Introduction ; The forgotten German missionary who worked at the Danish settlement in Tranquebar as a Danish Halle Mission Missionary late Rev. Christopher Samuel John[ 1747 --1813] was a remarkable educationist and his contribution for the cause of Education in Tranquebar and Tanjore area in Tamil Nadu and South Travancore was so great and memorable . His life story and his contribution for the cause of education and the part played by him directly and indirectly to introduce literacy and education to the illiterates lived in Tranquebar Danish settlement and South Travancore deserve our review , recognition , regard and gratitude,. Generally when we speak about Danish Halle Mission Missionaries who worked in Tranquebar we speak about Rev. Bartholomaus Ziegenbalg , Rev. Heinrich Pluschau, Rev. Grundler, Rev,. Schultze, Rev. Schwartz Rev. J.C.. Kohlhoff and often forget the name of our Rev. Christoph Samuel John. In this Article we will try to highlight his contribution for the cause of education and evangelisation through education in the interest of readers. .
. Rev. Christopher Samuel John ,. [ 1747.....1813 ].
Rev. Christopher Samuel John's Parents and Birth Long time ago in the eighteenth century there lived a Priest by name Julius Gerhard with his beloved wife Mrs Catharina Dorothea Pyriaus at Frobersgrun near Greiz in Voigtland , Germany . God blessed this couple with all the conjugal blessings and this couple gave birth to Christoph Samuel John on the 11th of August 1747 at Frobersgrun
Rev. Christopher Samuel John's Educational Track : Rev. Christoph Samuel John did his School education at a School at Greiz, Germany and after having passed his school examination he pursued his study of Theology at the famous University of Halle and also served as a Teacher at an Orphanage connected with the Francke Foundation, under the famous Theologian Johann Georg Knapp. It would be appropriate here to say a few lines about Rev. Johann Georg Knapp. Rev. Jophann Georg knapp became the Deputy Director of the famous Francke Foundations in 1738 and its Codirector in 1737 and after the demise of Gotthilf August Francke Johann, Rev. Johann G. Knapp succeeded G. August Francke as the Director of the "Francke Foundations." Christoph Samuel John's connection a with Johann G. Knapp and Frankcke Foundations immensely impacted Rev. C.S John's way of thinking, theological approach, evangelical actions and educational activities. . In this context it would be useful to the readers to get some basic idea and information about the ' Francke Foundations " .
The Francke Foundations : : The design and desire to start Lutheran missionary work in Tranquebar was conceived in the pietistic circles of the Danish king Frederick IV . The First two missionaries namely Rev. Bartholomaes Ziegenbalg and Rev.Heinrich Plutschau were recruited from the pietistic Francke Foundation, Halle, Germany.. The missionary enterprises of the Danish Halle Mission were financed by the contributions from the Danish State and from the Francke Foundation, Halle . The primary aim of the Danish Halle Mission was to guide and galvanise the Indians to convert to Christianity.. Pedagogue and theologian Rev. August Hermann Francke formulated and organised his theological principles and policies and put them into practice in his Foundation in Halle.. This Foundation founded by A.H. Francke is being called as 'Francke Foundation " The upbringing and education of the youth were the central aspects of A.H. Francke's religious teachings. So the pioneer Danish Halle Mission missionaries who worked in Danish territory in Tranquebar used Education as a path to conversion among the native youth and this practice was generally followed by their successors.
Christoph Samuel John Reached Tranquebar : While Rev. Christoph Samuel John was serving as a Teacher at the Orphanage in Halle he was advised and directed by Professor Knapp in 1769 to go as a Missionary to Tranquebar , and after some rethinking and also with his father's consent he accepted the proposal made by Prof. Knapp . Mr. Christian Samuel John was ordained at Copenhagen and travelled towards Tranqubar and arrived at Tanquebar in India in 1771 and spent the rest of his life in Tranquebar., India .
Rev. C.S John's Educational Enterprise in Tranquebar : :On arrival at Tranquebar Re. C.S. John could not feel happy without having young persons around him whom he could teach and instruct according to his method and plan. and so he selected a small number of Tamil grown boys and taught them in several European languages and other branches of useful knowledge so as to enable them to become fit for the Mission and other situations in life. Rev. C.S. John established a Boarding school and a separate Private school and in this private school he admitted the Roman catholic and heathen children so that they can partake the benefit of the learning English , reading, writing and cyphering and with other lessons of instruction ; and encouraged by the success he was galvanised to establish Free Schools in the nearby villages of Tranquebar and in the Tanjore country .Five or six years before his death Rev, C.S John founded some Free schools for children of all classes in Tranquebar and Tanjore ,and these schools made good progress. It is learned that approximately he founded fifteen Tamil and Five English native Free Schools and he longed to establish many Free Schools but he did not have sufficient finance and money and support to do so . Rev. Dr. C.S. John firmly believed that the schools are the best path to bring these sacred writings [ Holy Bible] successfully into the hands of the youth and of their parents . Rev. C.S. John believed that the enlargement of the benefits of education will supersede the necessity of any unjust and imprudent attacks upon what at present may seem to them impossible to be reformed of their ancient and inveterate customs .. No compulsion, or any kind of force or coercion must be exhibited to perplex , confound or terrify them [Christopher Samuel John, On Indian Civilisation or REPORT of a Successful Experiment , in Fifteen Tamul and Five English native Free Schools . London , 1813, p. 48].. The above lines were his evangelical policy and approach The Francke Foundation's conversion policy made striking impact in the minds of the Wesleyan Methodist Mission Missionaries , Free Church of Scotland Mission Missionaries , London Missionary Society Missionaries ,etc.
Rev. Ringeltaube Studied Tamil Under Rev. C.S. John at Tranquebar ; Rev. W,T. Ringeltaube remained at Tranquebar [1805 ] for some months assisting Dr. C.S. John, the Senior Missionary of the Tranquebar Mission then , whose learning in various branches of knowledge was so well known [ C.M.Agur,. Church History of Travancoe].. As a studious learner Rev Ringeltaube assiduously studied Tamil under the able guidance of Dr. C.S. John and also was gleaning and collecting necessary information regarding the labours of previous Missionaries on the field and their history and also studied the natural history and philosophy of South India. .Rev. Ringeltaube was so successful in his Tamil learning and within one year he was able to compose small sermons in Tamil and also a short English and Tamil Pocket dictionary [ C.M.Agur, pp. 468 & 469 ].. Rev Ringeltaube's contact with Dr. C.S. Johm galvanised and impacted him to use education to attract the natives towards Christ
Maharasan Vedamonickam met Rev. Dr. C.S. John at Tranquebar .. After having been baptised by Mr, Kohlhoff , Mylaudy Vedamanicakm stayed for some days at Tanjore and acquired some knowledge of the important doctrines of the Bible, and longed to visit the Old Tranquebar Mission with this object he went to see the venerable Dr. C.S. John , the Head of the Tranquebar Mission, who at that time lived in Poreiyar [ Poreiyar is about a mile and half west of Tranquebar and there the Mission has an excellent house , surrounded by a large garden; here the venerable Dr. C.S. John lived . It is in fact a suburb of Tranquebar } Here we have to appreciate Mr. Vedamanickam's thirst for knowledge and his relentless curiosity to know and collect more useful information about the mission . Rev. C.S. John was a learned man and a Scientist . When Mr.Vedamanicakm met Dr. John, his joy knew no bounds and Dr, C,S, John welcomed Vadamanicakm with sincere joy and conversed with Mr Vedamanickam with great enthusiasm . We must remember here that Dr. C.S. John was a great Scholar in Tamil also [ Rev. Ringeltaube learned Tamil under Dr. C.S. John ] .After receiving some useful tracts and instructions from Dr. John , Mylaudy Pilgrim Mr. Vedamanickam went to Tranquebar where he observed the working of the Mission Press and other Christian establishments , Printing Office and various Christian dwelling houses and then he returned to Tanjore .[ CM Agur, pp 443 & 444]. . The Schools, Printing Press , other Christian Establishments that he saw at Tranquebar and his conversation with Dr. C.S John made indelible impact in Mr. Vedamanickam's mind . With great missionary zeal and visionary goals Mr.Vedamanicakam reached his native place and on arriving at Mylaudy, spontaneously the Schools he saw in Tranquebar and Poreiyar inspired Vedamanickam to educate the local youth systematically to read and write and so that they can read the Tamil Holy Bible and understand the truth and convert themselves as followers of Christ. . So he requested Rev, Ringeltaube to start a Primary School at Mylaudy, in line with Modern System of Education at Mylaudy in the pattern of the Tranquebar Free Schools founded by Dr. C.S John and accordingly a Primary School and a small Church were established at Mylaudy in 1809.. The Primary School built at Mylaudy was the first Primary School established in line with the Modern System of Education in Travancore which admitted students from all communities and nationalised education to all communities without discrimination . And subsequently whenever a Christian Church was established in a village in South Travancore a School was also established near the Church.. The flame of Education and Christianity spread in South Travancore rapidly .and now Kanyakumari District stands in first line in the field of education in India .
Conclusion :. Late Rev. Christopher Samuel John [ Rev. Dr. C.S John] was a remarkable and visionary missionary and educationist . He loved and lived for the cause of Christianity and Education. His evangelical policy of converting natives to Christianity by providing Literacy and Education to the illiterate natives , deserves our admiration . His religious policy gave spiritual and intellectual food to the people. He was so wise and confident that the Sacred Words of God will transform people and lead them to Christ automatically without any force or compulsion. . Rev.C.S. John loved humanity and firmly believed that if anyone is led to read the Holy Bible automatically the sacred words will motivate the readers to become a Follower of Christ. . Education was a central element in the pietistic strategy of the Danish-Halle Mission to convert the Tamils to Christianity. and as a missionary of the Danish Halle Mission Rev. C.S. John wanted to spread the Sacred Words of the Holy Bible among the people by providing education to all illiterate Indians. without any discrimination. Rev. Dr. C.S. John's religious converting policy and educational motives and goals influenced many Evangelists like Rev Ringeltaube , Catechist Mylaudy Vedamanickam , Rev, Iraenaeus and many others. .Rev C.S. John played a powerful and crucial indirect role for the spread of protestant Christianity and modern system of Education in South Travancore through Rev Ringeltaube and catechist Mylaudy Vedamanicakm. . I thank God for Rev. Christoph Samuel John, Rev W.T. Ringeltaube and catechist Mylaudy Vethamanickam .
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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 ].
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