William Carey ---- 1761 - 1834
Adoniram Judson ---- 1788 - 1850
Charles Finney ---- 1791 - 1875
D.L. Moody ---- 1837 - 1899
Hudson Taylor ---- 1832 - 1905
John Hyde ---- 1865 - 1911
C.T. Studd ---- 1860 - 1931
Billy Sunday ---- 1862 - 1935
J. Frank Norris ---- 1877 - 1952
Jack Hyles ---- 1926 - present
Adoniram Judson
Adoniram Judson was America's first foreign missionary. On February 19, 1812 he and his new bride, Ann, left for India. He was a Congregationalist and having much free time in the ship, he began to study the subject of baptism. Being convinced he was wrong, he became a Baptist by conviction and soon lost his financial support. Upon arriving in India, he met William Carey. In spite of Carey's help, the government of India would not allow him to stay and demanded his return to the USA.
Too embarrassed to return, he found a ship going to Burma, a country that he was much interested in. He didn't want to go how-ever, because his wife was expecting her first child. But, they left anyway. She delivered on the ship but the baby died. Heart-broken, they arrived in Burma. Ann was so weak, that she had to be carried off the ship.
Soon the Judson found out what many missionaries find when they arrive in foreign countries; missionary work is very slow.
As he began to learn the Burmese language, he would pass out tracts and talk to people but the first year in the field he did not have a single convert. As far as Judson had knowledge of, there wasn't a single Burmese Christian in Burma. Felix Carey, the son of William Carey, had spent many years in Burma without any visible results.
During his second year there, not a single Burmese was saved. In his third year in Burma, Ann gave birth to their second child; a boy they named Roger. They didn't have any converts but at least they have a baby boy. Eight months after Roger was born, he became very sick and died. Broken-hearted, the Judsons buried their second child, still seeing no converts.
He kept preaching and finally after six years, on May 5, 1819, a poor riverboat worker named Maung Nau was saved. Two others were also saved and now he had three baptized converts! That may not seem like much to most Christians, but to Ann and Adoniram Judson, it was a revival! The devil began to fight back and war broke out between England and Burma.
He tried to tell the government officials that he was an American, not an Englishman, but to no avail. They imprisoned most foreigners thinking they were spies. In prison, Judson was tortured and almost starved to death. They named their daughter Maria.
After two years in prison, the war was over and Judson was freed, but his health was so broken that he didn't believe much was going to happen with his life. He felt that if he would just be faithful that other missionaries would follow and see a better harvest, but he was wrong. God was going to bless his faithfulness with a great harvest.
The war had broken down the pride of many and revival broke out. He was at the happiest point in his life, as God was doing a work in the hearts of many.
Once while travelling, he received a letter from his wife that Maria was very sick. Soon after that he received a letter from his wife that maria was very sick. soon after that he received the dreaded black sealed envelope signifying someone had died. He grieved as he thought of poor Maria and wondered if he would ever have a child grow up. As he opened the letter and began to read he simply couldn't believe it. The third sentenced read "To sum up the unhappy tidings in few words -- Mrs Judson is no more."
All at once he was overwhelmed with the weight of what had happened. He began to weep, softly at first, then with great sobbing. Finally as the meaning of the letter was fully realized, he leaned forward on his writing table and put his head on his arms. He wondered how he could ever stay in Burma without Ann.
He went home and picked up his little girl--all he had left as a family. Little did he realize that six months after he buried his wife, little Maria would be buried next to her outside their home, under a hopia tree.
But Adoniram Judson stayed in Burma because he loved the Burmese people and because he loved the Lord. He had begun translating the Bible into the Burmese language before he was imprisoned. After 18 years, his work was completed.
Adoniram Judson's life seemed to be one tragedy after another. His second wife also died in Burma. But through it all, God had molded this man into a Man of God, reaching Burma with the Gospel.
Adoniram Judson died on a ship that was going back to the U.S. He had only been home one time in 39 years. He was buried at see, in the Indian Ocean.
Several years after he died, the government of Burma conducted a survey. They estimated that there were at least 210,000 Christians-- and these were Christians who would readily admit they were Christians--as they would be persecuted for saying that they were. One out of 58 people in Burma were not only saved but were willing to testify to their salvation, primarily due to the life of Adoniram Judson. It can truly be said of this man, "He saw revival."
He was a man who cared little for self. He would say, "First or last, honored or unknown...what does it matter in God's sight? I must do His will, whatever the cost."
Home
George Whitefield ---- 1714 - 1770
William Carey ---- 1761 - 1834
Adoniram Judson ---- 1788 - 1850
Charles Finney ---- 1791 - 1875
D.L. Moody ---- 1837 - 1899
Hudson Taylor ---- 1832 - 1905
John Hyde ---- 1865 - 1911
C.T. Studd ---- 1860 - 1931
Billy Sunday ---- 1862 - 1935
J. Frank Norris ---- 1877 - 1952
Jack Hyles ---- 1926 - present
