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")