North Florida Writer
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Life Around Us
  • Contact
  • MY BOOK PAGE

A Profile of Christian Courage: Adoniram Judson (1788-1850)

5/1/2014

0 Comments

 
PictureAdoniram Judson, Baptist Missionary
While we American Christians are often troubled these days with some of the changes we see in our great land, we have very little experience with what courage could be required of us in maintaining and proclaiming our faith in Jesus Christ.  Adoniram Judson, the first missionary sponsored by the Baptist Church, and the man who convinced the church to start its World Missions organization, is a good example of some of the extremes of sacrifice and courage that Christians are called to live.  I think he offers us a picture of what sacrifice and devotion really entails.

Judson was born in coastal Massachusetts, the son of a Congregational minister.  His promise was discovered early when he was able to read a passage from the Bible to his parents at the tender age of three and as a student he excelled, graduating from the College of Rhode Island (now Brown University) as the Valedictorian of his class at the age of 19.  To the regret of his parents, however, he fell under the influence of his best friend at college, Jacob Eames, a Deist.  While acknowledging the existence of God, he nonetheless began to doubt the active involvement of God in the life of man.

Starting work as a teacher, he lost touch with Eames but decided a year or so later that he wanted to find out where he was.  On horseback, he traveled around the New York City area looking for him.  Alas, after a futile search, one night he stopped at a roadside inn for lodging and, while having difficulty sleeping, listened to the man in the next room who sounded to be in agony.  The innkeeper told him he was caring for the man who was very ill.

Early the next morning, Judson inquired of his host as to the condition of the man and was told that he had passed during the night.  When he asked who the man was, he was told it was Jacob Eames.  He had looked diligently for his friend only to find himself lodging in the room next door at the time of his death.

Judson took this as a sign that he had better straighten up his life and get back to a godly life and he took heed.  He embarked on the road to the ministry and, while preparing himself, he saw an English sailor's
pamphlet about Burma and its lack of Christianity and saw this as a golden opportunity to serve his God in a special way.

Completing his studies, he requested and received assignment as a missionary and, with his new bride Anne, sailed for Burma.  Somewhere along the way he became convinced that immersion was the only way to be baptized and, as a result, became a Baptist.  Because of this belief and the resultant need for a new sponsorship, he was able to convince the Baptist Church through his initiative, good manners and conviction to sponsor him and several others as the first Baptist missionary to Burma.

Life and work were not easy for the young man in Burma.  He was harassed, even spent some time in prison, and it took him seven years to gain his first convert.  This task was made almost impossible by the Burmese Buddhist government which would issue a death warrant to any Buddhist disavowing his faith for Christianity.

Other problems came along because of the assignment and the circumstances.  His son died at eight months, his first wife and a later wife died due to health conditions caused by the climate and diseases of the time, yet Judson labored on.  His spirit and hope was reinforced at a time when he was doubting himself when he learned of his thirty-five year old brother's death, a man who had not been a  believer, who saw the error of his ways and accepted Jesus before his death.

In the end, following a forty year commitment to his mission in Burma, Judson left behind a legacy of seven thousand baptized converts, sixty-three Baptist congregations, and assignment of one hundred sixty three missionaries to the country.  He also translated the Bible into Burmese and his work is still followed by the large number of Christians in the country today.

Despite personal hardship and heartache, Judson never forgot what his mission was and what he felt was his duty to his Lord.  Today he is remembered with a college bearing his name, many Baptist churches throughout America doing the same and a following in Burma that would have never been possible without his hard work and sacrifice.

He died at the age of sixty two in 1850 but he is well remembered and he offers to each of us Christians, regardless of our denomination or church, a stellar example of what service to Christ really means.  May God bless his soul.

Let's use the example of Adoniram Judson, missionary extraordinaire, as a wonderful example of putting Christ first.  Are we Christians today willing to do the same?

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    ABOUT ME

    Hi, I'm James, a writer who studies nature,  animals and all things created by God. I also write from time to time about what I think God expects of us.  I would love to hear your thoughts on these subjects. I hope you enjoy my comments.

    Archive

    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

    Picture

    Categories

    All
    America
    American Sports
    Animals
    Armed Forces Day
    Conservatism
    Doctorpatient0717615167
    Elections-2016
    Florida
    Florida-politics
    Freedom
    Freedom-of-speech
    Geese
    God
    Gods Glory0546cd6883
    Health Care
    Honor
    Integrity
    Jesus Christ
    Koch-brothers
    Leisure-time
    Love
    Military
    Nature
    Primaries
    Proverbs
    Safety
    Savior
    The Future
    Top-political-donors-list
    Tyrannical-government

    RSS Feed

Thanks for contacting northfloridawriter.com.
Photos used under Creative Commons from Arian Zwegers, trvlto, thomas pix, taberandrew, Justin A. Wilcox, Glyn Lowe Photoworks, ckay, phalinn, curtis palmer, bnpositive, oddsock, HooLengSiong, jespahjoy, illustir, ljlphotography, Out at Bob's, The Labour Party, ljlphotography, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, eli.pousson, JasonParis, Fibonacci Blue, wht_wolf9653, bsabarnowl, ` TheDreamSky, Ken_Hoffman, dsearls, NCinDC, James Byrum, DonkeyHotey, Waiting For The Word, cliff1066™, possan, dpape, David Holt London, akeg, Waiting For The Word, Glyn Lowe Photoworks, MilitaryHealth, yukali, infomatique, goforchris, cliff1066™, Wootang01, dctim1, Donald Lee Pardue, LizMarie_AK, campdarby, CedarBendDrive, bill85704, faeparsons, TMAB2003, cliff1066™, Rennett Stowe, KOMUnews, cliff1066™, chris.huggins, USDAgov, mat_walker, gruntzooki, DonkeyHotey, ljlphotography, Elvert Barnes, Paulsasleepwalker, facebook.com/snapshotsofthepast, foto3116, Miller_Center, digitonin, BostonCatholic, Watt_Dabney, jepoirrier, EpicFireworks, derekskey, cletch, DonkeyHotey, KOMUnews, DonkeyHotey, ravensong75, Alan Cleaver, Francisco Diez, hermmermferm, cod_gabriel, Marxchivist, Fibonacci Blue, dbgg1979, “Caveman Chuck” Coker, David Barrie, rjs1322, Just Another Wretch, Keith Laverack, Waiting For The Word, whoohoo120, AFS-USA Intercultural Programs, Brett Jordan, yisris, Michael Hodge, Waiting For The Word, MilitaryHealth, doceggman, AlmazUK, taberandrew, cliff1066™, krossbow, shinya, The Jewish Agency for Israel, kudumomo, “Caveman Chuck” Coker, cliff1066™, johntrainor, emilio labrador, cliff1066™, EraPhernalia Vintage . . . (playin' hook-y ;o), **emmar**, Mrs. Gemstone, Andrea Westmoreland, Jeff Kern, Waiting For The Word, Abdulsalam Haykal, Donald Lee Pardue, roberthuffstutter, Dougtone, b1mbo, DonkeyHotey, paularps, kaatjevervoort, Simon Davison, BONGURI, Marion Doss, ex_magician, Bergfels, Brett Jordan, Tim Evanson, Art4TheGlryOfGod, Jeff Kubina, sskennel, DonkeyHotey, VirtKitty, Rodrigo_Soldon, resistealeau, MilitaryHealth, edalisse, Mervi Eskelinen aka tasselflower, Kaz Andrew, nitram242, Andrew Aliferis, uitdragerij, Paul J Everett, Joe Shlabotnik, Jeffrey, Harry Thomas Photography, Tim Evanson, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region, Ron Cogswell, Nationalmuseet, escapedtowisconsin, Michael Cory, DonkeyHotey, timsamoff, mrbillt6, bnilsen, themonnie, dichohecho, Waiting For The Word, technochick, cliff1066™, RTD Photography, Randy Wick, Enokson, Rising Damp, DonkeyHotey, Waiting For The Word, SteveNakatani, Fovea Centralis, Dru Bloomfield - At Home in Scottsdale, lisaclarke, Mulad, Roswell_UMC, Bengt Nyman, U.S. Embassy New Delhi, FreedomHouse2, SuperFantastic, Rory Finneren, Alaskan Dude, Larry1732, Mr. T in DC, ikewinski, Ivy Dawned, RLHyde, Waiting For The Word, heartajack, dyogi, dailymatador, David Paul Ohmer, Pleuntje, Leonard Bentley, midwestnerd, Donald Lee Pardue, DonkeyHotey, Oli-Oviyan, PatrikWalde, flamesworddragon, The U.S. Army, Zach Heller Photography, DonkeyHotey, EvinDC, Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections, Ronnie Macdonald, Gerry Dincher, The U.S. Army, Jeff Belmonte, DonkeyHotey, Texas Military Forces, jim.greenhill, Ben Sutherland, the Original Jeff Martin, Loz Flowers, CBP Photography, spbpda, OCVA, Hot Rod Homepage, brianholsclaw, dozodomo, quinn.anya, KOMUnews, wtstoffs, Leo Newball, Jr., lilli2de, dmott9, Justin A. Wilcox, sören2013, boboroshi, newagecrap, CoreBurn, simminch, ninahale, EvinDC, Mister Awesome, HeyRocker, beggs, Donald Lee Pardue