They were allowed to stay in peace for a couple of months; but when the authorities learnt that they had not yet departed, an urgent order was issued, commanding that they should be immediately sent to England in one of the East India Company’s vessels.  There seemed no possibility of their evading the order this time, but they learned that another vessel was just going to set out for the Isle of France.  Unfortunately it was impossible for them now to obtain permission to go there; but the captain of the vessel, on hearing the circumstances, offered to take them without leave.  So they quietly got on board.  But on the second day of their journey down the river a Government dispatch arrived, ordering the pilot to stop the vessel, as it had among its passengers persons who had been ordered to go to Europe.  In consequence of this demand Mr. and Mrs. Judson were at once hurried on shore, and the ship went on its way.

They were landed at the village of Fultah, and here they remained for four days, not knowing what to do.  If they returned to Calcutta they would be at once sent to England, and they could not remain where they were for any time without discovery and arrest.  Every day their perplexity increased.  The sight of a boat coming down the river or a stranger entering the village would fill them with alarm, for they expected at any moment to be seized by Government agents sent after them.  At the end of the fourth day relief came in a most unexpected way.  A letter was handed to Mr. Judson containing an official permit for them to go on to the Isle of France in the vessel from which they had a few days before been removed.  How this permit was obtained, or who had sent it to them, they could never discover; and there was no time then to speculate on the matter.  The ship was now at least seventy miles away, in the Saugur Roads, and had probably already set out to sea.  In the hope that it might possibly have been delayed in starting, and that they might catch it, they at once started down the river in boats.  After being rowed all night and all next day, they found on reaching the roads that they were in time, as owing to the absence of some of the crew the vessel had been delayed.  It may be imagined how thankfully they found themselves once more on board.

Before leaving Calcutta an important change had taken place in Mr. and Mrs. Judson’s views about the question of infant baptism.  While on the voyage from America, Mr. Judson, knowing that he would come in contact with the Baptist missionaries at Serampore, had studied the subject in order to be able to defend his position to them.  The result had been that doubts had gradually arisen in his mind as to the correctness of his own point of view, and he spoke on the subject to his wife.  She deprecated any hasty action, but they both resolved to give careful attention to the matter.  Every consideration of human interest would have led them to cling to their old belief, for, as Mrs. Judson pointed out, “If her husband should renounce his former sentiments he must offend his friends at home, hazard his reputation, and, what was still more trying, be separated from his missionary companions.”