Adoniram Judson

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Adoniram Judson’s life reads like a story of courage, faith, and endurance. Born on August 9, 1788, in Malden, Massachusetts, he was the son of a Congregational minister. A brilliant student, Judson graduated as valedictorian from Brown University at just 19 years old. Like many bright minds of his era, he briefly flirted with deism, but after a dramatic spiritual reawakening, he dedicated himself fully to Christianity. 

In 1812, he and his wife, Ann Hasseltine, sailed for India under the sponsorship of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. During the long voyage, Judson studied the issue of baptism and became convinced of Baptist theology. This change of belief caused a major rift with his sponsoring denomination, but rather than give up his calling, he helped establish the American Baptist Missionary Union to support Baptist missions abroad. It was the beginning of a new chapter—not just for Judson, but for the American missionary movement itself. 

The Judsons soon found their way to Burma, where they would spend the rest of their lives in a land entirely foreign to them. The challenges they faced were staggering cultural isolation, disease, political hostility, and unimaginable personal losses. Judson was imprisoned for 21 months during the First Anglo-Burmese War, enduring severe mistreatment and near-death conditions. Ann tirelessly worked to secure his release, only to die not long afterward from exhaustion and illness. 

Despite the suffering, Judson’s legacy began to take root. He translated the entire Bible into Burmese—a monumental feat that remains one of his most enduring contributions. He also compiled a comprehensive English–Burmese dictionary, tools that became essential for both missionaries and native Christians alike. His work helped lay the foundation for the Burmese Baptist Church, which continues to thrive today. 

Over the course of his life, Judson married three times and endured the loss of several children. After Ann's death, he married Sarah Boardman, the widow of another missionary, and following her passing, married Emily Chubbuck, a writer. Through these relationships and his continued work, Judson remained committed to the mission he had begun decades earlier. 

Adoniram Judson died at sea on April 12, 1850, worn out from years of labor and affliction. He was buried at sea, but his legacy lived on. Today, he is remembered not just as the first American missionary to serve overseas long-term, but as a linguist, a translator, and a spiritual pioneer whose work helped bring Christianity to an entire nation.