Phungyo Baptist Church ( PBC) at a glance
- recalling the days of Pettigrew -
- Part 1 -

Okluithan Addie Chiphang *

Phungyo Baptist Church commemorates 123rd foundation day :: Pix - TSE

UNTIL the beginning of the twentieth century, the Tangkhul Naga Community, like other cognate tribes, were being left much to their ignorant wills and ways. There were no written language, every village has its own dialect; and not a soul in the whole tribe knew anything of even the rudiments of the alphabet. Although the villagers were independent and democratic, clannishness, the fear of evil spirit, a blind belief in the efficacy of monthly and annual feast, ignorance, superstition, sin all these held the people in bondage.

At such a time, one Mr. Pettigrew came to Manipur. At the sight of a white man, the people of Ukhrul took him for a spy or an agent of Government. They were ready to kill him. But it was God’s plan that there was a man who could talk to the Missionary in Manipuri. The man whom the missionary called “an influential man” saved him and his wife not less than three times on different occasions. This influential man was no other than Raihao, the Chief of Ukhrul village itself.

Pettigrew pitched his tent at Lugtung, about a quarter mile away from the residence of the Chief. He also erected a temporary shed for running a school. But he could not get a single boy admitted. The villagers were deadly against learning to read and write. After a lapse of one year, the villagers agreed to send 20 boys to school, provided the Chief of Ukhrul would lead them. This was agreed; the school started functioning from February 19th, 1896.

The 6 years that followed were years of toil and ceaseless plodding amidst isolation and indifference. It was not until 1901, that the first converts-12 boys from the mission school were baptized by the Rev W Pettigrew at Ngayira. They were: R Hollei, K Sangmayang, S Ramkaiphang, S Leishisan, K Maninglum, L Sakhayang, C Kaphungkui, S Mangaleng (all from Ukhrul), M Haora, Mashokring and S Thisha from Hundung village. Thus, the first Church in Manipur was bom at Ukhrul, 1901. The missionary himself pastored the Church.

Although the villagers were deadly against mission work at Ukhrul, Raihao, the Chief of Ukhrul village granted Pettigrew a piece of land, measuring about 30 acres on nominal payment of Rs 50. This was a milestone in the mission work in Manipur. There the missionary built a bungalow and school of permanent structure.

The Christians who were ceaselessly tortured by the pagans also purchased a piece of land in the proximity of the mission bungalow and the school. There they settled down with R Hollei as the Headman. This new Christian village was given a name PHUNGYO (BEAUTIFUL HILL) by the missionary.

The Chritians, who were now 39 members, built by themselves a meeting house in 1907. The members belonged to different groups, such as Tangkhul, Kuki, Anal, Ao, Meitei, etc.

In 1908, the Church at Ukhrul passed a time of trial. A serious problem arose over some of the members having participated in the tribal feast, called ME THISHAM (Souls departing feast). The missionaries fully realising the need of what some will be pleased to call radical measure, called the Church together and advised them to decide once for all this question of participation in the feast which included the offering or sacrifice to evil spirit.

The missionaries expected all of them to lapse back into heatheism owing to the powerful influence of tribal customs; but 7 of the members decided to withdraw and form a new Church. They were R Hollei, T Luikham, MK Shimray, S Leishisan (all from Hunphun/ Ukhrul). Kuishon and Machongthei of Kampha (now Sirarakhong) and A Porom Singh of Phayeng, Imphal.

In 1910, there were 15 baptisms of which 9 were girls from the mission school. These were the first women baptisms: R Sanamla, R Mahongai, R Lasengla, Lanotla (all from Ukhrul), AS Charoni, AS Ngalew and AS Kasuni (all from Chingjaroi), and Shunila of Paoyee village. Rev and Mrs UM Fox came to Ukhrul in 1911 to relieve the Pettigrews. Rev Fox did valuable services to the people. Two things are to be remembered: (i) He opened the gate for higher education by sending out boys to high schools in Assam; (ii) Carpentry was introduced for the first time in hill area.

Baptism administered by Rev Fox were Thonung and Mono of Anal tribe, Teba Karong, K Longkhobel and Tengkhup Kuki, 1913; Maipak Kabui, Kachinda: Kutcha Naga, Bhagirath Gurkha, Thanga Mhar; Jaison Kom and Mangjaching Thadou, 1915. In 1917, delegations of all Churches gathered together and organised their first Manipur Baptist Christian Association at Ukhrul.

And for the first time in Manipur Christian history, MK Shimray (Tangkhul) and Longkhobel (Kuki) were ordained by the missionary, 1916. In 1922, there was a new spiritual movement, which resulted in a large number of converts. There were 290 baptisms in 1922 and 1018 in 1923. The heathens tried their outmost to wipe off Christianity from the country. But the more they suppressed the more the number of believers increased. The Kingdom of God was firmly established in Manipur.

During the First World War, Rev Pettigrew was stationed at Lucknow in military service, 1917; and MK Shimray was made the Pastor of Phungyo Baptist Church in addition to his schoolwork. When Shimray was transferred to Kangpokpi, the new mission headquarters, L Ngashanphung was appointed Pastor, Phungyo Church, 1927. During Pastor Ngashanphung’s tenure in office, the Church decided to build a new Church roofed with CGI sheets. Since there was no communication between Imphal and Ukhrul, the members had to carry the CGI sheets on their head all the way from Imphal to Ukhrul, 44 miles. They had the guts to do it.

Soon he and his colleagues landed in Calcutta (Now Kolkata). Upon arrival they were received by the Rev, and Mrs St Dalmas who had already established a mission station there and were awaiting another mission house to be completed at Brahmanbaria (now Bangladesh) north of Calcutta and quite close to Dacca (now Dhaka). While waiting for the completion of the mission centre, Pettigrew took trips to different Bengalee villages with Rev and Mrs Dalmas and distributed tracts and sold Bibles.

Finally Pettigrew moved into the new mission house with the Dalmas couples, there waiting upon the Lord to reveal His will as to what aboriginal tribe in eastern Bengal they should work among. In the meantime an argument with a Bangal native student concerning baptism and the study of the New Testament led him to heartily accept the doctrine of Believers’ baptism and so he was baptised by Rev Wright Hay of the English Baptist Mission in Dacca.

It was not long after they had shifted into the new mission house that the terrible massacre of Manipur in 1891 took place. This calamity attracted the attention of Pettigrew to Manipur. Therefore Pettigrew and his colleagues J Craighead planned to enter the State. Several attempts were made but the Political Agent of the State refused to grant them permission. Inspite of that Pettigrew decided to learn the Manipuri language, which he hoped would one day help him.

Hence in company with his colleagues Criaghead he moved to Silchar in February 1892 with a view to entering Manipur as soon as permission was granted by the Government. Thus, though they were not in Manipur proper, they lived among the Cachar Manipuris leaming their language. But before entrance was gained his colleagues Craighead was transferred to Assam proper and he had to move alone.

To be continued....