History of American missions to the heathen, from their commencement to the present time

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1840 Excerpt: ... Mrs. Hough proceed to Rangoon. Church constituted. First printing executed in Burmah. First Burman inquirer after Christ. The city of Rangoon stands upon a tongue of land, about a mile and a half above the confluence of the Syriam and Rangoon rivers. It is square, and surrounded with a high stockade. It is composed chiefly of huts of bamboo, raised on posts two or three feet above the ground. This mode of building is practised for the sake of ventilation and coolness. A few tiled houses are seen among the trees within the fort, and here the officers of the government, merchants, and all persons of consideration reside. The humbler classes occupy the suburbs. There are four or five small brick build ings occupied As houses of worship by foreigners. Many pagodas with gilded spiress are seen on both sides of the river. The population is estimated af,50,000, but is probably less. The river is commodious for shipping, aicl there is no other port in the empire but Bassein; yet there is neither wharf or quay. Vessels lie in the stream, and discharge their cargoes into boats from which they are borne upon men's shoulders up wooden stairs to the custom-house. The commerce of the place is however considerable. Having become established at Rangoon, Mr. and Mrs. Judson,as we have just intimated, applied themselves diligently to the acquirement of the language. Their success was such as persevering application alone can secure. Mr. J. sat all day in the verandah, with his venerable teacher by his side, and Mrs. J., after superintending the concerns of the family until ten o'clock, devoted the remainder of the day to study. While Mr. J. was acquiring a scientific knowledge of the language, Mrs. Judson, owing to her necessary intercourse with her servants, was sootiest a...