(1867-1921)
Basel Missionary Society that came into being as a result of a pledge taken by a few dedicated Christians in the face of the military threat of Napoleon Bonaparte. A group of pious Christians took a decision that if God would spare their city Basel from military aggression, then they would set up a missionary training centre and spread the gospel to all parts of the world. God heard their prayers and saints kept the promise. They gave needed training to hundreds of youngsters and sent out these disciples to different parts of the world to spread the message of the Gospel, the love of Christ and the free salvation He offers. These men not only accomplished the work of Christ but also created a change in the lives of many people. One such person was Volbrecht Nagel or V. Nagel who came to Kerala in the year December 1893.
His birth and early life
Nagel's parents Henry Peter and Elisabeth May were weavers by profession and though they were not very well off, they were pious His birth and early life and always trusted in the provisions of God. It was to these God-fearing parents that Nagel was born on the 3rd of November 1867; in the small village of Stammheim in Germany. Peter and Elisabeth committed their child to God and prayed that he would grow up to be used mightily for the work of the Heavenly Father. God honoured their desire, and the little Nagel grew up to be a man of great determination and honesty towards God's word.
Nagel lost both his parents at the tender age of 8 and was later taken into the home of the Bindewolds. They were members of the Lutheran church and Nagel grew up attending all the meetings of the church.
His birth and early life
Nagel's parents Henry Peter and Elisabeth May were weavers by profession and though they were not very well off, they were pious His birth and early life and always trusted in the provisions of God. It was to these God-fearing parents that Nagel was born on the 3rd of November 1867; in the small village of Stammheim in Germany. Peter and Elisabeth committed their child to God and prayed that he would grow up to be used mightily for the work of the Heavenly Father. God honoured their desire, and the little Nagel grew up to be a man of great determination and honesty towards God's word.
Nagel lost both his parents at the tender age of 8 and was later taken into the home of the Bindewolds. They were members of the Lutheran church and Nagel grew up attending all the meetings of the church.
His conversion
It was at the age of 18, Nagel accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour while listening to a man who was a cobbler but then turned to be an open air preacher. After listening to the sermon Nagel was convicted of his sins and pleaded for forgiveness from the Lord. Salvation is not a mere prayer of the sinner, but it is the act of the sinner by way of putting his complete faith and trust in the Lord, accepting that he is a sinner and surrendering his whole life to Christ. Eternal life is the free gift (Romans 5:15, 6:23) available for all sinners who are willing to receive it by faith in Jesus Christ. After this incident, incredible changes happened in Nagel's life.
Missionary to Kerala, India.
With this new change in his life, Nagel had a zest and zeal for reading the scriptures and understanding God’s word. He was not satisfied with his knowledge of the word of God and therefore went to the Basal Mission Training institute at Basel, Switzerland in 1886 and graduated 6 years later. During this period there was a need for missionaries for Lord’s work in India. It was at this time that 1 Chronicles 16:24 “Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all people” struck his mind. Without any hesitation, Nagel stood up and declared his willingness and thus he was sent to India. He was only 25 years old at the time.
Nagel started his journey from the port of Hamburg, Germany and it took him many months to reach the shore of Cannanore, Malabar region of Kerala in December 1893. He quickly adjusted to the lifestyle and the food habits in order to become one with the local community. Nagel not only learnt the Malayalam language but even mastered it to script many songs in Malayalam, which remain to be a great source of inspiration even to date to many believers.
Nagel was heading the small industries and schools in Vaniankulam district, this however proved to be a stumbling block to his personal ministry, and it was at this time he read a verse in Malachi 3:16,17 "A book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who meditate on His name". "They shall be Mine," says the Lord of hosts, "On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him." Nagel realized it would be proper to serve the Lord faithfully and he would be rewarded for his faithful works.
First Brethren Assembly (undenominational) at Kunnumkulam, Kerala.
In 1896 he left the Basel Mission at Vaniankulam and went Southwards, without any specific intention. With no proper direction and idea as to where his destination should be, just like Abraham, he relied completely on God for guidance. The Lord directed him to a place called Kunnamkulam which was at the peak of revival. Nagel stayed at the house of Paramel Ittoop who was one of the leaders of the revival. Together they started the ministry at Kunnamkulam which is known as the ancient fortress for Christianity in India. Initially local Marthomite Church opened up their premises for various ministries. When he exposed the unscriptural practice of child baptism and started teaching Believer's baptism, Marthomites refused to associate with his ministry.
During this time many came to the Lord and called themselves as brethren. God enabled them to buy a place for worship and Nagel stayed there. They started worshiping the Lord in a simple manner. In 1897, for the first time in Kerala at Kunnumkulam, Lord's Supper was conducted according to the New Testament pattern by the initiation of V. Nagel. (We do not have any record of the precise date of this event). It is in the year 1898 Nagel wrote a book on Christian Baptism, probably the first doctrinal book in Malayalam. He worked with the lower class of society and many of them turned to the Lord but as a consequence, these believers were thrown out of their homes. Nagel took up the responsibility of building bamboo houses for them.
His marriage and Family
Nagel was praying for a life partner who would help him in his ministry. At the age of 30 he met Harriet Sabina Mitchell an Anglo-Indian school teacher as his life partner. On 1st of April 1897, Handley Bird a Brethren Missionary from UK officiated their marriage. Two months after their marriage, in June 1897 both of them took baptism by the hands of Mr. Bird at Coimbatore. God blessed them with five sons and two daughters; out of which one son and a daughter died at their infancy.
An evangelist and a social reformer.
Nagel preferred to speak at the marketplace and during the time of festivals and many souls were saved. Two criminals also accepted Christ as their saviour during Nagel's ministry in the civil prison at Parur. They were given the death sentence. On the date of their execution, they sang the song 'What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus" and at the moment of execution they prayed, "Father, unto Thy Hand I commit my spirit" and they died in peace and went to the other shore with Jesus". Thus, they died with an assured hope of `meeting their Saviour and Lord.
Nagel all through these years had a God given burden for orphans, the aged and the untouchables. Thus, God enabled him to buy 70 acres of land in 1906 and he built an orphanage called 'Rehoboth Girls' Oprhanage' and a home for widows called the 'Widow Mission', and a school at Nelikunnth, Trichur. Correspondingly he also started an orphanage for boys, at Irinjalakkuda, Kerala.
Home Call
Nagel went to London with his two children leaving his wife and three children in Trissur. After enrolling his two children as apprentices in London he went to Berlin to visit his missionary school. It was at this time that World War One broke out and he was unable to return back to India. He then returned back to a Bible school and worked as a staff till February 1921. In this year Nagel suffered a stroke due to apoplexy and was bedridden. His wife on hearing this news immediately left Kerala to take care of him. In the year 1921, on May 12th at the age of 54, Nagel left his earthly abode to be with his master, Savior and Lord.
Even though he is no more in the flesh he still lives on in the hearts of the brethren community in Kerala through his various songs and writings. Even though his mother tongue was German, Nagel mastered the Malayalam language and even composed more than 100 songs. One of his famous songs is, “Samayamam Radhathil njaan” (On the Chariot of time) which is still sung by people irrespective of religion. The malayalee Christian community all over the world looks to Nagel's songs and poems as sources of inspiration and encouragement during difficult moments in life. His ultimate purpose of glorifying God in everything he did and serving his master was clearly shown in his 54 years of life
(For a detail biography of V. Nagel, read the book ' Malabar Mandate- life of Volbrecht Nagel' by Dr. Varghese Mathai, recently published by GLS. You can also get the book 'Christian Baptism' by V. Nagel from GLS.)
It originally appeared in the Harvest Times magazine's March 2014 issue.
Comments 1
Praise God for getting us such an awesome man of God to Kerala.