meet Sir Pherozeshah Mehta. Justice Badruddin Tyabji, whom I Met next, also gave the same advice. ‘ Justice Ranade and I can guide you but little,’ he said. ‘ You know our position. We cannot take an active part in public affairs, but our sympathies are with you. The man who can effectively guide you is Sir Pherozeshah Mehta.’ _ I certainly wanted to see Sir Pherozeshah Mehta, but the fact that these senior men advised me to act according to his advice gave me a better idea of the immense influence that Sir Pherozeshah had on the public. In due course I met him. I was prepared to be awed by his presence. I had heard of the popular titles that he had earned, and knew that I was to see the ‘ Lion of Bombay’, the ‘ Uncrowned King of the Presidency ’. But the king did not overpower me. He met me, as a loving father would meet his grown up son. Our meet- ing took place at his chamber. He was surrounded by a circle of friends and followers. Amongst them were Mr. D. E. Wacha and Mr. Cama, to whom I was introduced. I had already heard of d as the right-hand man of Sir Pheroze- M. regarde 5 a r. Wacha. He was reg dhi had described him to me as a great shah, and Sjt. Virchand Gan z, statistician. Mr. Wacha said, ‘Gandhi, we must meet again.’
: tions could scarcely have taken two minutes. These introducti ened to me. I told him that I had seen ci carefully list Beis Seu Toen and Tyabji. ‘Gandhi,’ said he, ‘I see that I must help you. I must call a public meeting here. With this he turned to Mr. Munshi, the secretary, and told him to fix up the date of the meeting. The date was settled, and he bade me good-bye, asking Boia cos ud ‘aban ON the day previous to the meeting. The inter- view removed my fears, and I went home delighted.
During this stay in Bombay I called on my brother-in-law, who 126 MY EXPERIMENTS WITH TRUTH was staying there and lying ill. He was not a man of means, and my sister (his wife) was not equal to nursing him. The illness was serious, and I offered to take him to Rajkot. He agreed, and so I returned home with my sister and her husband. The illness was much more prolonged than I had expected. I put my brother-in-law in my room and remained with him night and day. I was obliged to keep awake part of the night and had to get through some of my South African work whilst I was nursing him. Ultimately, how- ever, the patient died, but it was a great consolation to me that I had had an opportunity to nurse him during his last days.
My aptitude for nursing gradually developed into a passion, so much so that it often led me to neglect my work, and on occasions I engaged not only my wife but the whole household in such service, Such service can have no meaning unless one takes pleasure in it. When it is done for show or for fear of public opinion, it stunts the man and crushes his spirit. Service which is rendered without joy helps neither the servant nor the served. But all other pleasures and possessions pale into nothingness before service which is rendered in a spirit of joy.
XXVII THE BOMBAY MEETING On the very day after my brother-in-law’s death I had to go to Bombay for the public meeting. There had hardly been time for me to think out my speech. I was feeling exhausted after days and nights of anxious vigil, and my voice had become husky. However, I went to Bombay trusting entirely to God. I had never dreamt of writing out my speech.
In accordance with Sir Pherozeshah’s instructions I reported my- self at his office at 5 p.m. on the eve of the meeting.
‘Is your speech ready, Gandhi?’ he asked.
‘No sir? said I, trembling with fear, ‘I think of speaking ex tempore.’
‘That will not do in Bombay. Reporting here is bad, and if we would benefit by this meeting, you should write out your speech, and it should be printed before daybreak tomorrow. I hape you can manage this?’
I felt rather nervous, but I said I would try.
‘ Then, tell me, what time Mr. Munshi should come to you for the manuscript? ’ On going to the meeting the next day, I saw the wisdom of Sir Pherozeshah’s advice. The meeting was held in the hall of THE BOMBAY MEETING 127 Sir Cowasji Jehangir Institute. I had heard that when Sir Pheroze- shah Mehta addressed meetings the hall was always packed, chiefly by the students intent on hearing him, leaving not an inch of room. This was the first meeting of the kind in my experience. I saw that my voice could reach only a few. I was trembling as I began to read my speech. Sir Pherozeshah cheered me up continually by asking me to speak louder and still louder. I have a feeling that, far from encouraging me, it made my voice sink lower and lower.
My old friend Sjt. Keshavrao Deshpande came to my rescue. I handed my speech to him. His was just the proper voice. But the audience refused to listen. The hall rang with the cries of ‘Wacha’, ‘Wacha’. So Mr. Wacha stood up and read the speech, with wonder- ful results. The audience became perfectly quiet, and listened to the speech to the end, punctuating it with applause and cries of ‘shame’ where necessary. This galddened my heart.