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May, Mah

By Nerida Taylor Bates

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Nerida Taylor Bates loves stories. Born in Australia, raised in the U.S.A., she was a pediatrician and microbiology teacher (MD PhD) who has written about women’s careers. President of the Association of Adventist Women since 2020, she enjoys documenting women leaders past and present. She raised three daughters.

First Published: February 9, 2026

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Mah May was the first Burmese Sabbath-keeper, discovering the Sabbath truth while studying her Bible two years before Adventists first entered Myanmar.1 She assisted in church work for many years and is credited with converting her brother, Maung Maung,2 the first indigenous Adventist pastor in the country.

Family and Conversion

Mah May, also referred to as Mah May May,3 May May4 and Daw May,5 was born in Moulmein (now Mawlamyine) to Maung Baik, a Wun, or governor, of Henzada6 and Pwa Hla,7 a Baptist Bible worker8 who was baptized by the Baptist missionary Dr. Judson9 and the granddaughter of Thumana, the last king of the Mon Kingdom of Baraivati.10 In many ways, it was a unique home, not just because they were royalty and well-to-do but also because her parents and grandfather had been early converts of Dr. Adoniram Judson, one of the first Protestant missionaries in Burma. Mah May herself was baptized by immersion when she chose to follow Christ, 30 years before the arrival of the Adventist message.11

She never married and made it her purpose to study the Bible and share it with others.12 During her own reading, she discovered the importance of keeping the seventh day and began to do so, thinking she was the only Sabbath-keeper in the world. Mah May immediately tried to share her newfound truth with her family13. Her brother Maung Maung could not refute her understanding but did not commit to it.14 The Adventist colporteur, H. B. Meyers, arrived in 1902 and studied with the siblings. Mah May set about asking him if he built fires on the Sabbath or employed any people on the Sabbath. When she was sure he knew how to keep the Sabbath, she also joyfully accepted the biblical certainty of a soon returning Lord.15 Maung Maung also gave his heart to the Adventist message at this time.

Ministry

Both Mah May and Maung Maung immediately began evangelizing. For example, when Maung Chit Hla, a member of their former Baptist church, was sent to Rangoon to return Mah May and Maung Maung back to the Baptist message, they instead converted him and much of his family.16 They also converted their brother, Ko Miya Thum.17 They also converted their nieces, daughters of Shaw Loo,18 a half-brother who was the first US-trained Burmese physician and bitterly opposed to the message.19 Mah May returned to Mawlamyine to care for her mother, who lived at least 93 years.20

Initially, it was said that Mah May understood English but did not feel comfortable speaking it, even though she was studying with several in Burmese at the time.21 Later, she was listed as one of three national workers in Myanmar,22 a soul winner,23 a leader of the children’s Sabbath School,24 and the preferred interpreter.25 She was instrumental in raising funds so that early pastors could be self-supporting.26

Legacy

The conversion of Mah May was an encouragement to the early missionaries. John L. Shaw wrote,

I think that her experience is one of the most remarkable evidence of God's leading. I believe this sister will be a great help in the work among the Burmese.27

Later Dr. Ollie Oberholtzer described her as “energetic and consecrated.”28 “Mah May said that … nothing in this world could give her the comfort she found in reading her Bible,” which she had read through eight times. “I have no other ambition in this life than to talk of my Lord and prepare for his coming.” Her godly life and her great knowledge of the Bible make her a constant inspiration to all around her.29 Sadly, we currently do not have available information about the time and place of her death. The life of Mah May is an inspiring story of a woman God led to work “most diligently on behalf of the truth.”30

Sources

“Dr M Shaw Loo.” Myanmar.Net. Accessed September 7, 2023. https://www.myanmars.net/history/famous-people/dr-m-shaw-loo.html.

Maung Maung. “Burma.” ARH, June 14, 1906, 15.

Miller, W. W. “Burma.” ARH, May 10, 1906, 15.

Miller, W. W. “India.” ARH, July 5, 1906, 15.

Ngin, Suak Khaw. “Maung Maung (1862–1936).” Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. January 29, 2020. Accessed September 7, 2023. https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=8I3H.

Oberholtzer, Ollie. “Burma.” ARH, February 6, 1908.

Oberholtzer, Ollie. “Burma.” ARH, March 5, 1908.

Shaw, J. L. “India.” ARH, August 5, 1902.

Shaw, J. L. “Rangoon, Burma.” ARH, October 7, 1902.

Spalding, Arthur W. Origin and History of Seventh-day Adventists. Vol. 3. Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1962.

Sum, Thang Suan. “Myanmar.” Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. February 28, 2021. Accessed September 7, 2023. https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=2DYA.

“The Work in Burma.” ARH, April 7, 1904.

Thompson, G. B. “The General Meeting in India.” ARH, March 7, 1907.

Votaw, H. H. “An Echo from the India Conference (continued).” ARH, March 30, 1905.

Votaw, H. H. “Burma.” ARH, March 15, 1906.

Votaw, H. H. “Burma.” ARH, March 29, 1906.

Votaw, H. H. “Burma.” ARH, July 19, 1906.

Notes

  1. J. L. Shaw, “Rangoon, Burma,” ARH, October 7, 1902, 13.↩

  2. Arthur W. Spalding, Origin and History of Seventh-day Adventists (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1962), vol. 3, 111↩

  3. Maung Maung, “Burma,” ARH, June 14, 1906, 15.↩

  4. W. W. Miller, “India,” ARH, July 5, 1906, 15.↩

  5. Sum, Thang Suan (2021, February 28), “Myanmar,” Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Retrieved September 07, 2023, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=2DYA.↩

  6. Ngin, Suak Khaw (2020, January 29), “Maung Maung,” (1862–1936), Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Retrieved September 07, 2023, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=8I3H.↩

  7. Heber H. Votaw, “Burma,” ARH, March 29, 1906, 18.↩

  8. H. H. Votaw, “Burma,” ARH, July 19, 1906, 18.↩

  9. G. B. Thompson, “The General Meeting in India,” ARH, March 7, 1907, 14.↩

  10. Sum, Thang Suan (2021, February 28), “Myanmar,” Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Retrieved September 07, 2023, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=2DYA.↩

  11. J. L. Shaw, “Rangoon, Burma,” ARH, October 7, 1902, 13.↩

  12. Ibid.↩

  13. J. L. Shaw,” India,” ARH, August 5, 1902, 17.↩

  14. W. W. Miller, “Burma,” ARH, May 10, 1906, 15.↩

  15. J. L. Shaw, “Rangoon, Burma,” ARH, October 7, 1902, 13.↩

  16. W. W. Miller, “Burma,” ARH, May 10, 1906, 15.↩

  17. Ibid.↩

  18. “Dr M Shaw Loo,” Myanmar.Net https://www.myanmars.net/history/famous-people/dr-m-shaw-loo.html. Accessed September 7, 2023.↩

  19. W. W. Miller, “Burma,” ARH, May 10, 1906, 15.↩

  20. Heber H. Votaw, “Burma,” ARH, March 29, 1906, 18.↩

  21. J. L. Shaw, Rangoon, “Burma,” ARH, October 7, 1902, 13.↩

  22. Heber, H. Votaw, “Burma,” ARH, March 15, 1906, 17.↩

  23. W. W. Miller, “India,” ARH, July 5, 1906, 15.↩

  24. Ollie Oberholtzer, “Burma,” ARH, March 5, 1908, 18.↩

  25. Ollie Oberholtzer, “Burma,” ARH, February 6, 1908, 17.↩

  26. “The Work in Burma,” ARH, April 7, 1904, 17.↩

  27. J. L. Shaw, “Rangoon, Burma,” ARH, October 7, 1902, 13.↩

  28. Ollie Oberholtzer, “Burma,” ARH, February 6, 1908, 18.↩

  29. Heber H. Votaw, “Burma,” ARH, March 29, 1906, 18.↩

  30. H. H. Votaw, “An Echo from the India Conference (continued),” ARH, March 30, 1905, 15.↩

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Bates, Nerida Taylor. "May, Mah." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. February 09, 2026. Accessed October 15, 2026. https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=9JS7.

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Bates, Nerida Taylor. "May, Mah." Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. February 09, 2026. Date of access October 15, 2026, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=9JS7.

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Bates, Nerida Taylor (2026, February 09). May, Mah. Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. Retrieved October 15, 2026, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=9JS7.

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