Indian Antiquary Vol 46

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 30

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(JANUARY, 1917
-
The career of Martinz, De Nobilis' successor. We have already been that Do Nobilis and his companions represented the Sanyasing in Madura. From the time of his retirement about 1645, there were regularly at Madura "a Brahman father and two Pandapam fathers, beside # father in the church of the Paravans." The most important of these, sideed, the head of the whole Madura Mission after De Nobilis, was the celebrated father Martinz This illustrious missionery bad commenced his career of glory as early as 1625. For a space of 25 years he devoted himself, in the North-western parts of the kingdom, to the work of proselytism, and in 1650 succeeded De Nobilis as the Superior at Madura. Far greater as a man and as a saint than De Nobilis, Martinz gucceeded in captivating the hearts of men. His predecessor had excited their admiration, had appealed to their thought, Martinz appealed to their heart. The one attached importance to knowledge, the other to the sentiment; and as both are nennssary to successful proselytism, Martinz can be declared to be the logical supplement of De Nobilis. He was as capable of an ascetic lite as the other. He had, in faot, greater sincerity, groater humility in his long career of 20 years; he went to prison about nall & dozen times, was tortured on mure occasions. Yever was he free from the perseoutions of the Brahmans, the Yogins and the Pandarams; but never did this valiant man of God complain or condemn. Oppressed and tortured, he fought for the soul of his opponents. Condemned and scorned by men, he laboured for them. No better example have we in the world's history of such endurance of tyranny for the sake of what is considered to be truth. Onoe, in July 1640, while he was about to baptise & Brahman of Madura, he was arrested by the brother-in-law and first favourite of Tirumala Naik, and sworn enemy of the Christians, beaten, and then dropped into the Kaveri. It was after this that he underwent imprisonment. Once he took refuge in the Ginger country and established a branch of the mission there.
Once in Satyamu galam ne received so many blows that his swollen and livid face was unrecognisable." He was also thrice exiled with ignominy, twice from Trichinopoly. On one of these occasions, he was driven out with a necklacu of leaves ard pebbles, when even children were cruel to him and made blood flow. Once he was nearly burned to death in his presbytery by Yogis. In this manner lived and dind the great man in August 1656. He was then 63 years old, and had served his society for 31 years. Like De Nobilis he was a great scholar and left many Tamil writings. As Chandler says, "De Nobilis had planted and Martinz watered. As between the two the Christians respected and venerated De Nobilis; they had confidenoe and love for Martinz."
The Trichinopoly Fathers, Do Costa and Alvarez. At Crichinopoly and its neighbourhood, affairs were hardly better. Here the two fathers, who most distinguished themselves, were De Costa, the father of the Pandaram missionaries, and Alvarez & native of Negapatam. Born of rich and honourable parents Alvarez underwent a religious education in Jaffnapataw, and joined the Society of Jesus in 1630. A true servant of God in every respect, he was particularly noted for the work of charity to which he consecrated hanself. The Jesuit letters record how, in his charitable missions, he was frequently put to finannial pressure, from which he was, it is said, relieved by God himself, who, in return for his prayer, showered gold on him Both these