Written by Saya Kip Thian Pau

A. The Gospel Light to the Chin Hills

The first persons to bring the Gospel Light to the Chin Hills were Mr. Arthur E. Carson and his wife Laura L. Hardin, and as such, let us see some sketches of their lives. Arthur E. Carson was born on the their lives. Columbus U.S.A. He arrived at Rangoon as a missionary on the 13^th December 1886 Laura L. Hardin was born on the 28th September 1858 in Coming, U.S.A .and came into Burma to work as a missionary, and on the 28th November, 1883 she reached Rangoon. These two missionaries were married in 1886 at Bassein.

After having worked for several years in Burma with he Asho Chins of Thayetmyo and vicinity, they started out on the 2nd February 1899 and reached Haka on the 15th March, 1899. At the time of arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Carson, the living standard of the Chin people were so low that people were practically without decent clothing to speak of. This condition appalled Mrs. Carson so much that she was said to have wept bitterly and the encouragement given by her husband and the fortitude she got from God could make her a worker for the Chin people in the succeeding years. Rev. Carson died on the 1st April 1908 after working for a consecutive period often years and he was buried at Haka. Mrs, Carson, Dr.E.H. East, Dr J.H. Cope continued to take up the work left by Mr. Carson.

The American Baptist Missionaries who came to the Chin Hills and their dates of arrival are as follows:-

1. The Rev. A.E.Carson and wife 15th March 1899
2. The Rev. Dr E.H. East and wife 21st March 1902
3. The Rev. Dr J.H. Cope and wife 21st December 1908
4. Dr H.H. Tilbe and wife 1902
5. Dr J.G. Woodin and wife 3rd November 1910
6. The Rev. C.U. Strait and wife 27th October 1925
7. The Rev. EC. Nelson and wife 3 rd December, 1939
8. The Rev. Johnson and wife 7th February, 1947

Mrs. Laura Carson stayed in the Chin Hills for quite a long time, and she went back to America only in 1920, twelve years after her husband died. The Rev. Dr East M.D. and wife Emily East were medical missionaries to the Chin people, and due to ill-health had to return to the U.S. in 1902. He was the missionary who baptized the first batch of Chin converts. Re came back in the 1903 with his new bride and some fluid to built a 20-bed mission hospital in Haka.

Dr. Henry H. Tilbe and wife Clara Tilbe came to the Chin Hills in 1902 to help the Fast but after 2 years they went back to U.S. The Rev. Dr Joseph Herbert Cope and wife Elizabeth Cope came to the Chin Hills in 1908 to succeed the Rev. A. E. Carson and on the 19th April, 1910 he transferred his headquarter from Haka to Tddim. Dr. Cope work for 30 years not only as a missionary but with the consent of the British government he was acting as the Honorary Inspector of Schools in Chin Hills. Dr. J.H. Cope died on the 11th June 1938 of diarrhoea in Haka and was buried there.

Dr. J.G. Woodin was the second medical missionary to come to the Chin Hills. He went back to the States on the 6th January 1915. The Rev. Chester Ulyses Strait and Mrs. Plorence Strait arrived in 1925. He translated the New Testament into the Haka dialect and completed it in 1932. When He was responsible for the first Bible School for Chins, the said school existing during 1928-1932. He returned to America on the 3rd January 1941. The Rev. Franklin O. Nelson and wife Mrs. Phileda Nelson arrived at Tiddim on the 3rd December, 1939.During the World War II they evacuated to India. At the end of hostility he came back and opened a Bible School in Tiddim, the said school was operative from 1947-1950. On the 19th February 1951 the Nelson family returned to their homeland for good.

The Rev. Dr. Robert 6. Johnson was the last American Baptist Missionary to the Chin Hills. His wife Elizabeth H. Johnson. He opened a Bible school from 1948-1950 in Haka. On the 28^th May, 1966 he went back to the United States of America.

Thus the American people came to the Chin Hills so that we may see the light and the seeds they brought and their labor of love could be discerned as shown below:-

 

1. First and foremost, in importance for us Chins, was education therefore they established missionary schools at various towns and villages. Those who taught in those schools were both teachers and evangelists from Karen Christians.
2. Hitherto the Chin people’s only means of getting cured when they were sick was to propitiate the evil spirits by sacrificing domestic animals. To show that there was a better way to get treated, they sent Medical missionaries and practically showed us how to get medical care.
3. The first to be educated under their tutelage were absorbed m the ministry and therefore they opened means and ways to let them get theological education as well.
4. Row to be properly dressed and how to cultivate the fields and how to conduct life generally had been taught to us. When they so worked in the Chin Hills it was imperative that they get some helpers. These helpers were recruited by them from Karen nationals and these teachers cum evangelists made much progress according to the plans and schemes of the American missionaries.

The following are the names of the Karen teachers cum evangelists who came up into the Chin

Hills to work:-

Remarks

1 Thra San Win (1900) Haka

2. Thra Po Ku (1902) Tiddim upto 1904 and thence transferred to Tonzang

3.Thra Shwe Zan (1904) Khuasak came up from Haka’ on March31. 1904.

4.Thra Maung Kya (1905) Zokhua

5.Thra Maung Gone (1906) Laizo

6.Thra Po Aye (1906) Lumbang

7.Thra Maung Lun (1906) Died in Zokhua

8.Thra Kyi Ghine ( )Haka

Missionary schools continued to flourish and more Karen teachers came up to help in the programs they were:-

I. Thra Phe Gyi Haka

2. Thra Benny Haka

3.Thra AungDwe Haka and khuasak Siyin Valley

4.ThraSanTun Falam

5.ThraSeinPo Teddim

6.ThraKyawIChin Teddim and khuasak Siyin Valley

7.ThraMawigMaung Haka

 

Note: 1. Reverend Sang Fen in his note book recorded that before Thra Maung Lun arrived to work as missionary cum teacher, Saya Maung Kya and Saya Kyi Kaing (Asho Chin) had already arrived Zokhua.

 

Note: 2. Before Thra Shwe Zan arrived at Khuasak, the Assistant Superintendent of Tiddim sent Saya Tun Aung but this individual was always drunk and was sent in his place. (According to Captain Kham Cin Khaits note).

 

B. The First Chin Converts

The Rev.A.E. Carson and wife arrived at the Chinland in 1899 and they immediately started opening schools at various places. The teachers employed at these schools not only taught the lessons but they preaches the Gospel at the same time, and the result was the conversion of some souls in the Chin Hills as follows: Thra Shwe Zan arrived at Khuasak to take up this dual post of teaching and preaching and in 1904, through his ministry Pau Suan and his wife Kham Ciang, Thuam Hang and his wife Dim Kho Cing became Christians, accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal savior; in the same year. Thra Shwe Zan was so glad of these events that he sent the following letter to Dr. E.H. East’:-

 

25 July 1904

Sir,

Your letter came to me and tell about the school which you spoke with Mr. Fowler. We little three here were very glad. The time when we arrived here Koset till this time, we try as well as we can for preaching, so that one man named Paung Shwin, he is among three chiefs which you have been seeing, he believed Jesus can save him from his sin in to life.

 

He gave up all the bad things and came to us for worship God together every time with his wife and mother. He’s very earnest in preach to others. Some man spoke to him and make him afraid, but he do not care what was the people said to him. As he knew more about Christ he preach more and more to other people. The time when you come to Koset he will be Baptist at once. As well as my master can, come soon.

 

Now we little here glad every time to preach. We hope our master and mama and Saya San Win and his wife will glad with us in prayer I cannot write English well, if I can write you will glad more than this. One man name’s Tum Harm, he is chief among the three chiefs. Now he begin to believe Jesus. This night he came up to me for praying God. Dear master; please remember for Tum Harm in your prayer O my dear master if you arrive here this time, how you will be very glad for Christ.

 

As to school, the people begin to build the school now. They got some post to the school place; in a few days I think school will finish; Some time I wrote about to stop school until the school house finish, and you tell I must stop; but I think in heart it is better to learn every day so that I have school in my house.

 

Remember Paung Shwin and his household in your prayer As well as I can try in write English. Please know that I mean as well as you can.

 

Yours obedient Servant,

Shwe Zan

When we read this letter we come to know that Saya Pau Suan was the first to accept Christianity and Thuam Hang accepted Christ as his Savior on the 25th July 1904. This letter is of utmost importance to us Chins and Dr E Mrs. East were very happy to as be noted in his diary as follows:-When the Easts received the news in this charming letter, they could scarcely restrain their Jubilation. They laughed and they cried. Dr. East reported that be shouted: “The King of Glory has surely made His entrance into the Chin Hills. The bells of heaven were ringing as the shepherd brought home the lost sheep”

At last Northern Chins had to have Christ and were willing to acknowledge Him as Savior and as Lord of life. The first amongst the Chins to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior was Pan Suan, born in 878 at Khuasak, of Thuan Tak tribe Kim Tong clan, eldest son of Do Thang. In the traditional Sizang (Siyin) custom strict prohibition was made for either a male or woman to many his or her opposite sex from the same relatives in a village. Pau Suan was one of the pioneers who deliberately trespassed this strict customary law order to have social reform and infanticide to illegal children was stopped.

He accepted Christianity; accepting God as his personal Savior, through the teaching and preaching of Thra Shwe Zan in 1904. As stated above already, Dr.E.H.East baptized him on the 11 May, l905. He learned the ways of God under Thra Shwe Zan and he was thus the first in the Chin Hills to become the first preacher In 1910 theizang Baptist Church and Thangnuai Baptist Church were transplanted from the Khuasak Baptist Church, and Saya Pau Suan was the first pastor of the Thangnuai Baptist Church.

He was, however, never ordained, because he discontinued his works in the ministry. He died in 1951.His first wife Kham Ciang died long before him and he remarried Son Kho Dim, a niece of Kham Ciang, and with the first wife he had two sons Viz.Saya Lian Zam, the first pastor of the Tiddim Baptist Church. The younger son Vai Kho Thang, (the father of Rev. Kenneth Suan Za Nang, of Adventist Development and Relief Agency) and with the second wife he had a son Vum Za Lian.

REV. THUAM HANG

He was born in 1870 at Khuasak village of Thuantak tribe TongSeal clan, his father Hang Suang was the most illustrious chiefs in the Chin Hills in pre-British time, a real states man of international caliber that the Burmese King of Ava gave him the title ‘The Chief Envoy of Chin Hills”. His name was Pu Hang Suang, a warior of highest rank, and a judge or magistrate under the Zeyagyo Swabwa. Thuam Hangts mother was pi Hau Cing, daughter of the famous Buamnan Chief Pu Thuam Hau. Since his two eldest of six four sons and two daughters born by Pi Han Cing. His conversion was this wise. When Thra Shwe Zan was working as a teacher cum evangelist at Khuasak, Thuam Hang’s son Suang Kho Kam was seriously ill. According to  animistic ways this family spent all their possessions in propitiating the evil spirits but the boy Sung Kho Kam never was better in his condition.

One day Thra Shwe Zan paid a call to Thuam Hang’s house and in the frontal courtyard at the usual place of water trough, he saw a big rope being dipped into the water trough. Through  curiosity Thra Shwe Zan asked what was the purpose of the big rope. Thuam Hang replied that he was afraid the evil spirit might devour his son and therefore made a promise to the said spirits that he would worship them with animal and the rope was to tie the said animal with, and it was just hoax that nothing evil may come to his son. Thra Shwe Zan replied: “Don’t worry, if you will only worship the God I worship, evil spirit cannot do anything to you, you don’t have to be afraid of them. If only I pray to God about your son’s sickness he will surely recover. With Thuam Hang’s consent, Thra Shwe Zan went to the sick bed of Suang Ko Kam and prayed to God for his healing. Very soon, young Suan Ko Kam made a quick recovery and miraculously Thuam Hang was very glad and on the 25th July, 1904 he paid a courtesy visit to Thra Shwe Zan and said in effect: “With effect from today, I and my family will accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and personal Savior.”

Beginning from this event, Thuam Hang continuously went to Thra Shwe Zan to learn reading and writing as well as to learn more about God. As he was one of the first to embrace Christianity; he also was the first Chin to become a preacher. And Thra Shwe Zan was appointed pastor of the Khuasak Baptist Chruch as soon as its inception on February 17^th 1906, until 1917 when he had to return to Henzada, Saya Thuam Hang was given the responsibility to look after the Theizang Baptist Church as well as other communities in the Thangkai (the other side of Letha hill). While living in Theizang, Saya Thuam Hang’s children were playing one day at tribal worship “court” (tual) and they innocently, in childish manner; struck some animal skulls to the ones already stuck on the post of the court. For this juvenile crime, the Animists of Theizang sued the family on the charge of criminal desecration of other’s object of worship. In consequence Thuam Hang and family were ordered by ruling government to go back to khuasak village.

In those days according to the opinion of the majority Animists, Christian were regarded as some one who destroyed indigenous religions and customs, and as such, Thuam Hang and family were not allowed to live within the perimeter of the Khuasak villages as determined by their annual sacrificial rite when the entrails of the cattle slaughtered for the ritual, was dragged around the village, encircling the village, and excluding evil spirits thereby. Thus Thuam Hang and family had to live beyond this boundary (analogous to the “outside the camp” of the Bible) in a place called” Khuakhuan” and the surviving descendants still live there up to this moment.

Unlike condition prevailing nowadays, in those days pastors were not only to oversee their particular Churches but they must look after folds elsewhere, and Thuam Hang also had to look after Christian communities or Churches in the Tiddim and Sukte areas.

During these missionary tours, Thuam Hang started translating hymns and also the Bible. After a long time service in the ministry he was ordained at Haka in 1925. Saya Thuam Hang as well as Saya Pau Suan suffered much opposition, persecutions and hardships. Their houses were burnt down by arsonists, their fields were denuded of crops by infidels ect, and therefore there were many noteworthy incidences in their lives which cannot be recalled now.

Rev. Thuam Hang worked as the pastor of Khuasak Baptist Church till he was in his eighties and he left this world to be gathered to his maker as a good and faithful servant of good in 1951. His eldest son Saya Suang Kho Kam, died many years before him. The middle son was Kham Za Cin died while in his youth. The youngest son Mang Khaw Pau (Second ZBC G.S) still lives today. He had two daughters viz Mang Za Cing and Khan Huai, who were the first Chin girls to be educated and the former worked for some years as the first women and a teacher in Chin Hills at the ABM School at Khuasak. Khan Huai was married to a teacher. Saya Khai Kho Lian and these two sisters had died quite long ago.