1. Introduction
According to recorded Mizo church history (as documented by Dr. Laltluangliana Khiangte and the Mizoram Presbyterian Church Synod archives), the very first Christian hymn sung in Mizo was: mizo kristian hla hmasa ber better
Mizo Christian Hymn Book Kristian Hla Bu ) was published in . It contained only , including seven by pioneer missionaries James Herbert Lorrain (Pu Buanga) F.W. Savidge (Sap Upa) David Evan Jones (Zosaphluia) , and seven translated by the Khasi missionary Rai Bhajur Key Early Hymns and Origins Report on: “Kristian Hla Hmasa Ber” – The
The Original Tune: The missionaries used the tune of the English hymn "The name of Jesus is so sweet." It contained only , including seven by pioneer
At first glance, modern hymns have richer vocabulary. They use words like kalvari, remna, thawhlehna, and complex metaphors. But the first hymn has what scholars call “the theology of astonishment.”
But “better” here is a category error. The first hymn is not better as a concert piece. It is better as a foundational document. It is the Mizo Christian equivalent of the Apostles’ Creed. You do not judge a cornerstone by its paint job but by its load-bearing capacity. The first Christian hymn has carried the weight of every Mizo believer’s faith for 130 years. That is why it remains superior.