Before William Carey‘s famous work, Danish missionaries brought the gospel to India. In 1706, Bartholomew Ziegenbalg and Heinrich Pluetshau arrived in Tranquebar. The King of Denmark supported their journey.

Ziegenbalg, just 23, quickly learned Tamil. By 1711, he translated the New Testament. Next, he translated half of the Old Testament. This was the first Scripture in an Indian language.

Hindus resisted Ziegenbalg and Pluetshau. They disliked Christian Europeans’ poor morals. The Dutch government also opposed them. Officials feared unrest from their teachings. They even jailed Ziegenbalg for four months. Yet, he kept preaching after his release. He prayed hard and wrote about his work to supporters.

Christian Wendt, the mission chairman, hurt the missionaries too. He withheld donations, thinking they should travel light, like the apostles. The missionaries needed funds for schools and printing. These were key to a self-governing Indian church. King Frederick IV had to fire Wendt.

Pluetshau’s poor health forced him home after seven years. Dealing with Wendt also weakened Ziegenbalg. He died on February 23, 1719, at age 36. He left behind a pregnant wife and two kids.

In his 13 years, Ziegenbalg achieved much. He translated Scripture and started schools. These included India’s first school for girls. He founded a seminary and baptized over 200 Indians. He ran printing presses and created dictionaries. He published a Tamil grammar and collected Tamil writings. Ziegenbalg trained future pastors and wrote books. He helped start the world’s first mission newsletter. Plus, he built a church still used after 300 years.

Ziegenbalg had wise principles. Stephen Neill listed these in his mission history: Churches and schools belong together. God’s Word must be in the people’s language. Preaching needs a good grasp of local thinking. (Ziegenbalg studied Hindu culture. His books included “Genealogy of the South-Indian Gods“.) Missions should aim for real conversions. The Indian church should take charge quickly.

For more on Ziegenbalg read “The Trailblazer” in Christian History #87, India: A Faith of Many Colors.

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