History: Adoniram Judson

In September 1809, college student Adoniram Judson began to ponder seriously the subject of foreign missions. At the age of twenty-one, he had just finished his first year of theological studies at Andover. Judson read a sermon which was preached in the parish church of Bristol, England, by Dr. Claudius Buchanan. Buchanan had been a chaplain in the service of the British East India Company. The sermon entitled “The Star in the East” had a profound impact on Judson. The sermon text came from Matt. 2:2: “For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” Through this brief publication, Judson learned of the progress of the gospel in India, and it sparked a flame in Judson’s soul.

In February 1810, just six months later, Judson decided to become a missionary. This decision was stimulated by his close contact with several other young men, members of the secret Society of Brethren, an inter-collegiate student movement to mobilize prayer and missions.

This earliest American student ministry organization had it’s roots in the Haystack Prayer Meeting, which took place at Williams College the summer of 1806. At that haystack near the campus, these students prayed and committed to to join Christ’s mission to communicate the gospel to those who have not yet heard it. The students of the Haystack Prayer Meeting transferred to other colleges to spread the vision and within three years, they established student groups committed to world mission in almost every one of the 25 colleges in the young nation. Four of the original “Haystack” men from Williams College — Samuel Mills, James Richards, Luther Rice, and Gordon Hall– visited Andover with the simple challenge that came from their own example; they told the story of their commitment to become the answer to their prayers. This changed the life of Adoniram Judson, who became the first American foreign missionary.

Adoniram Judson sailed for India to work with William Carey in India. Shortly thereafter, Judson moved on as a missionary to Burma (modern day Myanmar). More students continued to go to the foreign fields. Over 263 students became missionaries. About 80 years later, this early impulse of student involvement in world missions came into full bloom with the Student Volunteer Movement. This marvelous story began as a few students answered the call to perseverance in pray and corresponding obedience to become the answer to their own prayer.

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