Christian Hymn te’ tangthu: Thunget Hun Nuam

Sweet Hour of Prayer (Ephesians 6:18)
William W. Walford (1772-1850)
William B. Bradbury (1816-1868)

Taanga kipan thu um mi peuhmah in Ama’ sehsa thungetna lampi tungtawnin Pasian tawh kizop den ding a hihna a theihsa uh ahi hi. I nuntak theihna dingin huih i diik zah in thungetna zong i kha nuntakna adingin a thupipen khat hi, ci-a a kigen i za ngei zel ding hi. Edwin Keith bangin, “Thungetna i cih mihing’ hu sangkhia a, Pasian’ hu i diikna ahi hi” ci zawzen hi. Walter A. Mueller bang leuleu in, “Thungetna i cih haksat huna lungsimah hong phut cianga i sep theih zel na khat cih bang hi lo hi; thungetna i cih nuntakna lungsimpuak (life attitude) hi ngiat hi” ci-in nangen ngei hi.

A kum za-a sim dingin hih la, “Thunget Hun Nuam” pen a kitheipen leh a kideihpen la khat hi a, nisim-a Pasian tawh kalsuankhop ding a thupina hong phawkkiksak den la khat ahi hi. Hih lamalte 1842 kuma William Walford’ phuah hi ci-a kiciamteh ahi hi. Amah mit khua mu lo lay preacher hi a, England gam Coleshill, Warwickshire ah tenga kizepna tam man khol lote a zuak mi khat ahi hi. Ni khat Wiiliam Walford van zuakna sumbukah Coleshill-a pastor pa Thomas Salmon va hawh hi.

William Walford in thungetna tawh kisai lamal pawlkhat a na phuah khit phet hi-a, a pastorpa’ kiangah laidal tunga a teikhiatsak nadingin ngen hi. Tua zawh kum 3 khit ciangin Thomas Salmon America va zin-a, tua lamalte New York Observer a editorpa lak hi. September 13, 1845 ni New York Obeserver ah kihel pah hi. Tua lai-ah Salmon in tua lamalte mit khua mu lo a Pasian’ naseppih Walford’ phuah hi cih thu gen hi. 1859 kumin Thomas Hastings leh Robert Turnball-te’ khet Church Melodies (Baptist edition) sungah la khat-in hong kihel hi.

A la-aw “Sweet Hour” (Hun Nuam) a cih bel American la-aw phuaksiam William B. Bradbury in 1861 kuma a phuah ahi hi. Tua kum mah in tua lamal leh la-awte Golden Chain kici labu sungah kiguang hi. Tua la-aw tungah tuangin hih lamalte leitung buppi-ah hong leeng kawikawi-a ei’ kiang dong hong tung hi.

Wiiliam B. Bradbury bel October 6, 1816 ni-in York, Maine-a suak ahi hi. A tangval ciangin Boston, Massachusetts ah lal a, tua lai-ah “American pilna sinna le music-te’ pa” (father of American public school and music) kici Lowell Mason tawh kithuah uh hi. Tuiphum pawlpi lianpipi tampi ah choir director leh organist in om ngei a, naupangte’ laka a nasepnate minthang deuh hi.

A nasep minthangte’ lakah Music Festival kici naupang tul khat kaikhawm-a, puan kibang silhsak, ama’ lapuahte a saksakna la-pawite minthang deuh hi. La phuah bek hi lo-in, la tawh kisai laihilhna, la ngaihte khetkhiatna bekbek sepin hong nei a, 1841 kuma kipanin 1868 kuma a sihkhiat ciang dong Pasian’ la, leitung la bu 59 kaikhawmin khenkhia hi.

Bradbury’ phuah la-awte lakah hih la “Thunget Hun Nuam” (Sweet Hour of Prayer) banah, “Ama’n Hong Kha” (He Leadeth Me), “Ka Hi Bangin” (Just As I Am), “Zeisu’n Hong It Ka Thei Hi” (Jesus Loves Me), “Depth of Mercy,” “Even Me,” “The Solid Rock” cihte minthang mahmah hi.

Rev. Zam Khat Kham
Christian Hymn te’ tangthu 2005