History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo

Baptist mission among the Shan 40
make a direct onset and by dint of patience and persistent industry they found the way into its hidden
treasures. Without the suggestions of a pioneer, without grammar, without dictionary, with nothing but
their own eyes, ears and tongues and aided by the eyes, ears and tongues of native teachers, they went
to work by adding sign to sign and sound to sound, moved slowly but a towards their destination. At the
end of six months they could see that progress had been made. At the end of a year they had advanced
so far that they were sure of complete success. 13
Shan teacher refused to teach
Cushing relied heavily on Shan teacher who would teach him Shan language and Shan
literature. But after eleven months Shan teacher was frightened away by Burmese Buddhist priests.
Suddenly he ceased helping and sent word to Cushing that he should fall into hell if he taught him any
longer. Previously he had related a dream to Cushing that a Phe (spirit), which was the guardian of his
family, came to him in a dream, telling him that if he aided Cushing he would certainly fall into hell.
The teacher had a sore eye at the time. This, the Buddhist priest said, was a sign, which the Phe had
sent. The poor man was sincere in this account but mistook the dream of his disturbed mind for
supernatural revelations. Cushing said, “I have this comfort that the man knows the way of salvation
fully. He could write as good a prayer as any of the Shan Christians. Knowing the truth he cannot run
away from it. Wherever he goes his mind must carry it. I pray that it may trouble him until he is willing
to find peace in Jesus only.” 14 Some tracts had been translated during the year. Two “Catechism” and
the “Call,” had been printed and a third “Catechism” and “View of the Christian Religion,” was passing
to the press in 1867.
First visit to Shan country
Cushing entered courageously into the difficult and dangerous task of visiting the people in their
homes and carrying to them the knowledge of the Christian religion, with Toungoo as his headquarters,
extending his tours farther and farther into the wild and untraversed country inhabited by the Shan.
It was necessary to obtain royal pass in order to travel to Shan country. The royal pass could
only be obtained from Burman King in Mandalay. In 1867 Cushing and Rose spent three weeks in
Mandalay to get royal pass. The pass was written on a narrow strip of palm leaf about four feet long and
carried in a bamboo covered with a red cloth. The very sight of that red-cloth-covered bamboo was
enough to secure the respect of the people. The royal pass was even more important than anticipated. It
was simply indispensable to their success. Without a pass they could not have traveled through the
country, they would not have been allowed to preach and give tract. In November 1867 Cushing and
Rev. Rose make tour of Shan States via Bhamo seeking a new base of operations for Shan Mission and
test practicability of establishing a station for the Burman, even though they were assigned for the Shan
they also looked for opportunity of working among the other people. They carried no large books but
had one pony loaded entirely with a good assortment of tracts. The number of Shan who could read
Burmese was comparatively small but the number of Shan who could speak and understand Burmese
was large. They journeyed through ten Shan States. They were always respectfully and kindly received
by Shan SaoPha. Rev. Rose reported, “We felt the utmost freedom on all these occasions and with all
the simplicity and plainness we could try to make known the true God and Savior and the one only way
of escape from sin and hell and arriving at the peaceful land of sinless immortality. Never once we were
insulated or treated rudely. The people listened with attention and treated us with respect and often with
kindness. Objections would sometimes be raised mostly by Burman officials, messengers or others.
These Burman would often ask questions, raise objections, or jump into an argument, as much for the
purpose of displaying, before the Shan courts, their stock of sacred Gaudama lore as for defending
13 The Shan Mission by Rev. J.N. Cushing, D.D. Boston, American Baptist Missionary Union, 1893, p12
14 Letter From Mr. Cushing, May 28, 1868. Toungoo.
The Missionary Magazine, Vol. XLVIII, November 1868, No. XI, p418