Ziegenbalg biography of donald

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To their surprise, the good bishop refused to ordain them without a strict examination in Latin starting with the question ‘Quid est regeneratio’, or ‘what is the New Birth?’ Ziegenbalg replied quickly in Latin that the New Birth is an act of grace which transfers a person into life’. However, we know that Ziegenbalg’s correspondence was, at least in this initial period, heavily edited by his, at times, ‘over pietistic’ friends and some correspondence was even suppressed.

In 1715 ill-health forced him to return to Europe, and he was received with high honors both in Germany and in England. There are lots of similar statues all over India, often painted gold to make them appear more impressive, and they are usually set up in remembrance of great statesmen, military heroes, or local Rajahs.

He worked closely with the Anglicans, and was appointed an Anglican chaplain, but remained a loyal Lutheran throughout. Next, there is a list of ‘firsts’ attributed to Ziegenbalg numbered from one to twenty-four engraved like the two tablets of Moses.

The Tamil translation of the Bible, in which Ziegenbalg was assisted by B. Schultze and J.

E. Griindler, commenced to appear at Tranquebar in 1714, though the work was not finished until 1728; it is especially noteworthy as being the first translation of the Scriptures into any of the languages of India. There were many damages to be repaired and food and water needed to be stocked up. . It was Psalm 23. However, Ziegenbalg had spent a couple of weeks at the Leipzig, Wittenberg and Jena universities before opting for Halle which he found to be a veritable heaven on earth.

Ziegenbalg’s mistrusts his own abilities

This peace was somewhat disturbed by a letter from his elder sister Anna telling him that he had inherited the family’s farm and was needed back home.

‘It is to the poor people that we are called’, confessed Ziegenbalg. Today the Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church carries on his work. Lange had been a penniless student under Franke in Leipzig and was to become Professor of Biblical Exegesis in Halle where Franke had long wished to have him. He responded to an appeal from the King of Denmark for missionaries, and in September 1706 he and Heinrich Pluetshau arrived in Tranquebar on the southeast coast of India, the first Protestant missionaries in that country.

Attrug’s father-in-law told the missionaries that he had a tiny house in the poorer part of the town which they could use. Ziegenbalg’s grave is also still standing in the church cemetery, looking as if it had been newly erected. The Bishop said he was surprised how the two candidates had changed their opinions, on being questioned, which was quite untrue but they were promptly ordained.

Free to go abroad

Their first given task as ordained men was to preach before the King and his family on Acts 26:16-18 concerning Paul’s conversion and commission:

I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

After this, the Danish Christian brethren fitted Ziegenbalg and Plütschau out for the journey and made sure they had sufficient money to finance at least the start of their ministry.

Other missionaries commemorated with Ziegenbalg include the following:

Christian Frederik Schwartz, born in 1726, spent 48 years in India at the Tranquebar Mission. Thus, as soon as one reaches Tranquebar from the sea, one finds on the promenade a large stone edifice commemorating the landing of the good ship Princessa Sophia Hedwiga which brought Ziegenbalg to the town.