Daughters of the Cross: or Woman's MissionEddy, Daniel C. (Daniel Clarke)
History
Daughters of the Cross: or Woman's Mission
Eddy, Daniel C. (Daniel Clarke)
Women -- Biography; Women missionaries
She sailed from Boston, in company with her husband and father, in the bark
Stamboul, on the 11th of October, 1843. The Stamboul was a fine vessel; and
our missionaries were well accommodated on board. The gentlemanly officers
and crew omitted nothing which could render the situation of the female
voyager pleasant and comfortable as a "life on the ocean wave" would allow.
Besides this, the kindness of friends had provided every little comfort and
convenience which could be needed; and the trunks and boxes of Mrs. Van
Lennep were stored with articles which her Hartford and Boston friends had
gathered for her use. She went out, not as Mrs. Newell went, on a cold,
severe day, with but few comforts, with but few conveniences, with but few
friends to: bid her farewell, with no sermon, no song, no prayer on the
deck; but every thing which money could purchase or the ingenuity of
friends devise was brought forward to add to her comfort. Before the
Stamboul sailed a service was held on board, which was attended by
deeply-interested friends. The missionaries, the passengers, the crew were
committed to the care of God. The parting hymn rose on the breeze, echoed
over the waves, and its sad strains died away on the hearts of the
listeners. The parting hand was given; and as kind friends left the deck
the ropes were loosed, and in noble style the vessel swept out into the
harbor, and the mother and child gazed upon each other for the last time.
"Ye who, forsaking all,
At your loved Master's call,
Comforts resign,
Soon will your work be done;
Soon will the prize be won;
Brighter than yonder sun
Ye soon shall shine."
Most of the voyage was spent by Mrs. Van Lennep in preparing herself for
future usefulness and in the study of those languages which she would most
need. She enjoyed the passage more than any other lady on board, and was on
deck in some scenes of peril which made even the hearts of strong men to
tremble.
More than any thing else did our subject miss the privileges of the
Sabbath. The daughter of a clergyman, she had been reared beneath the
shadow of the Christian temple, and taught from infancy to love and revere
the day of rest. And though upon shipboard she heard the song of praise,
the solemn prayer, and the interesting discourse from the same lips which
led the devotions at home, yet the church-going bell, the pealing organ,
and the countenances of early associates were not found on the ocean. All
was strange and wild as the tempest itself.
On the Sabbath day, November 5th, the eyes of the voyagers were greeted
with a view of that noble monument which rises from the blue waters of the
Mediterranean-the Rock of Gibraltar. They looked upon it as the rising sun
glanced lines of light all around it and painted it with gorgeous beauty,
making even its very barrenness appear, attractive.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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