CHAPTER V THE NATIONAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF INDIA- AN ASSESSMENT

Transcription

1 CHAPTER V THE NATIONAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF INDIA- AN ASSESSMENT After having studied in depth the origin and the growth of NMSI, an attempt has been made in this Chapter to evaluate its work from the perspective of other indigenous Mission Organizations and from the perspective of the common public and of the Church. This critical evaluation also brings out the uniqueness and legacy of NMSI. In this endeavour the Researcher has made some suggestions for the NMSI to improve its Mission work for the Twenty First century. The National Missionary Society of India has served more than hundred years in India. One of the important reasons for its survival is their commitment to God and for their work. It is to be noted that the Church as the body of Christ has to support the mission of its workers. The Church has seen NMSI as an extended arm of the Church. In early part of twentieth century, the Indian Churches mostly focused only on the church related works. As a result of it they did not have any exclusive wing to focus upon the propagation of the Gospel. Even though the propagation of the Gospel (evangelism) was done through the Church, its methods were hostile to the Indians. All these factors led to the formation of The National Missionary Society of India to carry the 138

2 baton of evangelism. In fact NMSI was founded by leaders from diverse background which included the representation of Clergy, Laymen and also Westerners. In the following pages we shall analyze how the Church responded to The National Missionary Society of India. The Church of South India (C.S.I.) is one of the major protestant mainline churches formed during the time of Independence of India. The National Missionary Society and its relationship with the Church of South India can be found even before the formation of the C.S.I. The NMSI was formed in 1905 and the South India United Church (SIUC) which would later become the Church of South India was formed in In chapter-iii it has already been discussed as to how the Church of South India was formed. During its inception the Church of South India had only 15 Dioceses but now it has grown into 22 Dioceses in 2013 and runs many schools and colleges. 318 The unified church, the C.S.I., has given the following mandate for the NMSI in their first Synod Meeting held on March 10, 1948 as mentioned below: 319 That we commend the NMSI to the interest and support of the whole Church; that when the NMSI is carrying on the work in any dioceses of the church, that work should be regarded as an integral part of the Diocese; that 318 J.W. Gladstone, Op.cit., p.28. See also C.S.I. Synod NMI, September 1948, p

3 representation should be given to the NMSI on the Synod Board of Missions and sectional committees and Diocesan Boards where desired; and That the Synod accepts the invitation of the NMSI to appoint representatives to the All India Council and the Executive of the NMSI and that where desired Diocesan councils appoint representatives to Provincial Committees of NMSI. From the beginning NMSI has maintained good relationship with the established churches. Since NMSI was responsible for the formation of the Church of South India, the CSI has recognized NMSI as the arm of the Church and gave recognition and invited the General Secretary of the NMSI to all the Synod meetings. At the same time the Church of South India had failed to give its annual contributions to the NMSI. The NMSI has always made it a point to hand over its Mission fields to the nearby mainline Churches according to its Policy. NMSI has handed over many Mission fields and congregations along with lands and church buildings to the Church of South India. For example the Puram and Katteri field were given to the Coimbatore Dioceses of the Church of South India. The Mission fields in Jawadhi Hills have been handed over to the Church of South India, Vellore Diocese; Mission fields in Kolli Hills have been handed over to the Coimbatore Diocese etc. 320 The NMSI has also regarded The Church of South India as a prominent member in the NMSI Triennial Councils. Till date the CSI Synod Secretary 320 J.M. Jayasingh, Op.cit., p

4 attends the NMSI Triennial Council or sends his representative. Moreover, one representative from each of the Organised Church Bodies in India attends the NMSI Triennial Councils. 321 NMSI receives the benefit of the CSI Office Bearers and Bishops of various Dioceses to observe NMSI Sunday in their Churches and give regular contributions to support the NMSI mission work. CSI also sponsors NMSI Missionaries and jointly supervise the mission work in their Diocese and encourage CSI local congregations to involve in mission work along with NMSI missionaries. 322 NMSI and CNI The Church of North India (C.N.I.) was the replica of the Church of South India. The CNI has more extended regions than the CSI. At present it serves with its 27 dioceses and has approximately 1,250,000 members in 3,000 pastorates. 323 The C.N.I. was formed in the year However Most of the Mission fields of NMSI are located in the geographical area of the C.N.I. The CNI also recognizes NMSI as the arm of the Church and encourages its mission work. Many NMSI mission fields and churches have been handed over 321 The Minutes of the Meeting of the All India Triennial Council of the National Missionary Society of India, 2 nd 4 th July 2010, Bangalore, NMSI, Chennai, 2010, p NMSI Sunday is observed once in a year in all the C.S.I. Churches and the offertory is remitted to the NMSI headquarters for NMSI mission works 323 Church of North India en.wikipedia.org/wiki/church_of_north_india 141

5 to the CNI in the past several years. Also the C.N.I. synod is represented in the All India Triennial Council of NMSI. 324 NMSI has produced many committed Pastors and Bishops both in CSI and CNI. Some of the Missionaries and promotional workers of NMSI joined the Church as ordained Pastors and some of them have later become Bishops of various Dioceses. For example: Rt. Rev. Jaya Paul David of CSI Tirunelvelli Diocese was a NMSI Organizing Secretary; Rt. Rev. Dr. P.C. Singh was an NMSI worker who later became a Pastor and then Bishop in CNI Jabalpur Diocese. Rev. David Suresh of Coimbatore Diocese was a faithful promotional Secretary of NMSI. Likewise there are many examples. NMSI and MMC The Malankara Marthoma Church (MMC) was a reformed Church separated from the old Orthodox Jacobite Church in Kerala. One Rev. Abraham Malpan was instrumental for the reformation among the Syrian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Marthoma church was its result. 325 From the very beginning the Marthoma Church was committed to the Gospel and they started The Marthoma Evangelistic Association (MEA) in the year 1889 which carries a number of schools and ashrams in Malabar and some other The Minutes of the Meeting of the All India Triennial Council of the National Missionary Society of India, 2 nd 4 th July 2010, Op.cit., p. 4 K. T. Joy, The Marthoma Church: A study of its Growth and Contribution, Good Shepherd Press, Kottayam, 1986, p

6 parts of India and has a regular system of training of its workers, of many are voluntary. 326 This MEA was a fore-runner to the NMSI and it was one of the first indigenous organizations but it always worked under the Marthoma Church and its directions. The Marthoma Church also conducts an annual convention at a place called Maramon near Tiruvalla in Kerala. It was started in the year Thousands and thousands of people attend this annual convention which is usually held for a period of one week on the Pampa river bed in an unusually large pandal. After the NMSI was formed in 1905 the Marthoma Church appreciated this indigenous Missionary Society and began to encourage NMSI. Every year the General Secretary was invited to share about the NMSI work in the Annual Maramon Convention. 327 At the Convention meetings they take a special offertory for the work of NMSI. This practice is going on till now. The NMSI helped the Marthoma Church to select a place for the first cross-cultural Mission in North Kanara in The Marthoma Church also actively involves in NMSI work by sponsoring missionaries, joining hands in mission fields and they have contributed to build churches in mission fields for the new 326 C.B. Firth, Op.cit., p A Short History of the National Missionary Society of India (Tamil), Op.cit., p.51.even till date the General Secretary of NMSI attends the Annual Convention meetings at Maramon, Kerala 328 Alex Thomas, A History of the First Cross-Cultural Mission of the Mar Thoma Church, , ISPCK, Delhi, 2007, p

7 converts. NMSI Area Committees in Kerala are very active and committed to the Gospel of Christ. There were nearly twenty three Area Committees functioning in Kerala during the time of NMS Centenary celebrations. 329 NMSI and Lutheran Churches NMSI have a very cordial relationship with Lutheran Churches in India. From the very beginning NMSI worked in coordination with Lutheran Churches and gained their support. The Lutheran Churches have their own regional Councils and they are divided linguistically and geographically. They have one umbrella body to unite them namely the United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India (UELCI). Mission fields of NMSI have been supported by the regional Lutheran Churches. Rewa Mission in Madhya Pradesh was working with NMSI missionaries supported and sponsored by Lutheran Churches and later it was handed over to the Lutheran Church. The Lutheran Churches used to raise money for NMSI and support its mission work. Later on, after Rewa mission was handed over to the Lutheran Church, they raised money in the name of NMSI-L (NMSI- Lutheran) and they used that money to support Rewa mission Souvenir : NMS Centenary Valedictory Celebrations, Trivandrum, 12 November 2005, NMSI, Trivandrum, 2005, p.24 A Short History of the National Missionary Society of India (Tamil), Op.cit., p

8 All the Lutheran Churches need to pray for NMSI and support on a regular basis. UELCI General Secretary is invited as a member to all the Triennial Councils of NMSI. 331 They should feel their responsibility and support NMSI through prayers and finance. Like Rewa mission they may also take up bigger mission fields and sponsor fully. NMSI and Methodist Church Right from the beginning NMSI has good relationship with the Methodist Church in India. Methodist missionaries came and established many mission fields and their converts were gathered and churches were built as the Methodist churches. Methodists are usually mission oriented and involved in preaching of the Gospel. Methodists are spread all over India and they have divided themselves into regions and communities. All of them have goodwill towards NMSI and support NMSI. Methodist Church in Old Delhi has been the venue for many Triennial Councils and Executive Committees of NMSI. Methodist Bishops and Pastors involve in NMSI work. The Methodist Church in India has set apart the second week of October every year to be observed as NMSI Sunday. This is printed in the Methodist Church Calendar and Diary every year. 332 On that day they pray for the NMSI and give the offertory The Minutes of the Meeting of the All India Triennial Council of the National Missionary Society of India, 2 nd 4 th July 2010, Op.cit., p. 4 Second Sunday of October is officially mentioned as NMS Sunday in the Methodist Church Diary every year. 145

9 collected on that day for NMSI missionary work. At the same time Methodist churches need to come forward to sponsor missionaries and mission fields and need to extend their monthly support as well. Comparison of NMSI and Other Indigenous Missions The National Missionary Society of India is without doubt the early Indigenous mission movement which has had a clear action plan to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to Indians by Indians with India money and through Indian methods. 333 The movement was sustained by the love of Christ basically started with fervent prayer, national spirit and also with a sense of urgency with big dreams. It also carried the doctrine of William Carey Expect great thing from God, Attempt great things for God. NMSI and Indian Missionary Society a Comparison NMSI and Indian Missionary Society (IMS) were started by the same person V.S. Azariah. In fact he first started the IMS in 1903 to preach the Gospel in Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu. IMS was able to motivate the Christians and the Church to mission work and it received overwhelming support from the Anglicans and other churches. 334 This encouraged V.S. Azariah to pray and plan for a similar society which would preach the NMSI News, October 2009, Vol. VI, No.10, p. 1 M.G.Manickam, Ed. Op.cit., p

10 Gospel on an all-india basis. He invited his friends from other churches to Calcutta and began the National Missionary Society (NMSI). IMS still continues to be a part and parcel of the CSI Tirunelveli Diocese. It is the missionary wing of the Diocese. But with regard to NMSI it is an all India Missionary Society supported by all the main line churches and it functions independently. NMSI has its own governing body in the form of a Council which meets once in three years. The NMSI is also not directly under one particular Church but all the Church representatives are a part of its Governing Council. NMSI has a mandate to preach the Gospel on an all India level as well as in the neighboring countries. Moreover the General Secretary of NMSI is an ordained Pastor of any one of the main line churches who serves NMSI on deputation basis. For example, the researcher himself is an ordained pastor belonging to the C.S.I. Dioceses of Madras and one of his predecessors, Rev. Charles S. Jadhav was from the Methodist Church from Bangalore, and his successor, Rev. W. Thomas was from the C.S.I. Dioceses of Madras. NMSI is an inter-denominational, indigenous and an all India Mission Society. 335 In that way NMSI is completely different from IMS and its functions. NMSI and Friends Missionary Prayer Band a Comparison The major difference between NMSI and FMPB is with regard to the status of its missionaries and the staff. NMSI always employees sons of the 335 Centenary Souvenir , NMSI, Chennai, 2005, p

11 soil as missionaries and staff whereas FMPB mostly sends cross cultural missionaries and appoints South Indian staff to North Indian mission fields and cities. 336 NMSI do not receive foreign funds either for mission work or for social work, whereas FMPB receives 9% of foreign funds for social and missionary work. 337 NMSI General Secretary is on deputation from one of the main line churches only for a particular period of time. Whereas FMPB appoints their General Secretary from one of their staff and they can continue till retirement. This also serves as a weak point for NMSI because of their constant change of General Secretaries the policy and administrative styles also change. FMPB has a strong hierarchical administrative structure whereas NMSI lacks the same. 338 FMPB has full-time workers as the office staff, administrative heads, promotional staff and field staff. Whereas, NMSI has full-time workers only in the form of missionaries and a few office staff. The Administrative heads in NMSI are honorary lay people and mostly the promotional staffs are also R. John Kirubakaran, General Secretary, Personal Interview, Friends Missionary Prayer Band, Chennai, 21 September, D. Simon Ponniah, National Mobilization Secretary, Personal Interview, Friends Missionary Prayer Band, Chennai, 10 November, Manual for Missionaries, Friends Missionary Prayer Band, Chennai, 2006, p

12 honorary lay persons. 339 This affects the effective functioning of NMSI whereas FMPB are able to function effectively. FMPB supplements the mission work with social work in almost all the mission fields. Wherever FMPB missionaries work and churches are planted immediately the social wing of FMPB viz. The National Socialist Movement (NSM) steps in to give community development projects and helps the new converts both financially and socially. NMSI lacks such a social wing to supplement its mission work. The National Missionary Society and the Friends missionary Prayer Band have many common characteristics. They are listed below. The NMSI and FMPB are missionary movements and not a church. The NMSI and FMPB share the same national spirit in propagating the gospel to the Indian souls. Both the organization believed in reaching India through Indians. The NMSI managed its functions only through the offering given by the Indians. It maintained a strict policy that the Indian has to be reached by the Indian through Indian money. Although FMPB received grants from abroad, in 1974 they decided not to accept overseas funds for evangelistic activities lest Indian Christians lag behind in their commitment to bring their fellow Indians to Christ. The NMSI magazine - called National Missionary Intelligencer and the FMPB magazine was called Friends Focus in English, Mitra Samachar - Hindi, Telugu, Oriya, Kannada and Malayalam, Fasal in Gujarati, Araikooval in Tamil and North East Focus on English. Both the organizations encouraged 339 Report of the General Secretary, All India Triennial Council 2010, NMSI, Chennai, 2010, p

13 multilingual. The NMSI and FMPB have emphasized the need to train and equip Missionaries and have many missionary training centers. FMPB has encouraged it members to Pray for the ministry of NMSI. Mr. Elias who was a prominent leader of FMPB joined NMSI to fulfill God s Commission. NMSI and Indian Evangelical Mission - a Comparison NMSI is an Organization that was started at the beginning of the 20 th century whereas IEM was started very late in 1965 but has grown much more with regard to mission expansion and its activities. NMSI serves only within India whereas IEM serves in India and abroad. 340 The numbers of missionaries are also higher than NMSI and they plant churches mostly in un-reached areas. Another appreciable aspect of IEM is that it involves in Bible translation. They appoint missionaries among the language groups where the Bible is not yet translated where the missionaries lives in that area, learn the local language and translates the Bible. It is a pains-taking job and in many times about years are spent in remote areas by missionaries to translate the Bible in one particular language. NMSI do not involve in such Bible translation. But as far as the researcher s knowledge goes only one missionary was involved in Bible translation so far Tahir Masih a convert from Kashmir who became an NMSI missionary and he was the key person in the Translation Committee of the Bible Society of Kashmiri language. Bashir Lawey, Son of Late Thahir 340 Esther Williams, Indian Evangelical Mission : Sacrifice or Investment?, IEM Outreach Publications, Banglore, 1985, p

14 Masih who is also a missionary in NMSI along with his mother showed the copy of the New Testament in Kashmiri language to the researcher. 341 Apart from him there were no others who involved in Bible translation. IEM regularly bring out the monthly magazine in English and other major Indian languages unlike that of NMSI which publishes its magazine only in English, Tamil and Malayalam. NMSI and Blessing youth Mission comparison Blessing Youth Mission (BYM) is a Mission Organization started in 1970, nearly 25 years after the Independence of India. While NMSI concentrates on the total population in the given mission field, BYM focuses mainly on students through campus ministries and by conducting special camps and Retreats for students. It is aimed at propagating the Gospel among the young, educated population in India. The similarity between NMSI and BYM is that both are running Homes for tribal children. After nearly 100 years of mission work NMSI publishes a magazine only in English, Tamil and Malayalam whereas BYM publishes their magazine apart from English in various other languages. The important point of appreciation is that BYM has its Headquarters at Vellore which is a smaller town compared to Chennai city. From this Town they operate and coordinate the mission work throughout India 341 Bashir Lawey, NMSI Missionary and S/O Tahir Masih, Personal Interview, New Delhi, 1 st December,

15 and they have not moved to any metropolitan city but stationed themselves in that small Town which needs to be appreciated. The Researcher has also found out through his personal contact with BYM Office Bearers and Missionaries that BYM is paying high salaries to their missionaries and recruits only educated young men mainly because they concentrate on student ministries in Colleges. NMSI missionaries are still paid very low and the basic qualification for recruitments in NMSI is only School final. The NMSI President and Vice President are usually the Bishops of established mainline churches representing all the regions of India. This practice is being followed till date. By this NMSI shows to the Church that it is not a church but only a Mission Society which helps the church and considers itself as an arm of the church for evangelism. The General Secretary of NMSI is usually an ordained Pastor, drawn from any one of the major denominational churches and sent by the respective Church on deputation basis. This practice is followed till date. This practice of NMSI shows to the Church that it is a part and parcel of the established churches in fulfilling the mission of Jesus. The NMSI has always been a protestant missionary movement and therefore none of the Catholic Priests has been appointed in the leadership position of NMSI. Also the NMSI has excluded Pentecostals from the leadership due to their over emphasis upon self-grown spirituality rather than focusing on evangelism. The Associate General Secretaries and Treasurer and other leaders of the NMSI are always leading church men and respectable lay people drawn from the various 152

16 denominational churches in India. The NMSI Triennial Council gives thought to this and selects the right kind of persons and gives representation to all the regions and all churches in India. By this NMSI establishes its contact with all churches through these leaders and gains the goodwill and support. This again is a unique feature of NMSI and all the lay people work and help NMSI on a part-time honorary basis. They do not get a salary and mostly not even an honorarium or even money for their travel. This is a unique aspect and practice followed by the NMSI leaders. From the very beginning NMSI published its monthly magazine in English and other vernacular languages. This is instrumental in communicating the mission work done in the fields to the sponsoring Churches, NMSI supporters and members. It serves as a bridge between the lay people and the mission organization. NMSI lacks in the care of its missionaries and falls much short of the best practices of mission work. The missionaries must be given a special care with regard to their financial, family, children and other needs. Health care of the missionaries is another important area. Since the missionaries work in difficult terrain, they get sick on and of and no proper medical treatment is available in the mission field. The organization should take care of their health and send them for periodical medical checkup. They should undergo regular health check-ups to keep them fit for the mission field. The wives of the 153

17 missionaries along with their husbands must be given basic training in medicine and first aid that they may be useful as a family in the un-reached areas. Health care training must be arranged for them. Basic medicines and other items must be supplied to them regularly for free distribution. The children of the missionaries are not given much care and they do not have proper schools in the remote mission fields, so their education is affected. The NMSI as an organization must consider this aspect seriously and take up the responsibility to educate the children of missionaries in good schools and hostels. Members and donors may be approached to sponsor the education of the missionaries children and this must be done systematically with a separate department functioning in the Head Quarters office. Theological training can be provided for the missionaries and senior missionaries and Theological training may be considered for ordination as Pastors. This will be of great help in the mission field where a regular church Pastor could not visit the field often. The ordained missionaries can function as Mission Pastors and they can cater to the spiritual needs of the new converts. NMSI in the twenty first century needs to concentrate on the social work in the mission fields where the missionaries are working. It has to evolve a separate social wing and form a separate non-government organization to work in the mission fields. This will definitely augment the mission work and encourage many needy persons in the mission field to get more benefits. 154

18 FMPB runs a parallel social organization in the name of NSM. Such a model needs to be adopted by NMSI. NMSI runs hostels for tribal girls and boys but the number is very low. NMSI needs to think of increasing the number of hotels and provide this facility in the new mission fields as well. NMSI already has a Tax Exemption from the Government of India for tribal support. NMSI needs to make full use of it and encourage the members of the mainline churches and even others to whole-heartedly support this noble cause. NMSI also needs to concentrate on skill development of the new converts. It can go into micro financing, skill training and co-operative societies in the mission fields. NMSI continually works in difficult areas where even the government and its benefits have not reached. So if the NMSI concentrates on such social activities, people living in the remote difficult areas will be greatly benefitted. One Hundred Years and Beyond The NMSI is an inter-denominational organization. It is supported by all Churches; Works with the Churches, for the Churches and on behalf of the Churches in India. NMSI is a member in the National Council of Churches in India. NMSI is one of the Missionary Societies duly approved by the CSI Synod, CNI Synod, Mar Thoma Church, Methodist& Lutheran Churches. It has about 150 full time Missionaries, 118 Bible Women and 108 other workers, totaling 376 full time staff. It extends work from India to its neighbouring countries such as Nepal, Bhutan & Myanmar. In India the NMSI works in 17 states, such as Tamilnadu, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, 155

19 Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Jharkand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Pondicherry. The Missionaries are Committed and Sincere. They send their Monthly Reports to the Sponsors, missionary supervisors and to the General Secretary. The missionaries also take part in missionary conferences and Regional Retreats. Almost all the missionaries attended the NMSI All India Missionary Conference held at Coimbatore from18th 22nd May 2005, organized on the occasion of the Centenary of NMSI. The missionaries also attended NMSI East India Missionaries Conference, 25th 27th May 2007,Puri, Orissa. The Legacy of NMSI The National Missionary Society of India has been serving the Church and Indian Society for more than 100 years. It is one of the first indigenous mission organizations which started with the vision of Indian mission, Indian money and Indian management. All along NMSI has done marvelous work both in terms of mission work and social action. NMSI also was instrumental in developing many Indian Christian leaders and led the foundation for the formation of the National Council of Churches in India, Church of South India, and Church of North India and so has left a great legacy on the pages of history and still continues its impact on the Church and Indian Society. 156

20 Famous Personalities 1. Sadhu Sundar Singh: Sundar Singh was born to Sher Singh a Sikh family in the village of Rampur in northern India. 342 He was an Indian Christian missionary. His mother nurtured him in the noble traditions of the Sikhism and he became intelligent and disciplined young man. After the death of his mother, at the age of fourteen, he became violent and it is said that he took out his anger on the missionaries, and persecuted Christian converts, and had burnt a Bible page by page. One night he had a vision of Jesus who opened his soul to the truth. From then he told his father that he would follow Christ. 343 His father denounced him, and his brother Rajender Singh attempted to poison him. On his sixteenth birthday, he was publicly baptized as a Christian in the parish church in Simla. Prior to this he had been staying at the Christian Leprosy Home at Sabathu, near Simla, serving the leprosy patients there. In 1906, he set out on his journey as a new Christian, dressed as a Hindu sadhu. He viewed himself as a sadhu, because he realized Christianity could not penetrate India unless it was in an Indian way. "I am not worthy to follow in the steps of my Lord," he said, "but, like Him, I want no home, no possessions. Like Him I will belong to NMSI News, Vol. I, No. 9, Sep. 2004, p. 7 Friedrich Heiler, The Gospel of Sadhu Sunder Singh, ISPCK, Delhi, 1996, pp

21 the road, sharing the suffering of my people, eating with those who will give me shelter, and telling all men of the love of God." He travelled throughout India preaching the word of God. He brought many people to Christ. Sadhu Sunder Singh was a honorary missionary of NMSI. He along with two other NMSI missionaries went to Tibet every year to preach the gospel. 344 It is believed that he died in the foothills of the Himalayas in 1929 on his last visit to Tibet. Sadhu Sunder Singh left his last will appointing three trustees to execute his Trust Fund. One of the trustees specified by the Sadhu is the General Secretary of NMSI. Later the Board appointed the General Secretary of NMSI as the Treasurer and the Chief Executor of the Trust. 345 The purposes of the trust are to encourage Bible knowledge among the young people and to develop evangelistic work, especially in the Himalayan regions. The trust functions till date. 2. PandipeddiChenchiah: Mr. PandipeddiChenchiah was born into a Telugu Brahmin family. 346 His father PandipeddiAdinarayaniah B.A., B.L. (BA from MCC, George Town) was District Munsiff in the Madras Subordinate Judicial Service. The entire Brahmin family A. J. Appasamy, Sundar Singh:A Biography, CLS, Madras, 1966, p Souvenir, Centenary Valedictory Celebrations of NMSI, Trivandrum, 12 November, 2005, p. 22 NMSI News, Vol. III, No. 10, October, 2006 p

22 was baptized at the College Church (Anderson Church, Esplanade, George Town in November 1902) by Rev. Dr. W. Miller. 347 P. Chenchia completed his B.L. and M.Phil at the Madras Law College. He was a gold medalist in the ML Course. P. Chenchia joined the Law College as a Lecturer but soon resigned and began practice at the Madras High Court. He became a member of the NMSI in his College days. In 1914 he joined the Executive Committee of the NMSI. He discontinued being a member when he left as Judge to Pudukottai in the middle 1930s. On his return to Madras he was brought back to the NMSI Executive in 1943 and continued upto 1953 when he retired. He passed away in 1959 at the age of 73yrs Dr. Savarirayan Jesudasan, F.R.C.S. (Edin): He was born on in Palayamcottah, Tinnervelli Dist., the fifth among eight children. 349 His father, Savarirajan Pillai was the Superintendent of the Dist. Court. The family was an outstanding, pious Christian family with an ancient Roman Catholic background. Many of them were Tamil Scholars and great men of God whose hymns are fond in the Ashram s song book. In 1690 an ancestor of Jesudasan became a Roman Catholic and a hundred years later his grandfather, Ibid. Ibid. NMSI News, Vol. V, No. 1, January, 2006 p

23 Savariraya Pillai became a Protestant and a staunch believer. From then on the family were devout Protestants, very loyal to CMS. Savarirajan did his schooling at CMS High School, Palayamcottah and went to the Madras Christian College, George Town, Madras where he was admitted into the Fenn Hostel. 350 At that time the MCC was headed by a saintly team who turned many Hindu and Christian youth into disciples of our Lord. Jesudasan decided to serve God by being a doctor. In 1915 he met Dr. Ernest Forrestor Paton and together they were one of the greatest Missionary Doctor teams who in their love for Jesus had a common aim to serve the poor and downtrodden. 351 Later they joined the NMSI as Medical Missionaries and served for many years. Dr. Savarirajan was the executive for over a decade. Later Dr. Savarirajan had a stroke and around 1967 his health deteriorated and he died on 19 th April 1969 at the age of 87 years. 4. Dr. Ernest Forrester Paton: He was born in Alloa, Scotland in July His parents were deeply religious and wealthy. They owned a Spinning Mill and extensive properties in Alloa. 352 After completing his schooling in Scotland he went to London for College studies where he joined King s College, Cambridge which he discontinued Ibid. Ibid.., p. 10 NMI News, Vol. IV, No.11, November 2007, p.9 160

24 as he found that a medical degree would be more helpful as a missionary. In 1915 in his final year MB he met Dr. Savarirajan who was considering a life dedicated to the poor and needy. They formed a team of a Physician (Dr. Paton) and a Surgeon (Dr. Jesudasan) who were renowned for their hard work and who saved a number of lives. In 1918 they offered their services to the United Free Churches of Scotland Mission who sent them to their Mission Hospital in Poona where they got in touch with the NMSI. 353 They joined the NMSI as Medical Missionaries in 1920 along with Dr. Frank Mayadas from the North. In March 1921 the Christian Ashram called NMSI Ashram formed at Tirupattur where the NMSI was already working. The Ashram s ideals of worship, service and evangelism were the desires of the doctors who were not anxious to get into a routine hospital type of regime. Dr. Paton adopted a totally Indian life, Indian dress, food and habits. He identified himself with India and Indians. He considered them his own. He was a very active member of the NMSI Council and Executive for over two decades. Dr. Paton and Dr. Jesudasan were part and parcel of the NMSI. He passed away at the age of 79 years in the year NMI News, Vol. IV, No.11, November 2007, p.8 161

25 Select General Secretaries 1. Rev. K.G.S. Dorairaj, B.A., B.D., was the General Secretary of NMSI from 1966 to 1981.His full name was Kannanthangudi Gopalaswamy Samuel Dorairaj. He was born on 22 nd September 1916 at Pattukkottai. He had his elementary education in Kallukkara Theru Municipal Elementary School and continued his higher education in Wesley High School, Nagapattinam. After his visions of Jesus he was convinced that he would follow the path of Jesus TRUTH and was later baptized the Home Church Superintendent Rev. Burnett on He joined the United Theological College at Bangalore and did his Bachelor of Theology during the period He was a member of the student delegation which participated in the initiation ceremony of the Church of South India at St. George s Cathedral in 1947 in Chennai. 354 In June 1948 he was ordained minister of Thanjavur Thiruchirapalli Diocese. He served the Diocese for 18 years. He was fondly known as NMSI Iyer. During the sixties the NMSI was under financial stress and NMSI was expanded as No Money Society. Rev. K.G.S. Dorairaj was appointed as the General 354 NMI News, Vol. III, No.11, November 2006, p

26 Secretary in February 1966 and he served the NMSI for fifteen years till he retired in January Mt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Mar Thoma, M.A., D.D.was born in 1880 into a well-known Jacobite Christian family. After the death of his father at a young age they went to live with their uncle (mother s brother) who was attached to a Marthoma Church. He completed his schooling and was a pious, religious person and showed signs of the Lord s Call at a tender age. After his college education he accepted the Marthoma Church offer of Priesthood which unset his mother as she was looking forward to his earning. To make matters worse his Jacobite grandfather on seeing this he stripped him of his inheritance. In 1907 he was admitted to the Deaconate of Marthoma Church and was sent to Canada he was ordained a Priest in In 1917 he was elevated as Bishop and served for 26 years. He was one of the greatest Bishops of the Marthoma Church. 356 He was naturally attracted to the NMSI as all his friends were in some form or other connected with the NMSI. He became the Vice President of NMSI in and from He became President from Ibid., p.14 NMI News, Vol. IV, No.8, August 2007, p.10 Ibid. 163

27 His service to the NMSI was unique he opened up the Marthoma Church to NMSI and encouraged the Church to give to the NMSI owing to his national and inter denominal character. He was extremely famous and well known as Malayalam Bishop Abraham. He brought much honour and recognition to the NMSI. He passed away in September 1947 at the age of 67 years. His loss was felt by the NMSI as he was much loved. 358 Souvenir, NMSI Centenary Valedictory Celebrations,Trivandrum, NMSI, Trivandrum, 2005, p.2 164