The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1876-02-02
FOR THE CENTRAL PREsBYT ERIAN.
MISS KIRKLAND.

DIR. Brown,-I have 10 doubt but many
of your readers feel like thanking you for
allowing them to see something from the pen
of that devoted missionary Miss Kirkland.
1t seems to some of rs that while Miss Kirk
land deserves the love and sympathy Of
Christians everywhere, our Southern Church
and we of Virginia particularly, ought to
feel not only that we have special right in
her, but thas we are under special obligations
to encourage and sustain her. Her history
is one of unusual interest. Born and reared
in England, with loving friends and in a
high social position, her education having
been received partly in Paris and Berlin,
she was fitted for usefulness in any sphere.
Her er curing spirit, love of travel and state
of healtn led her to this country just as our
late war broke out. By singular proVi.
dence she found her way to Virginia, and
here meeting with warm, hearty, and appre-
ciative friends, she suffered cheerfully for
four years all the priVations Sacident TO the
times. In the mean time, having obtained a
situation as governess, she made herself ex-
tremely useful by her conscientious devotion
to her duties.
At the close of the war, when our South
ern church began to turn its attention to the
Foreign Missionary work, she felt her heart
yearnipg to do something for those that sit
in darkness, and as her parents were both
dead, she determined to offer herself, and all
that she had, to be spent in that cause. DIFF
fculties however arose. The opposition OF
friends in England, and repeated rumors here
to the effect that unmarried female mission
aries were rather hindrsnce than help to
the work, led her sensitive, delicate spirit to
shrink from any definite action on the sub,
ect. Finally when the difficulties were re
moved, and che was accepted as q regularly
appointed missionary of our Southern Church,
her expressions of gratitude were touching in
the extreme. Such singlenees of purpose,
such devotion to our Saviour, such yearning
love for souls, such perfect self abnegatiop,
are rarely seen. What others looked upon
as an act of self denial, she regarded as a
special privilege, an honor from her Hea-
venly Father, for which she could not be
sufficiently grateful. She craved no higher
earthly boon than to be permitted to go and
tell the story of the cross to her benighted
sisters in China. She has now been in Chi.
ma for more than year, and has been &C
lively engaged in studying the language,
and in visiting as opportunities would per-
nit She has gained access to many moth.
ers at their own homes, by having won the
confidence and love of their children. When
their dusky forms crowd around her, the
feeling with her is But there is something
so precious within. something that cost even
the blood of the Lamb to save, and forget
ting all else, my heart is full of love to them. y
In recent private letter she says, Goods
promises have already been fulfilled to me in
the peace f mind and constant rejoicing
feel at the precious boon granted me, the
blessed privilege of telliDghf the Wonder
full Redemption CD 8 pedy for sin. y
A more particular s ecoe of her special
work viii be given a othey .tme. she hae
given all that she has, andlall that she is, to
Der Redeemer shall we here, with our open
Bibles, permit her heart to be discouraged OF
her hands to flag, for the want of anything
that we can do God grant US grace to
prize our privileges, and grace to shOw that
We prize them, by striving to extend them.
B.