It is not my purpose to present a theory of missions, but simply to give a clear and consecutive story of my father’s life. I have been impelled to do this by the desire that his memory should be cherished in the minds of the rising generation. Dr. Wayland’s noble and comprehensive Memoir is now out of print, and it has seemed to me that a career which may be justly said to form the main artery of all American foreign missionary endeavor, needed to be presented anew. In order to bring into bold relief my father’s social, domestic, and personal traits, I have introduced large extracts from his letters and journals, which, however, in a few places, I have taken the liberty of condensing. Free use has also been made of the valuable reminiscences contributed to Dr. Wayland’s Memoir by Mrs. Emily C. Judson.
E. J.
New York, January, 1883.
CONTENTS.
| CHAPTER I. | |
| EARLY YEARS. | |
| 1788-1809. | |
| Birth—Precocity—Reverence for his father—Ambition over-stimulated—His sister, Abigail—Playing church—Removal to Wenham—His brother Elnathan—Death of a sister—Childhood reminiscences—“Does the sun move?”—Solving hard enigmas—Proficiency in arithmetic—“Old Virgil dug up”—Studying Revelation—Removal to Braintree and to Plymouth—College life—Teaching school—Publishing grammar and arithmetic—Conversion—Early impressions—Sceptical views—Journey—Startling incident at an inn—Entering the Theological Institute at Andover—Self-dedication—Joining the Church—Consecration to the ministry—Fervent piety | [1] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| CONSECRATION TO MISSIONARY LIFE. | |
| 1809-1812. | |
| Buchanan’s “Star in the East”—Association with kindred missionary spirits—Haystack monument—Obstacles—Attractions at home—Best men needed abroad—Anticipation of dangers and hardships—Application to Dr. Bogue—The case laid before the General Association—Organization of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions—Failure to co-operate with the London Missionary Society—Journey to England—Captured by a French privateer—Confined in the hold—In prison at Bayonne—Paroled—Scene at a masked ball—Reception in England—Personal appearance—Return to America—Appointed by the Board—Meeting with Ann Hasseltine—Incident at the table—Sketch of Ann Hasseltine—Marriage—Parting with parents—The wayside prayer—Ordination—Parting with sister—Embarcation | [16] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| VOYAGE TO BURMAH. | |
| 1812-1813. | |
| The course—Change of views on Baptism—Arrival in Calcutta—Announces to the Board his change of views—Appeal to the Baptists—His baptism—Excluded from India by the East India Company—Journey to the Isle of France—Death of Harriet Newell—Journey to Madras—Voyage to Rangoon—Arrival—The effect in America of his change of views—Organization of a Baptist Missionary Society—Beneficial consequences of his becoming a Baptist—Missionary operations widened—Consolidation and growth of the Baptist denomination | [36] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| BURMAH. | |
| Face of the country—Animals—Inhabitants—Industrial life—Government—Religion—History and distribution of Buddhism—Buddhism and Brahminism contrasted—Life of Buddha—Buddha’s Way of salvation—Point of Departure, the Goal, and the Way—Buddha’s moral code—Buddhism and Christianity | [56] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| LIFE IN RANGOON. | |
| 1813-1819. | |
| Rangoon a strategic point—First impressions of Rangoon—The Task before him—The evangelization of Burmah—The Means—Not civilization—Not schools for children—The Gospel conveyed to the adult mind—The printed Word—Oral preaching of the Gospel—The press can never supersede the pulpit—His method of preaching—The Difficulties—Burman conservatism—Learning the language—Danger of persecution—Sublime faith—Removal into the city proper—Mrs. Judson’s declining health, and voyage to Madras—Birth and death of Roger Williams Judson—Conversation between Mr. Judson and his Burman teacher—His illness—Compiling Burman Grammar—The first tract—Arrival of Mr. Hough and the press—The first inquirer—Matthew translated—Ill health—Horrors of the sea voyage to Madras—Mrs. Judson’s heroism during his absence—Arrival of Messrs. Colman and Wheelock—Beginning of public worship in the zayat—The first baptism—Handpicking among the Burmans—Rising persecution—Determination to go to Ava—Death of Wheelock | [74] |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| LIFE IN RANGOON—CONTINUED. | |
| 1819-1823. | |
| Journey to Ava—Unsuccessful visit at court—Return to Rangoon—Firmness of the converts—Colman’s death in Arracan—Revival amid persecution—First baptism of a Burman woman—Letter from Burman converts to American churches—Mrs. Judson’s alarming illness—The voyage to Calcutta and return—Series of conversions and baptisms—Mrs. Judson’s visit to America—Personal appearance—Mr. Judson’s solitude—Arrival of Dr. and Mrs. Price—Death of Mrs. Price—Second journey to Ava—Favorable reception at Court—Return to Rangoon—Purpose to establish a mission at Ava | [147] |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| LIFE IN AVA AND OUNG-PEN-LA. | |
| 1823-1826. | |
| Third journey to Ava—Bright prospects—Gathering war-cloud—Cold reception at Court—War between the English and Burmans—All the white foreigners thrown into prison—Duration of imprisonment—The place—Horrors of an Oriental jail—Serene faith—Mrs. Judson’s intercessions—Birth of Maria—Removal to Oung-pen-la—Final release—His personal reminiscences of his captivity—A British officer’s description of Mrs. Judson | [212] |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| LIFE IN AMHERST. | |
| 1826-1827. | |
| Treaty of peace—Condition of affairs in Rangoon—The Wades and Boardmans at Calcutta—Description of Mr. and Mrs. Boardman—The founding of Amherst—Removal to Amherst—Accompanying the English Embassy to Ava—Uncongenial employment—Mrs. Judson’s death—His return to Amherst—Arrival of the Wades and Boardmans—Death of little Maria—Decline of Amherst—Removal to Maulmain—Death of Mah-men-la—Death of his father | [282] |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| LIFE IN MAULMAIN. | |
| 1827-1831. | |
| Guyonism—Tendency toward asceticism—Physical constitution shaken by tortures and sorrows—Solitude—American Christians slow to send reinforcements—Intense piety—Forms of self-mortification—Gives property to the Board—Destroys all correspondence and materials for eulogiums—Crucifies taste for literature—Gives up society—His intense socialness—Recovery of equilibrium—The mission-house at Maulmain—Bold robbery—Zayat work—School work—Women and children persecuted—Sufferings of Mee-Shway-ee—Work of translation—Ordination of Moung-Thah-a—Ordination and death of Moung-Ing—Removal of Boardman to Tavoy—Death of Elnathan Judson—Arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett—Removal of the Wades to Rangoon—Mr. Judson repairs to Rangoon—Attempt to establish a mission in Prome—Return to Rangoon—Burman thirst for the Word—Distribution of tracts—Seclusion at Rangoon for the Bible translation—Interior of his study—Invitation to visit America declined—Regard for the health of his missionary associates—Death of Boardman | [303] |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| LIFE IN MAULMAIN—CONTINUED. | |
| 1831-1845. | |
| Return to Maulmain—Condition of affairs—The Karens—Views of ministerial education—Tours in the Karen jungles—Reinforcements from America—His personal habits—His marriage to Mrs. Boardman—Her heroic career at Tavoy—Parting with George—Translating the Bible—Revision—His views of distributing the Bible—His views of the Old Testament—The excellence of his Burman version of the Bible—Teaching and preaching—Personal appearance—Annals of domestic life—Birth of Abby Ann—Birth of Adoniram Brown—Declining health—Birth of Elnathan—Voyage to Calcutta and return—Birth of Henry—Birth of Luther—Voyage of the family to Calcutta—Death of Henry at Serampore—Return to Maulmain via Isle of France—Incidents of the voyage—Birth of Henry Hall—Death of his aged mother at Plymouth—Beginning the Burman dictionary | [376] |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| VISIT TO AMERICA. | |
| 1845-1846. | |
| The births of Charles and Edward—Mrs. Judson’s declining health—Voyage to America necessary—Arrival at the Isle of France—“We part on this green islet, love”—Mrs. Judson’s death at St. Helena—Arrival in Boston—His humility—An address in Eaton—A sermon at Plymouth—Missionary mass-meeting in Boston—Providence—New York—Bradford—Death of Charlie—Philadelphia—Utica—Waterville College—Hamilton—Richmond—Baltimore—Sketch of Emily Chubbuck—His first meeting with Emily Chubbuck—Marriage—Conflicting public opinions—Judson longs for his Burman home—Farewell to his sister and to his children—Embarcation | [442] |
| CHAPTER XII. | |
| LAST YEARS. | |
| 1846-1850. | |
| Passing St. Helena—The Isle of France and Amherst—Arrival at Maulmain—Resuming work on the dictionary—Removal to Rangoon—“Bat Castle”—Sickness, suffering, and persecution at Rangoon—Retreat to Maulmain—The permission that came too late—Preaching, translating, and pastoral work—A spirit unconquerably youthful—Personal appearance—Correspondence with the Crown Prince of Siam—Sympathy with those in sorrow—Domestic life—Birth of “My Bird”—Mrs. Judson’s declining health—His last illness and death at sea—Birth and death of “Angel Charlie”—Closing scenes—“Sweet mother” | [494] |
| CHAPTER XIII. | |
| POSTHUMOUS INFLUENCE. | |
| The Burman Dictionary unfinished—Summary of results in Burmah—The difficulties overcome—Results in America—Formation of missionary organizations—The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions—The American Baptist Missionary Union—Missionary societies among the Episcopalians, Methodists, and Presbyterians—Indirect influences of his life—His sufferings fruitful of blessing—The graves of our missionaries | [550] |
| APPENDIX. | |
| A.—Autobiographical Record of Dates and Events, by A. Judson | [561] |
| B.—Mr. Judson’s First Tract for the Burmans | [568] |
| C.—The Threefold Cord | [571] |
| D.—Advice to Missionary Candidates | [577]# |
| E.—The Kathayan Slave | [580]# |
| F.—Wayside Preaching | [589]# |
THE LAND HEMISPHERE.