Introduction : Christ Church at Palayam , Trivandrum is one of the pioneer and milestone churches in Travancore [Now Kerala State] and also closely and crucially connected with the religious, social, educational, cultural and political history of Travancore. And this significant and historical Christ Church at Palayam , Trivandrum was closely connected with the Pioneer Christians of Mylaudy.
Christian David of Mylaudy was sent to Trivandrum : :Mr. Christian David of Mylaudy who was a close relative of Poet John Palmer was teaching at the Nagercoil Seminary and he was sent to Trivandrum as Munshi to Col. Campbell by the L.M.S missionary Rev. Charles Mead .During this period of time a Government Printing Press was established at Trivnadrum in 1834 and for the same Charles Mead brought many Tamil Christians to Trivandrm from Nagercoil area, who were formerly working at the LMS Press, Nagercoil At this period of time so many Tamils were working as domestic servants in the homes of the European officers in Trivandrum. Mr.Christain David was working as a Tamil Munshi to Capt. R.N. Campbell and also as a Clerk at the Government Press at Trivandrum At this period of time Mr Christian David who was a well educated and respectable member of the Church of England Congregation in Trivandrum, collected the scattered Tamil Christians in Trivandrum together and started to conduct regular Divine Services in his own house at Trivandrum,[Ibid]. This infant Tamil Congregation and Mr . Christian David were brought to the knowledge of the then British Resident Col. Frazer by Capt . Campbell. Col. Frazer authorized Mr Christain David to hold Christian divine services in Sundays in the Old Church, Trivandrum...From this time onward regular Tamil divine services were conducted on every Sunday and the English Chaplains when they paid monthly visit to Trivandrum administered the Sacrament of the Lord's Super to the Native Tamil Christians together with the English Congregation members.
A Preliminary English school was opened in Trivandrum : Chaplain Revd Mr. Rowlandson opened a preliminary English School at the suggestion of Mr Christian David at Cantonment , in Trivandram atttached to the Chaplaincy and Mr Christian David was appointed as School Master of this new School. .This school progressed well and became the feeding school to H.H the Maha Rajah's free school in Trivandrum
The foundation Stone for Christ Church,Trivandrum was laid in1858 There was no Church in Trivandrum for the exclusive use of the members of the Church of England so in order to meet their reasonable demand, the foundation stone was laid on the 13th December,1858 by General Cullen in he midst of large sea of people.H.H.The First Prince Rama Vurmah also accidentally happened to be present on the occasion. CM Agur writes that a bottle with a parchment containing the date of erection, the names of the leading officials in the State and full list of subscribers ; European Christians headed by General Cullen and Native Christians headed by Mr. Christian David was also deposited in the foundation . The Christ Church was consecrated on the 15th November 1859 by Bishop Dealtry under the name of "Christ Church. Thus Mr Christian David of Mylaudy became a part and parcel of the history of Christ Church, Trivandrum
A BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF CHRIST CHURCH, TRIVANDRUM
Trivandrum, Christ Church and Members of Maharasan Vethamonickam's family : Mr Christian David of Mylaudy was in charge of the Tamil Divine Service held in Christ Church, Trivandrum .No doubt Christian David was one of the founding fathers of Trivandrum Christ Church. .. Unfortunately while attending a funeral Mr Christian David suddenly seized with apoplexy and died on the 14th of April,1860. Following his death the conduct of the Tamil service was taken over by Christian David's cousin Mr John Palmer .. Mr Devavaram Biddulph [ The father of Mrs Lois Biddulph Mead ] after his retirement from the L.M.S Mission settled in Trivandrum with his son-in-law and patron Rev Charles Mead and for several years Mr. Devaram Biddulph was in charge of the Native Congregation of Christ Church, Trivandrum and Mr Devaram's Sunday Tamil Sermons were the attraction of many Christians in those days [Ibid, p. 1091]. Mr. Devaram Biddulph assisted by his cousin Poet Mr. John Palmer conducted prayer meetings in the houses of the members of the Trivandrum Christ Church . Mr Devaram. Biddulph after nearly 10 years of active Church related service in Trivandrum died on the 28th December1874, and his body had been interred at the Christ Church Cemetery, Trivandrum
Many pioneer Christians belonging to the family of Mylaudy Maharasan Vethamonickam played important roles in the affairs of the Christ Church,Trivandrum. Mr. John Palmer and his son Mr Abel Palmer and his family members, Mr. Packaianathan Darmakan [ Government Instructor and father -in-law of Mr Cephas Peter] , Mr. Christian David and his family members, Mr. Devaram Biddulph and his family members, Mr. C.M Agur and his family members , Mr Mr. S. Samuel [ he was a State Map Surveyor , Government of Travancore ] and his family members and some others were some of the active members Trivandrum Christ Church from Maharasan Vethamonickam's family. In this context and connection it is appropriate to mention that the wife of Mr C. M Agur, Mrs Joanna Carlotta Mead Agur [ Daughter of Rev Charles Mead] served as an efficacious Organist , at Trivandrum Christ Church.
Mr. S. Samuel served Christ Church as one of its Deacons in a distinctive manner and Mr S. Samuel's son Mr. Sant Theophilus Devaraj was christened on the 6th April 1897 at Christ Church Trivandrum by Revd. Brag and Mr . Abel Palmer [ a son of Christian Poet Mr John Palmer] was the God-father of Theophilus Devaraj. Later Mr Theophilus Devaraj married Miss Rachel Peter [a granddaughter of Mr Daniel Paramanadam Deacon of Nagercoil Home Church ] .. Mr S. Samuel's daughter Jesunesam's christening was also held at Christ Church , Trivandrum on 21st November , 1899 , Tuesday 4.30 p.m., and Jesunesam was baptised by Rev.Mathan and Mr John William Palmer was her God-father .Interestingly Mr. S Samuel's daughter Jesu Nesam's marriage was held at Christ Church , Trivandrum on the 26th April, 1917 with Mr D.M. Jesudasan [Mr. D.M. Jesudasan was a teacher at the Scott Christian High School , Nagercoil] and the marriage was solemnized by Rev, J, I. Abraham, Trivandum.. Thus the members of Maraharasan Vethamonickam's family members were closely and distinctively connected with the establishment and progress of Trivandrum Christ Church.[Reference: Notes found in an old English Bible used by Mr. S. Samuel }
Conclusion: The bodies of Mr Devaram Biddulph , Mr. John Palmer, Mr . Christian David , Mr. C.M. Agur and some others from Maharasan Vethamonickam's family had been buried in the Christ Church Cemetery Trivandrum. along with the outstanding and historical personalities of the times. Thus the pioneer Christians belonging to Maharsan Vethamonickam's family played a pivotal role in the administrative and religious affairs of Christ Church Trivandrum.. The walls , the foundation stone, the history and the Cemetery of Christ Church, Trivandrum are crucially , closely, historically and emotionally connected with the pioneer Christians of Mylaudy Maharasan Vethamonickam's family.
By . P. BABU MANOHARAN, M. A, .{ The rights are reserved. This Article will be altered , corrected and modified later if needed }
A BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF CHRIST CHURCH, TRIVANDRUM
Trivandrum, Christ Church and Members of Maharasan Vethamonickam's family : Mr Christian David of Mylaudy was in charge of the Tamil Divine Service held in Christ Church, Trivandrum .No doubt Christian David was one of the founding fathers of Trivandrum Christ Church. .. Unfortunately while attending a funeral Mr Christian David suddenly seized with apoplexy and died on the 14th of April,1860. Following his death the conduct of the Tamil service was taken over by Christian David's cousin Mr John Palmer .. Mr Devavaram Biddulph [ The father of Mrs Lois Biddulph Mead ] after his retirement from the L.M.S Mission settled in Trivandrum with his son-in-law and patron Rev Charles Mead and for several years Mr. Devaram Biddulph was in charge of the Native Congregation of Christ Church, Trivandrum and Mr Devaram's Sunday Tamil Sermons were the attraction of many Christians in those days [Ibid, p. 1091]. Mr. Devaram Biddulph assisted by his cousin Poet Mr. John Palmer conducted prayer meetings in the houses of the members of the Trivandrum Christ Church . Mr Devaram. Biddulph after nearly 10 years of active Church related service in Trivandrum died on the 28th December1874, and his body had been interred at the Christ Church Cemetery, Trivandrum
Many pioneer Christians belonging to the family of Mylaudy Maharasan Vethamonickam played important roles in the affairs of the Christ Church,Trivandrum. Mr. John Palmer and his son Mr Abel Palmer and his family members, Mr. Packaianathan Darmakan [ Government Instructor and father -in-law of Mr Cephas Peter] , Mr. Christian David and his family members, Mr. Devaram Biddulph and his family members, Mr. C.M Agur and his family members , Mr Mr. S. Samuel [ he was a State Map Surveyor , Government of Travancore ] and his family members and some others were some of the active members Trivandrum Christ Church from Maharasan Vethamonickam's family. In this context and connection it is appropriate to mention that the wife of Mr C. M Agur, Mrs Joanna Carlotta Mead Agur [ Daughter of Rev Charles Mead] served as an efficacious Organist , at Trivandrum Christ Church.
Mr. S. Samuel served Christ Church as one of its Deacons in a distinctive manner and Mr S. Samuel's son Mr. Sant Theophilus Devaraj was christened on the 6th April 1897 at Christ Church Trivandrum by Revd. Brag and Mr . Abel Palmer [ a son of Christian Poet Mr John Palmer] was the God-father of Theophilus Devaraj. Later Mr Theophilus Devaraj married Miss Rachel Peter [a granddaughter of Mr Daniel Paramanadam Deacon of Nagercoil Home Church ] .. Mr S. Samuel's daughter Jesunesam's christening was also held at Christ Church , Trivandrum on 21st November , 1899 , Tuesday 4.30 p.m., and Jesunesam was baptised by Rev.Mathan and Mr John William Palmer was her God-father .Interestingly Mr. S Samuel's daughter Jesu Nesam's marriage was held at Christ Church , Trivandrum on the 26th April, 1917 with Mr D.M. Jesudasan [Mr. D.M. Jesudasan was a teacher at the Scott Christian High School , Nagercoil] and the marriage was solemnized by Rev, J, I. Abraham, Trivandum.. Thus the members of Maraharasan Vethamonickam's family members were closely and distinctively connected with the establishment and progress of Trivandrum Christ Church.[Reference: Notes found in an old English Bible used by Mr. S. Samuel }
Conclusion: The bodies of Mr Devaram Biddulph , Mr. John Palmer, Mr . Christian David , Mr. C.M. Agur and some others from Maharasan Vethamonickam's family had been buried in the Christ Church Cemetery Trivandrum. along with the outstanding and historical personalities of the times. Thus the pioneer Christians belonging to Maharsan Vethamonickam's family played a pivotal role in the administrative and religious affairs of Christ Church Trivandrum.. The walls , the foundation stone, the history and the Cemetery of Christ Church, Trivandrum are crucially , closely, historically and emotionally connected with the pioneer Christians of Mylaudy Maharasan Vethamonickam's family.
By . P. BABU MANOHARAN, M. A, .{ The rights are reserved. This Article will be altered , corrected and modified later if needed }
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