Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-07


lists claim To have been pioneers IN
modern missionary cndcavor. His
torians may dispute this claim. but il
Is certain that one OF the greatest aad
most far reaching movements ever
launched by Christian people vas in
au1urat"d in celebration OF the ons
hundr"dth anniversary OF the sailing
from this Continent OF Adoniram Iud-
son. the first American missionary, by
TN" southern BAPTIST Convention at
oklahoma City IN MAY. 1912. when It
called npon l;aptis,s ~ the South TO
raise within period OF three years
the sum OF sl,o50.0Oo for general mis-
slonary work in foreign lands
MOVEMENT TAKES NAME
FROM tDONIRAM JTDSON
tn" movement is called the Judson
Centennial. and II is being directed ny
Roy. /. u. Ray. ID. D.. of Richmond
educational secretary OF the Southern
baptist Foreign Mission Board Til.
ca npaiSn closes In May. 1918. Private
individuals and churches throughout
the south hav" responded with liberal
contributions to the fund, but the total
annGnt required has not vet been
raised. Despite financial depression in
many sections of tho South this year.
,hose In charge Of the movement appear
10 be confident that the entire sum
VIII be raised In due time
The plan is" said Or. Ray yestcr-
Gay. TO spend tho entire fund for cdu-
catonal and general equipment pur-
poses IN foreign lands. Two hundred
thousand dollars of this sum is to he
spent on the publication OF Christian
literature: S25o.0oo for the building OF
churches. missionaries homes and hos
pitais, and 100000 upon the equip
m"nt of mission schools
BAPTISM OF JuDS0N WAS
DAWN OF AMERICAN MISSIONS
The dawn Of American Baptist mis-
sions was tn" baptism of Adoniram
JndSon In 1877. He was born in
Maiden. Mass. on August .. l7sS md
was graduated from Brown University
IN lSo'. 1.a'er. Will. "A student at An
dover Theological Seminary, he became
greatly interested In tho subicc, OF mis-
sions. About this time pamphlet. en-
titicd The star in the East" written
bN the former chaplain In India. show
ing the Importance of missions to tho
Hindus, fell into his hands His in
t"rest In missions was more deeply
aroused by the pamphlet
soon after this, Judson with other
|ounE men Of the serr mary. who shared
ms views. presented an appcal 20 the
General Association of CONGREGATIONAL
churches in Massachusetts, which re-
suited in the formation OF the Ameri
can Board of Commissioners for For
eisn Missions. This was IN 1910, just
m
EionarE. Carey began his work in In
hia. Judson. and his wife Ann Hasscl
'he, were accepted as missionaries OF
TINS board. and set sail for India Feb
ruary 10. 1872
MADE CLOSE STUDY OF
SUBJECT OF baptism
ON tho way over Judson resolved to
investigate thoroughly the subject of
baptism. and put the question forever
re i,,,,
BAPTIST missionaries. ON Blended knees
with q Greek testament in his hands.
ne studied the subject until convinced
that thc immersion OF believer in wa
ter was the only Christian baptism.
Mrs. Judson was also convinced Al
the end OF the VoyaRe she wrote as
follows: The face OF Scripture does
favor the BAPTIST sentiments II was
extremely trying 10 reflect on the con-
sequences OF our becoming Baptis,s. we
knew we must he separated from our
missionary associates We felt we had
no home in this world. ard no friend.
but each other. We expect soon
to ne baptized. oh. may our hearts
be prepared for that holy ordinance"
MR. AND MRS. JrDSoN
BAPTIZED At CAI.CUT"rA
On September 8. 1912, Mr. and Mrs
.iudson wcr" baptized at Calcutta by
an English Baptist missionary, who had
come 10 - similar conclusion. The
effect of these baptisms sent thrill OF
surprise and delight to cevry Rap
list heart Word sent back to America
by Judson aroused the entire church
In letter, addressed to an eminent
Baptist minister, he said: Alone in
this foreign heather land. make my
appeal 10 those whom. with their per
mission. 7 call my Baptist brethren in
the United States" Later he wrote:
should there he formed Baptist So
cietv for the support of missions in
these parts, shall he ready to considcr
myself their missionary"
Fuel was added to tho missionary
hame by other messages from mission
aries. and another year witnessed the
formation OF The General Missionary
Convention OF the Baptist Denomina-
ton IN the United states for Foreign
Missions" I'm 1874 said prominent
Baptist minister. the Baptists OF
America were 4 scattered and feeble
folk, and lacked solidarity. The sum
mons TO tn" foreign field shook them
together The baptism of Adoniram
hudson proved to he the crystallizing
touch"
TRANSLATED BiBIE
INTO BURMESE TONGUE
In the face of discoura gcments and
in the mids. of untold sufferings. .Iud-
son translated the Bible into the Bur
mesc tongue. and produced a diction-
AIRY of that difficult language. lie went
from house 10 house. doing good and
preaching the gospel. until the ma
tives knew him by no other name than
Jesus CErsts man." For thirty-eight
years he labored in Burmah and when
he died alone at sea and was buried
beneath the waves, seven thousand
Burmans and 1<arens had been ban
tiZed, and SiNty-thrcc churches had
been established under the oversight OF
1913 missionaries and native assistants
hudson has been called the apostle Of
!1uImah. and the father Of American
missions"
While the Foreign Mission Board has
organized and conducted the campaign
1t has been aided greatly by the special
advisory Judson Centennial Commit
tee. appointed by the Southern Baptist
Convention. The board believes that
the proper equipment has never been
given TO missionaries, and that IL ii Is
worth while to place n missionary any
where II is worth while to equip him
so he may do his best work