Bishop Robert Caldwell (1814 - 1891)

 

     Robert Caldwell was born near Belfast, Ireland on may 7, 1814. He was born in a poor family. His family moved over to Glasgow, Scotland when he was young. He began working in Glasgow when he was nine in order to supplement the family income. He educated himself by reading voraciously. Then he went to Dublin where he underwent training as an artist. He accepted Christ when he was sixteen. He moved over to Glasgow when he was nineteen. In 1834, he joined the congregational Church and decided to go as a missionary to India. He applied to the London Missionary Society (LMS) which accepted him a missionary. On the advice of the LMS, he entered the Glasgow University where he had Daniel Sanford as his tutor, who was a pioneer of comparative philology. Caldwell studied Latin, Greek and Theology.

      Caldwell excelled in his studies, and soon after completion of the University education, he was ordained in the Congregational Church. Then the LMS appointed him as a missionary and sent him to serve in Madras on January 8, 1838. he engaged himself in learning both Tamil and Telugu. He concentrated on spoken Tamil as he desired to work among ordinary people. He read a lot including those on Hinduism. He had a good rapport with missionaries of other missionary societies such as John Anderson of the Scottish Society. He interacted with other missionaries mainly to widen his knowledge. Indeed a scholar was born. 

      He worked as a LMS missionary for three years. Though he was based in Madras (now known as Chennai) he went on mission tours to Telugu speaking areas too.

CALDWELL JOINS SPG 

       Caldwell while working in Madras as a LMS missionary, began to feel that the Anglican Church was more nearer to the teachings of the New Testament and so got attracted to it. He, after much thinking and praying, decided to join the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG). The Madras District Committee (MDC) of the SPG accepted him as a missionary and postedhim to Idaiyangudi. The SPG had not appointed any new missionary in Tinnevelly (Tirunelveli) for the last couple of years. There were two other missionaries in Tirunelveli and they were India - born Europeans. As the SPG wished him to be a full-fledged SPG missionary, his connection with LMS ceased from June 30, 1841. He proceeded to Ootacamund to meet Bishop G.J.T. Spencer, with whom he spent a month or s, during which time he was made aware of the tenets of the church of England as well as the responsibilities of a missionary. On September 19, 1841 he was ordained by Bishop Spencer at St. Stephen's Church, Ootacamund. Then he started for Tirunelveli, and most of his journey was on foot. He made much use of this journey to study Hindu beliefs, customs, worship and the like. He visited a couple of famous Hindu temples too. At Playamkottai he met the CMS Missionary Petit and at Nazareth, the SPG missionary A.F. Cammerer.

AT IDAIYANGUDI

         From Nazareth Caldwell went to Mudalur and then Idaiyangudi, which was ten miles from Mudalur. Walking on the sandy tracks was an experience by itself to him. He conducted the first divine worship at Idaiyangudi on Sunday December 11, 1841. 

   Caldwell found Christians scatteredin about twenty villages around Idaiyangudi. He found the local people to be hard working, unlettered and poor. Most of them were either Palmyra climbers or agricultural laboureres.

         Caldwell settled down in Idaiyangudi. He wished to convert the 'theri' into a beautiful place of living. He found the village to be in a disorderly fashion. There were no streets. The houses had no ventilation and they were not in any order. He wished to bring changes there and make Idaiyangudi a model village. He realised that unless the village belonged to the mission, no change could be brought in. In 1842, he began to take steps to buy the lands but he had to face a lot of problems. He found it to be a difficult job, yet he did not wish to abandon his dream. He had to pay quite sum of money to acquire ownership of the lands.

          Though people did not initially approve of his plans of an orderly village, he by himself drew up the plans as to where the Church building had to be, the location of houses, streets, cross-roads, wells etc. He planted trees in rows - infact, he continued  planting tress till the end of his life. We can say that he was very much ecologically concerned.   

CALDWELL'S FAMILY

        Caldwell married Eliza, a daughter of the senior most LMS missionary at Nagercoil, Charles Mault. The marriage took place at Nagercoil on March 20, 1844. Caldwell spoke spoke very highly of his wife. She was a great source of strength and encouragement . She concentrated on woman's work. Their oldest was Robert Caldwell who in 1860 was helped to Caldwell in his educational and other missionary activities.Their other children were Isabella (1847), Martha Louisa (1849), William (1852), Mary (1854), Addington (1857) and Arthur (1862). Isabella and Louisa were of much help in educational ministry. Isabella married J.L. Wyatt, a SPG missionary at Idaiyangudi on February 19, 1868. Both of them were a great source of strength in Caldwell's ministry throughout his life. Caldwell's second daughter Louisa was married to an Army Engineer by name F.S. Shepherd on February 9, 1870 at Idaiyangudi. She gave birth to twin sons, who died the same day, and she died the following day, i.e. October 8, 1872. This happened at Idaiyangudi, and it was a great blow to Caldwell.

CALDWELL THE EVANGELIST

         Caldwell was basically an evangelist. He had a burning desire to propagate the Christian faith and to establish the Kingdom of God on this earth. He made frequent and regular visits to the villages around Idaiyangudi and in  the area assigned to him. As he was adept in Tamil language, he was able to communicate well to the ordinary people. He made it a point to preach the Gospel to the non-Christians in the villages he visited. He stayed in Idaiyangudi  for two or three days in a week. By 1844 he was superintending twenty-one congregations and nine schools. There were about two thousand enquirers by that time. They were organized into a proper catechumenate.

        Caldwell was in close contact with the CMS missionary, JohnThomas of Meignanapuram. He had described him as a man of many gifts and accomplishments. He consulted him often on many matters, shared with him the problems he faced especially in his missionary endeavors and asked for his advice. He had John Thomas as a model in his evangelism. 

          Having realized the important role the catechists played in evangelism, he started a 'Preparandi' school for the catechists in 1842. He personally gave them training. He met the catechists at Idaiyangudi on every Wednesday, during which time he received their reports, gave a model sermon, gave them a passage from the Bible for preparing a sermon and listened to their sermon. To improve their caliber further, he conducted a yearly test for the Catechists. This was to test their grasp of the Bible as well as the doctrines of the Church. He awarded prizes to the catechists, which was called Monckton prize named after the donor. Those who received it were known as 'Monckton catechists' who were respected more and treated honorably.

            Caldwell felt the need for Indian clergy as no new mission workers were forthcoming from England. One of the early Indian helpers was Rev. A. Masillamani, who was ordained as a deacon in 1856. He was the second Indian to be ordained in the Tirunelveli SPG area. The third one was G. Gnanamuthu who was ordained as a deacon in 1857. D. Samuel was ordained in 1862. The CMS missionaries in the Tirunelveli area, Edward Sargent, Tucker and John Thomas also were in line with the thinking of Caldwell. They proposed to the Bishop of Madras that they be permitted to train Indians and recommended them for ordination. As a result, an ordination sevice took place at Palayamkottai on January 31, 1869 for such Indians trained by the above mentioned missionaries. Out of the twenty-one persons ordained as deacons, six were trained by Caldwell. They were G. Peter (Idaiyangudi), S. Christian (Taruvai), G. Yesudian (Pettaikulam), S. Swamiyadian (Pudur), S. Joseph (Jacobpuram) and P. Swamiyadian (Aanaikudi).

           Caldwell encouraged the locals to take up on them the resposibility to share the gospel with their neighbours and to those in the unreached areas in Tirunelveli. In 1860 or so the Idaiyangudi Native Association for the propagation of the Gospel was started. It was known in short as "Sangam". It had its own annual meetings. This respect of self-propagation was in the director of Devolution. During 1875-76 an intensive evangelistic campaign involving the locals was conducted.

CALDWELL AND EDUCATIONAL MINISTRY

          Caldwell knew very well the importance of imparting knowledge. The earlier missionaries who worked in Tirunelveli, especially the SPCK missionaries, had started elementary schools in almost all the villages where they had formed Christian congregations. When Caldwell arrived in Idaiyangudi in 1841, he found the schools in a pitiable state. They were dwindling and the attendance was very poor. So, he had to coax the children to come to school. As the students were from poorer background, he gave one paise per day per child for attending the classes. Very soon the parents of the pupils, especially the Christians came to realize the value of education and so willingly sent their wards to the schools. These elementary schools taught the pupils how to read, write and do the sums (arithmetic). The intention of the mission in general was to enable the convents to read for themselves the Bible.

             Caldwell started a school for girls also, but his efforts were ridiculed by a sub magistrate, who visited the village. Eliza Caldwell got into girls' education from the time she landed in Idaiyangudi (1844). She started a Girls' Boarding School in May 1844. Eight joined in the beginning, but within a few years its strength rose to more than one hundred. She used education as a tool to change the attitude of girls about themselves. She wanted them to grew in grace and maturity, and to bring change in their husbands and fathers. Eliza Caldwell started Lace-making classes for the girls of the villages. It was intended to make them stand on their own legs by earning through the lace-making. Eliza arranged for the sale of the finished products both within India and outside, especially in England.

           Caldwell's daughters too got involved in girl's education. They took steps to collect money from their friends in England for the support of the girls in the Boarding schools. Though Caldwell did not throw cold water on their efforts, he did not wish them to continue that fund-raising since he did not wish the young church to become dependent on the Mission. He felt that the parents should come forward to meet the cost, at least to an extent, of educating their children.

            When Eliza Caldwell moved to Tuticorin (Thoothukudi) as Biscopina (wife of a bishop), she started Day Girls' schools for high caste Hindu girls. In 1884, there were twenty-three girls in the Day school at Thoothukudi Melur and twenty-four at Thoothukudi Keelur. Out of these forty-seven, twenty five were married. Eliza Caldwell was concerned about the women who were not able to get the chance to attend Such Day Schools, and so appointed two Bible women to meet such women in their own places of stay. So this ministry came to be known as "Zenana" ministry. 

            During the second half of the Nineteenth century, most of the missions in India began to rethink their policy towards educational ministry. SPG too faced such a question. Some schools in the Tirunelveli area were either closed down or merged with nearby ones or lowered down as elementary schools. Yet there were a few SPG missionaries who supported  the idea of starting higher educational institutions. The Sawyerpuram institution (known earlier as Sawyerpuram Seminary) was raised into a college in 1880 and Rev. T. Adamson became its first principal. This move was not well received by some missionaries themselves, notable of whom was Arthur Margoschis. There were difference of opinion between J.A. Sharrock the SPG missionary who succeeded T. Adamson as principal of Sawyerpuram institution and A. Margoschis. This affected their missionary activities too. The Madras District committee (M.D.C.) suggested the shifting of the Sawyerpuram institution from Sawyerpuram, a village to Tuticorin, a town. after consulting Bishop Caldwell, the MDC shifted it to Thoothukudi and named it as "Caldwell College". This happened about the beginning of 1883 or the end of 1882 and very soon at the suggestion of the Metropolitan  Bishop E.R. Johnson, Caldwell's residence changed from Idaiyangudi to Thoothukudi. 

 CALDWELL AND HIS CONTRIBUTION TO TAMIL LANGUAGE

           Caldwell understood the necessity to learn and master the local language if he had to be an effective missionary. This was a legacy of Pietism. He very soon came to be recognized for his mastery of Tamil language. So when the Bible society felt the need to revise the Tamil Bible, Caldwell was requested to serve in the revision committee, for which Henry Bower was the convener. This Revision Committee met from April 1858 to April 1869 at regular intervals. Caldwell took part in all its meeting and his contribution in the Bible Translation was much appreciated. This new translation known as 'Bower Version' came out in 1872.

            The Anglican Church in Tirunelveli  felt the need to get the Book of Common Prayer retranslated and so a committee was formed. Bishop Spencer (Bishop of Madras) decided that Caldwell should be in that committee. This committee began its work in 1842 and completed the revision in 1844. This revised edition began to be used in the Tamil congregations from January 1, 1845. The English hymns found in the Tamil Hymnal were translated by Caldwell.

         Tamil scholars and Tamil people consider him as a legend. They remember him for his great works of scholarship, particularly the book titled 'A comparative Grammar of the Dravidian or South Indian Family of languages', the first edition of which was published in 1856, and a second edition, revised and enlarged in 1873. This still remains a standard authority. His work proved invaluable in the revival of Tamil literature and culture after 1940. The second World Tamil Conference held in Chennai acknowledged his contribution to Tamil and the then Tamilnadu Government honoured him by erecting his statue on the Beach Road, Marina, Chennai. In 1866 Glasgow University honoured him by conferring a Honorary LLD degree on him in recognition of his monumental work. 

             Caldwell's two other major works of Scholarship are : 'A Plitical and General History of the district of Tirunelveli from the earliest time to AD 1881' and 'A Record of the Early history of the Tirunelveli Mission of the Society for the Promotion of Christian knowledge and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel'. Both these books came out in 1881.

              In 1849 he got  a book titled 'Nadars of Tirunelveli' published in England but it created opposition and much controversy.   He tried his level best to explain the purpose of it, yet he faced  problems. It was later withdrawn (may be in 1881.

CALDWELL AND THE HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, IDAIYANGUDI

                Caldwell is much remembered also for the monumental construction of a vast cathedral-like Church at Idaiyangudi. The Church building, which was raised earlier got much damaged in 1845 in a cyclone. He planned to rebuild it but on a much larger scale. The foundation was laid in the early days of October  1848. He thought of raising the new building within three of four years. But due to various reasons it took thirty-two years for completion. D.A. Christudoss in his book 'Bishop Caldwell' (Tamil 1980) gives a graphic description of the newly built church, which was of the Gothic style. It was dedicated on July 6, 1880 as the 'Holy Trinity Church'. His and his wife's mortal remains were buried inside that church building.

               Caldwell built St. Peter;s Church, Kodaikanal, which served as a private chapel for his retirement home. 

CALDWELL AS BISHOP

             The Tinnevelly (Tirunelveli) mission area was growing and it was felt as early as 1861 that a suffragan bishop should be appointed for Tirunelveli. It was suggested to appoint an Indian but there were too many opinions, for and against. So it was shelved for that time. Bishop Gell of Madras suggested in 1873 to raise Edward Sargent (CMS) and Caldwell (SPG) as suffragan bishops. Caldwell was eminent for learning and held in high honour both in Eangland and India. On March 11, 1877 Metropolitan Bishop Johnson consecrated in Calcutta, Caldwell and Sargent as assistant bishops of Tirunelveli.

                 Though Caldwell was getting old he visited the congregations under his care as bishop quite regularly. There were other difficulties too. Some of hisbrother missionaries considered him as one among the missionaries, and not as a Bishop, Caldwell did not seem to mind it. The death of Bishop of Bishop E. Sargent in 1887 affected him too.

                 Bishop Johnson persuaded him to leave Idaiyangudi in about 1881 in order to take charge of a theological school at Thoothukudi. Many considered it as a mistake. Age was telling upon him. In January 1891, he was persuaded to resign, and he retired to the hill station of Kodaikanal where he died on August 28, 1891 at the of seventy-seven. His body, as per his wish, was taken to Idaiyangudi and buried there.

      The following lines are inscribed on his grave-stone.
     Scared to the memory of
                The Right Reverend Robert Caldwell D.D., L.L.D.
    Fellow of the University Madras
                 Who for 53 years devoted his eminent talents to the
     furtherance of the Gospel and the building up of Christ's Church among
                 the Tamil people in Tinnevelly, the last 14 of those years 
     as Assistant Bishop to the Bishop of Madras.
                  Excelling as a Scholar and Philologist,
     intimately acquainted with the Tamil people, their history
                  language and customs, a ready and elegant writer,
     he attained a wide reputation, bringing honour thereby to the
                  Missionary's calling and strengthening the cause of
     Missionaries in the church at home. 

CONCLUSION 

             Caldwell can very well be said to be a multi-faceted missionary. He had faced good times and bad times in his long period - fifty three years of ministry in India. He underwent serious illness, yet we see him emerging as a true servant of God and a man of faith. During one of his visits to England, while doing deputation work for SPG he extended a call for serving as missionaries in India, and the one young man who responded to that call was Arthur Margoschis, who too is remembered very gratefully for his ministry in the Tirunelveli SPG area. He selected some bright students from his elementary schools and sent them to Sawyerpuram for higher studies. Some of those students became pastors later. He encouraged Indian leadership. Yes, Caldwell is still legend among the Tamil people.

Original Article 

Reference

Success Story of William Colgate

Twelve-year-old William Colgate woke with a start as someone pounded on the door of the house. It was the middle of the night in the small town of Shoreham, near London.


William Pitt, the British prime minister, had sent a private messenger to warn his friend - Colgate's father - that he must leave England or risk imprisonment or death. People knew that Robert Colgate had sympathized with the Americans during their recent fight for independence. So, in March 1795, the Colgates boarded ship for Baltimore. When the family arrived in America, they settled on a farm.


Then William's father formed a partnership with Ralph Maher to manufacture soap and candles, and William helped the two men.


The partnership dissolved after two years - William's father wanted to get back to farming. William, 19 years old, decided that he would go into business on his own. However, his business failed within a year. William determined to try again - this time in New York City.


"Be sure you start right, and you'll get along well," advised a friend, a canal-boat captain who was a Christian. "Someone will be the leading soap maker in New York. It may be you!


"Be a good man. Give your heart to Christ. Give God all that belongs to Him. Make an honest soap. Give a full pound."


William read the Old Testament story of Jacob's vow. When Jacob left home, he said, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father's house, then the Lord will be my God... and of all that you [God] give me I will give you a tenth." – Genesis 28:20-22


Jacob's vow challenged William. He made a similar vow; he determined to give God first place in his life, and he also promised to give a tenth - a tithe - of his profits to God.


In 1804, at the age of 21, William found employment with tallow chandlers Slidel and Company, where he learned more about the soap-making business. When, two years later, the company ceased production, William was ready to try again.


William Colgate and Company met with success from the start. Within six years he added the manufacture of starch to his laundry-soap business. Later, he also produced hand soap and a variety of toilet and shaving soaps.


As Colgate's business grew, so did his family. In 1811, he married Mary Gilbert, and they became the parents of 11 children - giving most biblical names. They attended church, had family worship, and read the Bible together.


William became known as Deacon Colgate in his church. He liberally supported missions, temperance (the Colgates allowed no alcohol in their home), and Christian education. He donated large sums to several educational institutions, including Madison College, in Hamilton, New York. It's now called Colgate University in his honor.


William never forgot his promise to God. From the first dollar he earned he devoted 10 percent of his net earnings to benevolence. As he prospered, he instructed his accountants to increase the amount to 20 percent and later to 30 percent. It seemed that the more he gave, the more he prospered.


William saw, in his business, the fulfillment of the promise made to tithe payers that God will " 'throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." - Malachi 3:10


He took an active interest in the Bible, particularly its translation, publication, and distribution. In 1816, he helped organize the American Bible Society, and later he assisted in forming the American and Foreign Bible Society.


The soap king died on March 25, 1857, but his influence continues. The Colgate name lives on in products in supermarkets throughout the world. And the name still preaches a sermon to those who know his story.


Have faith in yourself and God.


Nothing is impossible! 

 

Original Articles

http://pradeep-believeinyourself.blogspot.in/2009/10/success-story-of-william-colgate.html

http://tankachayan.blogspot.in/2010/07/colgate-man-of-faith.html

Dr. G. U. Pope

G.U.POPE

George Uglow Pope was born on 24 April 1820 in Prince Edward Island in Nova Scotia. His family migrated to England when he was an infant. Even as a child he cultivated many  languages. He left for South India in 1839. It was at Sawyerpuram near Tuticorin.

     Sawyerpuram is a town panchayat in Tuticorin district, Tamil Nadu, India. Since missionary Dr. G. U. Pope ministered in this place the population is predominantly Christian. This place is an historical and religious place. It was first a settlement of persecuted Christians on land provided by Mr. Sawyer, an Anglo-Indian layman in the employ of the East India Company. The village thus formed in 1814 was gratefully named after him as Sawyerpuram. The Christian settlers quickly organized themselves, and by 1838 had built for themselves a small church and a school attended by 10 children. However, it was with the advent of intrepid young Dr. G. U. Pope in 1842 that Sawyerpuram shot into prominence in the annals of missionary history. He established in 1844 the renowned “Sawyerpuram Seminary”, which for a long time was the nursery of hundreds of Indian clergymen, teachers and catechists. The esteem in which this reputable centre of learning was held can be seen from the fact that the Oxford University contributed to the formation of a suitable library within its walls. Dr.G.U Pope is a Tamil Patron.

"The Student of Tamil" bloomed into a scholar of Tamil, Sanskrit and Telugu. Pope setup several schools and taught Latin, English, Hebrew, Mathematics and Philosophy. As he was a martinet he was always in trouble. Of him Bishop Caldwell said: "The chief drawback to his success was the severity of his discipline which led, after a succession of petty rebellions, to his withdrawal". Pope believed in the theory: "Things have tears". He worked with the motto: "Conscience within and God above". He completed his translation of Tirukkural on September 1, 1886. His "Sacred Kural" contains introduction, grammar, translation, notes, lexicon and concordance. It also includes the English translation of F.W.Ellis and the Latin Translation of Fr. Beschi. It is a tome of 436 pages. He had, by February 1893, translated Naaladiyaar. His magnum opus, the translation of Tiruvachakam appeared in 1900. Of this he says: "I date this on my eightieth birthday. I find, by reference, that my first Tamil lesson was in 1837. This ends, as I suppose a long life of devotion to Tamil studies. It is not without deep emotion that I thus bring to a close my life's literary work". The much coveted Gold Medal of the Royal Asiatic Society was awarded to him in 1906. He passed away on 12 February 1908. The services of this great soul to Tamil and Saivism defy reckoning by weights and measures. In his last days he was a mature Saiva Siddhanti, with his faith as ever rooted in Chiristianity. He delivered his last sermon on May 26, 1907.

Dr. G U Pope’s efforts were equally directed to the extension of the Church. He built the All Saints Church at nearby Subramaniapuram enduring extreme hostility and insult. The lovely red-brick Holy Trinity Church at Sawyerpuram was built by Rev. Huxtable and Rev. Sharrock and dedicated on 11 November 1877 by the Most Rev. Johnson, Metropolitan of India.

Original Article

Rev. Canon Arthur Margoschis

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 St.John’s Cathedral,Nazareth

Many eminent Missionaries rendered significant services not only to the growth of Christianity but also to the development of Nazareth in manifold dimensions. Of whom, the contribution of Canon A. Margoschis to the many sided growth of this village is matchless and unique. It is quite fitting to call the Rev. Canon Arthur Margoschis as “FATHER OF NAZARETH”. Words are inadequate to express the magnitude of works passionately done by him to this rural area. The remarkable development of Nazareth with the educational insititutions, the orphanage and Art Industrial School, the hospital and the church is principally due to the result of the untiring and unparalleled service and efforts of the great missionary Canon A. Margoschis.

The fact that cannot or should not escape our knowledge is that during decades of the 19th Century, Nazareth was identified as a small hamlet situated near Valaiyadi or Vahuthankuppam and the people of Nazareth had to get things from the shops or the neighbouring villages crossing the sandy soil clustered with the bush and trees. Such a backward un-recognised hamlet has become a recognized and developed place with all facilities owing to the pioneering work, meticulously done by canon Margoschis, inspite of many untold difficulties. “Great actions speak great minds” says John Fletcher.

It is of great interest to know a little about the life of such great man and also his great deeds done to this village. Arthur Margoschis, the eighth and last child to his parents was born on 24-12-1852 at Leamington, England and was broughtup in good Christian tradition. He had good education and was a gem of students. Though he had suffered a lot from Asthma from his childhood, he was very firm in using himself in the service of His Master, Jesus Christ. The burning zeal in him to become a missionary drove him to learn theology and then medicine. It was so dramatic that he embraced the work of a missionary when he was doing his final year of medicine. God found a great missionary in him and sent him to this place as His servant.

To epoch-making event in the history of Nazareth is that Canon A. Margoschis became the missionary of Nazareth in December 1876. He plunged into his work with enthusiasm and felt the need to do a lot to alleviate the sufferings of the helpless and poverty stricken people. Religion did not engender in Canon Margoschis the desire to run away or escape from the problem of life, On the contrary, his deep commitment to religion kept him in the service of the needy also. A few of his important works be mentioned.

Canon Margoschis gave a paramount importance to spiritual life and proved himself and eminent missionary in many a way. “Special Gospel campaign” among Hindus was vigorously done. Consequently thousands of persons were converted to Christianity. Scripture classes were conducted not only to children but also to the old people. As the number of Christians increased, the then church became too small to hold the congregation. He took efforts to extend the area of the church so as to accommodate more number of people. The newly constructed altar of the then Church was dedicated by him in 1884. The deadly cholera spread during 1902 was shocking but was a blessing in disguise. His faith in God was so great that he wished to have the communion service everyday since 6-12-1902 as a remedy to the dreadful malady. Communion being served everyday in this Church even to-day is a rarity found in a few churches only. “Nazareth Children’s Mission” was organized by him in 1903. He adopted different methods of raising funds from the local people for self-support. He was contemplating the construction of a bigger church to accommodate the ever increasing number of Christians at Nazareth. But his death on 27-4-1908 snatched him away from fulfilling his ardent wish.

 St. Luke’s Hospital, Nazareth :

Though it was founded in the year 1870 by Dr. J.M. Strachan, the monumental growth was under the able stewardship of Canon A. Margoschis. As he had the knowledge of medicine, he could do marvelous medical service, helping thousands of sick flocking even from 20 to 30 miles away. This service was rendered freely to all irrespective of caste and creed. There was a dire need to provide more facilities to the swelling number of sick in the hospital with wards, compounding room etc., To meet the requirements, the main building of the hospital was built by him in 1892 and the hospital was Christened “St. Luke’s Hospital” by him on the day of St. Luke’s (18th October) in 1892. With this meritorious medical service, he was esteemed a ‘Life – saver’. The command of Lord Jesus Christ, “Heal the sick …. Preach the Gospel” was faithfully followed by this medical officer-in-charge of the hospital from the year of his arrival in 1876 to the time of his death in 1908.

The ravage of famine swept away 25% of the local population and left many helpless. Owing to acute poverty and deadly diseases many were in untold miseries and became orphans. Canon Margoschis the only hope of the deserted people, built a small hut hundred yards away from his bungalow for the orphans in 1877. As the number of orphans increased, he took all efforts to put up a building for them and the same was built in 1878 in the place where the Art Industrial School is now. He was made aware of his responsibilities and obligations towards the less-privileged and was very anxious to introduce teaching for them on industrial courses. Hence he founded the Art Industrial School in the orphanage itself on 14-11-1878. Carpentry, Black-smithy and sewing courses were started and then weaving section was introduced. In 1884, the first sewing machine was bought and the art of tailoring was introduced. The lower Secondary Training was provided and in 1900, Upper Secondary Training was transferred from Tuticorin to Nazareth. He was the manager of the school till his death. In those days the Art Industrial School, the brain-child of Canon Margoschis, was praised as the only one of its kind in the district and the oldest in the Presidency of Madras. He lovingly adopted orphans and carried out the responsibilities of a father. “Verily I say unto you, in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these brethren, ye have done it unto me” -St. Mathew XXV,40

Girls High School

Canon Margoschis was made superintendent of the school 1876 itself. He founded Teachers Training School in 1877. He also stressed the need for good education to women and started kindergarten school. In 1886, he made a historic achievement of upgrading the Normal school to a High School. The school became a full-fledged high school in 1888 and the first set of women in the Presidency of Madras to pass the Matriculation Examination was from this school. The Standard of the school was very much appreciated by the Director of Public Instruction in 1890. This school is the first high school for women in south India.

Boy’s High School :

Canon Margoschis founded a Middle school for boys in 1882 in the name “Anglo – Vernacular School”. It is heartening to know that in 1885 ; this school was awarded “ The Best School” title in the Presidency of Madras, He made a successful venture of upgrading it as “High School “ in 1889 inspite of the stiff opposition from the then Bishop Rt. Rev. Caldwell. This infuriated the Bishop who closed down the High School section in 1892.

Theological Seminary :

Another brain – child of Canon Margoschis was the Theological Seminary. It was founded by him in 1890 with eight students. It had grown from strength to strength in the following years.

Other Developments and Benefits :

Since Canon Margoschis adopted Nazareth as his “Child”, he put his heart and soul to see Nazareth filled with many blessings of God. With the help of the orphans and hired laborers, he laid the metal road from Nazareth to Valaiyadi and planted trees on both sides. Telegraphic office was opened on

25-12-1894, as a result of the initiative taken by him. He showed interest in town planning also and the 5th street was formed by him. As a result of his efforts, the original plan to lay the railway line from Tirunelveli to Tiruchendur via. Thenthiruperai was changed and it was decided to lay it via. Nazareth. This monumental work, which transformed the very face of Nazareth, was put into operation a few years after his death.

Adult Education Programme was launched by him in 1880 at Nazareth and other neighboring villages. “S.P.G. Nazareth Christian Death Aid-Fund” was setup by him on 1-4-1884. It is gratifying to note that by the end of 1900, Rs. 66,331 was contributed to the bereaved families. He founded “S.P.G. Widows’ Association” to help the helpless widows. Such were the manifold benefits which the people of Nazareth enjoyed owing to his selfless service. “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” – St. Mathew XXV, 12.

The Great Man, who had endeared himself to the people of Nazareth passed away on 27th April 1908 and the sad news gave a rude jolt to them. The loss was irreparable. They wanted to build a bigger church in memory of him but later the idea was changed to be in conformity with his lofty ideals. The Boy’s High School was named after him. Recently a college was built here in memory of him. We owe it to posterity to perpetuate the memory of such a great missionary, by means of such things which will truly reveal the man and inspire others to follow the ideals which he symbolised.

The 32 years of selfless service of Canon A. Margoschis has left an indelible mark on the History of this area. His dedicated service to this people will remain a memorable historical fact for people of all religions and cultural traditions. He excelled all other missionaries who came before and after him to Nazareth by virtue of being not only a missionary but also being a doctor an educationist, a philanthropist, a philosopher, a guide, a friend, a father and what not. When Canon A. Margoschis left this world on 1908, he left behind the memory of a great and good life, lived usefully a memory that has become a legacy, one that deserves to be passed on to generations unborn.

“ Lives of great men all remind us

We Can make our lives sublime

And, departing, leave behind us

Foot prints on the sands of time “

Original Article
 

Reverend Charles Theophilus Ewald Rhenius - The Apostle of Tirunelveli (5 November 1790 – 5 June 1838)

Reverend Charles Theophilus Ewald Rhenius - The Apostle of Tirunelveli (5 November 1790 – 5 June 1838) was a German born missionary of the Church Mission Society (CMS). He was the first CMS missionary to arrive at India. For his missionary work in the Tirunelveli district he came to be known as the "Apostle of Tirunelveli" He was involved in the attempt to revise the Fabricius version of the Tamil Bible and also published a Tamil grammar book. Rhenius’ split from the Anglican Church in 1830 and started his own congregation. Rhenius' work was recognized in 1978 by the Reverend Daniel Abraham, the then Church of South India (CSI) bishop of Tirunelveli diocese. Rhenius's work was given official recognition by the Anglican Communion during the Tirunelveli diocese bicentenary celebration in 1978, in which, all the bishops, including Anglican bishop Stephen Neill and all the presbyters took an oath in front of the tomb of Rev Rhenius to follow the path of the resting soul, regard to evangelism

Early life

Charles Rhenius was the second son of Otto Gottlieb Nikolaus Rhenius, an officer in the Prussian army. When Charles was six years old, his father died. Charles left school when he was fourteen and went to work in his uncle’s office. After he had worked for three years another uncle called him to come and live with him. This uncle was a rich landowner. There were many missionary magazines in his uncle’s house. As he read these, Charles felt God was calling him to go overseas as a missionary. Though his uncle was unhappy about his decision, he accepted it. But his aunt tried to get him to change his mind. Charles had to struggle in prayer to overcome the temptation. As his uncle had no children, he planned to leave all his property to Charles[3]. Rhenius went to Berlin to study theology at a missionary college of Basel. When he left home he did not dare to tell his family of his final plans. When his suspicious mother Catharina Dorothea Schiemann, implored him not to go overseas, Rhenius replied "Dear mother, what am I to do if the Lord should so order it?. After a year at the seminary Charles Rhenius was ordained as a Lutheran presbyter.

With the Church Mission Society

In the early 19th century, the Church Mission Society was looking for missionaries for Dr John’s Schools of the Danish Mission at Tharangambadi in India. Among those who came forward, Rhenius and Schmarre were selected and given orientation on mission skills for 18 months in England. In 1813, the British parliament passed a new Act.[4] This Act allowed missionaries freedom to enter India.[5][6]. Both could get a berth on a ship only in February 1814. At the last minute his family tried to stop Rhenius going to India. His brother appealed to him by writing that their mother was weeping for him. CMS arranged a farewell meeting for him that was attended by more than 2,000 people.

Rhenius's journey to India was eventful: he experienced a fire aboard the ship and it was almost wrecked near Maldives. They reached safely Madras, only to learn that Dr John, under whose aegis they had planned to work as missionaries, was dead. Rhenius and Schmarre managed to stay for two weeks with the chaplain of the British East India Company in Madras. Then they went to Tharangambadi to learn the Tamil language.

Missionary work in Madras

After five months of language training, Rhenius was asked to come back to Madras, as CMS had decided to engage him in their own mission called Mission in Madras, instead of helping the Danish Mission at Tharangambadi. The Madras Governor gave permission to work in the Black Town of Madras. The rented a house belonging to a Hindu. This facilitated to study the Hindu scriptures and he visited the Kanchipuram temple as well. Through his studies, Rhenius came to believe that Hindus had once believed in one supreme god and the current polytheism was a later development. He fashioned his proselytizing method according to the belief - by appealing Hindus to go back to monotheism and the worship of Jesus Christ. He started a school in the Black Town, Madras. When the Hindus in Kanchipuram invited him to start a school, he agreed. After starting several schools in Madras, he extended his missionary work to Palmaner and Vandavasi, where he was exposed to the religious doctrines of Jainism. During his travel he recorded in his diary that the caste Hindus did not allow him to enter their house and on one occasion he had to spend the night in a cow shed.

In 1815, the Bible Society in Calcutta decided to revise the Johann Phillip Fabricius version of the Tamil Bible. Rhenius was asked to help with the revision. Assisted by a Munshi he set to work on the revision. On his travels Rhenius had talked with many Hindus. He found that very often they could not under stand the Bible translation of Fabricius. Further a conversation with a Brahmin showed what great care was needed in translating the idiomatic expressions. They were discussing Matthew 3:7, "you snakes..". The Brahmin had taken the words literally - he thought the people had really turned into snakes[7] This made Rhenius realize that a revision of the Bible was not sufficient - a new translation was necessary. He began a new translation of the New Testament. When he showed his translation to his Hindu friends, they had said that they could understand his translation. He wrote down some principles of translation. Thous his ideas on translation were not accepted in his time, they are similar to the current ones followed by the Bible Society. On 5 November 1817, a group of Protestants, Roman Catholics and Hindus met in Madras and formed the Tamil Bible Association. Rhenius also wrote a work of Tamil grammar titled "A Grammar of the Tamil Language: With Appendix", which was published by the American Mission Press at Madras in 1859.

Missionary work in Tirunelveli

In 1816, the historian, the Reverend James Hough, was the chaplain to the English garrison in the Palayamkottai fort and cantonment. He was interested in village ministry and wrote to the CMS asking for a missionary. By this time, the differences of opinion between Rhenius and the Madras Committee of the CMS had grown greatly. Rhenius was at the point of resigning and going home. However, the CMS did not want to lose a skilled missionary and suggested that he could go to Palayamkottai to assist Hough. Rhenius arrived in Tirunelveli on 7 July 1820. The first CMS congregation in Palayamkottai (present day Holy Trinity Cathedral, Palayamkottai) came into existence on 10 March 1822 and adjutant (current venue of Cathedral Higher Secondary School, Palayamkottai) to the CMS Church, Murugankuruchi, Rhenius started the Palamcottah Preparandi Institution. In 1824, he purchased valuable property to the north of the High Road in Palayamkottai (current venue of the Bishop Sergeant Training School, Palayamkottai) from his Hindu friend and philanthropist, Vengu Mudaliar, for a confessional price of just Rs. 750.00 and shifted the Preparandi School to the newly acquired campus. Operating from Palayamkottai, Rhenius covered a number of villages all over the Tirunelveli district, which include the current Thoothukudi district and part of Ramnathapuram district and planted small congregations. Solaikudiyiruppu is one of the oasis villages in the sandy dunes of Kudiramozhi Theri. When Rhenius visited Solaikudiyiruppu, the Mukandar of Solaikudiyiruppu Village was Velu Muthu Nadar. Rhenius converted Velu Muthu who was baptisied as "Vedha Muthu". Vedha Muthu, was the first Protestant Christian in the Megnanapuram Circle.

Villages of refuge

During the 18th century, Christian missionaries had witnessed persecution of converts coinciding with the Polygar Wars, by clubmen from the state of Ramanathapuram.[9]. To protect the new converts, Sundaranandam David,[10] a disciple of Rev. C. F. Schwartz, established a Christian satellite village - called Mudhalur, meaning First Village - near Sathankulam, which served as a refuge for local Christians. Following the Mudalur pattern, Rhenius started several Christian satellite villages, including Neduvilai (later known as Megnanapuram) (1825), Idayankulam (1827), Asirvathapuram (1828), Nallur (1832) and Surandai (1833). In 1827, Rhenius created a settlement for the Christians of Puliakurichi in a village he purchased with money donated by a Prussian nobleman, Count Dohna of Scholodin, and named it after him as Dohnavur. The village later became the place where Ami Carmichael founded the Dohnavur Fellowship to protect women rescued from prostitution.

Split from the CMS

In 1832, Rev. Rhenius wrote to the Madras Corresponding Committee of the CMS that an urgent need for more trained and ordained catechists, pastors, and teachers had prompted him to provide special training for some of the most promising young men, seven of whom he had ordained. Until now, precedents going back to Thanjavur and Tranquebar had been followed, whereby the local missionary enjoyed considerable autonomy in such matters. But the CMS Committee was now of the opinion that, although many Indians might have previously received ‘Lutheran orders’, the time for a change had arrived. Daniel Wilson, the new Bishop of Calcutta, indicated that loyalty to the Church of England required that workers under the CMS should henceforth be ordained, if at all, only according to the Church of England rites and not according to those of the Lutherans. Rhenius and his colleague, Bernard Schmidt, replied that their newly trained workers, as catechists, pastors, and teachers, had conscientious objections to following this new instruction.

At about the same time, Rhenius wote to the new Bishop of Calcutta welcoming him to India and extending to him an invitation to visit Palaiyamkottai as soon as possible. His reports, having dwelt at length on mass conversions then taking place, stressed the need for pastors to watch over new Christians and the recent ordination of seven promising young men. The reply he received, indirectly, declared that his actions were invalid and reprimanded him for violating the apostolic succession. Having waited in vain for the Archdeacon to publish his long dormant review, Rev. Rhenius published the review himself.

No mention was made of a second pamphlet that Rhenius had published at the very same time, entitled Union of Christians, an Address to all Christians, especially to all Ministers of the Gospel. He had attempted to bring about harmony among missionaries of different backgrounds. Instead publication of the first pamphlet provoked a drastic response. The conflict between the Anglican Diocese of Calcutta and Rhenius reached a low point after six catechists of Rhenius' choice refused to be ordained at Madras by the Anglican Bishop John Matthias Turner of Calcutta. A letter of dismissal was delivered to Rhenius by two CMS officers, informing him that his connection with the CMS was at an end and that, since the ‘territory’ in which he had been working belonged to the CMS, he should forthwith depart from Tirunelveli. He handed over all his belongings to Rev. John Tucker; along with his German colleagues he left for Thoothukudi, hired a boat and sailed to Madras. From there Rhenius traveled to Arcot, where he planned to start his own mission.

About the circumstances of his original appointment, Rhenius wrote at length:

When my fellow-labourer [Schnarre] and I were sent out to India, now twentyone years ago, no question was ever put to us on the subject of conformity to the Church of England nor have I received a single application from the Society to conform. I never concealed my sentiments and mode of proceeding I never promised to submit to the English bishops, not even to observe the Church of England forms. No such promise was even asked of me. The Committee of the Society, at that early period, did not even expect that German clergymen should conform to the Church of England.

Several catechists from Tirunelveli appealed to him to return, and Rhenius decided to do so. There, in reduced circumstances, both in Suveshipuram (‘Town of Salvation’) where a house was established in his honour, and in Tirunelveli itself where houses were made available to him, he tried to carry on his work. Money for his support came from all over India and from Europe. In Palayamkottai, the supporters of Rev. Rhenius stopped going to the CMS Church and started a prayer hall (The Present Chinna Koil - "St. John Church" ) for their worship at Aadaikalapuram. Similar splits happened in all the places, where Rhenius had planted churches, including Solaikudiyiruppu. Efforts to reconcile Rhenius and the CMS failed.

Death and legacy

 

Tomb of Rev. C T E Rhenius at Adaikalapuram, TirunelveliRhenius' health began to fail under the tension and strain caused by the division in the churches. He wanted every one to have a copy of the Bible in the language they could understand. On 5 June 1838, he signed notes to be sent to people in Palayamkottai. In these notes, he asked for subscriptions to the Madras Auxiliary of the Bible Society[12]. On the same evening at 7:30 pm Rhenius died. He was 48 years old at the time of his death. He was buried at Adaikalapuram, Palayamkottai. Rhenius's missionary work was recognized by the Tirunelveli Diocese of the Church of South India (CSI) during the diocese's bicentenary Celebrations in 1978. Rhenius tomb is currently being maintained by the Diocese. During his 15 years in Tirunelveli, Rhenius had set up as many as 371 congregations. His contemporary, the Jewish missionary Dr Wolf, who stayed with Rhenius for a week during September 1833 regarded him as the greatest missionary who had appeared since St. Paul.

Original Article

Lesser Known facts about Joseph and Mary

It’s no wonder that God chose Joseph and Mary to be the earthly parents of his son. Yet when one steps into their shoes its clear how they would have felt. Below are some of the lesser-known facts about Joseph and Mary.

Jesus studied from God Fearing Parents.

Jesus was taught the art of carpentry at a very young age,

When the Jesus forgave the women caught in Adultery John 7:53-8:11 he was just merely doing what his earthly father had done when he was in his mother’s womb.

Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. - Matthew 1:19

For the punishment handed by God for such offence was death by stoning (Leviticus 20:10)

According to Luke 2:24 it is clear that Joseph was  a poor man and later when he was asked to go to Egypt by the angel (Matthew 2:13) the money brought by the wise men from the east helped finance his trip.