Judson, Adoniram, 1788-1850; Missionaries -- Burma -- Biography; Missionaries -- United States -- Biography
“Since the beginning of this year, we have printed two tracts, the one
a view of the Christian religion, seven pages, one thousand copies;
the other a catechism of six pages, 12mo, three thousand copies. After
which, finding that we had paper sufficient for an edition of eight
hundred of Matthew, we concluded to undertake this one gospel, by way
of trial, and as introductory to a larger edition of the whole New
Testament. I am now translating the eleventh chapter, and in the
printing-room the third half-sheet is setting up. Having premised thus
much concerning the present posture of our affairs, I proceed to
mention the circumstance which induced me to take up my pen at this
time. I have this day been visited by the first inquirer after
religion that I have ever seen in Burmah. For, although in the course
of the last two years I have preached the Gospel to many, and though
some have visited me several times, and conversed on the subject of
religion, yet I have never had much reason to believe that their
visits originated in a spirit of sincere inquiry. Conversations on
religion have always been of my proposing, and, though I have
sometimes been encouraged to hope that truth had made some impression,
never, till to-day, have I met with one who was fairly entitled to the
epithet of _inquirer_.
“As I was sitting with my teacher, as usual, a Burman of respectable
appearance, and followed by a servant, came up the steps, and sat down
by me. I asked him the usual question, where he came from, to which he
gave no explicit reply, and I began to suspect that he had come from
the Government house, to enforce a trifling request which in the
morning we had declined. He soon, however, undeceived and astonished
me, by asking, ‘How long time will it take me to learn the religion of
Jesus?’ I replied that such a question could not be answered. If God
gave light and wisdom, the religion of Jesus was soon learned; but,
without God, a man might study all his life long, and make no
proficiency. ‘But how,’ continued I, ‘came you to know anything of
Jesus? Have you ever been here before?’ ‘No.’ ‘Have you seen any
writing concerning Jesus?’ ‘I have seen two little books.’ ‘Who is
Jesus?’ ‘He is the Son of God, who, pitying creatures, came into this
world, and suffered death in their stead.’ ‘Who is God?’ ‘He is a
being without beginning or end, who is not subject to old age and
death, but always is.’ I can not tell how I felt at this moment. This
was the first acknowledgment of an eternal God that I had ever heard
from the lips of a Burman. I handed him a tract and catechism, both
which he instantly recognized, and read here and there, making
occasional remarks to his follower, such as ‘This is the true God;
this is the right way,’ etc. I now tried to tell him some things about
God and Christ, and himself, but he did not listen with much
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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