Birth: 10-05-1799
Home Calling: 08-07-1859
Native Place : Neuchâtel
Country: Switzerland
Place of Vision: Bengal, India
Alphonso Francois Lacroix was a Swiss missionary who served in Bengal, India. Losing his father soon after his birth, Lacroix was brought by under the care of his pious uncle, M. Chanel. He had an active and courageous personality since childhood and always wanted to become a soldier. But God wanted him to be a soldier to fight spiritual warfare. When he was 17, he moved to Amsterdam to work as a tutor. There he attended a prayer meeting and heard the wonderful missionary work among Tahiti people. That day he thought, ‘The work is so vast; the men who go forth are so few; why should not I share their toil?’
Instead of going by emotional impulse, he prayed for divine guidance for six months and finally joined the Netherlands Missionary Society. He reached Chinsurah near Calcutta, India in 1821. There he was terrified to find prevalent social evils like ‘Sati’ and witchcraft. There were instances when he failed to save women from being burnt even after long and earnest imploration. But such disappointments further strengthened his desire to win Indians for the true God. He took charge of 25 Dutch schools and converted them as centers of both formal and spiritual education.
Gospel campaigns were an important part of Lacroix’s ministry. He believed that Jesus is just not the savior of cities but villages too. He conducted gospel campaigns in all villages along Hoogly, Ichamati, and Mathabhanga Rivers. His commanding voice, fluent Bangla, and courteous manner attracted people to listen to the Gospel. Along with the itineraries he was also faithful in pastoring his sheep in Calcutta.
In 1833, Bengal was hit by the worst hurricane during which around 20,000 lives were lost. Lacroix and his church poured their blood and sweat helping the needy. Lacroix also contributed to revising Bengali scriptures and training the local preachers. After an intense ministry of 40 years that demanded several sacrifices and involved the toughest struggles, Lacroix slept in the Lord in 1859.
