“June 16. Received letters from Bengal. News from Bombay that a Mahometan has professed the Gospel, and from Java that brother Robinson has baptized the first Chinese convert. Thus there seems to be a beginning in several very important stations. May the little one become a thousand. Rejoiced to hear that brother Colman had safely arrived at Bengal, and embarked on a boat for Chittagong, and that thus far he had not met with any molestation or interruption from the police. May he get a footing in Chittagong, for everything here, in regard to toleration, grows darker.
“June 27. Mrs. Judson at length despairs of recovering without some proper medical assistance. For a few days we have hoped that she would get some relief from the various applications which are made, though at the expense of an almost total exhaustion of strength; but this morning, to our utter disappointment, the disorder has returned with increased violence, and her constitution appears to be rapidly failing. I have intended, for some time past, to send her alone to Bengal; but she has become too weak, and the present circumstances of the complaint are too alarming, to allow such a measure, and I have therefore, though with great reluctance and much conflict of mind, concluded to accompany her to Bengal. We have a special inducement to embrace the opportunity afforded us by the ship which lately brought our letters, since, if we reject this, we shall have to wait several months for another opportunity, during which time Mrs. J. will, in all probability, be placed beyond the reach of medical assistance.
“July 16. Lord’s day. A few days ago we concluded to receive the two new applicants for baptism; but I thought it most prudent, partly by way of trying their sincerity, to send them a message, suggesting that, since I was greatly occupied in getting ready for sea, and since one of them was not so well acquainted with the doctrines of religion as was desirable, it might be better to defer their baptism till my return.
“This morning they came up in much trouble. They stated that, as they had fully embraced the Christian religion in their hearts, they could not remain easy without being baptized, according to the command of Christ; that no man could tell whether I should ever return or not, and that it was their earnest petition that if I could possibly find time, and thought them worthy of the ordinance, I would administer it to them before I went away. They did not wish me to go out to the usual place, as that was at some distance, but would be baptized in a small pond near the mission-house. Moung Gway said that, though he was very ignorant, he knew enough of this religion to love it sincerely, and to trust in Christ for salvation from all his sins. I reexamined them both, stated to them the great danger of professing a foreign religion, etc., and, on their urging their request, told them I would baptize them in the evening.
“Was obliged to be out all the afternoon, getting our things aboard the ship, as we expect to move down the river tomorrow morning. At night baptized the two new disciples, after which we all partook of the Lord’s supper for the last time.
“July 17. Ship to be detained two days. In the forenoon, the teacher, Moung Shwa-gnong, came in. I received him with some reserve, but soon found that he had not stayed away so long from choice, having been ill with a fever for some time, and occupied also with the illness of his family and adherents. He gradually wore away my reserve; and we had not been together two hours, before I felt more satisfied than ever, from his account of his mental trials, his struggles with sin, his strivings to be holy, his penitence, his faith, his exercises in secret prayer, that he is a subject of the special operations of the Holy Spirit, that he is indeed a true disciple. He stayed all day. In the afternoon the five Nan-dau-gong visitors, the doctor Oo Yan, and several others came together, and we had much interesting conversation. Toward the close, Moung Shwa-gnong, as if to bring things to a crisis, addressed me thus: ‘My lord teacher, there are now several of us present who have long considered this religion. I hope that we are all believers in Jesus Christ.’ ‘I am afraid,’ replied I, ‘to say that; however, it is easily ascertained; and let me begin with you, teacher. I have heretofore thought that you fully believed in the eternal God; but I have had some doubt whether you fully believed in the Son of God, and the atonement which He has made.’ ‘I assure you,’ he replied, ‘that I am as fully persuaded of the latter as of the former.’ ‘Do you believe, then,’ I continued, ‘that none but the disciples of Christ will be saved from sin and hell?’ ‘None but His disciples.’ ‘How, then, can you remain without taking the oath of allegiance to Jesus Christ, and becoming His full disciple in body and soul?’ ‘It is my earnest desire to do so, by receiving baptism; and for the very purpose of expressing that desire, I have come here today.’ ‘You say you are desirous of receiving baptism: may I ask when you desire to receive it?’ ‘At any time you will please to give it. Now—this moment, if you please.’ ‘Do you wish to receive baptism in public or in private?’ ‘I will receive it at any time, and in any circumstances, that you please to direct.’ I then said, ‘Teacher, I am satisfied from your conversation this forenoon, that you are a true disciple, and I reply, therefore, that I am as desirous of giving you baptism as you are of receiving it.’ This conversation had a great effect on all present. The disciples rejoiced; the rest were astonished; for though they have long thought that he believed the Christian religion, they could not think that such a man could easily be brought to profess it, and suffer himself to be put under the water by a foreigner. I then turned to Moung Thah-a, one of the Nan-dau-gong people, who, I hope, is a true believer. ‘Are you willing to take the oath of allegiance to Jesus Christ?’ ‘If the teacher Moung Shwa-gnong consents,’ said he, ‘why should I hesitate?’ ‘And if he does not consent, what then?’ ‘I must wait a little longer.’ ‘Stand by,’ said I; ‘you trust in Moung Shwa-gnong, rather than in Jesus Christ. You are not worthy of being baptized.’ Moung Myat-lah, on being similarly interrogated, wished to consider a little longer. Oo Yan was still further from committing himself. Of the women present, I interrogated Mah Men-la only. She had evidently a considerable struggle in her mind, probably on account of her husband’s having just declined. At length she said that, if I thought it suitable for her to be baptized, she was desirous of receiving the ordinance. I told her that her reply was not satisfactory. I could not consent to baptize any one who could possibly remain easy without being baptized, and then I related the story of the last two disciples; after which the party broke up.
“In the evening, I laid the case of Moung Shwa-gnong before the church, and we joyfully agreed to receive him to communion, on his being baptized.
“July 18. In the morning, the teacher again made his appearance. I again asked him whether he preferred being baptized in the day or in the evening, and he again left it to my decision; on which I advised him to wait till night. He appeared very well through the day, his deportment solemn, his conversation spiritual. Just at night, I called in two or three of the disciples, read the account of the baptism of the eunuch, made the baptismal prayer, and then proceeded with the teacher to the accustomed place, went down into the water, and baptized him.
“On my return, I found that Mah Men-la, whom I had left with Mrs. Judson, had gone away. As soon as she saw that the teacher had actually gone to be baptized, she exclaimed, ‘Ah, he has now gone to obey the command of Jesus Christ, while I remain without obeying. I shall not be able to sleep this night. I must go home, and consult my husband, and return.’ In the evening, we again partook of the Lord’s supper, in consequence of the admission of the teacher, and my expected departure on the morrow. We had just finished, when, about nine o’clock, Mah Men-la returned, accompanied by the two other women from her village. She immediately requested to be baptized. The disciples present assented without hesitation. I told her that I rejoiced to baptize her, having been long satisfied that she had received the grace of Christ; and, it being very late, I led her out to the pond near the house by lantern light, and thus baptized the tenth Burman convert, and the first woman. Mah Men-la is fifty-one years old, of most extensive acquaintance through the place, of much strength of mind, decision of character, and consequent influence over others. She is, indeed, among women what Moung Shwa-gnong is among men.
“On returning to the house, she said, ‘Now I have taken the oath of allegiance to Jesus Christ, and I have nothing to do but to commit myself, soul and body, into the hands of my Lord, assured that He will never suffer me to fall away.’ Several visitors spent the night at the mission-house.