Dead, Yet Speaks!

Rev C.P. Gnanamani (1868-1922) is my forefather through my paternal grandmother, Mrs Ida Immanuel. An interesting incident which happened in his life has a powerful impact on me. One day Rev Gnanamani was returning home in a bullock cart. At about 300 feet from the path there was a Hindu temple in which a special festivity was going on. Rev Gnanamani remaining in the cart prayed to God and drew a symbol of the “cross” facing the temple. Some people noticed this. Almost at the same time, a big fire broke out in the temple and there was utter panic and confusion in the crowd. Someone said that the fire was due to a mantra muttered by a Christian priest who went on that way.

A furious mob thronged the house of Rev Gnanamani, who by then had reached home. They shouted and demanded that he should come out of the house immediately. In spite of requests from members of family not to step out, Rev Gnanamani came out and answered the crowd politely but firmly that he only prayed for them when he crossed the temple, but did not chant a mantra against them. The crowd was not convinced and they threatened to kill him. At this Rev Gnanamani stepped still forward with his head bowed to the crowd. One voice from the crowd said, “Do not lay your hand on this great man. If just because of the mantra, if such a disaster could happen, how much more would happen to us, if we kill him! We will be totally wiped out!” Rev Gnanamani took that time to share the Good News. People apologised to him and this incident paved way for many to accept Christ.

Rev C. P. Gnanamani served in several churches in Tamil Nadu from 1900-22:  St. Johns, Conoor, St Michaels, Mudalur, St Patricks, Tuticorin, Good Shepherd, Mylapore, St Pauls, Vepery, All Saints, Puthur, Trichy. Rev Gnanamani was a great Tamil scholar. He composed some famous Tamil lyrics, to name a few: kalame devanai thedu, anbe piradanam, Yesuvin namame thirunamam. Of this, the song, “Yesuvin namame thirunamam” says all through about the power in the name of Jesus. True to that song was the way in which God demonstrated His power through his humble servant, through which there was an opportunity for many people to accept Jesus as their Lord.

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)“…at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” (Philippians 2:10)

(Source: "Vachiramani Christian kudumba iraippani - mummani kavimanigal")

Shoots in Search of the Root – My Ancestral Story

There is an interesting story behind the single Christian tomb in a village called, “Usarathu kudiyirupu” (Brahmanavilai) near Udankudi in Tuticorin District Tamil Nadu. Sadly this village has no Christian residing there today. The only Christian witness there is the tomb of my forefather, Vachiramani Christian Ubathesiar (1835-1910).

Vachiramani Ubathesiar lived in this very village as a landlord owning more than 1000 acres of land, thousands of sheep and cattle. He was a Hindu priest in the temple which still remains in the village. Being proficient in Tamil literature, he was also involved in educating the unlearned, conducting classes in open platforms in his village 130 years ago. However he became a Christian, hearing the story of Joseph from an English missionary. Because of his Christian testimony he was then forced to leave his village and possessions. He settled down in Jaffna (in SriLanka) as a Tamil teacher and gospel worker. In his old age, after he returned to India from his services as a catechist (Ubathesiar) at Jaffna, Ceylon, he made advance arrangements for his burial at his native place, Osarathu kudiyiruppu. Thus, his grave is the only Christian witness in that village now.

Vachiramani Uphadesiar had five boys and four girls. His eldest son Rev. C. P. Gnanamani was also a Tamil scholar and teacher. His epic Tamil grammar book written in 1885 was gazetted as a text book in the schools. Rev. Gnanamani’s eldest son Rev. Canon C. D. Gnanamani was a great scholar in Tamil Literature. Rev. P. S. Peter who was also an excellent Tamil poet became a member of this family, by marrying the daughter of Vachiramani Ubathesiar. All these three poets and lyric writers have contributed over 750 lyrics and other poetic works. They have written in carnatic musical style with specific raagas (tunes) and thaalas. Some of their famous Tamil lyrics are: kaalame devanai thedu, Yesuvin namame thirunamam, Anbe piradanam, aathume thevanai (Mary’s song).

An endowment has been created in the name of Vachiramani Christian at the Madras University, under the Tamil Christian Literature Seat in the year 2010. Thus the name of Vachriamani Christian has been given a place of honour in the field of Tamil christian literature by Madras university. The number of descendants of the nine children of Vachiramani Christian connected so far is about 450. The countries they live include Malaysia, Singapore, Britain, Germany, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, USA and Australia.

The sacrifice Vachiramani Uphadesiar made in leaving his wealthy style of living cannot be compared to the eternal salvation he has gained in God’s mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord! “For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life (soul)? Or what shall a man give in return for his life (soul)?” (Matt 16:26).

I am proud to be Vajramani Upathesiar's great granddaughter’s granddaughter. To me he is a model like our father Abraham of the Biblical heritage.  Both left their places and followed God’s plan which resulted in future generations turning to that same God in multitudes. There may be similar interesting stories in everyone’s family history. It would turn to be a blessing to future generations when one seeks and finds it. 

Souces: Jebalin John, “Veraithedum Vizhudhugal” in Dinamani Kadir dated 30.5.2010, translated by Mr John Jeyanandam in “ Vachiramani Christian’s Nine Gem Comminuque” and E-mail information from Mr John Jeyanandam in Vachiramani Yahoo Group.

“Her Story” in Church “History”

When we think of the early church, our minds focus on the Church Fathers. Sadly, we sometimes fail to consider the Church Mothers. Let us not forget the godly women who heroically waged spiritual warfare against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Their losses and their victories, their pain and their joy, their walk with Christ and their journey with one another are all an inheritance from which we learn lessons for today.

Vibia Perpetua (181-203) heads that company. The early Church preserved her manuscript, The Martyrdom of Perpetua, because it is one of the oldest and most descriptive accounts of death for Christ. It is also the earliest known document written by a Christian woman, Perpetua, coauthored by Saturus, the one who led her to Christ. It is believed that a redactor later supplied the introduction and conclusion to the book.

Perpetua lived in Carthage in North Africa during the persecution of Christians under Septimius Severus. At the time of her arrest in 202 AD, she was a twenty-one-year-old mother of an infant son. Born into a wealthy, prominent, but unbelieving family, she was a recent convert with a father who continually attempted to weaken her faith and a husband who was, for reasons unknown to us, out of the picture. Nothing in Perpetua’s situation or background prepared her for the titanic spiritual struggle God called her to face.

Perpetua, Felicitas, both women, Perputua's brother, and two other new converts were discipled by Saturus. We learn from Perpetua’s writings about the arrest of all these faithful followers of Christ. Perpetua candidly faced her fears and expresses her suffering: “I was terrified because never before had I experienced such darkness. What a terrible day! Because of crowded conditions and rough treatment by the soldiers the heat was unbearable. My condition was aggravated by my anxiety for my baby.”

On the day of Perpetua’s final hearing before being martyred for her faith in 203 AD, the guards rushed Perpetua to the prisoners’ platform. Her father appeared with her infant son, and begged Perpetua to have pity on her son. He caused such an uproar, that the governor Hilarion ordered him to be thrown out, and he was beaten with a rod. Perpetua writes of this horrible incident. “My father’s injury hurt me as much as if I myself had been beaten. And I grieved because of his pathetic old age.”

Felicitas, the other young woman was in her eighth month of pregnancy. As the day of martyrdom approached, two days, united in grief they prayed to the Lord. Immediately after their prayers, her labor pains began and Felicitas gave birth to a girl whom one of her sisters reared as her own.

Eye witnesses record the entire group's witness for Christ to the very end. “The day of their victory dawned, and with joyful countenances they marched from the prison to the arena as though on their way to heaven. If there was any trembling, it was from joy, not fear. Perpetua followed with a quick step as a true spouse of Christ, the darling of God, her brightly flashing eyes quelling the gaze of the crowd.” To the crowd the women were nothing but entertainment. But to Christ they were His brides.

As the group was led through the gates, they were ordered to put on different clothes. The men were to wear those of the priests of Saturn, the women, those of the priestesses of Ceres. But the noble Perpetua stubbornly resisted even to the end. She said, ‘We’ve come this far voluntarily in order to protect our rights, and we’ve pledged our lives not to recapitulate on any such matter as this. We made this agreement with you.’ Injustice bowed to justice and the guard conceded that they could enter the arena in their ordinary dress.

At the demand of the mob they were first scourged; then a boar, a bear, and a leopard, were set at the men, and a wild cow at the women. Wounded by the wild animals, they gave each other the kiss of peace and were then put to the sword.

This is a moving account of true devotion to Jesus in the face of severe suffering, loss and agony. Most of us would give anything to preserve our families, and yet they lost everything - including their family and infant kids - to gain the glory of Jesus. They remind us of Jesus' words in the Gospel of Matthew: "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 10:37-39).

Women mentioned here are found no less to men in shedding their blood which we know became the foundation of the Church. Is there a tendency in us to take Church for granted, today? What is going to be our contribution to the building of His Church and Kingdom?

Sources:

http://www.rpmministries.org/2012/03/womens-history-month-part-1-vibia-perpetua-from-victim-to-victor/

http://aaronmartin.blogspot.in/2007/07/vibia-perpetua.html

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06029a.html

Paul – a Model for Men

Some of us have understood Paul as a male chauvinist. But how many of us know Paul as one who fought for the justice of a woman? And how many of us know that Paul and Silas were imprisoned because they liberated a woman from her bondage?

Luke tells us about a female slave who earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and the team and annoyed them by her remarks, because she was possessed by evil spirits.  We see Paul delivering the woman by using the name of Jesus Christ. So the men who were earning using this woman got angry, dragged the apostles to the market place, stripped them and bet them. Finally the apostles landed in prison with their feet in stocks. We should know that Paul and Silas did not undergo this grueling experience for converting people to Christ. They were in the prison for acting in the interest of a woman. They felt it was worth undergoing such a punishment for liberating a woman. They knew they did the right thing. So they sang songs in the midnight in the prison. God knew that His men were suffering for justice. The prison doors flew open. The chains loosened. (Acts 16:16-26)

But, think about this: why would an important Christian leader like Paul, risk his ministry for a seemingly unimportant person like this young woman? Perhaps he was annoyed with the society that allowed a young woman to be abused this way. He knew that the men in her life exploited her. Therefore, we see this male leader stepping in for a poor woman who was at the bottom of the society.

Some oppression of women is caused by women. But much more is caused by or for men. If men are causing the oppression of women, it needs men to work for the change. Brothers, leaders and pastors, women who are unjustly treated need your help. They need you to teach and train men and women and churches and societies towards justice.

Can we learn from St. Paul?

(Source: Beulah Wood, "Can we learn from St. Paul" in Side by Side: Gender from a Christian Perspective, SAIACS Press, 2007)