Christianity And Health & Educational Development In South Travancore - The Work of the London Missionary Society From 1890 - 1947

Unlike the earlier works on the Work of the London Missionary Society (LMS), this book conspicuously fetches out the health care and educational activities of London Missionary Society in the existing Kanyakumari District of Tamilnadu. Finding the historical truth from its deeper level, the developmental programmes of the LMS missionaries towards all fragments of the society is worthily inscribed in this book. Creating possibilities for the segregated and the downtrodden of the time by the missionaries become the staple of the book, which challenges the mission of the present church.

Rev. Dr. M. Christhudhas is an ordained minister of Church of South India (CSI), Kanyakumari Diocese serving at the CSI Church Payanam, near Marthandam. He hails from Palavilai Eathavilai, Kuzhithurai. He obtained his M.A. and M.Phil. in Philosophy from Madurai Kamaraj University. He did his B.D. at Serampore College, Kolkata and M.Th. at Gurukul Lutheran Theological College, Chennai under the Senate of Serampore College (University). He has obtained his Ph.D in Gandhian Philosophy from Gandhigram Rural University and currently he is pursuing D.Min (Doctor of Ministry) studies. He has served as the Treasurer and the secretary of Pastoral Concerns of the Diocese. At present he also serves as the Corporate Manager for the schools of the Diocese. He is married to Mrs. T. Sheela and they are blessed with two Children: C.S. Bussard and C.S. Bestlin. He has already authored a book entitled Martin Luther and Mahatma Gandhi: A Paradigm for Social Change.

I appreciate Rev. Dr M. Christhudhas for his commitment to study and research from a pastoral perspective, in bringing out the book Christianity and Health & Educational Development in South Travancore: The Work of the London Missionary Society from 1890- 1947. The book provides a comprehensive and critical outlook on the health care and education activities of the London Missionary Society (LMS) in the present Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu for the students of mission history to understand and interpret the contribution of the missionary movement to the healing and empowerment of communities.

The book provides an inspiring and elaborate reading of the mission history in pre-independent India (1890-1947), following a historical and descriptive methodology. In a seemingly tolerant and peaceful religious context, which was in fact volatile and violent, through the practice of stringent caste system, communities were stigmatized, excluded and dehumanized. The book enumerates how the politically powerless, socially oppressed and religiously excluded and marginalized 'no people' were equipped and empowered through education and came to be recognized as 'God's people. The book also narrates the story of how missionaries opened opportunities of education to all without discrimination and recognized the right to education as primary for the transformation of communities.

With delighted heart I present this book entitled Christianity and Health & Educational Development in South Travancore: The Work of the London Missionary Society from 1890 - 1947. This book brings out a comprehensive study on the health care and educational activities of London Missionary Society (LMS) in the existing Kanyakumari District of Tamilnadu. It mainly focuses on the work of missionaries in the areas of health care and education during the period of 1890-1947 which have not been amply investigated in the previously presented historical woks. To study on the matter historical and descriptive methodology has been followed. This book covers four chapters that explain elaborately with much analysis on the historical records. The main hypothesis of this research is that London Mission Society contributed largely to the health care and education of the people by establishing various institutions and hospitals throughout the period. This book begins with the study of the Historical context of South Travancore, which that, politically, it was a period of British entry in the rule of South Travancore. The society was under caste stigma and it was expressed in the form of various inhuman practices. Religious was tolerant and peaceful. Further the book narrates the work of the London Missionary Society in South Travancore, who worked among the people who were politically powerless, socially oppressed and religiously segregated. Missionaries worked against the oppressive social practices by implementing developmental programmes for the upliftment of those people. In the next level the book analyses the Health Care Mission in South Travancore. In the context of less medical facilities the missionaries started clinics, dispensaries, hospitals and leprosy homes to meet the medical needs of the people, especially, the poor. This helped the native people to protect their life from the untouchable diseases such as leprosy and cancer and to save the life of women and children during the time of child birth. Finally, the book deals with the Educational mission in South Travancore, which provided higher education to all sections of people, especially, the low caste people. In short, LMS mission contributed a lot to the health care and educational development of South Travancore during the period of 1890-1947.

A number of studies have been done on the work and contribution of London Missionary Society (LMS), the pioneer Protestant Missionary Society from England to South Travancore. Since many of them do not highlight the health care and education activities of missionary work, particularly in the period of 1890-1947, a comprehensive study is needed. The modern missionary movement was initiated in the late 18th century in England when the Protestant churches began to think about the missionary work. The missionary zeal among the people gave birth to a number of missionary societies such as Baptist Missionary Society (1792), London Missionary Society (1795), The British and Foreign Bible Society (1805), The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Mission (1810), Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society (1813), Basel Evangelical Mission (1815), and the Committee for Foreign Missions of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland (1824). The London Missionary Society (LMS) was established by a group of friends-John. Ryland, H. O. Wills, John Itey, Robert Stephen and David Bogue on 21 Sept 1795 with a plan and constitution. This attempt was a response to the letter from William Carey regarding the need for missionaries in India. The aim of this Missionary Society was to spread the knowledge of Christ among the non-Christians. Based on the society's aims and principles, it started to send missionaries to different parts of the world.