We now proceed to give a condensed and very brief narrative, from the work before us; and shall then add a few reflections, arising out of the more important incidents which the work embraces.

Miss Ann Hasseltine, afterwards Mrs. Judson, wife of the missionary of that name, and whose eventful history we are now briefly to relate, was born in Bradford, Mass. December 22, 1789. She was married to Mr. Judson, Feb. 5, 1812, at the age of twentytwo years. She embarked for India with her husband, on board the same ship with Mr. Newell and his wife, who were also missionaries, at Salem, Mass. two weeks after her marriage; and arrived at Calcutta in Bengal, after a prosperous voyage of two months, on the eighteenth of June, 1812. Here, on their arrival at the threshold, as they hoped, of the scene of their labors, they began to experience a series of trials of no ordinary character for severity even in the missionary service; and which, in relation to Mrs. Judson, at least, terminated only with her life. Some of these trials were of the most insupportable, heart-breaking kind; and all together, they have seldom been equaled in the annals of modern missions. Her valuable life was closed at Amherst,-in the territory, which had, just before that event took place, been ceded to the English, by the Burman Empire, at the close of a disastrous war, October 24, 1826; making the period which had elapsed, after her first arrival in India, 14 years; and the duration of her whole life, 36 years. Within this comparatively narrow compass, and particularly the last 14 years of it, events of deep interest were thickly crowded together; and the mind of the reader feels itself hurried along, in rapid transition, from one scene to another, of constantly increasing, and for the most part, of melancholy and painful interest, until, exhausted and borne down, by the intensity of its emotions over so much suffering and sorrow, and so much resignation under them, it comes at length to the last mournful catastrophe, in which this heroic and devoted woman passes, in the midst of her days, from her warfare on earth, to her final reward. And we envy not that man his temperament, nor his creed, who can follow this devoted missionary of the cross, through all that she experienced, during the brief, but eventful period abovementioned, and yet see nothing in it to admire, and nothing in it to love, even more than to admire.

But we will let the narrative speak for itself, beginning with some brief notices of her earlier years.

In her earliest years, she was distinguished by activity of mind, extreme gayety, a strong relish for social amusements, and unusually ardent feelings. She possessed that spirit of enterprise, that fertility in devising plans for the attainment of her wishes, and that indefatigable perseverance in the pursuit of her purposes, of which her subsequent life furnished so many examples, and created so frequent occasions. p. 11. 3

VOL. II.

Mrs. Judson's mind was of a superior order. It was distinguished by strength, activity and clearness. She has, indeed, left no memorials, which can be produced, as fair specimens of her talents and literary acquirements. She wrote much, but her writings have perished, except letters and accounts of missionary proceedings, written without any design to exhibit her abilities, or display her learning. But no one can review her life, and read what she has written and published, without feeling that her mind possessed unusual vigor and cultivation.

She was educated at the Academy in Bradford, a seminary which has become hallowed by her memory, and by that of Mrs. Newell, the protomartyr of the American missions. Here she pursued her studies with much success. Her perceptions were rapid, her memory retentive, and her perseverance indefatigable. Here she laid the foundation of her knowledge, and here her intellect was stimulated, disciplined, and directed. Her preceptors and associates ever regarded her with respect and esteem; and considered her ardent temperament, her decision and perseverance, and her strength of mind, as ominous of some uncommon destiny.

Her religious character, however, is of the most importance, in itself, and in connection with her future life. The readers of this Memoir will feel the deepest concern, to trace the rise and progress of that spiritual renovation, and that divine teaching, which made her a disciple of the Savior, and prepared her for her labors in his service.

Of this momentous change, the following account, written by herself, has happily been rescued from the fate which befell the greater part of her private journals:

During the first sixteen years of my life, I very seldom felt any serious impressions, which I think were produced by the Holy Spirit.

The first circumstance, which, in any measure, awakened me from this sleep of death, was the following. One sabbath morning, having prepared myself to attend public worship, just as I was leaving my toilet, I accidentally took up Hannah More's Strictures on Female Education; and the first words that caught my eye were, She that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liveth. They were written in italics, with marks of admiration; and they struck me to the heart. I stood for a few moments, amazed at the incident, and half inclined to think that some invisible agency had directed my eye to those words. At first, I thought I would live a different life, and be more serious and sedate; but at last I thought, that the words were not so applicable to me, as I first imagined, and resolved to think no more of them. p. 12.

In the spring of 1806, during a revival of religion at Bradford, she first became deeply solicitous for her salvation.

But I had seen, as yet, very little of the awful wickedness of my heart. I knew not yet the force of that passage, The carnal mind is enmity against God. I thought myself very penitent, and almost prepared by voluntary abstinence, to receive the divine favor. After spending two or three weeks in this manner, without obtaining the least comfort, my heart began to rise in rebellion against God. I thought it unjust in him, not to notice my prayers and my repentance. I could not endure the thought, that he was a sovereign God, and had a right to call one and leave another to perish. So far from being merciful in calling some, I thought it cruel in him to send any of his creatures to hell for their disobedience. But my chief distress was occasioned by a view of his perfect purity and holiness.But that glo. rious Being, who is kinder to his creatures, than they are to themselves, did not leave me to remain long in this distressing state. I began to dis

cover a beauty in the way of salvation by Christ. He appeared to be just such a Savior as I needed. I saw how God could be just, in saving sinners through him. I committed my soul into his hands, and besought him to do with me what seemed good in his sight. When I was thus enabled to commit myself into the hands of Christ, my mind was relieved from that distressing weight which had borne it down for so long a time.A few days after this, as I was reading Bellamy's True Religion, I obtained a new view of the character of God. His justice, displayed in condemning the finally impenitent, which I had before viewed as cruel, now appeared to be an expression of hatred to sin, and regard to the good of beings in general. A view of this purity and holiness filled my soul with wonder and admiration. I felt a disposition to commit myself unreservedly into his hands, and leave it with him to save me or cast me off, for I felt I could not be unhappy, while allowed the privilege of contemplating and loving so glorious a Being.

I now began to hope, that I had passed from death unto life. When I examined myself, I was constrained to own, that I had feelings and dispositions, to which I was formerly an utter stranger. I had sweet communion with the blessed God, from day to day; my heart was drawn out in love to christians of whatever denomination; the sacred scriptures were sweet to my taste; and such was my thirst for religious knowledge, that I frequently spent a great part of the night in reading religious books. I felt that if Christ had not died, to make an atonement for sin, I could not ask God to dishonor his holy government so far as to save so polluted a creature, and that should he even now condemn me to suffer eternal punishment, it would be so just, that my mouth would be stopped, and all holy beings in the universe would acquiesce in the sentence, and praise him, as a just and righteous God. My chief happiness now consisted in contemplating the moral perfections of the glorious God. I longed to have all intelligent creatures love him; and felt, that even fallen spirits could never be released from their obligations to love a being possessed of such glorious perfections. pp. 17, 18.

The change of character, which the foregoing extracts disclose, was a permanent one. It marked her whole subsequent life. It was the turning point in her history. It laid the foundation of her distinguished future usefulness. From it she dated her own hopes of a happy immortality. These hopes sustained her to the last : and certainly they were not feebly tested. September 14, 1806, she made a public profession of her faith in Christ, and united herself to the congregational church in her native town of Bradford. She now engaged, with her characteristic ardor and decision of character, in enterprises of benevolence, and schemes of usefulness, to others. Among these, we find her early employing herself, after her religious change, in the important, though difficult and selfdenying occupation of instructing schools.

In this employment, her character was early developed, and those energies of mind and heart were beginning to appear, which were afterwards to be more conspicuously exhibited, and to give to her history its most interesting peculiarities.

Her connection with Mr. Judson, as already stated, took place February, 1812. This connection was understood, from the first,

both by herself and her friends, to involve the engagement of herself to a missionary life, in a remote part of the earth, from which engagement there was no probability, and no expectation, that aught but death would release her. It was therefore understood to imply, on her part, an exposure to trials and hardships, to which she had hitherto been wholly unaccustomed; and to be, in fact, the giving of herself up, beyond the power of recantation or retreat, to a life of peculiar self-denial for the sake of doing good. Lofty, noble, generous magnanimity! Would that there were more of this spirit on earth! More is needed. More there must be, ere the fields "white to the harvest" can be supplied with the requisite number of laborers. The communication of Mr. Judson, to her father, on the subject of the intended connection, will show in what light the subject was viewed, by all parties. The following is an extract from that communication.

I have now to ask, whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world; whether you can consent to her departure for a heathen land, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a missionary life; whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean; to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death. Can you consent to all this, for the sake of Him who left his heavenly home, and died for her and for you; for the sake of perishing, immortal souls; for the sake of Zion, and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this, in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with a crown of righteousness, brightened by the acclamations of praise which shall redound to her Savior from heathens saved, through her means, from eternal wo and despair? p. 42.

The day after her connection with Mr. J. was formed, was the day of ordination. It was a day, on many accounts, long to be remembered. From that day, is to be dated the commencement of American missions; the results of which, who shall look forward and compute! On that day, in solemn assembly, Messrs. Judson, Newell, Nott, Hall and Rice, were set apart as missionaries to the heathen, to act under the patronage and direction of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, then recently instituted. Their primary destination was Calcutta; with the design, if practicable, of establishing themselves in the Burman Empire. Shortly after, they commenced their voyage for India, and arrived safely at the place of their destination. Here it was that trials of a very serious and threatening aspect, first began to assail them. The English East India Company were at that time jealous of the influence of missionaries, and afraid to countenance any attempts to introduce christianity among the natives. Foreign missionaries were especially obnoxious to suspicion. The subject of missions

was then comparatively new. There was much ignorance, and much prejudice, respecting it. Under these circumstances, the American missionaries arrived and landed. But, as their object became known, it was the ground of unreasonable apprehension to the local authorities, and they shortly after received an imperative order, from the Bengal government, to leave the country. The ship was designated in which they were to depart, and their names were inserted in the public journals, as passengers for England. In the mean time, Mr. and Mrs. Judson and Mr Rice had become anti-pedobaptists, and were rebaptized at Calcutta. After encountering a variety of trials and perplexities, they concluded to visit the Isle of France, and see what could be done there. At that island the event took place, which sent such a thrill of sorrow back to the churches of this land. We allude to Mrs. Newell's death, just after her arrival there. Mr. and Mrs. Judson arrived soon after, only to receive the melancholy tidings of Mrs. Newell's decease, who, with her husband, had taken a different vessel, and arrived before them.

Mr. Rice, in the mean time, returned to America. Through his exertions, and those of other friends of missions, the Baptist General Convention was formed, in April, 1814. Under the patronage of this body, Mr. and Mrs. Judson were now received as missionaries; and much additional interest, on the subject of missions, was excited among the churches of that communion. Thus, was a new mission formed, under new auspices; and an increased impulse was given to the cause of missions in this land, by bringing forward another denomination of christians to engage in it, in imitation of the noble example which had been set them by their brethren of the same communion in Great Britain. We cordially wish them prosperity, in the great and common cause, of extending the knowledge of Christ crucified throughout the earth.

The missionaries soon found it necessary for them to leave the Isle of France, and to seek some other field of labor. After various disappointments, they fixed on Rangoon, in the Burman empire, where they arrived in July, 1813. Thus far, their disappointments and trials had been many and great. They had been led, by an unseen hand, in a way which they knew not. Their way had been hedged up against them, and thick darkness had clouded their prospects. They had now arrived, almost through providential compulsion, on the shores of a barbarous country. Protection from any civilized government they could not here expect, whatever their perils or sufferings might be. They were, moreover, alone; separated from all their brethren; and for some part of the time during their residence in the country, they were the only missionaries in the Burman empire. Here, in their solitude, on a barbarous shore, and with half the breadth of the globe be