Dan Beach Bradley - Life As A Missionary

Life As A Missionary

During his time as a missionary, Bradley was consistently at odds with the mission organizations he was sponsored by. On December 4, 1847, Bradley resigned from the ABCFM due to his disagreement with the organization on the doctrine of Christian Perfectionism. With no funds coming from the ABCFM, Bradley was forced to take a three year reprieve to raise funds to return to Bangkok under the sponsorship of another mission organization.

In January 1848, Bradley became associated with the American Missionary Association (AMA). While in America trying to raise funds for his mission, he met Sarah Blachly, who became his second wife on October 1, 1848. At the end of October 1849, they set sail for Siam and after a voyage even more difficult than the first, he was able to resume his vocation in Bangkok by the end of May 1850. His time in America raising funds and getting married was the only break in Bradley’s time in Bangkok.

The AMA gave Bradley limited resources and money during for mission work. Due to this, Bradley had to focus his energy away from the life of a missionary to focus on making money. Bradley worked as a doctor and also as a mercantile to support his mission. Bradley was upset at the lack of converts his mission produced. Bradley pointed out many flaws with the missionaries serving in Bangkok with him and his wife: drunkenness, violence, and addiction to opium. Bradley realized that with this type of behavior being exhibited, the mission work was bound to fail. Many of the missionaries disappointed Bradley by believing that they were superior to the natives of the country. At the time of his death, Bradley had only converted one person.