Brief History of United Pentecostal Church of North East India (UPC NEI)
INTRODUCTION
1.
PENTECOSTAL
MOVEMENT IN MIZORAM
1.1.FIRST
REVIVAL: The Pentecostal Revival was happen in Azusa Street in January 1st
1901, the Wales Revival followed in the year 1904. The Wales Revival brought a
Missionary to Meghalaya in which the Khasi people received a revival. In
February, 1906 the Khasis’ are having Assembly in related to the happening of
Revival Movement in their land. The nine church members from Mizoram along with
Mizoram’s Missionaries DE Jones and Edwin Rowlands attended the Assembly in
Meghalaya. After staying there for a few days they returned back home to
Aizawl. When they reached Chaltlang they are having a mass prayer in the road
side, then they received the Holy Spirit. By singing a song of praises to the
Lord they entered Aizawl streets. Since, that was the first time to witnessed
the dwelling of the Holy Spirit in Mizoram, many people were converted into
Christian due to such circumstances. This was the first Revival ever happen in
Mizoram but it does not take effect to the whole Mizoram.
1.2.SECOND
REVIVAL: The second Revival Movement was started in the year 1913. It was
powerful than the previous. This revival effects the whole Mizoram. The people
who received this revival were filled with the Holy Spirit which enhance them
that the coming of Jesus is very near. It was emerged out from Mission Veng,
Aizawl. This revival touch many people, but the unknown tongues is not yet
popular among them. There was a remarkable person who was Chalchhuana from
Durtlang who have received the unknown tongues. But, since it was not received
by many, they do not take much importance to it.
1.3.THIRD
REVIVAL: During the year 1919, the spreading of influenza in Mizoram has killed
many people lives. Their situation was very worse in every places. Meanwhile,
in July 16, 1919 the revival was happening again for the third time all over
Mizoram. This revival covers the whole Mizoram especially some places like,
Nisapui, Thingsai, Zotlang, Lunglei were the extreme region of this revival.
This revival last from 1919 till 1921, around 19, 197 were converted into
Christian. The 1931 census recorded that there were 1,24,404 people in Mizoram,
out of that 59,123 were Christian. The remaining 65,281 were believed to be
Chakma, Bru and Vai (Plain people). While in 1900 the Christians were only 15
in numbers.
1.4.
FOURTH REVIVAL: In the year 1922 another revival has emerged in Mizoram for the
fifth time. It was emerged out from Chawngtlai village which covers the whole
part of Mizoram. Those who received this revival were used to tremble and
paralyzed. Due to such condition the Church leaders could not comprehend it.
Some believe that it was false spirit, even the Presbyterian Church of Mizoram
has appoint Rev. Liangkhaia and Suaka to investigate those spiritual behavior.
The Baptist Church from South of Mizoram were very serious about these
spiritual movements, they doubted and against it. They take a possible way not
to spread this Holy Spirit during the services within the church. The Pastor,
Evangelist and even the Missionary were against these spiritual acts.
1.5.
FIFTH REVIVAL: The revival broke out again in the year 1934 which brought great
changes in Mizoram. It was started from Hlimen South village and reach till
Tanhril village; hence it covers the whole Mizoram. This revival is very
different that the others, it brought the speaking in tongues just like the Day
of Pentecost. For those who were filled with the Holy Spirit were called as “Hlimsang”. The Zion songs and the Zion
tongues became very popular during this revival. The true Pentecostal Revival
was happen during this time. But, unfortunately, the church leaders were
against this revival; the speaking in tongues, and singing zion songs. For those
who were against this revival condemned those who received the Holy Spirit were
the works of a devil. They were despise and resisted by the church. The revival
was even happening mightily in Kelkang village in the year 1937. The revival
was getting mightier than before, they even received Spiritual words from God.
Unfortunately, they were extremely opposed by the religious leaders and by the
Magistrate AC Mc Call. He even make a penalties for those spiritual men and
women by creating law and order from his authority in order to punish them.
They were highly opposed and even were despise, rejected and try to eradicate the gift of the Holy Spirit.
But, God was with them during those hard times.
The
majority of the Church members including the Church leaders and the Government
officials were opposing the work of the Holy Spirit. They did not allowed any
kinds of practices, drums or related things which could make the move of the
Holy Spirit, they don’t have place anymore inside the Church.
2.
THE
BIRTH OF THE UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH
In the late January of
1949, Reverend and Mrs E.L Scism along with their two children, Harry and
Ferne, boarded the SS Cina Mail in Portland, Oregon, to begin the long journey
to India. As the Scism family stood on the deck of the China Mail looking down
to the dock where family and friends were standing, the freighter began to
slowly pull away from the dock. Someone asked E.L Scism’s father, John Scism
how he would rather see the bones of his son bleach on the shores of India than
for him to be out of God’s divine will. He did not know if he would see his son
and family again, but above all he wanted them to be in God’s perfect will.
Little did any of that
group gathered in Portland, Oregon, telling the Scism family goodbye realized
that God had placed His hand upon them to bring into existence a strong and
wonderful church in the nation of India.
After experiencing
numerous problems in settling in a new country, not to speak of all the
physical problems pertaining to surgery in the mountains, Brother Ellis Scism
received an invitation from Sister Tellie Greer to visit the Lushai Hills of
North East India. As a result, Rev. Ellis Luther Scism along with Sister Tellie
Greer and Brother Nathaniel Parmar travelled to Aizawl on February 18, 1950,
and there established the United Pentecostal Church on February 19, 1950. This
was the beginning of a beautiful story of victory, blessing, triumph and the
remarkable working of God’s spirit.
Brother and Sister
Ellis Scism continued their ministry in India until 1965, when because of
Brother Ellis Scism’s broken health it become necessary for them to return to
the homeland. For fifteen years, Rev. Ellis Scism continued to visit Mizoram
travelling at least one time each or when necessary more frequently. From the
beginning in Aizawl and in Mizoram, the church in North East India eventually
became the strong church it is today.
The revival movement,
which was in existence in the Lushai Hills in the beginning, carried with it
certain concepts and practices, which were not in accordance with God’s word.
While promoting revival and growth, it was also necessary to establish these
revivalists in the word of God so that they would truly be Bible loving and
Bible believing Christians and be on a foundation, which could not be easily
shaken.
The greatest challenge
before EL Scism was to find a way through the teaching of God’s word to better
establish these revivalists. The sincere and hungry hearts of the people of
North East India made this challenge much easier. Their love for God and their
love for His word were so evident and they were very responsive to every effort
made to establish a strong United Pentecostal Church.
2.1.SEPERATION
OF NORTH EAST INDIA UPC FROM INDIA
Rev. Harry E. Scism
proposed to form two separate units in India for the betterment in
administration, richer evangelism and faster growth of the Church. This was
accepted by the Foreign Missions Division of the UPCI. As a result, on March
21, 1969, was created the North East India Unit in Shillong, Meghalaya as its
headquarters. The rest was left under the India Unit, with Rev. George Shalm as
the first Superintendent after partition. During the inauguration of the new
Unit, NE INida Unit UPC had around 30,000 members, covering eight states, viz.,
Arunachal Prades, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and
Tripura. However, from December, 1988 West Bengal became part of the NE India
unit and again the Andaman and Nicobar Island is now included in this Unit from
February, 2007. Following the resolution of 2003 NEI General UPC Conference,
the Headquarters office is also being shifted from Shillong to Aizawl,
beginning from August, 2004.
2.2.THE
FIRST GENERAL CONFERENCE AND THE FIRST OFFICIALS
The First General
Conference was held at Peak Hotel, Shillong on March 20-21, 1969 with Rev.
Harry E. Scism as its Chairman. Rev. Oscar Vouga, Director of Foreign Missions
of UPCI and Rev. George Shalm, Superintendent of India Unit UPC were special
guests.
In that General
Conference, General Officers were appointed and elected. At the recommendation
of the General Board of the UPCI, Rev. Oscar Vouga appointed Rev. Harry E.
Scism as the first General Superintendent of NE India Unit UPC. Rev. J.
Damhuala was elected to be the first Assistant General Superintendent. Various
departmental heads were also appointed there in the First General Conference
which were as follows:
General
PYD President Rev. KL Hnuna
General
PYD Secretary Rev. K.
Satinvela
General
LAD President Sister
Audrene Scism
General
SS Director Rev. J. Laltluanga
General
SS Secretary Rev. R. Hrangvunga
The
General Missions Department was formed only in the Fouth General Conference
held at Adur, Kerela, on February 24, 1972. Therefore,
1st
General Missions Director Rev. J Damhuala
1st
General Missions Secretary-Treasurer Rev.
KL Hnuna.
CONCLUSION
The Church, from its
very beginning years in North East India region, underwent several problems and
difficulties like false teachings, factionalist tendencies, etc., both from
within and outside. However, it survived such devil’s works and continues to
grow till today. Inspite of all those difficulties and attacks by the power of
evil, the Church progressed in every sphere, especially in her mission and
evangelism, by the grace of God. Missionaries are sent to various places in NE
India, West Bengal, Andaman, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal.
---------------------------
Sources:
Golden Jubilee Souvenir
of the United Pentecostal Church of North East India
Pentecostal History and
Hermeneutics written by LC Tluanga Sailo
A Thesis on the topic
of The United Pentecostal Church of North
East India: Its History and Doctrine by K. Lalrokima
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