U Rev. (Dr) John Roberts: U Kpa ka Khasi Literature

Da U Samla M.P Mawkon

U Rev. (Dr) John Roberts u dei uwei na ki Missionary bakhraw uba la wan sha kane ka Ri Khasi baieid jong ngi. U long uwei na ki Missionary uba dap rynieng ha ka jingnoh synñiang sha ngi kum ka Jaitbynriew Khasi Pnar. U dei uwei na ki Missionary uba ieid bha ia ka RI KHASI jong ngi. U dei uwei na ki nong noh synñiang ha ka thoh ka tar jong ngi U Khasi. Na kata ka daw la ai nam ia u kum “U KPA JONG KA KHASI LITERATURE”.

U Rev. Daffydd Andrew Jones u la ai nam ia une u Riewkhraw ha ka kot kaba u la ai kyrteng, From Corris to Cherra The life and work of the Rev. Dr. John Roberts 1842-1908 ba u dei U PREACHER, TEACHER, PASTOR, TRANSLATOR BAD u AUTHOR.

La kha ia une u Missionary bakhraw jong ka Ri Wales ha ka shnong Corris ha Ri Wales ha ka snem 1842 hadien shisnem ka jingpoi jong U Thomas Jones I ha Ri Khasi. U la wan poi ha Ri Khasi hajan bakut jong ka snem 1871. Une u Missionary u la shakri ha Ri Khasi kumba 37 snem tam. U la khlad na kane ka Pyrthei ha ka 23 tarik Naitung 1908 haba u la dap 66 snem ka rta. La tep donburom ia une u Shakri jong U Blei ha u lum jingtep ka Balang Nongsawlia ha ka sngi saitjaiñ 25 tarik da ka jingiam briew kaba khraw. U Mr. J. Herbert Roberts u la khot ieit ia kane ka jaka (NONGSAWLIA) da “KA BALA KA RI KHASI”.

Mar sien poi ha Ri Khasi la buh shuwa ia u ban trei sha Shella kaba long ka Lyngkha Trei bathymmai jong ka mission ha kato ka por. Hangne u la trei kumba 5 snem hapdeng bun ki jingeh.

Dei ha ka snem 1876 u la wan poi sha ka shnong Nongsawlia bad u la shimti ban peit ia ka kam skul. Bad u la shimti ban pyniaid ha la ka tyrpeng ia ka kam shakri bakhraw ha ka thoh ka pule kum u nongpyniaid ia ka Normal School, namar ba u Rev. Hugh Roberts uba long u Headmaster jong kane ka Skul naduh u snem 1867-1875 un leit jynduh noh sha la ka ri ha ka snem 1876. Ia kane ka Normal School hadien la tip ia ka kum ka Cherra Teacher’s Training Centre naduh ka snem 1947 ia kaba la seng da u Rev Thomas Jones ha ka snem 1865.

Nalor ka kam ban peit ia ki kam skul, u la hikai ruh ia ka subject Khasi bad ka Literature da lade hi. U Babu Soso Tham uba dei uwei na ki khynnah skul ba paw (Distinguished student) jong u Rev. Dr. John Roberts u don ban ong kumne, “Nalor kaba hikai ia ka Theology, U Dr. John Roberts u hikai ruh ia ka English Literature bad ia ka Khasi Langauge. Bad u ju pynrem ruh ba ngi duna ia ka jingtip ia la ka ktien lajong.” (La thoh da i Bah M.G Lyngdoh ha ka Pateng Khristan, February, 1929 ha ka sla kaba 23). Kitei ki kyntien jong U Soso Tham ki pyni ia ka Jingieid jong U Dr. John Roberts ia KA KTIEN KHASI bad ka JINGTREI SHITOM jong u ban kyntiew ia ka.

Ha ka Kot Jingrwai jong ka Balang Presbyterian (Khasi Hymn Book), ka kyrteng jong Une u Riewkhraw ka la paw ha ki 71 tylli ki jingrwai. Kane ka paw shai ba u dei uwei na ki nongthoh jingrwai na ki Missionari na Ri Welsh uba kham paw bha ha Khasi Hills. Ki jingrwai jong u ki long kiba ioh shibun ki jinghikai bad kiba sngewtynnad ban sngap.

Nalor U Dr. John Roberts, U Rev. J.C Evans u dei uba bud ban noh synñiang ha ki Jingrwai ha ka Kot jingrwai (Khasi Hymn Book) ha kaba u la thoh kumba 53 tylli ki jingrwai. I Bah H. Mylliemngap i la thoh kumne, “Rev. Evans has also composed 53 beautiful, sweet, deep and spiritually powerful hymns book until presently”.

Nangta ha ka snem 1887 la seng ia ka skul Theology ia kaba la tip hadien da ka Cherra Theological College. Ia ka skul Theology la buh hapoh ka jingpyniaid jong u Rev. (Dr) John Roberts kum U Principal (Founder Principal). Te hadien ba la bynshet ha u ia kane ka kam Principal u la aiti noh ia ka kam skul ban pyniaid ia ka Normal School ha u Rev. J.C Evans.
Nalor kaba trei shitom ban pynbit pynbiang ia kane ka Theological Institution kaba Thymmai, la shaniah ruh ha U Rev.(Dr) John Roberts ban sumar bad khmih ia ka Balang Nongsawlia bad ia ka District. Une u Sahep u la hikai hi da lade baroh ia ki subject ha kaba sdang kata – Bible, Theology, Philosophy bad English Literature.

La iathuh ba u da iarap kyrpang ruh ia kito kiba kham duna kiba ym ia ryngkat bor bad ki nongpule kiba kham stad. Ha ka snem 1994 ia kane ka Cherra Theological College la rah noh sha Mawklot, Shillong bad la ai kyrteng noh da ka “John Roberts Theological Seminary” kaba ngi ju khot JRTS (Mynta pat la tip kum ka JRTC). Ki samla pule kiba nyngkong eh kiba la rung ha kane ka College ki dei U Rev. Khnong, u Rev. Amirkha, u Rev. Sahon, u Rev. Sorkin, u Rev. Sahonrai bad u Rev. Jobin Roy.

I Rev. Dr. W Manners i thoh kumne, “U Dr. John Roberts ula long ka jingai kaba kor tam jong U Blei ia ka Ri Khasi khamtam”.
I TBn. B.R Kharlukhi ha ka jingthoh ka jong i ha ka thup souvenir sah kynmaw jong ka jingdap 175 snem ka jingwan ka Gospel ha Ri Khasi i la thoh kumne shaphang jong U Dr. John Roberts, “U Dr. John Roberts um ju buhteng ia kano kano ka kam. Um sngewtynnad ia ki riew jaipdeh bad ula pynpaw ia kane ha ka jingrwai jong u, Shuh me u jaipdeh”.

U Rev. (Dr) John Roberts u la leit shuti ha ka snem 1897 shuwa ban jia u jumai bah ha Ri Khasi ha une u juh u snem. Bad haba u don ha la Ri Wales u la shah jied ban shimti ia ka kam Moderator jong ka General Assembly ha Wales. Hynrei ha kane kajuh ka snem ha ka 12 tarik June 1897 ka la jia U Jumai Bah ha Assam, ha Ri Khasi bad la don ka jingpynjot kaba shyrkhei. La twa lut ki Iing ki Sem, ki Iingmane, ki Iing Skul bad la julor ki jingthung jingtep, khamtam ha Ri War. U tang shu ioh sngew ia kane ka khubor kaba sngewsih bad ka jingshitom jingjynjar jong ki khristan ha Ri Khasi, u la wan phai kyrkieh sha Nongsawlia lem bad i Mem Roberts bad i khun kynthei i Miss Bessie Roberts.

Hadien shiphew snem u la leit shuti biang sha la ri sha Wales. Bad dei ha kane ka snem u la iohlad ban shimti ban shong ha ka shuki Moderator ka General Assembly ka Balang Presbyterian ha Ri Wales. Bad ha kane kajuh ka snem u lashah pynkup ia ka Degree Doctor of Divinity (D.D na ka Ripon University, Wiscousin, USA. Kum ka dak ka jingniewkor ia ka jingshakri jong U kum U Missionary U Khrist bad khamtam ia ka jingtrei jong u ban thoh bad pynmih ia ki kot ki sla kiba bun.

U Rev. (Dr) John Roberts u la long u nong noh synniang uba ha khmat eh sha ka thoh ka tar ha ka ktien Khasi. Ki kot kiba u la ribais bad la thoh ki long:-

1. Kot Tikir
2. Jingiaid Pilgrim (Kaba dang pule ha ka B.A mynta ruh).
3. History U Jisu Khrist
4. Kot Nongialam
5. Pynkylla khasi ia baroh kawei ka Bible lem bad ka jingiarap kiwei ki para missioneri, Mrs. Roberts bad arngut ki trai ri kata i Rev. Ksanbin bad U Kpa ka Bari.
6. First, Second, Third and Fourth Reader ban pule ha ki skul.
7. U la thoh palat 71 tylli ki jingrwai ha ka Khasi Hymn Book ka Balang Presbyterian.

Ma u bad u Rev. J.C Evans ki la long ki nongseng ia ka kot khubor, U Nongialam Khristan ha ka snem 1902. U la long ruh uwei na ki Editor kane ka kotkhubor balang haduh ka sngi ka jingkhlad noh jong u.

Une u sahep Missionary uba khraw u ieit eh ia ka Ri Khasi bad haduh ba u la shna ia kato ka jingrwai kaba ong:

“Ri Khasi, Ri Khasi
Nga ieit ia pha etc.”

I Dr. DRL Nonglait ha ka jingthoh jong i ha ka thup Souvenir jong ka jingdap 175 snem jong ka jingpoi ka Gospel i la ong ba Une U Dr. John Roberts ha katei ka jingrwai u don shibun ki jingmut haba u shna. Hynrei kaba kham paw shai ka dei ka jingthrang jong U Dr. John Roberts ban sam lem ia ka Jingtip ka jong u sha ki Khasi jong ngi kiba u khein kum la ka jong ka jaitbynriew. Khlem pep ki jingrwai jong u ki dei kiba ai mynsiem bad ka jingtip ia kiba bun ki nongthoh Poetry ha kato ka por kynthup ia U Babu Myllung Soso Tham u nongthaw jingrwai uba paw bha.

Bad dei lyngba kane ka jingnoh synniang ba la ai nam ia u Rev. (Dr). John Roberts kum “U KPA KA KHASI LITERATURE”. I Dr. DRL Nonglait i la thoh kumne ha ka jingthoh shaphang u Dr. John Roberts ha ka ktien English, “John Roberts has achieved a large measures of success in providing materials for the then school syllabus. His contribution deserves the acknowledgement as the Father of Khasi Literature”.

U Rev. (Dr) John Roberts u la khlad na kane ka Pyrthei ha ka 23 tarik July 1908 haba u la dap 66 snem ka rta. La tep donburom ia une u Shakri jong U Blei ha u lum jingtep ka Balang Nongsawlia ha ka sngi saitjain 25 tarik da ka jingiam briew kaba khraw. Ki la don ki riew rangbah ki ba ai jingkren ha katei ka sngi naduh U Rev. Robert Jones, U Sahep Dr. E Williams bad kiwei kiba la pynpaw ia ka jingduh kaba khraw ia une u sahep uba la paw kum u “Lurshai”. Uwei u dkhar u la ong kumne, “He is really a great man and greatly respected and has done a great work for the Khasi Hills”. Uwei u Khristan u ong, “Ka long kaba phyla ba u sahep John Roberts u lah ban pynrit ia lade ban leit shong ha Nongsawlia”.

Ngi iohi ia ka jingsan jong ka Literature na ka jingmih jong ki Nongthoh kiba la pynpaw ia ki sap nongthoh da kaba ki la thoh ia ki kot ha ka Prose, ka Poetry bad ka Drama. Kum ka Balang Presbyterian ngi sngew sarong ba ka la pynmih ia kiba bun ki Riewkhraw ha ka Thoh ka Tar kata naduh u Tbn. Dr. Homiwell Lyngdoh (Balang Mawkhar), Babu V.G Bareh (Balang Jaiaw), TBn. L.Gilbert Shullai (Balang Riatsamthiah), u TBn. Babu Primrose Gatphoh (Balang Jaiaw). Kiwei pat ki Nongthoh kiba la sei nalor kitei ki long:
i. TBn. Dr. I.M Simon
ii. TBn. Maurice G Lyngdoh
iii. Babu D. Nihon Sing Wahlang
iv. Rangbah S.J Duncan
v. Rangbah D.S Khongdup
vi. Babu Wilson Reade
vii. Rev. Morkha Joseph
viii. Prof. Hamlet Bareh Ngapkynta
ix. Babu Frank M. Pugh
x. B.C Jyrwa
xi. W.R Laitflang
xii. TBn. Dr. Bajubon R Kharlukhi
xiii. H. Mylliemngap
xiv. Sandor S. Majaw
(Nalor kitei ki dang don shuh kiwei pat ki Nongthoh kiba KA JAITBYNRIEW JONG NGI ka la sei).

Kum kiba ngeit to ngin iai kynmaw ieid bad burom ia une u shipai babha U Jisu Khrist bad kum ka jaitbynriew kum U Kpa ka Thoh ka Tar ha ka Ktien Khasi.

Symbai babha ba ngi bytep,
Ha jingpyrshang bakhraw ne barit,
Haba ngi sdang la wan bun ki jingpynpep,
Ka step ruh ka wan hadien ka miet ba dum iong ngit.

Ki Par Jingtip:

1. La sot na ka jingthoh jong I TBn. W. Knight, Sohlang, Sohra na ka Pateng Khristan.
2. La sot na ka jingthoh jong I TBn. Dr. B.R Kharlukhi na ka Thup Sahkynmaw (Souvenir) jong ka jingdap 175 snem jong ka Gospel ha ri Khasi.
3. La sot na ka jingthoh jong I Dr. D.R.L Nonglait na ka Thup Sahkynmaw (Souvenir) jong ka jingdap 175 snem jong ka Gospel ha ri Khasi.