Ward, The Reverend Dr. Harry Frederick

Letter, June 8, 1927186

[Dr. Ward (1873-1966), a Methodist Minister, was Professor of Christian Ethics at the Union Theological Seminary, New York, from 1918 to 1966. An advocate of the "social gospel," he was active in many social movements concerned with peace, civil liberties and racial equality. He visited India in 1924 and met Gandhiji soon after his fast. He wrote to Gandhiji on March 11, 1927, when he heard that Gandhiji would attend a conference in Peking, and enclosed his articles on the situation in China. He also enquired if Gandhiji had received a book sent by him, Non-violent Coercion by Case.187 He added:
"The spiritual temperature of this country is very low; we are too prosperous, too proud, and too self- righteous. In this situation it is a source of strength to those who seek the way of life to feel the touch of your spirit in some line of the news or in memory."188]

As at the Ashram, Sabarmati,
June 8, 1927

Dear friend,
I thank you for your letter of the 11th March last. I have your articles which I shall go through as soon as I can. As you may have known I had a collapse two months ago during my tour and I am now convalescent. The Chinese visit has been indefinitely postponed.
I have no recollection of the book on Non-violent Coercion having been received by me from you. Had the receipt come to my knowledge, I should have acknowledged it. But it is likely that it was received and not brought to my notice, if at the time I was travelling. I shall now enquire; but in any case, you need not trouble to send me another copy because that book was sent to me, I cannot recall by whom, two years ago, and I read it with interest. Please remember me to Mrs. Ward.

Yours sincerely,

Harry F. Ward
Union Theological Seminary
Broadway at 120th Street
New York

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