MRS. ANN H. JUDSON.
ANN HAZELTINE, the daughter of John and Rebecca Hazeltine, was born in the town of Bradford, Massachusetts, in the year 1789. The house where she lived with her parents is still standing, and is visited with much interest as the home of the first American lady who went to Asia as a missionary.
When a mere child, Ann was remarkable for her strong, clear, and active mind, as well as her tender conscience; and, as she grew older, she did not disappoint the hopes of her parents and friends.
When quite young, she became an earnest Christian. She was a very studious girl, and obtained a thorough education at the academy in her native town. In 1810 she became acquainted with Mr. Adoniram Judson, a young graduate of Brown University, where he had taken the honors of his class. He had been for two years teaching a private school in Plymouth, but shortly before this he had become much interested in the subject of religion, which led him to enter as a student at the Andover theological seminary, where, to use his own words, he went, " not as a professor of religion, and a candidate for the ministry, but as a person deeply in earnest to learn the truth." He was naturally of a very zealous disposition, and when he became satisfied of the truth, was anxious to carry it at once to those who sat in darkness. It was while attending a meeting held in Bradford, in the interest of foreign missions, that he first met Miss. Hazeltine.
This chance meeting led to an intimate acquaintance, and two years later, in February, 1812, Ann Hazeltine sailed for India as the wife of Mr. Judson, who was leaving his native land to become a missionary to the heathen. Naturally possessed of remarkable strength of character, trained from early childhood to habits of earnest piety, and thoroughly imbued with the spirit of love and sacrifice, she was a worthy and fitting helpmeet for the zealous young missionary, so glad and anxious to relinquish all his bright earthly prospects, if he might but labor in the cause of his Master.
Owing to various hindrances, it was more than a year before they reached their destination, Rangoon, in Burmah. They set themselves with great earnestness to the learning of the Burmese language, and that without grammar, dictionary, or help of teachers who could speak English. Mrs. Judson learned to speak the language sooner than her husband, but his habits of thorough and deep study enabled him to become a master of the language, and in a few years he was able to translate and publish the New Testament and parts of the Old, as well as other books to help in their work with the natives.
Mrs. Judson was not naturally strong, and her earnest and untiring work in the mission, together with the unhealthfulness of the climate, proved too hard for her. In 1821 her continued ill health made it seem best for her to return to the United States for a short time, but her husband remained at his post of duty. While in this country, her efforts among the people for the help of the mission were very constant, and probably resulted in more real good than would her personal labor in Burmah during the same time. It was then that she wrote and published the little book called, "History of the Burman Misson,"
which aroused so great an interest in the subject.
In the spring of 1823, though still far from enjoying good health, she returned to her field of labor, accompanied by another missionary and his wife, who were sent there to help in the work.
Things now began to look very hopeful for the mission; but soon after Mrs. Judson's return, the English made war on Burmah, and all foreigners in the country were arrested by the Burmese authorities. Mr. Judson was taken from his dwelling, thrown into the "death prison" with all the other white foreigners. His wife, being a woman, was allowed to remain in her own house, but was guarded by ten ruffianly men. After a little time, by sending presents to the governor of the town, she obtained her liberty, and was finally allowed to visit her husband in prison. She found him and his fellow-prisoners suffering terribly, not only from their chains, but from filth and suffocation. The brave woman now went to the king and officers of the government to plead for at least some mercy in the treatment of the prisoners, and they were finally placed in an open shed in the prison enclosure.
There, though far from comfortable, their condition was much improved, especially after Mrs. Judson had obtained permission to bring them mats and food.
She now began to work for their release by appealing to the queen, who had treated her kindly before their misfortunes. But the queen now refused to interfere; the hardships of the prisoners were increased, and the good woman was refused the privilege of visiting them. The officers of the government were sent to the house to take their money and all other things of value.
She succeeded in hiding some silver money, but the rest they took, with almost everything else in the house, though she finally persuaded them to leave the books, medicines, and wearing apparel.
Again the faithful wife, by her presents and her earnest pleadings, obtained partial relief for the prisoners; and almost every day for a year and a half she walked two miles to the prison, usually with her baby in her arms, besides carrying food, and in other ways administering to the comfort of the sufferers. But for her efforts they must all have perished. One morning she found them all gone, and the jailer refused to tell her where. She learned in some way that they had been removed to another place, six miles distant, where they were to be executed. She was told that it was of no use to follow, but taking her child in her arms she started out. She found the prisoners chained two and two, and almost dead from fatigue and suffering, but she in some way obtained relief for them.
Mrs. Judson is said to have been a beautiful woman, and to have had great power of language, and even those cruel heathen officers found it hard to resist her appeals.
At last the Burman king was forced to ask conditions of peace of the English, and the prisoners were released and allowed to seek protection with the British army. Here they were very kindly treated, and everything possible done for their comfort and the restoration of their health. The sufferings endured by both Mr. Judson and his faithful wife during the time of his imprisonment are too terrible to relate. They were reduced almost literally to skin and bone, and a few weeks more of such treatment must have ended their lives. If possible, Mrs. Judson's mental suffering had been more severe than that of her husband, and, too, her physical strength was less than his. Soon after their release, though they were then comfortably situated, and things beginning to look favorable for their work, the devoted woman sickened and died, and was buried there in a strange land. She was worn out by her sufferings and privations; and when relief had once come to her beloved husband, her life went out like a flickering candle.
But "she being dead yet speaketh." Through all time the story of her noble life will serve to make others strong to do their duty; and in that glad day which is so soon to dawn, she, with all who have suffered for Christ's sake, will receive a rich and abundant reward.
E. B.