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Missionaries from Gerlingen: Christian Gottlob Aldinger | ||
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Letter of reference from Johannes Zimmermann from the Mission House Basel: "I grew up with the applicant Christian Aldinger and so I take the liberty of saying something about his vita. Earlier, when we were still walking in darkness, we were companions. He was always a bit soft minded and that's why he was more victim of persuasion than a abuser. In Stuttgart he was aroused one and a half or two years ago and visited the Youth Association of blessedly W. Hofacker. With his Youth Association he is innermost aligned. He seems to be deeply aroused, indeed still a bit young in theologically topics, but also still flexible. He was always pretty talented and one of the best students." |
Christian
Gottlob Aldinger, son of master cooper Christoph Aldinger (was
married four times and had 16 children) and his wife Maria, née.
Morlock, is born on the 4th of January 1826 as the 15th child. Christian Gottlob gives his parents - especially his mother - much pain in later years. According to custom he learns his father's trade, but he doesn't fancy it. After his father's death he continues the apprenticeship in Stuttgart, where he hooks up with the wrong crowd. He reports that he had tricked, stolen and told lies. After the apprenticeship he goes on the tramp and gets chased out by his master because he did a bad job. He denies that from his mother. The truth gets unearthed and a radically about-turn is brought about: In the Stuttgart Youth Association Christian Gottlob Aldinger finds his way to Christianity and takes the decision to become a missionary. |
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In 1848 he registers in Basler Mission
House, but has to wait for one year. In Basel/Switzerland he finds a
job and prepares himself for his integration in the Mission House. After 6 years studies he gets intended in June 1855 for the Mission field India. On the 3rd of December in 1855 he arrives in Cannanore at the west coast of India. He is sent to the Mission Station Talatscheri which is known for its schools. The hot climate is giving him pain. Also tropical diseases, smallpox, cholera and typhus don't spare him. |
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In 1858 Christian Gottlob Aldinger asks
the Missionary House Basel for admission of marriage and for a bride.
He marrys Christiane Caroline Breuninger from Brackenheim/Germany; five
children get born. Besides the heathens sermons Aldinger teaches at the Christians- and Heathens-School, at the Catechism- and Middle School in Talatscheri. There detailed rules of the house exist: At 9 o'clock the class starts and lasts until 5 o'clock in the evening. Subjects studied are Reading, Biblical history (the Bible is the main school book), Mental arithmetic and Blackboard arithmetic, Geography, English and Malajalim. Mrs Aldinger gives handcraft lessons. Schoolboys sew their clothes themselves. Twice or thrice a week the students have singing lessons, bath afterwards in the river or in the sea, play until they have dinner at about 6 pm and then get their sleeping pads. At 9 o'clock it's quiet and the house gets closed. In 1859 the three missionaries who work on the mission collect statistics: Three more outstations belong to the master station Talatscheri. Among the master station are a mission house, a prayer room, a industry building, an orphanage, a kitchen- and storehouse, a stabling, a catechist house and eleven flats for Indians who have become Christians. In addition there are workshops, among them a "lithographic press" with six workers. Among other things the Calw Biblical History with 312 pages in 800 duplicates is printed there and bound in the bookbindery.1865 the Aldingers ask for home leave - after Aldinger had worked for eleven years in hot India. On the 18th of June 1866 they arrive at home where they are on the mend. Aldinger doesn't go back to India. The Mission House Basel needs mission preachers and traveling preachers in Germany and so Aldinger accepts in 1868 such a task in Schwäbisch Hall. There Christian Aldinger dies in 1899 on the 25th of March. |
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