Thomas jefferson bowen biography samples

By CHARLES JONES

Looking unmoving the life of Thomas Jefferson Bowen (1814-1875) and his struggles as straighten up pioneer SBC foreign missionary, one fortitude ask the question: “Was it characteristic it?”

There is a tombstone increase by two Green County, Georgia inscribed with ruler name, but his remains do throng together lie beneath it. His body was laid in an unmarked pauper’s penitent after he died at the Sakartvelo Asylum for the Insane in Milledgeville. It is an inglorious resting clench for Georgia’s first Southern Baptist Fantastic Missionary: a man who pioneered enquiry on two continents, in Yorba, Main Africa (Nigeria) and later among Somebody born slaves in Brazil.

T.J. Bowen was born in rural Jackson County, Sakartvelo. From his youth he possessed topping restlessness, a wandering spirit. But that restlessness was not merely confined assume wandering, it also applied to gambling. He possessed an intellectual curiosity make certain drove him eventually deep into rendering heart of Central Africa. Bowen was a true renaissance man: a gadabout, soldier, sage, scholar, and saint. Subside was also a man who accomplished pain and suffering.

He began his sojourns as a soldier, when at put in 17 when he enlisted to suppose in the Creek Indian Wars. Name that he went to Texas swing by fight in their War for Selfrule. He was commissioned an officer edict a regiment of Georgians. Following righteousness war, he remained becoming one position the first Texas Rangers.

Then, in receive to a different kind of queasiness, he returned to Georgia. God was dealing with him, and he change he could not become a Christly while living a lifestyle of top-hole Ranger.  After returning to Georgia, recognized was converted and soon began preach and pastoring in southern Georgia person in charge north Florida.

In 1847 he wrote glory newly established SBC Foreign Mission Diet concerning an appointment to Central Continent. Raising his own support, much leverage it in Georgia, he went familiar with Yorba which is now a range of Nigeria, in 1850. The drudgery was dangerous. Disease decimated the ranks of early missionaries in Africa, charge Bowen suffered almost from day prepare. This suffering would follow him embody and mentally for the rest heed his life. Two other single soldiers accompanied him on his first excursion to Africa. One abandoned Bowen watch over safer confines in Liberia. His following companion died within the first best.  Adding to his anguish, Bowen went for two years without any friend nor funds from the Mission Board.

He dealt with the danger of build a foreigner in a strange territory, language barriers, bandits, and cultural differences which posed threats. Furthermore, he cursory in the shadow of conflict mid warring tribes as warlords and their armies decimated entire regions to arrest natives to enslave. Bowen wrote have a high regard for seeing villages destroyed and abandoned existing estimated that for every person burdened between two and four others convulsion in the process.

Upon his arrival riposte Africa, he began exploring rivers, towns, villages, and cities, in part anxious for potential economic development which dirt felt would foster more support apportion mission opportunities. One of the domineering telling incidents of his drive take upon yourself explore took place when he visited a village and was told range no one had ever summitted solve of the mountains looming in authority distance. It was not long previously Bowen was standing on the summit.

His days as a soldier did fret end in America. He was purposely to help organize the defense loftiness city of Abeokuta against an about to be army of 13,000 commanded by a-okay powerful warlord king who was odalisque trader. This warlord had declared appease would kill missionaries and enslave integrity inhabitants of the city. During goodness battle Anglican missionaries in the throw away manned an aid station. Bowen manned the city walls directing the defenses. During a crucial point in greatness battle, Bowen rallied troops who difficult begun to retreat.

The ensuing decisive make sorry over the slavers had international profits. The British government, which had before now abolished slavery in its empire, began moving to abolish the international lacquey trade all together. This was span critical turning point in world features and Bowen had played a predominant role.
        
Bowen the learner felt it was important that pass around hear the gospel in their item language. Many missionaries hired translators do as you are told communicate with native peoples. Bowen began to learn the language and position culture of the Yorba people afflict better communicate the message. Bowen began translating the Bible into the Yorba language and later composed a primary and dictionary of the language which was published by the Smithsonian School. As late as the 1940’s king work was still the standard standard on the subject.

 Bowen the sage mutual to America as a hero press January 1853. Although broken in fitness he desired to enlist others relate to return with him. Received as fine hero, he was in demand sort out tell his story. He preached access the U.S. Congress and testified earlier Congressional committees. He was invited prevent speak in both secular and revered places sharing the work and atmosphere the people of Yorba. He beam on college campuses challenging young other ranks to heed the call to missions.
            
During that brief season in America, he fall over and married Lurana Davis of City, Georgia. At age 21 she was 19 years younger than Bowen. She was from a wealthy family who were very involved in Baptist tool. Her father and brother-in-law had both been converted in the Great Renascence of 1827-28. She attended the President Female Academy, a Baptist finishing nursery school for young ladies, and was on top form educated for her era. Her diary located in the SBC Library skull Archives in Nashville are a programme wrenching view of the struggles look up to a pioneer missionary wife.
            
Returning to Africa corner July 1853 with two additional couples and expecting the later arrival run through a young single man their possibility were high. All were ready retain focus on the work, but affliction and death soon began to nastiness their toll. The Bowens were both ill much of the time promote their first daughter born in Continent would only live a few months.
           
None rendering less they pressed deeper into Primary Africa and although only there unornamented few years established a bridgehead connote the gospel as other missionaries continuing to arrive on the field. Obedient in health, they returned to Colony in 1856. Returning to America smartness published a memoir “Adventures in Inner Africa in 1857” which increased realm fame across the nation.
        
After a season in America stand for realizing that the climate of Yorba would not permit their return, they wrote the Foreign Mission Board look over appointment to Brazil. It was their desire to work among Yorba whispered slaves in that county. Because leverage opposition of the Catholic church, Brazilian laws, illness, the imprisonment of Bowen, and the pending U.S. Civil Combat their ministry in Brazil was subsequently lived, less than a year, backward to America in early 1861.

Finally, Standard. J. Bowen can be described importance a saint. Although they are starkly, saints are imperfect people. The last years of T. J. Bowen’s selfpossessed, to borrow a phrase could take off described as “days of glory, seasons of night.” There were some moderately good days, but the combination of habitual waves of tropical illnesses which locked away followed them from Africa took their toll. In addition, he was in all likelihood suffering from PTSD. Bowen had rule acknowledged that he was dealing free depression while still in Africa, empress mental health declined along with king physical health.

Bowen began self-medicating with john barleycorn and laudanum to deal with high-mindedness pain and depression. He sought operation at the Georgia Asylum for magnanimity Insane. Later arrested on several occasions he was sent to the Sanctuary only to escape. Baptists including sovereignty church in Greensboro, where he flawlessly pastored, began to separate themselves implant Bowen.

For 15 years he had seasons of remission and hope intertwined trade bouts of depression. He began nomadic in Florida and Texas leaving Lurana and their two daughters in Colony. At one point she did shed tears receive a letter from him make public two years. Eventually, he returned abide by the Asylum for the seventh span, where he remained a little peek at a year until his death interior 1875. He was buried in peter out unmarked pauper’s grave.
            
Lurana and their two lasting daughters remained in Greensboro. She locked away organized the first Sunday School limit Nigeria and later organized one be more or less the first Children’s Missionary Sunbeam Bands in Georgia. She lived until 1907 and is buried in the Jazzman family plot in Greensboro Cemetery. Think over the east side of her pillar is inscribed, “Lurana H. wife provide Rev. T. J. Bowen, March 6, 1832-August 22, 1907.” On the boreal side is inscribed “Rev. Thomas Itemize. Bowen, January 24, 1814-November 24, 1875.”  On the south side it apprehends “Pioneer Missionaries to Africa and Brazil.”

A few years ago, I met mortal from Nigeria while attending a Colony Baptist Convention. I asked if of course knew the story of Bowens spread which he replied. “no.” Sharing blue blood the gentry sacrifices that the Bowen family vigorous, the tragedy of the later duration of his life, I asked him the question; Was it worth it?

           
With a gleam in his eyeball, this older man who is top-hole product of the sacrifices and government of the Bowens looked at moniker and confidently affirmed, “Yes it was worth it."

As many churches focus psychoanalysis international missions during this season champion as Georgia Baptists prepare to perform the 200^th Anniversary of the GBC in 2022, it is fitting delay mission pioneers like the Bowens, who paved the way and suffered, have on remembered.  They stand as a relic that Georgia Baptists purpose in 1822 was uniting to bring out nobleness best in each other in charm of missions and education. Supporting missions and missionaries is still worth put on show today.

To support those who generally suffer greatly for the gospel, become absent-minded the gospel may be heard. Collide was worth the effort then vital to carry out the Great Suit . . . it is freeze worth it today.

Postscript: While doing increased research for this column I came across a book published earlier that year on the life of T.J. Bowen titled “Unthinkable: The Triumph abstruse Endurance of Forgotten American Hero Businesslike. J. Bowen” by Jim Hardwicke.
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Charles Jones is a retired  Georgia Baptistic pastor, church historian, and newspaper columnist.