Chapter XIII

CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN MRS. BOARDMAN AND THE SUPERINTENDENT.--HER TOURS AMONG THE KARENS.--HER PERSONAL APPEARANCE.--HER ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE BURMAN LANGUAGE.--DR. JUDSON'S TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE.

An interesting letter from the gentleman mentioned at the close of the last chapter, with Mrs. Boardman's reply, we will give entire, as they exhibit at once her firmness of principle, and the high respect she commanded from the European residents in the country.

"Tavoy, Aug. 24, 1833.

"My dear Sir,

"Mr. Mason has handed me for perusal, the extract from your letter
to Government, which you kindly sent him. I apprehend I have
hitherto had wrong impressions in reference to the ground on which
the Honorable Company patronize schools in their territories; and I
hope you will allow me to say, that it would not accord with my
feelings and sentiments, to banish religious instruction from the
schools under my care. I think it desirable for the rising
generation of this Province, to become acquainted with useful
science; and the male part of the population, with the English
language. But it is infinitely more important that they receive
into their hearts our holy religion, which is the source of so much
happiness in this state, and imparts the hope of a glorious
immortality in the world to come. Parents and guardians must know
that there is more or less danger of their children deserting the
faith of their ancestors, if placed under the care of a Foreign
Missionary; and the example of some of the pupils is calculated to
increase such apprehensions. Mr. Boardman baptized into the
Christian religion several of his scholars. One of the number is
now a devoted preacher; and notwithstanding the decease of their
beloved and revered teacher, they all, with one unhappy exception,
remain firm in the Christian faith.

"The success of the Hindoo College, where religious instruction was
interdicted, may perhaps be urged in favor of pursuing a similar
course in schools here. But it strikes me, that the case is
different here, even admitting _their_ course to be right. The
overthrow of a system so replete with cruel and impure rites, as
the Hindoo, or so degrading as the Mahometan, _might_ be matter of
joy, though no better religion were introduced in its stead. But
the Burman system of morality is superior to that of the nations
round them, and to the heathen of ancient times, and is surpassed
only by the divine precepts of our blessed Saviour. Like all other
merely _human_ institutions, it is destitute of saving power; but
its influence on the people, so far as it is felt, is salutary, and
their moral character will, I should think, bear a comparison with
that of any heathen nation in the world. The person who should
spend his days in teaching them mere human science, (though he
might undermine their false tenets,) by neglecting to set before
them brighter hopes and purer principles, would, I imagine, live to
very little purpose. For myself, sure I am, I should at last suffer
the overwhelming conviction of having labored in vain.

"With this view of things, you will not, my dear sir, be surprised
at my saying, it is impossible for me to pursue a course so utterly
repugnant to my feelings, and so contrary to my judgment, as to
banish religious instruction from the schools in my charge. It is
what I am confident you yourself would not wish; but I infer from a
remark in your letter that such are the terms on which Government
affords patronage. It would be wrong to deceive the patrons of the
schools and if my supposition is correct, I can do no otherwise
than request, that the monthly allowance be withdrawn. It will
assist in establishing schools at Maulmain on a plan more consonant
with the wishes of Government than mine has ever been. Meanwhile I
trust, I shall be able to represent the claims of my pupils in such
a manner, as to obtain support and countenance from those, who
would wish the children to be taught the principles of the
Christian faith.

"Allow me, my dear sir, to subscribe myself,

"Yours, most respectfully,

"Sarah H. Boardman."

"My dear Madam,

"I cannot do otherwise than honor and respect the sentiments
conveyed in your letter, now received. You will, I hope, give me
credit for sincerity, when I assure you, that in alluding to the
system of instruction pursued by you, it has ever been a source of
pride to me, to point out the quiet way, in which your scholars
have been made acquainted with the Christian religion. My own
Government in no way proscribes the teaching of Christianity. The
observations in my official letter are intended to support what I
have before brought to the notice of Government, that _all_ are
received, who present themselves for instruction at your schools,
without any stipulation as to their becoming members of the
Christian faith.

I cannot express to you how much your letter has distressed me. It
has been a subject of consideration with me, for some months past,
how I could best succeed in establishing a college here, the
scholars of which were to have been instructed in the same system
which you have so successfully pursued. Believe me,

"Yours very faithfully,

"A.D. Maingy

"_Saturday._"

Appropriations were afterward made by the British government for schools throughout the Provinces "to be conducted on the plan of Mrs. Boardman's schools at Tavoy;" and although the propagation of Christianity in the _other_ schools was subsequently prohibited, yet in _her own_, she always taught as her conscience dictated.

It had been one of Mr. Boardman's practices to make frequent tours among the Karen villages, to preach the gospel, and strengthen the disciples and the feeble churches. Even from this duty, as far as the visitation was concerned, his widow did not shrink, although she _did_ shrink from writing or speaking much on the subject; doubtless always regarding it as a cross, which although she might bear with patience, she would willingly lay down as soon as duty should permit. Attended by her faithful Karens, and her little boy borne in their arms,--leaving Mr. Mason to his indispensable task of acquiring the language, she would thread the wild passes of the mountains, and the obscure paths of the jungle, fording the smaller streams and carried over the larger in a chair borne on bamboo poles by her followers,--carrying joy and gladness to the hearts of the simple-minded villagers, and cheering her own by witnessing their constancy and fidelity.

In her own inimitable style "Fanny Forrester" gives an account of an adventure of Mrs. Boardman during one of these excursions; in which the impression she made upon an English officer who encountered her far from civilized habitations, so unexpectedly that he almost mistook her for an angel visitant from a better sphere, was sufficiently pleasant to form the basis of a lasting friendship between them. Indeed there are many testimonials to Mrs. Boardman's personal loveliness and grace of manner. In Calcutta, where she resided nearly two years, she was regarded as a "finished lady;" and in a well-written tribute to her memory, published in the Mother's Journal, she is described as "of about middle stature, agreeable in personal appearance, and winning in manners. The first impression of an observer respecting her in her youth, would be of a gentle, confiding, persuasive being, who would sweeten the cup of life to those who drank it with her. But further acquaintance would develop strength as well as loveliness of character. It would be seen that she could do and endure, as well as love and please. Sweetness and strength, gentleness and firmness, were in her character most happily blended. Her mind was both poetical and practical. She had a refined taste, and a love for the beautiful as well as the excellent." But all these fine gifts and endowments were consecrated; the offering she had made on her Saviour's altar was unreserved; nor do we find that she ever cast back to the world where she might have shone so brilliantly, "one longing, lingering look."

She is said by her fellow Missionaries to have made wonderful proficiency in the Burman language, and indeed she translated into it Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. She loved the language much; and used to read the Scriptures in it in preference to reading them in English. She once said to Mrs. Mason, "I should be willing to learn Burmese, for the sake of reading the Scriptures in that language."

The translation of the Scriptures into Burmese is a work for which Burmah is indebted to Dr. Judson For many years this devoted servant of Christ employed on this great work every moment he could spare from pastoral labor; and there is something truly sublime in the record he has left of the completion of it, in his Journal under date of Jan. 31, 1834: "Thanks be to god, I can now say, I have attained! I have knelt down before him, with the last leaf in my hand, and imploring his forgiveness for all the sins which have polluted my labors in this department, and his aid in future efforts to remove the errors and imperfections which necessarily cleave to the work, I have commended it to his mercy and grace; I have dedicated it to his glory. May he make his own inspired word, now complete in the Burman tongue, the grand instrument of filling all Burmah with songs and praises to our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ Amen."