The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-08-15
In Memoriam.


of REV. CUSHING EELLs, whose death
occurred at Skokomish Aug. 9th, and
buried at Seattle Aug. 18th.
Mrs. E. was born at Holden, Mass,
May 26, 1905. Her maiden name was
Myra Fairbanks, eldest daughter of
beacon Joshua and Sslley Fairbanks
Her conversion and profession Of re-
ligion were in 1918. at l3 years of age
during the revivals that attended the
labors of DR.. Nettleton and DIR. Beech.
er. 1t was also amid the missionary
interests of the churches. Messrs.
Judson, Gordon, Hall and their wives
bad gone to India and been rcpulsed by
British officials, who then fostered the
cruelties of idolatry for gain, but they
had won foothold and reported pro-
grcss and a call for more helpers.
Msssrs. Thurston, Bingham and others,
with their wives, were Just preparing
to depart on their mission TO the Sand
witch Islands. jeremiah Evarts, father
of VIM. Nj. Evarts, present Secretary
of State of the U. s., and uncle of Hon.
of the American Board of Missions.
Oregon was then to be held for ten
years in joint occupancy with Great
Britain according TO treaty The
North and South were approaching a
conflict, which was averted for time
by the Missouri compromise Of 1920.
American commerce was seeking the
oh n hn ut NJ
by the trading factors, merchant ships
and exploring squadrons of England
TO human eye the possessions in fact Of
our present vast Pacific domain seemed
within their grasp as it was in their
thought and policy. The schemes of
Kelley to settle this coast and the
coloney of Wythe had not been thought
of. This vast region of Oregon, then
iscluding Washington. Idaho and part
Of Montana. were unknown, except as
Lewis and Clarke had explored it on
their trip in lS45, and as trappers and
fur traders had traversed it. Cali
fornia belonged to Mexico. Messrs.
Whitman, Walker and Eells were little
boys then unknown 10 one another.
Their future wives were then little girls
unknown to each other. But the very
air of New England and New York
had become trsmulous with interest
and inquiry upon Missions to the
heather. The command of Christ, 'go
We into all the world and preach the
gospel to every creature" fell upon
listening congregations as if fresh from
Gethsemane and Calvary. 1t became
the one thought of these young con-
verts and finally their purpose. Myrs
Fairbanks, at 33, had clear ideas and a
fixed aim to obey that call to any part
of the world opened by Providence
Africa was first proposed. but IN
March, 1888. Oregon was named. when
she with her husband started from
Mass. on the next day after their mar.
rage for their overland trip of 500
miles, 1000 miles of it on horseback,
in company with Rev. f. Walker 0ately
decessed) aud wife. and W. II. Gray
any WIFE DR.. Whitman and Rev. H
III. Spalding and their wives, had
crossed the plains and mountains in
1896, on the same mission. those white
women being the first who had ever
crossed the Rocky mountains, and
proved the possibility of the feat to the
wives and daughters OF the western
pioneers Their mission was to preach
the gospel 10, abe Indians. Its fruits
have been to open the way TO plant
colonies to grow into imperial States
The christian heroism of frail woman
like Mrs. Eells in quietly and patiently
repeating the lessons of her early life
| by precept and example TO untutored
Indians, winning their confidence and
| love, while training her own children
and caring for her husband and home,
amid the discomforts of which we now
know little, and often alone, sick and
exposed 10 danger. beyond the resch of
| friends. reveals the force of love TO
Christ in the soul, and the grandeur of
/ the plans of his Kingdom on earth
/ During these sixty years of her chris
tisn life the ideas Of the gospel have
wrought revolutions of thought in our
land of all lands Slavery has passed
away before II. The cruelties of idolaty
have been suppressed The Hawaiians
/ have come into the family of christian
nations. The United States extended
| from the Atlantic To the Pacific. In 40
years while Mrs. E. never saw her
native village, with its school house
and church spire and happy community
of intelligent families, yet she saw many
such villages schools. churches and
homes spring up in this land where
had been only the Indians rude huts
I, made her glad to witness these
things and mark the contrasts with
early times, and to stand with her hus-
band among children, grand children
and friends. whites and Indians