The WidoW's mighT - Baptist Bible Tribune

y Thomas RayJustus Vinton was born February 17, 1806, in Ashford, Connecticut,and converted at the age of ten. Believing Godhad called him to preach the gospel, he enrolled at the age of20 in the Hamilton Institute in New York. While studying theKaren language (a language in what was then known as Burma),he met fellow student Calista Holman. They were marriedApril 9, 1834, and sailed to Burma July 1834.Vinton, a committed soul-winner, was determined towin the ship’s officers and crew toChrist. He began to pray, witness,and conduct worship services wherehe would preach and use his marveloussinging voice to minister to thecrew and passengers. Before the fivemonthvoyage ended, the captainand several officers and crewmembershad publicly confessed Christ asSavior.The Vintons landed December1834 at Maulman, which was to betheir future base of operation. Havingpreviously learned the Karen language,they wasted no time in beginningtheir ministry. Within a week,they were going from village to villagepreaching and singing the goodnews of God’s redeeming love. Theirfirst tour was extremely successful, and the invitations fromother Karen to visit their villages was so great that the Vintonsdecided to divide their efforts — a plan they would successfullyfollow for the next 25 years.During the rainy seasons when jungle travel was impossible,Vinton concentrated his efforts upon the British soldiersat Maulman and worked on his commentary or his translationof the New Testament. During one of those rainy seasons,he personally distributed 8,000 tracts in just six weeks.When war broke out between the British and the Burmese,the oppressed Karen supported the British hoping they woulddeliver them from the tyranny of the Burmese. The Burmeseretaliated against the Karen with a viciousness that defiesdescription. They burnt every village and destroyed all thecrops within 50 miles of Rangoon. They tortured and killedmen, women, and children with unspeakable brutality. TwoKaren Baptist preachers were crucified, others were slowly cutJustus Vinton — The hero of Burmato pieces, suffering for days until death released them fromtheir pain. Disease and starvation were daily destroying thehomeless Karen.Baptist missionary Engelio Kincaid, who was stationedat Rangoon, was overwhelmed by the enormous need. Seekingassistance, he asked Justus Vinton to join him. Vintonresponded by immediately going to Rangoon. The missionariesestablished two hospitals to care for the sick. The hearts ofthe Karen people were softened bytheir suffering and Kincaid reportedevery week was a Pentecost andlarge numbers of Karen were baptizedeach Lord’s day.Vinton, moved by the sufferingof the Karen, began to distributerice, lest they die of starvation.He was overwhelmed by theirneeds and his small reserve of ricewas soon exhausted. Unwilling toallow the Karen to perish, he wentto the rice merchants and said,“Will you trust me for a ship loadof rice? I cannot pay you now, andI do not know when I can pay you;for I have received no remittancefrom America for more than a year.If you will let me have it, I will payyou as soon as I am able.” They answered, “Take all you want.”Some of Vinton’s friends said, “You are ruining yourself,you do not even know half of the people you are feeding. Howwill you collect what they owe you?”Vinton answered, “God will see to that.” He was not mistaken.The Karen loved and venerated Vinton and would laterrefer to him as “the man who saved our lives.” You would thinkJustus Vinton would have been declared a hero, but the missionsociety in Boston was incensed that he had left his postat Maulman without their permission. The board even senta delegation to Burma to investigate Vinton’s actions. Vintonrefused to defend himself, choosing to quietly withdrawfrom the missionary society. Although the board condemnedhis actions, time would eventually justify his decision. In1858, after returning from a successful preaching tour, he wasstricken with jungle fever and the hero of Burma entered intohis rest March 31, 1858. He was but 52 years old.baptististory16 | Baptist Bible Tribune | February 2010