Dr Asangba Tzudir
From the 1886 Assam Mission Jubilee Conference to the NLTP Act
The papers and discussions from the Jubilee Conference of the Assam Mission of the American Baptist Missionary Union, held at Nowgong from 18–29 December 1886, reveal that the question of rice beer (maud) was already one of the most debated issues confronting the American Baptist missionaries during their work among the Nagas. Nearly 140 years later, the same fundamental questions continue to shape public discourse in Nagaland under the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act of 1989. There is a striking similarity between the nineteenth-century debate and the present-day conversation and which remind us that the tension between Christian ethics, cultural practice, and public policy is not new.
The 1886 Jubilee Conference proceedings show that there was no unanimous missionary position. While some missionaries, including Mr. Phillips, Rev. Perrine and Rev. Haggard, argued for total abstinence, believing that complete prohibition was the surest safeguard against moral decline, others adopted a more nuanced approach. However, the pioneer missionary to the Ao Nagas, Edward Winter Clark, while acknowledging the dangers of intoxication resisted making total abstinence an absolute biblical requirement. He argued that "the Bible only demands temperance, not total abstinence," and insisted that church discipline must rest upon Scriptural authority rather than merely missionary opinion. Dr. E.W. Clark brings an interesting observation on Nagas and drinking that, "the Nagas do not get drunk easily" and his question, "When does drunkenness begin?" reflected an awareness that moral judgment cannot always be reduced to rigid legal formulas. Nevertheless, Clark concluded pragmatically that "total abstinence is best," not because Scripture explicitly demanded it, but because it provided the safest moral course.
Now, this distinction becomes significant where Clark differentiated between a Biblical principle and a pastoral recommendation. Temperance, in his understanding, was a biblical command, and total abstinence a wise policy. Such careful reasoning prevented Christian ethics from becoming legalism while still encouraging believers to pursue the highest moral standard. The conference also recognized the social realities surrounding rice beer. Missionaries acknowledged that maud was not merely an intoxicant but an important part of food preservation and daily life. Clark himself noted that fermentation was often necessary to preserve damaged rice. Rather than ignoring indigenous realities, he urged missionaries to balance biblical teaching with cultural understanding.
This historical debate and discussion has powerful tones for the contemporary discussion surrounding the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act. Decades after the Act came into force, Nagaland still continues to wrestle with questions of enforcement, illegal trade, public health issues, domestic violence, youth addiction, and government policy. Our society remains divided between those who advocate complete prohibition as a moral necessity and those who call for regulation, education, and responsible consumption.
The 1886 Jubilee conference offers an important lesson. We see that even among devoted missionaries committed to the authority of Scripture, there was room for thoughtful disagreement on the best practical approach. Their common objective was not simply prohibition but the cultivation of Christian character and the protection of society from the destructive consequences of addiction.
Perhaps this is the enduring relevance of the 1886 discussions, that Laws alone cannot transform any society. Instance, in 1894, church members would rather go for Yi (Rice Beer) than teetotalism and acceptance into Church membership. Irrespective of whether under missionary discipline in the nineteenth century or state legislation today, lasting change depends upon moral conviction, responsible citizenship, compassionate pastoral care, and community accountability. The challenge is not merely to legislate against alcohol but to foster a culture where self-control, temperance, and concern for the common good become deeply rooted values.
As Nagaland continues to reflect on the future of the NLTP Act, the voices from the 1886 Assam Mission Jubilee Conference needs to be heard once again. The Conference discussion on Rice Beer drinking remind us that meaningful reform can be achieved not only through prohibition, but through wisdom, humility, and an unwavering commitment to both truth and grace.
(Dr Asangba Tzudir writes weekly guest editorials for The Morung Express. Comments can be mailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
