The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-11-25
COUNTESS SCHlMMELMANN.

mat most distinguished ana phllan-
thropic Danish lady, the Countess AIDE
line Schimmelmann, will arrive in Chi
cago during the week on her steam
yacht, the Dove, a steadfast little YES
sci of thirty-fve tons burden. 1t is an
aristocratic yacht, for the countess pur-
chased it in 1895 from his royal high
ness, Prince Waldemar of Denmark,
and with sanctified zeal and h APP
prevail Of all we'll wishers for the well
fare Of the toilers of the deep she has
devoted it to the service Of her work.
The Countess Schimmelmann moves
about from port to port interesting her
self in carrying the gospel to the sailors
of all nations and doing all that one
woman can do to reclaim back into the
path of virtue and rectitude many who
sliders. To achieve her purpose she has
devoted her entire fortune INC time to
this meritorious work, and wherever
she has gone she has been received with
open arms.
Countess Schimmelmann's work is di-
flOeu llCO lOul NSpol IlliS-
sion work with the yacht Duen, or
Dove, the international sailors mission,
the fishermen of the Baltic sea and
spreading the gospel by meetings.
YACHT A TRAINING SHIP.
AS the countess moves from place to
training ship for young sailors and boys,
and with her limited accommodations is
nevertheless able to give practical in
struction to eighteen young sailors. She
also holds mission meetings on board in
English, Danish and German, and when
in Denmark and Germany, in ports
where she is accessible to women and
children, she holds separate meetings
for lockers. for women, for little girls
and for boys.
Sometimes her yacht has been crowd
ed with 200 persons at a time, and, to
accommodate all who seek to partici-
pate, the countess has held as many as
six meetings in a day. A special feat
ure of her gatherings is the good chez
which awaits the people on the yacht.
for frequently there are tea meetings,
when tea, cooling drinks and cakes are
served to all who come.
While in London tied up at the Com
mercial docks she held meetings for
Scandinavian sailors and entertained
MI. Mathews, secretary of the British
and Foreign Sailors society, who cor
daily approved her work, and who, on
behalf of his society, presented to the
yacht the great Bethel flag with an
earnest prayer for the spreading of the
gospel among the seamen of all ma
tions through her mission.
The yacht is the Countess Schimmel-
mann's home wherever she goes. She
says herself: "Thanks to an English
friend, the cabins have been made as
comfortable as possible for me and
give me the opportunity of staying on
board eve in winter when mild.
GREAT SAVING OF STRENGTH.
'This is a great advantage in the
saving Of my strength, being able after
the work to retire to my own little
nook instead Of staying in noisy hotels.
The cabins also afford a home for work.
ers helping me, as we'll as to the lads
not interrupted wherever we sail. We
also carry with US our stores Of books
and tracts in ten different languages
for distribution or for sale"
The International Sailors mission is
prosecuted by moving about from har-
Dor to harbor, thus coming into con-
tact with ships Of all nations. AS the
countess speaks fuently six different
languages, she readily attracts many
sailors by conversing with them in
their own tongue, n softens many
hearts by her intense sincerity and in
terest in their welfare.
In 1895 she personally visited about 100
ships, while her assistants visited All.
During that time she distributed 10000
copies Of the gospels and tracts in ten
languages, not counting books Of her
OWE authorship, which are sold after
the meetings for the benefit of her mis-
sion.
has been able to find and restore to God
and home many hayward sons who
have gone adrift.
On m occasion, whileaon her way to
one of her meetings, she was accosted
by a clergyman, who said to her:
"Well, countess. you seem to be a good
hand at finding lest IONS; counsel me
what to do in such a desperate case
as this" and he produced a letter Of a
lady Of rank, whose son had left her
never to return. and he being in such