INQUIRERS AND CONVERTS.
Soon after the retirement of Mr. Hough, two other missionaries and their
wives came out to Rangoon, and the Judsons felt it was time to commence
a more aggressive work. A little house of public worship, or zayat, was
erected in one of the main roads and opened to all who liked to come in.
The work had to be done very quietly, in order not to arouse the
opposition of the Government, for there was much uncertainty at the time
about the course the officials would take should any converts be made.
When the zayat was finished, Mr. Judson called together some of the
people living around, and held his first public service in the Burmese
tongue. From this time meetings were held several times a week, and
during the day Mr. Judson would sit in the house, talking and arguing
with all who chose to come in to him.
Every Wednesday evening, at seven o'clock, Mrs. Judson met a class of
women, numbering generally from twelve to twenty. To these she would
read the Scriptures and talk in a simple way about God. "My last meeting
was very animating," she said when describing one of these classes, "and
the appearance of the females (thirteen in number, all young married
women) very encouraging. Some of them were inquisitive, and after
spending two hours seemed loth to go. One said she appeared to herself
like a blind person just beginning to see. And another said she believed
in Christ, prayed to Him daily, and asked what else was necessary to
make her a real disciple of Christ. I told her she must not only say
that she believed in Christ, but must believe with all her heart. She
again asked what were some of the evidences of believing with the heart.
I told her the manner of life would be changed, but one of the best
evidences she could obtain would be when others came to quarrel with her
and use abusive language, if, so far from retaliating, she felt a
disposition to bear with, to pity, and to pray for them. The Burman
women are particularly given to quarrelling, and to refrain from it
would be most decided evidence of a change of heart."
During the daytime, while Mr. Judson was talking with any man who
called, Mrs. Judson would sit in another part of the place and see all
the women visitors. By this plan she was enabled to preach the Gospel to
many. What time she could spare from this work she now devoted to a
study of Siamese. A number of people in Rangoon knew only that language,
so she learned it sufficiently well to be able to converse with them,
and to translate a gospel and several tracts into their tongue.
In 1819 the hearts of the missionaries were cheered by a native, Moung
Hau, coming out and openly professing Christianity--the first fruit
gathered after seven years of labour. Many had partly accepted their
teachings, and had been evidently impressed by their message; but up to
that time no real, definite converts had been made.
Moung Hau soon showed that a real work of grace was progressing in his
heart. He told the missionaries that he had found no other Saviour but
Jesus Christ, from all the darkness and uncleanness and sins of his
whole life, that he could look nowhere else for salvation, and that
therefore he proposed to adhere to Christ for ever. "It seems almost too
much to believe that God has begun to manifest His grace to the
Burmans," the members of the little mission band said one to another;
but the sincerity of Moung Hau was such that they could not doubt it,
and after a time of probation he was publicly baptized.
There were signs that this convert was only the first of an abundant
harvest. In the autumn of the same year, two more men requested baptism,
but this time the rite had to be performed privately, for the Viceroy
had begun openly to avow himself hostile to Christianity. Dark rumours
of persecution were heard, and one inquirer was summoned before the
authorities and warned to beware of what he did. So serious did matters
become that public preaching had for a time to be abandoned, and many
inquirers ceased their visits to the mission-house, and were heard of
no more.
The missionaries thought that if they could only appeal to the Emperor,
and obtain his permission to carry on their work, all might be well
again; so after much deliberation Messrs. Judson and Colman went on a
journey to the royal city of Ava, and obtained an audience of the
Emperor. They humbly requested that his subjects might be permitted to
become Christians without incurring the wrath of the authorities; but
when the monarch heard their petition he treated it with open disdain,
and they had to return to Rangoon saddened and disappointed
beyond measure.
The news that nothing must be expected from the Government but
persecution seemed to give strength to the three converts and to several
really earnest inquirers. When the missionaries spoke of going to
another part of Burmah, where they could have more liberty, their
disciples implored them to remain. "It is useless to remain under
present circumstances," Mr. Judson said. "We cannot open the zayat; we
cannot have public worship; no Burman will dare to examine this
religion, none can be expected to embrace it." "Teacher," one of the
converts replied, "my mind is distressed; I can neither eat nor sleep
since I find you are going away. I have been around among those who live
near us, and I find some who are even now examining the new religion. Do
stay with us a few months. Do stay till there are eight or ten
disciples; then appoint one to be teacher of the rest." Many others said
the same, and at last it was decided that Mr. and Mrs. Judson were to
remain in Rangoon, while Mr. and Mrs. Colman, the other missionaries
there at the time, should move to Chittagong, a place near at hand under
British protection, and try to form a station there.
Within a few weeks after this, several who had long been inquirers came
and requested baptism, although they were well aware that by doing so
they were making themselves liable to death by most horrible torture.
One man, a prominent native in good circumstances, and well known as a
great orator and metaphysician, who had for a long time been arguing
with Mr. Judson about Christianity, now openly declared himself a
follower of Jesus. Others did the same, and God seemed to reward His
servants by showing them such results from their labours as they had
hardly hoped ever to obtain.
The threats of persecution for a time ceased, and the prospects of the
mission improved in every way. By early in 1821 the number of baptized
disciples had increased to nearly twenty, and among them were several
professional men of great influence in the city and some women. Many
others, although not professed disciples, showed by their acts that they
sympathised with the Christians and would do what they could for them.
In December, 1821, Dr. Price, a medical missionary, arrived with his
wife from America, and soon afterwards Mr. and Mrs. Hough returned.
Though the missionaries were left in comparative peace, they well knew
that severe measures might at any time be taken against them. Every now
and then there came rumblings of the threatened storm, and one of the
chief converts was obliged to flee from the city on account of
proceedings being started against him for his change of faith.
A few months before the arrival of Dr. Price, Mrs. Judson had so broken
down in health that her husband decided to send her to America for the
long sea voyage. She first went to England, where she received a warm
welcome from many Christians, and then she proceeded to the United
States, where she spent the winter. Medical men in America were
unanimous in advising her not to return to the East, as they said her
state of health was such that she would probably die before long if she
went there. But nothing could keep her back from what she felt to be the
post of duty. "I cannot prevail on myself to be any longer from Rangoon
than is absolutely necessary for the preservation of my life," she said;
so in June, 1823, she started on the return journey, accompanied by
another missionary and his wife.