Introduction: Rev. C.H. Monahan, was a forgotten Methodist Missionary who worked with Rev William Goudie in Tiruvallur, Ikkadu areas near Chennai, was born in Ireland and came to Tamilnadu as a Methodist Missionary and played a predominant role in revising the Power version of Tamil Bible was one of the famous Methodist Missionaries. .He, worked as a methodist missionary under the famous Rev William Goudie in Tiruvallur area..His profile deserves to be revisited once again and introduced to the present-day Tamil Christians. Monahan version of the Tamil Bible is very popular among the Tamil Lutheran Christians.
His Birth: Rev. C.H Monaahan was born in Ireland in 1871 and the names of his father and mother are not readily available and so his parents' names will be provided here later.
Rev CH Monahan arrived in India in in 1893: In 1891 there was a great encouraging movement in Tiruvallur district, the ministry work was being done in full swing under the able leadership of Rev William Goudie. Several Methodist missionaries great in gifts and talents joined the methodist Mission as staff. During this period of time. .Rev C. H Monahan after having passed his required theology course longed to work as a methodist missionary in India and his request was accepted by the Methodist Head Quarters and the concerned methodist authorities agreed to send Rev, CH Monahan to Madras as a Methodist Minister Rev. F.W. Kellett filled the vacancy in the staff of the Madras Christian college in the place of Mr George Patterson and Rev AC Clayton took the place of Rev Cobban and Rev C.H. Monahan joined Rev William Goudie, at Tiruvallur in 1893. Rev CH Monahan worked very sincerely with Rev Goudie to proletariat the Christian missionary work in Tiruvallur area. near madras.
The methodist missionaries took much interest for the emancipation of women; The methodist missionaries Rev William Goudie, Rev. AC Clayton and Rev CH Monahan n Tiruvallur area took special interest and initiative to emancipate the poor women from ignorance, poverty superstition etc, and so they requested the Methodist Head Quarters for a lady missionary to work among the women in Tiruvallur area. The Methodist Head Quarters in 1894 sent Miss Priestnal, from England to Madras, to begin the work among the women. The industry of lace making was taken up not as charity but on a well-defined business principle, and the women who learned lacemaking made good income by selling the laces through proper channels. The lace industry helped the poor women who learned the industry of lace industry, to make some income to improve their living standard,.and economic condition. Rev CH Monahan has written a writeup in this regard in the Notices of 1901.A single sentence is all that we may include in this Article " The wonderful change that has taken place amongst the women would have been impossible but for the work that Mrs.Priestinal [ who later married Rev. AC Clayton]. and Miss Scott have been doing amongst them for the past six or seven years Some of those who have been converted were once out and out children of the devil"
Rev CH Monahan Succeeded Rev William Goudie as the Madras District Superintendent: The time came in 1906 for Rev William Goudie to return to England and in his departure the people who thus lost their friend and their guide who liberated them from bondage into freedom. Rev William Goudie was succeeded as superintendent by the Rev C.H. Monahan, and he continued the work started by his predecessors with great enthusiasm and efficacy. Under the leadership of rev CH Monahan, the Church continued to grow and in 1913 if we include the members at Nagari there were seven hundred and eighty-five accredited members. Rev C H Monahan worked with great devotion and efficacy till he retired from the Methodist Mission.
Rev C.H. Monahan Played a crucial part to revise the Bower version of the Tamil Bible: On arrival at Madras Rev CH Monahan wasted no time and he immediately started to learn Tamil and within a short period of time he mastered the Tamil language. Enen though the Bower translation of the Timil Bible was welcomed by majority of the Tamil Christians, the Lutheran Theologians wanted to revise the Bower translation and their request was accepted by the Bible Society of India. The BSI appointed a committee under the leadership of Rev Monahan completed the revised translation of the New Testament in 1941 and Old Testament in 1949.; Rev Monanhan and his team did not make major changes. The language style was changed to some extent. Rev. Monahan's team introduced the word GOD for Devan and did some other small changes. Tamil Bible revised by Monahan is called Monahan version or Monahan translation. Monahan Version of the Tamil Bible is mainly used by Tamil Lutherans.
Conclusion; Rev CH Monahan was a great Tamil and Bible Scholar. He was a great Evangelist and a great friend of friendless poor Indians who lived in Tiruvallur area. He showed much interest and concern for the emancipation of the women from ignorance, poverty, and slavery. The Tamil Bible revised by Monahan will stand the test of time and will be reminding the Tamil speaking Christians about the great God's servant Rev CH Monahan. It is not possible to accommodate all the important chapters of Rev. Monahan's life story within the space of this Blogpost and so I will end this blogpost with the following sentence," Dear and respected Rev CH Monahan we are proud of you and thank God for your meaningful life".
END.
By. P. Babu Manohran, M.A, [ All rights are reserved. This Blogpost will be modified, enlarged or corrected later if needed].
