Adonirum Judson had known
Ann Hasseltine only one month before proposing to her in 1810, asking her to
serve the Lord with him as a missionary. Ann knew that if she agreed to marry
him, she might never see her family again.
For weeks she prayed about
and pondered Adonirum’s proposal, until she finally determined that she was “willing
to carry the Gospel to the distant heathen.” When at Ann’s request, Adonirum
wrote to her parents asking her hand in marriage, he was frank about the
realities their daughter might face if she became his wife.
“I have now to ask
whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see
her no more in this world; whether you can consent to her departure to a
heathen land, and her subjection to hardships and sufferings of a missionary
life; whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean; to
the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind want and
distress; to degradation, insult, persecution and perhaps even a violent death?
Can you consent to all of this, for the sake of Him who left His heavenly home
and died for her and for you; for the sake perishing, immortal souls; for the
sake of Zion and the glory of God?”
Ann’s father replied that
his daughter could make up her own mind. Given his tacit approval, Adonirum and
Ann married on Feb. 5, 1812, setting sail two weeks later for India and then
finally Burma.
The Judson’s lives were
filled with hardship, beginning with the three-week journey to Burma during
which Ann suffered a stillbirth that rendered her bedridden for months. They
endured tropical diseases and heat in excess of 100 degrees, spending 12 hours
a day learning a new language. For a time, the couple served alone in Burma
without the fellowship of other missionaries, and their attempts at evangelism
were also discouraging. Six years passed before they baptized their first Christian
convert.
After mastering the
language, the Judson’s worked to translate the New Testament into Burmese. In
addition to translating the books of Daniel and Jonah into Burmese, Ann also
translated the Gospel of Matthew into Thai.
Their favor with Burma’s royal
court fluctuated, taking a turn for the worse after the British attacked
Rangoon in 1824. Westerners soon came to be viewed as spies, resulting in the
arrest and imprisonment of Adonirum. During his imprisonment, Ann gave birth to
their daughter Maria. However, Ann became so sick that she could not nurse her
baby. Adonirum was released from prison in 1825, and Ann died 11 months later
from a combination of diseases. Sadly, Maria’s death followed six months later.
Though devastated,
Adonirum went on to translate the whole Bible into Burmese and to remarry,
later losing his second wife to illness. In total he lost 7 of his 13 children
before he passed in 1850. Some of Judson’s last words were, “There is no
success without sacrifice. While daylight lasts, I will plod on till the cross
of Christ is planted here forever.”
The Judson’s suffered
greatly for the Gospel. Today, their legacy still lives on through the many missionaries
who were inspired by their intrepid spirit. Moreover, thousands have come to Christ
through their translation of the Burmese Bible—which is still used to this day.[1]
-DM
No comments:
Post a Comment