The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Church to celebrate 158th year of consecration

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 03, 2010
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Church to celebrate 158th year of consecration

Special Correspondent

It was built with contributions on donated land in Yercaud

Expenditure for construction was Rs. 4,000
Land for church was donated by Major William Scott

Photo: Special arrangement

Drawing devotees:CSI Holy Trinity Church, Yercaud will celebrate 158th Consecration Day on Sunday. -

YERCAUD: The British-built Church of South India's ‘Holy Trinity Church' in Yercaud will celebrate its 158th year of Consecration on Sunday.

The European community for whom the unexplored tribal village atop Shevaroyan Hills offered a soothing climate and peaceful existence had also become the much-sought-after destination since its first expedition by the then Collector Cockburn, who introduced coffee, apples, berries and other fruit varieties to the hills in 1820.

In the year 1841, Assistant Collector of Salem H. Brett accompanied by missionary Rev. J.M. Lechler reached the hills and built a small hut, which was later expanded to a neat cottage, built with the sun-burnt bricks.

Anna Woodnean Lechler followed by Rev. J. M. Lechler and several Europeans purchased pieces of land and built their houses.

Thus the European community in the Yercaud hills steadily grew and in 1845 the need for their spiritual nourishment rose. They decided to build a church in Yercaud.

Madras Civil Services officers including J. G. S. Bruere, Hatley Frere, W. E. Lockhart, F. N. Maltby, H. D. Phillips, and R. R. Cotton between 1846 and 1852 also felt the need for a church.

Rev. Charles Samraj, CSI's Holy Trinity Church & CSI Shiloh Millennium Church, Yercaud Pastorate, Yercaud, Salem District, says that Mr. Bruere initiated the exercise and a sum of Rs. 2,000 was collected.

But the design and cost ran up to Rs. 4,000 for which they approached the government for a grant aid of Rs. 2,000.

But the government refused to pay the grant since Yercaud had been detached from the troops.

Undeterred, the officials built the church – The Holy Trinity Church - on the land donated by the Salem Zilla surgeon Major William Scott.

Several people contributed generously towards the cause including Bruere (Rs.400), W.E. Lockhart (Rs.600), H. Frere (Rs. 350) F. N. Maltby (Rs.325) and many others.

F.N. Maltby initiated The Shevaroy Church Extension and School Fund, for which the Bishop and local lay trustees were appointed as managers. The sudden demise of Mr. Lockhart in 1850 led Mr. F.N. Maltby to take charge of the construction work and raise funds for furnishing the church, which was consecrated by Lord Bishop Dealtry, in honour of the Holy Trinity on 3rd October 1853.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News Update

Stories in this Section