SOME of Mr. Judson's friends thought he might, at least, obtain a royal order for the protection of his person and goods, telling him that as the country was in a very unsettled state he might be robbed, or even murdered, if he attempted to travel without it.
But after praying about it, he decided not to ask for the order. One reason being he could not have, he well knew, an interview with the emperor without another costly present. Another, and still stronger, was that he felt it better to trust in God than in man. How glad and thankful he must have been to open his Bible and read such words as “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."(Psa. 91:11He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1).) Under that shadow he could look up in perfect peace, and say from his heart," What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”
A day or two later they left Ava. One evening or two after, as the boat was moored for the night near a town on the banks of the river, Moung Shwa-gnong stepped on board. Mr. Judson knew him as one who had at one time seemed to feel his need of salvation, but had given up his visits to the zayat as soon as it was whispered that the new emperor would not allow his subjects to become Christians.
Mr. Judson told him they had been to Court, and also that the little band of Christians at Rangoon must expect to suffer, and perhaps even to die, for the sake of Christ.
"Do not fear for me," was the reply of Moung Shwa. "Since you left Rangoon, I have not once lifted up my folded hands before the image of the idol, or offered a prayer to any but the one true God.”
Mr. Judson looked grave, and his voice must have sounded very sad and low, as he answered, “I do not fear for you, Moung Shwa. Why should I? You are not yet a true disciple of Christ; you feared you might be called upon to go to prison if you confessed Christ by receiving baptism, and you drew back.”
Moung Shwa seemed sorry and ashamed. He said, "I do believe in my heart; I believe in God, and in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. But it is true that I go sometimes to the pagoda. I do not pray to the idol; I only look in and go away very quickly.”
Perhaps the words of the Lord Jesus, as they are recorded in the gospel by Mark, were the answer Moung Shwa received, "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words.... of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8:3838Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. (Mark 8:38).)
When Mr. Judson arrived at Rangoon, he was welcomed by the three native converts. The meeting must have been something like that of an affectionate father and his children. He told them how he had been received by the king at Ava. "What will you do now?" they asked. "Will you go away from Rangoon?" "It may be the will of God for us to do so," Mr. Judson said. A silence followed, broken only by sobs. Then the first convert said, “Oh, my father, my much loved teacher! if you go away, I will follow you, even to the other side of the world. "Another said, "As for me, I must go where I can hear the word of God.”
The third did not speak for some time. He was a married man, and the laws of Burmah would not allow any native woman to leave the country. At last he spoke, "I cannot follow you to America," he said with tears, "for it would be wrong to leave my dear wife in Burmah. But if I must be left here alone, I hope I shall have grace to remain a true disciple of Christ; I cannot return to the worship of an idol.”
The interview was, we may be sure, a great cheer to Mr. and Mrs. Judson. Two or three days passed, during which they spent much time in prayer for light as to where they were to go. One evening a visitor came; his errand was to beg them not to leave Rangoon. He told them that for some months past he had not been to the pagoda. One of the converts, who was his brother-in-law, had spoken to him about his soul, he had believed on Christ, and he wished to own himself a disciple.
"Oh do not go away yet!" he pleaded; "stay with us for a little while longer, for I know several of my friends and neighbors who do not pray to idols, but wish to learn about the true God. Will you not stay till there are eight or ten Christians in Rangoon? Then we can help and encourage one another. The work of God must go on. Not even the emperor can stop it.”
Mr. and Mrs. Judson could only thank God for what they had been allowed to see and hear. How could they leave Burmah? They knew that by remaining they might expose themselves to suffering, but it would be for the sake of Christ; and so they made up their minds not to go away until quite sure that there was no longer an open door for the gospel.
A quieter time followed: though Mr. Judson could not open the zayat for preaching, he received a great many visits from Burmans who wanted to have the word of God explained to them. Sometimes the inquirers came singly in the silence and darkness of night. At others, two or three would go to him very early in the morning, and stay for five or six hours, asking questions, or listening to the reading of the scriptures.
The whole of the gospel of Matthew had by this time been translated and printed in Burmese, and we may be sure that the joy of Mr. and Mrs. Judson was very great when they were able to add to the very small stock of books the native Christians possessed some copies of Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians. We can almost imagine we hear them saying to each other, "Now even if we are obliged to leave Burmah, the dear native converts will have at least a small part of the precious word of God for their own.”
Several gave proof of true conversion; among these was Moung Shwa, and in a few months the number of native Christians had risen to ten, nine men and one woman. Very loving and united these disciples of Christ were. It was a real cheer and comfort to the missionaries to live and work among them.
For some time Mrs. Judson had been far from well, and in the spring of 1821 the hot climate and overwork so told upon her health that she became very ill, and Mr. Judson found he should be obliged to take her to Bengal for change of air and rest.
"How long would they be away?" He could not tell, but knew that their absence might last five or six months. We may be sure the little band of Christians looked very sad when they heard that their much-loved teachers were about to leave them. But Mr. Judson told them he was going to leave them in the care of One who could alone keep them from falling, the Savior who had loved them, and washed them from their sins in His own blood.
And though "good-byes" were said with many tears, the day Mr. and Mrs. Judson went on board the boat that was to take them to Bengal, their absence proved a real blessing to the converts, as it cast them more simply on the Lord, teaching them how very real and blessed it was to go to Him with daily cares and needs.
Only the other day I heard a sweet true story that may help to make what I mean plain to you.
Two little girls were on their way home from a children's service they had attended, when the younger, whom I will call Mary, was overheard saying to her companion, "Maggie, do you know the Lord Jesus?" Maggie's reply was "Oh yes, Mary, I am in the first class in Sunday school, and I have two scripture prizes from my day school, and—and"—
But Mary put in with a very wistful look, "That isn't quite what I mean, Maggie; Do you know Him to speak to? I do, and I tell Him everything.”