Husband is God, if he dies, his wife, the slave also should die being burnt in the funeral pyre, an evil practice called Sati. Kokila was born in a rich family, married to a wealthy man who served in the Royal court of Thanjavur died. When she was taken to be burnt alive, an English army officer Henry Lyttleton rescued her. Because he has read the Bible which states rescuing the widows in their affliction is a demonstration of true spirituality. (James 1: 27) She came to Palaymkottai, where she learnt from Henry Lyttleton the gospel. After Henry died suddenly due to gout, she went to Christian Friedrich Schwartz to be baptized in 1778. She got the name Clarinda. She gathered new disciples and formed a small congregation and built a church (Clarinda Church) with her own funds in 1785 and was consecrated by Schwartz. She constructed other schools and churches too.
1) Rescue act: Understanding the biblical worldview Henry Lyttleton rescued Kokila from being burnt alive.
2) Reason: Kokila must have asked why Henry took the risk of saving her from a fiery end? He must have shared the Gospel in which Lord Jesus Christ came to this world to die and give life. True teaches Life Eternal and does not righteously snatch life.
3) Regeneration: Henry’s inspiration of the Bible and Lord Jesus Christ became Kokila’s search for truth. She discovered that she was a sinner and gratefully accepted Lord Jesus Christ as her Savior and Lord. Her life was transformed. She was baptized and changed her name as Clarinda.
4) Reach out: A disciple cannot be passive and Christian faith is not buried but expressed. She shared the gospel to all others. In fact, she planted and built the first Protestant church in Tirunelveli. God saved her from being burnt alive, she became the light of the world.
Tirunelveli got the first church built by an Indian: Clarinda alias Kolila, with her personal funds and was consecrated in 1785. Clarinda was not given money to convert, instead given life from imminent death.
Do I rescue the perishing?