Rev. Canon Arthur Margoschis is regarded as the “Father of Nazareth”. A small Christian town with 23 churches, earlier known as Saan Pathu, 36 kms from Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, the residents renamed it after its more popular namesake in northern Israel, chiefly due to the outcome of 31 years of evangelistic and developmental work of Arthur Margoschis.

Arthur Margoschis was born in the village of Leamington, Warwickshire in England on December 24, 1852. His parents were Thomas David Samuel Margoschis and Mary Anne Margoschis. Arthur Margoschis was the youngest of eight children. Arthur's father was a Polish Jew and was baptized into the Church of England prior to his marriage. 

At age 11 young Arthur attended the Grammar School of Maltram-in-Longdendale, Cheshire, and afterwards a school at Cowley, near Oxford. At 17, Arthur who had distinguished himself with his knowledge of Scripture, entered the mission college of Warminster, followed by St. Augustine’s Canterbury.

After finishing his course at St. Augustine’s, Margoschis went to London and enrolled as a medical student at St. George’s Hospital. He appeared at the Primary examination in Anatomy and Physiology at the Royal College of Surgeons. Before appearing for the M.R.C.S and L.R.C.P, Arthur responded to the call to missions by Robert Caldwell, missionary to Tirunelveli.

When his friends and relatives asked him to not be in a hurry, but complete his studies, Arthur’s answer was, “this is not a job that I can do according to my own convenience”. He started immediately for India. Arthur reached Madras, India, in the year 1875, at the age of 22, and then he stayed with Caldwell for some time at Edeyengoody. Arthur Margoschis came to Nazareth in the month of December 1876 after studying and passing a Tamil examination at Edeyengoody. He was ordained Deacon on March 25, 1877 at St. George's Cathedral, Madras, and assistant missionary to Nazareth.^[1]]
Arthur’s first charge was the hospital and schools. He also donned the role of an organist, choirmaster as well as pastor. In 1880 Arthur Margoschis was appointed priest and assumed full charge of the Nazareth mission station.

Work in Nazareth
Ann Caemmerer daughter of the London Missionary Society (LMS) missionary to Travancore, Charles Mead opened the St. John’s Girls’ High School at Nazareth, in 1843. Considered the first girls’ school in South India after Rev. James Hough’s school of Palamcottah closed down in 1819, Arthur Margoschis was appointed Superintendent here in 1876.

Rev. Margoschis was also the Medical Officer in charge of the Nazareth Dispensary and Hospital. His medical studies stood him in good stead, and it is said of Margoschis by another medical professional, “I spent a week with him at Nazareth and witnessed his medical work, and I was astonished to see how facile he was in prescribing, and in the performance of surgical operations, some of which were of some magnitude. He was a diligent student of medical literature, and kept himself abreast of the times”.^[2] His service as a physician was sought by natives, and Europeans in the Tirunelveli district. Arthur Margoschis renamed the Hospital as St. Luke’s, which extends its services even today.

At the Nazareth Dispensary, about one-third of the patients treated were non-Christians. Hindu boys and girls studied at Nazareth schools^[3] and a grateful community held Rev. Arthur Margoschis in high regard. There was a time when Margoschis was travelling to Madras, people of Nazareth were worried if Margoschis would be transferred to Madras. Overjoyed at his return, on his way back to Nazareth, at Palamcottah, several representatives of the congregation greeted Margoschis. At Alvar Thirunagari, Hindus regardless of caste met Margoschis to do him honour with torches and tom-toms, and by bringing a temple elephant decorated with howdahs. A procession was held. Later, the people of Kadaiyanodai received him in a similar way. As they neared Nazareth, the people of Nazareth joined the procession, with fireworks, torches, and amidst the hurrahs and shouts of the people, Margoschis reached Nazareth. Nazareth was beautifully decorated, and the lamps were kept burning in the streets the whole night.^[4]

In the year 1877, there was a severe famine. Thousands of people died and consequently a large number of children became orphans. In 1878, Margoschis started an orphanage, which later became the Art and Industrial School.^[5] Margoschis was supported by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (Dursley Branch) and the Indian Famine Orphan Fund. By 1887 the 250 pupils at the Industrial school learnt eight skills including carpentry, blacksmithy, tailoring, weaving, embroidery, lace-making and drawing.^[6]

Arthur Margoschis founded a middle school, now the Margoschis Higher Secondary School,^[7]for boys in 1882 in the name “Anglo – Vernacular School". Notably, In the year 1885, this school was awarded "The Best School" title by the Presidency of Madras. The school was upgraded to the status of a high school in 1889.

Bishop Caldwell, who had already started a high school at Sawyerpuram in 1862 considered the high school started by Margoschis as a rival. Besides, the Madras Diocesan Committee of the Society for Propagation of the Gospel (S.P.G.) had given permission to Margoschis to start the school, ignoring Caldwell's protest and opposition. But Caldwell was stubborn and he managed to get the high school closed in 1892, leaving behind the middle school for boys.

Margoschis contributed vastly to the vital infrastructure and livelihood of the people at Nazareth. He was instrumental in ensuring that the railway line connecting Tiruchendur and Tirunelveli was laid through Nazareth. His contributions also included; a thrift fund society, teachers training school for girls in the year 1887, bishop’s theological class for training catechists, a children’s mission, preaching bands to the neighbouring villages, night school, railway station, spinning mill, telegraph facility, and roads.

In addition to the work at Nazareth, the districts of Mudalur and Christianagaram were also under his charge. Rev. Arthur Margoschis oversaw 86 congregations, with 11,432 baptized Christians, 704 catechumens, 4372 communicants, 50 schools with 2483 enrolled students, ministered to by twelve clergymen, 120 catechists and teachers.^[8]

In the year 1902, the people of Nazareth were dying of natural calamities such as heavy rain, and cholera. Reverend Margoschis – a man of short stature with a small beard was seen on a horseback, helping those who lost their houses and belongings.^[9]

Personal Life
Suffering from a weak constitution, Margoschis is said to have remarked that he never knew a day’s good health or a night’s good rest – his sleep rarely exceeded three hours. In January 1880, Caldwell described Arthur Margoschis as "a very useful little man but unfortunately such a victim to asthma that you cannot expect from him anything but the work of a station".^[10]In 1906, Margoschis undertook a trip to Australia to recover. The sea air revived him.

A confirmed bachelor, Margoschis never married.

On appointment to the Nazareth mission, Margoschis was soon at dispute with some of his missionary colleagues, in particular with Sharrock and Vickers. They complained that Margoschis make slanderous statements about those with whom he disagreed. At some instances Robert Caldwell had to intervene and settle these disputes.^[11]The point of disagreement was the use of caste titles by Christians. While Margoschis was of the view that mere honorifics didn’t carry religious significance, Sharrock noted that an untouchable caste community never supported the use of caste titles.

Recognition
Rev. Arthur Margoschis was appointed a Fellow of the Madras University, in recognition of his success as an educationist. In 1901 he received the Kaiser-i-Hind medal from the Viceroy. When the college of Canons was established by the bishop of Madras in 1902, Margoschis became the Canon of St. George Cathedral, Madras.

Annually a "Canon Margoschis Memorial trophy" a State-level football tournament is organized by the Margoschis Recreation Club, at Nazareth.

Death
On April 23, Canon Arthur Margoschis who was travelling to Colombo had stopped over in Toothukudi, on account of ill-health after an overnight bullock cart trip from Nazareth. His doctor suggested a period of rest to regain strength before continuing the journey. On the morning of 27, after eating a light meal at dawn Canon Arthur Margoschis slipped into a sleep from which he never woke up.