Joan Jacobs Brumberg, Mission for Life: The story of
the Family of Adoniram Judson, the dramatic events of the first
American foreign mission, and the course of evangelical religion in the
nineteenth century (The Free Press, Inc., NY, 1980).
(BIOGRAPHY)
Reviewed by Dorinda Rupe
This is a fascinating, well researched book and an
excellent one to read now. Last year (2013) marked the 200th anniversary of Adoniram Judson's embarkation with his bride of two weeks, Ann Hasseltine, from
the U.S.A. to become the first American foreign missionaries. This year (2014)
is the 200th anniversary of their mission in Burma, since the British East
India Company had the power to deny them the right to do mission work in India.
As the title indicates, this is not a biography of Judson, but the story of his
family, including his three wives (not polygamy, as was practiced in Burma, but due to the deaths of his first two wives) and
three of the six children who survived into adulthood and were involved in some
sort of religious education/ministry.
The book emphasizes the interplay between the Protestant
evangelical movement of 19th century America and the Judson family and how they
impacted each other. Although the Judsons converted from Congregationalist to Baptist
based on Biblical study during the long voyage from the U.S.A. to India, which
convinced them that their own pedobaptisms were not biblical, their names
became household words to all evangelical denominations. Adoniram and Ann,
believing strongly in the "power of words" sent regular reports back
to the states—both to the supporting Baptists and Ann to secular magazines. Their
readership excitedly looked forward to the next installment of their story. The
names of Adoniram and Ann became well known in the U.S.A. and both their lives
became models for evangelical thinking and behavior. Each of the three wives
was dedicated to the "mission for life" commitment. His third wife brought new talents in
communication, not to the "heathen" of Burma, but the unreached in
America. None of the three children who survived to adulthood became a foreign
missionary, but they were impacted not only by their parents, but also the
changes in life and culture in the U.S.A., each finding new ways to express
their faith here in the states.
Interesting facts:
1. Ann was
not commissioned, since she was female, but received the following words from
her pastor, the Rev. Jonathan Allen, "on her wedding day, February 5,
1812, in the Congregational Church at Haverhill." This farewell sermon by Rev
Allen, included remarks addressed specifically to Ann and to her friend,
Harriet Atwood Newell, who was also to go:
It will be your
business, my dear children, to teach these women, to whom your husbands can
have but little or no access. Go then,
and do all in your power, to enlighten their minds, and bring them to the
knowledge of truth. Go, and if possible,
raise their character to the dignity of rational beings, and to the rank of
Christians in a Christian land. Teach
them to realize that they are not an inferior race of creatures; but stand upon
par with men. . . . (page 88)
2. Ann was
very much an advocate for women's rights, in a country where women were considered
worse than dogs and practices such as polygamy, suttee (with sometimes, not
just one, but multiple living wives
being burned on the funeral pyre with their deceased husband), and others were
common.
3. The
Judson's, unlike missionaries from some other churches, did not try to turn
converts into Americans, but instead allowed them to continue to wear their
normal Burman attire, learned their language instead of insisting that they
learn English, etc. They valued the customs of Burma. The king praised them for
that.
4. The
American Baptist Church, International Ministries is having a 200th anniversary
conference this summer. All 113 of the commissioned missionaries will be in
attendance as will 100 representatives of mission partners in the various
countries. It will begin with a huge birthday party and conclude at the end of
the week with a re-commissioning of those already involved in their work, the
commissioning of new missionaries ready to go into the field, and the
commissioning of all participants, as we are all called to preach, teach and
serve others. See World Mission Conference
for more information.
I am so impressed by the missionaries that I have
had the privilege of meeting and/or learning about. Two I am especially excited
about and support are Dan Buttry and Lauren Bethell. Dan travels the world, mediating and training
others to do mediation. He is apt to be wherever there are crises. I was happy
to hear that he went prior to Kenya's last elections to work with tribes
that had been killing each other's members following the previous election. I
know there were others, helping with this, but what a different election this
one was! He is wonderful about keeping those who support him updated as to his
trips and work in the various fields.
Lauren is in Switzerland and working in the area of
human trafficking. She also travels all over and trains others in this field of
work. It is so wonderful to be part of these 2 vital areas that are so needed
in our world today. I have met Lauren and will meet Dan at the conference.
5. Our Uncle
Aaron Webber was one of the ABC missionaries. He and Aunt Margaret served many
years in Puerto Rico, training Puerto Ricans so they could take over American
Baptist work there. Later he served in Cuba, Nicaragua, and El Salvador.
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