BIRTH OF CHRISTIANITY IN HMAR TRIBE

Watkin Roberts (Welsh Missionary).

Watkin Roberts was a Welshman from Caernarvon and was born in 1886. He was a quarryman and was converted by the sermons of one R. A. Torrey. During the ‘Welsh Revival’ of 1904 he decided to serve overseas. Roberts was a great friend of Dr. Fraser who was his senior by some years and Dr. Fraser had paid for his journey to Mizoram. Watkin Roberts ‘Saptlangval’ was, presumably, originally a Presbyterian and organized the churches he later established on Presbyterian principles, though they had no denominational attachment. Roberts ‘Saptlangval’ was never on the staff of the Welsh Presbyterian Mission but was deeply interested in its work.

Over the northern border of Mizoram, in the Hmar village of Senvawn, Manipur State, the Hmar villagers had heard of the Gospel. In 1910 the village Chief sent an enquiry to Jones ‘Zosaphluia’ about the Gospel. Jones ‘Zosaphluia’ thought it was outside his province and the enquiry came to the attention of Watkin Roberts ‘Saptlangval’ who sent the Chief a copy of St. Mark’s Gospel. The Chief’s response was to ask for someone from Aizawl to come and explain it. In 1911 five Mizo youths, aged between eighteen and twenty-six, set off with all their worldly goods on their backs and preached the Gospel in Senvawn and the surrounding area. The mission was successful and Senvawn became a centre for evangelism and a base for Watkin Roberts’ ‘Saptlangval’ work. He called his mission the Thadou-Kuki Mission, which later became the North-East India General Mission. He visited the United States and received considerable financial support from there. Roberts ‘Saptlangval’ later created his mission headquarters in the US.