1898 -1912: Rev. Thomas Walker inspires Mar Thoma Missionary projects
Rev. Thomas Walker – Church Missionary Society
Rev. Thomas Walker was one of the main speakers at the Maramon Convention from 1898 to 1912. He was a Church Missionary Society (CMS) missionary from Tirunelveli. He emphasized the importance on studying the Word of God (Bible) and to promote the missionary work of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church. His inputs were instrumental in inspiring and the beginning of many Mar Thoma Missionary projects across India.
Maramon Convention 1925: The price of meals
One British Rupee 1920
Fourteen meals for One rupee. During the early years of the Convention, restaurants and hotels were not in existence. Kappi Kadas (coffee/tea shops) and Chottu Kadas (rice shops) were the only available eateries at the Manalpuram (river bed) venue of the convention. One of the famous chottu kada’s was managed by Kunjan Varkey Chetten from Edathua. He would serve 14 full meals for just one rupee and 228 full glasses of black coffee (Chakkara Kappi) also for Rs.1 in the early 1920’s.
Chai shop
(www.chaiwallahsofindia.com)
February, 1917: Sadhu Sunder Singh preaches at Maramon Convention
Sadhu Sundar Singh
Sadhu Sunder Singh (3 September 1889-1929) the renowned Indian Christian missionary was one of the speakers of the Maramon Convention in 1918. He spoke in Hindi and the translation was done by Mr. M. O. Oommen, Chief Conservator of Travancore.
Sadhu Sunder Singh drew crowds greater than any previous conventions, so much so that before the end of the week the pandal (covered area) had to be enlarged. It is estimated at the final meeting about 32,000 people gathered to hear his message.
Pages from History: 2nd December, 1842 – Birth of Iype Thoma Kathanar (Kovoor Achen)
Very Rev. Iype Thoma Kathanar
2 December, 1842: Birth of Iype Thoma Kathanar (Kovoor Achen d.27 Jan,1917).
Ipe Thoma Kathanar was one of the prominent priests of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church. He bought the Panchayathu Purayidam (present SCS Compound in Tiruvalla, Kerala) for the Church in 1892 for Rs.600. It was he who started the Kettuthengu – practice of dedicating coconut trees from each house for the fund collections for the welfare of the Church.
Read more about his life in our free pdf Ebook: https://nalloorlibrary.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/very-rev-iype-thoma-kathanar.pdf
First Sunday of December – Bible Sunday
A Myanmar child holding the Bible.
The First Sunday of December is observed as Bible Society Day. It was the British and Foreign Bible Society, established in London in 1804, that first made a concerted effort of translating, printing and publishing Bibles in different languages.
In India, it’s auxiliaries were formed in Calcutta (1811), Bombay (1812), Madras (1820) and in Kerala (1956). Other auxiliaries were formed later. Even before the formation of the auxiliaries in India, the work of translation of the Bible to Indian languages had been taken up by William Carey and his associates in Calcutta. In obedience to the commandment of the Lord “Go ye unto the uttermost corners of the earth and preach my gospel”, the Bible Society aims at making available, copies of the Bible, New Testaments and portions of the Bible to
1.To Every Person in his/her own language.
2.At a price within his/her reach
3.In a style which is easily understood
It is in pursuance of this objective that it brings out special editions for students,members of the armed forces, in Braille type for the blind, etc. The United Bible Society distributes an average of 32 million full Bibles each year. In addition to that, they distribute enough New Testaments and Scripture portions to potentially reach 5% of the world’s population each year. In 2012 they distributed over 405 million Scripture items.
They also manage a growing social media ministry on Facebook and other social networks. The Digital Bible
Facebook page reaches millions of young adults every year. 71% report it helps them apply the Bible’s teaching to their lives. https://www.facebook.com/UnitedBibleSocieties
The Advent ( Lent from 1 to 25 December)
The 4 themes/candles of Advent with the centre candle for Christmas Eve (Image from http://www.beaconhillmd.org)
The Advent (Lent from 1 to 25 December). For Eastern Churches this is the season waiting for the birth of Christ. During this time the church prepares herself through cleansing and renewal for the advent of her Lord. It serves as a time of spiritual discipline and renewal in preparation for Christmas. Christians observe lent with fasting, prayer and self-sacrifice. The term is an anglicized version of the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming”.
Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, commonly used to refer to the Second Coming of Christ. For Christians, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from two different perspectives. The season offers the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, and to be alert for his Second Coming. In 2014 the four Advent Sundays are November 30, December 7, December 14, and December 21.
In recent times the most common observance of Advent outside church circles has been the keeping of an advent calendar or advent candle, with one door being opened in the calendar, or one section of the candle being burned, on each day in December leading up to Christmas Eve.
Pages from History: 29 November, 1970: Formation of Church of North India (CNI).
29 November, 1970: Formation of Church of North India (CNI). The inaugural meeting of the CNI was held in the Unity Hall opposite the Anglican Cathedral in Nagpur. The metropolitan of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church Dr. Juhanon Mar Thoma attended this meeting.
It was a merger of six Christian denominations, including the United Church of Northern India; the Anglican Church of India, Pakistan, Burma (Myanmar) and Ceylon; the British and Australian Methodist churches; the Council of Baptist Churches in Northern India; the Church of the Brethren; and the Disciples of Christ.The motto of the church is: Unity – Witness – Service.
Pages from History: John Bunyan – Author of Pilgrim’s Progress is born
John Bunyan
28 November, 1628: English preacher John Bunyan (d. 31August,1688), author of more than 60 books, including the famous Pilgrim’s Progress, is born in Elston, England.
In 1655, Bunyan was baptized by immersion by Pastor John Gifford of Bedford and called to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Bunyan was arrested November 12, 1660, for preaching without the approval of the Anglican Church. He was charged with “teaching men to worship God contrary to the law” and was in jail more than twelve years.
His most well-known work, The Pilgrim’s Progress, was written while in the Bedford jail. During Bunyan’s lifetime there were 100,000 copies circulated in the British isles, besides several editions in North America. It has been continuously in print since its first printing. Bunyan’s remarkable imagery was firmly rooted in the Reformation doctrines of man’s fallen nature, grace, imputation, justification, and the atonement–all of which Bunyan seems to have derived directly from Scripture. ~ http://www.chapellibrary.org
John Bunyan’s Works
The Collected Works of John Bunyan was carefully edited by George Offor, first published in 1853 and revised in 1862. These files are from the 1862 edition.
These pdf books can be downloaded at no cost and read for free. It can be accessed at http://www.chapellibrary.org/literature/bunyan/
Pages from History: 9 November, 1917: Birth of Dr. Sosamma Philip – Medical Missionary
Late Dr. Sosamma Philip, Medical Missionary.
9th November, 1917: Birth of Dr.Sosamma Philip, Medical Missionary. Dr. Sosamma was the daughter of Late Rev. M.C. George Kasseesa (17 April 1874 – 23 October 1923) of Maliyekkal House, Kuriannoor.
The Late Most Rev. Dr. Alexander Mar Thoma Valiya Metropolitan (10 April 1913 – 11 January 2000) was her elder brother. Dr. Sosamma passed her final school examination in 1933, but she couldn’t afford a college education. She joined the undergraduate teacher’s training course in Tiruvalla and then became a teacher in Kuriannoor Middle School. The family had to sell a portion of their ancestral property to pay for her dowry.
In 1940, she married Dr. P.V. Philip (Palathinkkal, Kottayam), who was working with the Mission Hospital in Karappuram, Cherthala. But unfortunately, Dr. Philip died after nine months of their marriage. She also lost her mother, three months later. Dr. Sosamma had an earnest desire to continue the medical work of her departed husband. She joined Alwaye U.C. College and passed her intermediate examinations and applied for a seat in Christian Medical College, Vellore. As she did not get admission at CMC Vellore, she joined the American College in Madurai and finished her B.A. and then joined the Nicholson School, Tiruvalla, as a teacher.
But the desire for a medical education was burning in her heart, so she applied again and this time she secured an admission in Christian Medical College, Vellore. Immediately after getting her Medical degree, she joined the Karapuram, Cherthala Mission, where her husband had worked. After further passing her specialization courses in Chicago, she worked with the Kumbanad and Kattanam hospitals for many years.
In 1967, she joined the Sihora Ashram Hospital in Madhya Pradesh and remained there till her retirement, 30 years later in 1997. As recognition of her work and social service, the Church awarded her the “Manava Seva Award”.
After her retirement, she returned to stay with her relatives in Kuriannoor. She was called to her eternal home on 4 May 2008 and was buried beside her parents at the St.Thomas Mar Thoma Church Cemetery in Kuriannoor.
Late Rev. M.C. George Kasseesa (Father of Dr. Sosamma Philip)
Late Alexander Mar Thoma Valiya Metropolitan (Elder brother of Dr. Sosamma Philip)
9 Nov 2014: CSI, CNI and Mar Thoma Church celebrate ‘The Communion of Churches in India (CCI) Day’.
On 9 November, 2014, Sunday: the CSI, CNI and Mar Thoma Churches celebrate this Sunday as the ‘The Communion of Churches in India (CCI) Day’.
The Communion of Churches in India (CCI) has been constituted as the visible organ for common expression of the life and witness by the founding Churches, the Church of North India (CNI), the Church of South India (CSI) and the Mar Thoma Syrian Church (MTC) which recognise themselves as belonging to the one Church of Jesus Christ in India, even while remaining as autonomous churches, each having its own identity of traditions and organizational structures. “The Communion” invites other Churches in India to enter into full communion with the member churches separately and join “The Communion”.
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