Amy Carmichael of Dohnavur | Book Review

Reviewed by Thomas Scarborough

Amy Carmichael is regarded as one of the great missionaries of the early 20th Century. She served as a Christian missionary to India from 1895 until her death in 1951, aged 83. She was severely injured in a fall in 1931 — yet she continued in the mission despite great weakness.

One of her greatest legacies was her brave and loving work in rescuing girls from the Hindu temples — whom she first found out about while doing itinerant evangelistic work in 1899 (the practice is now illegal).

STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS

One wonders where biographer Bishop Houghton ever found this much information to write about her. If I had been Amy Carmichael, I might be glad to be dead to have this much revealed about me. On the other hand, knowing her, she might in fact have been pleased to have anything published that might present her in a human light and give more glory to her Saviour.

Having said this, the book is written in a kindly and respectful way. In fact, I would regard this as a precious biography, for the reason that it reveals so much even about the personal priorities and inner life of one so greatly used by God.

There is method in the approach of Bishop Houghton. Rather than setting up Amy Carmichael as a saint — or as even a sinner, without having a vision for the redeeming hand of God in her life — he seeks to “present her as she was”, yet as “God’s chosen instrument . . . amazingly fitted for His purpose”.

He was attracted to her first, he writes, “because, in contrast to so many authors, she steadily refrained from including a picture of herself in any of her books”, and “the glow of God’s great love shone forth through her whole being.”

CROSS-CULTURAL MISSIONS

Amy Carmichael is known not least for her pioneering approach to cross-cultural missions. A seemingly insignificant event in Japan in 1893 shaped the entire future of her missionary approach. I thought it worth reproducing here:

“We went to see an old lady who was very ill. She had not heard the Gospel before, but was willing and eager to listen. So I spoke and Misaki San translated, and our hearts prayed most earnestly. ‘Lord Jesus, help her. O help her to understand and open her heart to Thee now.’

“She seemed to be just about to turn to Him in faith when she suddenly noticed my hands. It was cold weather and I had on fur gloves. ‘What are these?’ she asked, stretching out her hand and touching mine.

“She was old and ill and easily distracted. I cannot remember whether or not we were able to recall her to what mattered so much more than gloves. But this I do remember. I went home, took off my English clothes, put on my Japanese kimono, and never again, I trust, risked so very much for the sake of so little.”

SYNTHESIS

This is a monumental work, which succeeds in the incorporation and integration of an astonishing number of books, hymns, letters, interviews, and even scribbled notes in margins. Containing nearly 400 pages which are densely, meticulously, and lovingly written, this is not an easy read — yet it surely would be worthwhile.

The book is still widely available, inter alia through amazon.com.

CITATION OF REFERENCE

Houghton, Frank L. Amy Carmichael of Dohnavur. Fort Washington, Pennsylvania: Christian Literature Crusade, 1988.

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