History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo

Baptist mission among the Shan 42
man could be sent out to relieve him. Mrs. Cushing then returned to Toungoo and looked after the
interests of the work. Mr. Lyon and Mr. Freiday, with their wives, left America for Bhamo mission
field. The party accompanied by Cushing traveled to Mandalay and then to Bhamo, arrived in Bhamo
on February 13, 1877. Soon after arrival Cushing and Lyon planned to visit Ka-Khyen (Kachin)
Mountains in order that Lyon might become acquainted with his future field of labor among Kachin.
But when the time arrived for them to go, Lyon was attacked by fever. As the fever did not seem
serious it was deemed best for them to proceeded with the new Karen preachers to the mountains and
locate a man for Lyon to follow a week later. After a week, Lyon was too ill to go to the mountains.
Cushing then returned to the city to see Lyon. After another week Cushing started for the annual fair at
Shwaypaugyoon about thirty miles from Bhamo. Shortly after his arrival at the fair he received a
message calling him to return to Bhamo on account of Lyon’s severe illness. Three days after his return
to Bhamo, Mr. Lyon passed away quietly into the land of rest on March 15, leaving behind a perpetual
benediction to those who knew him in the memory of his gentle Christian life. It was a mysterious
providence that the first Kachin missionary should lay down his life in sight of the mountains where he
longed to preach the love of Christ.
After one year, Cushing reported from Bhamo that through the kindness of the China Inland
Missionaries, a zayat on the main street, which had been occupied by them, was placed at his disposal.
This continued to be his home. The land Mr. Rose selected the previous year was the most desirable
place in the city and determined to obtain it for mission. Unfortunately it was under the control of the
Sit-ke (Burman officer), who proved to be the most persistent opponent in his attempt. Near the close of
the first five months the Worn (governor) who had shown a polite indifference hitherto became very
friendly and through his kindness half of the land which Cushing desired was secured together with the
bamboo house while the other was occupied by the native preachers. During the rainy season, since
travel was not possible, Cushing revised again the entire Shan dictionary and added a considerable
number of words, principally, words peculiar to the northern Shan. He prepared also a “Handbook of
the Shan Language” and translated the Epistle of James. He spent several hours a day on Kachin
language study.
Cushing handed Bhamo mission to Rev. Freiday and returned to Toungoo in May 1877. In the
year 1884, Rev. Freiday closed the work at Bhamo when Chinese attacked and destroyed Bhamo in
December 1883. Early in August 1885, Mrs. Freiday left Rangoon for America via Calcutta. Bhamo
mission field was not for the Shan only but there was a department called Shan Department under
Bhamo mission. Later Bhamo mission field became the first mission station to Kachin tribe. On March
24, 1877, a young Shan man, Sau Lake, was baptized in Bhamo. He was the first Shan baptized in
Northern Shan.
Printing Shan Bible and other Literature
Rev. Cushing’s main ministry to the Shan was translating the Bible to Shan language and
producing Shan grammar and dictionary. Since Cushing had moved to Rangoon and concentrated on
Shan Bible translation he was able to finish and printing of the New Testament was completed in
November 1882. 16 Cushing reported that he revised the Gospels, Acts and Romans but the result of the
revision would not appear until there was another edition of the New Testament. In 1887, Cushing
began the revision and printing of the Shan New Testament. The revision was completed towards the
close of the rains. Third edition of New Testament was done in 1903. Cushing reported that he had
finished translating Psalms, Proverbs, Leviticus and the first fifteen chapters of Numbers in 1882. 17
16 69th Annual Report, July 1883, American Baptist Missionary Union, pp58-59
17 Ibid