Foxe - The Book of Martyrs
The mystery of history is not completely dark, since it is a veil which only partially conceals the creative activity and spiritual forces and the operation of spiritual laws. It is commonplace to say that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church yet what we are asserting is simply that individual acts of spiritual decision bear social fruit …For the great cultural changes and historic revolutions that decide the fate of nations or the character of an age is the cumulative result of a number of spiritual decisions … the faith and insight, or the refusal and blindness, of individuals. No one can put his finger on the ultimate spiritual act that tilts the balance, and makes the external order of society assume a new form… Persecution, powerless to destroy or even to shake this new community, made it only the more sensible of its own strength, and pressed it into a more compact body.
The mystery of history is not completely dark, since it is a veil which only partially conceals the creative activity and spiritual forces and the operation of spiritual laws. It is commonplace to say that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church yet what we are asserting is simply that individual acts of spiritual decision bear social fruit …For the great cultural changes and historic revolutions that decide the fate of nations or the character of an age is the cumulative result of a number of spiritual decisions … the faith and insight, or the refusal and blindness, of individuals. No one can put his finger on the ultimate spiritual act that tilts the balance, and makes the external order of society assume a new form… Persecution, powerless to destroy or even to shake this new community, made it only the more sensible of its own strength, and pressed it into a more compact body.
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<strong>Foxe</strong>’s <strong>Book</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Martyrs</strong><br />
"For several days, this single idea wholly occupied my mind, that we were out <strong>of</strong> the<br />
power <strong>of</strong> the Burmese government, and once more under the protection <strong>of</strong> the English. Our<br />
feelings continually dictated expressions like these: What shall we render to the Lord for all<br />
His benefits toward us.<br />
"<strong>The</strong> treaty <strong>of</strong> peace was soon concluded, signed by both parties, and a termination <strong>of</strong><br />
hostilities publicly declared. We left Yandaboo, after a fortnight's residence, and safely<br />
reached the mission house in Rangoon, after an absence <strong>of</strong> two years and three months."<br />
Through all this suffering the precious manuscript <strong>of</strong> the Burmese New Testament was<br />
guarded. It was put into a bag and made into a hard pillow for Dr. Judson's prison. Yet he was<br />
forced to be apparently careless about it, lest the Burmans should think it contained something<br />
valuable and take it away. But with the assistance <strong>of</strong> a faithful Burmese convert, the<br />
manuscript, representing so many long days <strong>of</strong> labour, was kept in safety.<br />
At the close <strong>of</strong> this long and melancholy narrative, we may appropriately introduce the<br />
following tribute to the benevolence and talents <strong>of</strong> Mrs. Judson, written by one <strong>of</strong> the English<br />
prisoners, who were confined at Ava with Mr. Judson. It was published in a Calcutta paper<br />
after the conclusion <strong>of</strong> the war:<br />
"Mrs. Judson was the author <strong>of</strong> those eloquent and forceful appeals to the government<br />
which prepared them by degrees for submission to terms <strong>of</strong> peace, never expected by any,<br />
who knew the hauteur and inflexible pride <strong>of</strong> the Burman court.<br />
"And while on this subject, the overflowings <strong>of</strong> grateful feelings, on behalf <strong>of</strong> myself and<br />
fellow prisoners, compel me to add a tribute <strong>of</strong> public thanks to that amiable and humane<br />
female, who, though living at a distance <strong>of</strong> two miles from our prison, without any means <strong>of</strong><br />
conveyance, and very feeble in health, forgot her own comfort and infirmity, and almost every<br />
day visited us, sought out and administered to our wants, and contributed in every way to<br />
alleviate our misery.<br />
"While we were left by the government destitute <strong>of</strong> food, she, with unwearied<br />
perseverance, by some means or3 another, obtained for us a constant supply.<br />
"When the tattered state <strong>of</strong> our clothes evinced the extremity <strong>of</strong> our distress, she was ever<br />
ready to replenish our scanty wardrobe.<br />
"When the unfeeling avarice <strong>of</strong> our keepers confined us inside, or made our feet fast in<br />
the stocks, she, like a ministering angel, never ceased her applications to the government,<br />
until she was authorised to communicate to us the grateful news <strong>of</strong> our enlargement, or <strong>of</strong> a<br />
respite from our galling oppressions.<br />
"Besides all this, it was unquestionably owing, in a chief degree, to the repeated<br />
eloquence, and forcible appeals <strong>of</strong> Mrs. Judson, that the untutored Burman was finally made<br />
willing to secure the welfare and happiness <strong>of</strong> his country, by a sincere peace."<br />
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