The compound dwellers including children began to experience the Holy Spirit powerfully convicting them of their sins as they sang in praise of God. In the words of Wesley Duewel, many prayers that have gone unanswered for years are gloriously answered. They were filled with the joy of the Lord and felt themselves almost bursting with joy and gratefulness. Some were moved to weeping before God to the extent of sinking to the ground in physical helplessness. At times they were too unrestrained and over expressive of their sorrow over sin or their joy at God’s mercy and transforming power.
People confessed their sins before God and received forgiveness. Tongues fail to explain in human language how the Holy Spirit moved the inner being of a person who received the Holy Spirit. God gripped the people with such Holy Spirit’s conviction that they could not control their body at the same time they are perfectly conscious. They felt a sensation of holy burning within them. They could not stop praying, thanking God for His wonderful love and His forgiveness, praying for His Mercy for others. Hatred and jealousy did not find a place. One of the commandments of Jesus, “Love your neighbour as you love yourself “ is automatically obeyed. So there is nothing wrong and nothing to be afraid of for others in this Revival. It was beyond ‘emotion’. Everybody who came to the Church could feel the overwhelming sense of God’s presence. Bible also tells us about the day of Pentecost -“They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in other languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak….Others made fun of the believers, saying, ‘these people are drunk” (Acts 2:4&13). It is not unusual that ‘others’ did not understand as even the Church Leaders themselves could hardly explain. One may ask as to why even people of other faiths were also anointed. The simple answer is God loves everybody and wants everybody to know that Jesus and Jesus alone is the Savior of the world.
Revival had taken place in different parts of the world – Europe, South Africa, North America, Korea and China during the 18th. – 20th. centuries. In all these places the phenomena were almost same, hunger for God, conviction of sin, deep confession, repentance, restitution and audible prayer by the entire group. In the northeast India, revival took place for the first time in 1906 in Meghalaya and Mizoram. In Mizoram, another revival had taken place in 1903, 1919, 1930-35, 1950s, 1984 and 1989. This year 2006, we celebrated Revival Centenary and we are expecting another Revival to take place as the Churches have been earnestly praying for the same. The Christian community everywhere long for the Revival as they know full well that the more widespread any revival movement becomes, the more transforming are the moral effects in the areas where God’s holy fire has burned.
The in-dwelling Holy Spirit is awakened when the Holy Spirit – anointed person looks to God in prayer or singing in praise of God. On 16th May, 2006 when our children were about to continue their exam they had silent prayer in their seat thanking God for the new day and asking for help and blessing, the in-dwelling Holy Spirit moved and they lost control of their body although they did not lose consciousness. The clever invigilators brought them to the Church where they prayed spontaneous prayer for quiet sometime. The sound of Halleluiahs and their voice of prayer attracted others including students who had finished their paper (exam) and some of the students were caught by the revival fire. People were then panic and the affected students were brought home by their parent5s/guardians. The next day the same thing happened. In the situation, parents and many outsiders began to interfere as a result of which school window panes were broken and Devotion Hall main door was partly damaged. Our Headmaster was insulted in a very cheap manner. According to the esteemed daily newspaper ‘Frontier Sun’, many NGOs including Mass Science Association denounced the whole thing as a deep seated conspiracy (May 17 issue). Let the people of Barak Area know that there is no such conspiracy. It has been our aim to build up a cordial relationship with the people of Barak Area rather. It is very unfortunate that the Parents’ Meeting convened by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on 18th May, 2006 tried to connect the present Revival Wave with ‘attempt to conversion’. Spiritual Revival is Devine, not man-made and cannot be predicted or pre-planned. At present, we have 13 teachers from Hindu community who know full well that there have been no forced conversion and such negative aspects. Our beloved teachers have never complained against our Christian atmosphere, school administration and our daily routine so far. Above all we have not violated the constitution of India so far as school administration is concerned.
The present revival is not mass hysteria nor a kind of hysterical disorder as certain physicians may claim. Revival fire catches all kinds of people, adult and children, physically or mentally weak and the Holy Spirit in particular. We know that God loves the people of Barak Area and we have been trying our level best to reflect the love of God by any possible means. Our vision is the Kingdom of God taking place here in Barak Area where there will not be hatred, discrimination, corruption, etc. Running of Schools is one of the instruments by which we can show the love of God to the people of Barak Area. We are very proud of our two High Schools – Oriental High School, Silchar and Rowlands Memorial High School, Karimganj which have produced many brilliant students whose contributions to the society should not be ignored.
Our two High Schools are run by the Mizoram Synod Mission Board which is an Autonomous Body registered under the Societies Registration Act, XXI of 1860 on 5th September, 1990. As our High Schools have been run and financed by Synod Mission Board, and not the Government, the former has the right to introduce extra curricula and to appoint teachers of its own choice. Being a Christian Mission School, Morning Devotion is a regular practice as done in all other Mission Schools all over India. The Constitution of India makes provision for this in Articles 26 which reads, “Subject to public order, morality and health, every religious denomination or any section thereof shall have the right –
(a) to establish and maintain institutions for religious and charitable purposes
(b) to manage its own affairs in manners of religion;
(c) to own and acquire moveable and immovable property; and
(d) to administer such property in accordance with law.”
We all need God’s guidance and blessing and as such it is fitting that we have morning devotion everyday. Being loyal citizens of India, on every Wednesday morning National Anthem is sung for closing morning drill. It is our hope and prayer that the people of Barak Area understand and accept that the Almighty and Loving God has visited Barak Area by pouring His Holy Spirit.