Missionaries / Churches / Religious Buildings | Page 97

March 10, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Asa Thurston Turns to a Christian Life

“John Thurston came to Fitchburg from Rowley, Mass., about 1765, with his wife, Lydia, and seven children. He settled on the farm … in the easterly part of the city, and entered with enthusiasm into the pursuit of agriculture, raised the finest apples in this region, and owned a cider mill.”

“He had been a soldier in the French and Indian war, and was enrolled as a minute man in 1775. He was also one of the first deacons of the first church in Fitchburg.”

“His fifth son was Thomas (generally called Captain Tom Thurston), who grew up on the farm until he was of an age to leave the paternal roof, when his father apprenticed him to a Mr. Brown of Concord, Mass., to learn the shoemaker’s trade.”

“The homestead of Captain Thomas Thurston was … in the northwest part of Fitchburg, at the end of the Thurston road, leading from the Ashby West road”.

“Here Asa Thurston was born on the twelfth day of October, 1787, the fourth child and second son of Thomas Thurston, and here he grew up in a large family of good New England stock, in a typical New England home. His brothers and sisters were Thomas, Hannah, Elizabeth, Ebenezer, Polly, Cyrus, Sylvania, Mahala and Maria.”

“When he reached the age of fourteen years there was a change in his life. He was apprenticed for seven years to John and Joseph Farwell, scythe makers (a long curving blade to cut grass/grain), whose shop was on the south side of what is now West Main street, a short distance above the River street bridge, and he boarded with Joseph Farwell”.

“He enjoyed life and action. Always fond of active sports, he early became proficient in wrestling, and seldom was there found an antagonist who was his superior.”

“In those days wrestling was one of the principal diversions of the young men, and these trials of strength and agility were of common occurrence at the store, or after work at the shop, or at any place of general gathering.”

“As he grew older, Asa’s temperament led him into social life and made him a leader there. At dances and social gatherings he was brim full of life, and if there was any young man in Fitchburg who thoroughly enjoyed life it was probably Asa Thurston.”

“But disease and death are factors to be reckoned with in this world. In the autumn of 1805 typhoid fever was prevalent in Fitchburg, and to quite a number it proved fatal. Asa contracted the disease and for some time his life trembled in the balance.”

“It is related that his elder brother, Thomas, who was studying for the ministry, watched with him one night, and that he spent a greater part of the time in prayer. The next morning, when asked about his brother, he said: ‘Asa will get well and be a missionary, but I shall not live long.’”

“Mrs. Thurston nursed her son with a mother’s care and devotion, and he recovered, but she was taken down with the same disease and died January 19, 1806. This sad loss to him was quickly followed by the death of his brother Thomas, February 15, and thirteen days later by the death of his sister Elizabeth, both of the same disease.”

“These sad events had a powerful and lasting effect upon him. Now Asa Thurston began to feel the effect of character and environment. With a deeply affectionate disposition, fond of music, a natural lover of pleasure, and possessed of a keen sense of humor, he had also a tender conscience and a vein of strong and serious feeling.”

“For years his mind had been at times turned to the subject of religion; members of his family had urged him to profess a Christian life, and now, again, his thoughts turned in that direction, and most seriously. But it was hard for him to give up worldly pleasures and take only the will of God for his guide.” (Bailey)

Asa wrote some words of his life … “I lived almost entirely unconcerned about my precious soul till I was past sixteen years of age. I sometimes thought that religion was of importance and that I would attend to it at some future period, but I felt disposed to put off repentance to a more convenient season.”

“I thought that after I had become old I should have nothing else to do but to attend to religion, but could not bear the thought of attending to the concerns of eternity so young. I thought that I was as good as many others, and that I should fare as well.”

“When I was about sixteen years old it pleased God to send his Holy Spirit to convince and convict many in this place of their sins, by which I was alarmed.”

“I began to think religion was of some importance, that I would attend to it. Seeing some of my young friends and connexions embracing the Saviour and singing the wonders of redeeming love, I thought I should like to be one of the happy number.”

“I felt somewhat anxious about being prepared for death and eternity, but I had very little if any conviction of sin by the law. I knew that I was a sinner, but I had no realizing sense of the opposition of my heart to God and holiness.”

“I knew that I must repent of my sins or perish forever, but notwithstanding all this knowledge, I soon lost all my serious impressions and anxious thoughts about myself and became as careless as ever. But I could not go on in sin with so calm a conscience as before.”

“Some of my friends and connexions that formerly had been my most intimate companions in sin became faithful witnesses against me, and in particular my sister. She would often reprove me for my folly.”

“And thus I went on in my own chosen way till at length God appeared in judgment against me and visited me with sickness, at which time few, if any, expected I should recover; but God, being rich in mercy, saw fit to for bear, and restored me to health.”

“I felt somewhat rejoiced, but had no heart to sing praises to God for his mercy. My spared life, which ought to have been devoted to God, was spent in the service of Satan. I expected I should have no more to trouble me, but I was soon arrested by a most solemn providence.”

“God was pleased to take from me a most affectionate and loving mother. This, indeed, was a most solemn scene to me. To think that but a few weeks before she was in sound health, and I, to all appearance, on the verge of eternity, and then to look back and behold the hand of God in restoring me to health, while she was called into the eternal world!”

“Twenty-two years of my precious life had been trifled away … I was brought, as I humbly hope and trust, to feel willing to say,
with my heart, to my God, ‘Glorify thyself with me, do with and for me that which shall be most for thine honor and glory.’”

“I thought I felt willing that God should take the throne that I had been long contending with him about, likewise I was willing to cast myself down at the foot of sovereign mercy.” (Thurston; Bailey)

“Asa Thurston now felt that he must become a minister of the gospel, and to that end he must obtain a suitable education. He entered Yale college in 1812. … He graduated in 1816, and immediately entered Andover Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in 1819, ready to enter upon his chosen career of a missionary.”

On October 23, 1819, Asa Thurston was in the Pioneer Company of American Protestant missionaries from the northeast US that set sail from Boston on the Thaddeus for the Hawaiian Islands. They landed at Kailua-Kona on April 4, 1820.

“After forty years of missionary work he was stricken with paralysis, and was obliged to go to California for health and rest. He was there in 1863, but soon returned to Honolulu, where he passed the remainder of his life.”

“The disease made progress, till at last it affected his brain. At times he would seem to behold crowds of people, and pointing, would exclaim, ‘Ke Aupini, Ke Aupini,’ (the kingdom, the kingdom).”

“For the last two days of his life he could not speak, and he passed quietly away on the eleventh day of March, 1868, at the age of eighty years, – a veteran in the service of the Lord.” (Bailey)

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Asa Thurston and Lucy Goodale Thurston

March 3, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Pī ʻā pā

“We are happy to announce to you that, on the first Monday of January (1822), we commenced printing, and, with great satisfaction, have put the first eight pages of the Owhyhee spelling book into the hands of our pupils”. (Joint letter of the missionaries, February 1, 1822)

Native Hawaiians immediately perceived the importance of “palapala” – document, to write or send a message. “Makai” – “good” – exclaimed Chief Ke‘eaumoku, to thus begin the torrent of print communications that we have today. (HHS)

“On January 7, 1822, on the mission press set up in the (Levi) Chamberlains’ thatched house we commenced printing the language in order to give them letters, libraries, and the living oracles in their own tongue, that the nation might read and understand the wonderful works of God. … Most of the printing done at the islands has been done by native hands.” (Bingham)

The first printing was pages of the pī ‘ā pā; the name of the first little primer or spelling book printed in the Hawaiian language. It included the alphabet, numerals, punctuation marks, lists of words, verses of scriptures and a few short poems.

In the initial instruction, the missionaries taught by first teaching syllables – adding consonants to vowels, just as Noah Webster noted in his speller.

“As far back as one can trace the history of reading methodology, children were taught to spell words out, in syllables, in order to pronounce them.” Webster wrote.

“The teacher begins with vowels: says A. The scholars all repeat in concert after him, A. The teacher then says E. They repeat all together, as before E, and so on, repeating over and over, after the teacher, until all the alphabet is fixed in the memory”. (ABCFM 1834)

The classroom exercise of spelling aloud also focused on syllables: Pupils first pronounced each letter of the syllable, and then put the sounds together and pronounced the syllable.

This practice of spelling aloud gave the Hawaiian alphabet its name. Just as American schoolchildren taught with Webster’s speller began their recitation by naming the letters that formed the first syllable, and then pronouncing the result: “B, A – BA,” so did Hawaiian learners.

The early missionary teacher said to his pupil, b, a – ba; the Hawaiian would repeat, pronouncing “b” like “p” and said “pī ʻā pā; hence the word that is now known as the Hawaiian alphabet and the name of the book. (Schutz)

Then, on July 14, 1826, the missionaries established a 12-letter alphabet for the written Hawaiian language, using five vowels (a, e, i, o, and u) and seven consonants (h, k, l, m, n, p and w) in their “Report of the committee of health on the state of the Hawaiian language.” The report was signed by Bingham and Chamberlain. The alphabet continues in use today.

“To one unacquainted with the language it would be impossible to distinguish the words in a spoken sentence, for in the mouth of a native, a sentence appeared like an ancient Hebrew or Greek manuscript-all one word.”

“It was found that every word and every syllable in the language ends with a vowel; the final vowel of a word or syllable, however, is often made so nearly to coalesce or combine with the sound of the succeeding vowel, as to form a dipthongal sound, apparently uniting two distinct words.”

“There are, on the other hand, abrupt separations or short and sudden breaks between two vowels m the same word. The language, moreover, is crowded with a class of particles unknown In the languages with which we had any acquaintance.”

“There were also frequent reduplications of the same vowel sound, so rapid, that by most foreigners the two were taken for one.”

“In the oft recurring names of the principal island, the largest village, and of the king of the leeward islands, ” Owhyhee,” ” Hanaroorah,” and” Tamoree,” scarcely the sound of a single syllable was correctly expressed, either in writing or speaking, by voyagers or foreign residents.”

“Had we, therefore, followed the orthography of voyagers, or in adopting an alphabet made a single vowel stand for as many sounds as in English, and several different vowels for the same sound, and given the consonants the ambiguity of our c, s, t, ch, gh, &c., …”

“… it would have been extremely difficult, if not impracticable to induce the nation to become readers, in the course of a whole generation, even if we had been furnished with ample funds to sustain in boarding-schools, all who would devote their time and labor to study.” (Bingham)

“The power of the vowels may be thus represented: – a, as a in the English words art, father; e, as a in pale, or ey in they; i, as ee or in machine; o, as o in no; u, as oo in too. They are called so as to express their power by their names – Ah, A, Ee, O, Oo.”

“The consonants are in like manner called by such simple names as to suggest their power, thus, following the sound of the vowels as above – He, Ke, La, Mu, Xu, Pi, We.” (Bingham)

“There were some difficulties to be encountered in distinguishing several consonant sounds, and to determine which of two characters in the Roman or English alphabet to adopt for certain sounds that appeared somewhat variable in the mouths of the natives.”

“The following appeared sometimes to be interchangeable: b and p, k and t, I and r, v and w, and even the sound of d, it was thought by some, was used in some cases where others used k, l, r or t. For purely native words, however, k, I, p and w were preferred.”

“The opening to them of this source of light never known to their ancestors remote or near, occurred while many thousands of the friends of the heathen were on the monthly concert, unitedly praying that the Gospel might have free course and he glorified.”

“It was like laying a corner stone of an important edifice for the nation.”

“A considerable number was present, and among those particularly interested was Ke‘eaumoku, who, after a little instruction from Mr. Loomis, applied the strength of his athletic arm to the lever of a Ramage press, pleased thus to assist in working off a few impressions of the first lessons. These lessons were caught at with eagerness by those who had learned to read by manuscript.”

“Kamāmalu applied herself also with renewed vigor to learn, both in English and in her own language, and exerted an influence, on the whole, favorable to the cause of instruction, and soon had a school-house built for the benefit of her people.”

“Liholiho requested a hundred copies of the spelling-book in his language to be furnished for his friends and attendants who were unsupplied, while he would not have the instruction of the people, in general, come in the way of their cutting sandalwood to pay his debts.” (Bingham)

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February 28, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Missionary Life on Neighbor Islands 1830s

The following are some of Sereno Edwards Bishop’s “Reminiscences of Old Hawaii” that he included in his book named such; he who was born at Ka‘awaloa, Hawaii, Feb. 7, 1827, the son of missionary Artemas Bishop.

Artemas Bishop and his family were first permanently stationed at Kailua, Hawaii, in 1824, being transferred to Ewa, Oahu, in 1836, and to Honolulu in 1855, where Mr. Bishop died, Dec. 18, 1872. Mrs. Bishop died at Kailua, Feb. 28, 1828, the first death in the mission band. She left two infant children, including Sereno.

“Visits To Kaawaloa … Our nearest missionary neighbor outside of the town of Kailua were the Ruggleses, who lived at Kaawaloa, twelve miles south. Their dwelling was at Kuapehu, two miles up the mountain, a most verdant and attractive spot.”

“It later became the residence of Rev. John D. Paris. Kaawaloa proper was a village on the north side of Kealakekua Bay.”

“I was born there at the house of Mr. and Mrs. Ely, only a few rods from the rock where Captain Cook was slain and where his monument now stands.”

“We often visited Kaawaloa, probably twice a year, going by water in a double canoe, generally starting two or three hours before daylight, so as to carry the land breeze a good part of the way.”

“There were a number of paddlers in each of the two canoes, who would make the long craft fly swiftly through the sea. The steersman in the stern would give the signal by a slap of his paddle against the canoe, and all the rowers would shift their paddles in unison from one side to the other.”

“We children generally laid upon the raised platform with the mother, though sometimes in the bottom of a canoe. We were apt to be seasick, and then go to sleep, sometimes awaking to see the waves dashing on a coast of black lava cliffs.”

“We would run up the little bay and step ashore upon Cooke’s rock, whence it was only a few rods to the nice premises of the good Princess Kapiolani.”

“These were prettily thatched cottages on a platform of white masonry which was studded with black pebbles. Kapiolani’s quarters were neatly furnished within. She was generally there to receive us with the most cordial hospitality.”

“Immediately behind the house was a precipice perhaps two hundred feet high. This seems to have been caused by a former breaking off of the coast line for many miles. Great lava flows had subsequently poured over the precipice to the north and south, so as to enclose the bay, leaving half a mile of the precipice at the head of the bay untouched.”

“The Ruggles Family And Home … The next thing was to surmount the formidable pali. There were plenty of natives to carry up the lady and children in the lack of animals.”

“From the summit, two miles of slope brought us to the delightful home of the Ruggleses, where we were again lovingly welcomed. Mrs. Ruggles was a tall, sweet-faced woman of kindliest character.”

“Mr. Ruggles was a pleasant man of small stature, who was often absent from home touring among the natives, his health requiring such activity.”

“There was a luxuriant garden, with luscious grapes and figs and coffee trees in fruit. There were also orange trees, and in the vicinity many old ohia trees with the ripe apples bestudding their gnarled trunks.”

“The mission dwelling was a large thatched house, with several glass windows. A matter of special delight was the company of two very agreeable’ children of our own ages, named Huldah and Samuel, of whom we were always very fond.”

“How Past Days Were Kept … The Ruggles family returned to America about 1834, and we saw no more of them. Mr. Ruggles had done good service as a teacher and preacher for fourteen years.”

“Their places were taken by Mr. and Mrs. Cochran Forbes, four of whose grandchildren now reside in Honolulu. Mr. Forbes was a forceful and zealous missionary. There are memories of pleasant visits with them also, both at Kuapehu and at Kailua. On one occasion a fast day is remembered, such as we observed at Kailua four times a year by omitting the noon meal.”

“The Forbes were more rigid, and no breakfast was served. Discovering this, Mrs. Bishop made for the safe, and seizing some cold chicken and taro, enabled her hungry family to break their fast. She was always to be relied on in the commissariat.”

“Missionary Visits To Kailua … Some mention should be interesting of memories of visits at Kailua from various missionaries. Such visits were always delightful to us.”

“Yet the ladies and sometimes the children were apt to be landed from their schooners in sad plight, after the hardships of the voyage. I remember two fair young women being brought in in fainting condition in the litters which they had occupied on the deck of the vessel.”

“These were Mrs. Dr. Chapin and Mrs. Ephraim Spaulding. The Spauldings made us a long visit, during which I formed an intense childish attachment to Mr. Spaulding, who was a sweet and devout man. An earlier visit is recalled made by the Bingham family about 1833. Most of their time was spent on the upland above us.”

“Mrs. Bingham was much of an invalid. Father Bingham was a somewhat stately, courteous gentleman, for whom I had much liking and a little fear.”

“The Baldwins repeatedly visited us from Waimea. Dr. Baldwin we all liked. He was personally active, even breaking into a run, something rarely seen in grown men in Kailua.”

“My childish impressions of all these friends was wholly favorable, accompanied by the utmost reverence for their spirituality and devoutness.”

“General Meetings Of The Mission … Very prominent in the old mission life were our annual visits to Honolulu in attendance upon what was called the ‘General Meeting.’”

“That was an annual assembling at the capital of all the missionary families, occupying from four to six weeks. The hospitality of the missionaries residing at Honolulu was severely taxed in entertaining their rural associates.”

“Many of the latter families secured native cottages and kept house in them. Our experiences at these times were varied and noteworthy. Especially so were the voyages to Honolulu and return.”

“In these days of rapid transit from port to port in large and comfortable steamers, no idea can be gained of the wretched miseries of those early and protracted voyages in small schooners.”

“As a child’s experiences I recall them as among the severest physical sufferings of a fairly comfortable life. They must have been much worse to the lady missionaries.”

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Kaawaloa, Kealakekua Bay. A copperplate engraving from a drawing by Lucy or Persis Thurston about 1835

February 24, 2018 by Peter T Young 2 Comments

Last Letter to Lucy

Asa and Lucy Thurston had five children, Persis, Lucy, Asa, Mary, and Thomas. On August 3, 1840, Lucy Thurston set sail on a trip with her children to the continent to provide them with educational opportunities. Her daughter, Lucy, was aboard.

“August 8th. – This morning mother took a package from her desk, opened it, and presented each of us with a letter. We saw that they were written in the well-known hand of our dear father.”

“On perusing the contents of mine a tender chord was touched in my heart and my tears flowed afresh. This letter will be doubly valuable from the affecting circumstances under which it was written.”

“Ever will it be my joy and aim to regard the parting advice and instruction of an absent parent, and conform my actions to his wishes.” (Lucy G Thurston)

The following is the last letter to Lucy, from her father …

“Honolulu, July 14th, 1840, My Dear Daughter Lucy, The time has come that we must separate. Nay, we have separated for a season – perhaps for life – perhaps for ever. We may no more meet on earth.”

“We shall both be in the great assembly at the judgment day, either at the right or left hand of the judge. We may not both be among the blessed, who shall enter heaven with songs and everlasting joy. Would we enter heaven we must be prepared for that place while here on earth.”

“See to it that you are prepared. Be careful lest you be led away by the glare and fascinations of this world. Ten thousand temptations will assail you, and if you are not on your guard you may yield to some of them.”

“Beware of the three great enemies of your soul, the world, the flesh, and the devil. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.”

“Read your Bible daily with prayer and meditation. Live near to God, walk with God, and let it be seen by all around you, that you are indeed a disciple of Jesus; that you bear his image, and that you are determined to follow him, whatever may be the consequences, whatever others may say of you.”

“Regard not the maxims, customs, or opinions of the world, if in their tendency, they lead you away from Christ, and from heaven. Let the love of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”

“‘Know thyself’ is an injunction of great importance to the well being of the soul.”

“This you cannot know without frequent and careful self-examination. Examine yourself daily, and once a week let the work be done with more care and scrutiny than usual.”

“There are seasons when this duty is rendered peculiarly appropriate – the close of the day – the close of the week – the close of the year.”

“Previous to a season of communion, as it is enjoined by the apostle ‘Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.’ There are many other seasons when the duty of self-examination is peculiarly appropriate.”

“Never let these seasons pass away without finding you engaged in your appropriate duties. Be not ashamed of Christ and his cross – take up your cross daily and follow him, and let it appear to all, with whom you associate, that you are a disciple of the meek and lowly Jesus.”

“Forget not to labor and pray for the heathen, and prepare yourself by mental cultivation, as well as Christian discipline to labor among them; if the providence of God shall favor it.”

“Write a letter at least once a year to some of your scholars on Hawaii; and forget not to pray for the children and youth of the Sandwich Islands. Pray for the church and people of Kailua, and pray for your father, who is still laboring for their salvation.”

“God Almighty bless you, my daughter Lucy. – Farewell. – We may meet no more on earth. Shall we meet in heaven? ‘Your Father.’” (The Missionary’s Daughter)

“Mrs Thurston’s stay … in the United States was saddened by the death of her daughter Lucy, who died in Brooklyn, NY, February 24, 1841, at the age of seventeen years. She died at the home of Mr AP Cummings, editor of the New York Observer”.

“She was a lovely and interesting girl, and a great favorite with every one who knew her. Mrs. Thurston left two children to be educated in this country, when she started on her return October 24, 1842.”

“She was received with joy by her husband and the natives, and found a church of eighteen hundred members – three times as many as when she went away.” (Bailey)

(Mrs Cumings wrote a book, The Missionaries Daughter, that relates the life of young Lucy G Thurston – it includes entries from Lucy’s journal and extracts of letters she wrote. It is well worth reading.)

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View of Kailua-Thurston

February 23, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Going to “the land of our fathers”

“The Flora, is a barque of about two hundred and ninety-three tons burden, nearly a hundred tons smaller than the ‘North America’, and in many other respects is her inferior. She is a merchant vessel, and arrived at Honolulu a short time since, with stores for the Exploring Expedition (Wilkes Expedition).”

“The Flora, is chartered by one of the mercantile houses at Honolulu, and is principally freighted with sugar and molasses, novel exports from the Hawaiian Islands to the United States, a distance of eighteen thousand miles. …”

“There are twenty passengers in all, who, with the exception of two or three that are to be left at the Society Islands, are to constitute a community by ourselves for many a month, while roving the ocean, in the long voyage to our native land. …” (Olmstead)

Among the passengers were Hiram and Sybil Bingham (and family); Mrs Lucy Thurston and children; and Caroline Armstrong, 9-year-old daughter of missionaries Richard and Clarissa Armstrong).

“Mr. and Mrs. (Asa) Thurston, who thought it their duty to convey their children to the United States, myself, and Mrs. B(ingham), with health much impaired had permission to visit our native land. Mrs. B. was too much worn out to go without her husband.”

“Mr. T(hurston) chose to stand at his post at Kailua, and send his family with mine, and trusted the arrangement for their children with Mrs. T., the Board, and private friends. Mr. Armstrong took my post at Honolulu.” (Hiram Bingham)

“Time passes rapidly on, and brings near the day of our departure from the land of our childhood. Our family, which has so long lived together, is soon to be separated.”

“Probably we shall not all meet again on earth; but it will be but a short time before we shall meet in a better, brighter world, if prepared. Our passage is engaged in the Flora, Captain Spring, bound to New York. The Captain is a pious man, and we are much pleased with him.”

“I hope you will write us whenever you can. We shall desire very much to hear from the Sandwich Islands. We shall always think of you with interest; and shall long remember the many pleasant visits we have made at your house, and the many kindnesses we have received at your hands. The Lord reward you for them all.”

“We shall often think of the many friends we leave behind, when far away. Pray for us. I hope you will often visit Kailua, and comfort our father in his lonely home at Laniakea.” (Lucy G Thurston to Mrs Forbes, July 29, 1840)

“Mrs. Thurston, with her family, arrived in New York on the 4th of February, 1841. She delayed going immediately on to the home of her kindred, in the eastern part of Massachusetts, in order to have the company and protection of a friend who was expecting to make the same journey.”

Upon arrival, young Lucy writes, “Brooklyn, Feb. 16th, 1841. “My Dear Father, We learn that a vessel is to sail for the Sandwich Islands in about a week, and I take my pen to inform you of our safe arrival in the land of our fathers.”

“We were six months and one day from the S. Islands to this place. Stopped a fortnight at the Society Islands, and three days at Pernambuco. We have been remarkably favored in our passage, and all enjoyed good health.”

“The captain has been as a father to us, and by his kind attentions we have felt your loss much less than we otherwise should have done.”

“Mr. B(ingham) has very kindly invited our whole family to remain at his house till we leave the place. We feel under great obligations to him for his kindness. ….”

“We have been thronged with visiters, who call to see us from morning till night. Mother has a trunk of curiosities, which she shows them, and thus excites a good deal of interest in the mission.”

“P(ersis) has several times dressed herself in native style, and marched about the room, much to the amusement of the company. We have received more kindness than we expected – far more than we deserved. …”

The Thurston children reached the continent, a new and different place – as written by young Lucy Thurston, ‘the land of our fathers’ – having left ‘the land of our childhood’.

Shortly after arriving, young Lucy Thurston ‘was taken sick.’ She noted in a letter she was drafting “… We visited the City Hall – a splendid building, where in the Governor’s room, we saw the full length portraits of all the Governors of the State of New York. They were elegant paintings; In the evening –”

Her sister Persis wrote to their father thereafter, explaining the abrupt ending of the letter “… Company calling, she was interrupted in the middle of a sentence, and never again resumed her pen.”

“Lucy was in most vigorous health; but she was seized with inflammation on the lungs just two weeks after their arrival, and on the morning of her coming to the family with whom she passed the last week of her life – the only week of physical pain and distress she ever experienced.”

“She told her mother, a day or two after the commencement of her illness, that she had no choice about its result. … ‘Mother, dear mother,’ many, many times repeated, still continued, and ‘Father, father,’ were the last that fell upon the ear.” Young Lucy Thurston died February 24, 1841.

“At the age of seventeen, she landed upon our shores, with the expectation of enjoying, for a season, the advantages of the society and institutions of Christian America; but within three weeks after the time of her arrival, she found a place in our sepulchres.” (Thurston) A book was written, her memoir, ‘The Missionary’s Daughter or Memoir of Lucy Goodale Thurston’.

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The Missionary’s Daughter Cover