A Spectacle to God, to Angels, and to Men

In light of the remembrance of the day on which Adoniram Judson first set foot on the Golden Shore (see the previous article), I have been reading some of the appendix to The Three Mrs. Judsons. This appendix includes the recorded ordination Sermon, Charge, and Right Hand of Fellowship for Adoniram Judson and his associates, February 6, 1812.

The Sermon was delivered by Leonard Woods, D. D., Abbot Professor of Christian Theology in the Theological Seminary in Andover, and his text was Psalm 67.

In the opening lines of this sermon, Woods describes the common heart of all Christians for the temporal and spiritual needs of the heathen. He says,

With this holy affection reigning in his heart, the fervent, devoted Christian presents himself a living sacrifice unto God; and counts it a privilege to do and to suffer any thing for the advancement of his cause. He is ready to "endure all things for the elect's sake, that they also may obtain the salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory." In this state, no difficulty discourages; no danger alarms. The sacrifice of property and pleasure; stripes, imprisonment, and death, lose their terrors, and become more attractive, than any earthly good. ... Every degree of success attending the dispensation of the gospel, even a single instance of conversion among the weakest and meanest of mankind, yields him the purest pleasure. But this pleasure only increases desire. His enjoyment of the good already attained urges him on to the pursuit of more. The progressive enlargement of the kingdom of Christ will constantly enlarge the benevolence of his heart. While there is a nation or tribe under heaven not subdued to Christ; the enlightened, fervent Christian cannot rest. His unalterable object is, that the knowledge of the Lord may fill the earth. His heart beats high for the conversion of the world. (Long, 266-67)

What caught my attention here was the prophetic nature of these words. Judson certainly evidenced a heart for the heathen, but he continued to increase in this regard. His third wife, Emily C. Judson, noted that in his final year he found his literary labor to be "tedious work" (p. 236). She wrote that, "He longed, however, to find some more spiritual employment, to be engaged in what he considered more legitimate missionary labor, and drew delightful pictures of the future, when his whole business would be but to preach and to pray" (p. 236). He, also, was no stranger to difficulties, dangers, the loss of property, imprisonment, sicknesses, the death of loved ones.

Woods quickly brought these introductory remarks to the main point he wanted to impress upon his hearers. "I would persuade you," he said, "to act, decidedly and zealously to act under the influence of Christian love. I would excite you by motives which no follower of Christ can resist, to make the spread of the gospel, and the conversion of the world, the object of your earnest and incessant pursuit." (p. 267)

After this Sermon, Samuel Spring delivered the Charge. In this message Spring sought to make these young missionaries mindful of the importance of Christian conduct with regard to the presentation of the Gospel.

They, by your pious conduct, must be convinced that your religion, that your God, is preferable to theirs, before they will forsake idolatry and embrace the Gospel of Christ. It will be fruitless to tell them about invisible things, about Heaven and Hell, eternal happiness and eternal misery, if they do not see in your christian [sic] conduct what they ought to imitate. You will spend your breath and time in vain, except you let them see the real expression of godliness in your uniform example. The eyes of the Heathen, you will note, rather than their ears, are the avenues by which you can readily have access to their hearts. You must let them see Christ in his missionaries, before they will attentively and patiently hear you display his moral excellency. ... This, then, we emphatically charge you, never, never preach the theory of the Gospel, till you have presented the practice of the Gospel in you own godly example (p. 288-89; emphasis mine).

In light of this charge, I found it noteworthy that Emily commented on the beauty of his private life. She noted that,

He had been, from my first acquaintance with him, an uncommonly spiritual Christian, exhibiting his richest graces in the unguarded spiritual Christian, exhibiting his richest graces in the unguarded intercourse of private life; but during his last year, it seemed as though the light of the world on which he was entering, had been sent to brighten his upward pathway. Every subject on which we conversed, every book we red, every incident that occurred, whether trivial or important, had a tendency to suggest some peculiarly spiritual train of thought, till it seemed to me that more than ever before, "Christ was all his theme." (p. 234)

Samuel Worcester, the pastor of the Tabernacle Church in Salem, delivered the Right Hand of Fellowship. I love the biblical allusion he drew in regard to these young missionaries when he said, "You stand this day 'a spectacle to God, to angels, and to men'" (p. 297; see 1 Cor. 4:9). Judson, in his life and death, was and continues to this day to be a spectacle to the glory of God.

During the last hour of your sainted brother's life, Mr. Ranney bent over him and held his hand; while poor Pinapah stood at a little distance weeping bitterly. The table had been spread in the cuddy, as usual, and the officers did not know what was passing in the cabin, till summoned to dinner. Then they gathered about the door, and watched the closing scene with solemn reverence. Now--thanks to a merciful God! his pains had left him, not a momentary spasm disturbed his placid face, nor did the contraction of a muscle denote the least degree of suffering; the agony of death was passed, and his wearied spirit was turning to its rest in the bosom of his Saviour. From time to time, he pressed the hand in which his own was resting, his clasp losing in force at each successive pressure; while his shortened breath...gradually grew softer and fainter, until it died upon the air--and he was gone. Mr. Ranney closed the eyes, and composed the passive limbs,--the ship's officers stole softly from the door, and the neglected meal was left upon the board untasted. (p. 245)

How remarkably different this account is from that of Judson's "free-thinking" friend who died in misery in a room adjacent to Judson. Throughout the night Judson was tormented by the sounds of the dying man, not knowing who he was, and wondering if he was prepared. The next morning he inquired about the man and learned that it was his atheistic friend. This stunned Judson and caused him to renounce his selfish pursuits. He returned to Plymouth and submitted himself pursuing the will of God in his life.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you! (Psalm 67:3, 5 ESV)

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The Three Mrs. Judsons compiled and edited by Gary W. Long (Springfield, MO, 1999)

See our Bibliography here.

A Spectacle to God, to Angels, and to Men