The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-11-25

il She thought Of this lengtheniDg of her days
as one OF the ways in which the hundred fold
hSi been given to her. She felt confident that
long ago she would have been in her grave had
she staid in the old New England home. But as
it is she has been spared to outlive by a day the
57th anniversary Of her marriage. and to almost
complete her Slst wear. And instead Of never
looking upon the faces of the home friends, in
the ordering of Providence she has been permit
ted twice to visit tue land Of her birth. She has
doubled Cape Horn FIVE times, has travelled over
90, 900 miles by sea, has been through perils and
sicknesses, and prevailing diseases, and yet God
has suffered her to be the last to die on these
islands, of all that worthy pioneer band who
sailed in the brig Thaddeus on the 23d of
October, 1919, and landed in the following April
at Kailua.
Again, among the things that she forsook for
Christ and the Gospels sake, was any cherished
ambition that she might have had, any thought
of being known, esteemed and honored among
her acquaintance, or Of having a name and a
place in the world. Those were first days in the
missionary work. Honor had not come upon
those who had gone to carry the lamp of life
into the regions of darkness. The missionary
cross had not yet been garlanded in the popular
esteem. The work had not yet taken to itself
other aspects than that of self-sacrifce for the
sake of those p~erishing in Ignorance and sin. To
come at that time to these dark islands was the
conscious giving up of personal culture, and of
place in society, and of influence in the progress
sfve developement of ones own country. 1t was
going out to unknown ends of the earth, to spend
ones days in humblest work of teaching a gross
and degraded people to have ones faith and
patience tried, and to lay ones body at last
among heather bones. instead of in the old viii
lage church-yard. But how true it is that God
has given her moro than all that she gave up in
this respect. Her name is a familiar name to a
large part of the best people in America. She
is known and held in honor over a large part of
the Christian world. She has a place in the
hearts of thousands who probably would never
have heard her name, had she not left society
and kindred for Christ's sake. She has received
more than a hundred fold in friends. Her iniu-
ence has been far more widely extended. She
has a noble place in the grand history of mis-
sions. She has a high niche in missionary fame.
And is there any fame better, or more to be de-
sired on earth, than that which now belongs to
such heroes Of the cross. Does not a true mis-
sionary receive a wider regard and a higher
place in the thoughts and love of the christian
world than would have been his if he had stayed
in his native land? There may be still some
who think it a pity that any one of culture and
of promise should throw himself away, by aban-
doning prospective positions of influence at home,
to be a humble missionary in out-ofthe-way
pagan lands. But God gives, in honor and
esteem, to his faithful ones, manifold more than
all they surrender.
Mrs. Thurston thought not of this at the time,
nor did she speak of it in connection with the
passage of scripture, but we may speak it for
her. She did however think and speak of the
many friends, the christian brothers and sisters,
that God had given her in her missionary life.
She thought gratefully of the interest that had
been taken in her, of the favours that had been
done to her, of the kindnesses and assistance that
had been generously given, and of all that God
had put into the heart of others to do for her.
She felt that she had not been left friendless, but
that the promise in this respect had been fulfilled,
that the hundred fold had been given, that more
hands had ministered to her in her last sickness,
than she could have expected, had she never left
all for heather shores.
But in a yet higher respect has it been better
for Mrs. Thurston that she left home and friends
for Christ. [ mean in her usefulness. God can
give US few great blessings that will add more
happiness to life than to put it in our power to
be really useful. That which adds to our use
fulness adds to the good of our life. Much has
been added to Mrs. Thurston in this respect. In
the days Of her strength she was q faithful worker,
and the good that she has been permitted to do
has doubtless been a hundred fold more than she
would have done in New England Among her
first pupils were Kings and Queens, whose in
fiuence soon led the people generally to desire
gospel instruction. She was the educator of
some of the first minds in the nation. Judge H.
who became such an honor to his race, was early
selected by the King to be instructed by Mr.. and
Mrs. Thurston, and he was long their diligent
scholar, receiving much of his solid worth and
finish from them. She endured hardness as a
good soldier in that earnest fight to secure a hold
for the gospel on Hawaii She stood firm while
others failed. She suffered, passed through e-
ceeding great trials, persevered and was brave,
rs some Others were not. She had a full share
in those trials, and burdens and hardships and
dangers through which the mission was brought
to a success, and a heather people christianized.
How much greater is the work that she has been
permitted to do, than if she had stayed in her
native land How many more inquiring souls
has she directed to Christ how much more has
she done in preparing the way for the coming of
Christ's kingdom 1t has been granted to her to
fulfil a great and useful ministry and will there
be more stars in her crown of rejoicing, than
f she had not left ali for Christs sake? Has not
even her present life been more full of the salts
actions that come from a noble christian useful
ness?
1t may be said of her also that in giving up all
or Christ, she has at no time wished to take
Jack any part of the gift. She has never turned
Ter look regretfully back to her first conservation
o the missionary life. And by this do not
mean simply that she did not leave the field
through disappointment, or as thinking it too
lard; or that she has never been sorry that she
ecame q missionary but L mean that she has
ever taken back the original surrender in which