Pages from History: Birth of Hymn writer Fanny Crosby (1820)
24 March, 1820: Birth of Hymn writer Fanny Crosby. Frances Jane Crosby commonly known as Fanny Crosby, was an American lyricist best known for her Protestant Christian hymns. She was one of the most prolific hymnists in history, writing over 8,000 hymns despite becoming blind after birth. She is also known for her preaching and speaking. During her lifetime Fanny Crosby was one of the best known women in the States.
To this day, the vast majority of American hymnals contain her work. Some of her best known songs include “Blessed Assurance” “Jesus Is Tenderly Calling You Home” “Praise Him, Praise Him” and “To God be the Glory”. Since some publishers were hesitant to have so many hymns by one person in their hymnals, Crosby used nearly 100 different pseudonyms during her career.
Hymn writer Fanny Crosby
Pages from History: Death of Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome (AD 337)
22 March, 337: Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome, dies at the age of 47. As emperor, he issued an edict officially tolerating Christianity, though he did little to stave off paganism. He also summoned the Council of Nicea (Nicaea) to settle the Arian dispute over the nature of Christ.
Constantine played an influential role in the proclamation of the Edict of Milan, which decreed religious tolerance throughout the empire (an edict officially tolerating Christianity). He called the First Council of Nicaea in 325, at which the Nicene Creed was professed by Christians.
Constantine is also known as the founder of the Byzantine Empire. He built a new capital at Byzantium and named it ‘New Rome’. However, in Constantine’s honour, the Romans called it Constantinople, which would later be the capital of what is now known as the Byzantine Empire for over one thousand years.
Emperor Constantine (Metropolitan Museum of Art # 26.229)
Pages from History: Birth of David Livingstone (1813)
19 March, 1813: Birth of David Livingstone (d.1 May 1873). David Livingstone was born in Blantyre, Scotland on March 19, 1813. The son of poor parents he was the first white man to cross Africa with the Gospel of Christ. His accomplishments were incalculable: traveller, zoologist, philanthropist, linguist, author, geographer, mercantile director, physician, theologian, explorer, astronomer, missionary, teacher, evangelist and emancipator.
David Livingstone
Pages from History: George Muller Passes away (1898)
10 March. 1898: George Muller dies at the age of 93. George Muller (born on 27th Sep, 1805) was an ordinary man. His father was a tax collector. He was a man of faith. His life continues to be an inspiration and witness to all who commit their lives to God. By faith and prayer he opened many orphanages in England and he could support and take care of more than 18,000 orphan children during his lifetime. His work still continues through George Muller Foundation.
George Muller of Bristol by Arthur T. Pierson; New York; The Baker and Taylor Company; 1899
Pages from History: 8 March 1835, Freedom for slaves. (Munro Island- Travancore)
Slavery was a social evil which prevailed all over the world including what is now the state of Kerala in India. According to the 1836 census there were 164,864 slaves in Travancore vis-à-vis a total civilian population of 12,80,668.
Slaves were treated like animals and the cost of one slave was that of an ox, cost of an ox was 5 (big para) measures of Paddy or Rs. 10/- only. Slaves were chained and sold like animals in markets.
Kottayam, Changanasserry, Thirunakkara, Alleppey, Kayamkulam, Kollam, Attingal, Chirayinkizh, Kaniyapuram, Pettah and Kovalam were the notorious slave trade markets of the time. Churches in Cochin were used as godowns for the slaves except for Sundays. Slaves were exported out of the kingdom. There was no one to speak on behalf of these unfortunate people.
With the arrival and the teachings of the CMS (Church Missionary Society) missionaries, people became aware of this social evil. In 1819, Munro Island was given to the missionaries, by the then Travancore Government along with the slaves residing there on the Island. Munro Island is located at the confluence of Ashtamudi Lake and the Kallada River, in Kollam district, Kerala, India.
In 1833, England passed the Slavery Abolition Law. CMS missionaries, Benjamin Bailey and Joseph Peet made a historic declaration on 8th March 1835, giving freedom to the slaves in Munro Island.
The declaration read as follows:
“We the undersigned, acting as trustees of Munro Island, do hereby declare that… who has hitherto been a slave of the soil, is from this time liberated by us and made a free man and that his wife and offspring are wholly and forever free and are regarded by us only as hired servants and that no one has any right to bring them into servitude again. At the same time we declare that we do not consider ourselves as released from any claim which he or his wife or offspring may have upon us according to custom, privilege or law in consequence of their having been slaves.”
8 March 5. Sd/- Benj Bailey Sd/- Josh Peet,
In 1847, Uthram Thirunal Marthanda Varma became the King of Travancore. The same year CMS missionaries submitted a memorandum to the King requesting him to stop the slavery in Travancore. In 1853, by royal declaration slavery was abolished in Travancore forever. In 1864, the Kingdom of Cochin also made a similar declaration abolishing slavery.
Slaves
Pages from History: Rev. John Varghese of Sihora Ashram passes away (1997)
7 March, 1997: Rev. John Varghese of Sihora Ashram (b.5 July 1915) passes away. Rev John Varghese B.A., B.D. was a member of the Valethu Thoppil Family of Puthencavu, near Chengannur. After his education in the Trivandrum Maharajas College, he became a teacher in Perumbavoor Ashram School.
Deeply influenced and inspired by Rev. Dr. C. E. Abraham, he went to Sihora in Madhya Pradesh in 1942. He is remembered today as one of the co-founders of the Sihora Ashram of the Mar Thoma Church.
Rev. John Varghese
Pages from History: Very Rev. P. J. Thomas passes away (1990)
7 March, 1990: Very Rev. P. J. Thomas passes away.
Rev. Thomas was a deep scholar and gifted linguist, besides being an ardent evangelist. He passed his B. D. degree examination from United Theological College, Bangalore with distinction and joined the ministry of the Church. The call came to him to take up the mission work in Ankola when he was Vicar of the Kottayam Jerusalem Mar Thoma Parish.
He readily accepted the challenge and went to Ankola with his family and established the Ashram there with two young graduates as fellow workers, Mr. Philip Oommen (now Philipose Mar Chrysostom Valiya Metropolitan) and Mr. John Thomas (late Rev. P. John Thomas). Rev. P. J. Thomas was designated Vicar General in 1976 after he came back to Kerala. He passed away on March 7, 1990.
Very Rev. P. J. Thomas
Valiya Noyambu – Lent begins on Sunday 2nd March 2014
Lent starts on Sunday 2nd March 2014 and ends with Easter Sunday on 20th April 2014. We are expected to set apart a time for serious reflection, self-examination and renewed commitment with fasting and prayer during the Lent season. Our Church observes 50 days as the Lent period including the 40 days in which our Lord fasted and 10 days commemorating His passion and crucifixion.
Lent (Illustration from jesuitinstitute.org)
Pages from History: Malayalam Bible translator reaches Kottayam (1817)
March, 1817: The Great Bible Translator, Benjamin Bailey, reaches Kottayam.
Rev. Thomas Norton, was the first missionary of the Church Missionary Society to reach Kottayam on 19 June, 1816. A year later the second missionary, Benjamin Bailey and his wife Elizabeth, reached Kottayam on March, 1817. Benjamin Baily translated and printed the New Testament into Malayalam in 1829, and the full Bible was translated and printed in 1841-42. In 1846, he also published the first English-Malayalam dictionary. He returned to England on 20 March, 1850 after 33 years of mission work in Kerala.
Benjamin Bailey
Pages from History:- Johannes Gutenberg publishes the Bible – 1455
23 February, 1455: (traditional date): Johannes Gutenberg publishes the Bible, the first book ever printed on a press with movable type. Gutenberg (c. 1400 – February 3, 1468) was a German goldsmith and printer, who is credited with inventing movable type printing in Europe and mechanical printing globally. His major work, the Gutenberg Bible, also known as the 42-line bible, has been acclaimed for its high aesthetic and technical quality.
The Gutenberg Bible
New York Public Library, 2009. (Author NYC Wanderer (Kevin Eng))- wikipedia.com
Nalloor Library 