ADONIRAM JUDSON
Missionary to Burmah
BORN AUG. g, 1788 ; DIED APRIL 12, 1850
As Carey was
the father of modern missions, Judson was the father of American missions. The
thought was no doubt in many minds, and in that circle of young men from which
sprung the American Board, each no doubt owed much to the others ; but partly
from his own strong gifts of body, mind, and downright moral consistency,
Judson was the first to carry out in actual missionary life what to others was a plan, a hope, a prayer.
Born Aug. 9,
1788, eldest son of the Congregational minister at Maiden, Mass., he could read
when three years old, was acute with figures when ten, and, proud and
ambitious, entered Brown University, where at nineteen he graduated first in his class. His
college course won only praise ; but his brightness brought him under the
influence of a sceptical college friend, and he came home to declare himself to
his father, with characteristic downrightness, an infidel. His father was then minister
at Plymouth; and there the son taught school for a year, at this time
publishing a school grammar and an arithmetic.
He had some thoughts of dramatic writing, and made a tour
of travel as far as New York, for a time travelling with a theatrical company. Returning
to Sheffield, Mass., where his uncle was minister, he arranged for a farther
journey westward ; but was much impressed by a young minister who preached
there by exchange ; and next day, setting out, took lodging at a country inn,
where a young man lay very ill in the adjoining room. Judson was restless, thinking
of this man, sick and away from home ; and next morning learned with deep feeling
that he had died ; and, hearing his name, was overwhelmed to find that it was his
sceptical college friend. His scheme of travel seemed now impossible ; his
infidel theories melted away ; and he turned his horse's head toward Plymouth,
and next month entered an advanced class at Andover Theological Seminary. He
joined his father's church in Plymouth the next May.
In the
seminary he read Buchanan's " Star in the East," and Syme's" Empire
of Ava," and became associated with Samuel Nott, and Samuel J. Mills,
Gordon Hall, and others of the Williams College "Haystack " company ;
and though offered a tutorship at Brown University, and an associate pastorate
with Dr. Griffin in Boston, he devoted himself to foreign missionary work.
He had already
written to the London Missionary Society ; and, after consultation with the
teachers and ministers near Andover, he joined his fellow-students in a letter
to the Massachusetts General Association of Congregational Churches, which met
at Bradford, June 29, 1810, asking advice and help towards missionary service.
This letter was
signed by Judson, Nott, Mills, and Samuel Newell. There had been in existence
since 1799 the Massachusetts Missionary Society, organized to carry the gospel
to the Indians, and to cultivate the missionary spirit ; but the General
Association now organized the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign
Missions, and commended theyoung men to its direction. Judson was first sent to
London to ask the co-operation of the London Society. His ship was captured by
a French privateer, and he was imprisoned on ship and in France ; but escaped
to London, where he was cordially received ; but later it was thought best to
send him abroad without English assistance. He was married Feb. 5, 1812, to
Miss Ann Hasseltine, daughter of the minister at Bradford ; Feb. 6 he was
ordained, and on Feb. 19 he sailed with his bride from Salem for Calcutta. On
the long voyage he became convinced that the Baptist doctrine was in agreement with the
Scripture ; and after reaching Calcutta he applied to the English Baptist
missionaries at Serampore, and, with his wife, was immersed, and resigned his
connection with the American Board. The East India Company presently ordered
him and his fellow American missionaries to return home, subsequently allowing
them to go to Mauritius. There Mrs. Newell died ; and Mr. Rice, who had also become a
Baptist, went to America to urge the organizing of a Baptist Missionary Society.
Judson and his wife, after four months in Mauritius, largely spent in mission-work with English soldiers, sailed for Madras,
hoping to establish a mission at Pulo-Penang, in the Strait of Malacca. But the
only ship sailing in that direction took them to Rangoon in Burmah, beyond the
protection of the British flag, where they arrived July 13, 1813. There a son of
Dr. Carey had occupied the English Baptist mission-house ; but he was absent, and
soon afterwards resigned the mission in their favor.
No comments:
Post a Comment