The Canadian Baptist Historical Society

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Saturday 8 April 2017
An Independent Mission to the Telugus:
TheCanadian Baptist Mission and its Pioneering
Missionary Activities in Colonial Coastal Andhra, India
1850-1950
By
Dr. Santha K. Varikoti- Jetty
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
The Canadian Baptist Missions Mission Field
 The Geographical Area
In the Colonial Madras Presidency, the districts of Vizagapatnam and Godavari were
in the northern direction.

The C.B.Ms activities centered at Cocanada, Amalapuram, Akidu, Bhimavaram,

Narsapur, Peddapuram, Pithapuram, Samalkota, Ramachandrapuram, Tanuku and
Tuni.

Later it was extended to those places where the London Missionary Society had
relinquished its activities: Vizagapatam, Tekkali, Parlakimidi, Anakapalle,
Chipurupalle, Palkonda, Parvatipur, Salur, Viravalli, Vizianagaram, Bobbili, Chicacole,
Yalamanchili, Rayagada and Sompeta.

In the Krishna district, Akidu and Vuyyuru and became chief C.B.M centers.

When established, it was the only C.B.M Mission between the territory lying between
 Pre-1874 Story
The first Canadian Baptist Foreign Missionary enterprise was founded in 1814 called the
Nova Scotia Baptist Association at Chester, Nova Scotia.

In 1832, the Nova Scotia Baptist Association took to the promotion of Foreign Missions in
Burma and India.

The earliest contribution to the Telugu field from the CBM was made by Mr. William Craig in
association with Rev. Samuel. S Day of the American Baptist Mission in 1858.

In 1867, during the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec at Ingersoll, Rev. Americus
Vespucius Timpany (A.V. Timpany) and Mrs. Jane Bates Timpany were appointed to work
among the Telugus.

In 1869, they were joined by Rev. John McLaurin and Mrs. Mary Bates McLaurin.

On ABMs Rev. J.E. Cloughs furlough, Rev. John McLaurin took charge of the Ongole mission
 Thomas Gabriel (Taleru Marayya) wished
A more
for Native Convert/Preacher
missionaries in the Godavari The Converts
delta area.
In the light of the proclaimed spiritual equality and a
He started the Kollair Mission in 1870 but
just society propagated by the Christian faith, a new
struggled for financial support and
wanted an affiliation with a foreign wave of adherence to Christianity began to take place
missionary society. among the depressed castes in India. (second half of
On his way to Madras, he had met with te 19th century).
Rev. McLaurin and shared about his
Principally, the Mdigas earned their living by
mission, his troubles and his quest.
When Rev. Clough returned from his performing manufacturing jobs by employing their
furlough, Rev. McLaurin needed a place hereditary skills and the great leather working caste
and Cocanada came as a new of Andhra and traded with dead cattle and skinning of
opportunity and hence the beginning of
the C.B.Ms Cocanada Mission. the dead animals.

The Mdigas in the Godavari delta
associated themselves with the C.B.M in
Cocanada due to the traditional
association of the Mdigas with the
American Baptist Mission in Nellore and
The Mlas had worked in close association with the
Sdras and the village land. They were more
identified with Agricultural labor and weaving of a
coarse type of cloth.
 The Foundation of the C.B.M in Cocanada
The C.B.M was founded in Cocanada in 1874 by the McLaurins.

In 1879, the McLaurins were joined by the Timpanys.

A chapel was built in 1882 with a terraced roof, a veranda hall round with a tower over the

front entrance.

Miss Mary Jane Firth was sent by the Toronto Women's Society and she was assisted by Miss

Charlotte Gibson and Mrs. De Beaux to work among the women and children of Cocanada.

With its four mission compounds, comprised of thirty acres of land and five bungalows, the

Cocanada station won the distinction of being the principal mission station of the C.B.M.

In 1925, the C.B.M was holding one hundred missionaries, eighty churches with 17,000

members and a total staff of over one thousand Telugu workers.

 The Pioneer C.B.M Missionaries

Rev. McLaurin at Cocanada and Samalkota.

Rev. G. F. Currie at Tuni.

Rev. J. E Chute and Mr. Craig in Akidu.

Some notable missionaries of the C.B.M were, Rev. and Mrs W. F. Armstrong, Mrs.
Boggs, Rev. and Mrs. George Churchill, Rev. and Mrs. Rufus Sanford, Rev. J. R.
Stillwell, Rev. E. G. Smith, Rev. M. L. and Rev. I. C. Archibald, Rev. and Mrs.
Orchard, Rev. John Hardy, Rev. A. D. Matheson, Rev and Mrs. E.J. Church, Rev. John
Hart, Rev. C.L. Timpany, Rev. and Mrs. L.E. Wilton and Rev. and Mrs. O.M. Getty.
 The Vizagapatam Station: Rev. Boggs, Rev. George Churchill, Rev. Sanford and
Rev. Armstrong. Rev. Churchill befriended the Bobbili Raja who had gifted the
missionary an amount of land for the building of the churches.

The Chicacole Station: Rev. W. F. Armstrong and Mrs. Norris Armstrong, Miss
Hammond, Rev. and Mrs. J. R. Hutchinson and Rev. I.C. Archibald. The Mlas
and the Mdigas of Chicacole became anxious to hear more of the Gospel and
wished that their children to attend a mission school.

The Tekkali Station: Under Rev. and Mrs. W. V. Higgins, church membership
steadily grew.

The Vizianagaram Station: Dr. Sanford and Rev. M. B. Shaw achieved good
progress in the mission work. Efforts were made for the evangelization of not
only the Mlas and the Mdigas but also the Hindu castes.
The Akidu Station: The Mlas of Akidu became Christians upon the conversion of
the village elders family, the Karre brothers namely Karre Samuel, Karre Peter and
Karre Andrew. In 1880, Akidu became an independent mission station and was
handed over to Rev. Craig by Rev. John McLaurin. Rev. Timpany, Rev. Craig, Rev. Dr.
Jesse Chute and Dr. Pearl Chute-Smith were stationed here.
The Pithapuram Station: Pithapuram was a stronghold of the orthodox Hindu faiths
and strived to maintain itself to be one by putting a strong, organized opposition to
prevent the caste ignoring Christian missionaries. Rev. Armstrong, Dr. E.G. Smith,
Dr. Chute, Miss M. Helena Blackadar, Rev. and Mrs. Currie had labored among the
natives where many Mdiga families converted in to Christianity.
The Samalkota Station: In the year 1882, Rev. John McLaurin started a church and
a theological seminary and became its first Principal. The Rajah of Samalkota
donated some land which was used for missionary and educational activities of the
mission.
The Vuyyuru Station: The Vuyyuru field was situated far from the Cocanada station
and geographically in the Krishna delta. Rev. J. G. Brown took possession and
organized Vuyyuru as a separate field in 1891 which became an important station
for medical services in the lower Godavari region.
The fields of Avanigadda and Bodagunta: The first Baptist missionaries to
Avanigadda were two illiterate Christian women of Bodagunta, who had believed in
 Birth of New Social Consciousness
Group Mobility Movements
A conscious effort of the Mlas and the Mdigas by their given depressed
condition.

Social discrimination and deprivation of economic resources gave them

no other choice except conversion.

In the late nineteenth century, colonial Andhra had experienced caste-

wide group mobility movements where the Mlas and Mdigas hamlets
came under the influence of the Christian missionaries.

In missionary parlance, a Group Mobility Movement is the simultaneous

and concerted acceptance of Christianity by a whole people, usually in
groups and their subsequent baptism.
 In July, 1873, Mr. Gabriel reported the baptism of thirty-one converts at Gunnanapudi.

Continuous group baptisms were largely owed to Rev. Karre Peter from Gunnanapudi.

The missions work was divided in to two parts: 1. the Godavari Association with ten Telugu
churches and seven hundred and fifteen members, 2. the Kolair Association with thirteen
churches and one thousand eight hundred and seventy four members.

The Vuyyuru church was organized in November 1885 and eighty two people were baptized
from the surrounding villages.

At the end of 19th century the mission had an aggregate membership of about seventeen
thousand Christians.

The C.B.M showed a large increase in membership and advanced to 62% during the decade
of 1920 and 1930.

Nearly 20% of the depressed castes in the West Godavari were counted as Christians where
the CBM has held its missionary operations.
 Educational Work
The educational work of the C.B.M was a typical example for the transcendent work
conducted among the Mlas and the Mdigas in influencing the life and conduct of the
converts towards progress and upliftment.
C.B.M schools did a remarkable educational work especially among the converted
Christians for building a Christian character and personality.
The English Free school (est. 1833) (later called as the Timpany Memorial school) and
the Cocanada Girls' boarding school (1876) were the two schools supported by the
C.B.M in Cocanada initially. Boys Boarding Schools
Cocanada, Samalkot, Vizagapatnam, Sompeta, Yalamanchili, Akidu, Tuni, Tekkali,
Vuyyuru and Avanigadda.
Students were supplied with free books, food, shelter and clothing.
By the year 1880, the C.B.M maintained 38 schools with 435 students.
Effective academic and non-academic instruction resulted in boys refined manners in
class room activities, gardening, scouting and sports.
 Educational Work contd..
Girls Boarding schools Teacher Training Schools
Cocanada, Tuni, Vuyyuru and Avanigadda.
A Teacher Training Institute at Cocanada was
The Vuyyuru girls boarding school catered
the educational needs of the Christian girls held under the supervision of Rev. R. C.
from the Vuyyuru and Avanigadda towns and Bensen and after by Ms. Ellen A. Folsom.
surrounding villages.
Bettie Elementary Training School at
Mrs. Garside and Miss Ellen A. Folsoms
efforts needs to be remembered. Cocanada.

Technical Schools
Theological Schools
The Cocanada Industrial School.
Theological Seminary at Samalkota in 1882.
A Manual Instruction Department at
Samalkota seminary. Functioned under Rev. H. E. Stillwell in 1912.

Carpentry and Blacksmith training school The Eva Rose York Bible Training School for
by Rev. H Dixon. women was established in 1922 at Palakonda.
 Medical Missionary Work
For Christian Converts
Medical
Missionary
Enterprise Training & Employment of
Christian Converts

Evangelism of the
Non-Christians

The C.B.M missionaries established hospitals at Akidu, Narsapatnam, Pithapuram, Yellamanchili, Samalkot and Kotipalli to

serve for the growing number of converts and to witness for the non-Christian population.

Dr. Hulet, Dr. Cameron, Miss Harrison, Miss Mason, Dr. Allyn, Dr. Smith, Dr. Wolverton, Dr. Jessie Findlay and Dr. Zella Clark.

The Good Samaritan hospital was opened in Chicacole in 1899.

The Star of Hope hospital at Akidu under Dr. Pearl Smith-Chute and under Dr. Woodburne.

Dr. Pearl Smith- Chute has made her earnest efforts to provide medical help for the female patients who could not go to

far off hospitals.

Dr. Zella Clark served in the Sompetta mission where over 52,000 patients were treated.
 Economic Reconstruction
On the economic front the CBM missionaries did considerable efforts to better the lives of the converts.
Negotiated with the government to distribute unoccupied lands either by lease or by deed.
In the Akidu field, Dr. Wolverton helped the Christians to obtain over 300 acres of land and Mr. Cross in
Avanigadda secured about 175 acres of land between the years 1920 and 1922.
The Cocanada Carpentry School for boys established under the guidance of Rev. Craig and Rev. Dixon
Smith. (Significance) Almost all the missionary societies in Colonial Andhra send their pupil boys to the
C.B.Ms Carpentry School at Cocanada.
A printing press and a Book binding facility gave employment to many converts.
Under the Rural Reconstruction Committees, programs embodied the principle of social betterment that
lead to progress in primary education, health, hygiene and economic upliftment.
Miss Clarke built a knitting factory and purchased knitting machines.
Girls boarding schools were well-organized by the missionaries wives namely Mrs. Harry Stillwell, Mrs.
Cross, Mrs. Bensen and Mrs. Gordon.
Agricultural Cooperative Societies were organized for not only providing agricultural credit but also to
give practical demonstration in improved methods of agricultural practices.
The Vuyyuru Co-operative Society was formed in 1920 with an objective to secure land for the Christian
converts and relieve themselves from the debts of the Sdra farmers.
The efforts of Dr. Wolverton, Mr. Cross, Rev. Gordon in the Vuyyuru field needs to be remembered in the
economic development of the converts through organized co-operative unions.
A voluntary adaptation to new forms of
culture also occurred at the material
aspects of life.
A freezing of the existing customs by
overcoming resistances and open for the
adoption to new forms of life.
The practices of idol worship and
carrion consumption by the Mdigas
were (expected to be) put to an end.
Discarding of the morally
degraded habits: Habits such as
drinking, smoking, quarrelling,
cheating, gambling were
discouraged.
Cleanliness in physical
surroundings:
Cleanliness in place of squalor,
temperance instead of drunkenness, a
concerted effort towards clean-living,
honest dealing and truthfulness were
the results.
Culture Change
Abandoning of the practice
of Idol worship:
We cannot beat those drums.
We cannot have anything to do
with idol-worship. We are
Christians.
Adopting Christian forms of
worship:
The Christian converts adopted
to the new form of worship on
Sundays and other important
days.
The worship service was led by
the convert village headman
accompanied by music and
instrumental play.
People gathered on the floor and
worshipped by either kneeling
or prostate upon their faces.
Despite bearing economic loss
for not working on Sundays
Christians showed courage in
staying away from work.
Stopping the habit of Carrion
consumption by the Mdigas:
The origin of this practice by
the Mdigas varied from
legendary curses of the Hindu
sages to the distressed famine
conditions.
Caused in the atmospheric filth
and pollution.
Health of the Mdigas affected.
The missionaries insisted on its
renunciation as it was
dangerously unhygienic and
one of the preconditions to be
admitted in to the Church.
Witness to Christians change
of outward social manners:
About ninety per cent of all higher
caste converts attributed their
conversion wholly, or in part, to
the influence upon them of
changes they had observed in
converts from the depressed
castes.
 Assessment
The Gospel preaching of the missionaries had transformed the character and lives of the
Mlas and Mdigas converts.
The Missionaries undertook the role of agents of change.
The area of missionary work took a multifold shape of evangelistic, educational, economic
upliftment and medical help.
The C.B.M missionaries carried evangelistic, educational and vocational work with the help of
the native school-teachers and convert Christians.
With remarkable qualities as those of self-denial and selfless devotion, the missionaries
discharged their daily duties with much dedication for institutions to last long.
The modest and unwearied attitude of the missionary was often accompanied by his amiable
wife who had proved themselves to be the right people for the missionary calling.
Therefore, Christianity as a social religion and Christian missionaries as social reformers
created institutions for the betterment of the depressed castes (Mlas and the Mdigas
converts) based on egalitarian values.
In the opinion of some observers, there had been an amount of upward mobility among a
portion of the Christians of the depressed castes background through the route of education
and occupational changes.
 References
1. Craig, John, J. R, Stillwell, I. C. Archibald & A. E. Baskerville., Telugu Trophies: The
Jubilee Story of Some of the Principal Telugu Converts in the Canadian Baptist Foreign
Mission in India from 1874 to 1924, (Toronto: The Canadian Baptist Publication Society,
1925).
2. Craig, John., Forty Years among the Telugus: A History of the Mission of the Baptists of
Ontario and Quebec, Canada to the Telugus, South India 1867-1907, (Toronto: The
Canadian Baptist Foreign Mission Board, 1908).
3. Directory of Christian Missions in India, Burma and Ceylon, November 1924, 14
Edition, (Ajmer: The Scottish Mission Press, 1924).
4. Mary S McLaurin., 25 Years on: 1924-1949, (Toronto: The Canadian Baptist Foreign
Mission Board, 1950).
5. Orchard, M. L. & McLaurin, K. S., The Enterprise: The Jubilee Story of the Canadian
Baptist Mission in India: 1874-1924, (Toronto: The Canadian Baptist Foreign Mission
Board, 1925).
6. Orchard, M. L., Canadian Baptists at Work in India, (Toronto: The Missionary Education
Department of the Foreign Mission Board, 1922).
Thank You CBHS for the
opportunity!!