Christian Friedrich Schwarz
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Christian Friedrich Schwarz (also Schwartz) (1726-1798) was a German Protestant missionary to India, born on October 8, 1726 at Sonnenburg, in the electorate of Brandenburg, Prussia. Having learned Tamil to assist in a translation of the Bible into that language, he was led to form the intention of becoming a missionary to India. He received ordination at Copenhagen on the August 8, 1749, and, after spending some time in England to acquire the English language, embarked early in 1750 for India.
He arrived at Tiruchirapalli on July 30 via Tranquebar. Tranquebar was for some time his headquarters, but he paid frequent visits to Thanjavur and Tiruchirapalli, and in 1766 moved to Tiruchirapalli. Here he acted as chaplain to the garrison, who erected a church for his general use.
In 1769 he secured the friendship of the raja of Thanjavur, who, although he never embraced Christianity, afforded him every countenance in his missionary labors. Shortly before his death he committed to Schwarz the education of his adopted son and successor. Schwarz taught the prince, Prince Serfoji, and another slightly older pupil Vedanayagam using the gurukulam approach, where teacher and taught live together.
In 1779 Schwarz undertook, at the request of the British authorities in Madras (present day Chennai), a private embassy to Hyder Ali, the ruler of Mysore. When Hyder invaded the Carnatic, Schwarz was allowed to pass through the enemy's camp without molestation. After twelve years in Tiruchirapalli he removed to Thanjavur, where he spent the remainder of his life. He died on the I3th of February 13, 1798.
Schwarz's direct success in making converts exceeded that of any other Protestant missionary in India, in addition to which he succeeded in winning the esteem of Muslims and Hindus. The raja of Tanjore erected a monument, executed by Flaxman, in the mission church, in which he is represented as grasping the hand of the dying missionary and receiving his benediction. A splendid monument to Schwarz by Bacon was placed by the British East India Company in St Mary's church at Chennai. Schwarz High School in Ramanathapuram has nurtured many a young scholar, noteworthy among whom is Dr.Abdul Kalam, the President of India.
[edit] References
- Remains of Schwarz, with a sketch of his life
- Memoirs of Life and Correspondence, by H. N. Pearson (1834, 3rd ed. 1839)
- Life of Christian Friedrich Schwarz, by H. N. Pearson (1855).
[edit] External links
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
