“Missionary Wives” or “Missionaries’ Wives”? by MRS. I. H. E.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 20, 1916

“Missionary Wives” or “Missionaries’ Wives”?

By MRS. I. H. E.

In many mission lands the problem of giving the gospel to the women has been and still is one of the hardest to solve. Unmarried women missionaries suffer in a double sense from the loneliness that must of necessity come in some degree to all those who cut themselves off from the homeland and its associations in order to carry the gospel to the heathen.

On the other hand, the wives of the missionaries have their hands and hearts full. The mother must often be the teacher of her children; she must constantly safeguard the health of her family; she must become an adept in making “something from nothing,” and in adapting the new and strange and unaccustomed to her household necessities. It is hardly to be wondered at if sometimes she shall feel herself justified in ignoring the calls that come so insistently from outside her own home walls, and devoting herself exclusively to the care of her little flock.

In far-away Szechuan, Sister Eva Allum, herself a “missionary wife” as well as the wife of a missionary, read the article that is given in the next column,—“Evangelism from the Home,”—and sent it to you to read also. “It was written by a lady with whom we are acquainted, and whose hospitality we have shared,” writes Mrs. Allum. “No one could question her devotion to her home and her children, while at the same time she does so much for the Chinese. It greatly appealed to us, and is just what we have often thought and talked of,—just how far we could help the Chinese, and yet not neglect the home duties. And as we read it, we thought it might be a help to a good many of our missionary wives in China and other lands; for surely we should not be content to be merely ‘missionaries’ wives,’ and not ‘missionary wives.’ It is true that, as Mrs. Goforth says, we often feel helpless, and miss many opportunities that come to us each day. I believe the Lord has a special care over our little ones when we strive to do our duty. When we were in Honan, I accompanied Mr. Allum on most of his itinerating trips, taking the babies with us, and we greatly enjoyed the work together.”

Mrs. Goforth’s article is very practical, and surely could have been written only by one who has unselfishly labored for the lost. While of course it is true that the proportion of missionary wives who read the home department is small as compared to the whole number, still they are a very important minority, and the article is given, first of all, for them, to encourage and help them. But the wives who are enjoying the blessings and comforts of the homeland should read it too—to gain a little insight, even if only a little, into the home life of their sister missionaries, and to have enkindled in their hearts a greater desire to share in their sacrifices. It should also have the effect of opening our eyes to the countless opportunities for mission service that come to us right at home.

MRS. I. H. E.