William Arthur Memorial Church, Gubbi

Missionary preaching near entrance to Goobbe, 1836 (Hodson, 1877, p.33)[7]

Thomas Hodson preached his first sermon at Goobbe on 1 September 1836, near its gates, from an unoccupied shop which opened to the street. Arriving as a guest of Captain Dobbs, after spending a few days at Toomcoor, Hodson rode the 20 miles to Gubbi. He was received about a mile from the gates of Gubbi by some of its prominent citizens, who accompanied Hodson till the town. A town crier announced on the streets of the town, that a man of distinction has arrived in the town. After examining the town for the suitability of starting a mission station, Hodson proceeded to the gates of the town. Here the first sermon was delivered with the help of a native Christian who had been a school master in Toomcoor. One of the people listening to the first sermon was Chickka, the village washerman, who was first convert to Christianity at Gubbi, taking up the Christian name of Daniel on conversion. A short while after the first sermon, Thomas Hodson sent Franklin, an assistant missionary to make arrangements for setting up a mission station at Goobbe (p. 41-46).[7]

Goobee Mission Cottage, 1837 (Hodson, 1877, p. 46)[7]

The mission station at Goobbe was started in April 1837, with Thomas Hodson and his wife moving to Goobbe. Initially they lived in tents, and after a while built mud cottages with thatched roof (see figure). The mud walls of the house were 6 ft high, and the house had a few small rooms. The house was cool during the hot seasons, but leaked during the rains. Further, Hodson provides a description of the village life at Goobbe. Low flat lands well irrigated from a tank grew paddy. There were also large clumps of trees and large tracts of un-cultivated land, which was used as common pasture lands for sheep and cows. The shepherd boys usually had a hand made flute and played a sweet tone. Deer were common and were seen fleeting outside the mission house.

Hodson and his assistant would travel to the surrounding villages and preach Christianity. As literacy was very low, use of tracts was not possible. Even though most natives listened attentively to the ideas of the new religion, they were unwilling to forsake their ancestral gods. Women of the village brought their sick children to the mission house, and Mrs. Hodson would provide them with basic medicines.

Hodson records a visit to Singonahully, which was Daniel's village, and preached a sermon there. He records, his sermon was of no interest as most were interested in Mrs Hodson and her dress. (p. 47-50).[7]

According to William Arthur, after Thomas Hodson acquired land and started constructing a mud house to live. As the construction was going on, Captain Dobbs lent him a tent to live in. Once finished the mud house was cool in summer, but leaked heavily during the rains. Sometimes, Hodson had to spend the whole night under an umbrella, when it rained. There were also white ants, which were notorious for destroying everything in their path. After the house was completed, Mr. Jenkins joined the Gubbi Mission, and Thomas Hodson moved to Mysore (p. 188).[6]

On 24 May 1838, Mrs. Hodson laid the foundation for the Goobbe Mission House. The building was completed on 17 August 1839, at a cost of £180. A few days after its completion, another missionary John Jenkins along with his wife and child were assigned to the station and came to live at Goobbe. Half of the new house, consisting of a large room and two small rooms were given up for this additional missionary. By this time many villagers started visiting the mission house.(p. 53).[7]

Baptism of Daniel and his Four Sons, 1843 (Hodson, 1877, p.63)[7]

Gobbee Chapel, 1860 (Hodson, 1877, p.78)[7]

Singonahully Chapel and village gateway, 1864 (Hodson, 1877, p.82)[7]

The Goobbe Mission House served as a day school during weekdays for the village children. Many adults also attended school and learnt to read and write. The mission had also started a school at Singonahully, which was Chicka the washerman's village. In early 1843, Chicka told Mr. Hardy the missionary that he desired to be baptised. Mr. Hardey, along with the native catechist Nallamuttoo questioned him on his intentions and wanted him to be sure. Chicka was also known to the other missionaries who served in Goobbe - Hardey, Sanderson and Male, and Male who was at that time stationed in Mysore was asked to perform the baptism. The baptism of Chicka took place on 13 August 1843. The ceremony was a spectacle for the villagers. When Mr. Male touched the water for baptism, the other natives fearing that water will be sprinkled on them and they would also become Christians ran for cover and exited the chapel from the doors and the windows. They continued to watch the ceremony from outside. Chicka was baptised taking up the name of Daniel, and his four sons were also baptised taking up the names of John, Peter, Timothy and Samuel. His wife was baptised after six months by Mr. Male as he was passing through Goobbe and given the name of Sarah. After their conversion, Daniel's family continued to live at the village of Singonahully. (p. 59-65).[7]

In 1851, the Wesleyan Missionary Society was in large debt and was forced to close several mission stations. One of the stations to be abandoned was the Goobbe Mission. The missionaries were recalled, and the Goobbe Mission House, the Goobbe Chapel, the school rooms and other buildings were sold. The chapel was purchased by the government of Mysore and converted into a travellers resting house. A few native Christians reverted to Hinduism. (p. 73-75).[7]

After a few years of abandoning the Goobbe Mission, the finances of the Wesleyan Missionary Society improved, and recruitment was in for new missionaries in the Mysore State. Thomas Hodson returned to India on 1 January 1854, and after spending several months in Madras, arrived at Bangalore. Hodson visited Goobbe on 16 April 1855, and on meeting Daniel, resolved to restart the Goobbe Mission. The government of Mysore agreed to resell the chapel to the Wesleyan Missionary Society, and the house building was repaired under the supervision of Mr. Sullivan. A new bigger chapel was raised in Goobbe and consecrated on 12 June 1860. The opening ceremony was preached by Thomas Hodson. (p. 76-79).[7] An original sketch by Thomas Hodson, detailing the Goobbe Chapel, with the opening date of 12 June 1860 scribbled, is in the possession of the Museum of Sydney, The Rocks.[8]

Till 1864, there was one building in Singonahully Village which served both as chapel and school room. Daniel (Chicka) wanted a new school room and proposed the idea to the missionaries. A modification was made such that the present building serve a school and a new chapel be raised. Daniel contributed a modest sum of £4 towards the cost, and the rest was raised by subscriptions, and a new chapel was raised at Singonahully Village. (p. 83).[7]