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John Lazarus: Satya
Tudan and the Christian Patriot
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It
was at this time that Herman Jensen developed
acquaintance with one John Lazarus, a son
of an evangelist of London Mission Society
( LMS) and a B.A. graduate of the Madras University.
With his thirst for a missionary career, Lazarus
joined the DMS at the instance of Jensen since
the LMS did not yet ordain Indians for missionary
service. He was the first Indian to be ordained
as Pastor by the DMS in 1883 and as such the
first Indian Pastor of the Arcot Lutheran
Church. He worked as missionary and pastor
for the small Madras congregation till his
retirement in 1914.
Since resentment and disturbances by Hindus
grew to a certain point as a result of street
preaching and since the Hindu Tract Society
also was entering into disputations with Christians
preachers, John Lazarus started the magazine
'Satya Tudan' first in Tamil in 1888 and later
it came out in Telugu too. For many years
this magazine, which received the appreciation
of both Christians and non-Christians, had
a large circulation with subscriber strength
of ten to twelve thousand. Later in 1891 he
started the paper 'The Christian Patriot'
which for many years remained the only All
India Christian paper besides the Guardian.
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Mission Work in Madras:
"The Great Trio- Jensen, Larsen and Lazarus".
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In
1889 the renowned theologian L.P. Larsen arrived
in Madras, which strengthened the DMS work
there. The work was extended as there were
three missionaries at that time; Herman Jensen,
the veteran missionary of vast experience,
John Lazarus, the scholar - journalist, and
Larsen, a dynamic preacher and a theologian.
It was indeed a great combination, which accelerated
the missionary movement and resulted in the
erection of the present church and the inauguration
of a Reading Room, two mile - stones in the
march of the Danish Missionary movement in
Madras.
Methods of Missionary
Labour: Street Preaching, Dialogue and
Lectures
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| Larsen continued street-preaching
since by now opposition to it had abated.
In his opinion street-preaching gave
an opportunity to get into contact and
dialogue with individuals. Street-preaching
was followed by talks with individuals
and visits to the homes of the educated.
Preaching of the Gospel was also done
in bazaars and schools. |
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Larsen was deeply involved
in the work among students. The location of Madras
Christian College then functioning in Linghi Chetty
Street at the Parry's Corner end, facilitated his
work. Larsen also opened a Reading Room in 1890
in a rented building where lectures in English were
held. It developed into a great institution in course
of time. This gave opportunities for talks and discussions
with Hindus on themes, which varied from religion
to Indian nationalism.
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A New
Church Building (1892)
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The DMS was not having
a church building for worship. The Danish missionaries
managed to buy a plot in Broadway and erected a
fine church built in Gothic architectural style,
which was dedicated on 18th December 1892, and Larsen
became its first pastor. Next to the church
a new house was built for the pastor and the Reading
Room functioning in a rented building was shifted
to the ground floor of the parsonage .The Reading
Room became a popular institution. The church and
the Reading Room are the two great contributions
of this great trio.
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