T.T. Varghese: A Pioneer Missionary to Pollachi

(1907-1987)

His Parents

His father was Thomas Varghese, fondly known as Thommy. They were traditional, honest businessmen who owned and cultivated large land property. They hailed from the Parel family of Edayaranmula near Aranmula who moved over to Malakkara for business convenience. As their business expanded, they traded in cash crops, agricultural produces, provisions, textiles etc. with business centres in Alleppy, Chenganacherry and other known business centres using their own transport, employing a large number of people. Mr. T. T. Varghese's mother was Mariamma of Manackkalathil, Thiruvalla. His parents were originally Marthomites. They became ardent followers of Jesus Christ and accepted Biblical teachings and joined in the fellowship of Koipram Brethren Assembly. Mr. Thommy and his wife Mariamma were spiritual, who always kept aside a big portion of their earnings for gospel work and charitable causes. He was a straightforward businessman and kind-hearted too; he never deviated from his Christian principles. His wife Mariamma was also a very meek and kind-hearted lady who was always a helping hand for the cause of gospel work. They both instilled in their children the desire for Christ and His Word. They were very strict with their children about attending Sunday Schools, Worship meetings, other Assembly meetings and activities.

This background helped shape up Mr. T.T. Varghese's destiny. He was a promising young man with a pleasing character. Mr. Varghese was the eldest among 5 sons and 4 daughters of his parents. All his brothers completed their schoolings from Chengannur High School and his sisters received a traditional primary school education. Mr. Varghese passed his Matriculation Exam from Chengannur High School.

His Initial Days

After his education, he continued getting involved in the spiritual activities of the Church and also became a Sunday School teacher, besides doing some personal evangelism and other gospel activities like visiting hospitals, distributing tracts etc. with other members of the Church. At the age of 17, he joined his father's business; but Mr. Varghese still continued with his gospel activities in his spare time. At the age of 20, he accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal saviour and after 3 years, got baptised at Koipram Church.

During this time, his maternal uncle, Kochu Mathen Upadeshi who was a servant of the Lord with the Alwaye Assembly with 60 years in the Lord's service, was a frequent visitor to his house at Thengil House. Kochu Mathen Upadeshi took Varghese with him whenever he visited Malakkara for discourses on the Bible and guided him in spiritual matter. Theirs was a strong preceptor-disciple bond and Varghese followed him very keenly.

During this time, i.e., in 1927, Mr. Varghese incurred injuries to his left hand that became septic. He went to Neyyoor Hospital in Nagercoil where he was treated by the famous Dr. Somervel. He went through 3 consecutive operations on his hand. He was healed after a long time through intense prayers and fasting by him and Kochu Mathen Upadeshi. This incident changed his life's outlook, and he had a thirst for doing the Lord's work.

His Marriage

While he was in his native place, he got married to Sosamma of Vallavoor House, Pathanamthitta in 1931. His first child, a daughter named Kunjamma was born in 1934 and was of immense help to him throughout his life. He was blessed with 6 daughters and one son. Even when Varghese was struggling financially, he managed to give a proper education to all his children. He also had a lot of support from his daughters and sons-in-law. They all contributed to his spiritual and financial wellbeing. He was very strict with his financial matters and contributed a lot to gospel workers and for gospel work.

His Early Ministry

In 1935, Mr. Varghese went to Pollachi with his uncle Kochu Mathen Upadeshi for a few days (since Kochu Mathen Upadeshi's cousin was a Manager in nearby Valpaara Estate), for gospel work. Although it was initially planned for a few days, Mr. Varghese went back only after 8 months to his native place and later took up a job as Manager of an Estate in Edamon and then fully engaged himself in the Estate matters keeping very limited time for gospel work, which he wanted to pursue. He used that limited time to interact with his Estate employees and other nearby village people and shared the gospel with them but was not fully satisfied with it. So he resigned the job and left for home. He then continued to help his father in his business and continued doing gospel work in the nearby areas, in the company of Koipram Assembly.

In 1936, Varghese again went to Pollachi through Alwaye in the company of Kochu Mathen Upadeshi and Thrichur Ovumkal Ouseph. Mr. Varghese continued with the gospel work in Pollachi even when others left, and this was when an Assemblies of God Missionary (Pentecostal Mission) named Mr. Levecy came from the United Kingdom and conducted some gospel meetings in Mr. Varghese's neighborhood in Pollachi.

Mr. Varghese went to attend these meetings assuming that these were gospel meetings after all. Since Mr. Levecy had no translator, he asked Mr. Varghese to translate his message into Tamil; he gave him a fixed monthly payment. Since Mr. Varghese did not have any financial support from anybody except his father, he accepted the offer. Mr. Levecy also allowed him to use a portion of his house for Varghese's stay. Though he was initially uneasy with the Pentecostals due to their doctrine differing with that of the Brethren's, Mr. Levecy persuaded him to accept his offer saying that Pentecostals also believe that Salvation will never be lost and that those who are born again have the Holy Spirit living in them, but when they persevere, the Holy Spirit will fill them and enable them to speak in other tongues. Since Mr. Varghese did not have much scriptural knowledge of such matters, he joined Mr. Lavecy and involved himself with his work. With their combined efforts, four souls were saved initially and later they became servants of the Local Assemblies of God and four churches were formed in that area.

Mr. Levecy continued to press Mr. Varghese for the Baptism by Holy Spirit, so he would receive the gift of Tongue which he said was the symbol of the Holy Spirit. Mr. Varghese tried very hard to receive this by fasting, praying and trying to make himself clean spiritually, but to no avail. He even went through this process again, continually for 10-15 days in the company of 2 lady missionaries, Mr. Levecy and another brother Lawrence. It was then that Mr. Varghese realized the hollowness of this doctrine and he discontinued his relationship of 10 long years with them and returned home. Afterwards he went through the scriptures and discovered the truth, which led him to regret his days wasted at Pollachi and the lives he could have saved.

Then at last he started praying for a direction from the Lord to start his personal work for spreading the Gospel afresh in Pollachi. And like the Old Testament Judge Gideon did – he said, that he would go to Pollachi once again and in the first one year, if God kept him without any trouble and sustained him nicely, he would know that the Lord called him for His work there. Or else, he would find a job for himself and continue to serve the Lord with the job.

His Gospel Work

It's necessary to mention that there were no regular funds or financial support or church sponsorships for these Lord's servants; instead, they looked upon Him for their needs.

It was continued personal evangelism that helped the ministry. Many non-Christian families accepted the Lord as their personal saviour and continued in the fellowship. More than 80 families were in the fellowship in those days. Within 6-7 years the Lord helped him and with support from some brethren, a plot was bought, and a Gospel Hall was built and the worship meetings and other church activities such as Bible Study, Sunday School, Gospel Meetings etc. were started there. He started the Sunday School initially with a few children, which grew to 30-40 children that came mainly from outside the church community and they continued to show interest.

Pollachi being the biggest Taluk and a big city with a population of more than 1 Lakh people, was the main business centre and the biggest market in Tamil Nadu in those days. There were about 200 villages in and around Pollachi. Mr. T. T. Varghese continued with his efforts single-handedly for some time and later with the help of his local assembly members; many people came to HIS fold.

As some of the villages in Pollachi were not easily reachable, he had to walk long miles to reach such villages to spread the gospel. All these places had a huge non-Christian population who had never heard of Christ. They practiced pagan religious beliefs and believed in and practiced exorcisms, to cure their sickness they participated in black magic etc. He relentlessly pursued some of them and many a number came to know Christ and accepted Him as their personal Saviour. He established congregations in some of the places and those who came gathering were encouraged spiritually and he visited them often as well.

His Way of Life

Being a person who did not want to burden others, Mr. Varghese never shared his financial or personal problems with others. Many a time he and his family had to go hungry. But in the company of others he was always pleasant. Many a time he would share with the needy whatever little he had. He had a big family of 9 members to support and the Pollachi Assembly members were from a very poor background. So they could not help him and instead it was the other way round. Somehow he managed to get his children educated and most of his daughters got Govt. teacher jobs and his fourth daughter Ponnamma was able to work abroad and ultimately supported him financially.

His father Thommy was generous in helping needy ones around him especially during the world war ll. He did this disregarding his own precarious financial state. His business collapsed due to loss of income after the war. These events very badly affected Mr. Varghese financially, whose source of monetary support ended with it. Moreover, his beloved father Thommy died in July 1948. His mother Mariamma died 28 years after his father's death, on April 27, 1976.

His Journey's End

Till his death he served the Lord in fellowship with Pollachi Assembly. Though an attack of Asthmatic Bronchitis troubled him very much, he would visit his siblings and other dear ones every year with his family members and stayed an active, pleasant man until the end.

He died suddenly on 1st March 1987 at the age of 78 (and 3 Months) but died peacefully. He was always yearning for the day he would meet his Heavenly Father. His wife Sosamma passed away on July 23, 1994. Both of them were given a good memorial and funeral at the Koipram Brethren Assembly Cemetery. All his children and grandchildren are in the faith, and some are in active fellowship and service of the Lord. II Timothy 4:7, 8 says “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” Amen!

Mr. T.T. Varghese embodied those words and one day, in the Lord's perfect time, we will all meet once again on that beautiful shore where we will sing praises to His name for Eternity.

– T.S. John

It originally appeared in the Harvest Times magazine's March 2015 issue.