“About two months ago we commended our little church of ten converted Burmans to the protection and blessing of Him in whom they have trusted, and with reluctant hearts and weeping eyes tore ourselves away from the shores of Burmah. Mrs. J.’s illness alone forced us to adopt this measure. She had been growing worse for several months. I, at first, intended to send her alone to Bengal. But her state finally became so alarming that mere humanity seemed to forbid my sending her aboard ship without a single female companion or friend, to be consigned in all probability to the deep, or buried unwept on some foreign shore. I felt that the strictest devotedness to the mission did not forbid my leaving the station for a time, in order to facilitate the recovery of one who had been my faithful coadjutor in missionary privation and toil for many years, or at least to administer some consolation to her in the final trial, and perform in person the last offices which are due to those we love on earth.”
But these mournful forebodings were not to be realized.
The three months spent at Serampore, near Calcutta, caused a great improvement in Mrs. Judson’s health. The two weary missionaries had sweet and restful intercourse with the English Baptists stationed there, and with “the affectionate family of Mr. Hough.” Mr. Judson’s enjoyment was only marred by his extreme anxiety about “those few sheep that I have left in the Burman wilderness.” “Oh, may the great Shepherd,” he prays, “feed the little flock, and gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom.”
On November 23d Mr. and Mrs. Judson embarked for Rangoon, where they arrived January 5, 1821.
“Our voyage,” Mrs. Judson writes, “was tedious and distressing above any that we had ever taken. The brig was so small and so filled with native passengers that we were unable to obtain the least exercise by walking on deck, and was so full of scorpions and centipedes that we never dared to shut our eyes to sleep without completely enclosing ourselves with curtains. In addition to these inconveniences, we had a strong contrary wind and frequently violent squalls, with the most terrific thunder and lightning we had ever witnessed. We were six weeks in making a passage which is generally made in ten or fifteen days.”
After their joyous arrival in Rangoon they plunged once more into their missionary work.
Extracts from Journal.
“January 5, 1821. As we drew near the town, we strained our eyes to distinguish the countenances of our friends amid the crowd that we saw assembled on the wharf. The first that we recognized was the teacher, Moung Shwa-gnong, with his hands raised to his head as he discerned us on the deck; and on landing we met successively with Mah Men-la, and Moung Thah-lah, and several others, men, women, and children, who, after our usual examination at the custom-office, accompanied us to the mission-house. Soon after, Moung Nau and others came in, who had not at first heard of our arrival. In the evening, I took my usual seat among the disciples, and when we bowed down in prayer, the hearts of us all flowed forth in gratitude and praise.
“January 7. Lord’s day. Had worship and administered the Lord’s supper. Most of the disciples present; but some of them unavoidably detained in consequence of the distress which presses upon all ranks of people, occasioned by the expedition to Siam.
“January 13. Yesterday Moung Gway, the only one of the baptized whom we had not seen, returned from the woods on hearing of our arrival; and I am now able to record (and I do it with the most heartfelt satisfaction and grateful praise to the preserving Saviour), that, though they have, for the space of six months, been almost destitute of the means of grace, and those who lived in our yard have been dispersed and forced, through fear of heavy extortion and oppression from petty officers of Government, to flee into the woods or take refuge under some Government person who could protect them, yet not one of them has dishonored his profession, but all remain firm in their faith and attachment to the cause. I do not, however, perceive that any of them have made the least advance in any respect whatever; nor was this to be expected, as they have not even enjoyed the privilege of meeting for worship.