April 12, 1850 - Adoniram Judson

Portrait of Adoniram Judson, 19th century. Public Domain. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

American missionary, Adoniram Judson, passed away on April 12, 1850. Not only is he considered the first American Protestant foreign missionary and first American missionary to Burma, but he also translated parts of the Bible into the Burmese language. He was initially sent by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in 1812, but he later joined the American Baptist Missionary Union. Learning the Burmese language was not an easy task. It took years for him to see his first converts; however, Judson persisted in spite of the challenges and spent almost forty years serving as a missionary in Myanmar. One of his most noted accomplishments was translating portions of the Bible into the Burmese language, allowing the locals to read Scripture in their own language. 

Throughout his ministry, Judson weathered  numerous trials. During the first Anglo-Burmese War, he was imprisoned for over a year and subjected to brutal treatment. His wife, Ann Hasseltine Judson, labored relentlessly for his release. Ann became one of the first well-known early female missionaries. Even though Judson originally saw few converts, Christianity expanded in Burma, and today, there are hundreds of thousands of Christians in Myanmar, many of which can trace the beginnings of their faith to Judson’s ministry. Judson’s missionary legacy lives on today through Judsonia, Arkansas, which is named after him, and through Judson College in Alabama which is named for his wife.

Adoniram Judson’s life is an inspiration for modern Christians in a variety of ways. First, his story shows the importance of perseverance in Chrisitan ministry. Judson did not give up on his ministry in spite of the fact that he did not see immediate results. Additionally, his story is a reminder of the importance of Bible translation. Because he translated the Scriptures into Burmese, an entire population gained access to the Gospel. His story also reminds of the sacrifice involved in missionary work. He and his wife endured illness and imprisonment, yet they continually relied on the Lord as their sustainer and remained faithful to his calling. Finally, because of Judson, American churches were motivated to become involved in global missions, bringing the Gospel to millions.