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How a Missionary's Wife May Labor

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 30, 1909

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 86, No. 52.

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How a Missionary's Wife May Labor

By Hulda J. Westrup

HULDA J. WESTRUP
The first thing necessary in order to be able to help her husband is that she love God, love her husband, and love the people among whom they both have come to work. The wise man tells us what kind of wife can best help her husband, when he says, “A prudent wife is from the Lord.” “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of the Lord.” Webster defines prudent as meaning “practically wise.” This brings us to the Fountain of all wisdom; as David says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments.” Hence the first step is conversion, for it then comes natural and is our greatest joy to lead souls to Christ.

Indirect Missionary Work

I believe I can safely divide “active missionary work” into two parts—direct and indirect missionary work. By direct, I mean all missionary work outside the home circle; and by indirect, all our work as missionaries’ wives in the homes; and I believe that one is as important as the other, and that neither can be neglected by a good missionary wife.
I will speak of the indirect first, as our work as wives and mothers lies nearest at hand. “Great is the work and mission of women, especially those of wives and mothers; much of the burden of training the children rests upon the mother, and she has much to do with molding their minds.” As an example, I will relate an instance that occurred in my own country. There was a godly mother who had six sons, whose husband was a drunkard. When he came home with his friends to drink and play cards, he often ridiculed religion, but this wise mother never argued with him in the presence of the children, but took the little ones with her to the bedroom, and there she read a chapter from the blessed Bible, explained it in a simple way, and then had prayer with them. When the sons grew up, they saw for themselves who was right, without the mother telling them; and as a result they all became Christians; yes, missionaries among the heathen. One went to Africa, another to China, and the other four to other countries. This shows how a mother’s indirect missionary work may turn into direct missionary work through her children.
When a wife works for the best interest of the family, and seeks to fashion the characters of the children after the divine Model, the recording angel writes her name as one of the greatest missionaries in the world. Sisters, solemn is your calling. We can be a great blessing to our companions. We can cheer them when despondent, comfort them when cast down, and encourage them to look up and trust fully in God when their faith fails. We may have a transforming influence, if we will only consent to yield our will and way to God, and let him control our minds and affections.
Taking care of her home and preparing wholesome food, simply but thoroughly cooked, is not the smallest part of her missionary work. I once heard a noted minister say, “If you have a sour stomach, you will have a sour religion.” Hence as far as the body is concerned, one of the necessities for a sweet religion is a healthy stomach. And this reminds us of the importance of well-prepared food. Thus the wife will enable her family to eat and drink to the glory of God.
In regard to economy I read recently this statement: “A good housekeeper is known not so much by her buying of provisions as by her use of the fragments left over from each meal.”

Direct Missionary Work

When I first came to China, I thought that the missionary wife’s public work was not so important as her husband’s, because I imagined that the poor women in China had no influence in the home; but if the father of the family believed the gospel, he would have a strong influence over his family, and the wife might thus be led to Christ. But I soon learned that many of the unconverted women are ignorant, and stubborn, and very devoted in their worship of idols. So it is doubly true here in China, as Mrs. S. M. I. Henry said, “The women have a work to do that the men can not do;” for example, holding meetings with the women, training Bible women, and conducting schools for girls and women, and giving treatments to women and girls, etc. I believe that I can truly say that a gentleman missionary without a wife can not do as good a work even among the men as can a married man.
A noted writer says that all men and women who are Christians in every sense of the word, should be workers in the vineyard of the Lord. They should be wide-awake, zealously laboring for the salvation of men, and should imitate the example that the Saviour of the world has given them in his life of self-denial, sacrifice, and faithful, earnest labor. If a wife accompanies her husband in his mission to save souls, enters heartily into his labors, seeking every opportunity to unite her interest and labor with his, she will feel from day to day sweet satisfaction as a reward for her unselfish labor.She may also be a help to him by conversing with others and being social. We who have sacrificed homes and friends in every sense of the word to aid our companions in the work of enlightening those who sit in darkness, and to reveal to them the hidden mysteries of God, will be sure of our reward, and will have stars in our crowns according to the number of souls we have been instruments in leading to Christ.
When the solemn, important truth gets hold of us, self will die; then the language will not be: “I will go there; I will not stay here.” But our earnest inquiry will be: “Where does God want me to be? Where can I best glorify him? And where can our united labor do the most good?” This lesson of fully yielding to God is sometimes learned by hard experience, as I heard an elderly missionary’s wife relate. She said: “When my husband first asked me to take the children, and with him travel from place to place, doing active missionary work, I did not think it wise to do so, as I would not be able to give them the proper care, but would expose them to all kinds of disease, besides neglecting their education while on the road. Although my husband fixed up the wagon as comfortably as possible in inland China, and pleaded with me to go with him, still I refused to go. So he went alone. He had not been gone very long before one of the children became sick, so ill that his life was in danger. Then the Spirit could plainly show me my mistake in thinking that I was my children’s keeper, and I humbled myself before God, and asked his forgiveness for not obeying the Holy Spirit’s voice, and for my lack of trust in him who is both willing and able to keep. Right there and then I told the Lord that if he would hear my prayer and raise up our dear son, I would never refuse to go with my dear companion when the Holy Spirit influenced me to do so. The Lord heard my prayer, and healed our son. Then when my husband asked me to go with him out in active missionary work, my will was submitted, and we took all our children, the evangelist, Bible woman, cook, and packed and filled several wagons, and went in the name of the Lord. The result was that all the children kept well and strong. We had good meetings, winning many precious souls for the heavenly garner.”
When we as missionaries’ wives learn to lean confidently in childlike trust upon God, and have our affections centered in Jesus, deriving our life from Christ, the living vine, what an amount of good we may do, what a help we may be to others, what a support to our husbands! And to us the words, “Well done,” will sound like sweet music. The invitation, “Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,” will repay us a thousand times for all sacrifice and trials endured to save precious souls.
Yes, the victory will be won by devoting to the work moral courage, ardent love for souls, and untiring, unwavering zeal. I am indeed glad, dear sisters, that we have this great privilege.