A Pioneer Educationist, Visionary Reformer, Progenitor of Some Great Christian Intellectuals , Wesleyan Methodist School Teacher, Founder of the Madras Tamil Mission Schools and Orphanages , Social Thinker and One Who Visited England in1887 for a Noble Cause late Mr. Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel

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 .. 

 Founder of the Madras Tamil Mission Schools 

                                                       Mr. Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel 

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.

                              Wesleyan Methodist Native Tamil Pastor  Gnanamuthu  Israel 

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 ] 

Mr Gnanamuthu Joseph Israe's Visit to England in 1887  with the support of Rev G.M. Cobban: The brilliant and young Gnanamuthu J. Israel made a Plan to educate the illiterate poor so called low caste children living in intellectual darkness by building Primary Schools and Orphanages in Blacktown and  in other needed areas in North Madras and he strongly wished to build nearly 5000  village Schools in Madras Presidency to actuate his burning social and educational  aspiration, goal and cause .. To realise his goal and cause he needed more money and so with his brilliant educational scheme and project he approached Rev. G.M Cobban and requested  his guidance, blessing  and  financial help .  Our kind and compassionate Rev. G.M. Cobban was moved with the visionary educational plan prepared by Mr . Gnanamuthu  Joseph Israel  and invited him to England and  to present his Educational Plan for the cause of the education of the oppressed and helpless children in Madras and Madras  Presidency , in  the Wesleyan Methodist Churches in England . So with the support and  guidance of  Rev.G.M. Cobban, Mr Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel, visited England in the year 1887 ,and  then Mr Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel was only 24 years old .  In England with the help and guidance of Rev G.M.Cobban, he presented his educational scheme and the reason of his visit to England candidly in Wesleyan Methodist Churches in England.and  requested Wesleyan Methodist Church members to provide financial help to build schools for the helpless children in Madras and in other needed places in Madras presidency . The compassionate English people helped Mr Gnanamuthu Joseph.Israel  by presenting good amount  of money .to realise and execute his bosom and dream Plan for the cause of the downtrodden children . With joy Mr Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel  returned to Madras and started some more Madras Tamil Mission Schools and Orphanages in Madras .

Madras Tamil Mission Schools and Orphanages established by Mr. Gnanamuthu Joseph  Israel  Mr. Gnanamuthu j.Israel started  approximately seventeen  Madras Tamil Mission Schools and Orphanages for the educational cause of the poor and specially for the  so called low caste children who were living in and around Madras and the following are some of the schools founded by him;[1] Madras Tamil Mission School at Tiruvottiyur, [2] Madras Tamil Mission School at Kaladipet , [3] Madras Tamil Mission School at Sathangadu , [4] Madras Tamil Mission School and Orphan Home at New Washermanpet, etc. The names of the other Schools founded by Mr. Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel is not available and once the names are found out the names  will be included here . After Mr. Gnanamuthu Joseph Israels's demise many the  Madras Tamil Mission Schools  started by Mr Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel struggled to survive and naturally some of the Schools were closed . Practically the Administration of the Madras Tamil Mission Schools and Orphanages are not under Madras Tamil Mission at present  Madras Tamil Mission has become a non-functional organisation .

Conclusion   : The great Educationist late Mr. Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel was really a great pioneer Educationist and Reformer in Madras Presidency. Unfortunately the general public, the Christian Leaders and Christian Believers  had forgotten his name and the  great educational service rendeded by him for the  uncared, unserved  and under privileged children of North Madras, Madras and Madras Presidency  .  His unique compassion and concern for the  cause of the oppressed and suppressed children deserves  our grateful remembrance , recognition and respect . In order to serve  the Madras Tamil Mission Schools and Orphanages  with his full physical and intellectual strength and soulful mind   Mr Gnanamuthu J.Israel remained as a bachelor  till his demise on 6th November, 1932.. Late Mr. Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel really deserves a detailed Biography. The best tribute to Mr Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel will be that all the children in Tamil Nadu and India including the depressed  caste poor children should be liberated from illiteracy and ignorance with the help of Education . . It is not  possible to  confine the real life story and sacrifices  and accomplishments  of Mr Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel within the space of this Article .So I will end this Article with the following sentence, " Sri. Gnanamuthu Joseph Israel was an Extraordinary Soul, a visionary Educationist a great social Reformer and a loving Human-being, and I am thankful to God for him "

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By.P. Babu Manoharan,M.A,. { All rights are reserved. This Article will be enlarged , modified or corrected later if needed ], 

 

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