By – Addie Chiphang
Ukhrul, Dec 6:
Phungyo Baptist Church (PBC), Ukhrul strongly resented and disowned the unsolicited and irrational misuse of the PBC name, PBC logo, letterhead and unreasonably claiming the name of Mother Church of Manipur by a breakaway Christian fellow member.
In a Press Conference held at the PBC conference hall, Tangrei on Tuesday represented by the Board of Deacons ( BoD), Phungyo Baptist Church expressed their shock and dilemma for availing the name of PBC by some few vested and unscrupulous persons stating that it is indeed unfortunate and profoundly misleading the fellow Christians who hear, see and adhere the Christianity since it’s establishment in 1901 which is boldly and clearly written at PBC building located at Tangrei, Hunphun/Ukhrul.
The Board of Trustees further informed that using of PBC logo, and letterhead of PBC is illegal and uncalled for so they ask in good faith and in good terms to refrain from using from hereafter as it may tarnish and distort the history they exhibited.
The name Phungyo itself depicts and signifies the location and originality where it stood tall from 1901 till today and God forbid the sinister motive.
It is for the gratification of all that PBC is the Mother Church of Manipur and it is neither the mother church of TBCA nor TNBC but the one and only genuine Mother Church of the whole of Manipur state the BoD asserts.
UNTIL the beginning of the twentieth century, the Tangkhul Naga Community, like other cognate tribes, was being left much to their ignorant wills and ways. There was no written language, every village had its own dialect, and not a soul in the whole tribe knew anything of even the rudiment of the alphabet. Although the villagers were independent and democratic, clannishness, the fear of evil spirits, a blind belief in the efficacy of monthly and annual feasts, ignorance, superstition, and sin all held the people in bondage.
At such a time, one Mr. Pettigrew came to Manipur. At the sight of a white man, the people of Ukhrul took him as a spy or an agent of government. They were ready to kill him. But it was God’s plan that there was a man who could talk to the Missionary in Manipuri. The man whom the missionary called “an influential man” saved him and his wife not less than three times on different occasions. This influential man was no other than Raihao, the Chief of Ukhrul village itself.
The dreadful Christians who were ceaselessly tortured by the pagan parents also purchased a piece of land in the proximity of the mission bungalow and the school. There they settled down with R. Hollei as the Headman. This new Christian village was given the name PHUNGYO (BEAUTIFUL HILL) by the missionary, thus the name till today where the ‘Kingdom of God’ was firmly established in Hunphun/ Ukhrul Manipur.
It is pertinent to mention that Manipur Baptist Convention (MBC) has already given its consent and acknowledgment recognising PBC Tangrei, Ukl as the Mother Church of Manipur.
