in the society. The cultural life
of the Mara people revealed that majority of respondents affirmed that
Christianity has totally changed the cultural life of the people.[1] Whereas some of them
assumed that Christianity had changed partly but not entirely. The areas of
changes and unchanged can be discussed in short in the following paragraphs.
The chanting of some words by
priest during the blood sacrifices offering was replaced by Christian prayer to
living God. Singing and dancing with the bottle of rice-beer replaced by
singing and praising the living God with Bible and hymnbooks. Seasonal feasts
and festivals with worldly pleasure was superseded by Christian occasions like Christmas,
Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Palm Sunday and so on. The pre-Christian manner of
social gatherings was substituted by Christian meetings: like Bible study,
worship services, counseling etc. In pre- Christian era rice-beer or country
made liquor played an important role in the life of the people. It was used on
every occasion. Imposing fine on one another, quarrelling with one another, and
taking revenge was substituted by praying for one another and forgiveness and
teaching one another. Marriage ceremony performed by local priest in the house
was replaced by local pastor in the Church in the presence of Church
congregations.[2]
Although Christianity brought about a near-total transformation in
the Mara lifestyle and outlook some customary laws have stayed on. The efforts
of the Missionaries were not directed at changing the basic customs of the
Mara society presumably because they saw nothing much wrong with them. The
customs and traditions which they found meaningless and harmful were abolished
by persistent preaching. Thus tea replaced sahma
(beer) as a popular drink among the Mara commonly. Animal sacrifices on
ceremonial occasions, which were once an integral part of Mara religious
system, are now considered anathema. But such traditions as the payment of
bride price, making rice beer for personal or for family, family feast with
beer once in a year are still practiced and
encouraged in some area of the Maras, also some other customs and community
traditions like smoking, chewing betel nuts and leafs and taking opium etc are
still prevalent in some areas.
1.1.
Lakher Pioneer Mission (LPM)
On
February 11th 1905, it was laid upon the heart of Mr. Reginald
Arthur Lorrain to undertake the pioneering of the wild head-hurting tribes of
Lakherland (Maraland) in interests of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One day, as
praying, he heard a voice saying ‘take a pamphlet and write down a name of
tribe in the uttermost part of India’.
He asked God in prayer “God, if the voice I heard in my heart is really
your voice, give me the answer through your Word in the Bible.” He knelt down
and prayed. After he prayed, he opened the Bible which text was Luke 10:16, 19:
“He who listens to you listens to me; he who
rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me. The
seventy two returned with joy and said,
“Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan
fall like lightning form heaven. I have given you authority to trample on
snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will
harm you” (NIV).
Feeling
a definite divine call to this particular region, Mr. R.A. Lorrain approached
two of the leading missionary societies in London, urging them to undertake the
responsibility of sending him out on this pioneering venture.
Neither
of these missionary societies, however, would undertake the responsibility of extending
their work to this remote region and after failing to gain their co-operation,
feeling that God had called and He would provide. Mr. R.A. Lorrain founded a
Mission special to reach these people and known as ‘Lakher Pioneer Mission’ in
London. Then, he appointed Miss. Alice, S. Denning as honorary secretary, J.W.
Macdonald as honorary Treasurer, Ernest Reed Esq as patron, and Rev. James
Mountain D. D, Ernest Reed Esq, J.W. Macdonald Esq, Miss. May G. Laidhaw as
Advisory Council. Then the Lakher Pioneer Mission Society started the mission
work since on.
R.
A. Lorrain described the LPM as Inter-denominational, he probably used
this term because they were neither sent nor financially sponsored by any
particular denomination or society. The LPM was supported by his friends from
different denominations who had mission-minded. It also expresses the nature
and work of the LPM’s ecumenical involvement. The LPM was opened to all other
activities in missionary work, and at the same time, its door was opened to
those who committed themselves to the work of mission.
No comments:
Post a Comment