E.A. Rodrigues ( may be of Spanish origin) was an employee based in Madras of Survey Department of old Madras Presidency in early 1800s. He was more involved in studying pantheon of Hindu gods and goddesses to understand Hindu religion and to devise ways for proselytization of Hindu population to Christianity. He studied 300 important Hindu gods and goddesses deeply and wrote a series 125 monthly articles for the members of his journal during 1811 to 1821. The entire volumes of his articles was published as a single book in 1841 by Orient Lithopress, Vepery, Madras. This old and rare book in its original print form later found its way to Salar Jung Museum , Hyderabad. In due course of time, Ministry of Culture, Govt of India with the support of IIT, Mumbai and IGNOU, Delhi digitized this old book and made available online for those who are interested in understanding the historical évents.
The author , Mr Rodrigues was highly critical of the practice of idolatry worship by hindus and passed uncharitable remarks through his articles. In his introductory remarks on page 9 of the book, he wrote “ These volumes when in the hands of those who may feel an interest, in the conversions of hindoos , around them , may in some measure , assist them to know the length and breadth and depth of Idolatry, and cause them to lift their hearts and seek for a glimpse of those joyful news , when the grim Mohick of Hindoostan with all his priests and worshippers and every other idol , delusive and indignant , shall be vanquished “.
He further writes , “ Happy might we be and grateful to a righteous God- on receiving the heart rejoicing news that the connection of Christian Government with this horrid Idolatry of India is dissolved - now may we go forward with clean hands and may that we no longer joint
partakers in the gains and revenue of Idolatry - now may we proclaim our common cause of Christianity - and labour toward the conversion of our fellow creatures who sit in the darkness and shadow of death - may we exhibit to them the blessedness of the religion of our great creator - who will aid us and not forsake in the hour of need for his righteousness sake “
In the 18th and 19th centuries there were many aggressive evangelists of foreign origin operating in southern India and proselytizing the local population to Christianity. One of them was Constantine Joseph Beschi ( aka Veerama munivar) who came to India from Italy in his twenties and spent the next fifty years in Madras presidency actively engaged in church work . He learnt Tamil language and was very active in Thanjavur district setting up many churches and converting people to Christianity. He used to wear saffron robes like Hindu seers and preached Christianity. He severely attacked Brahminism and wrote satirical comic series on Hindu gurus ( Paramartha Guru and his foolish disciples). He branded Brahmins of Indo- European origin and others as indigenous dravidians . He died in 1747 either at Thrissur in Kerala or Manaparai in TN ( not clear). He set the stage for the next aggressive evangelist , Robert Caldwell ( aka Caldwell Iyer) , an Irishman who came to India at the age of 24 years and lived his next 40 years in southern India till death in 1891 at Kodaikanal. He actively converted large number of people in southern districts of TN into Christianity . He propounded the theory of brahminical aryans and others as dravidians and succeeded in dividing the society. He also contributed to the development of Tamil language and its grammar.
The credit for the success of conversions to Christianity in TN goes to these two evangelists.
The book attached to this post is the original digitized copy and therefore contains blurred letters at many places and also many blank pages that were originally contained pictures of Hindu gods faded away with time. Therefore the first 8 pages will be blank and then text appears. In between also, there are blank pages. It may also require some efforts to read the text clearly. But it will be worth the effort.
The author , Mr Rodrigues was highly critical of the practice of idolatry worship by hindus and passed uncharitable remarks through his articles. In his introductory remarks on page 9 of the book, he wrote “ These volumes when in the hands of those who may feel an interest, in the conversions of hindoos , around them , may in some measure , assist them to know the length and breadth and depth of Idolatry, and cause them to lift their hearts and seek for a glimpse of those joyful news , when the grim Mohick of Hindoostan with all his priests and worshippers and every other idol , delusive and indignant , shall be vanquished “.
He further writes , “ Happy might we be and grateful to a righteous God- on receiving the heart rejoicing news that the connection of Christian Government with this horrid Idolatry of India is dissolved - now may we go forward with clean hands and may that we no longer joint
partakers in the gains and revenue of Idolatry - now may we proclaim our common cause of Christianity - and labour toward the conversion of our fellow creatures who sit in the darkness and shadow of death - may we exhibit to them the blessedness of the religion of our great creator - who will aid us and not forsake in the hour of need for his righteousness sake “
In the 18th and 19th centuries there were many aggressive evangelists of foreign origin operating in southern India and proselytizing the local population to Christianity. One of them was Constantine Joseph Beschi ( aka Veerama munivar) who came to India from Italy in his twenties and spent the next fifty years in Madras presidency actively engaged in church work . He learnt Tamil language and was very active in Thanjavur district setting up many churches and converting people to Christianity. He used to wear saffron robes like Hindu seers and preached Christianity. He severely attacked Brahminism and wrote satirical comic series on Hindu gurus ( Paramartha Guru and his foolish disciples). He branded Brahmins of Indo- European origin and others as indigenous dravidians . He died in 1747 either at Thrissur in Kerala or Manaparai in TN ( not clear). He set the stage for the next aggressive evangelist , Robert Caldwell ( aka Caldwell Iyer) , an Irishman who came to India at the age of 24 years and lived his next 40 years in southern India till death in 1891 at Kodaikanal. He actively converted large number of people in southern districts of TN into Christianity . He propounded the theory of brahminical aryans and others as dravidians and succeeded in dividing the society. He also contributed to the development of Tamil language and its grammar.
The credit for the success of conversions to Christianity in TN goes to these two evangelists.
The book attached to this post is the original digitized copy and therefore contains blurred letters at many places and also many blank pages that were originally contained pictures of Hindu gods faded away with time. Therefore the first 8 pages will be blank and then text appears. In between also, there are blank pages. It may also require some efforts to read the text clearly. But it will be worth the effort.
