Missions History of Missions

Dr. Robert PattonMissionary to Suriname,

South America

Isaac McCoy

Started in Ft Wayne, Indiana Successful in Southern Michigan

but feared encroachment of whites He arranged through the

government for land for the Indians west of Missouri

Pottawatomies moved to Kansas forceably

Isaac McCoy

Agreed with Georgia to remove the Cherokee Indians. Other missionaries disapproved; some put to hard labor, others dragged off in chains

A great injustice done to the Indians; 20% died in the trail of tears. They were forceably moved in winter without shoes/moccasins or adequate clothing

Isaac McCoy

Trail of tears

Trail of tears

Trail of tears

Marcus and Narcissa Whitman

Both felt called to missions to the Indians. Marcus was trained as a doctor. They met, discussed marriage, and were married after a partial trip to Oregon by Marcus. Narcissa became pregnant on the trip.

They traveled with Henry and Eliza Spaulding. Henry was a minister, but difficult, and Narcissa had refused marriage to him before meeting Marcus Whitman

Marcus Whitman

Settled at Waiilatpu Asked for reinforcements & 3

families came, but much tension and fighting, with no clear leadership. Other families were recalled

Their only daughter drown age 2 – wandered off. Narcissa had many times of depression

The mission grew materially

They sold to other immigrants The Cayuse Indians resented the

prosperity of Whitman, who led a group of 1000 settlers from the East to Oregon

Narcissa took care of 7 Sager orphans Marcus helped in a plague which killed

50% of the Cayuse Indians, but they suspected he was poisoning them and being a failed shaman

Marcus Whitman

The Cayuse attacked the compound of 72, killing 14 including Marcus and his wife. The rest were held 5 weeks in captivity.

Five Indians were captured & hanged

Cayuse Indians kill Whitman

Spalding had success with the Nez Pierce Indians

The Spauldings moved to Idaho as the first settlers there, and he preached

Many were saved He did translation work as well,

started a school and later one for Indians.

After his death, two ladies took over, trained Indians, and they evangelized

Spaulding house and church

Stephen and Mary Riggs

Stephen and Mary Riggs worked for 40 years in the Dakotas with the Sioux Indians. The initial times were filled with fighting and bloodshed

The real breakthrough came when there was an uprising against the whites when they did not receive their normal funds and killed a few whites.

Stephen and Mary Riggs

Several hundred Sioux were captured and sentenced to death. Most were pardoned by nearly 40 hung. The others were convicted of their sinful lifestyle and many asked for salvation. Riggs and another missionary worked in their midst, and a small revival took place with many saved.

Sioux Indians

Bishop John Horden, CMS missionary to Hudson Bay

Arrived with his wife, started teaching and preaching. Learned Cree, and then several other Indian languages, Eskimo and Norwegian

Eventually consecrated as bishop of a huge territory 1500 miles or so. Traveled and preached;

Translated the Bible into Cree

Bishop John Horden & Fort Churchhill – arctic tundra

Difficulties in Indian work

There was a tendency to equate “civilizing” and converting the Indians - so that their own culture was not respected.

Sometimes there was an attitude of superiority among the missionaries

There was a contest over the land which the Indians considered sacred

Difficulties in Indian work

Work with the Indians was less than successful for several reasons:

There was a lot of mercenary reasons that the Indians were “evangelized” and sometimes forcibly removed from their homes. The Cherokee Indians were the worst abused in the trail of tears as shown previously

The 19th century – the great century of Missions

Hinduism, Buddhism, & Islam were quiescent

Roman Catholicism had problems from rationalism & the French Revolution

Protestantism was growing rapidly, especially in the USA

Britain became a dominant power, with France, Holland, and Germany & Italy

19th century

After bloody revolutions, the world was more at peace. Europe started to grow and multiple nations colonized

Western nations and industrialization led to their world power status

Religion was no longer under the state

Revivals occurred

Roman Catholicism and Orthodox

Orthodox church began to move again and free from the Turks

Roman Catholicism gradually became unified after destruction by Napolean

France became more dominant in missions

The 19th century – the great century of Missions

It was no longer the state, but the individual who must propagate the faith

The voluntary missions societies grew tremendously – both denominational and independent

The 19th century – the great century of Missions

It was no longer the state, but the individual who must propagate the faith

The voluntary missions societies grew tremendously – both denominational and independent

Colonialism

There was some tie with colonialism & imperialism –both advantage and disadvantage

Colonialists often opposed missionaries, and missionaries were scandalized by the lives of many colonists

Missions brought

Democracy Schools Hospitals Universities But a sense of superiority of the

white man and his culture

Location of missions

Mostly initially along the coast; later went to the interior

Much opposition from the trading companies, who viewed missions as interfering with their profits

1-3% of population converted in China and India, etc.

Preparation for effective missions Jonathan Edwards had a big impact -

both by writing and preaching with revival, and also by the diary of David Brainerd. He also was a missionary to the Indians for 8 years. His son also learned Mohican

Great theologian and revivalist with most famous sermon in USA – Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

Died of smallpox vaccination as president of Yale University

Jonathan Edwards

Phillip Doddridge

20th child, always in poor health Became a nonconformist pastor and

hymnwriter Greatly influenced by the writings of

Richard Baxter of a previous century. Baxter had been jailed as well – wanting to have missionary movement

Phillip Doddridge

Phillip Dodderidge was influencial in England, influencing Wilberforce, who eliminated slavery, and Whitefield, the great evangelist.

He proposed a mission society, but it was 64 years before they did anything except organize prayer meetings

Doddridge chapel

Phillip Doddridge

The first awakening in America

Theodorus Frelinghuysen, Reformed pastor influenced by Dutch Pietists saw many converted. He linked with Gilbert Tennent, later founder of Princeton University, for the First Great Awakening.

Later fires stirred by George Whitefield’s preaching with thousands saved

Theodorus Frelinghuysen & Gilbert Tennent

George Whitefield

Preparation for effective missions John and Charles Wesley were

influenced by many of the above men They received assurance of salvation

from Moravians on shipboard to America Wesley had great success in spiritual

revival in America

John Wesley

Preparation for effective missions - Thomas Coke Thomas Coke, only 5 ft. 1 in and heavy,

was closely alligned with John Wesley and considered his successor.

Wesleyans put Thomas Coke as bishop, who sent 43 missionaries to the new world.

He made 16 trips to the United States, four to the caribbean, but also to Africa (Sierra Leone) and pushed missions.

He died on a trip with six missionaries to Ceylon

Thomas Coke - Bishop

Preparation for effective missions Andrew Fuller was liberated from

extreme Calvinism, writing to confront sinners with the gospel. Carey was liberated from the same. Finally in 1792, after publishing Carey’s booklet, they formed a mission society, with about 12 following over the next 25 years.

Fuller became the secretary and preached widely. Opposed by many Baptists, and especially by the Presbyterians

Andrew Fuller

William Carey – father of modern missions (1761-1834) Born 1761 the son of a weaver Apprenticed as a shoemaker because

allergies prevented his being a gardener Converted as a teen through a coworker Married the daughter of his master,

Dorothy, who was 5 years his senior

William Carey – father of modern missions (1761-1834) Became a pastor and gradually realized

the church’s responsibility to the heathen despite the influence of Reformed theology

He wrote the classic 87 page book concerning missions

Preached a classic sermon: Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God. A Baptist missionary society was then begun

William Carey and Serempore College

William Carey – father of modern missions (1761-1834) He offered to accompany Dr. John

Thomas who was appointed – had been to India before.

His wife as well as his family were strongly opposed. She was pregnant with their fourth child, and refused to go.

His original plan to go with Thomas and his family, along with his 8 month son, was stopped because Thomas must settle debts before leaving

William Carey – father of modern missions (1761-1834) Dorothy changed her mind, and went

with the new baby and her sister Kitty arriving in India in 1793

They moved because of pressure from the East India company to a swampy area, later helped by Mr Short from the company

Carey moved 300 miles north, and was the foreman of an indigo plant

William Carey

After the death of their 5 year old son, his wife went crazy and accused him of adultery and tried to kill him

He was depressed, but started a church and translation, but no convert for 7 years at Malda

He then moved to Serempore, under Danish control, where he was for 34 years

William Carey

Marshman and Ward were there, plus Marshman’s wife – and they worked well as a team

He translated the entire Bible in 3 languages though some needed much reworking, and the New Testament in 23 other languages Carey revised the Bengali 8 times, and it has still been replaced. Marshman translated the Bible into Chinese – though not idiomatic

William Carey

Set up a large printing operation, and eventually Serempore College for training nationals

He became Professor of Oriental Languages at Fort William College, which help with income and influence with the British

William Carey

He neglected his family; fortunately others helped them

Dorothy died age 51 Six months later he married Lady

Charlotte Rumhor, a Dane, whom he saw converted and baptized earlier despite opposition. The marriage was happy for 13 years and she mothered his boys

William Carey

Charlotte helped translation work. After her death, he married Grace

Hughes at age 62 (she was 45) – again a happy marriage

When younger missionaries came, there was a split and the younger missionaries set up another station a few miles away.

William Carey

The new missionaries had support of the Baptist Mission society, who insisted in running the mission from a distance

Eventually Serempore severed relationships, but had to recind when finances became a problem

London began to run missions in areas they did not know with missionaries they had never met

William Carey – father of modern missions (1761-1834)

He had started training nationals He also opposed suttee, but

basically tried to leave the Indian culture intact

He wanted an indigenous church with indigenous culture.

He was also an expert botanist He lived modestly and supported

other missionaries

William Carey

Four of his own sons became missionaries

Two of his co-workers, Ward and Marshman, were also recognized as great missionaries as well

Principles of Carey’s mission work

Widespread preaching the gospel at every opportunity

Distribution of the Bible in the languages of the people

Establishment of a church as soon as possible

Study background and thought of the native people

Training for indigenous ministry

Anglican work

As the British took over India during the time of William Carey, and replaced the power of the East India Company, they sent a number of effective bishops to organize the work in England, including Middleton, Heber, and Wilson

Anglican work in South India

The Mar Thomas churches that were under the pope wanted neither the pope nor the Portuguese. There was an attempt to bring in a Syrian bishop which lasted briefly. Then the Anglicans came, but there was rejection of the missionaries, and then a second group and second split. Finally the Mar Thoma church was established.

South India

Rhenius organized the church around schools with a teacher-catechist as the center. This was successful

Some prominent Indians also developed the church, and invited missionary Ringeltaube who baptized about 1000 converts

First American missionary

George Lisle - black man going to Jamaica; freed slave who started 2 churches in America

Attempts made to put him back into slavery, so he went with his wife and 4 children to Jamaica

He was successful as an evangelist and a church planter there. Got some support from England

Missions mentors

Jonathan Edwards had moved away from Calvinism through the influence of Samuel Hopkins and Joseph Bellamy

Jonathan Edwards influenced Edward D. Griffen, top Yale graduate. Samuel Mills was converted under his preaching and influenced by his missionary sermon “The Kingdom of Christ”

Samuel Mills

Mills distributed the sermon at Williams College, and this stimulated the famous haystack meeting.

Started a group of “brethren” with idea of starting a missions group

Mills was instrumental in starting the American Bible Society

The “haystack prayer meeting”

In 1802, five men from Williams College met for prayer for a lost world. During a rainstorm, they sought shelter under a haystack. They committed themselves to become missionaries

Adoniram Judson later joined them, and then became the first USA missionary

Monument at Williams College for haystack meeting

Griffin starts a new seminary – Andover

Mills and his group connected to Andover

Griffin suggested they start a mission group among Congregationalists

Mills later stayed in the USA, goes to the frontier, noted the lack of Bibles, and asked Griffin to start a Bible society

Later Timothy Dwight, grandson of Edwards, saw revival as Yale’s president

Adoniram Judson Brilliant, graduated valedictorian

from Brown University at age 19. However, he was influenced by

deist Jacob Eames and went to New York to be a playwright.

He had no success, and stopped at an inn when he heard the terrible groans of James Eames, who he heard die.

Adoniram Judson His father and others started

Andover seminary, and he attended as a special student and got saved.

He vowed to be a missionary after hearing a British minister

He went to get support under the London Missionary Society, but they did not want to fund an American missionary

Adoniram Judson He returned when he heard that

the American board had received a sizeable inheritance

He married Ann Nancy Hasseltine, who was truly called to missions

13 days later they headed for India, and en route made an extensive study of baptism. They were baptized by William Ward in Serempore

Adoniram Judson

Adoniram Judson Luther Rice came to the same conclusion.

Both resigned their board. Luther Rice went back to raise support through formaton of a Baptist board.

The congregationalists were upset, but the Baptists started a board and supported them

Adoniram Judson They were opposed by the East India

Company, and finally went to Burma, Adoniram’s original choice where he was met by Felix Carey, who had started a translation; Ann miscarried on the trip

Felix Carey and his wife soon left Burma Adoniram and his wife spent up to 12

hours a day studying Burmese. Ann learned the spoken language quickly, but her husband struggled with the written language.

Adoniram Judson

Initial life in Burma very difficult The Burmese had Theravada

Buddhism, the most difficult, and the king was despotic

The war with Britain made things difficult, as did the weather and no European colony

Adoniram Judson

He built a zayat as a place to speak to individuals

After 7 years of work, he baptized his first convert

Zayat (right); initial convert

Adoniram Judson

Health was bad, and Judson went by ship to recover health and get reinforcements from Chittagong, but the ship never arrived, finally returning 8 months later.

Opposed by the viceroy and initially by the emperor in Ava

Adoniram Judson

When the British attacked Burma, they imprisoned Judson and Dr. Price, another missionary, as spies, placed them in the death prison and tortured them

Ann visited repeatedly and pled for their lives – finally released after 18 months

Judson in prison

Adoniram Judson

Judson was in intermediary between the British and Burmese. Before he could return to his wife, she died, and shortly thereafter, the baby Maria also died

He became very depressed, built a hut, dug a grave, and sat contemplating it

Adoniram Judson After 2 years, he recovered and started

evangelizing with much greater results. He then translated the Bible over 14 years – two years initially with much revision work. His translation is still used as accurate today!

Age 46 he married Sarah Boardman, age 30 whose husband died 3 years earlier. She gave birth to 8 children in 10 years - died after last one en route to the USA

Judson’s Burmese Bible

Adoniram Judson While in the states, he married Emily

Chubbock, a young secular writer. He proposed that she write a book on Sarah Boardman Judson.

He proposed a month later, and six months later they were married.

They were in Burma only 3 years. They had one child. Adoniram died after 3 years while on a sea voyage for his health, and Emily died 3 years later age 36.

His ministry was carried on for generations,

Emily Judson

George and Sarah Boardman

George was moved by the death of a missionary working with Judson and decided to go to Burma.

His future wife wrote a poem about the same man. He met her, and they married

They arrived in Burma just after the British-Burma war completed

George and Sarah Boardman

Pioneer work among the Karen people.

George Boardman’s health deteriorated but he saw many saved

He finally died of tuberculosis

George Boardman – baptisms as he watches dying of Tbc

George and Sarah Boardman

George died after 5 years. His wife stayed on starting a girl’s school, caring for a 2 year old, and three years later married Adoniram Judson.

Her son was sent to the USA and became a pastor

Sarah Boardman

After marriage, she had many children to care for

She was also excellent in language and helped in translation work, hymns and other materials

She lived to be 46, and gave birth to 8 children in 10 years

She died en route to the USA

Ko Tha Byu

Their worker, Ko Tha Byu, a former murderer, was effective with a people’s movement which eventually led to 10,000 members

He had been a murderer of at least 30 people. After training and baptism, he was a faithful pastor until his death, having seen over 1000 saved

Henry Martyn Henry Martyn came to India as a

chaplain for the East India Company. He was a brilliant student at Cambridge, with top honors in mathematics.

He translated the New Testament into Hindustani, Persian & Arabic.

With poor health, he went to Persia, but then continued in poor health and died en route to England at age 32.

Martyn’s translations

Martyn was brilliant but also very well educated in languages. His Urdu translation is still a basis today

He made an excellent translation into Persian, and good progress on Arabic

Henry Martyn

Alexander Duff

Schools were large, but had only 33 professions – however, they made a major impact as missionaries and ministers

He left 4 children behind, and had little time for them when home in Scotland

Hailed as missionary statesman for his controversial innovation

Alexander Duff

Duff succeeded in pushing English education in India, but did not result in many conversions. It may have stimulated reformed Hinduism

He was brilliant and a scholar, but did not reckon with the Hindu culture and the need of reaching the heart as well as the head

Alexander Duff

Started Scottish Church college Instrumental in beginning Calcutta

University Leader in the Free Church movement Did help in many other countries in later

years A number of other missionaries imitated

the methods of Duff

Indian Mutiny

Other groups – Lutherans, Basil Mission came to India

1857 – mutiny against western culture, and 38 missionaries were killed

Alexander Duff and the Scottish Church College