Prayer Fragrance

(He was followed by eminent missionaries William Carey and Henry Martin, who acknowledged themselves as missionaries in neighboring countries) BORN: April 20, 1718, in the United States.  His father died when he was 9 years old. He also lost her mother at the age of 14. He experienced a new life at the age of 21. CALL TO DIVINE SERVICE Illness caused by physical weakness often prevented him from getting an education. There were no missionaries to preach Gospel to the Ancient people who were once called Red Indians or American Indians. Hearing that they had never known Christ, Brainerd repeatedly fought for the salvation of these people in his long prayers, waited for Christ to lead the way, and got ready to carry the gospel. MISSION AMONG RED INDIANS He walked on the most dangerous paths and traveled on horseback. Many times he does not get the right food. He will have to travel 10 to 15 miles to buy a loaf of bread. The Bread that was bought on his way back would ferment before it is eaten. Sometimes that bread will also be unavailable. He would lie down on the grass and sleep on the straw spread out on the boards. When lonely, he could only communicate with his translators. He does not have Christian brothers to share his feelings with.  RED INDIANS They were built by superstitions and were worshipers of birds, animals, trees, and seasons. SERVICE DONE WITH TEARS Despite countless obstacles, Brainerd longed for the American Indians to be somehow saved. He would go into the woods alone with great care and pray for the salvation of these people for many hours. He will weep and beg with all his heart and would often fast and pray. At one point he fell asleep outside and became very ill. He got a high fever and body aches, and blood came out of his mouth. He was approaching death. But a week later, David recovered and was able to resume his work. He would look more tired after preaching each day. The fever would become high. He would lie down unable to do anything. Excessive bleeding from the mouth may occur. Even though strength was a little crippled in his life, he sacrificed himself for the salvation of the American Indians because he loved them. BENEFITS Red Indians Crying for the Lord's merciful mercy and weeping became the scene of all the meetings held by Brainard. All the Red Indians who lived in the mountains came in large numbers and listened intently to Brainerd's sermon. He became known as the "White Preacher of the Bible." VERY SHORT LIFE  Within 5 years he had done work that would take for a single person in mission work to do in 70 years. At the age of 29, he went to God’s presence to see and glorify the God he served along with the angels. Even it was a very short life, but it was a life dedicated to the Lord throughout!

Birth: 01.10.1792 Death: 13.01.1873 City: Bristol Country: England Place of Vision: India Charles Mead is called the 'Father of the South Travancore Mission. During his first missionary journey from England to India, at a very young age, he lost his wife and a three months old child within a span of few days. Inspired by others who lost their possessions and lives for missionary work, Charles Mead, too, accepted his losses and committed himself for God's work actively. He was in charge of the ministry left by Ringletaube at Mylaudy and moved its headquarters to Nagercoil. He built an orphanage to accommodate orphaned children, a boarding school, a church, and a printing press as well. Within a span of two years, he was able to save 3000 souls for Christ. He commenced a seminary in 1819 and an English Medium School in 1820 which provided education to many people without any caste or religious discrimination. In those days, the lower caste ∆ women were treated like slaves by the upper castes and were not allowed to wear topcoats. Mead opposed this discrimination. He made efforts and started organizations for the rights and protection of lower caste women between the period 1822-1829. But it also drew the ire of the upper caste people in Neyyoor who burnt down many Christian houses, schools, and churches. However, the collective effort of many missionaries resulted in the enactment of a law empowering the lower caste women. Many people conspired to kill Mead for his Christian work, but God miraculously saved him from all. He served the people of Colachel and many parts of Neyyoor district in Tamil Nadu for over 35 years and led them to Christ.

Bartholomew, the Apostle- Birth :- Death : - City : Cana- Country : Palestine- Place of Vision : India, Armenia∆Once Bartholomew was sitting under a fig tree when his friend Philip came to see him. He said that he had seen the Messiah, as the prophets had foretold. Bartholomew, who at first refused to believe, on persuasion finally set out to see Jesus.∆ When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, said of him, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" (John 1:47). When he asked, “How do you know me?" then Jesus said, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." (John 1:48). Bartholomew was surprised hearing this and then declared Jesus as the Son of God and as the King of Israel and became His' disciple. He has also been identified as Nathanael in the Gospel of John. He had a pure heart with no deceit. It is said that he was given the responsibility of looking after the families of the apostles.∆ Bartholomew came to India to preach the gospel and worked among the Hindus and the Brahmins. Then he went to Armenia, where he healed the sick and revived the dead. An Armenian king called 'Polymius' accepted Christ because of Bartholomew. Enraged by the king's conversion, Polymius's brother, Prince Astyages, ordered Bartholomew's torture and execution, which Bartholomew endured. He was crucified upside down and his body was thrown into a sea.∆ Born into a royal family, he became a disciple of Jesus and devoted his entire life to the pursuit of souls for Christ."Lord, give me the strength to do the things you intend me to do, Amen!"

Kartar SinghBirth :Death :City : PatialaCountry :IndiaPlace of Vision: Tibet# Kartar Singh was born into a wealthy Sikh family at Patiala in India. He was the only son, and all the hopes of the family were centered upon him; he was brought up in luxury and was given the best education possible. But at a very young age, Kartar heard about Christianity and found its principles interesting. He started reading the Scriptures and found it to be the source of satisfaction to his soul. The more he read, the more he loved the true God. Finally, he left his sinful life and accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior. His family was upset with his decision to be a Christian and sent him out of the house.# However, he understood his call and preached the gospel in several cities and villages in Punjab. Later, he crossed the hills and reached Tibet, to preach the love of Christ to the people there. Despite the opposition from Buddhist monks, Kartar proclaimed the love of Christ in the streets of Tibet and brought many to Christ.# Once, he was arrested for not having permission to preach from the Government and was sentenced to death. Yet, Kartar was not ready to deny his faith for Christ. He was sewn up in a wet yak skin, which was then allowed to dry in the sun. The heat from the sun began to shrink the yak skin, under which his bones slowly started breaking. Amidst all this, he continuously proclaimed Jesus as the true living God to the mocking crowd around him. Never once did he break down crying because of the pain that was inflicted upon him. # After three days of continuous suffering, he finally committed his spirit into the hands of God he trusted. Sadhu Sundar Singh was enormously encouraged by the life of Kartar Singh.Beloved, are you willing to go to any place where the Lord might send you?

∆ BIRTH : 07.09.1774∆ DEATH : 24.01.1864∆ CITY : Tirunelveli∆ COUNTRY : India∆ PLACE OF VISION : IndiaIt was at the court of the King of Tanjore, where all the ministers gathered happily. King Serfoji entered the court and sat on his throne. Next to him sat his dear friend Vedanayagam Sastriyar, the official court poet.That day the King asked Sastriyar for a unique favor. He asked him to sing a song praising his (the King's) God. Sastriyar could not fulfill the King's wish and sadly returned home. After knowing the real reason, his wife also shared his grief. At that moment, he wrote the following lines,"_Yesuvaiyae thuthi sei, nee manamae Yesuvaiyae thuthi sei_" (Sing praises to the Lord alone, my heart, Sing praises to the Lord alone). He went back to the King's court and sang the same song. Never after that, the King asked him to sing for his God.Sastriyar was firm in his faith. With this poetic talent, he wrote many hymns for the glory of the Lord. He was a good author too. He wrote more than 52 books even before he was 34 years old. One of his best works is 'Bethlehem Kuravanji. In 1849, during the New Year worship service, he sang the hymn “Paadi thuthi manamae, Paranai kondaadi thuthi manamae_" (sing praises my heart, sing praises celebrating the Lord), which became a famous hymn.He is also called as the 'Evangelistic poet' and as 'A poet with divine wisdom.' He continued to glorify God, and he spread the Gospel as far as Ceylon despite personal tragedies and setbacks. His spiritual father was missionary Schwartz with whose help attained Biblical knowledge. He contributed immensely to the Christian community. His descendants are called "Sastriars,' and they continue to serve God and bring many people to Christ through songsof praise. Beloved, how are you utilizing the talents that God has gifted you?

Mother Teresa∆ Birth : 26.08.1910∆ Death :05.09.1997∆ City : Skopje∆ Country : Yugoslavia∆ Place of Vision: IndiaA woman bitten by rats and ants was lying on a sidewalk. She was so weak that she could not even cry. There came an angel who took her up on her shoulders and carried her to a hospital. They were not permitted to enter the hospital. However, upon the strong insistence and obstinacy of the angel, the woman was admitted and treated at the hospital.Also known as 'The Angel of Mercy, Mother Teresa became the mother of many such abandoned women. She did not choose to help or serving others as her primary duty, but it was her way of life. She fed many thousands of the poor, gave them shelter, and helped them to accept the Lord. At the age of 18, she received a call for God's service, to which she obeyed and devoted herself to monastic life. Soon, she was sent to Darjeeling in India and then to Calcutta, where she started her service as a teacher. She learned to speak Bengali and Hindi and dedicated herself to alleviate poverty through education.Later, Mother Teresa founded the charity organization, 'Missionaries of Charity, which cares for the hunger and homeless. The place welcomes all the people who felt unwanted, unloved, uncared and shunned by society. In the beginning, she had no funds and depended on divine providence. Soon she was joined by voluntary workers, and financial support was also forthcoming. Today the organization is spread throughout the world, with thousands of members actively helping the poorest of the poor. Her life is perfectly reflected in her own words when she said, "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love."Beloved, what is your role in the expansion of Christ's kingdom on this earth?"Dear Lord, give me a heart that is as loving as that of Mother Teresa, Amen!"

∆ BIRTH : 1869∆ DEATH : 1929∆ CITY : Madurai∆ COUNTRY: India∆ PLACE OF VISION : IndiaWhen India was under the rule of British, only English songs were sung in many Indian churches. During this period, Santhiagu worked very hard to instill a spirit of enthusiasm towards the gospel among the Tamil Christians.During that time, the Christians were accused of having accepted the rule of the British for spreading their religion. But Santhiagu boldly preached that the sovereignty and kingdom of God are more significant than any earthly kingdom and power. His songs proclaimed God's dominion over all the people and also reminded the people about their social responsibilities.His two songs, "Thaasarae iththaraniyai anbaai yesuvukku sonthamaakuvom" (Dear brothers, through love, let us make this world belong to our Jesus) and "Yesuvukku namathu desaththai" (Our nation to the Lord Jesus Christ) describing the sovereignty of God over the Earth had a profound impact on people's minds.Having come from a Hindu background, he dedicated his whole life to minister to God. He started his career as a Mathematics teacher and later served as a pastor full-time in a church. He worked hard for the unity of churches. He tended to the needs of the hungry sick and oppressed. Through his ministry, he made them realize their sins, addictions, and the consequent sorrows of life. He strictly condemned the nominal devotional life through the word of God. His Christian revival songs renewed the hearts of many and made them live as testimonies for Christ."Lord, use me to make the country I live to be Yours, Amen!"

Birth: 03.09.1889 City: Rampur, Punjab Country: India Place of Vision: Tibet The people of Tibet were strong followers of Buddhism. The country forbade the gospel of Christ to be preached there, and anyone found violating this rule was punished cruelly. Sadhu Sundar Singh traveled to Tibet alone carrying Lord Jesus Christ in his heart and The Holy Bible in his hands. He was a Sikh by birth and hated Christianity. He lost his mother while he was fourteen and underwent a crisis of faith. One day he wanted to end his life if the true God doesn't reveal himself. Suddenly his room was filled with light, and he had a vision of Jesus. Sundar was convinced in his heart that Jesus was the true Savior. After accepting Christ, he longed deeply for the people of Tibet to be saved. At the age of 19, he went to Tibet to preach the gospel, where he was caught and tortured by the Tibetan Lamas several times. He suffered all the punishments with joy. A repetitive offender in Tibet was punished by being thrown into a deep dilapidated well and is left to die inside it. Sadhu Sundar Singh was also given the same punishment. As soon as he hit the bottom of the well, his shoulders broke. He found several other rotting dead bodies around him. But, after three days of prayer, he was miraculously rescued by someone who lowered a rope with a cot tied to it. He managed to get out of the well and resumed his evangelistic work. He carried out God's work in many parts of Nepal, Tibet, and India. He was an excellent teacher who taught the scriptures with illustrations, making them easy to understand. He wrote several books that are like a rod and a staff to conduct a good Christian life. He is referred to as 'an apostle with bleeding feet and also as 'an Indian apostle. He was born on this day (3rd September) in 1889. Beloved, are you willing to endure any suffering for Christ's sake?

The school was established in 1895 under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church of America. Its founder and first Principal was Miss Emma Knowles, a missionary sent out to India with the Women's Foreign Missionary Society in 1881. Emma Knowles played a key role in establishing the Wellesley Girls High School in Naini Tal and having worked at the Calcutta Girls' High School she embarked on a similar school to be set up in Darjeeling's cool climes. Her plan gained the approval of the Church authorities in the United States as well as in India, but no financial aid was forthcoming from either quarter. It was only by borrowing and by paying rent out of her missionary salary that she was able to open her school in 1895 in a rented house called Arcadia, in a long low building right in the heart of the town, with just 13 pupils on the rolls. The school was also called Arcadia at that time and was considered as a branch of the Calcutta Girls’ High School. By 1899 there were 37 boarders when Miss C. J. Stahl was the officiating Principal for Miss Knowles. On a late September evening, following a deluge from continuous rains, "the ledge in front of the school became a river of water." The children were evacuated to a home higher up. Some little ones had already fallen asleep in their new refuge when a great boulder hit the corner of the room destroying the two walls. The two children just moved to a place of safety were killed, all others went unhurt. On the same night in a cottage not far from Arcadia, 6 children of Mr and Mrs Lee were living in the care of their older sister and trusted servants. They attended Arcadia as day scholars. The next morning revealed that there was not a vestige of the cottage or anything it held. Mrs Ada Lee turned to God and wrote of her journey in pain in her book, The Darjeeling Disaster. It chronicles her struggles and her faith in converting her disaster to triumph. Out of this heart-wrenching engagement with God the Lee Memorial Mission was born to care for famine-stricken orphans, by providing for them food, education and a decent place to stay. Thus in Wellington Square, the Lee Memorial Building came into being in 1908, "In Answer to Prayer – Psalm 27: 1". In the disaster of 1899 ten students had died. Following the disaster Arcadia was closed and opened again on 1 March 1900 in two rented houses named Queen's Hilland The Repose, which were later purchased with a third house, Woodville, on ground leased from the Maharaja of Burdwan. These premises were above the railway station, and the school officially became Queen's Hill School for Girls. A new wing was added in 1902 with financial aid from the Women's Foreign Missionary Society and the government of India.. 1856 - 1948

BRAZIL'S FIREBRAND The preaching hall in Pernambuco was crowded with attentive listeners. One of these was Herculano, a Brazilian of giant proportions. His eyes were riveted on the speaker, who, with impassioned zeal, proclaimed the mighty truths of a majestic text: "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." When the service was over, Herculano said, "Missionary, I've never heard anything like this before but I like your message about the cleansing blood of Jesus.  That is what I need." When the missionary suggested a visit to his house for the purpose of further discussion, he readily assented and a meeting was arranged for the following day. The next morning the missionary was informed that it would be an act of extreme recklessness to visit Herculano. Said his informant: "Herculano is a giant in wickedness as well as in size, and is interested, not in Christianity, but in robbing or killing you. Moreover, the district in which he lives is a veritable den of thieves and murderers. Even a policeman will not go there alone and strangers who have ventured to enter have never been heard of again. The missionary knelt in prayer of renewed consecration to his Master, then set out on his journey. At the appointed place Herculano met him and guided him to his small adobe hut. When they reached the place, every living thing vanished in haste. Herculano's wife, children, dogs and cats were terrified at his presence and fled as for their lives. The missionary sat on an old kerosene box, looked into the bloodshot eyes of his auditor and said: "Although warned that it would probably mean death to come to this place, I have fulfilled my promise. I am here because I am more concerned about your soul than about my own life." Then in simple language he told of the gospel of salvation, of God's love, of Christ's death and of Calvary's cleansing fountain. "The cleansing blood—that is what I need!" exclaimed Herculano. But even as he spoke his face blanched and his enormous frame trembled violently. His unregenerate nature was aroused and he was engaged in a fierce conflict. He was struggling with a savage impulse to seize the missionary and strangle him. The missionary was skilled in dealing with souls. He knew that the soul-winner's final resort and most potent weapon is prayer. "I then slipped to my knees," relates he, "and the big giant knelt beside me. Then, with trembling voice and eyes overflowing with tears, I began pleading with God on behalf of this poor soul." Soon he heard a body fall prostrate to the floor and a choked voice, expressing an agony of sorrow and despair, cried out for mercy and forgiveness: "O God! save a poor, degraded, miserable sinner! Wash me in the cleansing blood of Jesus!" Such was the piteous, continual cry of this man as he rolled in agony on the floor. Finally Herculano rose up, saying he was assured the Lord had heard and saved him. He then related some of the highlights of his career. He was the hired assassin of an influential politician; because of his crimes he had spent seventeen years on Convict Island; recently released, he had gone back to making his living by murder and had already carried out orders to assassinate a man. The cleansing blood of Jesus! That is what I need! Wash me in the cleansing blood of Jesus! "The blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son," That was the text that transformed Herculano from a vicious savage to a gentle saint. It was that same stupendous text that wrought a stupendous history in the life of Solomon L. Ginsburg, the Firebrand of Brazil, who was instrumental in Herculano's conversion Solomon Ginsburg was born near Suwalki, Poland, on August 6, 1867. His father was a Jewish rabbi. When he was six years old he was sent to live with his mother's people in Koenigsberg, because he could secure much better educational opportunities in Germany than in Poland. At his father's insistence he returned home at the age of fourteen to find practices and plans which were very distasteful. He revolted against the pharisaical strictness which decreed, for instance, that no match could be lighted on a Sabbath day and no handkerchief could be carried in one's pocket. Mr. Ginsburg wanted his son to follow in his steps and become a rabbi. He determined to flee. He was then fifteen years of age. He wandered through Poland and Germany for some time, then took passage at Hamburg on a sailing vessel carrying horses to London. There he secured employment as assistant bookkeeper in the large dry goods store of his uncle, a typical orthodox Jew. One Sabbath afternoon while passing along Whitechapel Street he was accosted by a converted Jew, who said: "I wish to invite you to go with me to a service at the Mildmay Mission. I am going to speak on the 53rd chapter of Isaiah." Instantly young Ginsburg recalled an incident that took place in Poland. His father was celebrating the Feast of the Tabernacle, living in a tent or booth he had set up close to the house. One day Solomon picked up a copy of the Prophets, turned to the book of Isaiah and, quite by accident, began to read the 53rd chapter. As he read, his interest was kindled and, turning to his father, asked, "To whom does the prophet refer in this chapter?" A profound silence came over the rabbi. Not being answered, Solomon repeated his question; whereupon his father snatched the book out of his hand and deliberately slapped him in the face. "I felt quite chagrined," says Solomon in his autobiography, "but in the providence of God it served its purpose, for, when the Jewish missionary asked me to go and hear him explain that very chapter.. I went out of curiosity to see if he had a better explanation than the one my father had given." He listened with fascinated interest as the speaker called attention to the wonders of the life of Jesus and showed how every prophecy was fulfilled in Him. He could not grasp it all, but he did understand that Isaiah 53 was a divinely given picture of the coming Messiah and that its prophecies had their exact and revealing fulfillment in the drama that took place on Golgotha's brow. As a result of the conversion Solomon committed himself as a Baptist missionary to Brazil.. His labor in brazil,the land of Catholics earned him much hatred and there were many occasions that God saved him from near death from his assasins. Some of his assassins were saved miraculously by the testimony of Ginsberg himself.. As the result of the blessing of the Spirit of God upon the heroic labors of Solomon Ginsburg and many other noble souls, both missionaries and nationals, Southern Baptists have for several years been organizing an average of one new church a week in Brazil, and certain other evangelical groups are also reaping a Pentecostal harvest. The Firebrand of Brazil burned like heated phosphorous who labored much for 35 years and at last burned out, April 1, 1927.. Did itreally burn out? Rather, its radiance was transferred to another sphere, where it will continue to shine with undiminished luster in the constellation of the missionary immortals.. 1867 - 1927