Thread by @aavinashchaliha

"Baptists in Assam", A century of missionary service, 1836-1936. By Victor Hugo Sword.

Dr. Sword with his experience as a missionary in Assam, and his first hand experience with the local people narrates the story of the Baptist Church in Assam, and adjoining NE states. (1/n)

The book opens with a brief description of Assam. About Assam's geographical features, climate, indigenous languages, ethnology, & local religions.

It then progresses into the history of Assam during pre British rule, during British rule, & introduction of Christianity. (2/n)

It is from the 4th chapter of the book that the expedition of the Baptists is mentioned in detail.

Contrary to sanghi propaganda the Baptists did not approach the natives with rice bags. The missionaries faced untold hardships of nature, & men alike. (3/n)

The Baptists faced hostility from native tribes in the initial days, and often faced peril to their mission and their lives.

Reading about their expedition to Assam acquaints the reader to the true meaning of the term "missionary zeal". (4/n)

The Baptists got nothing but failure in their initial years. They faced a lot of struggle in Sadiya, their first station which they had to abandon. But they continued to persevere.

They worked on education, published literature, & worked in the hills among the tribes. (5/n)

Things started looking better for the Baptists when they managed to get their first Assamese convert Nidhiram Farwell, who was baptized at Buri Dihing river on Sunday 13th June, 1841.

This was their first success, and from here on things look better for them. (6/n)

The Baptists started out in Sadiya. But due to constant raids by the Khamtis, Singphos, & Mishmis they had to vacate to Joypur, then to Namsang, and finally to Nagaon and Sibsagar.

Their true success, however, was among the tribal communities, especially in the hills. (7/n)

The Baptists received success in their work among the Mikirs, Kachari, but more importantly with the Garos and the Nagas. In fact the most spectacular success they encountered was among these tribes.

It took years of painstaking work but in the end it was worth it. (8/n)

The missionaries brought with them a printing press when they had set out to Assam. It was the first printing press in the region.

This solitary printing press played a pivotal role in safeguarding of indigenous languages, particularly Assamese, in 19th century. (9/n)

The publication of Orunodoi by the Baptist missionaries, and the works on Assamese grammar & dictionary by Miles Bronson is too well known.

But the Baptists also.made efforts to safeguard & promote tribal languages. For which they printed tribal literature. (10/n)

The missionaries were keenly focused on imparting modern education, at par with the west, among the native communities because they believed that only an educated mind will fully understand the teachings of their Lord.

Thus they set up the first modern schools in NE. (11/n)

The missionaries were particularly impressed by the Garo community's aptitude for learning. Many Garos had graduated from schools and we're even enrolled in college and medical school.

The highly educated Garos would take up important positions in missionary work. (12/n)

It is important to note that the Baptist missionaries, backed by tye British administration, were the first to impart education in India en masse among all classes, castes, and tribal communities.