Book review of:
Adoniram Judson; Bound for Burma
By: Janet and Geoff Benge
Published by: YWAM Publishing
The United States of America had been an independent country less than forty years when she sent out her first foreign missionary: Adonirom Judson. Have you every heard of him? I hadn’t. I am praising God that someone invested the time and effort to bring his story to light.
During the 16th and 17th century, the corporate church around the world didn’t see the need to “go and preach the Gospel.” They felt that if God wanted to save the heathens, He would do it Himself. So, when God softened Adoniram’s heart for Burma, he had to convince his denomination to establish a missionary organization. Today, we have so many organizations sending missionaries that it is difficult to conceive of a time when not a single one existed.
Adoniram’s denomination did set up a missionary organization, but they were perplexed as to how to fund it. So, they sent Adoniram to England (during their war with France, yikes!) to appeal to the London Missionary Society for support. They declined. I will let the diligent reader find their resolution to that dilemma.
Finally, Adoniram and his wife, Ann, set sail with two other missionary couples on February 18, 1812. The authors detail the hardships and dangers of travel and daily life during that time. I especially enjoyed the details about the people and cultures they encountered on their journey.
The authors also chronicled God’s divine intervention in their life and ministry. One of my favorite stories is how God saved Adoniram’s translation of the New Testament. Adoniram and all other foreigners had been imprisoned because England had attacked Burma. Desperate to protect the New Testament translation he had just finished, he had Ann sew it into a pillow and bring it to him in prison. When he and all the foreign prisoners were moved to a different prison, they thought his years of translation work had been lost. But God moved on the heart of one of Adoniram’s converts to go to the prison and rummage through their garbage to find a memento of his friend and pastor. He found the pillow with the hidden translation and kept it save until the end of the war.
Friends, I encourage you to read this book in order to honor the life of American’s first foreign missionary. Fortunately, the authors have made it a fun and engaging read. To God be the Glory!