BOARDMAN, George Dana

[s. 114] : Born at Liver In April, 1823, more, Me., February 8, 1801. he offered his services to the Baptist Board of In June of tliat Mi ions, and was accepted. year he entered And over Theological Seminary, where he remained two years, sailing for Cal Because of the Burmese cutta July 16, 1825. war he remained in the vicinity of Calcutta, occupied with study of Burmese until 1827, when he removed to Maul main, which became the seat Sir Archibald also of the mi ion in Burma. Campbell offered Mr. Boardman a fine, large spot On this of ground for a mi ion establisliment. he built a bamboo house costing about $100. The mi ion and the Board in America, thinking that the field of operations should be widened by the establishment of new stations, Tavoy, about 150 miles from Maul main, was selected as the site for the new station, and Mr. Boardman, by the unanimous choice of his a ociates, was appointed to commence it. He took with him Ko-Thah-Byu, the first Karen convert, a young Siamese lately baptized, and four of the boys from his boarding-school, and reached the city He soon commenced of Tavoy, April 9, 1828. public worship in Burman, and inquirers began On May 16 he bap to present themselves. tized Ko-Thah-Byu, the Karen Christian who had accompanied him. As the result of the indefatigable labors of this remarlcable man many of the Karens of the villages scattered over the mountains of Tavoy flocked in from the distant jungles to listen to the truths he taught. Mr. Boardman resolved to visit the Karens in the jungle, and on February 28, 1828, he set out on his first tour, accompanied by Ko-ThahByu and another Karen, a profe ed believer in Christ. So much encouraged was he by the readine of the people to receive him and give attention to his instructions, that he determined to pursue a course of itinerary preaching among their villages. In these tours he was generally accompanied by Ko-Thah-Byu or some other convert, and some boys from the schools. He usually visited three or four villages a week, preaching in zayats or from house to house, and talking with those he met by the way. Some of his journeys were long and dangerous, and often on foot. He also made tours in the mi ion boat on the river. These labors were continued for three years in great physical debility, to which he was reduced by pulmonary disease. Tho unwilling to slacken his labors on account of his own health, he was obliged by Mrs. Boardman’s very critical illne to leave his station and to remove to Maul main. Soon after his return to Tavoy, Mr. F. Mason joined him as an a ociate, and on the 31st of January, 1831, they set out together on a visit to the Karens. They reached their destination on the third day, where they found a bamboo chapel erected on a beautiful stream and a hundred persons a embled, more than half of them applicants for baptism. Hav- 96 ing lost strength, Mrs. Boardman advised her husband to return to Tavoy, but he replied, “The cause of God is of more importance than my health, and if I return now our whole object I want to see the work of the will be defeated. Lord go on.” When, however, it was evident he could not live long, and it was thought best to return without delay, he consented, on condition that the candidates were baptized that evening, So just before sun to return the day following. set he was carried out in his bed to the water-side, and in his presence Mr. Mason baptized thirty four persons. While being conveyed to the boat from the comfortle roof of the heathen Tavoyer which had sheltered them for the night, he died, February 11, 1831. He was buried on the mi ion premises, the funeral being attended by all the European gentlemen and officers of the station, with many natives. Tho but thirty years of age and but three years in the service, he had accomplished a great work. Within the last two months of his life 57 had been baptized, all Karens, and at the time of his death the mi ion church at Tavoy had 70 members. King (A.), George Dana Board-man, Boston, 1875. 114