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    Thomas Valpy French

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    Duane Alexander Miller Botero
    From the archives of *St Francis Magazine*. This journal was published online from 2005 through 2013 and focused on Christianity in Islamic contexts, with a focus on the Arab world. These archives are made available to you courtesy of Dr. Duane Alexander Miller who served as contributing editor for the journal.

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    Thomas Valpy French

    Uploaded by

    Duane Alexander Miller Botero
    84 views2 pages
    From the archives of *St Francis Magazine*. This journal was published online from 2005 through 2013 and focused on Christianity in Islamic contexts, with a focus on the Arab world. These archives are made available to you courtesy of Dr. Duane Alexander Miller who served as contributing editor for the journal.

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    From the archives of *St Francis Magazine*. This journal was published online from 2005 through 2013 and focused on Christianity in Islamic contexts, with a focus on the Arab world. These archives are made available to you courtesy of Dr. Duane Alexander Miller who served as contributing editor for the journal.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    84 views2 pages

    Thomas Valpy French

    Uploaded by

    Duane Alexander Miller Botero
    From the archives of *St Francis Magazine*. This journal was published online from 2005 through 2013 and focused on Christianity in Islamic contexts, with a focus on the Arab world. These archives are made available to you courtesy of Dr. Duane Alexander Miller who served as contributing editor for the journal.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    Thomas Valpy French, first Bishop of Lahore

    1825 – 1891

    Thomas French was essentially a pioneer. He arrived in India in 1851, sent out from England by

    the Church Missionary Society (CMS). He and a colleague founded St. John’s College, Agra, to

    educate boys from the upper classes of society. He always took time from his administrative and

    teaching duties for evangelistic tours in the areas around Agra no matter how busy he was.

    His next pioneer effort was the founding of the Derajat Mission in what is now the North West

    Frontier Province of Pakistan. This new work included Dera Ismail Khan and Bannu. Inspired

    by Christian Government officers contributing generous finance and prayer backing the Derajat

    Mission started in 1862 when French first visited Bannu. In 1873 the first resident missionary

    arrived and started a school and bazaar preaching.

    French’s third pioneer work was the establishing of the Lahore Divinity School for training men

    for ordained and lay ministry.

    When in 1877 the Diocese of Lahore was created out of the Diocese of Calcutta, French was

    chosen as its first Bishop. This appointment gave him many opportunities for adventuring with

    God. As a former missionary French was truly a mission representative. In being approved by

    the Queen, the Secretary of State for India and the Archbishop of Canterbury he was the

    appointee of the British Raj. He was warmly supported by many individual Christian soldiers

    and administrators as well as leaders of other missions. A new diocese and a new bishop - here

    lay the hopes for the emergence of an Indian church in which Christians of all races could join.

    French had his responsibilities to the British troops, to the Government and the Establishment,

    but he was, above all an evangelist and church planter.


    Establishing a new diocese and building a suitable cathedral was his fourth pioneer

    work. After ten years, broken in health and having found a suitable successor, he

    resigned his Bishopric and retired to England. However, in 1891 CMS appealed for

    volunteers for Arabia. Only Bishop French at the age of 66 volunteered, so entering

    on the fifth and last phase of his career. After three months he died of exhaustion and

    fever at Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman, and lies buried on the seashore near

    Muscat. On his tombstone is written, “Thomas Valpy French, first Bishop of Lahore

    and first missionary to Muscat.” Then follow the words of John 12:24 in English and

    Arabic. Today many Pakistani Christians work in Oman and the fruit some of

    French’s labours are seen not only in Pakistan but also in the Arabian Gulf areas for

    which he had a vision so long ago.

    Stacey, Vivienne Thomas Valpy French, first Bishop of Lahore.

    Christian Study Centre, Rawalpindi, 1993. (booklet)

    Stacey, Vivienne Thomas Valpy French, first Bishop of Lahore.

    Lahore, Masihi Isha’at Khana, 1979. (Urdu book)

    Birks, Herbert The Life and Correspondence of Thomas Valpy French, First

    Bishop of Lahore. London, 1895. 2 Volumes.

    Vivienne Stacey 500 words

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