V. Nagel
Encyclopedia
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
missionary to the Malabar coast
Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast is a long and narrow coastline on the south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain...
of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Birth and Early Years
Volbrecht Nagel was born on 3 November 1867 in HesseHesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, North German Confederation
North German Confederation
The North German Confederation 1866–71, was a federation of 22 independent states of northern Germany. It was formed by a constitution accepted by the member states in 1867 and controlled military and foreign policy. It included the new Reichstag, a parliament elected by universal manhood...
. He grew up in a pious family, but lost his parents at a young age. At the age of 18, Nagel was born again after hearing the gospel from a cobbler turned itinerant preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
and gave his life to Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
. With a desire to be a missionary, he moved to Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and joined the Basel Mission Training Institute in 1886 and graduated 6 years later. He became a Reverend in the Evangelical Lutheran Mission in 1893.
Missionary
Nagel came to CannanoreKannur
Kannur , also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore, which is still in...
, on the Malabar Coast
Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast is a long and narrow coastline on the south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain...
as a Reverend in December 1893. He became the head of the Basel Mission
Basel Mission
The Basel Mission is a Christian missionary society active from 1815 to 2001, when it was merged into Mission 21, the successor organization of Kooperation Evangelischer Kirchen und Missione founded in 2001....
center in Vaniankulam. The burden of running the schools, and the small scale industries of the Basel Mission
Basel Mission
The Basel Mission is a Christian missionary society active from 1815 to 2001, when it was merged into Mission 21, the successor organization of Kooperation Evangelischer Kirchen und Missione founded in 2001....
in Vaniankulam became a stumbling block in his goal of independent ministry. In 1896, he left the Lutheran Church and Vaniankulam and went south without an aim. On his trip, he saw a prayer center in Kunnamkulam
Kunnamkulam
Kunnamkulam is a municipal town situated in the Thrissur District of Kerala in India, spread over an area of 6.96 km2. It is an old commercial town, with a history of more than 300 years, famous for its printing and book binding industry...
and met Paramel Itoop, a new believer. He decided to start his work at Kunnamkulam
Kunnamkulam
Kunnamkulam is a municipal town situated in the Thrissur District of Kerala in India, spread over an area of 6.96 km2. It is an old commercial town, with a history of more than 300 years, famous for its printing and book binding industry...
, an ancient bastion of Christianity in India. To be part of the local community, he learned Malayalam. The community in Kunnamkulam
Kunnamkulam
Kunnamkulam is a municipal town situated in the Thrissur District of Kerala in India, spread over an area of 6.96 km2. It is an old commercial town, with a history of more than 300 years, famous for its printing and book binding industry...
received him as one of their own, as he wrote, and spoke in Malayalam. In April 1897, Nagel married Harriet Mitchell, an Anglo-Indian who was a teacher at Kunnamkulam
Kunnamkulam
Kunnamkulam is a municipal town situated in the Thrissur District of Kerala in India, spread over an area of 6.96 km2. It is an old commercial town, with a history of more than 300 years, famous for its printing and book binding industry...
. A few months later, they went to the Nilgiris and met the English Brethren
Brethren
Brethren is a name adopted by several Protestant Christian bodies which do not necessarily share historical roots. As classified in The Pilgrim Church by EH Broadbent, the earliest primitive churches to Paulician Brethren, to Bogomil Brethren, to Anabaptist and to Moravian Brethren were historical...
Missionary, Handley Bird. The following June, Nagel was baptized by immersion by Handley Bird at Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
. In 1906, he started an orphanage and a home for widows at Nellikunnu near Trichur, named Rehoboth which still stands today.
In 1914, Nagel traveled back to his native Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. His plan was to send his older children to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for education and return to India in 6 months, but the beginning of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
prevented his return. As a national of the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
, he could not enter British administered Malabar. In 1914, he moved to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Harriet and three children were back in Malabar Coast
Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast is a long and narrow coastline on the south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain...
, while the two older children were in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The letter he sent to the assembly fellowship in Paravur
Paravur
Paravur may refer to:* North Paravur, a municipality and town in Ernakulam district* Paravur Taluk, in Ernakulam district* South Paravur, a village near to Udayamperoor in Kanayannur taluk of Ernakulam district...
four years prior to his death reflects the hunger in his heart for souls in Malabar. That letter contained the following words, “My sweetest treasures are in India. My heart belongs to there". But the Lord did not permit his desire to be fulfilled. In due course he became afflicted with palsy and became bedridden. While teaching at Weidenest Bible School, Nagel had a stroke and died on 12 May 1921 and was buried there. Harriet was able to reach Germany and took care of him. Nagel had 7 children, 5 boys and 2 girls. One boy and a girl died in early childhood. Harriet Nagel died on 27 January 1935.
His Writings
In 1898, Nagel wrote a book called Christian Baptism. He wrote many songs and hymns in Malayalam that are sung even today by all Christian denominations. Nagel is regarded with great esteem by the Malayalee Christian community for all his work in bringing the GospelGospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
to Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
.
Malayalam hymns
Though his mother tongue was GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, while in Malabar Coast
Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast is a long and narrow coastline on the south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain...
not only did he learn their language Malayalam ; but composed hymns in very good poetical language. They are still used in various gatherings and in church services.
A few of the hymns in Malayalam and their translations in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
are given below:
- Snehathin Idayanam Yesuway; Wazhium sathyaum nee mathremay ... (Jesus the loving shepherd, you are the only way, and the truth …) – Belief.
- Ninnodu Praarthyppan Priya Pithaway ... (Our dear father we are coming for prayer ... ) – Prayer song.
- Jayam jayam Kollum Naam, Jayam Kollum Naam ... ( Victorious, victorious we will be victorious ... ) – Victory song.
- Deivathinte æka putren paapikale rakshippan ... (God's only son, died on the cross to save the sinners) – Christ's passion and death
- Maranam jayicha veera ... (Hero, that won over death ...) – Resurrection.
- Yesu varum vegathil – Aswaasamay ... (Jesus will be coming soon ... ) – Second Coming.
- Ente Jeevanam Yesuway ... (Jesus my life ... ) – Comfort.
- Samayamam rathathil njaan swerga yathra cheyyunnu ... (In the chariot of time I am on my homeward journey ...) – Its not a Funeral song though No funeral procession is complete without singing this hymn.
His translations include -
- Papakadam theerkuvan ... (What can wash away my sins) by Robert LowryRobert LowryRobert Lowry was an American politician from Mississippi. During the American Civil War he rose from the rank of private to that of brigadier general in the Confederate States Army. Lowry briefly served in the state senate after the war...
- Yeshu enn swanatham, Hallelujah ... (Blessed AssuranceBlessed Assurance"Blessed Assurance" is a well-known Christian hymn. The lyrics were written in 1873 by blind hymn writer Fanny J. Crosby to the music written in 1873 by Phoebe P. Knapp.-History:...
) by Fanny CrosbyFanny CrosbyFrances Jane Crosby , usually known as Fanny Crosby in the United States and by her married name, Frances van Alstyne, in the United Kingdom, was an American Methodist rescue mission worker, poet, lyricist, and composer. During her lifetime, she was well-known throughout the United States... - Yeshuvin thirupadathil irunnu kelka naam ... (Sing them over again to me) by P.P. Bliss
- Kristhuvinte daanam ethra maduram ... (Like a river glorious)