Midway
Mary's back was to her class as she wrote a lesson on the board for her students. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw figures at the window. As she turned to look, she let out a gasp. There were three men with spears in hand, headdress, body piercing and tattoo, dressed only in a loin cloth.
Mary realized she must keep her composure for the sake of the children. She went back to writing on the board, although now the writing was shaky as her hands were trembling. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, the men left. One of the older boys walked to the front of the class and said, “Those men are from the Naga Hills. They are Headhunters.”
When school was over, Mary rushed home to her husband, Edward. She told him what had happened at school. Edward was not surprised. The men had visited his printing press earlier in the day. Edward told her, “They were fascinated with the press, the machinery, the entire process. What seemed to grip them the most was the words. That words were a way to communicate was so interesting to them.”
The men returned the next week and the following week. Mary became less fearful when it was clear they meant no harm, they were only curious. The men indicated through sign language they wanted Edward and Mary to come to their villages and teach them what the words said. They wanted their children to learn as well. Edward was open to the idea of visiting them, but the local Indian Christians in Assam were less than encouraging. “No,” they said. “It is very dangerous. They are head hunters. You are not safe and you would likely loose your head.”
While the local natives were negative about the idea, the mission society back home in the states was adamant. “NO!” It was a firm no and it was final. Edward Clark was a man who listened to God, not people. The idea of going to the Naga Hills remained. They were in a land where most of the people were unreached, but there was a gospel witness and churches were being established. The Naga Hills had never heard the name of Jesus. Yet these Naga people were asking for missionaries to come. How could they say no? It was true they were headhunters. They no only killed their enemies; they took their heads as trophies. A man with a large number of skulls around his hut was highly honored and respected. It was shameful just to have a few.
Headhunting aside, the Naga lived by a moral code. They cared for their own community. They took care of the needy, the poor, the elderly and the stranger. Honesty was valued. Killing, except during warfare, was rare. They lived simply, and worked hard. Divorce and adultery were rare. They loved, valued and cared for their children. They saw all of nature as a gift of God. They believed in a Supreme Being. They had an extreme fear of death, which they knew was certain. One Naga man told Edward, "After death, our spirit went below the earth in company of ghosts, we learned this from our forefathers. That there is a heaven we know, but that man could go to heaven, this we never heard. When we hear this new story of Jesus Christ, water appears from the eye."
Edward saw the Holy Spirit at work and could see the Naga people were ripe for the Gospel. He prayed, prepared and planned. The mission board could not get past the head hunting. So strong was Edward's conviction he threatened to resign if the board refused to allow him to go to the Nagas. He wrote them, "After weeks of consideration and talking with my wife, I have come to the conclusion that if the Mission persist in this hampering the preaching of the Gospel, I had better resign and preach in the regions beyond without the aid of the board." Finally, the board relented.
Edward and Mary Clark: Bringing Light in the 1800's to the Headhunters of the Naga Hills, India (Missionary Biographies) (pp. 2-3). Julie McDonald. Kindle Edition.
What we do now echoes into eternity. God is glorified in His saints' labors in His vineyard.
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