Charles Carroll Luther wrote this hymn in 1877. I first heard this hymn while in high school when my late friend Ray Munsaka sung it in Tonga and the words and tune have never left my heart since then. My wife Enid does the Luhya version and I am content with the English version. The story behind this hymn is short but remarkable. It is a lovely hymn that speaks of our service for God. I have sung this hymn since I was young and it has always been a reminder that I should serve the Lord while I have breath. Charles Carroll Luther was a journalist and lay evangelist before being ordained as a Baptist minister in 1886. Though not a prolific composer, he authored this hymn in 1877 when he heard a Rev. A.G. Upham relate the story of a young man who was about to die. This young man had been a Christian for only one month. Though thankful to the Lord for granting him salvation during his final hour, he was nevertheless grieved that he’d had no opportunity to serve the Lord nor to share Him with others. He explained, “I am not afraid to die; Jesus saves me now. But must I go empty handed?” Upon hearing this account, Luther wrote this hymn. Zokam, Zopau, Zolai for Zomi of Worldwide adventist and Christian believers, Tedim, Tiddim, Chin, Myanmar

SI-A KHUT GUAK MASUAN DING MAW?

TEDIM LABU 271: “SI-A KHUT GUAK MASUAN DING MAW?
(Must I Go – and Empty Handed?)

1887 kumin Evangelist A.G. Upham in America gam New England kual-a Rev. Charles C.Luther in pastor a sepna pawlpi khat-ah cialpi bawl ngelhngelh hi. Tua cialpi kipat ni-in Evangelist Upham in ni bangzah hiam khat sung kigen dingte’ thulu genkhol hi. Tua hun lai-a zatzia bangmah in amasa lam teng piangthaksa thu-ummite ading thuhilhna nei hi. A deihna taktak ah a piangthaksa thu-ummite Pasian tawh a kalsuanna man-a, thu-um nai lote’ tungah teci pangin kikhopna sungah mi kaihkhop theihna ding uh ahi hi.

Tua bang thuhilhna a kineih lai takin nitak khat Evangelist Upham in a thuhilhna thulu dingin, “Na Kumpi Lukhu Ading Aksi,” ahih kei leh, “Kha mangthangte’ Tunga Teci Pan’na A Thupina,” cih thulu dingin teel hi. A thuhilhna ah gentehna khat gen a, a pian’thak khit kha khat a pha pan tuahsiatna hangin si dinga om tangval khat thu, thupiang takpi khat gen hi. Tua tangvalpa a natna nasia semsem a, nungta zo lo kha ding cih a kitel semsem ciangin a lawmte khat a piangthak mahmah khatin, “Sih ding na lau hiam?” cih dong dong hi. Ama’n a dawng kik a, “Lawm aw, Jesu in hong hon khin ahih manin sih ding peuhmah kihta vet ke’ng. Ahih hangin piangthak in Amah ka theih khit ciangin kei bangmah-a mawhnei mi khat beek Ama kiang ka tut zawh loh zawzen! Sih ding bel lau ke’ng, ahi zongin pai taktak leng khut guak masuan-a pai takpi ding ka hih zawzen!” ci-in thum ngaungau hi.

Tua thuhilhna, a diakdiakin tua tangvalpa’ tangthu in Rev. Charles C. Luther’ lungsim sukha lua mahmah a, la dawng khat phuak hi. Rev. Upham in a thu a gengen laitak mah-in a Lai Siangtho sunga laidal khat tungah hih la kammalte gelh khia samsam hi. Khawl het loin gelh hi. Ngaihsut kul vet loin a lungsim sunga phul zuaizuai lel hi. Providence, Rhode Island ah cialpi bawl-a om George C. Stebbins kiangah a tangthu a cingin gen a, a phuahsa hih la khak vingveng hi. George Coles Stebbins in a la aw (a kaih) ding phuak a, “Ka la aw phuahsa khempeuh lakah ol penpen hi,” ci-in gen kik hi. George C. Stebbins in a la aw a phuah khitin Gospel Hymns No. 3, 1878 ah kituangsak masa pen hi.

Hih la aw a phuak George C. Stebbins pen America gospel music-a mi minthang mahmah khat hi a, February 26, 1846 in Canada gam Orleans County, Ontario ah suak hi. Orleans County pen tuizeu (waterfalls) minthang mahmah Niagara Falls pan nisuahna leilu lam tai 50 pawl-a om ahi hi. Kum 23 a phak ciangin America gam Chicago ah lal sukin Lyon and Healy Music Company ah na sem hi. 1874 kumin Boston ah kisuan a, Charendon Street Baptist Church ah Music Director sem hi.
1876 kumin amah tawh nasem khawm dingin DL Moody in sam a, kum 25 sung Moody leh Hymn Songs sung la aw tampi a bawl Ira D. Sankey-a kipan evangelist minthang George F. Pentecost leh Major DW Whittle-te tawh kithuah-in la makai, choir (la pawl) director, la-aw phuak, gospel la khaikhawm-a a khenkhiapa cih bangin om hi. 1876 kumin Phillip P. Bliss a sih vat mawk ciangin tua hun lai takin a labu khetna ah Ira D. Dankey panpih uh a, George C. Stebbins leh James Mc Granahan-te panpihna tungtawnin Sankey in Gospel Hymns’ bu thumna, bu lina, bu ngana leh bu gukna khenkhia zo uh hi.

La minthang tampite a la-aw ama’ phuah hi a, hih la, “Si-a Khut Guak Masuan Ding Maw?” (Must I Go –and Empty Handed?)” banah, “Sian’tho Nang Hun Zang In” (Take Time To Be Holy), “Kei Dahna Khuamial, Koltan’na Pan,” (Jesus, I Come), “Khuapi Umna Kulh Pua Lam (There Is A Green Hill Far Away), “Nih Vei Na Suak Kik In,” (You Must Be Born Again), “Topa Aw Ka Ihmut Ma In,” (Savior Breathe An Evening Blessing), “Saved By Grace,” cih late kihel hi.

1924 kum-a a khet ama’ tangthu leh a khan’ lai-a thute a gelhna “Memoirs And Reminiscences” kici laibu tungtawnin George C. Stebbins’ thu cing takin kitheithei hi. Pasian’ piaksa nuntakna man nei takin zang a, a kum 91 a phak laitak, October 6, 1945 ni-in Catskill, New York ah si hi.

(Sia Zam Khat Kham in a bawl “Christian Hymn-te’ Tangthu” leh Hymntime.com pan a kiteisawn ahi hi).