Rev. Dr. Robert G. Johnson (1915-09)- The Last American Missionary t
Posted by: "Zamdo Thang" zamdothang@yahoo.com zamdothang
Sat Jun 13, 2009 5:59 pm (PDT)



Rev. Dr. Robert G. Johnson (1915-09)- The Last American Missionary to Chin Hills.
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 Obituary for Robert G. Johnson
Rev. Robert G. Johnson, 94
Missionary, Architect, Bible Translator and Author
           Rev. Robert G. (Bob) Johnson, 94, a Baptist missionary to the Chin people in the western mountains of Burma (now Myanmar), died of complications from pneumonia on June 9,2009 at the Health Center of Plymouth Village, Redlands, California.
           Rev. Johnson was born in Chicago, Illinois, graduated in 1938 from Wheaton College in Illinois. He was married to the former Elizabeth Luella Kortum of Decatur, Illinois in 1941. The couple were commissioned as missionaries of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society and designated for service in Burma. War intervened, and Rev. Johnson served as a Navy chaplain in the south Pacific during World War II. Rev. and Mrs. Johnson began their missionary service in 1946, passing through Assam, India to enter war-torn Burma.Â
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The Johnsons served in the Chin Hills for twenty years, raising three children there while running Bible schools, touring remote areas accessible only on foot or by pony, running a dispensary, and doing translation of the Bible, Sunday School materials, and hymns. Rev. Johnson designed and oversaw construction of many wooden-framed and rammed-earth Bible school buildings in both Falam and Haka (now Hakha) in the Chin Hills. Toward the end of this missionary service, understanding that the mission field in Burma was closing to foreigners under the new socialist military government, Rev. Johnson designed and oversaw the construction of a large stone church in Haka built almost entirely by hand, with the only powered machinery being a stone saw powered by a single-cylinder kerosene engine and a war-surplus truck to haul stone and other supplies.
           Rev. Johnson, a graduate of Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, received the Doctor of Divinity degree from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in recognition of his missionary work in Burma.
           The Johnsons relocated to King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, near the mission headquarters in Valley Forge in 1966. Rev. Johnson served on the Board of International Missions, overseeing mission work in Hong Kong, Thailand, and Zaire, with continuing work on Bible translation into the Hakha Chin language, until his retirement in 1980.Â
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From then until 1988, Rev. Johnson immersed himself in research for writing and self publication of a massive two-volume History of the American Baptist Chin Mission, a serious and authoritative record of the introduction of Christianity into the Chin Hills of Burma by missionaries of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society between 1899 and 1966.
           Rev. and Mrs. Johnson moved to Moreno Valley, California in 1988 and then on to the Plymouth Village retirement community in 2001. In 2007, Rev. Johnson released a book entitled On the Back Road to Mandalay, on his and Mrs. Johnson’s twenty years of life and work in the mountains of western Burma.
           Rev. Johnson is survived by his wife of nearly 68 years, Elizabeth (Betty Lue), three children (Richard Johnson of Churchton, Maryland, Kristin Knutson of Riverside, California, and Martha Martens of Dallas, Texas), seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren . There will be visitation at Emerson/Bartlett Memorial Chapel at 703 Brookside Ave., Redlands, Ca. (909 793-2311) from 6-8PM on June 14, 2009.  A memorial service will be held at Plymouth Village at 2:15 PM on June 14, 2009.
 Following a memorial service at First Baptist Church, Redlands at 10 AM on June 15, interment will be in the Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, California at 2 PM.
           In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory, designated for the Chin Christian College to: Friends of Burma

                                  548 Home Ave., Ft. Wayne, Indiana 46807
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We will be having a memorial service at Plymouth Village Retirement community (945 Salem Drive,Redlands, Ca.)at 2:15 PM on June 14th, then we will have a visitation time at the funeral home (where his body will be )from 6-8PM on Sun. June 14.

We will have the church funeral service on Monday June 15 at 10 AM at the First Baptist Church of Redlands, 51 West Olive Avenue, Redlands, Ca.(909 793-3289). His casket will be at the church but it will be closed. We plan to cover his casket with a puan sen at the church but will be covered with an American flag at the cemetery.

The interment will be at the Riverside National Cemetery at 2 PM.
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In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory, designated for the Chin Christian College to:Â Friends of Burma
                548 Home Ave.
                Ft. Wayne, Indiana 46807
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I am sorry that this is taking so long to get the information to you all. We so appreciate all the expressions of love towards us.
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I have spoken with both Martha and my mother about the interest that some have expressed in coming out to Ca. We are concerned that people will spend too much to do this and do not want anyone to feel or be burdened. If there are people that plan to come out, the closest airport is ONT (Ontario International Airport), which is about 30-40 mins.
away.Â
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My brother is planning to stay at the Dynasty Suites(in Redlands). He said that the best price was obtained via Hotel.com.   My brother is coming to LAX but it is a horrible drive if someone is not used to the area.
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Dam te in,

Ruti (Kristin)
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http://www.chinland guardian. com/index. php/interviews/ 458
Interview With Rev. Dr. Robert G. Johnson, The Last American Missionary to Chin Hills
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Chinland Guardian
10 June, 2009
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[CG Note: The Chin people were animists before Christianity was brought to them in March, 1899 by the American missionary couple, Rev. and Mrs. Arthur Carson. It was only in May 1905 that the first four Chin believers, Thuam Hang and wife Dim Khaw Cing, and Pau Suan and wife Kham Ciang, were baptised in a small stream near Khuasak.
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The first Christian church in the Chin Hills, the first of any denomination, was organised with only eleven members at Khuasak in the Siyin valley of the Tiddim area on 17 February 1906, according to an article 'The First Chin Baptist Churches' written by Rev. Robert G. Johnson.
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Rev. Robert G. Johnson and wife Elizabeth, the last missionary from American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, worked in Chin Hills from 1946 to 1966 until they were asked to leave Burma by the authorities. The Reverend authored two well-known books 'A History of the American Baptist Chin Mission (Volume 1 and 2)', and 'On the Back Road to Mandalay'.
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Nowadays, an estimated 90 per cent of the Chin people are Christian.
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The following interview was conducted in 1999 and edited by Van Biak Thang of Chinland Guardian, the then editor of Rangoon-based weekly published church newsletter 'The Morning Star' while Rev. Dr. Robert Johnson together with his son, Dicky and wife, and one of his daughters, Martha and husband, came to Burma in attempt to attend the centennial celebration of the arrival of Christianity in Chin State. The Reverend, 94, passed away on 9 June, 2009 after getting ill with pneumonia.]
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Chinland Guardian: What were the most difficult and delightful times you had during your work in Chin Hills?
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Rev. Dr. Robert G. Johnson: My most difficult time was the year 1964. There was political unrest, fighting in Hakha, and I was under suspicion by the government. Some people were spying on me and reporting untruthful things. I was afraid that I would be sent out of Burma before the big stone Church was finished. The most delightful thing was to see our three children grow up in Hakha with many friends and in safety.
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Chinland Guardian: What kind of hindrances did you come across during your work in Chin Hills?
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Rev. Dr. Robert G. Johnson: For the most part, our experiences in the Chin Hills were very good. The Chin people came to love and respect us, and helped us in every way possible. Even the government officers were kind to us. Our greatest problem seemed to be to get the paper, ink, petrol, foodstuffs, building supplies, etc. that we needed.
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Chinland Guardian: What are the worst and best opinions of the Chin people, you think?
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Rev. Dr. Robert G. Johnson: The worst "opinion of mind" the Chin people have concerns marriage and divorce. The bride price is something of the relic. The pastors need to teach more about the Christian attitude toward marriage and divorce.
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Chinland Guardian: Do you think the Chins develop as you thought they would?
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Rev. Dr. Robert G. Johnson: If I understand your question, the Chins have developed beyond I thought they would. They want to prosper, they want good education, and they want to have their children grow up to be good Christians and good citizens of Myanmar. The Chins in Kalay valley, Mandalay, Yangon, etc. seem to do well. I could not see the villages in Chin State, so I do not know how they are doing.
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Chinland Guardian: Which are the worst things, you think, the Chins have done and what do you think they should do?
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Rev. Dr. Robert G. Johnson: The worst thing for the Chin people is for the students to take up arms against the government, to become rebels. Compared to the government, the Chins are very few, very poor, unarmed and with no military power. The only result is to bring military power against the Chins and causes persecution.
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The only reasonable course for the Chins is to love your enemies, do good to those who persecute you and live good, godly lives as Christians. "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's." Never give up your Christian faith.
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Chinland Guardian: Your message to the Chin people.
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Rev. Dr. Robert G. Johnson: Love God; Love Jesus; Love your brothers and sisters in Christ; love your husbands and love your wives; treat all people with respect; love your children and bring them up in the Christian faith; help your children get a good education; treat your body as the temple of the Holy Spirit which means to avoid all alcoholic drinks, tobacco, and drugs; keep pure in mind and heart; avoid fornication and adultery; read the Bible, our Holy Scripture; attend worship services and respect your pastors who are like shepherds for the flock; be truthful and honest, avoiding deceit; work hard and save thing for when times are bad; pray earnestly; be patient and kind, and follow the commandments of our Lord.
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CG Note: Below is a message of Rev. Dr. Robert G. Johnson in a video-clip posted in Youtube. It was recorded at a family gathering in Redlands, California, USA in June 2008.
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Rev. Dr. Robert G. Johnson: My name is Robert Johnson and in the Chin Hills, I was called Hakha Siangbawipa and my wife is Siangbawinu. We had very wonderful years in the Chin Hills – 20 years, most of the times in Hakha but also in Tiddim at the very beginning. Our three children are very familiar with Burma too because our son Richard was brought into Burma and into the Chin Hills when he was one year old, and our daughter Ruth Kristin was born in Mandalay and our daughter Martha, although born in the USA, spent most of her young life in Hakha. So, we have regards for the Hakha people, the Chin people and in fact all the peoples of Burma. We pray that God will bless you. I am 93 years old and my health is deteriorating, going downward. But still I am able to pray to God for all the mercies He gave us. Thank you and God bless all you of our dear friends.
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Condolences To Family Of Rev. Dr. Robert G. Johnson, Last American B
Posted by: "Chinland Guardian" chinland_guardian@yahoo.co.in
Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:04 pm (PDT)



Condolences To Family Of Rev. Dr. Robert G. Johnson, Last American Baptist Missionary To Chin Hills

Van Biak Thang

Chinland Guardian

23 June, 2009



The
Chin people across the world sent their deepest condolences and
sympathies to family of the last American Baptist missionary to the
Chin Hills, Rev. Dr. Robert G. Johnson, 94, who died of complications
from pneumonia at the Health Centre of Plymouth Village, Redlands,
California on 9 June 2009.

Click the link below for details:
http://www.chinland guardian. com/index. php/Home/ 468

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