Hudson Memorial Church, Bangalore
| Hudson Memorial Church | |
|---|---|
| Josiah Hudson Memorial Church, Bangalore | |
| Coordinates: 12°58′03″N 77°35′16″E / 12.9674008°N 77.5879109°E | |
| Location | Bangalore |
| Country | India |
| Denomination | Church of South India |
| Tradition | Wesleyan |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | Canarese Wesleyan Chapel, Bangalore |
| Consecrated | 23 September 1904 |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Classical Gothic |
| Construction cost | BINR 25000 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Karnataka Central Diocese |
| Clergy | |
| Bishop(s) | Rt. Rev. Dr. Prasana Kumar Samuel |
The Hudson Memorial Church is located in the Bangalore Pete, Hudson Circle, surrounded by the Office of the Bangalore Corporation, Ulsoor Gate Police Station, Cubbon Park and Kanteerava Stadium. The church was established in 1904, and is a Kannada CSI church of the Bangalore Diocese. The church has around 4000 registered members and is named after Rev. Josiah Hudson, a missionary, Canarese scholar and educationist who started many Canarese schools in the Bangalore Petah region. The church was earlier known as the Wesleyan Mission Canarese Chapel, and was located in Ganikara Street, Nagarathpet, and moved the current location at Hudson Circle and renamed as Hudson Memorial Church in 1904. The church attracts people of all faiths, who visit the church to seek blessing, especially in Thursdays and Sundays.
The earliest record of Kannada missionaries preaching in the Bangalore Petah area is in 1822. These missionaries were from the Wesleyan Mission and London Missionary Society. They started schools around the petah in 1825. The church has its origin at the Wesleyan Mission School with a chapel in its premises, which existed between 1840 and 1849. The Wesleyan pastors who were active at this time were John Garret (who translated the Bhagavad Gita into Canarese), Edward Hardy, John Gastec, Philip Webber and Sanderson (who along with Rev. Reeve of the LMS, compiled the first English Canarese dictionary). During this time Kannada church services were help at the Wesleyan Mission School and the chapel. Records of baptisms in this period exists at the Hudson Memorial Church. In 1857, the first native Kannada preachers joined the Wesleyan Mission, with the first pastor being Andrew Philip.
The church's predecessor was the Wesleyan Mission Canarese Chapel (not to be confused with the London Missionary Society Canarese Chapel, now Rice Memorial Church on Avenue Road), which was established in 1859 at Gaanigarapet (now Nagarethpet). Prior to that the site was used as a Wayside Chapel from 1856 to 1859. The chapel was built in a narrow street of Gaanigarapet or Main Street, which is the present Nagarethpet. The chapel was surrounded by Gangamma Halli, Ballapuradapete, Potter's Street and Chakkaliyarugala Halli. Known by the natives as Gudi Hatti or Peta Chapel, the church faced much opposition from the locals, and often church services had to be conducted with police protection. The chapel was used for nearly 45 years. The pastors who served the Peta Chapel were Robert William Faradize, Abijah Samuel, Josiah Hudson, J A Vanes and T Luke. Of these Josiah Hudson was a prominent Weslyan pastor, who has local pastors Samuel Abijah and T Luke serving under him.
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