History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo
History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo
History of Shan Churches in Burma 1861-2001 - Khamkoo
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Baptist mission among the <strong>Shan</strong> 51<br />
30 people came to our revival meet<strong>in</strong>g. At the beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> our teach<strong>in</strong>g program, a man came to me,<br />
greeted me, seated next to me and wept acrimoniously. I did not know who he was and why he wept.<br />
He said, “I am very happy to see you com<strong>in</strong>g to us and teach<strong>in</strong>g us. I am very happy to see you serv<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Him tirelessly. I am also feel<strong>in</strong>g very sorry for myself and my failure.” I later discovered that he was<br />
one <strong>of</strong> the first graduates who graduated from Saya Ai Pan Bible School <strong>in</strong> NamKham <strong>in</strong> 1956. But he<br />
did not serve the Lord <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>istry ever s<strong>in</strong>ce graduat<strong>in</strong>g from tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g.<br />
The first <strong>Shan</strong> Church <strong>in</strong> Southern <strong>Shan</strong> State is now becom<strong>in</strong>g a Burmese Church. <strong>Shan</strong><br />
language is no longer used <strong>in</strong> worship service.<br />
Evangelistic work<br />
Rev. W.M. Young and wife, Dr. A.H. Henderson and wife and Mrs. H.W. Mix reported <strong>in</strong> 1894,<br />
“Many have come to the house dur<strong>in</strong>g the entire year, and so very much preach<strong>in</strong>g has been done <strong>in</strong><br />
that way. Much personal and house-to-house work has been done all the year <strong>in</strong> the city. The most<br />
promis<strong>in</strong>g work has been the bazaar meet<strong>in</strong>gs on general bazaar days, i.e., every fifth day. Henderson<br />
built a zayat <strong>in</strong> the bazaar at a cost <strong>of</strong> rupees 160, money raised <strong>in</strong> the Church collections and his own<br />
contributions. The attendance at the bazaar meet<strong>in</strong>gs has always been good, seldom if ever below 100,<br />
with an average attendance <strong>of</strong> about 200. The after part <strong>of</strong> the meet<strong>in</strong>gs is always devoted to personal<br />
effort. These have been by far the most hopeful meet<strong>in</strong>gs held dur<strong>in</strong>g the year. We have been unable to<br />
sell books, but tracts have been distributed freely, also some portions <strong>of</strong> the New Testament. Men who<br />
reside <strong>in</strong> other states quite distant <strong>of</strong>ten call for tracts so the seed is be<strong>in</strong>g scattered. We have received<br />
no one by baptism dur<strong>in</strong>g the year, some have applied but were put <strong>of</strong>f and our hopes were destroyed<br />
by the after walk <strong>of</strong> some <strong>of</strong> them. One I th<strong>in</strong>k we will baptize soon. The great need <strong>in</strong> the work is more<br />
native helpers. I have but four men, three <strong>of</strong> them had to acquire the language but they can do good<br />
work now <strong>in</strong> <strong>Shan</strong>. We ought to have at least ten men and two Bible-women for the work at present but<br />
there are no resources to draw from. The only chance for recruits for the present is to get Karen and let<br />
them study the language here. I am very anxious to get some more men.” 38<br />
Rev. Young reported, “Our bazaar meet<strong>in</strong>gs, which from the first were the most hopeful<br />
meet<strong>in</strong>gs, are still grow<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>terest and greatly to our surprise and joy the attendance cont<strong>in</strong>ues about<br />
the same rang<strong>in</strong>g from 150 to 250 <strong>in</strong> attendance but the attention is better and most <strong>of</strong> the people seem<br />
to be more anxious to learn. They <strong>in</strong>quire more freely about Christian doctr<strong>in</strong>es.” 39<br />
Dr. Henderson reported, “Our health, up to the present time, has been excellent. The work here<br />
is sow<strong>in</strong>g seed but we sow <strong>in</strong> great hope while superstition and idolatry meet us everywhere yet the<br />
promises <strong>of</strong> our Master are sure. We meet the grossest superstition at every turn, once or twice we have<br />
found them say<strong>in</strong>g charms over their medic<strong>in</strong>e. One old man who had been relieved when we went to<br />
speak to him about God said he did not know God but he would worship me for he thought I must be<br />
God.” 40 Even though <strong>Shan</strong> claimed to be Buddhist they were very superstitious and believed <strong>in</strong> all k<strong>in</strong>d<br />
<strong>of</strong> spirits. Rev. Young reported on September 6, 1894, “I th<strong>in</strong>k we will have our first baptism next<br />
Sunday. We may postpone a little longer. The candidate has been ask<strong>in</strong>g baptism for four months and<br />
has been quite active <strong>in</strong> speak<strong>in</strong>g and preach<strong>in</strong>g. I am <strong>in</strong> hope that he will be a good worker and <strong>in</strong> case<br />
he proves faithful he will be quite a help to the work as he speaks quite well and has a good command<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Shan</strong>, Burmese and Thoungthoo languages. We have no Thoungthoo preacher and we need one very<br />
much for most <strong>of</strong> the villages <strong>in</strong> the hills here are Thoungthoo. The villages on the pla<strong>in</strong>s are all<br />
<strong>Shan</strong>.” 41 Dr. Henderson reported <strong>in</strong> 1895, “Some persons pr<strong>of</strong>ess to have heard from one <strong>of</strong> the Phe<br />
(spirits) say<strong>in</strong>g that there was so much <strong>of</strong> this Jesus Christ be<strong>in</strong>g preached all over that they (the Phe)<br />
38 80th Annual Report, 1894, American Baptist Missionary Union, p271<br />
39 Report from Rev. W. M. Young, MuongNai, April 26, 1894, p23<br />
40 Report from A.H. Henderson, M.D. MuongNai, July 4, 1894, p419<br />
41 Report from Rev. W.M. Young, MuongNai, Sept. 6, 1894, p542