Anthony Norris Groves was born 1st February, 1795 at Newton, Hampshire. He was the only son with five sisters. His father suffered several financial losses and young Anthony was familiar to loss and difficulties at an early age. His schooldays were spent at Lymington then at Fulham, where his aunt Mrs. Thompson, lived. While at this school, when between 13 and 14 years of age, he reported that the boys used to take small novels to church in their prayer books to read. Nevertheless, it was there that he became interested in missionary work. The unconverted lad thought it would be a wonderful thing to go to India and to die in the winning of even one idolater.
It was during the Fulham years that he learnt to love his cousin, Mary Thompson. His aunt was not averse to their attachment, and he thought at the time that he could win his uncle's consent, provided he had sufficient means to offer Mary. The young people were both 'religious', and Anthony’s love for Mary was a great safeguard to him. At the age of nineteen, having studied chemistry and acquired great surgical skill at the Hospitals, he trained for dentistry, helped by his uncle Thompson. He then went to Plymouth to practice his profession. There his cleverness enabled him to command a good income, and when he had £400 a year he wrote to Mary to ask permission to speak to her father.
Mary spoke to Mr. Thompson herself but he gave her an unqualified refusal because they were first cousins. This was a terrible blow to the young people. Anthony felt that his life was no use to him and, more under the burden of sorrow than of sin, he sought relief and peace in the Saviour and offered himself to God for foreign mission work. Later on, through the loving ministry of Miss B. Paget, he became more focused on what Christ had done for him, realizing that salvation was all of grace.
While he was preparing for his missionary labours Mary’s sister died. Mary’s health was so undermined with nursing her, and with grief at her father's attitude towards Anthony, that she became ill and Mr. Thompson feared he might lose her, too. He gave his consent to the marriage and in 1816, and before Anthony was 22 they were married. Then followed the discovery that Mary, though religious, was not saved, and also that she was steadfastly opposed to Anthony going abroad as a missionary. For many years she held out. During those years two boys and a girl were born and they moved to Exeter, Northernhay House, where business was most prosperous. Anthony had everything that a man could desire but not the presence of his Lord as before his marriage. Mary, too, was very miserable and fearful of arousing his missionary wishes and hoping to dissuade him. She was, however, willing give to the poor and accompany him on his visits to them. Mary Groves realized that her belief was not able to sustain her, being only “religion”, not a faith in the Saviour, when she visited Mary Walker, whose bright faith triumphed over great domestic trials and fearful bodily pain and sickness.
Mary Groves became very ill at Dawlish when her little girl was born. When she had recovered she resumed her visiting and attended services at the Penitentiary to hear Mr. Marriott, through whose ministry she at last found peace. Still, she was resolute against missionary work for her husband. Then Bishop Chase, Ohio, visited them and she was willing at last. Mr. Bickersteth, who also visited them, gave a further lead in the direction of Baghdad, which had no missionary presence.
After much loving opposition from relatives they set forth on June 12, 1829 for Baghdad, sailing in a yacht belonging to a friend of Lord Congleton, bound for Petersburgh. There was quite a party besides Anthony, his wife, his two boys, and John Kitto, a boy whom he had adopted. His little girl had died early that year. It seemed a long way from Petersburgh to Baghdad.
They reached Baghdad about December 6, 1829 having endured a tedious, perilous journey, but in which they "lost not a thread or a shoelace”. In Baghdad, Anthony started free medical work, soon procuring a number of patients with eye diseases. He limited himself to this work in order not to get so many patients that his Gospel ministry would be crowded out.
A teacher was obtained, and a school was established for boys and girls, where they learnt the Scriptures in common Armenian, not "church" Armenian, which was too ancient and not understood. They were also taught grammar and other subjects. Mr. Groves learnt colloquial phrases from the scholars, and from the teacher whose son was learning English from him.
In 1831, when they had been in Baghdad over a year, they received news of the plague. The teacher told Mr. Groves that he dreaded the plague. Mr. Groves replied that if his Heavenly Father willed that the plague should take him away, it would be but a summons to a life of endless joy. "Yes”, replied the teacher, "it is very well for you not to fear death who believe in Christ as having atoned for you; but I fear to die.”
The plague entered the city in March. By April 4th there were 150 deaths a day. People fled in large companies, some to return stripped of all they had by Arab robbers outside. A band of soldiers was on the way to besiege the city and kill the Pasha and was held in check only for a time by the increase of the plague. Mr. Groves refused to leave when his friends, the Taylors, left the residency, and also when a caravan left for Damascus. Both these parties suffered greatly on account of the flooded country, for the Tigris was rising while the plague was increasing. On April 14th the deaths were about 1500. Out of a population of 80,000, 40,000 fled and the number of deaths among those remaining by April 16th was 2000 daily at its peak. People had been buried in the public roads, many just where they died. Later, bodies were flung into the river for a payment of £3 each. On April 29th the wall and a great part of the city was flooded. 7000 houses were swept away. The dying, the dead and living were buried in one grave.
During these terrible weeks, Mr. Groves and his family, with several other people, remained quietly in their house. The only exception was his visits to sick and dying. Spiritual comfort he could freely give. There was very little food and water had to be paid for and was often not procurable because most of it was being used for washing the dead. Also, later, because so many of the water carriers themselves died of the plague. In this scene of death and desolation the missionary and his wife ministered wherever possible to the fearful necessities around, even taking one of the orphan Mohammedan babies from the streets and giving some of their scarce food to others. Trusting their God, they waited His will.
The couple had much sweet conversation while pacing the flat roof of their home. But when the plague had nearly left the city Mary became sick and died on May 14th, as did also his baby girl a short while afterwards. About December 1831 he was able to reopen his school and pursue his missionary labours among his patients for more than a year. In 1833 he left for India, then England, where he married again in 1835.
In company with his wife and a missionary he sailed for Madras where he taught and preached Jesus Christ in many places. His busy earthly life came to its peaceful end in the home of his brother-in-law, George Muller, in Bristol. On May 20th, 1853 he knew what it was "to wake up and find it glory.”
Taken from THE WAY OF LIFE POSTAL BIBLE SCHOOL Magazine September 1966.