100 jähriges Jubiläum der "Speck"-Kirche in Jeypur im Juni 2011.
Centenary Jubilee Celebration of Jeypore Church.
"Speck"-Kirche in Jeypur / Indien 1911 - 2011. Kirche, Kanzel und Taufbecken.
(Ein altes u. 5 neue Fotos v. Erik S. Nov. 2010)
100 Jahre Hinrichs Kirche - Lieber Hinrich! Liebe Luise! (e.s)
e-Mail aus Indien : Betreff: "Celebration of centenary of the J..C.. (*). At the outset I would love to place on record my sincere thanks to you for your time and concern for J..C... I acknowledge the receipt of the materials and letters sent by you through e-mails till date 17-04-2011. It is a great pleasure to inform you that the JEL Church, Jeypore is in its Centenary year and the main function is scheduled to be held on 12th, 13th and 14th June 2011. ... I hope you got some idea about the centenary jubilee celebration of the J..C.. in June 2011. Hence we herewith invite you (e.s.) and Hinrich Arlt (your cousin) (e.a.) to join us in person in the centenary Jubilee celebration of J.. C.. to which your family has a stake in its long journey. ...”
(Die e-mail aus Indien mit Danksagung an die „beiden Vettern“ der Speckseite und Planung des Programms des Jubiläumsfestes kann aus verschiedenen Gründen hier nicht gesendet werden. Wir bitten die Verwandtschaft per email an die Speckseite zu schreiben, wenn Ihr mehr über das Jubilee lesen und erfahren wollt.)
Wir von der Speckseite haben ja darauf hingearbeitet. Und dann aber hatten wir bis zu diesem wichtigen Termin im Juni 2011 schon fast all unser Pulver verschossen. Aber ich habe das Material aus der Speckseite dann sehr gut benutzen können, denn die Inder auf der anderen Seite der Geschichte auf der anderen Seite der Welt wollten auch von Hinrich hören.
Als ich im Februar auf meiner Indien-Reise still meine zwei ersten Fotokopien von unserem vermeintlichem Fotomaterial über „Hinrichs Kirche“, dem Church Office einreichte, war dort in Indien noch keine große Aufregung und keine Vorbereitung zum Jubilee zu empfinden. Aber ich hatte mir schon vorgenommen aus unserer Story auch für diesen Festtag zu erzählen und der indischen Kirche in J. dazu einige Texte zu liefern. Im Frühjahr entstand dann mein e-mail-Kontakt zu dem Committee und ich erhielt eine e-mail-Adresse. Und dann konnte die Speckseite von der Speckseite loslegen und senden. Ich hatte den Spaß alle Hinrich-Briefe ins Englische zu übersetzen und mit „unseren Fotos“, mit denen ich die Story der Bauzeit von unserem Großvater Hinrich, Missionar Hinrich Speck, für seine Kirche zusammenstellen konnte.
Und Heiner und ich mussten wieder suchen. Diesmal in der Speckseite, wo alles und nix wieder versteckt und abgelegt war. Und wir fanden immer noch nicht einen gediegenen Bericht von der Kircheinweihung, geschweige denn von der Erbauung der "Church of J.". Ich nahm deshalb kurzerhand eine Beschreibung aus dem „Reisebericht“ von Pastor Bracker 1912, wovon ich 2008 in e-Bay ein letztes vergilbtes Exemplar von einem Antiquariat in Eckernförde ersteigern konnte (zuletzt 1954 gelesen im Preuss. Strafgefängnis Glückstadt und mit ebenso Rendsburg entsprechend letztem Eintrag und Buchstempel).
Detlef Bracker, der Leiter des Missionshauses in Breklum und Hinrichs Ausbildungsvater und sechs anderer junger Missionare in Indien, auf seiner Missions-Inspektionsreise, hatte zwar die Einweihung, the church inauguration, - um Euch auf einige folgende Verenglischungen unserer Indien-Geschichte vorzubereiten – von Hinrichs Church um ein halbes Jahr verpasst, aber dafür hat er uns einen Bilderbuch schönen Bericht geliefert über eben solche Kircheinweihung in Tumarelli bei Salur, gleich eingangs vor seiner dreimonatigen Reise durchs Jeypurland. So habe ich uns und den feiernden indischen Christen in der Jeypore Church die längst in Vergessenheit geratene Kircheinweihung von Pniel (Tumarelli), aufgeschrieben, damit wir uns bei der fehlenden Historie über Jeypur vorstellen können, wie die Kircheinweihung in Jeypore vor 100 Jahren stattgefunden hat. (siehe am gleichen Ort im Souvenir Tumarelli. Pniel hat Bracker die Kirche von Tumarelli genannt: Bracker: Seite 76, Kapitel "11. Die Kirchweih in Pniel (Nachtrag)" Es ist (nach Bracker Seite 78) Schulzes Namensgebung für seine Missionsstation in Tumarelli: "Missionsgehöft mit Ehrenpforte mit der hebräischen Inschrift: Pniel. ... Schulze hat hier oft einsam wie Jakob am Jakobfluß mit Gott um Segen gerungen." In so fern gibt es bei Brackers Reisebericht keine Fotos von Pniel, der Missionshäuser von Schulze in Tumarelli)
Der Breklumer hatte ein großes Missionsgebiet in den geschäftigen Gründerjahren zu besuchen. Neben den Missionshäusern auf den damaligen 8-10 Missionsstationen wurden die heutigen 4 Kirchen im ersten Jahrzehnt des vorigen Jahrhunderts gebaut. Die Missionare waren gleichzeitig Haus- und Kirchbauer. Hinrich musste neben seiner Distriktsmission drei Jahre lang die Kirche bauen, so dass er öfters mit dem Pferd aus dem Distrikt auf seiner Missionsreise nach Jeypur zurückkehren musste, um den Bau „seiner Church“ zu beaufsichtigen. Der Missionsinspektor musste mit dem Pferd alle Missionsstationen im großen „Jeypurland“ aufsuchen und hatte die Gabe, aus seinem Reisetagebuch uns ein Buch über seine Indienreise zu überliefern. So habe ich dann auch Brackers Erzählung ins Englische übersetzt, als er gegen Ende seiner Rundreise dann in Jeypore eintrifft und Hinrichs ("Originalton":) „schöne Kirche“ das erste Mal sieht. (siehe Bracker, Jeypur.)
"Uns Hinrich" selber hatte nach den 4 Jahren Kirchbau time-off und Urlaub genommen und sich auf seiner großen Reise durch Nord Indien erholt. Die Speckseite fand dann in der Indienkiste Briefe von Hinrich, die erst wieder zum Dezember 1911 beginnen. Der junge Missionar Hinrich Speck hat für uns Postkarten der Reise gesammelt, hatte aber auch Zeit für einen Reisebericht nach Breklum (der uns nur teilweise durch vereinzelte Zeitschrifts-Exemplarein erhalten ist) und wahrscheinlich keine Zeit gehabt für einen Abschlussbericht über den Kirchbau und über das Einweihungsfest (nichts brieflich erhalten innerhalb der Speckfamilie (?!), wahrscheinlich aber doch ausführlich nach Breklum erstattet - wo heute ??). So schickte ich verenglischt den Hinrich-Brief an seine Sarzbüttler über das erste Christmas Festival in seiner Church im Dezember 1911, um uns einen Eindruck zu geben von den ersten Bildern und vom Geschehen vor 100 Jahren in der "Speck"-Kirche in Jeypore. (siehe Hinrichs Brief Jan. 1912.)
So hat die H.S.-Linie der Speckseite dieses Jahr endlich seit 100 Jahren die ersten Fotos von der Jeypur Kirche bekommen können und wartet sehnlichst auf die Stories und auf die indische e-mail mit dem neuen Programmheft zum Jeypur Church Jubiläum.
Hinrich Speck war kein Comic eines Schmetterlingsnetz schwingenden, Tropenhelm und Safari-Anzug tragenden Forschers oder eines Kutte wehenden, Kreuz schwingenden, Eingeborene am Kannibalen-Kochtopf verjagenden Missionars, sondern ein aktiver districtmissionary in Jeypur in Indien, ein praktischer Allrounder und sogar ein Kirchbauer, eben ein Bauernsohn aus Dithmarschen. So haben wir in seinen Briefen an seine Lieben in Sarzbüttel immer mehr von ihm und seiner Schweiß treibenden Kirchbau-Arbeit gelesen und die Speckseite brachte diese auf Englisch ins Programmheft des Jubiläumsfests in Jeypur am 12. Juni 2011. „Stone by stone“, Stein auf Stein musste die Kirche gebaut werden. Wir haben 2 Schwarzweißfotos von der Fundamentarbeit und dann einige Fotos von der neuen Kirche. Mehr nicht. Viel mehr Fotos gibt es nicht von der Kirche, we must picture it, wir müssen es uns bildlich vorstellen, wie Hinrich schon 1911 an die Sarzbüttler versucht in seinen Briefen über den Kirchbau zu berichten. (siehe Stone by Stone.)
Und nun können wir uns das indische Jubilee Festival auch nicht ganz vorstellen. Kein Speck ist da gewesen. Das haben Heiner und Erik verpasst und sich nicht getraut oder Zeit gehabt, zu der 100 Jahre Feier nach Indien zu fliegen und Einladung zum Fest zu folgen. Und wieder mal muss irgendein Sarzbüttler da gewesen sein, um euch davon zu berichten. Die Gemeinde Jeypur hat gleich zu so einem wichtigen Ortstermin ein großes Fest daraus gemacht. Aber neu an diesem indischen Missionsfest ist, dass diesmal Hinrich zu seiner Ausstellung und zu seiner Erzählung kommt, so dass er in Jeypur sicherlich still dabei gewesen ist .... Er wusste nicht, dass Jeypur die heutige Zentrale der dortigen indischen Landeskirche werden würde. Damals waren seine 25 Missionarskollegen schwer mit ihren Missionsstationen und mit ihren Kirchbauten beschäftigt, dass sie kaum nach Jeypur zur Kircheinweihung anreisen konnten. Der Missionspräsident T. war gerade 1911 nach schwerem Monsun nach Laxmipur durchgekommen, um den dort einsamen und abgearbeiteten kläglich verstorbenen Bau-Missionar von Laxmipur nachträglich zu betrauern. Die Bau- und Industrie-Missionare aus Salur waren die Lieferanten für Baumaterial und mussten gleichzeitig an allen Baustellen und Missionsstationen sein. Keiner hatte Zeit für Hinrichs Kircheinweihung.
Die Speckseite wartet noch auf die ersten zwei Exemplare des Jubiläumshefts, das in Indien noch beim Drucker ist. Während wir auf eine Email aus Indien warten, schicke ich Euch von dem Jubilee Committee erste Auszüge des geplanten 100 Jahre Festes. 100 Grüße von Erik !! (e.s.)
* JC=Jeypore Church
Eriks Indienreise 2010/2011. Verkürzter Reisebericht über Jeypur (Erik S.)
Skizzen vom Kirchbau 1909/1910 von Erbauer Hinrich Speck in Briefen an seine Mutter und Geschwister in
Sarzbüttel / Dithmarschen. (e.a.)
Englische Texte zum 100 j. Jub. 2011 in J., übersetzt und kommentiert von Erik S., und aus dem kommenden “souvenir”, der Festschrift zum Jubiläum in J.
The churchbuilding in Jeypore
©speckseite
The church in Jeypore was built
by the Missionary Hinrich Speck of the German Breklumer Mission, completed and
inaugurated in 1911.
“The fotographs show the beautifull and impressive Jeypore
Church. The English called it the most beutifull building in Jeypore. ... and it
gives its architect, H. Speck, all the honour. ... On this sunday 7th January
about 500 people came to church in Jeypore. ... The Jeypore Church is very
spacious.“ (Bracker, 1912)
For the 100th anniversary of the church in Jeypur, 2011 – we have nothing
in writing - the church inauguration in Tumarelli 1911 was described - and we
are including here a narrative of the church inauguration in Tumarelli near
Salur by the Mission Inspector Pastor Bracker, because such reports are yet
missing of the church inauguration in Jeypore 1911. We read a detailed report on
a well described church inauguration at that time in the Breklum Mission in
India. (“Die Kirchweihe von Pniel”, Bracker 1912)
The missioninspector was present at the inauguration of Tumarelli and could not
take part at the inaugurations of the four new mission churches in Koraput,
Kotpad, Nowrangapore and Jeypore in the same years. Bracker began his mission
inspection in Salur in Nov. 1911. After his round trip to the missionstations
Parvatipur, Gunupur, Bissamcuttak, Nandapur, Nowrangapore and Kotpad he reached
Jeypore shortly after Christmas six months after the inauguration of the Jeypore
church in June 1911.
The small station in Tumarelli was “lost” after the First World War. The mission
station at Salur remained with the American Lutheran Mission after the First
World War. The yet young Jeypore missionstation was later the center of the
Indian Church JELC in Jeypore.
Along with Bracker his protege, the Senana-Womanmissionary, “Frauenmissionarin”,
Miss Luise Tiemann, who married Hinrich Speck one year later in 1912 in Jeypore,
travels from Salur together with the Lady-Missionaries on a bandy trip to
Tumarelli. We can assume her in the picture with Mr. Bracker and on the church
steps in the photo of the church in Tumarelli. e.s.
(Bracker,
Tumarelli 1911) :
"Finally we come to a clearing and see before us a little higher, as on a
piedestal, the little church with its beautiful pointed tower, all whitewashed,
quiet and beautiful as in a dream. Oh, in the middle of all this nature stands
the church like a work of art in ivory! A very lovely sight, I do not
exaggerate. ...
On the ridge we in a clearing with a pond, beautifully covered with red and
white lotus flowers and with a small island in the middle. To the left shore
stand two teachers houses. We walk into the mission compound by a triumphal arch
with the Hebrew inscription: Peniel. Bruder Schulze (brother, former adress for
a pastor) has certainly not given this name in vain to this mission station;
here he has often wrestled alone with God, like Jacob at the River Jabok, for
His blessing for the poor people of the mountains. We walk through the garden.
Right, a pineapple plantation. Two welcome saluts of the guns sound again, as we
are at the mission house, around which are orange and guava (fruit) plantations.
We step into the house, everyone is looking for his room. A strange, cozy house.
There are so many corridors and rooms and corners, it is a real labyrinth.
Br. Schulze started off with only 150 rupees for this house, which the Mission
Society has authorized. By and by he had built on left and then right, and again
high and low, so that it became this labyrinth, this intimate cottage. I'm led
upstairs, where I will sleep in the "historic bed" - in which my dear
predecessor (Mission Inspector Pastor Bhsn.) had slept. And as I now step to the
window I see plantations right and left the lovely pond with the teacher houses
and behind me the mountains not far away. I must certainly agree with one of my
companions: "It is a small paradise". Before missionary Schulze took over the
strip of land, it was all dense forest. And everything is done in the service of
the mission; I will feel a great joy to prove this later.
By 2 o´clock, we arranged ourselves into a procession. Schulze, Gimm and I
preceded in the robes; unfortunately none of the other brothers (missionaries)
had been able to come. Then followed the sisters (Salur Senana missionaries),
the Christians, the 47 candidates for baptism, which should now receive the holy
baptism, and a large group of heathens. We are especially pleased that so many
heathens were present, some had their hair decorated with yellow flowers. Bruder
Gimm takes over the sacred act of consecration. With a Bible recitation Schulze
hands over to him the key which Gimm receives also speaking a Bible verse and a
short address. Then the door opens and we walk in. Today is the first time that
this church is used. It is simple inside; back at the altar, are stained-glass
windows, the altarpiece, therefore, very simple, in the middle of the altar, a
colorful window in the form of the cross. To the right the pulpit, left a kind
of choir screen for the teacher, just above the entrance a gallery; here stand
today the nine trumpeters. The church is built entirely in the Gothic style. The
celebration in the church opens with the song: "Now thank we all our God”. Then
Gimm starts the service.
His annoncement was: "All of you know the word inauguration. If however we have
gathered today in this new house to inaugurate it, I think it is necessary to
explain to you briefly what we Christians mean by initiation. The Hindus
dedicate their idols, as you know, and are firmly convinced that by this magic
spoken by the priest the image of the idol is transformed into a god. Time and
again we hear of the Hindus, that he who worships the idol, prayes to God, who
falls on his knees in front of it, falls down before God, and who tramples on it
with his feet, tramples on God, because it is consecrated.
Very different is and should be our idea of an initiation. If we now dedicate
this newly completed house, so the house itself remains what it is, a building
of stone and lime. What we Christians do mean by inauguration, is that by a
kneeling prayer we give this building to our Saviour, in whose name and for whom
it is built, and we ask Him that He may use the same henceforth in His glory, to
build His Kingdom here in Tumarelli, to your and yet many more peoples
salvation. God is Spirit, as we just have read in John 4, 24. He is as a spirit
everywhere, and you can and should worship him in spirit and in truth. However,
we Christians should gather to our Saviors will to pray, to contemplate the
precious word of God, for the holy baptism, and for the holy supper. As you
know, this needs a house, a church. In such a house, we are gathered today for
the first time and do now
inaugurate it with prayer, so that God may in the future bless everything
abundantly, that happens here in His House. Now if I speak the prayer, you shall
not think that it is only my job to pray, no, you all shall pray with me from
the depth of your heart, so not only I, but the whole community gathered here
will give this new, beautiful building in prayer to the Savior. If this happens,
we dedicate it in a Christian way, that is, after the will of our Saviour Jesus
Christ.”
The consecration prayer was: “Trifould, gracious Lord, we thank Thee that You
have given us to build this house, where lives Thy Glory, Thy Hallowed Name is
proclaimed and praised by human tongues. We pray with all our heart: Do you now
enter to your dwelling by all your grace. Let your holy act of baptism on this
baptism font exercise vigorously, let your salvation, let your word from this
pulpit resound! Deck the altar with the gracious gifts of Thy table, so that
this house be Thy House. May Thy Word and Sacrament stay pure and clean in this
place, and enlighten all the people, which Thee now and in future hast gathered
here, and sanctify Thy Word and by the same Thy Sacrament, that it shall become
dwelling in the Holy Spirit. Remember by Thy graciousness the builder of this
house; and as he has built for Thee a house, now build him his house and fill it
with grace and peace. Also bless the builders of this house and the cooleys, and
give them a reward that they may turn away from the darkness of heathenism and
turn to Thee and be saved.
Feed all of us here, who as Thy congregation are directed to this house,
faithfully with Thy Word from children to children's children, send always
faithful pastors and teachers to this place, and awaken our hearts that we may
follow Thy call to come to Your house and hear the gospel of Thy mercy. Supply
us with the body and blood of your Son, when we get hungry and thirsty. Hear,
hear our prayer to honor thy name's sake, through Jesus Christ, your Son, our
Lord. Amen.
Such was this church handed over to its sacred use.
The first ordinance, which was completed in the church was the baptism of 47
pagins, men, women and children. Gimm held the naming ceremony speech, and
baptized all adults, Schulze baptized all children. ... The naming ceremony
speech was as follows: ... “
The Jeypore Missionstation 1912
The two Missionbungalows and the Jeypore Church ©speckseite
In the foreground stands the Jeypore church on the right and lies the´first`
missionbungalow at the left, where the churchbuilder, missionary Hinrich Speck,
lived. In the left background is the ´second` missionbungalow. and inbetween the
missionsbungalows and hidden behind the trees are the outbuildings, then called
“Kosthaeuser”, today staff quarters. Behind the church lies the school.
The picture shows the spacious Jeypore missioncompound, as it was newly
established by the “Breklumer Mission” (German Evangelical Lutheran Mission) in
the beginning of the last century. The German missionaries had purchased the
open landstrip from the Maharajah of Jeypore in 1885, after their retreat from
the Bastar Raj (1882) to Salur and foundation of their first missionstation at
Koraput. The Jeypore missioncompound, today Church Compound of JELChurch, lies
under the foresty rocky hill to the North on the left and one hundred yards from
the former dirtroad to Burrigumma out of the picture on the right.
The still rural township centre of Jeypore with at that time a few mud huts and
the Raja Palace as its only main building lies outside the picture on the right.
Jeypore lies in the low plains under the mountains with the ghatroad to Koraput
in the east in the background. For the first missionaries it was a enduresome
journey of half a day on horse or bandi to Koraput beyond the mountains in the
background. In the Raja palace, in one mile walking distance, the Raja was
landlord in town and the missionaries first neighbour.
(e.s.)
(photos from the German Jubilee group for the Jeypore Church Jubilee 2011)
1909. The Beginning of church construction foundations
On the buildingsite of the Jeypore church in 1909. ©speckseite
Buildingwork by Indian workers and Missionary Hinrich Speck
(his name written in the picture by himself about 1960).
©speckseite
(Hinrich
Speck :) „Digging the
foundaments for the church construction in Jeypore. Since it was monsun from
middle June untill October, I could only work from October to middle June. In
the first year the foundation was laid. Because the buildingground was bad, I
had to dig 8 ½ feet deep and 5 feet broad. The filling was 2 ½ feet cement, then
came stonerocks with lime mortar upto groundlevel and on top brickstones. For
the tower 16 by 16 feet at 8 ½ feet depth had to be dog and filled with concrete
and rock. In the 2. year the walls and the roof with steelconstruction, tinsheet
and tiles were completed. In the 3. year the church was plastered inside and
outwards. 4 Fotos of my Jeypore station.“ (by
Hinrich Speck, handwritten on the back of the foto)
Stone by Stone.
About the construction work for the Jeypore church in a home-letter of Rev.
Hinrich Speck.
When we celebrate the 100 years jubilee of the church in Jeypore we also have to
look at the building work stone by stone. In 1910 Rev. Hinrich Speck wrote about
his three years building work on the church of Jeypore in an unpublished privat
letter to his family in Schleswig-Holstein.
(translated from old-german writing by E. H. A., english and explanations in
braccets by E. S.)
"Dear mother, brothers and sisters! Jeypore. 2.1.1910
I hope you are all doing well. I am doing, the Lord be praised, even better. I
just came back (to Jeypore) from Nowrangapur and am quite recovered. It was very
nice there for Christmas. Many christians and students had come to celebrate
with us. On Tuesday after Christmas I went off again. On the afternoon we went
to Boriguma (with rest-house and change of horses. e.s.) and early next morning
I went on to Jeypore. I am happy that I can continue my work here. Its always
best if you have work to do. Rev. Jo. supervised the (church-) construction work
during my absence.
In January, I hope to get the walls up slightly higher. I will now let finish
the ledge under the roof. You can see it on the drawing. First you see the stone
pillars which lap over by one foot in the top. 2 ½ feet above the window come
the cornices, the edges. At points a, b, c. there is one stone 3 times built out
by 2 inches, which makes the 6-inch overlapping. These ledges are 10 inches
wide. Then comes a free space of 10 inches width. This free space is bridged
with slanting stones. The top between this bridge and slanted stones will be
further developed. The projection is then up to the roof. From that point where
the first stone is projecting it is 2 ½ feet to the roof. The wall above is
therefore ½ foot wide. You see, the holes in the cornices are alternately black
and white. In the black hole the cornice is only up to the wall, is therefore
only half foot wide. In contrast, the white holes go all the way through the
wall. They thus represent good air holes that are needed here.
I am working these days with 13 masons here. So it will be ready soon. The
(altar-) portal is finished. Therefore the ledges, the cornices and also the
wall top endings still have be built higher and equipped with cornices. Then
hopefully the iron roof will be here. Part of it is been sent from Calcutta. The
iron bars have to be adjusted high above. On it comes tinsheet and then on top
again tiles, because it would get too hot otherwise. When this work and the
tower are finished it will probably be rain season, I think. Next year will be a
lot of work. The whole church must be plastered with lime. Windows must be fit
in, the floor needs to be done. In addition, then come altar, pulpit and also
stairs have to be done outside the doors and inside at the gallery. This must
yet also have a floor and some decoration.
You see, there is still a lot of work to. May the Lord give strength and health
that I can do all the work. The church building thus takes 3 years to complete.
It's a long time and time flies fast. Siem (Rev. Siem Sp. in Nowrangapur, the
brother of Hinrich) is also working on the missionhouse there. He furnished
rooms for Huebner downstairs. (Rev.) Ah. built a new school. Here (in Jeypore)
the school also has to be enlargened. In Bissimcuttack and Lakshmipur new houses
have to be built. (Rev.) To. and (Rev.) Hb. are probably starting in February to
build in Kalihandi. (Rev.) St. will probably have his house finished soon in
Shambari. You see, that the missionaries have to deal with much construction
work. We are building every year. Last year (Rev.) Se. built a house in Nandapur
and (Rev.) Gl. a hospital in Kotapad. But this work must be, although we would
prefer to be free of it.
Let all the work be done for the glory of the Lord and may He fill the churches
with the brown people. ... Siem and Marie (Sp.) are well. I too have had no
fever in 4 weeks (HS had malaria). The Lord bless and protect you and us in the
new year. ...
With heartly greetings, Your Hinrich.”
About the last phase of the constructionwork of Jeypore church Hinrich Speck
wrote in a letter to his mother and folks back home in Schleswig Holstein:
"Jeypore 15.1.1911. Dear mother and brothers and sisters.! At first my heartly
thank you for mothers letter and for the ltter from my brother Martin. I was
very much pleased to hear from Your agriculture, into which I am born; and am I
not a farmer in person myself. Now I am a master builder already more than 2
years and I am happy, that this work will now soon be ended. Lately I had always
4 carpenters, since the balcony had to be constructed. Especially the railings,
which is so long in length (36 ½ feet) as the church is broad made a lot of
problems. This gave me much to measure out and I had much to control and
supervise. All the wooden bords must give proper equal squares where they
overlap each other and they also must fit into oneanother.
The carpenters can then do all the work when I have measured out every thing and
have put down the marks.The wooden slates are about 7 inches apart. So you can
figur out how many linemarks I have to draw with my pencil. During the
construction I had plenty to measure since the people cann´t do it themselves,
and they cann´t see if something is straight or crooked. The railings are soon
now finished. I dismissed the bricklayers and maistries for the time being. The
staircase to the balcony is yet to be set up with cement. And the floor of the
chancel (altarspace) and the steps up to the same are to be paved in cement.
This work has to be done when the altar from Salur has been brought here. The
altar table has to be build of rock. Its socket, the pulpit and the baptism
basin will be made of wood: for which Rev. Schulze will be given 250 Marks.
The church floor is laid out with broken bricks on their side lengths. All the
groundfloor is then paved with limeplaster and polished evenly. The aisle in the
middle of the church, a path of 5 feet, is plastered with cement. The altar room
will be given a cement floor as well as all the staircases. On the limefloor we
will lay a woven bamboo-mat, only on the main churchaisle will lay a
coconut-mat. The church ceiling, the tinsheet inside the church, is painted
light gray, only the steel rafters are painted black. The insidewalls will be
painted white, all the arches will be red. Here all the rocks are marked and
will be painted. At the bottom the wall will be painteed graybrown up to 2 ½
feet high, because the people make the wall slightly dirty with their oily hair.
The church is whitewashed from the outside, not bright white but a little
yellowish. For this I took the water from the sandlime. The windowsills are
brickred and are not stepped, since the wall here is safe by the overlapping
roof, which looks much better. The tower was not whitewashed as it was polished
well enough, which will last very well.
Now you may very well picture the church yourself how it will look like.
With heartly regards – Your Hinrich”
1912. The First Christmas in the new church in Jeypore and the typical district
churchwork in a letter by Hinrich Speck.
In the founder years of the Jeypore Church with very much building work the
church men had to do their enormous district church work, about which we read
here in a pituresque letter and can imagine the celebration of the first
Christmas in the newly built church in Jeypore.
(shortened extract, E.S., E.A.)
"Jeypore. 21. 1. 1912 ...
... Then the dear Christmas festival was prepared
(in Jeypore). Many new people
came to celebrate with us. On the morning of December 24th
(1911) there were around
thousand people gathered in the church. Everywhere in the small compound the
people cooked. By the afternoon a teacher spoke in the church and then Christmas
Eve was celebrated in the festively decorated church. Two beautiful
Christmas-trees (of mango trees) were burning bright in the church. Underneath
each christmas-tree was a cradle. A bigger crib stood on the altar. At the
baptismal font stood my desk lamps. Otherwise there were no lights in the
church, but in each window six christmaslights were burning and also here and
there on the walls. That was our light (in the church), and the
stained-glass-windows were lit so beautifully and testified their bright colors.
But more then by the lights the church was adorned with about thousand happy
faces, of which about half celebrated Christmas Eve for the first time. A song
was sung. Then I read the Christmas story. Then again a song was sung and then I
spoke about the Christmas story and about God's great love. Finally, a song was
sung again and the people lightened their fires outside under the trees.
I was invited for dinner ... (in the other
churchbungalow). After supper there were all sorts
of little gifts. The next morning, we got ready for the service, which started
at 10 clock (25.th Dec. 1911).
I preached on the Bible Words "Behold, I bring you great joy." and "The
Christmas message is a message of great joy." It proclaimes to us the birth of
our great Saviour. It saves us from great fear. And it is a message for all
people. After the sermon about 30 souls were baptized, which was the climax of
the Christmas church service. In the afternoon two teachers spoke. On 2nd
Christmasday Rev. P. preached on the passage of the shepherds to Bethlehem.
After that I held communion service. Over 100 people participated in it. ... The
next day I had three wedding services. The following day I left to
Otalguda
to receive Pastor Br. there. On Saturday afternoon
(30. Dec 1911), he arrived with T. ... On the last
Sunday in December, church sunday service was in Otalguda and on New Year's
morning. In the afternoon we went to Matli, and from there in the evening
to Gobinda Palli. On Tuesday we went to
Kolar, on Wednesday
morning to the large market at Dosmotpore and in the afternoon to the
police station at Boipariguda, where we three slept in the prison. On
Thursday morning we came to Jeypore, where Mr. Pastor Br. stayed until
Monday morning. ... On Sunday afternoon we made a visit to the
Rajah, and
soon after he came to us to make a return visit.
On Monday (8th January 1912)
morning Pastor Bracker and I drove to the outpost
Kenduguda
where we were
greeted by the christians with songs and held a small prayer. After a small
breakfast we rode to the market of
Pupagaon. In the afternoon we rode
back to
Kenduguda, took a car and drove to
Boriguma, where we
arrived by ½ 5 o´clock. The station was decorated festively. On the way, first
all the men were drawn up and welcomed us with singing. Then about 200 yards
away all the children were placed who received us with flower garlands and a
song by a native melody and. About 200 yards further on were set up all the
women who welcomed us as well with songs. Now it went into the chapel. Pastor
Br. preached and I translated. About 200 people had gathered from around. After
the devotion the people went back to their villages.
The next morning we went on horseback. By 8:30 we were welcomed on the outpost
Sano Dubli
by the christians and students with corals. We dismounted from
the horses, entered the leafhut which was built for us and held a short
devotion. Then we went on and arrived in ½ 11 where we were met by a large
singing crowd of christians and students. By 2 o´clock first Pastor Br. and then
I gave a speech. At 3 we again rode our horses and were at the outpost Podapodor
by ½ 5. Here we were again welcomed by the christians there with singing. Then
it was in the chapel, where Pastor Br. and I did a little speech. In the evening
the teacher S. and I showed the slides to a large crowd ... The next morning
(Wed. 10th. Jan 1912)
it went on. First to
Kotnaguda
where we cooked at
the foot of the mountains and the beautiful shores of beautiful
Murali River.
Soon came a group of Christians and students from
Patiaput
to welcome us. We sat
under a tree and held a prayer service with singing. At the end of the prayer
again 30 students came from
Pokonaguda
to greet us, so that we held a
little prayer.
In the afternoon it went up the hill into the
Koraput district. The path
was often very bad, so we often had to go on foot. Our destination was the
Koraput outstation
Holdisil
where Rev. Wo. wanted to meet us. On the
route christians came up to us, singing and with flower garlands for us. After
an hour, worship was in the chapel and then (Rev.) Wo. and I spoke to the slides
outside of the chapel. The next morning, P. Bracker and Wo. traveled on and I
went back to my district where I was working a few days.
Back in
Jeypore, there was much work for me. Years applications should be
submitted. Bills were to be settled and letters were to be done. Tomorrow
morning (22th Jan 1912)
again I go back to the district. Next Sunday, there is large Sunday here
(in Jeypore) and then it goes for a few days to the
conference in Koraput. Thus one always has enough work and we thank the
Lord when you are healthy and can work. Our community has almost 1,000
Christians. We also have plenty of 1000 students. ... The photo-slides I use a
lot. I have shown them now probably 70 times already. I do think the slides do
very good service. ...
Your Hinrich"
(e.s., e.a.)
 |
2011. "Souvenir Centenary Jubilee Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church" 1911-2011 (Feier 10.-12. Juni 2011) zum 100 j. Jubiläum der Einweihung der von H. Speck erbauten Kirche in Jeypore. 140 Seiten; mit u.a. auf Seite 14 Bild von ihm und auf Seite 15 vom Freund dem Maharadja (Lebensdaten von seinem Vater?). Und mehr alten Bildern und Berichten und Briefen v. H.S., übersetzt v. E.S. aus der Speckseite (!) (e.s., e.a.) |
50 J. Kirche Jeypur; Postkarte 1960 aus Innien (!)
mit Bezug auf H.S. und "seine" Kirche
(e.s., e.a.)