AN UNPUBLISHED LETTER by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · May 12, 1881

AN UNPUBLISHED LETTER.

By Editor

(From the Herald of Truth.)

[WE give below an unpublished letter of Nancy Judson, known as the greatest missionary heroine of the nineteenth century. This letter of Ann Hazeltine Judson—as she is familiarly spoken of—has been kindly loaned to us by Mrs. P. D. Browne, of Oakland, into whose hands it has fallen, as a precious gift from a niece of its beloved and honored author. It will be read with great interest.—ED.]

(EXACT COPY.)

RANGOON, April 29, 1819.

MY DEAR SISTER: Being left alone in my room this afternoon, I know not how I can spend it more pleasantly than in writing to a dear far-distant

sister, whom I never expect to meet again, until we arrive at our Father's house in heaven. Tho' it is now long years since I left my native land, and the scenes of my earliest years, they are as fresh in my recollection as tho' it were but yesterday, and the wound then inflicted every now and then opens and bleeds afresh. I believe very few females who have left their native country have had it in their power to make such sacrifices as myself. When I think of my pleasant home, our dear Bradford girls, the flattering prospects and sources of enjoyment which I left, I am often led to wonder how I was ever brought willing to forsake them, and deliberately embrace a life so replete with vicissitude as the present. But, my dear sister Mary, a little sacrifice for the cause of Christ is not worth making, and I felt it a privilege of which I am entirely undeserving to have had it in my power to sacrifice my all for Him who hesitated not to lay down his life for sinners. I rejoice that I had a pleasant home, dear friends, and flattering prospects to relinquish, and that once in my life I had an opportunity of manifesting my little attachment to the cause of Christ. I know you often wish to know certainly whether I still approve of the first step I took in the missionary cause, and whether if I had the choice again to make, with my present knowledge, and views of the subject, I should make the same. Well, I frankly acknowledge that I should do just the same, with this exception, that I should commence such a life with much more fear and trembling, on account of my unfitness, and should almost hesitate whether one so vile, so poorly qualified, ought to occupy a sphere of so much usefulness. I do at times feel almost ready to sink down in despair when I realize the responsibility of my situation and witness my short-comings in duty. If I have grown any in grace since I left America, it has consisted entirely in an increasing knowledge of my unspeakably wicked heart. As to my real religious enjoyment, I think, generally speaking, I have not experienced more than when in America. I do hope, however, vile as I am, to obtain an inheritance in that better world where Jesus has prepared mansions for his followers, and will introduce them there himself, sprinkled with his blood, and clothed in his righteousness.

Relative to the Mission, it is gaining ground slowly, but I hope surely. We have a place erected for public worship, where Mr. J. and myself spend the day in conversing with all who call, he with the men, and I with the women. On the Sabbath we have regular public worship in the Burman language. The building is situated on one of the public roads, which on account of its being lined on both sides with pagodas, is called "Pagoda road." This last week has been a very interesting one to us, on account of having had several very hopeful inquirers, who really appear to be a prepared people for the Lord. I have a meeting every Wednesday evening with the females, many of whom appear attentive and inquisitive. Why cannot you at Bradford have a prayer-meeting Wednesday morning, that you may meet at the same time we do, and pray for these perishing females? Write me word by the first opportunity whether you will adopt the plan or not; and also write a letter to these females, which I will translate and read to them. It may be the means of awakening some of them, and in this way you may be instrumental of converting some without coming here. Mention the plan of prayer-meetings on Wednesday mornings to others of our female friends.

I have been attending to the Siamese language for a year and a half. It is a language easy of acquisition when one has a teacher they can understand. I have found it nothing so difficult as the Burman, but it has owing probably to the teacher being a Burman, as well as a Siamese scholar. There are several thousands of Siamese who live in Rangoon and who speak and write the pure language of Siam. With the assistance of the teacher I have got a translation of the Burman catechism, tract, and Matthew. I also nearly completed a translation of one of the celebrated books into English. It is an account of the incarnation of one of their deities, when he existed in the form of a great elephant.

Give my love to our parents. Tell them I wish to receive a letter from them both. Tell mamma to keep a kind of journal, write in it every day, and send it to me. It would very much please me. I hope Hall has become a Christian; give my love to him, and tell him to write. Remember me as ever affectionately to Mr. and Mrs. Allen, and all the Bradford girls and Hall's family. Write, my dear sister, by every opportunity, and I will surely give you credit for it. I wrote a long letter to sister Emerson a few months ago; hope she has received it. My love to her and Mrs. Atwood. Mr. Judson desires his love to you all, would gladly write if he had time, but he is busy all day and part of the night. Pray constantly and fervently for your ever affectionate sister, NANCY JUDSON.