To the Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson

This book is just so so good! It was very well written, the details included are helpful to the story. This man suffered so much, but His reward is great! About a month and a half ago an evangelist came to my church, and shared how he recently met a young man from Burma who was a Christian because his great great grandmother (or grandfather) was lead to Christ by Adoniram Judson! WOOO! What a blessing! I’m so so thankful for this book. I’ll forever be encouraged to give my all to my Jesus!

Courtney Anderson has done a terrific job of recounting the life of Adoniram Judson. Anderson's biography takes you from Judson's birth in New England to his final days in Burma, making frequent use of personal accounts written by Judson and his three wives. Leaving friends and family, believing you will never see them face to face again? Six years of labor before seeing a single convert? Dreaming for a church of ten native Burmese Christians? Facing the prospect of execution for making disciples? It is quite a humbling experience to read about the hardships of missionary life in the early to mid-1800s: long voyages at sea; sickness and disease; the death of infants and young children; long periods of separation from a spouse; imprisonment and war. Yet the Judsons were willing to suffer through all this and more for the sake of taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who had not yet heard. The life of Adoniram Judson makes very clear what it means to take up one's cross and follow Jesus, but it also shows that God's grace is sufficient for whatever may come. I heartily recommend this book as a reminder of past missionary enterprises and an inspiration to future ones.

We'd call them a bunch of kids today. The youngest was 18, the oldest in his early 20s. Full of faith, they left their moms, dads, homes, security and everything they knew. Their destination was certain danger and misery, possible torture and death. Most never returned. Little visible progress, illness, obstacles, death of friends, co-workers and their own children, illness, antagonists, indifference, illness, financial concerns, war, illness, discomfort, loneliness, depression, persecution and cultural and language barriers plagued them. The first few years seemed to yield no progress. The missionaries were discouraged. They contemplated giving up. Some actually did leave. Then things got worse. But the Judsons and others were so convinced of their faith and so confident that their obedience to God's will would produce fruit that they never gave up. And eventually their work yielded fruit. First, one convert. Then a couple other converts and a lot of people who were seriously interested started showing up at their door. On some occasions people literally begged to hear about Jesus and for copies of the gospel tract that Adoniram Judson had printed in the Burmese language. The rest is history. It's an inspirational book, and one can appreciate the work of God throughout the book from Judson's infancy to the Karen people who eagerly accepted the gospel. In addition to Adoniram, the respective characters of his wives were discussed in depth. One can't help but admire with amazement the determination, courage, godliness and fervency of all of these women. This book is impeccably researched. Names, dates, events and details are abundant throughout the book's 500+ pages. The author has done extensive research. The author has also left a comprehensive bibliography and laments that some of Judson's letters home were destroyed (at his request) after the death of his first wife.

This was the best biography that I have ever read. The testimony of salvation of both Adonirom and Nancy are given in great detail. The book also gives some great details of Adonirom's methodology for starting a mission. After reading about the tremendous trials he went through, you will find it difficult to ever complain again about your lot in life. In addition to the great spiritual benefits the book affords, it is a very enjoyable book to read. The author does a great job of keeping the interest level - it is a hard book to put down.

This book is mandatory reading for those who are interested in the life of Judson or the history of Christian missions. Anderson writes the story of Adoniram Judson in a clear and compelling style. The spirit and sacrafice of Judson stand outs clearly in this moving work. The life of Judson has propelled many Christians to a more devoted Christian commitment. Anderson demonstrates her scholarly research in a format that is very accessible. The one weakness seems to be her misunderstanding of Adoniram Judson's father's theological viewpoint. However, this is very minor and does not significantly impact the power or value of this work.