Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-30
MISSIONS IN BURMA
Achievements of PerseVering
Americans.
CON VERTING NATIVES
FIRST ONE WAS BAPTIZED IN
1919.
There Are Now 100, 76S Christians in
the Country - Work of the
Baptist Pioneers.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald


Special Correspondence of The Evening Star and
chicago Record-H Herald.
RANGOON, March 80 1904
According to the census of 1901 there are
12O76S Christians in Burma. OF these Is
600 are Catholics, 15,00S belong to the
Church of England, 1850 are Methodsts,
500 Presbyterians and Al 10 Baptists. The
Baptists claim 74,7O0 adherents, which in
cludes the families of members of their
church. Mr.. F. D. Phinney, superintendent
of the Baptist printing house, of which l
tcld you the other day, tells me there are
173 missionaries belonging to that denomi-
ration in Burma, LAG native pastors and
mission workers, 741 organized churches,
two theological seminaries, with 1876 stu
dents, thirty-three colleges and boarding
schools with 3,0SS students, 420 other
schools with 1890 children under instruc-
tion, and there were 1886 baptsms of ma
tives last year.
This is one of the most remarkable mis-
sionary successes on record. The Baptists
began work here, Mr.. Phinney tells me,
July ID, 1873 when Andoniram Judson and
his wife, Ann Hasseltine Judson, and Mr..
Rice, having been refused evangelical
work in India, came on to Rangoon, where
Messrs. Marsden and Chatter had establish
ed mission in 1907 The Catholics had
invaded the field more than a century pre-
vious, and had been quite successful DIR.
Judson and Mr.. Rice were sent out by the
American board of foreign missions, which,
as you know, is under the care of the Con-
gregational Church. but they resigned from
the American board and joined the Baptist
organization They spent the first two
years in learning the languages and then
began transiating the Bible into Burmese
and preparing literature for distribution
among the natives. In 1916 they were join
ed by George Hough, who brought print
ing outfit with him. They worked quietly
NJ o,.I
Judson and Mr.. Rice wrote books, tracts
and leaflets in the Burmese language. DR..
Judson printed his translation of the Bible
in 1894. 1t was one of the most notable
literary works ever accomplished Mr..
Hough kept his presses going and got out
portions of the Bible from time to time.
First Conversion in 1919.
The first convert was baptized In 1919,
man of middle age and humble circum-
stances, who kept his conversion secret for
fear of his family and friends. In 1922
little church was organized with six or
seven members. There was no opposition
from the Buddhists. who have always treat
ed the missionaries with respect and have
offered them hospitality. The people were
Indifferent and their only trouble Great
ed by native officials who were opposed to
the education and enlightenment of the
masses and could contrive no way to make
money out of the missionaries.
when war broke out between the British
and the Burmese. The latter. not being able
t. distinguish between Englishmen and
Americans arrested Messrs. Hough and
Wade, who were living in Rangoon, and
impriso ned them until the town was taken
by the British. DIR. Judson and Mr.. Rice,
living at Ava, We're also thrown into prison
and kept there Ter two years. Several times
they were sentenced to death, but their exc
cution was postponed because they were the
only Interpreters the burmese could depend
upon in their communicc tons with the Brit
ish commanders and they were finally re-
leased and detained 1T the palace of the
king where they became very influential
and were instrumental in securing a treaty
o. peace in 1927. At the close of the war
they settled in the City of Moulmein be-
gan missionary work publicly and in ear
nest with the consent If not the approval
OF the king, and rom that day the Baptists
have tiour!shed
Educational Work.
Educational work was begun in 1927.
Schools were established everywhere, and
many Of them have been self-supporting
almost from the start 1t is asserted that
there a.. more self-supporting churches in
Burma for the number OF converts than can
be found in any other missionary field. Some
of the schools are handsomely endowed
Others are supported oy commercial and In
dustrial enterprises. AT one place a school
and church are maintained by the profits Of
a shipyard in which the members build
boats and steam launches. They do large
business. and their profits are devoted en-
tireiy to educational and evangelical work
At another point the native Christians run
a saw Ta,ll for the Same purpose. There are
several other curious and novel features in
Burmese missionary work
The Rangoon Baptist College. which occu-
pies a beautiful site of seven acres on the
outskirts of this city, exercises the widest
influence of any educational institution in
Burma. IT is the outgrowth of the demand
of native Christians for facilities for the
higher education of their sons and daugh-
tiers. The movement for its foundation be-
gan back as far as 1851, but not until 1870
did the American Baptist Missionary Union
take up the subject Money was then
raised, a site was purchased, building
erected, and May rs, 1872, Rev. DIR. Binney
formally began instructions with seventeen
students, whose number increased to twen-