It is marvellous to see what the faith and persistency of these brave men could accomplish. This is what Ziegenbalg writes about the building of their little church:
“We began, in great poverty but in firm trust and confidence in God, to build in a great heathen street in the city, and though we did not know how we should bring the work to a conclusion, God so strengthened our faith amidst obstacles, that we spent upon it all we could save from our salaries and whatever we had laid up before. Many mocked us but some were moved to pity and to help us. Thus this house of assembly was carried on with all speed, thirty persons, who were all heathens, working on it daily. On the 4th of August, 1707 (exactly two months after laying the first stone), it was consecrated in both languages, in the presence of a great number of Christians, Mohammedans and heathen, and the church received the name of New Jerusalem.”
Wherever he went he entered into conversation with the people on the subject of religion and was bold in declaring that their idols were naught. It was also his custom to gather at Negatapatam the learned Brahmins for a discussion sometimes lasting for five hours, and on one occasion one of these declared that the Supreme Being had revealed Himself to Europeans in one way and to Hindus in another; they might believe in Jesus Christ, but the Hindus were equally right in worshipping idols; a virtuous life was the one thing needful. “My friend,” said Ziegenbalg, “no man can lead such a life but by the help of Christ, but it is not in my power to make you perceive this; go home and bow down humbly before the supreme Lord of All and ask Him to show you how it is necessary to believe in Jesus Christ and own Him for your Redeemer.”
His greatest difficulty seems to have been with the civil authorities, and Hassius, the governor of Tranquebar, an ill-conditioned Jack-in-office, actually struck the missionary on the breast during an outburst of passion and had him arrested on some frivolous pretext and conducted from his study just as he was, in dressing gown and slippers, through the streets under an armed escort. For four months he was immured in a dark cell, deprived of pen and paper and books, the governor thereby hoping to break his spirit so that his prisoner might beg for release and return to Europe. But he had mistaken the mettle of his man. The answer of Ziegenbalg to this insolent suggestion was: “I bear you no ill will, but you may see that I do not fear you in the least.” Meanwhile, crowds outside clamoured for his release, even the natives who did not accept his religion holding him in deep respect and honour. When he eventually returned to his work he found the Christians all scattered by persecution, his schools closed, and, to add to his troubles, the ship which was bringing him money and supplies had foundered at sea. Soon afterwards, however, a letter came to him from the King of Denmark, and three brethren, Gründler, Bövingh and Jordan, arrived to strengthen his hands.
Ten years before this, the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge had been established and these English friends were destined to become the faithful and effectual supporters of Ziegenbalg and the Danish Mission in India. Through their agency the work was made widely known to England and Europe, and help was sent out for the translation of the Holy Scriptures and the opening of schools. The chaplains of the English forts at Madras, Calcutta and Bombay were entreated to show the missionary and his flock every favour. Ziegenbalg’s companion, Plütschau, had to return to Europe on account of failing health, but the work grew and extended in different directions. One of the notable converts at this time was a Tamil poet, Kanabadi by name, who was asked by Ziegenbalg to translate some portions of the Bible into that language and by doing so was led into the light. Afterwards he rendered the life of Christ into verse and used to sing it with the children on the housetops in the cool of the evening. Whatever great things our nation has done for India since then—and the Church has poured forth without stint her best treasure and noble witnesses for the salvation of its people—the palm of credit must be given to Denmark and Germany for the pioneer missionary efforts. The great missionaries of England were yet unborn, but the hearts of many godly people were deeply stirred by the tidings of what was being dared and done by the Lutheran brethren who had gone forth with their Bibles in their hands. Their letters home had been translated into English by the Rev. A. W. Boehme, the German chaplain of Prince George of Denmark (the uncle of King Frederick), and these were sent to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, asking their sympathy and help. The latter, however, it was not in their power, under their original charter, to give, as they were limited to the “English Plantations and Colonies,” so the appeal came to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, which was not so bound in its action. Thus it came to pass in the order of Divine Providence that this Society should have the privilege of expressing the pious liberality and equally precious direction which the Christian love and faith in England placed at the service of the needs of India. Its practical sympathy was shown at once by sending many copies of the New Testament in Portuguese to Tranquebar and a printing press with a fount of Roman type, together also with one Jonas Fincke, a printer by trade. These, however, were perilous days for ships, and the French captured the ship off Brazil, which seems a little out of her course, and took Fincke as a prisoner of war. In the end he was set free but died at the Cape of Good Hope of fever and the belated press arrived in India the following year. Fortunately, one of the soldiers of the East India Company was found who could work a press, and thus catechisms, hymn books and tracts began for the first time to be printed for the mission.
In 1714 Ziegenbalg returned to his native land for a little rest, freely forgiving his old foe the Governor, who trembled for the consequences if the King heard of his shameful conduct. Bövingh, full of fault-finding, was already on his way back to Germany, scarcely on friendly terms with his old leader and comrade. Ziegenbalg reached the camp when the King was engaged in the siege of Stralsund and his reception was a remarkable tribute to his character.
“One evening there was evidently a profound movement among the Danish troops. A stranger of note had had an audience with the King, who had shown him singular favour, and for hours, it was said, they had been closeted together. The soldiers who had gathered round may have been disappointed when they saw he was only a clergyman, a man indeed of commanding presence, of a wonderful dignity and fire, resolute and calm, with a keen eye, a bronzed and almost swarthy face seamed with deep lines of care, and a winning courtesy and lovableness of manner. But when he opened his lips and preached to them and they heard it was Ziegenbalg, the missionary from Tranquebar, there were some at least who ceased to wonder at his welcome from the King. To the camp Ziegenbalg had hurried with all speed. Letters had given no warning of his journey and he seemed to have dropped out of the clouds. He was accustomed to rapid movements, and he had no time to spare, but he got his story told to the King and was content. Some days were snatched from war for this work of peace, changes and arrangements were proposed in the management of the mission, Ziegenbalg was informed that his patent of superintendent had already been sent out to India, and for details he was referred to Copenhagen. Thither he journeyed with restless speed, and then into Germany to Francke at Halle, halting little at any place and preaching to vast crowds who filled the churches and swayed out into the street, ‘very weak,’ we are told, ‘yet kindling by his presence the zeal of all the mission friends and moving his audience as he would by his glowing appeals.’”[6]
His visit to England was specially gratifying to Ziegenbalg. He was personally for the first time to meet all those good friends of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge who had so liberally supplied him with money, books and letters full of encouragement. At a meeting of the Society he was welcomed with an eloquent Latin address, to which he replied in Tamil. Before his return the aged missionary was presented to King George I, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London and other eminent persons, and afterwards in 1717 the King wrote him a letter in Latin in which he said: “We pray you may be endued with health and strength of body, that you may long continue to fulfil your ministry with good success, of which we shall be rejoiced to hear, so you will always find us ready to succour you in whatever may tend to promote your work and to excite your zeal.”
Two years afterwards when Archbishop Wake was acting as President of the Society he sent to Ziegenbalg and his colleague Gründler a Latin letter full of good wishes. The following extract will show the spirit of this Apostolic epistle:—
“Your praise it will be (a praise of endless duration on earth and followed by a just recompense in Heaven) to have laboured in the vineyard which yourselves have planted, to have declared the Name of Christ where it was not known before and through much peril and difficulty to have converted to the faith those among whom you afterwards fulfilled your ministry. Your province therefore, brethren, your office, I place before all dignities in the Church. Let others be pontiffs, patriarchs, or popes, let them glitter in purple, in scarlet or in gold, let them seek the admiration of the wondering multitude and receive obeisance on the bended knee. You have acquired a better name than they and a more sacred fame. Admitted into the glorious society of the prophets, evangelists and apostles, ye with them shall shine like the sun among his lesser stars in the Kingdom of your Father, for ever.”