ASSAM MISSION IN Baptist MISSIONARY MAGAZINE, BOSTON AN EVANGELICAL HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN NINETEENTH CENTURY ASSAM, 1836-1850, VOL. - I (Dr Biswajit Das)

This book is actually a reprint of the selected documents published in the American Baptist Magazine, Boston. While these documents are part of an evangelical history of Christianity, these documents have great value. These documents can put new light on many areas of the nineteenth century Assam. The century has many dimensions- first, the end of the Ahom reign and the beginning of the East India Company’s rule; second, political and economic changes.Nineteenth century was the period of transition, mainly in the Indian contexts. Schools were founded by the missionaries and tried to educate the children. The native people were curious to educate their children. Missionaries had a theological view behind the founded schools. No doubt that, the missionaries had their own prospects, and for that, followed some certain tactics. But, with the language learning, publishing magazine and printed books and school educations both, directly or indirectly helped the native people of this region in many directions. Therefore, we need to review the missionaries works in different perspectives. After the treaty of Yandabu (1826), the East India Company took over the reign and immediately introduced the new administrative systems. The native people were neither educated nor conscious. East India Company brought official subordinates from Kolkata (Culcutta) for their administrative help. Most of the people of Assam came back to their own places for settlements who fled during the Burmese invasion. Indeed, in this perplexing period, the American Baptist missionaries had entered into Assam. After changing their stations Jaipur and Sadiya to Shivasagor and Nagaon, American Baptist Missionaries realized the picture of the native people and had done the bang-up job. Their works engrossed the native intellectuals and helped to grow with the new identity. Though their goal was only the preaching of Christianity yet, their contribution was vast in terms of uplifting the native people of the region. In certain areas, the Assamese intellectuals Anandaram Dhekial Phukan, Gunabhiram Baruah, Hemchandra Baruah worked hand in hand with the Baptist Missionaries. They were the Assamese, who planted the seeds of nationalism in Assam. The Missionaries were not involved directly in the nationalist movement, but in round-about, they contributed a lot to it, even though, they first wanted to gain trust of the native people as they did in different parts of the world . Till now, many books have been written on the role and contributions of missionaries in Assam, but none has mentioned ever about these documents written by the Baptist missionaries. I believe, these documents will add a new perspective to write an authentic history of socio-economic life of nineteenth century Assam. Missionaries wrote what they saw and as they understood them. Moreover, some local preachers also wrote some letters. These documents are very important to analyse the role of Baptist missionaries. Read more