Indian Christianity

HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA : M. M. NINAN
Brethren Assembly
Maramon Convention was the breeding ground for most of the evangelical movements in South India.
Many of the speakers from Europe and America were the sponsors of these independent charismatic
movements.
This movement is an outgrowth of Pietism - or Holiness Movement of the early 17th Centuary. It
originated in Germany in 1708 and were known at that time as Dunkers. They were called Dunkers by
outsiders because they fully immersed or “dunked” their baptismal candidates in nearby streams, three
complete dunkings; a particular method of baptism that completely distinguished them from the
“sprinkling” of the Lutherans and Methodists, and the “pouring” Mennonites, and even the single dunk
Baptists. Other names by which they are sometimes identified are Dunkers, Dunkards, Tunkers, and
Täufer, all relating to their practice of baptism by immersion. It was led by Alexander Mack (1679-1735)
and created such giant revivalists like Darbi, Ironside and Spurgeon.
Darbi, Ironside and Spurgeon
The “Plymouth Brethren” were named after the English seaside town of Plymouth, where a sizable
number of Christians gathered during the early years of the movement.Early in 1825 in Dublin, Ireland,
Dr. Edward Cronin and Edward Wilson began meeting together each Lord’s Day morning for the
breaking of bread, worship, and study of the Word. In 1830, J. N. Darby left the Anglican priesthood
and devoted himself full-time to forming and feeding similar small gatherings both in Ireland and
England
Anthony Norris Groves, a Plymouth Brethren missionary came to India in 1833. He recruited a
number of missionaries to assist existing efforts in several parts of India, and to pioneer new ventures,
notably in the Godavari Delta and Tamilnadu. Groves advocated the adoption of the New Testament as
a manual of missionary methods. One of Groves's Indian disciples was John Arulappan.
Mathai, a CMS Evangelist from Thirunalveli was a disciple of Arulappan, came to Kerala with the
message of Brothren persuation. This paved way for the commencement of Brethren movement in
Kerala.
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