faith

Evelyn Brand

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Missionary to the People of Kolli Hills, South India

Early Life

Evelyn Brand was born in May 1879 in London, England, into a rich and comfortable family. As a young girl, she accepted Jesus Christ and was baptized when she was eleven years old.

At home and in church, Evelyn often heard stories about missionaries in India. One day, she read letters in a missionary magazine describing the people living in the remote hill areas of South India. These stories deeply touched her heart and stirred in her a desire to serve God there.

Call to Missions

Feeling that God was calling her to India, Evelyn gave her life fully to serve Him. In 1911, she was appointed as a missionary to India by the Strict Baptist Mission Society.

She arrived in Tamil Nadu in 1912 and began learning the Tamil language. Soon she started her ministry in Kolli Hills, a rugged mountain region often called the “Mountains of Death” because of its difficult terrain and poor living conditions.

Marriage and Ministry

While serving there, Evelyn met Jesse Mann Brand, a missionary who shared her love and burden for the hill people. They were married in 1913.

On their wedding day, amidst heavy rain, the young couple walked up the 3,700-foot high Kolli Malai to begin their missionary work. Together, they:

  • Preached the Gospel of Christ in remote villages.
  • Taught and educated local children.
  • Provided medical help to the sick and needy.
  • Built schools, churches, and orphanages in the mountain villages.

Their love and sacrifice made them beloved among the people.

Faithful Service After Loss

In 1929, Evelyn’s husband Jesse died of malaria, leaving her alone in the mission field. Though heartbroken, Evelyn chose to continue the work they had started together.

She became a mother to many orphans and abandoned children. Even in her old age and poor health, she traveled on a hill pony through the forests and mountains, carrying medicine, teaching the Bible, and caring for those in need. Through her work, five mountain ranges in the Eastern Ghats came to know the message of Jesus Christ.

Final Years and Legacy

When Evelyn was hospitalized with broken hips, she still shared the Gospel with other patients from her wheelchair. Her love for Christ never faded.

After more than 35 years of faithful service, Evelyn Brand went to be with the Lord on December 18, 1974, in the very land she had come to love and serve.

Quick Facts

  • Birth: May 1879 – London, England
  • Death: December 18, 1974 – Tamil Nadu, India
  • Mission Organization: Strict Baptist Mission Society
  • Mission Field: Kolli Hills, South India
  • Known For: Education, medical care, orphan work, and Gospel ministry among the hill people

Gordon Hall

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Early American Missionary to India
Founder of the American Marathi Mission

Early Life and Call to Serve

Gordon Hall was born on April 8, 1784, in Connecticut, USA, into a poor farming family. From a young age, he had a strong faith and wanted to serve God. While studying at Andover Theological Seminary, he met Adoniram Judson and other students who shared the same dream—to take the message of Jesus Christ to faraway countries.

He once received an offer to be a pastor at a rich church in Woodbury, but he turned it down. He said,

“I can sleep on the ground and bear hunger and hardship. God is calling me to preach to those who have never heard of Him; I must go.”

Mission to India

In 1812, Gordon Hall traveled to India as part of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM). He helped start the American Marathi Mission, also called the Bombay Mission, in Bombay (now Mumbai).

He learned the Marathi language so he could speak to the local people and translated the Gospel of Matthew into Marathi, making the Bible more accessible to them.

Work and Service in India

Gordon Hall preached in public places such as temples, markets, and streets. Some people laughed at him, but many listened and believed in Jesus Christ. New believers were welcomed into the fellowship of the church.

He also cared deeply about people’s education and health. He:

  • Opened schools and wrote lessons that included Bible teachings.
  • Used schools as chapels for Bible study and prayer.
  • Gave medical help to sick and needy people.

Hall’s love for the people was shown through both his words and his actions.

His Final Days

In 1826, a cholera outbreak happened in Nasik. Gordon quickly went there to help those who were sick. On his way back, he caught cholera himself. As people gathered around to help him, he used his last strength to preach about Jesus one more time. Then, with a prayer on his lips, he said:

“Glory to Thee, O God!”

He passed away on March 20, 1826, finishing his mission on earth with faith and courage.

Quick Facts

  • Born: April 8, 1784 – Connecticut, USA
  • Died: March 20, 1826 – Nasik, India
  • Mission Field: India (Bombay and nearby regions)
  • Mission Organization: American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM)
  • Main Work: Founder of the American Marathi Mission; Translator of the Gospel of Matthew into Marathi