THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ENTERS INDO- BURMA FRONTIERS (BIRTH OF THE ZOU CHURCHES)
By Khai Minthang
The Zou people began to hear the Good News that their sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ. Although they were surrounded on all sides by people of different faiths – Communism to the North, Hinduism to the West, Islam to the Southwest and Buddhism to the East; they have only been impacted by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This could be partly because of the fact that the Old Testament history and traditions have so many similarities with that of the Zou people; and partly because the Gospel bearers brought some elements of modernization with them. Therefore, the quest for a more caring and loving God has been satisfied on one hand, and the appeasement of the evil spirits who had always haunted the Zou people have been put to an end at the fullness of the time. Pu Thawngpau has rightly put:
Pisei pusei lungmawlte’n ana theiphah lou;
Mallam huikhi hing laang in, aban ban a hing seem in.
Tu’n ei khangthate lai ah, paah namtui bangin,
Ahing zelta lailung sungah.
Bang paah namtui adiei, Mallam huikhi’n ahing sem?
Bethlehem bawnginn paah namtui ahi.
Khum paah namtui luttheina dia na sinlai dawngkot nahon le,
Na mawna puonbang sawpsieng diing.
.Free translation:
Unknown to the uncivilized progenitors;
The Northern breeze came along, and blows one after another.
Like a sweet aroma to the new generation of ours,
It has impacted the core of the heart.
What a sweet aroma, the Northern breeze has blown?
It’s the sweet aroma of the Bethlehem’s manger.
If you open the door of the core of your heart to let the sweet aroma in,
Your sins will be washed away.
The wave of the Gospel hit their land and impacted entirely in terms of their social, economic, political and religious practices. The Gospel bearers brought the Gospel with their culture. They might not essentially impart their culture but, the Zou people received their culture in addition to the Gospel. Eventually, the Western culture set a deep root in their land. The wave of the Gospel swept their land and saw a seed of Western socio-cultural practices. As a result, new systems of education, literature, social values, economy, politics and religion have been set up in the lives and land of the Zou people.
In due course of time, dialectal Bible translation brought chaos and confusion among the Zou Christians to an extent that nobody can heal. Division in terms of tribal recognition, dialectal accent, church denomination, clan-based, family based, status and profession based, etc. are rampant, giving a very bad signal to progress and development. Should they have not accepted such divisions, there could have been a way for them to tell the world that they are one and the same people who have their own land, history, culture and tradition.
Though there have been intentions and preliminary exploration of the Indo-Burma frontiers since the founding of the Serampore’s Missionary Society, the practical evangelization of the region happened following the occupation and subsequent annexation of the North Lushai Hills in May 1890, the South Lushai Hills in April 1891, and the Chin Hills in 1892-93 under three provinces – Assam, Bengal and Burma respectively. The Christian missionaries came to Zou land under the protection of the British colonial flag.
Shortly after the initial occupation of the British colonists, a young Presbyterian missionary by the name William working at Shella in the Khasi Hills became convinced that the time was right to start work among the Zou people of Mizoram. He visited Aizawl on March 20, 1871 to explore the possibilities of setting a mission. Subsequently, on April 17 of the same year, he and his party left Aizawl for the Khasi Hills from where he immediately sent an urgent appeal to the home board of his mission Liverpool, asking that they undertake a mission among the Zous of Mizoram at the earliest possible time. Thus, William became the door opener for the mission of God to the Zou people.
1. AIZAWL – The Arthington Mission (1894): Unaware of the plans being made by the Welsh Mission, two young missionaries of the newly founded Arthington Aborigines Mission, J.H. Lorrain and F. W. Savidge decided to undertake work in the then Lushai Hills. Lorrian left London in 1890, and met Savidge at the New Zealand Baptist Mission in Brahmanbaria, the easternmost government station in Bengal (now in Bangladesh). After so much hardships form the government, they finally made it to Aizawl on January 14, 1894 and stayed up till 1897. During their stay in Aizawl Lorrain and Savidge reduced the Lushai language into writing, using a simple and effective phonetic Hunterian system of Roman script, and translated the Gospel according to St. John and the Book of Acts in Lushai language. They were withdrawn after they “distributed the Gospels and preached the Word in order that Christ might come and restore all things” because after the pioneer work had been done the Arthington missionaries were to move on, leaving the field to other missions. Thereafter, David Evan Jones, a young theological graduate in charge of three churches near Newton in mid-Wales, was accepted by the mission commission in early 1897. After a short period of training in the Glasgow Medical College he was officially appointed by the General Assembly in May. Subsequently he was ordained and sent out. He was joined by Dr. T.J. Jones, the resident missionary of Welsh Mission at Silchar and Rai Bhajur, a Khasi Christian who gave up lucrative government post to become an evangelist in Mizoram. They arrived in Aizawl on August 30, 1897. On December 31, 1898, a second Welsh missionary, Edward Rowlands arrived in Aizawl. D.E. Jones and E. Rowlands were known to the local people as Zosaphluia and Zosapthara respectively.
The great revival in Wales in 1904 convicted the 34,000 born again people to fulfill the great commission of the Lord by serving as missionaries in foreign fields. On October 14, 1908, a missionary couple Dr. & Mrs. Peter Frazer, and a young man by the name Watkins R. Roberts, who have dedicated their lives to serve the Lord in India at the Keswick Convention in London in 1907, arrived in India. Dr. & Mrs. Peter Frazer were sponsored by the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Missionary Society, but W.R. Roberts did not have any particular society or organization to sponsor him. Dr. Frazer served in the Welsh mission Clinic at Aizawl and Roberts worked there as their helper because he had no particular place to work at that time.
2. SENVON, CHURACHANDPUR DISTRICT – Watkins R. Roberts (Feb. 5, 1910): Watkins R. Roberts was born on September 21, 1886 in Carnaervonshire, Wales.[14] He accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior from reading the sermons of Reuben A. Torry. He thus decided to attend the Keswick Convention in England in 1907 where one of the speakers gave a passionate plea for India’s great need: “Hundreds of tribes in Assam and North India are in utter darkness. They need the Gospel. They need Jesus to save them from their heathen darkness.” Roberts made a solemn decision to proclaim the victory of Calvary among the tribesmen of North East India. On October 14, 1908, Watkin R. Roberts sailed for India with Dr. & Mrs. Peter Frazer. The later were sent by the Welsh Missionary Society but, the former did not have any Missionary society to sponsor him in his commitment. Roberts went on to the British outpost in Aizawl in the Lushai Hills, where Dr. Frazer opened a medical clinic and appointed him as his assistant.
One day his old friend from home, Emily Davies sent him £5.00 (five pounds) through a Presbyterian minister as a free gift.[16] He used the money to buy 104 copies of the Gospel of John and distributed to the heathen. One day a stranger came to the clinic and in talking with him Roberts learned that he was from Senvon village of Manipur. The stranger told him that the Mr. Kamkholun, the chief of Senvon could read. So, he sent a copy of the Gospel of John to the chief through the man, not even aware that the seed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ will eventually evangelize the Zou people on the Indian side of the border and their neighboring tribes that live in the whole district of Churachandpur, Manipur. After three month of silence, the copy that he had sent to Senvon returned with a “Macedonian call” on the flyleaf of the book that says, “Sir, come yourself and tell us about the book and your Gospel.” Roberts accompanied by two students from Manipur, Lungpau of Maite village and Thangkhai of Bualtang village started form Aizawl on January 31, 1910 and arrived at Senvon on February 5, 2010. After staying for a while in Senvon they went back to Aizawl to, and reported the whole account of the journey and how the Lord had led them. They were so thrilled and enthusiastic that they looked for volunteers among the supported students to go and preach there. In response to this invitation, three Bible students – Savawma, Vanzika and Thangchhingpuia offered themselves evangelist teacher. They started again in the last week of April, and arrived at Senvon on May 07, 1910. They opened a mission school at Senvon Hmunte and also started evangelism work side by side with their teaching ministry. Three people were converted from that village – Thangngur, Thangrum and Kaithang. Of the three converts, Thangngur became one of the most effective pastors and composer of many Christina hymns.
In December 1910, Robert was going to the Khasi Hills accompanied by Rev. & Mrs. Reese, Dr. & Mrs. Frazer and Miss E. M. Lloyd, met O. Oswald Williams and William Pettigrew at Badarpur Railway Station where Mrs. Reese introduced Roberts to William Pettigrew and O. Oswald. At the station William Pettigrew assured him, in the presence of the missionaries, that the American Baptist Mission hoped to extend their mission work on the northern side, and that he had no objection to his working among the tribes on the southern side. Some years later he personally surveyed the southern mission and invited the new believers to join his mission, but did not get their consent. Therefore, he decided to block the mission stating, “Where one mission society had already started working, the other missions should not undertake any work without prior understanding between them.” To establish a mission work at Senvon, Rev. W. Roberts visited Imphal to inform the Political Agent of the developments, but the Political Agent refused to grant permission. With or without his permission the Thadou Kuki Pioneer Mission was established in 1913 with its headquarters in Senvon. Due to misunderstandings, Roberts could not stay in the Manipur field and first shifted his mission center to Silchar and sent Ralzadala to Senvon as the native missionary-in-charge of Manipur field in 1913.
The news of the Gospel being brought to the heathens of southern Manipur on one hand and hardship at the Thadou-Kuki Pioneer Mission on the other reached the attentive ears of the western countries of England and the United States of America. They promptly took the place of father in missionary enterprise in Manipur which led to the establishment of two Mission Boards; one in London and the other in Philadelphia.[26] Members of the London Council were as follows: George Paisley (Secretary), T.H. Bailey, A.E. Hughes, Alfred Philips, W.G. Walters, A.H. Williams and J.E. Turnley; and members of the Philadelphia Council includes H.H. Coleman (General Secretary), Frank C. Benson, John B. Cole, Herbert D. Myers, George Silkworth and George H. Dowknott.[27]
The Thadou-Kuki Pioneer Mission held its first annual meeting at Senvon on December 20, 1914 with Ralzadala and Taitesena as its Chairman and Secretary respectively. Hausoi, a peon (lambu), who was sent to give the court errand by the Political Agent, handed the order of the Court that says, “The new Mission workers must leave Manipur immediately as no other Missions than the American Baptist would be allowed in Manipur.” As a result, the mission center was shifted to Tinsuong in 1920, and to Pherjawl. To augment the communication gap, Roberts planned to move the mission center to Lakhipur, Cachar at the mission’s annual meeting in December 1922, and asked Ralzadala to attend the meeting. Ralzadala died on the way for the mission’s annual meeting in 1922 in Lakhipur, Cachar. Thereafter, Hmar Khobung Douhnun was appointed to take over his position as field-in-charge in the new mission center in Lakhipur, and Roberts in Calcutta. In 1924 Thadou-Kuki Pioneer Mission was changed to North East India General Mission. Thereafter, the mission center was again shifted to Churachandpur, Manipur in May 1930; and finally to its present location, Nehru Marg, Lamka in 1986.
In the late 1920s the mission workers were withheld of their monthly allowances for about six continuous months for which they sent letters to two councils of London and Philadelphia. Consequently, the two Councils had a consultation and decided to send H.H. Coleman (Secretary of the Philadelphia Council), A.H. Williams (London Council) and J.E. Turnley (London Council) to find what had happened in the mission field. They left England on November 17, 1928 and after spending Christmas at Calcutta, arrived Pherjawl on January 17, 1929 where they called a special meeting. They found out that Roberts, Dohnun and Chonga had misused the mission funds by investing with the “Pine & Co” in Calcutta; Dohnun bought an elephant. A clarification was called for, but Roberts could not satisfy the commission. The second stage was a fight for the name of the mission – North East India General Mission at Gauhati High Court where H.H. Coleman got the upper hand. Roberts, then, coined another name Indo-Burma Pioneer Mission for his people outside Manipur and Independent Church of India for those inside Manipur. This brought division within the mission – some joining the NEIGM and others joining the newly founded mission – Independent Church of India and the Indo-Burma Pioneer Mission. During that confusion, the Mizo people separated from the NEIGM and formed themselves as the Tuithaphai Presbytery.
H.H. Coleman invited Dr. Crozier to help with the NEIGM by becoming its mission-in-charge. Dr. Crozier accepted the invitation and they went to the Raja of Manipur for permission to establish a mission headquarters in Manipur. The Raja promised permission with one condition – if they could heal his sick daughter. Dr. Crozier tried his best, and in a couple of days the Raja’s daughter recovered. Therefore, the NEIGM center was relocated to Churachandpur in 1930 under the care of Dr. Crozier. After Dr. Crozier, Mayers took over the leadership for a short time, and Rev. & Mrs. Paul Rostards took care of the mission till 1950, when on May 1, 1950 Mrs. Ella Rostard completed her earthly journey. Lalthanliana was in-charge of the mission for a short time before Rev. & Mrs. Royal C. Paddock and their two children Daniel and Sharon from the Missionary Alliance came to the center in 1951. After staying in the mission headquarters for about a year and half, they were called back before their expired because the Government issued an order that any foreigner should leave the area in November 1953. Nengzachin was given the responsibility, and he served in that capacity until his retirement in the early 1980s.
During 1947 – 1951 there was a strong feeling and desire among some groups that if the work of the mission was divided according to dialectal denomination, it would be easier for both the worker and the people to communicate the Gospel in their own dialect. Therefore, the session of 1948, under Resolution No. 9, resolved to divide the NEIGM into five presbyteries:
1. Simsak Presbytery
2. Simkhang Presbytery
3. Malsak Presbytery
4. Malkhang Presbytery
5. Vangai Presbytery
Thus, dialectal denomination was born and the aforesaid presbyteries were organized into tribe-wise. In 1985, on completing the Diamond Jubilee, the NEIGM was changed to Evangelical Congregational Church of India (ECCI). In March 1953, the NEIGM had their Assembly at Saikot and resolved to form Presbyteries into dialect-wise, as under:
1. Evangelical Synod Church (Gangte),
2. Evangelical Assembly Church (Hmar),
3. Kuki Christian Association (Kuki),
4. Evangelical Convention Church (Paite) and
5. Manipur Christian Organization (Vaiphei)
Though there was official declaration of permitting dialects to form Presbyteries of their own, the infant Zou Christians could not form their own Presbytery because of the absence of evangelists, pastors or ordained church elders. Therefore, the Zou Christians, who were very small in number, were scattered according to their settlements while majority of them were put together with the Paite people under the Simsak Presbytery. In 1951, there were only four Christian villages out of the sixty-six Zou villages in Manipur which means that majority of the Zou population were still largely following their primal religion and culture. On seeing their neighboring dialectal communities forming different Presbyteries, according to their dialectal denomination, there was an intense communal feeling among the Zou Christians that eventually led to the formation of Jou Christian Association on February 20, 1954.
3. DOWN OF THE GOSPEL AMONG THE ZOU PEOPLE: The first known evangelist to the Zou people was Hrangsuaka, a Mizo tribesman who was stationed in Hlanbung around 1922. He used to visit the unreached Zou people and finally asked permission to Pu Tonghao, the chief of Singngat to reside in his village. He was granted permission, and Hrangsuaka lived in Singngat in 1924. But, he could not continue his evangelistic endeavor because the government did not allow Watkin R. Roberts to start a mission in Manipur. It said, “The new Mission workers must leave Manipur immediately as no other Missions than the American Baptist would be allowed in Manipur.” So, Evan. Hransuaka left Singngat and lived in Saikot. Again in 1935, living in Khienglam, he started his evangelistic work among the Zou people up to 1937. He hired a small boy Suahdou to guide him to an Indo-Burma border Zou village called Suongkuong, a small village located about forty-five kilometers from Churachandpur. He stopped for unknown reason in 1937.
The second wave of evangelism started with the coming of Evan. Thongluan who settled in Khajang Zou village in 1938. He spent some days during the Second World War in Khajang and left. He went back to Khajaang after the Second World War and served nine years among the Zou people. The third wave of evangelism started with the coming of Pumzaneng, a Paite who opened a Lower Primary school at Munpi, a Zou village and a good number of Zou students attended. In 1947, another Paite missionary started a Lower Primary school in Singngat. From that time onward, there seems to be some Zou Christians who were taken care of by the Simsak Presbytery.
4. FORMATION OF JOU CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION: Though there were some preliminary evangelistic endeavors among the Zou people since the first part of 1920s, there was no significant local church movement among the Zou people until the 1950s. This could have been because the Zou people were still fresh with the pain and agony inflicted by the Zou Rebellion (1917 – 1919) where the Zou people lost their beloved ones in the hands of the British coupled with their love for their culture and traditional practices that have been handed down from time immemorial.
There are two main dates as to when the Jou Christian Association was founded. They were February 10, 1953 and February 20, 1954 accepted by the Zou Presbyterian Church Synod and the Manipur Evangelical Lutheran Church respectively. Rev. Kamkhosoi added one more date which was January 22, 1952. After detailed study on Rev. Kamkhosoi’s M.Th. Thesis, JCA Golden Jubilee Souvenir, Tapidaw 50 and Dr. David Vumlallian Zou’s article entitled “Glimpses on Zou Ethno-History, the author is of the opinion that:
1. The name was conceived: The Zou leaders had their verbal discussions in Ngoiphai sometimes in June 1952 and came out with the name Jou Christian Association, but no leaders were appointed. They were Pu Semkhopau, Pu Kamkhozam, Pu Nengkhogin, Pu Letkhogin, Pu Nengdou, Pu Lamzagin and Pu Lunkap. They had gone to the Convention headquarters and met with Rev. Nengzachin and asked him if the Convention Church could support at least one of their leaders. They were rejected, and finally came with the decision to form one denomination with the name Jou Christian Association.
2. The second meeting: The second meeting with the conceived name Jou Christian Association was a joint meeting between Daizaang and Tuaitengphai held on February 10, 1953. The meeting was chaired by Pu Ngulzakhup and Pu Thongzakhup was the Secretary-cum-Treasurer with Pu T. Thonghang acting as the recording secretary of the meeting. They resolved to ask the Hmar people of the Evangelical Assembly Church of the NEIGM for recognition of their newly formed JCA. On February 15, 1954 the JCA third meeting was held at Tuaitengphai village. This meeting was attended by the Assembly official delegates Dr. Thanglung and friends who declared the acceptance of the JCA by the Evangelical Assembly Church. They also informed that Pastor Luaia and Evan. Hrangkap will look after the JCA and ordained Ngulzakhup as the church elder for the JCA.
3. The name was officially confirmed: The first Zou newspaper “Jougam Thusuo” officially recorded that JCA was established at Daijang village. The newspaper reads:
….gam kulthuha tengten khang kilum let nanleh Pasian thu Hing ki mu na ding lampi um vot lou hi. Khumi lou in jong Lemtanna (Privilege & chance) lam sang mun tampi ah nelsia in aki um lengta mai. Tachibanga lungsima ki gotna (Hypocrisy) bei bei lou ding ahi chiengin akham kham a kituam puah ding chi in mipi lemsah in J.C.A. a ki tung dingta. Dated 20.2.54, ni in Daijang khuo ah Jou Christian Association Mr. Thonghang heu in a kisiam a, mipi 300 vel apha. Khuna resolution kipass te khu anuai ah aban in aki gial khia,
1. J.C.A. kiphutdoh sap po ding in Committee member 12 Som lehni akitelkhia. Alah uah Secretary ding in Mr. Kamjakhup ahia, Chairman ding in Khupmeng ahi, (Treasurer) sum kem ding in T. Thongjakhup lemsah ahi.
2. Jou gam mial panpi ding in Tangval tomngai Pasal ni (2) kisol heh.
3. Jou Labu akinthei penin kitat heh.
4. Jou (Primer) Simpat Bu Hattuam umna munchina Sunday School Subject a toi chiat ding.
5. Convention boycott ahita.
T.H. Tungnung
Free translation:
…. Even though generation turns upside down, there is no way for the people settled in remote parts to see the Living Word of God. Not only that, we have been ignored of so many privileges and chances at various places. Thinking that such hypocrisy will not end, J.C.A., with the consent of the people, had been established. Dated 20.2.54, under the leadership of Mr. Thonghang, Jou Christian Association was created at Daijang village, with around 300 people. The resolutions passed on that place were as under:
1. 12 Committee members were elected to administer the established J.C.A. In their midst, Mr. Kamjakhup was the Secretary, Khupmeng was the Chairman,T. Thongjakhup was resolved to be the Treasurer.
2. Two young volunteers will be sent to help with the dark Jou land.
3. Jou Hymnal will be published at the earliest.
4. Jou (Primer) will be studied as Sunday school subject at every church.
5. Convention was boycotted.
T.H. Tungnung
Therefore, the joint meeting of February 10, 1953 became the date on which the members unanimously accepted the J.C.A. and prepared for the first session of the J.C.A. February 20, 1954 became the official date on which the name was celebrated. The dates February 15 and 20, 1954 were somehow coincident and might need documentary proof on the part of the February 15, 1954 to determine the claim. If primary sources to this end could be met, along with the February 10, 1953, all questions and concerns will be solved instantaneously. It is also worth mentioning here that the Silver Jubilee of the Manipur Gam Presbytery was celebrated in 1978: 25 years prior to 1978 was 1953.
The pioneer of the Zou Church movement included, but not limited to, leaders such as Pu Semkhopau, Pu Kamkhozam, Pu Nengkhogin, Pu Letkhogin, Pu Nengdou, Pu Lamzagin and Pu Lunkap, Pu Ngulzakhup, Pu Kamzakhup, Pu Thawngzakhup, Pu Dongzagin, Pu Chinkhopau, Pu Liankhogin, Pu Chinzakhai, Pu Kamkhojam, Pu Chinzagin, Pu Amzathang and Pu Chinkham.[41] “But the real pillars of the JCA in its initial days were the three educated figures of Pu Thonghang, Pu Semkhopau, and Pu Kaizakham. The three were still students at Imphal at that point of time, and they were entrusted with the task of drafting a ‘Constitution’ for JCA, which was finally adopted at the Daizang assembly” says David Vumlallian Zou. Furthermore, Pu Nengkhogin came out with the first Zou Premier called “Zou Simpat Bu” and Pu S. Semkhopao became the founding editor of the first newspaper in Zou language called “Jougam Thusuo.” They were both published in 1954.
Jou Christian Association was again changed to Manipur Christian Conference on January 22, 1956 at the J.C.A. session held at Buhsau village based on the appeal of Rev. Nengzachin. He was said to have told them it was inappropriate to coin the name of our tribe with our denomination, and he further assured that if the criteria was met, he will help them to get a presbytery of their own at the N.E.I.G.M. Manipur Young Christian Association (MYCA) was created in 1957 at the J.C.A. session held at Tuaitengphei. The Manipur Women Christian Association (MWCA) was created in 1959 at the JCA session at Tolphei village.
5. Birth of the MANIPUR GAM PRESBYTERY: The JCA and MCC did not last long mainly because they were not attached to mainline denominations. There have been quite elaborate discourses among the MCCs to join one mainline church during 1957 where some of the independent churches of the Vaiphei and Thadou tribes shared the idea. So, they had a conference at Saipum village in 1957 and resolved to join the Mizoram Presbyterian Church Synod. Accordingly, the Mizoram Presbyterian Church Synod sent Pastors Thanga and Challiana to enquire the matter in May 1957. But, due to unknown reasons, the idea of joining the Mizoram Presbyterian Church Synod was dropped from the Manipur side.
Meanwhile, in 1958, the Manipur Christian Conference, in its annual session held at Milongmun resolved to change to Manipur Gam Presbytery. In January 1958, the Zou and Vaiphei group sent Semkhopau and Siakzalam to enquire about joining the Cachar Hill Tribes Presbyterian Church Synod. They met with Singzakham of Haflong town, with the missionaries BT Nelmes, John, Lloyd and others. They were told that it was a bit late for the fiscal year, but promised that their agenda would be discussed in the next Assembly meeting. Semkhopau and Siakzalam reported their meeting with the Cachar Hill Tribes Presbyterian Church Synod in their Special Meeting on April 24, 1959 held at Tolphei village. But, the Mizos did not join the conference because they prefer to stand alone with their pre-existing name – The Tuithaphai Presbyterian Church, rather than joining the Manipur Presbyterian Church. On the other hand, the remaining three tribes – Zous, Thadous and Vaipheis resolved to call themselves the Manipur Gam Presbytery, a name that was formally adopted at the Milongmun session between February 28 and March 02, 1958. Therefore, two presbyteries – The Manipur Gam Presbytery and the Tuithaphai Presbytery were created out of the Presbyterians in Manipur. The Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of North East India, who sent Rev. Tongkhosat Thangew to enquire about the Manipur Gam Presbytery and the Tuithaphai Presbytery, attended the MGP session held at Daijang in 1959. Thongzakhup, Lianzahau and Soikhothang were ordained as Church elders in the Daijang session of 1959. They were the first people who got ordination in the name of the Presbyterian Church.
On April 24, 1959, the Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in North East India accepted the Manipur Gam Presbytery and the Tuithaphai Presbytery as its constituent members, and was formally inaugurated on October 11, 1959 in Churachandpur. The two presbyteries were administered by the Assembly officers who were appointed from time to time by the Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of North East India. The following officers served as Assembly Officers in Manipur:
1. Rev. G.R. Sancley (KJP) 1959 – 1961
2. Rev. Tongkhosat Thangew (CHT) 1962 – 1968
3. Rev. Lalruma (Mizo Synod) 1968 – 1975
4. Rev. L. Glancey Lyngdoh (KJP) 1976 – 1978
The following pastors served among the Zous Christians from its inception in 1953 to the great division within the Zou Christians in 1977:
1. Rev. Vungdal (1956)
2. Rev. Mangdal (1958)
3. Rev. Khamzalian (1958)
4. Rev. Thangkhogin (1963)
5. Rev. Kamkhozam (1964)
6. Pro/Pastor S.K. Samte (1965)
7. Rev. T. Ginzapau (1972)
8. Rev. Khupdoukham (1972)
9. Pro/Pastor Kamzakhup (1973)
10. Rev. Lianchinkhup (1975)
11. Rev. Ginchinzam (1977)
12. Rev. Goulian (1977)[49]
With the initiative part taken by Pu Kaizakham and Pu Thawnghang, the Zou Christian Hymnal was published in the same year after the conference of 1954.
The translation of the Bible into Zou language began not long after the birth of the Jou Christian Association under the leadership of Semkhopao Samte, T. Thawnghang and P. Kaizakham. In 1967, the first 3000 copies of the New Testament Bible was released and was published by the Bible Society of India. The celebration was held at Tuaitengphai public ground, and many people of from all over the Zou inhabited areas came together with boundless joy. The 3000 copies were sold within days. Fourteen years later, in 1981 another New Testament with Psalms was translated by Rev. Lianchinkhup. A song in commemoration of the Zou New Testament Bible with Psalms will live forever:
Thuhun Tha leh Psalm laibu
Hundamna thu bukimna
Ineita uh Zogam a diing
Michin namchin diing a hinna
Hing muolsuo uh I Zogam a diing
Free Translation:
The New Testament and the book of Psalms
The complete story of salvation
We have got it for Zoland
Life for every tribe and every nation
They have overcome for our Zoland
6. THE MANIPUR EASTERN PRESBYTERY: With the increase in number, the Zou Christians felt it necessary to create another presbytery to accommodate their people within the Presbyterian Church. The idea coincided with the Vaiphei people who also felt it good to have a presbytery of their own. The agenda was deliberated by the Manipur Gam Presbytery, the advisory board of the Presbyterian Church in Manipur. With the recommendation of the then Assembly Officer, Rev. Tongkhosat Thangew, the Assembly conceded to create two more presbyteries in Manipur on their meeting held at Shillong in 1958. Lalsawma and V.L. Ralsun, who were sent by the Assembly inaugurated on January 30, 1969 at the Lamka Presbyterian Church of the Tuithaphai Presbytery. The two presbyteries were – The Manipur Eastern Presbytery and the Khuga and Sadar Presbytery. In 1970s, the Thadous of the Khuga and Sadar presbytery separated themselves and formed the Mollhangphai Presbytery. Therefore, in the early 1970s, the Manipur Presbyterian Church Synod consisted of five presbyteries:
1. Manipur Gam Presbytery (Zou)
2. Tuithaphai Presbytery (Mizo)
3. Manipur Eastern Presbytery (Zou)
4. Khuga and Sadar Presbytery (Vaiphei)
5. Mollhangphai Presbytery (Thadou)
7. THE ZOU PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH SYNOD: There has always been an ecumenical vision among the Zou leaders of the Manipur Gam Presbytery and the Manipur Eastern Presbytery of the Manipur Presbyterian Church Synod to merge together to form a separate presbytery of their own. Although the dream to having a common synod among the two presbyteries of the MPCS did not die down; the real deliberation was held on August 29, 2001 when the executive committee members of both presbyteries met at the Conference Hall of the Manipur Gam Presbytery. After collecting the necessary approval from each of the pastorates of the two presbyteries, the movement went up to the Manipur Presbyterian Church Synod who on November 10, 2001 resolved to forward to the MPCS annual session. The MPCS annual session held on February 09, 2002 forwarded to the Presbyterian Church of India with the name Zou Presbyterian Church Synod. The 35th Biennial General Assembly Session held at Kyrdem, Rhiboi Presbyterian Synod between April 18 and 21, 2002 entrusted the PCI Executive to look into the matter and report their findings at the next session of the PCI. On September 26, 2002 the PCI study team had their spot visit on the MEP and with the MGP on September 27, 2002. The PCI Study Team included:
1. Rev. Dr. JF Jyrwa, Executive Secretary, PCI
2. Rev. David Lhouvum, Secretary (Sr.), PCI
3. Rev. WC Khongwir, Administrative Secretary, PCI
The Zou Presbyterian Church Synod was officially created by the 36th Biennial General Assembly Session of the Presbyterian church of India held at Dawrpui Presbyterian Church, Aizawl, Mizoram during May 6 – 9, 2004. Delegates and well wishers from the Zou Synod hired a bus to attend the said session and they were warmly welcome on their way back home at every Zou Presbyterian village along the National Highway – 150. Fasting prayer for the proposed Zou Synod was previously held on May 2, 2004, and Thanksgiving worship and prayer for God’s providence was held at every Zou Presbyterian local churches on June 27, 2004. The provisionary Zou Presbyterian Church Synod was officially inaugurated on September 26, 2004 by Rev. R.P. Lyngdoh, the then Moderator of the PCI. The newly inaugurated Zou Synod was taken care of by Rev. Laldongliana, the then Administrative Secretary i/c the Zou Synod of the PCI. The full-fledged Zou Presbyterian Church Synod was officially inaugurated by Rev. C. Rosiama, the then Moderator of the PCI on September 10, 2006. Since then, the ZPCS takes care of herself in all the church’s activities. In course of time, the ZPCS felt the need to create one presbytery within the Manipur Gam Presbytery. The new presbytery came to be known as the Zotaang Presbytery. It was officially inaugurated on June 1, 2008 by Rev. H. Nengzatun, the then Moderator of the ZPCS. As of now, there are three presbyteries under the Zou Presbyterian Church Synod: 1. The Manipur Gam Presbytery, 2. The Manipur Eastern Presbytery, and 3. The Zotaang Presbytery. The statistics of the Zou Presbyterian Church Synod is as follows.
| PARTICULARS | ZOU PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH SYNOD |
|
|
| Name of Synod | Zou Presbyterian Church Synod |
| Number of Presbytery | 03 |
| Number of District | 10 |
| Number of local church | 60 |
| Number of branch church | 03 |
| Number of houses | 1413 |
|
|
| Number of pastors | 16 |
| Number of probationary pastors | 02 |
| Number of pensioners | 03 |
| Number of Evangelists | 03 |
|
|
| Number of church elders | 171 |
| Number of Synod recognized preachers | Nill |
| Number of Mission workers | 19 |
|
|
| Number of full communicant members | 8029 |
| Number of adult without full communicant membership | 890 |
| Under church discipline | 89 |
| Children baptized under 14 years | 697 |
| Children not baptized under 14 years | 369 |
|
|
| Total number of male | 4815 |
| Total number of female | 5259 |
| Total membership | 10074 |
|
|
| Received as full communicant member | 109 |
| Newly Baptized | 138 |
| New Believer | Nill |
| New members from other denominations | 16 |
|
|
| Transferred to other denominations | 11 |
| Revoked church membership | Nill |
|
|
| Child Birth | 125 |
| Number of deaths | 46 |
|
|
| Number of Sunday schools | 60 |
| Number of churches don’t have Sunday school | 01 |
|
|
| Number of colleges | Nill |
| Number of High Schools | Nill |
| Number of Middle school (JB) | 5 |
| Number of L.P. School | 12 |
|
|
| Number of hospitals | Nill |
| Number of Dispensary | Nill |
|
|
| Pastoral fund | 82,77,604 |
| Mission fund | 5,75,114 |
| Women wing | 4,05154 |
| Youth wing | 1,76,802 |
| Others | Nill |
| Total amount collected during the year | 94,34,674 |
8. SCHISM WITH THE MANIPUR GAM PRESBYTERY (1976): In the early part of the 1970s, there was a growing desire to have the entire Holy Bible in Zou language, and there were lots of spade work among the founding fathers of the Zou Christians. The Bible Society of India (BSI) was consulted for that cause, and the Bible Society of India sent its representative Mr. M.P. John from Shillong to Churachandpur in 1976 to assess the feasibility of the project. He came to the conclusion that the project was not viable due to the small numerical strength of the Zou population in Manipur, and that there was no qualified Theological graduate – at least Bachelor of Divinity, to translate the Bible. The Zou people failed in both the criteria. In those days, the actual population of the Zou people in the Indo-Burma frontiers was estimated to be well over 50,000. But, the Zou people on the Indian side of the border was only about 12, 454 according to the Indian census of 1981.
Disappointed at the decision of the BSI, the Zou Roman Catholics approached the Roman Catholic authorities to give assistance to translate whole Bible. The Roman Catholics agreed with a condition that Apocrypha should be added. That had become a doctrinal issue because the Roman Catholics believed in the 78 Canonical Books of the Bible as the inspired Word of God, whereas the Protestants believed in the 66 Canonical Books of the Bible as the inspired Word of God. This brought about much confusion and division among the Zou Christians – the Pro-Apocrypha and the Anti-Apocrypha.
The Pro-Apocryphal Zou Christian leaders tried to justify the end by trying to put whatever it took for the means. They were of the opinion that the Apocryphal section of the Bible could be removed and rebound after the complete Bible was printed and released. But, for Anti-Apocryphal section of the Zou Christian leaders, materializing the project at the cost of the Protestant faith and that of the Presbyterian Constitution couple with breaking the law of publication was something they would never do and the end could not justify the means. The then Assembly Officer of the P.C.I., Rev. L.G. Lyngdoh who was a Anti-Apocryphal Bible took part in safeguarding the Constitution of the P.C.I. He was served to quite Manipur because of he was from Meghalaya. Then, it became a matter of state to state relations. The people of Manipur living in Meghalaya were threatened to quite Meghalaya. Legal fighting and many confrontations happened between the two divided Zou Presbyterian groups. After much fighting and confusion for more than three solid years, the Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of North East India in its executive committee held on August 12, 1977 resolution No. 13 terminated and withdrew the ordinations of the two pastors T. Ginzapau and P. Khupdoukhen.
9. SCHISM WITHIN THE ZOMI CHRISTIAN CHURCH: The two pastors and their supporters withdrew from the Manipur Gam Presbytery and joined the Asian Bible Fellowship Mission (ABFM) on August 07, 1979. They later joined the Christian Church on September 15, 1982 and called themselves the Zomi Christian Church. The ABFM and the ZCC did not last long mainly because they were not attached to any mainline denominations. After thirteen years of ZCC, the Zomi Christian Church leaders deliberated on October 01, 1995 to take a bold step to joining a mainline or universal church. Rev. Haozalian, Executive Secretary and Pro/Pastor David K. Samte who were participating at the All India Church Leaders Conference in Delhi were sent to meet with the leaders of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India’s headquarters in Chennai. Based on their reports, a petition of affiliation was sent to Rev. Prasana Kumari, the Executive Secretary of the UELCI. However, the affiliation process took time to mature. Rev. Augustine Jeyakumar was sent to make a “Spot Enquiry” about the new MLCC to which he reported “Existing and living church” to the UELCI. Following the recommendation of Rev. Augustine Jeyakumar, the Zomi Christian Church merged with the UELCI on September 15, 2002. They became a constituent member of the Evangelical Lutheran Churches of North East India (ELCNEI) that was renamed again as the Evangelical Lutheran Churches in the Himalayan States (ELCITHS). The ELCC was renamed Manipur Evangelical Lutheran Christian Church (MELC) and was officially inaugurated on February 20, 2004 by Rev. Dr. Chandran Paul Martin, Executive Secretary of the UELCI at Zomi Colony, Churachandpur.The statistics of the Manipur Evangelical Lutheran Church in 2010 is as follows:
| PARTICULARS | MANIPUR EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH |
| Number of Ordained Pastors | 15 |
| Number of Probationary Pastors | 03 |
| Number of Evangelists | 03 |
| Number of mission teachers | 11 |
| Number of evangelist teachers | 18 |
| Number of missionaries | 07 |
| Number of women promoter | 01 |
| Number of mission promoter | 01 |
| Number of office staff | 10 |
| Number of Pensioners | 08 |
| Total number of paid workers | 77 |
| Number of Local Churches | N/A |
| Total Number of households | 1,653 |
| Number of female members | 4,846 |
| Number of male members | 5,275 |
| Total members of the church | 10,121 |
10. EVANGELICAL THANGKHAL CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION: Before going deep into the Thangkhal local church movement, it is indispensable to know the history of the Thangkhal accent. Thangkhal is one of the accents of the Zou language. Some of the accents of the Zou dialects are Haidawi, Khodai, Khuongnung, Thangkhal, Tungkuo, Lungtah-Sielmong and Suongpi. These dialectal accents developed as a result of less communiqué, local slangs or idioms of different settlements and proximity with different dialectal communities of the medieval Zou people. The Thangkhal villagers lived with the Sukte soldiers and as a result, cross cultural and dialectal accent arose because of the aforesaid factors. The new accent came to be known as Thangkhal accent. Although, on the basis of clans, 90 – 95% of the present Thangkhals belong to the Zou clan that was mentioned in chapter three of this book, some people from different tribes who spoke the accent could not call themselves Zou because of their clan affiliation. During the early days of Manipur’s Members of Legislative Assembly (MLA) election years in the 1970s, some Pro-UZO volunteers got messed up with the Pro-Thangkhal volunteers for their political gains. But, that had more disastrous impact on the lives of the Zou people. Meanwhile, the people from different tribes could not feel at home in the Zou community and instigated the Zou people that spoke Thangkhal accent to accept Thangkhal movement. So, a split in political ideology gained momentum that eventually opened the way for Thangkhal local church movement in 1981. Therefore, Tangkhal issue was the first casualty of the Zou’s dirty politics. Politics always divide people.
Following the great schism within the Manipur Gam Presbytery, couple with the discontentment of their treatment in the MLA election in the 1970s, the Thangkhal Christian Association was born on April 04, 1981 in M. Tanglian village, and was inaugurated by Rev. Chinzakhai. They neither sided with the Pro-Apocryphal church, nor did they side with the Anti-Apocryphal church. This movement was backed by the political ideology that eventually led to religious-political movement of the Thangkhal accent. After some time, they split into two groups – The Thangkhal Christian Association and the Thangkhal Christian Church. But, after some years of discussion for unity, the two groups could compromise and unite again by dropping their old denominational names to form the Evangelical Thangkhal Christian Association. In September 2003 the Evangelical Thangkhal Christian Association, along with the Zo Christian Bible Church was made an official member of the IFCA. The story of their affiliation is discussed under the history of the Zou Christian Bible church.
11. THE ZO CHRISTIAN BIBLE CHURCH: At the time of the merger with the UELCI in 2002, some ZCC leaders opposed and pleaded for reconsideration of the issue because of doctrinal incompatibility. But, majority or the members did not feel the need for reconsideration, and eventually merger to the UELCI became a reality. The discontented leaders and members remained in the Zomi Christian Church. Rev. Dongzathawng, a ZCC pastor and Rev. Langkhanthang, one of the leaders of the Evangelical Thangkhal Christian Association, who were Seminary students in the United States at time met with Pastor Bob King and other leaders of the Independent Fundamental Churches Association in Tulsa in 2002. As invited, Pastor King went to Manipur in January 2003. Following the visit of Pastor King, the Zo Christian Bible Churches and Thangkhal Bible Churches made application to IFCA International. In September 2003, after the normal Credentials processes were completed, they were made official IFCA member organizations. The ZCBC has strength of 2588 membership; 544 houses; 19 local churches; 6 pastors (3 more will be recruited soon); 4 promoters and 2 pensioners. The statistics of the TBC is not available at this time due to some inconveniences.
12. THE ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCH: The Assembly of God church among the Zou people in Manipur is relatively small in number and insignificant to the general mass of the population in terms of mission and Theological education. Majority of them are lay leaders and charismatic members of the church. In the early 1960s, D.K. Biswas of mainland India and Pasawna of Mizoram brought charismatic movement in the present district of Churachandpur, Manipur. The main advocates of this movement among the Zou Christians were Jangkhomaang Tungdim and Khamthang Taithul of Sajiktampak village. Jangkhomaang Tungdim started the Assembly of God church in Sugnu around 1970 due to minor misunderstandings with the Manipur Eastern Presbytery. Among the Zou Christians, Charismatic movement was more influential in the villages of Khianglam, Daijang, Sajiktampak, Paldai, Tonjang, Muollum, Belpuon, Milongmun and the border village of Senam. They are under the care of the Hmar dominated Assemblies of God headquarters at Churachandpur, Manipur. They numbered about 180 in 2000 A.D. But, their number and faith is in the process of declining since then, and there has been no major revival movement since then.
They were known as “Alim pawl” or “Charismatic group” among the Zou people, and have a white flag with Red Cross on it that hangs in the compound of their house, or attached to their house. If dreams or visions reveal them something, they were ready to accept the consequence – to marry someone, to offer sacrifice, etc. Therefore, due to their total dependence in vision and dreams, opinions are sharply divided wherever that movement spreads. “This created confusion within the well-established Presbyterian churches” says Kamkhosoi.
13. THE NEW DIFFERENT SECTS: There are some other partly Christian, partly Judaism believers among the Zou people. There are eight sects of the Assemblies of Yahweh in Churachandpur District of Manipur: Seventh Day Advantage, Assembly of Yahweh, Bet Hashim Midrash, Bet-el Church, Mount Zion Church of God, Spiritual Sabbatarian, Orthodox Judaism and Israel’s. The Zou adherents of these sects are Seventh Day Advantage, Assembly of Yahweh, Bet Hashim Madrash and the Orthodox Judaism. They can be found in Milongmun, Khuangjang, Behiangjang, Singngat, Tangpijol, and different localities of Churachandpur town such as Phailian, Beulahlane, New Bazaar and Zomi Colony. Some of the Orthodox Judaism called themselves B’nei Manasseh (The Sons of Manasseh) of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel and could enter Israel under the Law of Return. The Israel’s Law of Return states, “Right of aliyah – Every Jew has the right to come to this country as an oleh.” Their number among the Zou people is about 210 in 2000 A.D., but their fluid identity and the static movement, especially the SDA, could not reveal a precise figure because most of the SDAs were individual converts who sometimes were partly in the Protestant community and partly in the Sabbath community.
14. HISTORY OF THE ZOU ROMAN CATHOLICS IN INDIA: Following the Suktes destruction of Khuongnung settlement in October 1843 and Thangkhal settlement in 1868, the Zou people moved northward along Indo-Burma frontiers of the present Manipur state. Some section of the Zou people followed the Lentaang range that lies between the Tuitha (Khuga) and Guun (Manipur) rivers and settled in villages such as Khuongtal, Jangdung, Kathuong, Muollien, Sajiktampak, Paldai, etc. During the Second World War, groups of Zou Catholics families in the Chin Hills of Khiangkan, Phaitu, Lennakot, Langphun, Senam, Khampat also came and settled at Khuongtal, Kathuong, Muollien, Senam, Singkangphai, T. Langphun and Gelngai. This indicates that the Zou people have been living around the Valley of Kana River and on the Lentaang mountains since the beginning of the 19th century.
In those days, i.e. around 1939, there was a flourishing trade along the Sugnu-Khuongtal-Senam hill tract, carried on by some groups of Zou businessmen. Peter Haukhokam Tungdim of Langphun village on the Burmese side of the border preached the Catholic faith in the Indo-Burmese Zou villages of that region. Later, business converts such as Carolus Khualzachin Mantuang, Marcus Huatza-ai, John Ngamkhosuon Taithul, T. Semzakhup, T. Suonkhen, Mrs. Ngaidim and others embraced the Roman Catholic faith. In 1952, they visited the then Parish Priest R. Moses of Tonjang Parish for a catechist. Accordingly, Lucas Khamchinkhup Mimvah was sent to be the catechist of both Geelngai and Sugnu area.
The other front of Roman Catholic faith among the Zou people came from the North. In 1951 the Holy See created a new diocese of Dibrugarh in Upper Assam, and appointed Father O. Marengo its first Bishop. Later, Bishop Orestes Marengo set out on a tour of Nagaland and Manipur and visited places such as the Tangkhul hills, Sugnu and Tamenglong areas of Manipur, besides visiting various places in Nagaland. He also visited some Zou settlements in the Indo-Burma borders which could be found in his records, ““By far the largest and farthest village of the Zou area of the Chin Hills was Kwawntal. Perched majestically on a high mountain overlooking the Burmese side of the Chin Hills, Kwawntal could boast of a hundred percent Catholic population except the headman. The front of his house was bedecked with the skulls of elephants, tigers, buffaloes, deer and other animals he had hunted in his younger days.” Bishop Orestes Marengo asked Fr. Aloysius Ravalico, who was then his secretary, to take care of Manipur to which proposal Fr. Aloysius Ravalico was delighted to accept.
So, Fr. Aloysius Ravalico set out for a visit to Manipur in October 1953 for a three week tour and visited the Zou villages of the Lentaang range in addition to visiting different places in Manipur. Although he was the secretary of the Bishop, he often left his office in Dibrugarh and visited the hills of Manipur. Fr. Mark Thangkhan-ai writes:
The Zou community was also fortunate enough to be visited by Fr. Aloysius Ravalico who during his three weeks tour of Indo-Burma border met the Zous for the first time. During World War II, which the Zous called Japan Gal (War of the Japanese); numerous Zous had abandoned their villages and began settling in the border villages of Manipur. Fr. Aloysius Ravalico visited the Zou villages of Singtom, Khuongtal, Gelngai, Muolnuom, Purumtampak and Kholien all of which were in Chandel District. Till today these villages are within the Catholic Church in Manipur. Now the Catholic Church in Manipur have several local priests including three Zou priests and four Zou sisters.
On October 20, Fr. Aloysius Ravalico baptized over 45 people at Kathuong and some 30 at Khuongtal, a village on the Indo-Burma boundary. He was one of the converts that Fr. Aloysius Ravalico baptized on October 20, 1953 who was later appointed as a touring catechist of Sugnu by Fr. Joseph Mattam. He was very instrumental in spreading the Roman Catholic faith among the Zou people and contributed much to the Zou Christian literature. He has translated and written six books in Zou language. They are: Inn Kuon Thungetna (Family Prayer), Natheisiamtai mah? (Do you understand?), Katholik Pawlpi Thungetna leh Mass Labu (Prayer and Mass book of the Catholic Church), Pasian Thubu (The Book of the Word of God), the Zou Holy Bible, The revised and improved edition of the Zou Catholic Prayer and Hymn Book. With the evangelistic zeal of its workers on the one hand, and the trouble within the Manipur Gam Presbytery, some separatists who later formed the Zomi Christian Church joined the Roman Catholic Church. At present, the Zou Roman Catholic has a membership of 5346 strength with three Zou priests, four Zou sisters and several local priests. Most of the educated Zou are from the Roman Catholic background which shows that their Missiological approach was productive and irrefutable to the people. Roman Catholics success among the Zou people was not much on Theological or doctrinal accomplishments, but more on transformational missiological accomplishments.
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[1] Galatians 4:4 (NIV)
[2] Khristian Lathabu (in Zoukam) #246, Revised and Enlarged by the Zou Christian Musical Committee, Churachandpur, 2009
[3] Khup Za Go, A Critical Historical Study of Bible Translation among the Zou People, (Churachandpur: Chin Baptist Literature Board, 1996), P.30
[4] Mangkhosat Kipgen, Christianity and Mizo Culture, The Encounter between Christianity and Zo Culture in Mizoram, (Aizawl: Mizo Theological Conference, 1997), P. 191
[5] Ibid., P. 192
[6] C. Lalremruata, Director, Zo Indigenous Forum, www.zoindigenous.blogspot.com, Accessed on January 29, 2010
[7] V. Hawla, Mizoram Hmar Chan Zosapte chanchin, story of Missionaries in Northern Mizoram (Wwlsh Mission) 1897 – 1968, (Aizawl: Synod Press, 1980), P. 17
[8] Mangkhosat Kipgen, Christianity and Mizo Culture, The Encounter between Christianity and Zo Culture in Mizoram, (Aizawl: Mizo Theological Conference, 1997), P. 197
[9] Mangkhosat Kipgen, Christianity and Mizo Culture, The Encounter between Christianity and Zo Culture in Mizoram, (Aizawl: Mizo Theological Conference, 1997), P. 198 – 199
[10] Ibid., P. 199
[11] Ibid., P. 200
[12] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P.25
[13] Ibid., P. 26
[14] Darsanglien Ruolngul, Chanchintha Kalchawi – Steps of Gospel Part I, (Churachandpur: The Independent Church of India Press, 1982), P.1
[15] H.B. Hluothang, ed., Amazing Guidance of God (Maniour South Christian Diamond Jubilee Souvenir 1910 – 1985) ICI, Churachandpur, 1985, P. 13
[16] H.B. Hluothang, ed., Amazing Guidance of God (Maniour South Christian Diamond Jubilee Souvenir 1910 – 1985) ICI, Churachandpur, 1985, P. 26
[17] H.S. Hatzaw, Christianity in Manipur, Published by H. Hangzakam, New Lamka, 2003, P. 63
[18] Prof. Dr. Lal Dena, Watkin R. Roberts in Senvon a Sirna Ni, This can be viewed at http://www.inpui.com/2010/01/watkin-rroberts-in-senvon-sirna-ni.html Accessed on March 12, 2011. There are various assumptions on the date when Roberts arrived in Senvon. There are some writer who said that Roberts arrived Senvon on February 9, and other put May 7, 1910. In the article Dr. Lal Dena gives a very comprehensive research result on the date of their entry to Senvon.
[19] H.S. Hatzaw, Christianity in Manipur, Published by H. Hangzakam, New Lamka, 2003, P. 64
[20] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P.29
[21] Ibid, P. 29
[22] Ibid, P. 30
[23] H.S. Hatzaw, Christianity in Manipur, Published by H. Hangzakam, New Lamka, 2003, P. 64
[24] See http://www.khawvaiphei.net/portal/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1316:100-years-of-gospel-journey-in-south-manipur-the-vaiphei-experience&catid=107:religious&Itemid=588 Accessed on March 12, 2011
[25] Ibid., P. 33
[26] T. Liankhohau, Social Cultural, Economic and Religious Life of a Transformed Community,, (New Delhi: Mittal Publications, 1994), P.122
[27] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P. 35
[28] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P. 32
[29] Ibid, P. 33
[30] T. Liankhohau, Social Cultural, Economic and Religious Life of a Transformed Community,, (New Delhi: Mittal Publications, 1994), P. 122
[31] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P. 36
[32] Ibid, P. 36
[33] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P. 38
[34] David Vumlallian Zou, The Pasts of a Fringe Community: Ethno-history and Fluid Identity of the Zou in Manipur, Indian historical Review, Vol. 36(2) 209-235, 2009 pp. 291-222
[35] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P. 32
[36] Ibid, P. 52
[37] Ibid, P. 52
[38] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P. 55
[39] S. Semkhopau, Jougam Thusuo, Vol 1. March 1954. 1st Year, P. 2
[40] T.C. Tungnung et.al. Tapidaw – 50, (J.C.A. Golden Jubilee) A Memento of 50 Years of Christianity, Souvenir, (Zomi Colony: Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2004), P. 14
[41] T.C. Tungnung et.al. Tapidaw – 50, (J.C.A. Golden Jubilee) A Memento of 50 Years of Christianity, Souvenir, (Zomi Colony: Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2004), P.3. This primary source was obtained from the JCA Minite Book: Proceedings and Resolutions of the Jou Christian Association at Daijang village, 20 February 1954; Preserved in ELCC Office Collections, Zomi Colony, Churachandpur.
[42] David Vumlallian Zou, Glimpses of Zou Ethno-History, Zou Workshop Forum. Posted on July 28, 2004 and can be directly assessed at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZouWorkshop/files/Zou%20History/
[43] T.C. Tungnung et.al. Tapidaw – 50, (J.C.A. Golden Jubilee) A Memento of 50 Years of Christianity, Souvenir, (Zomi Colony: Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2004), P.5
[44] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P. 57
[45] Ibid, P. 58
[46] David K. Samte, Tapidaw 40 (1954-1994) 40th Anniversary Souvenir of the Zou Christian Association celebrated by the Zomi Christian Church, 1994, P. 40
[47] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P.58
[48] Upa S.K. Khama, “Zou Presbyterian Synod” in Jou Christian Association Golden Jubilee Souvenir (1953 – 2003), Editor T. Lamkhothawng, Churachandpur, 2004, P. 64
[49] Lamkhothawng, Jou Christian Association Golden Jubilee Souvenir 1953 – 2003, Zomi Colony, Churachandpur, 2004, P. 13
[50] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P. 61
[51] This song was composed by the Rev. G.K. Samte and sung by Nungshai choir at the Zou New Testament and Psalms releasing ceremony in 1981.
[52] P.C. Manga, “MEP Tangthu Tomkim” in Jou Christian Association Golden Jubilee Souvenir (1953 – 2003), Editor T. Lamkhothawng, Churachandpur, 2004, P. 29
[53] Jamsianmung, Head Clark of the Zou Presbyterian Church Synod. Interviewed on April 15, 2011. The author is indebted to him for sharing all the information by opening all the record books and minutes of the Zou Presbyterian Church Synod.
[54] This information was obtained from Mr. Jamsienmung, Head Clark of the Zou Presbyterian Church Synod by Mr. Nengkhanlun. The Session Minute book of the 7th Session of the Zou Presbyterian Church Synod was yet to be published by the time the author got the copy. The 7th Session of the ZPCS was held on Feb. 10-13, 2011 at the Tuibuong Presbyterian Church. The author is thankful to both of them for providing and taking the trouble to sending the above minute book.
[55] Mr. Kaimuanlal and Mr. Khamminlian were inducted to be probationary pastors in the 7th Session of the Zou Presbyterian Church Synod
[56] David Vumlallian Zou, The Pasts of a Fringe Community: Ethno-history and Fluid Identity of the Zou in Manipur, Indian historical Review, Vol. 36(2) 209-235, 2009, P. 227
[57] T. Gouzalal, “Evangelical Lutheran Christian Church (ELCC) Hing Piendan leh Golden Jubilee Suongpi (Rock of Salvation) Hilchetna” in Tapidaw – 50, (J.C.A. Golden Jubilee) A Memento of 50 Years of Christianity, Souvenir, (Zomi Colony: Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2004), P.5 Gouzalal, P. 25
[58] Ibid, P. 25
[59] T. Gouzalal, “Evangelical Lutheran Christian Church (ELCC) Hing Piendan leh Golden Jubilee Suongpi (Rock of Salvation) Hilchetna” in Tapidaw – 50, (J.C.A. Golden Jubilee) A Memento of 50 Years of Christianity, Souvenir, (Zomi Colony: Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2004), P. 29
[60] This information is obtained from the Manipur Evangelical Lutheran Church Headquarters, Zomi Colony, Churachandpur on March 25, 2011. It was titled “Manipur Evangelical Lutheran Church, MELC at a Glance.” The author is thankful to Upa Tunzagin Tungnung for attaching the said brochure/pamphlet in the e-mail.
[61] Ginsuanhao, President of the United Zou Organization. Interviewed on October 03, 2009
[62] Khaikhanthang, “Thangkhal Pawlpi Kiphuh/Dinkhiet Dan” in Jou Christian Association Golden Jubilee Souvenir (1953 – 2003), Editor T. Lamkhothawng, Churachandpur, 2004, P. 90
[63] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P. 67
[64] Dongzathawng, Independent Fundamental Churches of Northeast India (Manipur). A report to the EFCI website. This can be directly accessed at http://setup.finalweb.net/site/cpage.asp?sec_id=140001498&cpage_id=140009868 [accessed on March 19, 2011]
[65] Rev. Henkhothang, Interviewed on April 12, 2011. He is currently doing his Doctor of Ministry course at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas
[66] As the author is currently in the United States, he sent Mr. Nengkhanlun to the TBC office in March 2011 but came back home empty handed. Again, the author sent Upa Siendeithang on April 14 and 15, 2011 but he was denied of the information.
[67] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P. 67
[68] Ibid, P. 68
[69] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P. 67
[70] L. Jeyaseelan, Impact of the Missionary Movement in Manipur, (New Delhi: Scholar Publishing House, 1996) P. 120
[71] “Law of Return 5710-1950” under the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Translator’s Note: Aliyah means immigration of Jews, and oleh (plural: olim) means a Jew immigrating, into Israel. http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/1950_1959/Law%20of%20Return%205710-1950 [accessed March 25, 2011]
[72] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P. 68
[73] Lazar, Jayseelan; History of the Catholic Church in Manipur; 2005, p.60, para.1&3.(revised 2nd edit), Archdiocese of Imphal, Imphal, Catholic Manipur Publication, Imphal, Manipur.
[74] Lazar, Jayseelan; History of the Catholic Church in Manipur; 2005, p.60, para.1&3.(revised 2nd edit), Archdiocese of Imphal, Imphal, Catholic Manipur Publication, Imphal, Manipur.
[75] Ibid
[76] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P. 70-71
[77] Marengo, Orestes, Bishop, SDB; N.E India’s unparallel missionary 2000, p.243-246, by Joseph Puthenpurakal SDB, published by the Vendrame Institute Publications, Shillong.
[78] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P. 70
[79] Fr. Mark Thangkhan-ai, “Christianity and the Zou Tribe of Manipur” in Tapidaw – 50, (J.C.A. Golden Jubilee) A Memento of 50 Years of Christianity, Souvenir, (Zomi Colony: Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2004), Pp. 74-75
[80] L. Jeyaseelan, Impact of the Missionary Movement in Manipur, (New Delhi: Scholar Publishing House, 1996) P.73
[81] Samuel K. Mantuang, Silver Jubilee of the Solemn Missio Dei, a story of Pastor Samuel K. Mantuang in God’s Service (1969 – 1994) Celebrated by the Zou Catholics of Sugnu Parish, Manupur, P. 2
[82] Kamkhosoi, The Impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the Zou People of Manipur in India. An M.Th Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Graduate School, Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, Seoul, Korea, P. 71
[83] Samuel K. Mantuang, Silver Jubilee of the Solemn Missio Dei, a story of Pastor Samuel K. Mantuang in God’s Service (1969 – 1994) Celebrated by the Zou Catholics of Sugnu Parish, Manupur, P. 3
[84] Fr. Mark Thangkhan-ai, “Christianity and the Zou Tribe of Manipur” in Tapidaw – 50, (J.C.A. Golden Jubilee) A Memento of 50 Years of Christianity, Souvenir, (Zomi Colony: Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2004), Pp. 74 – 75
