about six years old, his parents emigrated to England from Prince Edward Island. He soon learnt the Old Testament which was in Hebrew and the New Testament which was in Greek. In his 19th year, he volunteered for missionary work in the Tamil speaking areas in South India and set sail for South India in 1839. His companions during the eight months of see voyage to India were William Arthur and Jones Caret. It is said that during the eight months of his voyage, he so thoroughly mastered the new language (Tamil) that on alighting at Madras he preached in Tamil at San Thome.

Pope came to India on behalf of the Wesleyan Missionary Society but later joined the S.P.G. i.e. Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts.

He took up his abode at Sawyerpuram a place in South India about ten miles from the harbour of Tuticorin. This place has an interesting history. It was purchased by a Portuguese merchant called Samuel Sawyer who later gifted it to the S. P. G. mission. This Sawyerpuram a Tēri was surrounded by large stretches of sand dunes and for it Dr. Pope had a great fascination. Sawyerpuram had a hot climate and Europeans found it difficult to stand the heat especially in summer. A story exists that Dr. Pope dug a pit in the earth sufficient to accommodate him in which water was stored. In this he kept himself submerged upto the neck during the intolerable hot months while he proceeded with his readings (See Plate No.10).

He made Sawyerpuram the field of his labours, for about eight years, before he left for Tanjore, Ootacamund and Bangalore. Wherever he went, he endeavoured to establish means for Christian higher education.

The existing church in Sawyerpuram was built in 1887. In 1844 however, Dr. Pope erected a church which lasted till 1887. Sawyerpuram was a place of retreat to all persecuted and harassed Christians. Here Dr. Pope ministered to the needs of Christians for miles around and founded and developed his “Seminary” into a highly reputable centre of learning.