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
After visiting the prominent places of the Holy Land, our missionary
returned again to her station at Beyroot, where she labored with untiring
diligence until June, 1836, when, her health failing, she set sail with her
husband for Smyrna, with the delusive hope of regaining it. At this point
her sufferings commenced. The vessel in which they sailed was old and
uncomfortable; the crew and some of the passengers were any thing but
agreeable; and horrid profanity was heard instead of prayer and praise. The
fifth night after leaving Beyroot the vessel was wrecked on the north side
of the Island of Cyprus, and the voyagers escaped with their lives. After
many hardships and much danger they landed on a sandy shore in an almost
destitute condition, and, after continuing on the island some days,
obtained passage towards the place of their destination. The vessel on
board which they sailed was a Turkish lumberman, and in no way adapted to
the conveyance of passengers. But, submitting to stern necessity, they made
the best improvement of the circumstances under which they were placed. Of
the voyage Mr. Smith says, "The wind was high, and, being contrary to the
current, raised a cross and troublous sea. The vessel was terribly tossed,
and, being slightly put together, threatened to founder at almost every
plunge. Mrs. Smith, besides rolling to and fro for want of something to
support her against the motion, was writhing under violent seasickness,
which, instead of allaying, served only to increase her cough. She had some
fears that she should not survive the night; and for a time I did not know
what would be the end of her sufferings."
They arrived at Smyrna in thirty-three days after they left Beyroot. Here
her strength gradually failed. The consumption which was wasting her body
and drawing her down to the grave made visible advances; and on the 30th
of September, 1836, she died in the triumphs of faith, at Boojah, a quiet
little village about five miles from Smyrna.
In her sickness she gave the most cheering illustrations of the power of
the Christian faith to subdue fear and disarm death. Her mind was lifted up
above the sufferings of her lot, and she held constant intercourse with the
Savior of her soul. To a great extent she was free from pain, and enabled
to converse with her husband upon the prospect before her. She waited for
death with pleasure, and was ready at any hour to depart and be with Jesus.
To die was gain, unspeakable gain; and she knew it well. Hence, when her
physician and friends would whisper words of hope, she would plainly tell
them that her work was done, her mission fulfilled, and the sand of her
glass almost run out. It gave her more pleasure to look forward to a
meeting with the loved men and women who had departed than to contemplate
an existence on the earth, where storms will disturb the fairest prospect,
and clouds will shut out the rays of the noonday sun.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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