Jan Schuermanns Ancestry

The life story of the farmer's son
Johann Adam Schürmann
from Ellerbeck in what was then the Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück, in today's district of Osnabrück

He studied in Berlin and later served the London Missionary Society as a pastor and missionary in Benares (Varansi) on the Ganges in India. In addition to preaching the gospel, pastoral care, caring for orphans, their school and craft training, he devoted himself to literature, translated the Bible and Psalms into Hindustani and Urdu, and wrote school books in the local language.

Johann Adam was born on March 10, 1809 as the third of 6 sons on the family farm in Ellerbeck. Due to the rules of succession in the Electorate of Brunswick and Lüneburg, the court inheritance was due to the youngest son, so Johann Adam had to look for a different path in life. His childhood and adolescence fell into a time of serious changes, such as the Napoleonic wars of conquest, secularization and the subsequent reorganization of Europe, beginning with the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Early on, his teachers, pastors, cantors and the magistrate lost his academic interest and striving for education on. Characterized by the early death of his parents, especially that of his beloved mother, Johann Adam speaks of his spiritual "awakening" and decision to devote his life to the service of God and to teaching and spreading the gospel among the "pagans". In doing so, he was following the much-quoted commandment of Jesus Christ, cf. Mark 16:15: "...go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature". Like all missionaries of that time, John Adam wanted to give the people in Benares access to the kingdom of God and thus to salvation, see John 14:6: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me”.

Missionaries at that time were much more than the bearers of the gospel to the "pagans", they conveyed a Christian image of man, general education, manual skills, basic medical knowledge, they brought knowledge from undiscovered and unknown areas of the world to Europe and America, corresponded with Universities, expanded the knowledge about peoples and cultures of the earth.

Missionaries were not conquerors with fire and sword. Her means were words. Due to widespread ignorance, self-sacrificing missionary work has fallen into disrepute today, because its work is often only seen in connection with colonialism. Although colonialism often made use of the missionaries' knowledge, education, diverse cultural and language skills, it pursued political and economic goals. A comprehensive and objective view of the missionary movement can break down prejudices.

Parental home, siblings, childhood and youth in what was then the Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück

Johann Adam Schürmann was born on March 10, 1809 in Ellerbeck, in what was then the Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück. The time was marked by serious social and political upheavals. As a result of the Napoleonic wars of conquest, French occupations and secularization, the Holy Roman Empire and the Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück perished. Starting with the Congress of Vienna in 1815, Europe was reorganized. The Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück became part of the Kingdom of Hanover.

Training and studies in Berlin

Johann Adam's eagerness to learn and his academic interest were already evident in his childhood and adolescence. Pastors, cantors and also the magistrate of Schledehausen promoted the education and the posting to the Jänicke missionary seminary in Berlin. After extensive training, he studied theology, Chinese and also the basics of medicine until the end of 1832.

Marriage and first trip to India

After meeting with Juliana Wilhelmina Cammerer from Berlin and the completion of their studies, both decided to follow a common life path and to devote themselves to spreading the gospel "among the heathen". According to the preparations, China was the desired mission, where the well-known missionary Karl Gützlaff already worked. It didn't come to that. The Berlin Missionary Seminary had no means of sending out and instead recommended the highly qualified Johann Adam of the London Missionary Society. This ran the Benares Mission in India on the Ganges and put Johann Adam in their service.
This required studying Hindustani and Urdu in London. Before leaving, numerous missionary preparations, ordination and marriage follow.
On July 8, 1833, they went on the adventurous 6-month journey to India and from there another 2 months 700 kilometers up the Ganges to the city of Benares, holy to Hindus and Buddhists. Steamships and motor vehicles did not yet exist.

Work in the mission, birth of children and illness of the wife

The missionary conditions in India were full of challenges, hardships and risks of illness for the missionaries and their families, especially because of the subtropical climate, which was extreme for Europeans. In addition to preaching the gospel, pastoral care, caring for orphans and outcasts, the mission provided school and craft education. Johann Adam also devoted himself to "literature". So that the gospel could be spread in the local language, he translated the Bible and Psalms into Hindi and Urdu for years and took care of their printing. His great talent for languages, which was recognized everywhere, his ambition and his perseverance stood him in good stead. The first editions were printed and distributed in 1843/1844. During this time 5 children were born. Life and death were closely related. The firstborn daughter Juliana died shortly after her first birthday.
The family tragedy began with the ongoing serious illness of his wife, who also worked as a teacher in the mission. In the hope of recovery in the mild climate, she finally had to return to Europe with her four small children on urgent medical advice. It had taken a year, until the end of 1841, to get the financial means for it. The youngest son James died on the long, arduous sea voyage to England at Cape Horn. Johann Adam was left behind in the mission alone and quite desperate.

Return to Europe

Johann Adam's journey to his family in Europe and to the London Missionary Society could only take place at the end of 1843, after important work in the mission had been completed and travel expenses had been met. After a long journey he reached Berlin in early 1844, where he saw his family again. She had to make do with modest circumstances. Rather, his wife's health had deteriorated. She was unable to take care of the children who were being cared for in institutions. On the way through, Johann Adam briefly visited his Osnabrück home, farm and family in Ellerbeck. His official duties called Johann Adam to the Missionary Society in London. For about a year he worked, taught, preached in England and Scotland, attended conferences, gave lectures. Apparently there was no other option but to continue his mission in Benares and follow his calling. At the beginning of 1845 he traveled alone, without family, from Portsmouth back to India.

Second trip to India with a detour via the USA

The return journey from Europe to the mission in India led via the USA, where he stayed for 7 months before continuing to Calcutta. In the USA he met well-known theologians and American missionaries whom he knew from India. Johann Adam lived and taught at various important universities, preached in various congregations and met many people. In Cincinnati, Ohio, he met two of his brothers who were looking for a future there. America was the rapidly developing country of immigration for Europeans with unlimited opportunities. In all, he traveled about 4,000 km from New York to the Midwest and back to Boston. In a letter to the London Missionary Society, Johann quarrels with his fate, "If only I had gone to America instead of India, how much suffering my dear family and I would have been spared".
Resumption of work at the Benares Mission began in February 1846. The Mission had made great progress during the absence. The large church and other facilities were completed, many new orphans and street children were taken in, trained and prepared for their baptism. With great enthusiasm Johann Adam devoted himself to welfare and above all to educational work. He recognized the need for Hindustani textbooks for teaching and started to create them. He also began revising his Bible translation. His exceptional language and translation skills were known far beyond the Benares Mission. He was repeatedly asked for advice and help by other missions. In 150 his full attention was devoted to the construction of the girls' school, which was built on toxic soil. Johann Adam contracted a severe infection that would not heal and weakened him more and more.

Serious illness and death in 1852

The serious illness led to his death on October 1, 1852 at the age of only 43. Even on his deathbed, all his worries were taking care of his sick wife and their still young children in Europe, as well as the unfinished work in the mission. The mission had lost not only a dedicated brother but also its exceptional linguist.

Fate of wife and children

The life and fate of the wife and children was certainly not untypical in the middle of the 19th century. The health of the wife no longer improved. She was a complete invalid. The 3 children were dependent on outside help, came to boarding school or were cared for. The daughter Emily went back to the mission in India at the age of 18 with another missionary family from England. The son William was taken in by his uncle in Australia and Henry became a businessman in Berlin.