Introduction : Some beautiful , priceless, worthy, valuable and glistening pearls have not been found yet and brought out above the sea level and recognised properly and rightly; this is true in the case of some unsung human beings like Mr. Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel also. Mr. Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel was the Founder of the Madras Tamil Mission Schools and Orphanages The history of some eminent persons are not yet sung and lauded with deserving recognition and respect and late Mr. Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel is one of the such unsung Achievers.. His remarkable contribution for the cause of education, social justice, and spiritual edification is not yet duly recognised by Historians, Educationists, Church Leaders and Social Activists and even by his close Relatives. . His remarkable life story will galvanise the readers and the youth of the present and future with new vision and hope and inspire them to lead a meaningful,fruitful and goal oriented life ..
Mr. Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel's Father's conversion to Christianity : Long time ago an intelligent man by name Mr Gnanamuthu was living in Madras [ North Madras] ,and his conversion history is connected with the early history of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary activities in Black Town in North Madras . On March 2, 1817 Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Rev. Lynch preached the first Sermon in a go-down in George Town[ Black town, in Madras [ Chennai].. A Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society was formed in Madras and the office of the Wesleyan Methodist Society was situated in a street in Black town known as Popham's Broadway and a Chapel was built on this land and was opened on April 25th 1822. . In the interest of historians, Church historians and Macro historians it is appropriate and useful to say a few lines about the early Missionaries of the Wesleyan Methodist society and the foundational work done by the Wesleyan Methodist Missionaries in Black Town and other centres in Madras Circle. Black town had played a crucial role in the cultural,. educational and evangelical endeavour and history of the Wesleyan Methodist Society in Chennai . During the period approximately between 1840 A.D and 1860 A.D. , the Wesleyan Methodist Missionaries in Madras,mainly focused their attention to Royapettah and Black Town only .In 1858, Rev W.R.Cockill , Rev.J. Jones and Rev. T.Robinson were working under the guidance of Rev E.E. Jenkins in Royapettah area. In Black Town Rev. S. Symons joined with Rev. Robert Stephens to do the missionary work .. In 1852 Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Rev. Armonius Burgess arrived in Madras and worked with Rev. Dr. Jenkins. .And during these years some native people, after having listened the sermons preached and after having seen the good works done by the Wesleyan Methodist Missionaries converted to Christianity in Madras .Mr Gnanamuthu was one among of the early converts in North Madras and after his conversion Mr. Gnanamuthu added a Christian name and so his name became Gnanamuthu Israel . Mr.Gnanamuthu Israel's father was a non Christian and so Mr.Gnanamuthu Israel was brought up by his father in line with non Christian culture and religious practices.. But Mr Gnanamutahu Israel was converted during his childhood days to Christianity by the Wesleyan Methodist Missionaries working in Madras. . After his conversion Mr Gnanamuthu Israel ardently and spontaneously longed to preach gospel of Jesus Christ to his non Christian friends and relatives. So Mr Gnanamuthu Israel started to read the Holy Bible and after having understood the central message of New Testament he began to preach the Gospel in the streets of Madras and in the villages situated around Madras with great devotion and consuming Christian faith . And he became a Pastor of a small Methodist Congregation of despised and neglected people in North Madras . Wesleyan Methodist Society's native Tamil Pastor Gnanamuthu Israel was a not only a preaching Christian but also was a practising Christian . He brought up his children in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Teacher Mr. Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel 's Parents and Birth : Wesleyan Methodist Pastor Mr. Gnanamuthu Israel and Mrs .Gnanamuthu Israel gave birth to Mr Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel on the 26th of September , 1863 in Madras [ North Madras].
Mr. Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel' Siblings. Wesleyan Methodist Pastor Gnanamuthu Israel and Mrs Gnanamuthu Israel couple gave birth to the following children namely :-[1] Mr Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel [ The Hero of this Article ] , [2] Ms Rebecca Gnanamuthu Israel and Ms Rebecca Gnanamuthu Israel was married to Wesleyan Methodist Pastor Rev. John Rungaswamy on the 13th February 1885 at the Wesleyan Methodist Church at Black Town, North Madras and the wedding was solemnised by Wesleyan Methodist Minister Rev. George .Mackenzie Cobban, and in this context it would be really useful to the Church Historians and readers to read some important lines about Ms. Rebecca Gnanamuthu Israel John Rungaswamy . Ms Rebecca Gnanamuthu Israel and Rev John Rungaswamy couple gave birth to some lovely children and out of them I will speak about one or two children, namely :-[a] Mrs. Rebecca Gnanamuthu Israel Rungaswamy's son Rev. Jesudasan Wesley Samuel Rungaswamy married Ms G.V.. Elizabeth Charlotte daughter of the famous Christian Lyricist Pastor Rev. George Vedanayagam [ Composer of the famous Christian Tamil Song, "Arasanaikkaanaamal Iruppoma" etc] ; [b] Ms Rebecca Gnanamuthu Rungaswamy's another son Rev Jesuraj William Rungaswamy, B.D, married Ms M. Nesamony Magadaliine daughter of the famous Christian Tamil Poet Rev. Vethamuthu Masillamani [ Composer of some famous Tamil Christian lyrics like , 'Thanthaanaith thuthippomaa "etc]. and this couple's daughter Ms. Mercy Margaret Magadaline was married to Rev. S.D. Samson Kingsbury, B.D,. and [3] Mr. Gnanamuthu S. Israel. and [4,5 and 6] two more sons' names and one more daughter's name are not known and once their names are found out it will be provided here to the readers
Mr . Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel was a great Educationist and Visionary ; Mr. Gnananmuthu Joseph Israel was working as a Wesleyan Methodist School Teacher under the superintendence of the Wesleyan Methodist Minister Rev George Mackenzie Cobban in Madras. Mr Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel had the privilege to meet and win the confidence of Rev G.M. Cobban . .As Wesleyan Mehodist Pastor Gnanamuthu Israel's son, Mr. Gnananmuthu Joseph Israel most probably would have studied in the Wesley High School in Royepettah and in the Wesley Arts College in Royepettah. As a man born and brought up in North Madras Mr.Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel was fully aware of the struggle and plight of the marginalised people who lived in and around Black Town and other areas in North Madras. As a compassionate Christian and an egalitarian Mr. Gnanamuthu J.Israel understood the importance and need of education for the liberation of the underprivileged and oppressed people from the chains of spiritual ignorance, intellectual darkness and haunting poverty. . Even during his early twenties Mr Gnananmuthu Joseph Israel's heart was burdened to liberate the marginalised and oppressed people who lived in North Madras and Madras Presidency. He believed that only proper education will and can liberate the helpless, hopeless and downtrodden people from ignorance and haunting poverty and so he wanted to build Primary Schools in all the rural and neglected villages in Madras and Madras Presidency and he had a thirst and Plan to build 5000 village Schools to educate the so called low caste children in Madras Presidency . Mr Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel was contemplating on this idea and goal .Already one of his Christian friends was running a School exclusively for the the cause of education of the oppressed people living in and around Madras but after having conducted that School for three years his friend wanted to transfer the school to a Christian Mission on account of his inability to maintain it,.due to money scarcity. After having talked with his friend Mr. Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel conveyed the stand of his friend to the compassionate Wesleyan Methodist Minister Rev. George Makenzie Cobban , but Rev. G.M. Cobban said to Gnanamuthu J. Israel , " Yes we can take it , you cannot get any money which comes from England for this work,. You must get all the money in India. We are spending enough money in educational work..But don't be afraid . Begin the work and God will help you " in addition the kind Rev. G. M Cobban gave a Subscription to Mr Gnanamuthu J. Israel. Following that Mr. Gnanamuthu Joseph .Israel , accepted that School under his responsibility and at first Mr Gnanamuthu J. Israel faced some difficulty but he worked hard day and night to get required money . God blessed Mr Gnanamuthu J. Israel and blessed his efforts abundantly and by the end of the year the School was in a prosperous condition.[ Rev..G. M'Kenzie Cobban has supplied these brief account of the native Teacher Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel, who was then visiting England] under Rev. G.M..Cobban's guidance, , Wesleyan Methodist Magazine ,1887, pp. 245 - 247]
Mr. Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel started Madras Tamil Mission Schools in Madras : Encouraged by his initial success , Mr Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel started his Madras Tamil Mission and under the auspicious of the Madras Tamil Mission he started some Primary Schools and Orphanages in North Madras . He established these Schools specially for the so called low caste children and nearly four hundred scholars [ School Children ] attended these Schools since they were established . Mr Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel raised nearly 200 Pounds annually in India for the support of the School Children and Schools. . But no Educational Grant was given to theses Madras Tamil Mission Schools from the funds of the Wesleyan Methodist Society, yet Mr Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel was hopefully and relentlessly working for the cause of the education of the poor marginalised and depressed caste children .[ Wesleyan Methodist Magazine 1887 ]
.
.
