“… two of similar aspirations, introduced at sunset as strangers, to separate at midnight as interested friends.”
Let’s look back …
For a while, the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) prohibited unmarried persons from entering the mission field. The Board believed that married missionaries could cope better with hardships and resist sexual temptations.
Thus, they required young men to be engaged at least two months before entering the mission field. To help the would-be missionaries find wives, the ABCFM had an ongoing list of “missionary-minded” women who were considered “young, pious, educated, fit and reasonably good-looking.” (Christian History Institute)
“Three weeks have elapsed since the departure of my sister Persis. Yesterday, during my noontide intermission, I received, at my boarding house, an unexpected call from cousin Wm. Goodell.“
“He gave me information that a Mission to the Sandwich Islands was to sail in four or six weeks, dwelt upon it with interest and feeling, and notwithstanding his efforts to assume his usual cheerfulness, now and then I saw the tear start in his eye. His conversation and appearance made me tremble.”
“At length, having prepared my mind, the proposition was made. ‘Well Lucy, by becoming connected with a missionary now an entire stranger, attach herself to this little band of pilgrims, and visit the far distant land of Obookiah?’”
“Now I feel the need of guidance. Oh, that Persis were here! Never did I so much long to see her.”
“The gentleman proposed as the companion of my life is Mr. Thurston, member of the Senior Class, in Andover Theological Institution. He had recently become an accepted missionary of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, soon to sail for the Sandwich Islands.”
“This has all come suddenly upon him. Now that he knows the situation he is called to fill, he has no personal knowledge of one who is both willing and qualified to go with him to a foreign land. Some of his classmates were admitted to his private confidence.”
“One of them, in passing back and forth, had been entertained at Dea. Goodale’s. He spoke of his daughter Lucy, as being fitted for such a position. It proved a hinge to act upon. They knew that Goodell of the Middle Class was a relative of the family. They admitted him into their counsel to speak of the missionary qualifications of Lucy Goodale.”
“Most closely and seriously, during the last year, he has pressed the subject on my consideration, of personally engaging in the missionary enterprise. In his very last letter, recently received, he wrote thus:”
“‘When I say I hope cousin Lucy will be of the next company that go to the heathen, instead of imputing it to any desire of never seeing her again, she will rather think, that I believe her to adopt from the heart the favorite language of Spencer,—‘Where He appoints, I’ll go.’”
“The result of the whole matter was, that Wm. Goodell was appointed to obtain permission for a personal interview. So here he was, delivering his message ; adding, ‘Rebecca said, I will go.’”
“What could I say? We thoroughly discussed the subject, after which I gave permission for a visit.”
“Next week on Thursday is the anticipated, dreaded interview of final decision. Cousin William walked with me, and, as we approached the school house, bade me good-bye. I immediately entered the school, but how I longed to find my chamber, that I might give vent to the feelings of an almost bursting heart. Last night I could neither eat, nor close my eyes in sleep.”
“The subject has been to my mind utterly overwhelming, and I all alone during this season of conflict. Situated six miles from my father’s, I have no confidential friend near me to whom I can unfold my feelings.”
“Wm. Goodell fully informed my family that the waters were troubled. During the week, my two sisters from home, Eliza and Meliscent, called on and comforted me with their sympathy’ and affection. I have received, too, communications from my father.”
“But they all leave me to myself, to act agreeably to my own judgment and inclination.”
“Dear to my heart are my friends and country. Yet, all this side the grave, how transient! The poor heathen possess immortal natures, and are perishing. Who will give them the Bible, and tell them of a Savior? Great as must be the sacrifices, trials, hardships, and dangers of such an undertaking …”
“… I said, ‘If God will grant His grace, and afford an acceptable opportunity, Lucy and all that is hers, shall be given to the noble enterprise of carrying light to the poor benighted countrymen of Obookiah.’ After this decision, I could contemplate the subject with a tranquil mind and unmoved feelings.”
“The close of this day brought our expected Andover friends, Wm. Goodell and Mr. Thurston to our door, and established them in our parlor. That was a strictly private family interview. I returned home, and alone entered the house the night before. Our dwellings was completely isolated from neighbors, and not a word had been dropped of expected company.”
“We were alone in our little world. There were my father and my two brothers and their wives, all belonging to the house. There, too, was uncle Wm. Goodell, cousin William’s own father, who had lived with my father for several years, and who was in sympathy and confidences as one of us.”
“Wm. Goodell had now accomplished his mission.”
“Under the most favorable circumstances, he had opened the way and brought Mr. Thurston to Dea. Goodale’s, brought Lucy to her father’s house to interview the stranger in the bosom of her own family, amid a band of six close confidential friends, where no prying eyes or ready tongues were admitted to give intelligence to the outside world.”
“The early hours of the evening were devoted to refreshments, to free family sociality, to singing, and to evening worship. Then one by one the family dispersed, leaving two of similar aspirations, introduced at sunset as strangers, to separate at midnight as interested friends.”
“In the forenoon, the sun had risen high in the heavens, when it looked down upon two of the children of earth giving themselves wholly to their heavenly Father, receiving each other from his hand as his good gift, pledging themselves to each other as close companions in the race of life, consecrating themselves and their all to a life work among the heathen.”
“And it came to pass after that decision, that there met together a committee of Ways and Means. The first thing to be fixed upon was a programme. That was Friday, Sept. 24th.”
“Sept. 26th, Oct. 3d and 10th, would furnish three Sabbaths for publication. Then the 11th was Monday, not a convenient day, but the 12th, Tuesday, was fixed upon as the day of the wedding, and after the ceremony, the party was to proceed directly to Boston.” The image shows the Thurstons in their later years. (All from Life and Times of Mrs Lucy Thurston; Lucy Goodale Thurston)
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