Judson was the author of those eloquent and forcible appeals to
the government, which prepared them by degrees for submission to terms
of peace, never expected by any, who knew the hauteur and inflexible
pride of the Burman court.
"And while on this subject, the overflowing of grateful feelings, on
behalf of myself and fellow-prisoners, compel me to add a tribute of
public thanks to that amiable and humane female, who, though living at a
distance of two miles from our prison, without any means of conveyance,
and very feeble in health, forgot her own comfort and infirmity, and
almost every day visited us, sought out and administered to our wants,
and contributed in every way to alleviate our misery.
"While we were left by the government destitute of food, she, with
unwearied perseverance, by some means or other, obtained for us a
constant supply.
"When the tattered state of our clothes evinced the extremity of our
distress, she was ever ready to replenish our scanty wardrobe.
"When the unfeeling avarice of our keepers confined us inside, or made
our feet fast in the stocks, she, like a ministering angel, never ceased
her applications to the government, until she was authorized to
communicate to us the grateful news of our enlargement, or of a respite
from our galling oppressions.
"Besides all this, it was unquestionably owing, in a chief degree, to
the repeated eloquence, and forcible appeals of Mrs. Judson, that the
untutored Burman was finally made willing to secure the welfare and
happiness of his country, by a sincere peace."
CHAPTER XX.
PERSECUTION OF THE WESLEYAN MISSIONARIES IN THE WEST INDIES.
The exertions of Christians to spread the truths of the gospel among the
Africans in the West Indies, have met with much opposition from the
white population. Moravian missionaries, at first, sold themselves as
slaves, and laboured with the negroes on the plantations for the purpose
of preaching the gospel during the intervals of labour. The Methodist
missionaries have been treated with much indignity, and have had their
lives endangered by the violence of the white mob. In 1816, the white
rabble of Barbadoes, collected together, and totally destroyed the
Methodist chapel. The destruction of the chapel occupied two successive
nights, and so listless were the authorities, that no attempt was made
to prevent it. And when the governor issued a proclamation, offering a
reward to any person who should ap
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