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Munhi Rathana was born in c1792 near Galle in Ceylon [Sri Lanka]. He entered the Buddhist temple at Matura when aged six. By his early twenties he was a High Priest at the Dodanduwa Temple near Galle.
Dherma Rama was born in c1794 near Colombo and also entered a Buddhist temple at the age of six. By his early twenties he was also a High Priest at the Dodanduwa Temple near Galle.
Both men received an extensive education and were knowledgeable in a number of languages including Sinhala, Pali, Tamil, Sanskrit and Patios Portuguese [Cristao].
Having encountered Christianity through a translation of the Bible into Sinhala both expressed a strong desire to learn more about Christianity in England. In 1817 they approached Sir Alexander Johnstone, Chief Justice of Ceylon, to accompany him on his return to England but he was reluctant for them to join him. However, once Johnstone had sailed they caught up with him on another ship and he agreed to allow them to accompany him to England. Upon arrival the two priests were placed in the hands of the WMMS committee who in turn placed them in May 1818 under the care of Dr Adam Clarke, a leading Methodist theologian.
Both men spent nearly 2 years learning English from Clarke, received tuition in the main subjects and topics of the age as well as a thorough understanding of Christianity. On 12 March 1820 they were both baptised by Clarke in Brunswick Chapel, Liverpool: Munhi Rathana taking the additional name Adam whilst Dherma Rama taking the additional name of Alexander.
Both men returned shortly after to Ceylon [Sri Lanka], declining the many gifts offered to them. They travelled in the company of Richard Ottley (later Chief Justice of Ceylon) and arrived in Colombo in October 1820. Neither man continued a close relationship with the Methodists, much to the chagrin of some. Alexander Munhi Rathana became Ottley's Private Secretary and later Mudaliyar of Morartuwa. Adam Dherma Rama became an Anglican representing them at Dodanduwa and later his son, George Adam, became an Anglican priest.
Further reading:
Etheridge, J W, The Life of the Rev. Adam Clarke (1858);
Moscrop, T, & Restarick, A, Ceylon and its Methodism (?1908);
Small, W T J, History of the Methodist Church in Ceylon 1814-1964. |
Munhi Rathana was born in c1792 near Galle in Ceylon [Sri Lanka]. He entered the Buddhist temple at Matura when aged six. By his early twenties he was a High Priest at the Dodanduwa Temple near Galle.
Dherma Rama was born in c1794 near Colombo and also entered a Buddhist temple at the age of six. By his early twenties he was also a High Priest at the Dodanduwa Temple near Galle.
Both men received an extensive education and were knowledgeable in a number of languages including Sinhala, Pali, Tamil, Sanskrit and Patios Portuguese [Cristao].
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