Introduction : Pastor Rev John Rungaswamy was one of the pioneer Wesleyan Methodist Pastors who worked in Madras [ Chennai]and he was a native of Madras. He was an intelligent man with great grasping power, a great warrior for the cause of the gospel of Christ, a man of God with great presence of mind, he had a good command over Tamil, was an eloquent preacher and was well acquainted with Methodist Church history.. He had the privilege to work in and around Madras with some of the famous foreign Wesleyan Methodist Missionaries namely Rev.G.M. Cobban , Rev. James Cooling and others . Rev. John Rungaswamy was a very popular native Tamil speaking Wesleyan Methodist Missionary and definitely he was one of the effective native missionaries who laid the foundation for the spread of the fruits of Christianity in Tamil Nadu and South India . He was indeed one of the significant milestones in the religious, educational, cultural and social history of Chennai and Tamil Nadu.
Rev. John Rungaswamy
His Parents and Birth : Rev John Rungaswamy was born in Madras in the year 1859 in a Hindu family and nothing more is known about his family even to the direct descendants of Rev John Rungaswamy
His Christian Baptism : Foreign Christian missionaries who were working in Madras took some real interest to impart education to the children of the natives and so they built schools in various parts in Madras. Mr John Rungaswamy studied in a Christian Mission School in Madras run by the United Free Church of Scotland And from the Missionaries of Free Church Mission of Scotland he gained his first knowledge of Christ and salvation . When he was young he was baptized in Madras with a Christian name , John Rungaswamy , by a Minister of the United Free Church of Scotland.
He Left his Parents' House : Mr John Rungaswamy's parents did not like his conversion to Christianity and so some misunderstanding and displeasure developed between his parents and himself , and so he left his parent's house.
Rev. John Rungaswamy obeyed to the Call of God : After his baptism a native Indian Christian minister gave him shelter and guided him to get a clear knowledge of Christ as his Saviour He was growing in the knowledge of Christ day by day. In this situation Mr.John Rungaswamy heard the silent call of God and he spontaneously obeyed. and approached the Madras District Wesleyan Methodist Missionaries who were working in Black Town .The Madras District Wesleyan Methodist Missionaries accepted John Rungaswamy as an Evangelist in 1882 and he continued to work as a devoted Evangelist and on completion of three years, in 1885 he was ordained as a Methodist Minister on probation.
Rev. John Rugaswamy Started His Missionary work with Rev George Mckenzie Cobban :
Rev John Rungaswamy entered into Cristian ministry in the year 1885 and worked under the famous Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Rev G.M Cobban [ Mr.G.M. Cobban was the predecessor of the famous Wesleyan Methodist missionary Rev. William Goudie] in Madras in Black Town. Afterwards there was no turning back. Rev. John Rungaswamy was a contemporary of Pastor Joseph Israel Gnanamuthu of Madras who worked as a native Assistant to Rev.G M Cobban. Rev George Mckenzie Cobban was a famous Wesleyan Methodist Missionary.and he served in and around Madras from 1871 to 1891. Rev John Rungaswamy started his probation under Rev. G.M Cobban in Black town . Rev G.M Cobban was known singularly as an effective open air evangelist whose Tamil Sermon always attracted large crowd. Rev GM Cobban was a great Tamil Scholar and Translator of books from Tamil to English. .Rev John Rungaswamy also had good hold over Tamil and was an eloquent Tamil preacher Rev John Rungaswamy worked with Rev G.M Cobban from 1885 to 1886 with relentless dedication and effmarrage iciency.
Rev. John Rungaswamy's marriage and children : While Rev. John Rungaswamy was serving as a Wesleyan Minister on probation, he married Ms Rebecca Gnanamuthu {She was a sister of Wesleyan Pastor Joseph Israeal Gnanamuthu ] on 13-02--1885 at the Wesleyan Church and the marriage was solemnized by Rev G.M Cobban .This couple gave birth to the following children namely :_[1] Mrs. Jesuammal Mercy Rungaswamy and she was born on 22-08-1886,[2] Mr. Rev. Father Jesudason Wesley Samuel Rungaswamy, B.A, B.D, and he was born on 31-07-1888,[3]Mr. Jesu Ratinam Ebenezer Rungaswamy, and he was born on 20-05-1890, [4] Rev. Jesuraj Williams Rungaswamy, B.D, [ London], and he was born on 27-02--1892.,[5] Mr .Jesunesan James Rungaswamy and he was born on 06-02-1894 and [6]Mr Jeamuthu Thomas Rungaswamy and he was born on 14-02- 1896, [7] Ms. Margaret Yesu Rungaswamy ,.[8] Ms Yesu Mathi Grace Rungaswamy, and [9] Mr, Yesu Amurtham Charles Rungaswamy,.
Rev John Rungasawmy Ministered in many Places : Following his ministry with Rev.G.M.Cobban in Black Town , Rev John Rungaswamy worked with Rev John R. Elisa at St Thomas mount. from 1886 to 1888 in an able manner. From 1889 to 1891 he worked with Rev.W.B.Seuipen , B.A, in Karungalli, Maduranthakam. Rev John Rungasawmy did Lord's ministry with the famous Wesleyan Methodist Minster Rev. James Cooling at Rayapettah in 1892. . In 1895 he worked with Rev.Thomas,Article of C.H. Manohar [Vernacular Sect]. In1898 he ministered with Rev. Manohar at St Thomas Mount . From 1904 to 1909 he ministered in George Town [ Back Town] in Madras. In 1910 Rev John Rungaswamy worked with Rev Burrow and in 1911 he ministered with Rev A.O. Brown . From 1912 to 1913 he was doing Lord's ministry with Rev.C. Hicksaw,Thus tirelessly and devotedly Rev John Rungaswamy was doing Lord's ministry in and around Madras with great devotion, but he passed away from this world on 10th January 1914 at St Thomas Mount , Madras[ Chennai] and he was laid to rest at St Thomas Mount cemetery.
Conclusion :The Minutes of the Wesleyan Methodist conference of 1914 Assemblies held in Leeds[ UK] in July1914 says , " We have lost during this month one of our Senior and most honoured Indian Ministers -the Rev. John Rungaswamy .......Mr. Rungaswamy's position amongst us was unique and one which will probably never be held by another ....... He had a remarkable acquaintance with the Methodist History and his loyalty to the Church of his choice was a passion .His natural and unaffected manner, his clear voice, his chaste and vigorous language, his genius for illustration and his grasp of the essentials of Christianity made him a most effective Preacher " No words can appreciate and appraise the service and personality of Rev John Rungaswamy more accurately than these words of the Wesleyan Missionaries. History will remember his majestic look and visionary outlook .We thank God for Rev John Rungaswamy and are proud of him
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By P. Babu Manoharan, M.A,.{ All rights are reserved. This Article will be modified, enlarged or corrected later if needed ].
Rev. John Rungaswamy
His Parents and Birth : Rev John Rungaswamy was born in Madras in the year 1859 in a Hindu family and nothing more is known about his family even to the direct descendants of Rev John Rungaswamy
His Christian Baptism : Foreign Christian missionaries who were working in Madras took some real interest to impart education to the children of the natives and so they built schools in various parts in Madras. Mr John Rungaswamy studied in a Christian Mission School in Madras run by the United Free Church of Scotland And from the Missionaries of Free Church Mission of Scotland he gained his first knowledge of Christ and salvation . When he was young he was baptized in Madras with a Christian name , John Rungaswamy , by a Minister of the United Free Church of Scotland.
He Left his Parents' House : Mr John Rungaswamy's parents did not like his conversion to Christianity and so some misunderstanding and displeasure developed between his parents and himself , and so he left his parent's house.
Rev. John Rungaswamy obeyed to the Call of God : After his baptism a native Indian Christian minister gave him shelter and guided him to get a clear knowledge of Christ as his Saviour He was growing in the knowledge of Christ day by day. In this situation Mr.John Rungaswamy heard the silent call of God and he spontaneously obeyed. and approached the Madras District Wesleyan Methodist Missionaries who were working in Black Town .The Madras District Wesleyan Methodist Missionaries accepted John Rungaswamy as an Evangelist in 1882 and he continued to work as a devoted Evangelist and on completion of three years, in 1885 he was ordained as a Methodist Minister on probation.
Rev. John Rugaswamy Started His Missionary work with Rev George Mckenzie Cobban :
Rev John Rungaswamy entered into Cristian ministry in the year 1885 and worked under the famous Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Rev G.M Cobban [ Mr.G.M. Cobban was the predecessor of the famous Wesleyan Methodist missionary Rev. William Goudie] in Madras in Black Town. Afterwards there was no turning back. Rev. John Rungaswamy was a contemporary of Pastor Joseph Israel Gnanamuthu of Madras who worked as a native Assistant to Rev.G M Cobban. Rev George Mckenzie Cobban was a famous Wesleyan Methodist Missionary.and he served in and around Madras from 1871 to 1891. Rev John Rungaswamy started his probation under Rev. G.M Cobban in Black town . Rev G.M Cobban was known singularly as an effective open air evangelist whose Tamil Sermon always attracted large crowd. Rev GM Cobban was a great Tamil Scholar and Translator of books from Tamil to English. .Rev John Rungaswamy also had good hold over Tamil and was an eloquent Tamil preacher Rev John Rungaswamy worked with Rev G.M Cobban from 1885 to 1886 with relentless dedication and effmarrage iciency.
Rev. John Rungaswamy's marriage and children : While Rev. John Rungaswamy was serving as a Wesleyan Minister on probation, he married Ms Rebecca Gnanamuthu {She was a sister of Wesleyan Pastor Joseph Israeal Gnanamuthu ] on 13-02--1885 at the Wesleyan Church and the marriage was solemnized by Rev G.M Cobban .This couple gave birth to the following children namely :_[1] Mrs. Jesuammal Mercy Rungaswamy and she was born on 22-08-1886,[2] Mr. Rev. Father Jesudason Wesley Samuel Rungaswamy, B.A, B.D, and he was born on 31-07-1888,[3]Mr. Jesu Ratinam Ebenezer Rungaswamy, and he was born on 20-05-1890, [4] Rev. Jesuraj Williams Rungaswamy, B.D, [ London], and he was born on 27-02--1892.,[5] Mr .Jesunesan James Rungaswamy and he was born on 06-02-1894 and [6]Mr Jeamuthu Thomas Rungaswamy and he was born on 14-02- 1896, [7] Ms. Margaret Yesu Rungaswamy ,.[8] Ms Yesu Mathi Grace Rungaswamy, and [9] Mr, Yesu Amurtham Charles Rungaswamy,.
Rev John Rungasawmy Ministered in many Places : Following his ministry with Rev.G.M.Cobban in Black Town , Rev John Rungaswamy worked with Rev John R. Elisa at St Thomas mount. from 1886 to 1888 in an able manner. From 1889 to 1891 he worked with Rev.W.B.Seuipen , B.A, in Karungalli, Maduranthakam. Rev John Rungasawmy did Lord's ministry with the famous Wesleyan Methodist Minster Rev. James Cooling at Rayapettah in 1892. . In 1895 he worked with Rev.Thomas,Article of C.H. Manohar [Vernacular Sect]. In1898 he ministered with Rev. Manohar at St Thomas Mount . From 1904 to 1909 he ministered in George Town [ Back Town] in Madras. In 1910 Rev John Rungaswamy worked with Rev Burrow and in 1911 he ministered with Rev A.O. Brown . From 1912 to 1913 he was doing Lord's ministry with Rev.C. Hicksaw,Thus tirelessly and devotedly Rev John Rungaswamy was doing Lord's ministry in and around Madras with great devotion, but he passed away from this world on 10th January 1914 at St Thomas Mount , Madras[ Chennai] and he was laid to rest at St Thomas Mount cemetery.
Conclusion :The Minutes of the Wesleyan Methodist conference of 1914 Assemblies held in Leeds[ UK] in July1914 says , " We have lost during this month one of our Senior and most honoured Indian Ministers -the Rev. John Rungaswamy .......Mr. Rungaswamy's position amongst us was unique and one which will probably never be held by another ....... He had a remarkable acquaintance with the Methodist History and his loyalty to the Church of his choice was a passion .His natural and unaffected manner, his clear voice, his chaste and vigorous language, his genius for illustration and his grasp of the essentials of Christianity made him a most effective Preacher " No words can appreciate and appraise the service and personality of Rev John Rungaswamy more accurately than these words of the Wesleyan Missionaries. History will remember his majestic look and visionary outlook .We thank God for Rev John Rungaswamy and are proud of him
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By P. Babu Manoharan, M.A,.{ All rights are reserved. This Article will be modified, enlarged or corrected later if needed ].
Thanks Brother for the detailed history about Rev John Rangawamy. We are from CSI Wesley Tamil Church, St. Thomas Mount, Chennai. Currently we are working to come up with history of the church. As per marriage records, we found Rev John Rangawamy served here on 1911. We would like to hear more from you. Can you pls share your contact details (CSIWeselyTamilChurchSTM@gmail.com)...Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGreetings to the Pastors of the CSI Wesley Tamil Church , St Thomas mount and the members of the Church , I am glad to read your comment about my Blogpost about Rev John Rungaswamy . I have also written about his son Rev. Jesuraj Williams Rungaswamy , and Rev. S.D Kingsbury[Vyasarpadi] , and some others connected Rev. John Rungaswamy . My whatsapp number is 9976570881.All the best . Thanks.
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