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2021-06-09T17:28:39Z

Honours

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{{Short description|Scottish educationalist and missionary}}
{{For|the Presbyterian missionary to Iran|William Miller (missionary in Iran)}}
[[File:William_Miller_(missionary).jpg|alt=|right]]
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}

Very Rev Dr '''William Miller''' [[Doctor of Divinity|DD]] LLD {{post-nominals|country=GBR|CIE}} (13 January 1838 – July 1923) was a [[Scottish people|Scottish]] [[educationalist]] and [[Free Church of Scotland (1843–1900)|Free Church of Scotland]] [[missionary]] to [[Madras]]. He was also a member of [[Madras Legislative Council (1891–1909)|Madras Legislative Council]] for four terms—in 1893, 1895, 1899, and 1902.<ref name="R3">{{cite web |url= http://www.mcc.edu.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=168&Itemid=580|title= Madras Christian College Milestones|quote= Miller becomes the member of the Madras Legislative Council in 1893, and again in 1895, 1899 and 1902. |publisher= mcc.edu.in |access-date= 20 May 2012 }}</ref><ref name="R1">{{cite book |last= Doyle |first= Sean|title= Synthesizing the Vedanta: The Theology of Pierre Johanns, S.J |publisher= Peter Lang |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=-S7DJLnkwG4C&pg=PA72|pages= September |isbn= 9783039107087|year= 2006}}</ref><ref name="R2">{{cite book |last= Eddy |first= Sherwood |title= Pathfinders of the World Missionary Crusade|publisher= Ayer Publishing |year= 1945 |pages= 95– |isbn= 9780836911275}}</ref>

He was chiefly notable for transforming [[Madras Christian College]] into an [[ecumenical]] enterprise and imbuing the minds of [[Madras Province]] [[South Indians]] with ''Fulfilment theology'', with an idea of "Christ the fulfiller"—in a sense, he is considered not only the pioneer of ''Fulfilment theology'', but also of ''Hindu Renaissance'' by making [[Indian people|Indian]] converts to think Christianity in Indian context. He was the recipient of [[Kaiser-i-Hind Medal]] and the first [[LL.D]], honoured by the [[Madras University]].<ref name="R2"/><ref name="R5">{{cite web |url= http://www.infinitecourses.com/InstituteDetails.aspx?Institute=Madras-Christian-College-&InstituteID=483|title= Madras Christian College – With the support of few other Protestant Missions in Madras, Miller transformed the Institution into an ecumenical, co-operative enterprise, and named it Madras Christian College on January 1, 1877. |quote= Madras Christian College traces its origin to the General Assembly School founded by Rev. John Anderson, a Missionary from the Church of Scotland, on April 3, 1837.|publisher= infinitecourses.com |access-date= 24 May 2012 }}</ref><ref name="doc">{{cite web |url= http://www.docstoc.com/docs/73183349/Edinburgh-to-Tambaram-A-Paradigm-Shift-in-Christian-Missions-or-doc |title= Edinburgh to Tambaram: A Paradigm Shift in Missions, or the horizon of Missions broadened? |quote= William Miller of Madras Christian College could be seen as a pioneer of fulfilment theology – the idea of Christ the fulfiller was made familiar to the minds of South India largely due to the teachings and influence of Miller|publisher= docstoc.com|access-date= 24 May 2012 }}</ref>

==Biography==

Miller was born in [[Thurso]] on 13 January 1838,<ref>{{cite web|title=Rev. Dr. William Miller|url=http://genealogy.links.org/links-cgi/readged?/home/ben/camilla-genealogy/current+c-miller97026+2-2-0-1-0|access-date=18 October 2012}}</ref> and was educated at [[University of Aberdeen|Aberdeen University]] and [[Edinburgh University]].<ref name="R2"/>

He arrived Madras in 1862 at the age of twenty-four, as the only missionary of the Free Church of Scotland in Madras city at the time of his arrival. Initially, as a missionary, he was engaged in outdoor preaching, congregational work, medical aid, and the education of boys and girls.<ref name="R1"/><ref name="R2"/><ref name="R5"/>

[[Madras Christian College]] received vitality with the arrival of Miller in 1862, and soon became the greatest architect of the college. In 1863, he envisioned that only Christian education could train the greatest leaders of [[India]], he began to specialise on the institution that later renamed the Central Institution, as the Madras Christian College on 1 January 1877. —A Christian school[General Assembly School] founded on 3 April 1837 by [[John Anderson (missionary)|John Anderson]], Scottish missionary and the founder of the mission of the Free Church of Scotland at Madras, later became known as Madras Christian College that grew from the school into a college and then Campus under the leadership of William Miller. After he took over the college succeeding Anderson, within two years of his arrival, he upgraded the school into a college and reoriented the educational policy of the institution. The first college class was formed in 1864, studying for the First examination in Arts(FA) of the university. By 1865, the first class of six students appeared for matriculation examination. And, by 1867, a new class was opened to prepare for the BA courses. Miller procured the support of leading missions, including Anglican, Wesleyan, and Presbyterian bodies that ultimately turned a small sectarian institution into a mammoth and a central Christian college for all [[South India]], and soon to be in the front rank of all institutions in India. Miller transformed the institution into an ecumenical and co-operative enterprise and named it as Madras Christian College on 1 January 1877.<ref name="R3"/><ref name="R2"/><ref name="R5"/><ref name="R4">{{cite web |url= http://www.mcc.edu.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=295&Itemid=275|title= Madras Christian College – Our Legacy|quote= Madras Christian College (MCC) began life as a School founded in 1837 by the Rev. John Anderson, a missionary from Scotland. The School became a College in 1865 during Dr. William Miller's dynamic stewardship of the institution |publisher= mcc.edu.in |access-date= 22 May 2012 }}</ref>

He not only erected great buildings for the college, chiefly by his own gifts and those of his brother Alexander Miller,. but also garnered support and sponsorship from a group of loyal and able men, both [[Indian people|Indian]] and British. His college hostels were first of their kind in [[South India]]—he used these to train future government officials and members of municipal and local boards in the art of conducting public business and running democracy. The alumni of the college, occupied prominent positions in all fields, including national movements, politics and government offices.

Miller is credited for opening hostels, several academic and cultural associations, that ultimately shaped Madras Christian College into a premier educational institution in South Asia. He later opened up the institution for Hindu students to a Christward direction through education, rather than just conversion of their faith – [[Vengal Chakkarai|Vengal Chakkarai Chetty]], [[P. Chenchiah]], and many more were in fact attracted to Christianity under the influence of Miller.<ref name="R2"/><ref name="R5"/><ref name="R4"/>

He served as the active principal of [[Madras Christian College]] for 45 years, another 16 years as Honorary principal, and helped the government shape its educational policy as an educator in all over India. He worked as an educator in India until 1896, and also served as a leading member of [[Madras University]] syndicate. For his educational work, he won the appreciation and financial aid from the government.<ref name="R3"/><ref name="R1"/><ref name="R2"/>

He was nominated to [[Madras Legislative Council (1891–1909)]] consecutively four times in 1893, 1895, 1899, and 1902. In 1896, he was unanimously chosen the moderator of the [[General Assembly (presbyterian church)|General Assembly]] of the [[Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)|Free Church of Scotland]], the highest honour accorded in the church. He received Kaiser-i-Hind Medal and several honorary degrees were conferred by the universities of Aberdeen and
Edinburgh.<ref name="R3"/><ref name="R2"/>

He was appointed as Vice-chancellor of the [[University of Madras]] in 1901. In 1907, due to ill-health, he left India to reside in [[Edinburgh]], Scotland, and died in 1923 at the age of eighty-five.<ref name="R3"/><ref name="R1"/><ref name="R2"/>

A biography on William Miller entitled ''Dr. William Miller'' was written and published by O.Kandaswami Chetty in 1924, which was earlier published in the Madras Christian College Magazine in 1923 (see Joshua Kalapati and Ambrose Jeyasekaran, Life and Legacy of Madras Christian College, Chennai, 2010 )

==Works==

* ''Scottish Missions in India'', 1868.
* ''Indian Mission and How to View Them'', 1878.
* ''Lectures for Educated Hindus'', 1880.
* ''The Christian College for Madras'', a printed memorandum to the Free Church Foreign Mission Committee (FCFMC), 1874.<ref name="R1"/><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.mundus.ac.uk/cats/14/1018.htm |title= CONTENT AND STRUCTURE |quote= Dr William Miller (1838–1923), Principal of Madras Christian College, plus a printed memorandum by Miller to the Free Church Foreign Mission Committee (FCFMC) entitled 'The Christian College for Madras' (1874).|publisher= mundus.ac.uk |access-date= 22 May 2012 }}</ref>
*''Our Scandinavian Forefathers''
*''The Least of All Lands: The Topography of [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]]''
*''Gideon''
*''The Plan of History''
*''Christianity and Education in South India''
*''Shakespeare's Coriolanus and Present Day Indian Politics''

==Theology==
{{expand section|date=May 2012}}
Miller argued that the [[Hinduism]] could not be excluded from the plans of God, and believed that Christianity and Hinduism could work in concentric circles to fulfill the master plans of God. Miller, who is considered as the pioneer of ''Fulfillment theology'', in his ''Scottish Missions in India'' published in 1868 noted that:{{cquote|Hinduism is emphatically a system, a mighty mass, a living unity and power, not only embracing, but wielding into one, the unnumbered millions by whom it is professed, as no other faith in the world does now, or probably has ever done. It is this feature in it that has chiefly determined the nature of our Missions. It must largely effect everything that can be wisely done for the liberation and enlightenment of India.<ref name="doc"/>}}

Miller asserted that the institutional and historic Christianity is not superior to Hinduism; instead, it is Christ who is the fulfiller of Hinduism. According to him, though, Christ and His teachings were ultimately central, he felt that enriching truths can be found in Hinduism which would contribute to the common good of humanity and to the Church of Christ. He affirmed that Christianity has no monopoly on truth as Hinduism's emphasis on the immanence of God and on social solidarity has much to teach humanity;other religions could make contributions to the completeness of Christianity, while Christ can fulfill the aspirations of the followers of other religions.<ref name="R1"/>

Miller felt that educational institutes in India could not be used as places for conversion; instead, as avenues for preparing the [[Hindus]] in a Christian direction – ''Preparatio evangelica''. According to him, Christian missions are like leaven, though, not seen from outside, yet is innately transforming. According to O. Kandaswami Chetty, biographer of Dr. William Miller, for Miller "Christ was the friend of all that was good and true not only in Christianity, but in Hinduism."{{sic}} The idea of '''''Christ the fulfiller''''' imbued the minds of South India, part of then-Madras Presidency, due to the teachings of Miller at Madras Christian College and due to his missionary work in Madras. According to [[Eric J. Sharpe]], professor of Religious Studies at the [[University of Sydney]], [[J. N. Farquhar]]'s work on ''Fulfillment theology'' in [[Bengal]] was built on foundations originally laid in Madras.<ref name="doc"/>

Though, the object of missionary work and missionary colleges like Madras Christian College was to preach Christ and train Christians, Miller encouraged the Indian converts to rethink Christianity in Indian context, possibly to integrate Christianity and Hinduism; hence, was considered the pioneer of '''''Hindu Renaissance'''''. He discouraged [[proselytism]], encouraged the retention of national manners, and advocated the habit of independent thinking.<ref name="R2"/>

==Honours==
* The library building in Madras Christian College is named after him as The Miller Memorial Library.
* [[Kaisar-i-Hind Medal]]
* Companion of the [[Order of the Indian Empire]] ([[1884 Birthday Honours|1884]])<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=25357 |page=2287 |date=23 May 1884 }}</ref>
* A bronze statue during his lifetime was erected in Madras.<ref name="R3"/><ref name="R2"/>
* The Miller Endowment Lectures were established at the University of Madras in 1926 by Diwan Bahadur Sir R. Venkataratnam Naidu, Vice Chancellor of the University, in Miller's honor. Many major figures in philosophy from India and abroad have been invited to deliver them. Among the Indian scholars invited to give the lectures are: S. Radhakrishnan, T.M.P. Mahadevan (1953), S.S. Suryanarayana Sastri (1936–37), V.A. Devasenapathi (1962), P.N. Srinivasachari (of Pachaiyappa’s College) (1940) and C.T.K. Chari (of Madras Christian College), from Madras; S.S. Raghavachar (1965) and M. [Mysore] Hiriyanna (1940-1) from Mysore; and R.K. Tripathi (1977) from Banares Hindu University. Foreign scholars, such as Fernand Brunner (University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland), [[William Sweet]] (St. Francis Xavier University, Canada), and Klaus Klostermaier (University of Manitoba, Canada), have also given the lectures.

==See also==
* [[Madras Christian College#Miller Memorial Library|Miller Memorial Library at Madras Christian College]]
Joshua Kalapati and Ambrose Jeyasekaran, Life and Legacy of Madras Christian College (1837-1978), Chennai: Zha Communications, 2010

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.mundus.ac.uk/cats/3/10.htm Church of Scotland India and Nepal Collection.]
* [http://modayilfamily.blogspot.in/2010/11/historical-milestones-1835-chaplains-of.html HISTORICAL MILESTONES – William Miller]
* [https://archive.org/details/christianmission0000vand/page/68  Christian Mission to Muslims – Author: Lyle L. Vander Werff – p.68]

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, William}}
[[Category:1838 births]]
[[Category:1923 deaths]]
[[Category:Missionary educators]]
[[Category:Scottish Presbyterian missionaries]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of the Indian Empire]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Kaisar-i-Hind Medal]]
[[Category:Scottish educational theorists]]
[[Category:19th-century Scottish people]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Aberdeen]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh]]
[[Category:People from Thurso]]
[[Category:University of Madras faculty]]
[[Category:Presbyterian missionaries in India]]

William Miller (missionary) - Revision history

imported>TomFlynn1955: /* Honours */