To the Golden Shore is the biography of Adoniram Judson the first American Missionary
This has to be one of the finest biographies I have ever read. The book takes you from the parsonage in Malden, MA to the deep waters of Irrawwady in Burma. From New York to Rangoon as it presents one of the first ever missionaries from America.
For a biography that covers years from 1788 to 1850, it is remarkably detailed. I wouldn’t call it verbose, because every detail covered and every story told fits well into the overall life of Adoniram.
The book is divided into 3 major sections
1. The Embarkation (1788 – 1812) 121 Pages
- Covers a brief history of Adoniram Judson Sr. a 36 year old minister and then quickly moves on to his Marriage to Abigail Brown to his ordination to the birth of his first Son Adoniram Judson Jr. From his childhood, Adoniram (from here on the Jr) shows signs of one who will one day become a famous man. By the time he is a teen, he is already exposed to heavy literature and languages. Enrolled into what is called became the Brown University, his friends influence him He was already well grounded in such subjects as Latin. Greek, mathematics, geography and astronomy. He was allowed to enter the sophomore class without taking studies of the freshman year. He became an Unbeliever here under the influence of his group of friends. He became the most influence by his friend Jacob Eames of Belfast Maine and soon was dabbling in Deism. It was Jacob Eames death which would finally bring him back to the Christian Faith. The fascinating account of how he became a believer again is covered under Revolt, especially the part where he is on his way back home (from New York where he has left his home to pursue a career in writing for plays) and as night drew on, he found himself passing through a small village. Finding the local inn, he stabled his horse, and asked the innkeeper for a room. The inn was full, but there is one room next to a young man who was critically ill, perhaps dying. Adoniram takes the room as he is still wrapped up in his own thoughts. Though the night was still, he could not sleep. In the next room beyond the partition he could hear sounds, not very loud; footsteps coming and going; a board creaking; low voices; a groan or gasp. This did not disturb him, what did disturb him was the thought that the man in the next room might not be prepared for death. But was he, himself?...
As the morning appeared, he dressed quickly and ran downstairs to pay his reckoning, saddle his horse and be on his way. Finding his host, he inquired about the man next to his room. 'He is dead' was the answer. 'Dead?' Adoniram was taken aback. There was heavy finality to the word. Adoniram stammered out the few conventional phrases common of humanity when death takes someone nearby, and ask the inevitable question: "Do you know who he was?"."Oh yes. Young man from the college in providence. Name was Eames, Jacob Eames." I present here the story in full because this really was the final turning point in his life, kind of the final nail in the coffin of his old life. He goes back home and then after a few days enrolls in a Seminary at Andover.
Here too he is allowed to get directly in the sophomore class. It is here that he comes across a book entitled An Account of an Embassy to the Kingdom of Ava. Written by Michael Symes, a British army officer who had been sent in 1795 by the Governor General of India to the mysterious empire of Burma. Much of the book was given over to long accounts; however through this dull matter one could glimpse bright reflections of a strange, colorful, feudal empire, populous and rich. Everything about this sovereign was 'Golden.' This was the most unreached area for the gospel. What a prospect to be a missionary here?...America had not yet sent out a missionary, there where attempts earlier however none that were successful. From here the story moves on to how he befriends those with similar burden and together they push for establishing a American Board for missionaries. The British have had some experience in this and therefore Judson is sent to London to gather information and support for this newly formed Board. The journey is yet another interesting interval between the inn experience and the passage to Burma. There is excitement and joy as Adoniram and his group of friends get ready to move on. Obviously am not going to shell out the complete story in detail. Long story short, they board the Caravan on February 19th 1812 and after a short break in India where the Judson’s meet William Carey the father of the Modern Missionary movement, the finally land in Rangoon on July 13th 1813.
2. The Dangerous Voyage (1812-1826) 246 Pages
What’s so gripping about this section is the tragedy after tragedy and pain and loss of children one after the other, that the Judson’s go through and yet, they remain focused on the one goal that they set out to accomplish and that is the translation of the Bible into the Burmese language. Of the 3 couples and a bachelor that set out for Burma, one of the couple succumbs to the hardship and die even before they see Burma. The first child born to Ann and Adoniram is born dead. Ann learned the Burmese and Siamese languages, did translation work, taught Burmese girls, and managed her household and cared for her husband during his 18 month imprisonment in 1824-25. When home in the United States briefly in 1822 because of ill health, she wrote a history of the Burmese work titled American Baptist Mission to the Burman Empire, which was published in 1823. She died October 24, 1826, at the age of thirty-seven. Both a son, Roger Williams (born 1815) and a daughter, Maria (born 1825) died in infancy (8 months and 27 months respectively). The 18 month imprisonment is a tragic story in itself. Be prepared to cry as you read this heart rending and heart wrenching story. Taking care of her husband during his imprisonment is I found one of the most touching of all the chapters. As I sit down to write this summary on this Valentines day February 14th 2009, I think of the love that Ann had for Adoniram that was displayed in the act of caring and pleading to the higher authorities on his behalf. I wil just briefly mention one that brought tears to my eyes. After going through the death prison which was horrible in itself, the prisoners (all foreigners suspected to be spies of the British, during the Anglo Burmese War) were finally moved to Oung-Pen-La a lil better than the prison. Here Ann follows them; however her health is deteriorating as she finds herself going weak day by day. Little Maria is also growing weak as she is not fed. She had to have her mother’s milk to live. Her cries of hunger at night become unbearable. Nancy or Ann is not able to move, but she is able to talk. She offers Koh-Bai (the jailor responsible for Oung-Pen-La) gifts to allow Adoniram to take the baby around in the village to nursing mothers. If one of another would supply a little superfluous milk, perhaps Maria could live. Koh-Bai agrees. Adoniram is allowed to carry the baby around the village begging a little milk here and there from generous Burmese mothers. The expedient works and somehow the Baby lives.
During this period he would repeat, to gouger, Cowper’s translation of her verses
No Bliss I seek, but to fulfill
In life, in death, thy lovely will;
No succour in my woes I want,
Except what Thou art pleased to grant.
Our days are number’d – Let us spare
Our anxious hearts a needless care;
‘Tis Thine to number out our days,
And ours to give them to Thy praise.
The second section actually ends with Nancy’s death, with Adoniram not being present as he receives the news of her death in black sealed envelope. The carrier of the letter is afraid to tell Adoniram that Nancy has died so he tells Adoniram that it is his child that has died. Adoniram receives the letter almost a month after the incident as he is out in Amherst on a job that the British Embassy has entrusted him with. The section would be incomplete without at least mentioning the name of the first known Burmese convert, by the name Maung Nau. Maung Nau professed faith in Jesus Christ in 1819, almost 6 years after the Judson’s arrived in Burma. After a period of 13 years in Burma the Judsons had 18 converts.
3. To the Golden Shore (1826 – 1850) 131 Pages
The last section moves very quickly and covers a period of 25 years. After Ann and Maria’s death, Adoniram has no responsibilities / commitments except to complete the translation of the Bible. This is done by 1934. Appreciation for his work comes from everywhere; however something that was special was to receive it from Sarah Boardman the widow of George Dana Boardman. Sarah and George Dana Boardman were married in 1825, and went to Burma to work with the Judson’s. Later they settled at Tavoy to work with a mountain tribe (Karens), where she founded a school for girls. Her husband died in 1831, and she continued the work with her small son, George. Sarah married Adoniram in 1834, nearly eight years after the death of Ann Judson. During eleven years of marriage, they had eight(?) children: Abby Ann (born 1835), Adoniram Brown (born 1837), Elnathan (born 1838), Henry (born 1838; died age 1 yr., 7 months), Luther (stillborn, 1841?), Henry Hall (born 1842), Charles (born 1843), Edward (born 1844). She translated hymns and other materials into the Burmese language. She died September 1, 1845, exhausted and ill, on a ship sailing back to the United States. On this trip Adoniram is left alone again with his children as he plans for their stay / schooling in America. This was Adoniram’s first trip back to America after almost 33 years. He has lost his younger brother Elnathan and his father the Judson Sr. as well as his mother, Abigail Brown. His younger sister is still alive. By the time Adoniram returns to America he is a Hero and a celebrated figure. People are eager to hear his stories and how he did what he did. Adoniram is tired and exhausted with one meeting after another. It is reported that he even got mean and rude just to take the focus off himself and place it on Christ. He was a simple man like them all. It is in this exhausting schedule that he meets his third wife, Emily Chubbuck. She was a professional writer under the pen name of Fanny Forester. Judson had read some of her writings and contacted her to write the biography of his second wife, Sarah. After working together on the biography, their acquaintance lead to their being married in 1846, about a year after his return to the United States following the death of Sarah. They returned to Burma, where Emily finished the biography of Sarah, which was published in 1848. They had two children, a daughter Emily, born in 1847, and a son Charles, born (and died) the same day in 1850, three weeks after the death of Judson. She returned to the United States in 1851 and died of tuberculosis in New York in 1854. After the Bible was translated in Burmese, the next project was to have a Burmese – English, English Burmese dictionary. He exercised general oversight over the work of the mission and preached regularly in the native chapel Sundays, the sermons would usually close with a hymn, perhaps one of his own, such as “I long to reach the golden shore”. Golden !! The concept was characteristically Burman, with its Golden Pagoda, the Shwe Dagon; Its ruler, the Golden Presence. If these, why not the Golden Shore?
The Golden Land of Heaven.
I long to reach the golden shore,
And the face of Jesus see ;
My soul, with joy filled evermore,
Will sing His grace and glory.
From suffring, age, disease, and death,
He'll set me wholly free ;
My joyful soul, till my last breath,
Will sing His grace and glory.
Regaled by draughts of perfect joy,
Before my Lord I'd be;
My soul in bliss without alloy,
Will sing His grace and glory.
In late 1849 he completed the Burmese to English part of the dictionary and had hoped to complete the rest of it in a year or so. That time was not to come. In late September 1849 he contracted a severe cold and the result was that the physician Dr. Morton recommended him to take a sea voyage to get some fresh year. On April 3rd 1850, Adoniram was carried in a palanquin (Palki in Hindi) on the Aristide Marie due to sail to the Isle of France. Knowing in his heart that he would not live, yet with a hope to recover he agreed for the sea voyage. By Friday the 12th April 1850, it was obvious that the end was not far off. Adoniram spoke to Panapah, both in English and Burmese, telling him to “take care of poor mistress”. These were his last words.
At fifteen minutes after 4 on Friday afternnon, Adoniram Judson reached his Golden shore. He had requested before he died, that if death should come then he should be buried at sea. The location was latitude 13 degrees north and longitude 93 degrees east, almost in the eastward shadow of the Andaman Islands and only a few hundred miles wes of the mountains of Burma.
Conclusion….
In His Sovereignty, God allowed Judson to be close to Eames when he died, to show the emptiness of atheism, especially in the jaws of death. Judson’s life was back on course and he prepared himself diligently for service overseas. In 1812 he sailed for Burma with his first wife. They brought the gospel to Burma. When he died in 1850 Judson had seen at least 7,000 people converted and 63 churches planted. The sting of death for Judson was removed by the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. For Adoniram, death was the entrance to the Golden Shore, saved by God’s grace. The verses he treasured are in Ephesians 3: 16-19.
This has to be one of the finest biographies I have ever read. The book takes you from the parsonage in Malden, MA to the deep waters of Irrawwady in Burma. From New York to Rangoon as it presents one of the first ever missionaries from America.
For a biography that covers years from 1788 to 1850, it is remarkably detailed. I wouldn’t call it verbose, because every detail covered and every story told fits well into the overall life of Adoniram.
The book is divided into 3 major sections
1. The Embarkation (1788 – 1812) 121 Pages
- Covers a brief history of Adoniram Judson Sr. a 36 year old minister and then quickly moves on to his Marriage to Abigail Brown to his ordination to the birth of his first Son Adoniram Judson Jr. From his childhood, Adoniram (from here on the Jr) shows signs of one who will one day become a famous man. By the time he is a teen, he is already exposed to heavy literature and languages. Enrolled into what is called became the Brown University, his friends influence him He was already well grounded in such subjects as Latin. Greek, mathematics, geography and astronomy. He was allowed to enter the sophomore class without taking studies of the freshman year. He became an Unbeliever here under the influence of his group of friends. He became the most influence by his friend Jacob Eames of Belfast Maine and soon was dabbling in Deism. It was Jacob Eames death which would finally bring him back to the Christian Faith. The fascinating account of how he became a believer again is covered under Revolt, especially the part where he is on his way back home (from New York where he has left his home to pursue a career in writing for plays) and as night drew on, he found himself passing through a small village. Finding the local inn, he stabled his horse, and asked the innkeeper for a room. The inn was full, but there is one room next to a young man who was critically ill, perhaps dying. Adoniram takes the room as he is still wrapped up in his own thoughts. Though the night was still, he could not sleep. In the next room beyond the partition he could hear sounds, not very loud; footsteps coming and going; a board creaking; low voices; a groan or gasp. This did not disturb him, what did disturb him was the thought that the man in the next room might not be prepared for death. But was he, himself?...
As the morning appeared, he dressed quickly and ran downstairs to pay his reckoning, saddle his horse and be on his way. Finding his host, he inquired about the man next to his room. 'He is dead' was the answer. 'Dead?' Adoniram was taken aback. There was heavy finality to the word. Adoniram stammered out the few conventional phrases common of humanity when death takes someone nearby, and ask the inevitable question: "Do you know who he was?"."Oh yes. Young man from the college in providence. Name was Eames, Jacob Eames." I present here the story in full because this really was the final turning point in his life, kind of the final nail in the coffin of his old life. He goes back home and then after a few days enrolls in a Seminary at Andover.
Here too he is allowed to get directly in the sophomore class. It is here that he comes across a book entitled An Account of an Embassy to the Kingdom of Ava. Written by Michael Symes, a British army officer who had been sent in 1795 by the Governor General of India to the mysterious empire of Burma. Much of the book was given over to long accounts; however through this dull matter one could glimpse bright reflections of a strange, colorful, feudal empire, populous and rich. Everything about this sovereign was 'Golden.' This was the most unreached area for the gospel. What a prospect to be a missionary here?...America had not yet sent out a missionary, there where attempts earlier however none that were successful. From here the story moves on to how he befriends those with similar burden and together they push for establishing a American Board for missionaries. The British have had some experience in this and therefore Judson is sent to London to gather information and support for this newly formed Board. The journey is yet another interesting interval between the inn experience and the passage to Burma. There is excitement and joy as Adoniram and his group of friends get ready to move on. Obviously am not going to shell out the complete story in detail. Long story short, they board the Caravan on February 19th 1812 and after a short break in India where the Judson’s meet William Carey the father of the Modern Missionary movement, the finally land in Rangoon on July 13th 1813.
2. The Dangerous Voyage (1812-1826) 246 Pages
What’s so gripping about this section is the tragedy after tragedy and pain and loss of children one after the other, that the Judson’s go through and yet, they remain focused on the one goal that they set out to accomplish and that is the translation of the Bible into the Burmese language. Of the 3 couples and a bachelor that set out for Burma, one of the couple succumbs to the hardship and die even before they see Burma. The first child born to Ann and Adoniram is born dead. Ann learned the Burmese and Siamese languages, did translation work, taught Burmese girls, and managed her household and cared for her husband during his 18 month imprisonment in 1824-25. When home in the United States briefly in 1822 because of ill health, she wrote a history of the Burmese work titled American Baptist Mission to the Burman Empire, which was published in 1823. She died October 24, 1826, at the age of thirty-seven. Both a son, Roger Williams (born 1815) and a daughter, Maria (born 1825) died in infancy (8 months and 27 months respectively). The 18 month imprisonment is a tragic story in itself. Be prepared to cry as you read this heart rending and heart wrenching story. Taking care of her husband during his imprisonment is I found one of the most touching of all the chapters. As I sit down to write this summary on this Valentines day February 14th 2009, I think of the love that Ann had for Adoniram that was displayed in the act of caring and pleading to the higher authorities on his behalf. I wil just briefly mention one that brought tears to my eyes. After going through the death prison which was horrible in itself, the prisoners (all foreigners suspected to be spies of the British, during the Anglo Burmese War) were finally moved to Oung-Pen-La a lil better than the prison. Here Ann follows them; however her health is deteriorating as she finds herself going weak day by day. Little Maria is also growing weak as she is not fed. She had to have her mother’s milk to live. Her cries of hunger at night become unbearable. Nancy or Ann is not able to move, but she is able to talk. She offers Koh-Bai (the jailor responsible for Oung-Pen-La) gifts to allow Adoniram to take the baby around in the village to nursing mothers. If one of another would supply a little superfluous milk, perhaps Maria could live. Koh-Bai agrees. Adoniram is allowed to carry the baby around the village begging a little milk here and there from generous Burmese mothers. The expedient works and somehow the Baby lives.
During this period he would repeat, to gouger, Cowper’s translation of her verses
No Bliss I seek, but to fulfill
In life, in death, thy lovely will;
No succour in my woes I want,
Except what Thou art pleased to grant.
Our days are number’d – Let us spare
Our anxious hearts a needless care;
‘Tis Thine to number out our days,
And ours to give them to Thy praise.
The second section actually ends with Nancy’s death, with Adoniram not being present as he receives the news of her death in black sealed envelope. The carrier of the letter is afraid to tell Adoniram that Nancy has died so he tells Adoniram that it is his child that has died. Adoniram receives the letter almost a month after the incident as he is out in Amherst on a job that the British Embassy has entrusted him with. The section would be incomplete without at least mentioning the name of the first known Burmese convert, by the name Maung Nau. Maung Nau professed faith in Jesus Christ in 1819, almost 6 years after the Judson’s arrived in Burma. After a period of 13 years in Burma the Judsons had 18 converts.
3. To the Golden Shore (1826 – 1850) 131 Pages
The last section moves very quickly and covers a period of 25 years. After Ann and Maria’s death, Adoniram has no responsibilities / commitments except to complete the translation of the Bible. This is done by 1934. Appreciation for his work comes from everywhere; however something that was special was to receive it from Sarah Boardman the widow of George Dana Boardman. Sarah and George Dana Boardman were married in 1825, and went to Burma to work with the Judson’s. Later they settled at Tavoy to work with a mountain tribe (Karens), where she founded a school for girls. Her husband died in 1831, and she continued the work with her small son, George. Sarah married Adoniram in 1834, nearly eight years after the death of Ann Judson. During eleven years of marriage, they had eight(?) children: Abby Ann (born 1835), Adoniram Brown (born 1837), Elnathan (born 1838), Henry (born 1838; died age 1 yr., 7 months), Luther (stillborn, 1841?), Henry Hall (born 1842), Charles (born 1843), Edward (born 1844). She translated hymns and other materials into the Burmese language. She died September 1, 1845, exhausted and ill, on a ship sailing back to the United States. On this trip Adoniram is left alone again with his children as he plans for their stay / schooling in America. This was Adoniram’s first trip back to America after almost 33 years. He has lost his younger brother Elnathan and his father the Judson Sr. as well as his mother, Abigail Brown. His younger sister is still alive. By the time Adoniram returns to America he is a Hero and a celebrated figure. People are eager to hear his stories and how he did what he did. Adoniram is tired and exhausted with one meeting after another. It is reported that he even got mean and rude just to take the focus off himself and place it on Christ. He was a simple man like them all. It is in this exhausting schedule that he meets his third wife, Emily Chubbuck. She was a professional writer under the pen name of Fanny Forester. Judson had read some of her writings and contacted her to write the biography of his second wife, Sarah. After working together on the biography, their acquaintance lead to their being married in 1846, about a year after his return to the United States following the death of Sarah. They returned to Burma, where Emily finished the biography of Sarah, which was published in 1848. They had two children, a daughter Emily, born in 1847, and a son Charles, born (and died) the same day in 1850, three weeks after the death of Judson. She returned to the United States in 1851 and died of tuberculosis in New York in 1854. After the Bible was translated in Burmese, the next project was to have a Burmese – English, English Burmese dictionary. He exercised general oversight over the work of the mission and preached regularly in the native chapel Sundays, the sermons would usually close with a hymn, perhaps one of his own, such as “I long to reach the golden shore”. Golden !! The concept was characteristically Burman, with its Golden Pagoda, the Shwe Dagon; Its ruler, the Golden Presence. If these, why not the Golden Shore?
The Golden Land of Heaven.
I long to reach the golden shore,
And the face of Jesus see ;
My soul, with joy filled evermore,
Will sing His grace and glory.
From suffring, age, disease, and death,
He'll set me wholly free ;
My joyful soul, till my last breath,
Will sing His grace and glory.
Regaled by draughts of perfect joy,
Before my Lord I'd be;
My soul in bliss without alloy,
Will sing His grace and glory.
In late 1849 he completed the Burmese to English part of the dictionary and had hoped to complete the rest of it in a year or so. That time was not to come. In late September 1849 he contracted a severe cold and the result was that the physician Dr. Morton recommended him to take a sea voyage to get some fresh year. On April 3rd 1850, Adoniram was carried in a palanquin (Palki in Hindi) on the Aristide Marie due to sail to the Isle of France. Knowing in his heart that he would not live, yet with a hope to recover he agreed for the sea voyage. By Friday the 12th April 1850, it was obvious that the end was not far off. Adoniram spoke to Panapah, both in English and Burmese, telling him to “take care of poor mistress”. These were his last words.
At fifteen minutes after 4 on Friday afternnon, Adoniram Judson reached his Golden shore. He had requested before he died, that if death should come then he should be buried at sea. The location was latitude 13 degrees north and longitude 93 degrees east, almost in the eastward shadow of the Andaman Islands and only a few hundred miles wes of the mountains of Burma.
Conclusion….
In His Sovereignty, God allowed Judson to be close to Eames when he died, to show the emptiness of atheism, especially in the jaws of death. Judson’s life was back on course and he prepared himself diligently for service overseas. In 1812 he sailed for Burma with his first wife. They brought the gospel to Burma. When he died in 1850 Judson had seen at least 7,000 people converted and 63 churches planted. The sting of death for Judson was removed by the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. For Adoniram, death was the entrance to the Golden Shore, saved by God’s grace. The verses he treasured are in Ephesians 3: 16-19.
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