Chapter 22: The Beginnings of American Foreign Missions (11/11)
At the close of this long and melancholy narrative, we may appropriately introduce the following tribute to the benevolence and talents of Mrs. Judson, written by one of the English prisoners, who were confined at Ava with Mr. Judson. It was published in a Calcutta paper after the conclusion of the war:
“Mrs. Judson was the author of those eloquent and forceful appeals to the government which prepared them by degrees for submission to terms of peace, never expected by any, who knew the hauteur and inflexible pride of the Burman court.
“And while on this subject, the overflowings of grateful feelings, on behalf of myself and fellow prisoners, compel me to add a tribute of public thanks to that amiable and humane female, who, though living at a distance of two miles from our prison, without any means of conveyance, and very feeble in health, forgot her own comfort and infirmity, and almost every day visited us, sought out and administered to our wants, and contributed in every way to alleviate our misery.
“While we were left by the government destitute of food, she, with unwearied perseverance, by some means or3 another, obtained for us a constant supply.
“When the tattered state of our clothes evinced the extremity of our distress, she was ever ready to replenish our scanty wardrobe.
“When the unfeeling avarice of our keepers confined us inside, or made our feet fast in the stocks, she, like a ministering angel, never ceased her applications to the government, until she was authorized to communicate to us the grateful news of our enlargement, or of a respite from our galling oppressions.
“Besides all this, it was unquestionably owing, in a chief degree, to the repeated eloquence, and forcible appeals of Mrs. Judson, that the untutored Burman was finally made willing to secure the welfare and happiness of his country, by a sincere peace.”
Missionary Beginnings
# 1800. Carey’s first convert baptized.
# 1804. British and Foreign Bible Society organized.
# 1805. Henry Martyn sails for India.
# 1807. Robert Morrison sails for China.
# 1808. Haystack meeting held near Williams College.
# 1810. American Board organized.
# 1811. Wesleyans found Sierra Leone Mission.
# 1812. First American Board missionaries sail.
# 1816. American Bible Society organized.
# 1816. Robert Moffat sails for South Africa.
# 1818. London Missionary Society enters Madagascar.
# 1819. Methodist Missionary Society organized.
# 1819. American Board opens Sandwich Islands Mission.
# 1819. Judson baptizes first Burmese convert.Epilogue to the Original Edition
And now to conclude, good Christian readers, this present tractation, not for the lack of matter, but to shorten rather the matter for largeness of the volume. In the meantime the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ work with thee, gentle reader, in all thy studious readings. And when thou hast faith, so employ thyself to read, that by reading thou mayest learn daily to know that which may profit thy soul, may teach thee experience, may arm thee with patience, and instruct thee in all spiritual knowledge more and more, to thy perfect comfort and salvation in Christ Jesus, our Lord, to whom be glory in secula seculorum. Amen.
Foxe’s Book of the Martyrs, Chapter 22
THE END!