The opening stanza reads:
As a historical document, it is flawless. As a piece of theology, it is surprisingly deep. As a piece of literature, it is rough but revolutionary. mizo kristian hla hmasa ber fixed
The word is crucial. Before 1907, Mizo Christians would sing translated English or Welsh choruses, but tunes varied. A village in Aizawl might sing a verse to a different melody than one in Serkawn. The “fixing” happened when: The opening stanza reads: As a historical document,
However, that was a loose translation/adaptation. The first fixed hymn—meaning it had a standardized text, assigned to a known tune, and was printed for congregational use—appears in the , “Kristian Hla Bu” (The Christian Song Book), published in 1907 by the Welsh Mission Press. assigned to a known tune