Ann Judson – An Ornament to Her Profession

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”  (Romans 10:14,15).

Reading the life of Ann Hasseltine Judson was more convicting for me than any other biography I have read recently. Ann gave her all, even sacrificing her life and she did it for the right reasons. Here are her own words:

I feel willing and expect, if nothing in providence prevents, to spend my days in this world in heathen lands. Yes, Lydia, I have about come to the determination to give up all my comforts and enjoyments here, sacrifice my affection to relatives and friends, and go where God, in His providence, shall see fit to place me. My determinations are not hasty, or formed without viewing the dangers, trials, and hardships attendant on a missionary life. Nor were my determinations formed in a consequence of an attachment to an earthly object; but with a sense of my obligations to God, and with a full conviction of its being a call in providence, and consequently, my duty.

When thinking of the great price that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ paid for my salvation, I wonder “How can I possibly repay that debt?” There is no way. I am just one person and my life seems inconsequential, but the truth is, it is not inconsequential to God or He wouldn’t have sent His Son to redeem me.

We all look for meaning in life. Some also look for fame. Ann Judson only wanted to serve Christ; she did not seek fame. God would put her through many fiery trials and then afterward would use the story of her experiences to help wake up Christians in the United States to the plight of all those in other parts of the world who had not heard the Gospel. She truly was an ornament to her profession of faith.

Ann Hasseltine was born in Bradford, Massachusetts on December 22, 1789. This was the time when the United States was a brand new country. There was missionary activity among the Indian tribes but the idea of this little country sending out missionaries to other parts of the world was as yet unknown.

Having grown up as industrious, vivacious, and attractive, Ann thought that she would continue to lead a popular social life for the rest of her days. She later wrote, “I so far surpassed my friends in gayety and mirth that some of them feared that I had but a short time to continue in my life of folly and should be suddenly cut off.”

But in 1806, at the age of sixteen, Ann heard a moving sermon that caused her to feel the weight of conviction and her life was changed forever. God took her frivolous heart away and gave her a new serious heart.

About this time a man who would later become world renowned as a missionary to Burma, Adoniram Judson, noticed this serious young Christian woman. Adoniram and a few other young men had been meeting at the Theological Seminary at Andover discussing how they could go and preach the Gospel among the unreached peoples in Asia. Adoniram wanted to make missionary a life long commitment and he desired to take a godly wife with him. He knew the dangers, but he asked Ann’s father for her hand in marriage. After due consideration, Ann accepted knowing the risks. She knew that she may never see her family again, but she wanted to follow and serve Christ. “Blessed Jesus, I am Thine forever. Do with me what Thou wilt; lead me in the path in which Thou wouldest have me to go, and it is enough.” Ann knew that she had a call from God for a special purpose and she was willing to obey.

There are some really good biographies of Ann that are available. My purpose is not to recount all of her experiences on the mission field in Burma. I just want to say that in spite of the death of two children (her third child would die six months after she did), loneliness from the many times her husband was away, (he was lost at sea one time for months), nearly starving to death while trying to care for her husband when he was imprisoned for about two years, and suffering through illnesses which almost claimed her life several times, she never lost her vision.

In her day, she was not only one of the first American missionaries, but probably the first woman missionary to go out from this country. Many people opposed her. She had ample opportunity to give up and return to the States and live out the rest of her life with her family. No one would have blamed her, especially in light of her serious illness.

But the thought of salvation for Burmese women kept her zeal high. “I desire no higher enjoyment in this life than to be instrumental in leading some poor, unreached women to the knowledge of the Savior. … Let me have no object in life but the promotion of Thy glory.”

After about ten years in Burma, Ann became so ill that Adoniram and she decided that she should return to the States for proper medical care. While she was there, Ann’s only thought was to get well as quickly as possible to return to her Burmese women’s fellowship. God used her illness though to give her time to speak and to publish an account of what He had been doing in the East. Everywhere she went she engendered support for the cause of missions.

Ann did go back to Burma. Her health was ruined during the time that she provided aid to her husband in prison. Eventually he was freed. While he was away on business in the Burmese capitol, she succumbed to a fever and died on October 24, 1826.

What can we learn from Ann’s life? She is a great example of unselfishness and love for the Lord and for the lost. I am praying that God will make my heart more tender to those who do not know Him. What a privilege to know the Savior. How can we keep this Good News to ourselves? I know that I fall far short of being an ornament to my profession of faith. I’m sure that I look like a hypocrite many times. I pray that God will enable me to “walk the walk” that I profess with my mouth.

Things in our country have gone down hill since the Puritans came here. It seems at times that most people have forgotten the One Who has blessed them. I pray that women will be stirred to remember their Savior and the joy that comes from serving Him. Ann shows us the way:

How much of heaven might Christians enjoy even here on earth if they would keep in view what ought to be their great object in life. If they would but make the enjoyment of God their main pursuit, how much more consistent would their profession be with their conduct, how much more useful their lives, and how much more rapidly they would ripen for eternal glory. … One degree of grace attained in this world is worth more than every earthly enjoyment.