History
1905 - and going
The English Circuit of Wesley Churches consisted of three Churches, Georgetown Wesley Chapel, St. Thomas' Mount Wesley Church and Egmore Wesley Church. Egmore Wesley plays an important role in the life of the Circuit. Without Egmore Wesley, there would probably be no Circuit, but we should not forget the fact that Egmore Wesley Church is the outcome of the mother church at George Town. The history of these two churches is the glorious history of a society which laid the foundations for Methodist Missions in the whole of South India. This historical review will be a glowing tribute to the services of the “patient, selfless and courageous Methodist Missionaries" who brought to this land the fundamental Methodist doctrines of God's unalterable love in Christ, the salvation which is by faith and the witness of His Spirit within the human heart that we are the children of God.". We enjoy today a proud heritage.
GENESIS
Twenty-two years after John Wesley's death. Dr. Coke, who carried on the work which John Wesley began can be rightly considered as the father of Methodist Foreign Missions. He was keen on conquering the East, especially India, for Christ, yet was laughed at as a wild and foolish idealist. There were many objections and obstacles for him to overcome to fulfill his ambitions. Dr Coke stood firm and declared 'I would rather be dead on the shores of India than be alive in Europe". In response to a moving appeal made by him in 1813, five men were accepted for services in India, and on New Year’s Day, 1814, Dr. Coke at the age of sixty-six set sail from Portsmouth for India with his five missionaries.
SITUATION IN INDIA
British rule was the rule of the India Company, a commercial organisation which had become a government, yet remained a company incorporated under a charter by the British Parliament and renewable every twenty years.
Even though in certain centres the company had treated European Missionaries with sympathy through self-interest, they were completely against British missionaries entering India. This appeared clearly in Parliamentary debates in London in 1793 on the renewal of the company's charter. Wilberforce, the evangelical social reformer, pleaded in Parliament that the company should allow British missionaries into India for evangelical work. This provoked vigorous opposition from the Directors of the company. Wilberforce's proposals were rejected. The company continued its policy for the next twenty years. The situation had changed in England at the time of the renewal of the charter in 1813. Wilberforce and other friends of missions determined to do all that lay in their power to win liberty of movement for the messengers of the Gospel in India. They were successful. The British Parliament opened the doors of India to missionaries.
It is therefore from 1813 that the great expansion of Protestant missions in India, especially in Madras, dates. The way was clear for Dr Coke and his men to enter India.
EXODUS
While Dr. Coke and his five men were sailing across the Indian Ocean the voyage was overshadowed with tragedy. Dr Coke, the mastermind of this new expedition, fell victim to heat apoplexy and breathed his last. The rest of the party arrived in Bombay on the 21st of May 1814 and reached Point de Galle in Ceylon on June 29th, of the same year.
James Lynch, one of the five pioneers who traveled with Dr. Coke began his missionary career in Jaffna. In one of his letters in 1815, he writes "I received a letter lately from Madras signed by five serious persons who appear to experience the power of religion. They have received much light in the doctrines of the Gospel by reading Messrs. Wesley's and Flectcher's works and most earnestly request one of us to visit them". Mr. Lynch was requested by the Ceylon Conference to visit Madras. Accordingly, Lynch set out from Jaffna in an open country boat on the 23rd of January 1817. After thirty-six hours in heavy seas, he reached the mainland and visited Tranquebar and Negapatam. He finally arrived in Black Town, Madras.
BLACK TOWN
In the early days, the European settlement which grew up around Fort St. George was called White Town and the Indian Town to the north of it came to be known as Black Town (now George Town). By the side of this town ran a drainage channel which emptied itself into the North River. The channel was on the alignment of the present Broadway. When the city came to be crowded, Mr. Stephen Popham who settled in Madras as a solicitor, developed this area, filled the channel, and raised its level. So, the Broadway-though only euphemistically so-is known as Popham's Broadway. Black Town and Popham's Broadway are very much connected with our circuit history.
JAMES LYNCH MINISTRY
James Lynch on his arrival in Black Town searched for a place where he could conduct regular worship. He was unable to get a suitable place since Hindus were not in favour of renting their buildings for Christian worship. At last, Lynch was able to get a stable. The stable was altered for worship and here the first public service held by a Methodist Missionary in Madras was conducted on March 2, 1817, the 26th Anniversary of the death of Wesley. It was a humble beginning. From the stable, the pioneer work was shifted to a godown in Popham's Broadway, on the present site of Georgetown Chapel. Lynch used the godown as a preaching hall and lived in a small room at the rear of it. Living in uncomfortable and unsanitary conditions, Lynch carried out a tremendous amount of work. Two schools were opened. Preaching centres were opened in Royapettah. St. Thomas Mount, Royapuram and nearby villages.
Work among the natives and Europeans was started. European businessmen and English residents in the city were continuously visited and they found a true worshipping centre in Black Auxiliary Town. A chapel was built in Royapettah. Lynch created an enthusiasm among his early congregation. The friends of the Wesleyan Missions in Madras formed a Missionary Society which promised to contribute a handsome amount regularly to the funds. Within five years, Lynch had set up the standard of his master in Madras. Lynch, humanly speaking, laid the foundation of the Methodist Missions in South India.
BLACK (GEORGE) TOWN CHAPEL
The year 1822 was a memorable year. The building of the important church in George Town took place, and assistance for Lynch came with the arrival of the Revs. Elijah Hoole and Thomas H. Squance. On the 25th of April 1822, the chapel was opened, and such was the interest excited among the Christians in Madras on this occasion that before the service commenced, the chapel was overflowing. Many respectable persons and invitees had to return without getting admission.
The service commenced with the Hymn "Jesus we look to thee, Thy promised presence claim": The service was conducted by Rev. W. Loveless of the London Society; the Rev. C. Traveller of the same society offered extempore prayer and Lynch preached an impressive sermon on Matt. XVIII: 20 "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them". The collection amounted to 120 pagodas. Immediately on the opening of the new chapel, a Branch Depository of the Tract Society was established in the rooms on the ground floor below the chapel, under the supervision of Rev. Elijah Hoole.
ENGLISH CAUSE
After the Society in Black Town had raised a considerable sum for an English pastor, the Committee in England appointed the Rev. Robert Stephenson in 1855 for English work in Madras. The foundation for the English circuit of Wesley Churches was being laid, and it is worth noting that the maintenance of the ministers, even at that early stage was met entirely by local giving. The appointment of Stephenson and the inauguration of the purely English cause produced immediate and encouraging results. A cottage prayer meeting group, an English Day High School, a Sunday School and a Young Men's Association directly and securely under the Wesleyan discipline were formed. The Chapel at Black Town was enlarged to provide extra seating accommodation. The minister was provided with a horse and he was given an allowance of Rs. 200 per year for its upkeep. Preaching centres at Vepery, Royapuram and Chintadripet were opened. A poor fund was started and a special fund was raised for the welfare of the suffering brethren in Lancashire and Cheshire (England). In 1863, the Society purchased a house separate from the chapel for the minister of the circuit. It is necessary here to record the death of Mr. A. J. Higginbotham. He had been a member of the Black Town Church for almost half a century. He was a man of high principle and acknowledged integrity.
Mr. Higginbotham played a very important role when the English cause in Madras assumed a new position in 1856. He was one of those who worked hard to raise money for the English Pastor's Fund. He also acted for some time as the librarian of the Tract Society in the Black Town chapel. Messrs Higginbothams (the selling and publishing concern in Mount Road) was founded by him. He started his business in Madras in 1844. He was twice Sheriff of Madras. His daughter was in the Egmore Wesley Church Choir in its early years. His family members were devoted Methodists and members of the Black Town Church His Portrait can still be seen today at Higginbothams Bookshop in Mount Road.
EGMORE MANSE
The leaders of the circuit were on the lookout for a house to be acquired for the residence of the English Circuit Minister in a place, considering the various centres he had to cover Black Town, Fort, Perambur, St. Thomas' Mount, and Pallavaram. There were two available sites in Vepery. One was at Vepery High Road and the other on the Poonamallee High Road. A large compound available at Poonamallee High Road with a house and a lotus pond in front seemed a suitable place to acquire as a residence for the Minister. It was a quiet place and so it was purchased. The English circuit was able to buy this property as it had already sold its valuable property in Rundalls Road to the M.E.S.C and that at Ritherdon Road to the Methodist Missionary Society. The house and the land were purchased for Rs. 21000. The building was more or less 40 years old at the time of acquisition. The Rev. Beard was the first circuit minister to occupy the Manse, and the first major fund held there was a Sunday School Fete, organized by the Black Town Sunday School
EGMORE
Vepery became a predominantly Christian Centre. Members belonging to the circuit were scattered all over the city and they had to go to Georgetown chapel from distant places. There was an increasing demand to construct a church in a central place. The compound belonging to the minister's house in Egmore appeared to be the most admirable site for the construction of a new Church, for the need to expand was imperative. The English cause was singularly blessed in having as minister Rev. John Breeden, a man who was capable of realising the situation, and so organising and directing the work of the following years that the deepest needs of English Methodism in Madras were amply satisfied.
He threw himself completely and enthusiastically into the work of raising money to build the new church and met with conspicuous success. Our God who sent James Lynch to lay the foundation in George Town, had brought another dedicated, hard-working man to Madras at the time of need to build a new church at Egmore.
EGMORE WESLEY CHURCH
The lotus pond which was in front of the Egmore Manse was filled in, and on this site, the church was built. When building operations had proceeded as far as the basement level, the foundation stone was laid. The following are abbreviated extracts from the "Madras Mail" dated 28th December 1903.
LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE
“The ceremony of laying the Foundation Stone of a new Wesleyan Methodist Church in Poonamallee High Road took place on Saturday, Prof. G. G. Findlay, D.D. presided, and there was a large attendance, including the Rev. Dr. Rudisill, the Rev. W. Goudie, the Rev. Mr. Monahan and the Rev. F. W. Kellett. Professor Findlay laid the foundation stone and delivered an eloquent address. A number of cornerstones were then laid by the following ladies and gentlemen Mrs. F. D. Bennett, Mrs. W. B. Pimblett, Mrs. Karney, Mrs. J. Breeden, Mr. W.S. Hudson. Mr W.E. Hoare, Mr F. 1. Walters, Mr A. Whitney and Mr H. Graves.
A solemn feature in connection with this portion of the ceremony was the laying of a memorial stone in memory of the late Mr. J. H. Graves of the Customs Department who during his long connection with the Wesleyan Church in Popham’s Broadway was a staunch supporter of the Church. Addresses were then delivered by the Revs. W. Goudie and J. Breeden. Six members of the Leicestershire Band played during the singing of the hymns. The proceedings terminated with the Doxology." The Opening Ceremony (Saturday, the 11th February, 1905)
The opening ceremony in connection with the new Wesleyan Church recently completed on Poonamallee Road was celebrated on Saturday evening before a very large congregation. At 5:15 p.m., the Rev. J. Cooling of the Wesleyan Mission gave a short address at the door of the new Church, offered a short prayer and then opened the door, and the congregation entered and filled the Church. The Rev. W. H. Findlay preached an eloquent sermon in the course of which he said it was a great many years since the Idea of a second Wesleyan Church had been first thought of; it was more than thirty years ago since it was mooted. But for various reasons, the scheme had to be put off from time to time. It was a matter of great satisfaction that the Methodists of Madras had heartily co-operated to bring the scheme to a successful conclusion.
A collection was taken which resulted in Rs. 944 being given to the new Wesleyan Church at Perambur. The congregation then adjourned for light refreshments which were served in the compound.”
THE PUBLIC MEETING
At 6:45 p.m., a largely attended public meeting was held with Mr. W. E. Hoare in the Chair. Mr. Hoare said they rejoiced at the completion of a great and daring scheme, the success of which they owed to Mr. Breeden’s great energy and activity. He hoped the opening of their beautiful Church would be taken by Methodists as a time for renewing their vows of duty to the Church. He said they relied too much on the Pastor’s energy and too little on their own work. The completion of the Church building was a call to be up and doing and not to rest.
The future of the Church would depend on what the people put into its service. They would get blessings out of it only in proportion to what they put into it.
The Treasurer then read the statement of accounts in regard to the building.
EARLY DAYS
Thirty worshippers of George Town congregation formed the nucleus of the congregation in the new Church. Many new members soon joined them. The generosity of the Madras Methodists would be hard to surpass. They gave sacrificially. For nearly five years many of the members of the circuit, both rich and poor, contributed 5% of their income towards the new project in addition to their ordinary gifts to the Church. Through their sacrificial giving Perambur church was built in 1905. To these generous people, a distressing disaster occurred in 1906 when M/s. Arbuthnot & Co., their financiers, failed. With three or four exceptions, it affected all the members the Church of who had savings put by, but the church was still maintained.
In the year 1911, John Breeden left Madras and returned to England, after rendering a valiant and lasting service to the English cause over a period of thirteen years. Two years later, after two replacement ministers, Rev. Tunbridge took charge of the circuit. Elaborate preparations were made in 1917 under his able leadership to celebrate the Centenary celebrations of the Georgetown Chapel on the 3rd and 4th March 1917. He left Madras in 1919. He was a devoted pastor. He was a true shepherd of souls, who readily made contact with all sorts and conditions of people and won universal affection.
Rev. Leslie D. Weatherhead
The Rev. L. D. Weatherhead took over the superintendency from Mr. Tunbridge. During the First World War, he was in Georgetown Chapel. In 1917 he took a chaplaincy in the Army and was away till 1919. A lady member who was a Sunday School scholar in Georgetown when Mr. Weatherhead was in Charge, and later a student of Women's Christian College at its infant stage informed the writer "The Rev. L. D. Weatherhead was in Egmore for only two years. The attractiveness and spiritual power of his preaching attracted large congregations.
The church would be full even ten or fifteen minutes before the beginning of the service. Chairs were placed in the aisles to provide extra seating accommodation. On Sundays the compound would be full of jutkas from Women’s Christian College we used to rush to Egmore in Jutkas to be well in time for the service. People used to stand outside and listen to him. Even Hindus and Muslims would attend the service. This was the beginning of the large student congregation attending the morning service in our Church.
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The Rev. Dr. L. D. Weatherhead, C.B.E., is now Minister Emeritus of the City Temple, London. He was married in our church, and his wife had been working at Royapettah Girls’ High School as a tutor. Their first son was baptized in the church.
Rev. J.O. Cochran
The Rev. J.O. Cochran took over the duties of the superintendent in 1923. Mr. Cochran had the privilege of serving in Egmore for a longer period than any other missionary, for he also served from 1935 to 1944. He exercised a most gracious and effective ministry. Those who knew the extent of his labours, both within the church and without, in the public service, wonder still how he could possibly have found time for them. His chief delight was to preach the gospel and to that purpose, he gave himself with joy and zeal.