Adoniram Judson was taught the Christian faith from an early age. In fact, his mother taught him to read when he was only three years old so that he could read a chapter out of the Bible as a surprise for his father, a minister. When, however, at age sixteen he went to college at Brown University, he found his faith severely challenged. He became friends with another student named Jacob Eames. Eames was a deist, and his arguments and influence proved so persuasive that Judson had no faith left by the time he graduated from Brown, valedictorian at the age of nineteen.
I can imagine the deep grief his devout parents felt when, on his twentieth birthday, he divulged to them his apostasy. He joined a traveling theater group until he grew weary of it, and one night, tired and hopeless, found himself in need of lodging in a small village. He took a room at an inn, but he found his sleep disturbed by a man in apparent agony in the next room. The groans of the traveler on the other side of the wall, apparently in the throws of death, turned his thoughts toward his own death, a prospect that made him uncomfortable.
The next morning, before he set off, he inquired about the sick man and was told that he had died in the night. Judson asked who the man was, and the innkeeper replied that he was a young student named Jacob Eames.(1)
The knowledge that his good friend’s life had so quickly been cut short nearly paralyzed Judson with fear. His own unwitting presence at Eames’s death smacked of the Christian doctrine of providence. He reopened all of the theological questions that Eames’s persuasiveness had closed. After several months of spiritual and intellectual wrestling, Judson surrendered his life to God, freely and finally.
If you are familiar with the story of the rest of Adoniram Judson’s life, you know that he became one of the first foreign missionaries sent out from America. He spent the rest of his life laboring to bring the Gospel to Burma (now Myanmar). It was not an easy task; Judson lost two wives and seven children and lived as a stranger in a strange land. But his was a fruitful work. When he died, he had seen 8,000 people come to faith. Today there are thousands of Baptist congregations in Myanmar that survive as his legacy.
When Adoniram Judson’s parents sat with breaking hearts on their son’s twentieth birthday, how little they must have imagined that his testimony would bring thousands to faith and inspire countless missionaries. They must have prayed for him, that God would bring their prodigal son home, little knowing that the one who had destroyed his faith would be the instrument God used to restore it.
When Luke recounts Jesus’s parable of the persistent widow, he tells us that the message of the story is that we “should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1). If there is someone you have long been praying for, I hope that Judson’s story will induce you to continue. There is no one beyond the reach of the “Hound of Heaven” and God can use any person or circumstance He chooses to show sinners their need of Him. If you find yourself staring at what looks like a hopeless case, lift your eyes from the one who is resisting up to the God who made them. Call out on their behalf to the one who raised Lazarus from the dead, who brought Adoniram Judson to his knees, who softened your own hard heart.
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1. Story told by John Piper in the sermon “How Few There Are Who Die So Hard!” at www.desiringgod.org .
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Copyright © 2007 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. “A Slice of Infinity” is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.
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Version used in a sermon by David Holwick on 7/12/15:
Adoniram Judson was taught the Christian faith from an early age, which is not surprising because he was a preacher’s kid. In fact, his mother taught him to read when he was only three years old so that he could read a chapter out of the Bible as a surprise for his dad. Adoniram was so smart he went to Brown University at age 16. But he found his faith severely challenged there; even in the late 1700s colleges were known for being anti-God. He became friends with another student named Jacob Eames. Eames was a deist, and his arguments and influence were so persuasive that Judson had no faith left by the time he graduated as valedictorian at age 19.
On his 20th birthday he told his parents that he had abandoned the Christian faith. I can imagine the torment his godly parents felt. Adoniram joined a traveling theater group until he lost interest in it. One night, tired and hopeless, found himself in a small village and got a room in the local inn. He found it hard to sleep because a man in the next room kept moaning all night. The man sounded like he was deathly ill and Adoniram got to thinking about his own death. It made him very uncomfortable.
The next morning, before he left, he asked about the sick man. They told him that the man had died in the night. Adoniram asked who he was, and the innkeeper replied that he was a young student named Jacob Eames.
The knowledge that his good friend’s life had so quickly been cut short paralyzed Adoniram with fear. How did his friend come to die right next to him? It was like a divine setup. He started thinking about all those spiritual questions that Eames’s persuasiveness had closed. After several months of spiritual and intellectual wrestling, Adoniram Judson finally surrendered his life to God.
If you are familiar with the story of the rest of Adoniram’s life, you know that he became one of the first foreign missionaries sent out from America. He spent the rest of his life laboring to bring the Gospel to Burma. It was not easy; Judson lost two wives and seven children and lived as a stranger in a strange land. When he died, he had seen 8,000 people come to faith. Today there are thousands of Baptist congregations in Burma that survive as his legacy.