author
Joseph Mullens
1820–1879
A Victorian missionary writer and scholar, he spent decades in India with the London Missionary Society and wrote widely about religion, education, and missionary life. His books reflect both his deep commitment to Christian mission and his close engagement with Indian languages and beliefs.
1 Audiobook
Twelve months in Madagascar
by Joseph Mullens
About the author
Born in London on September 2, 1820, Joseph Mullens studied at Coward College and graduated from the University of London before entering missionary service. He went to India in the 1840s with the London Missionary Society, worked mainly in Calcutta, and became known not only as a preacher but also as an educator, organizer, and writer.
Mullens wrote extensively on India, Hindu thought, and missionary work. His books include The Religious Aspects of Hindu Philosophy, Missions in South India, and Twelve Months in Madagascar. He also helped shape missionary publishing and scholarship, bringing together firsthand observation, travel, and religious debate in a way that made his work influential for Victorian readers.
Later in life he served in leadership roles for the London Missionary Society and continued traveling on mission-related work. He died on July 10, 1879, in East Africa while on a journey connected with missionary business. Today he is remembered as a prolific 19th-century missionary author whose writings offer a window into the religious and colonial world of his time.