ICEU Madras

In 1950, Bro.Bakht Singh told Prof Enoch about Dr T Norton Sterrett, then a teacher in a Bible School at Jhansi, U. P. Prof Enoch also heard that Dr Sterrett was in touch with International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) and was keen to pioneer evangelical student witness in India. He invited him to come to Madras to help with the work. Dr Sterrett came to Madras in 1951 with the Moody science film, 'God and Creation'. The film, which was screened in many colleges, caught the attention of the students and helped the seniors to find those who were interested in the things of the Lord. They had a real breakthrough in Stanley Medical College which gave them many contacts. The persons contacted through film shows were encouraged to join the Friday Prayer meeting at Poonamallee High Road. As the number of participants for this meeting grew steadily, they formed many small prayer groups in Madras. The constant interaction and prayer among students and graduates led to the formation of the committee for Inter Collegiate Evangelical Union (ICEU) of Madras in 1951. A student magazine, entitled The Evangelical Student, began to appear with Watson as Editor. Tom Thurley, a veterinary student, became the first President of Madras ICEU. This group in some ways had the most encouraging beginning as it was mainly started through student initiative. ICEU was a small group of students meeting regularly for prayer at Prof Enoch's residence. Some of the students included Sam Kamaleson (now Vice President of World Vision International) Nesarathina Carunya (now Administrator, Dohnavur Fellowship), C T Rajarathnam (Philadelphia, USA) and Ebenezer Christadoss (Tennessee, USA). Three or four students in a Government College in Madras had kept faith, stood for the Lord by means of weekly Bible study. They brought in their friends students to hear the Word and won some for Christ.

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