Unexpected Legacies: Louisa M. R. Stead

Matthew J Elliott

It is a busy season for many of us, and with the ‘Big’ holidays just around the corner, things are not going to cool off any time soon. We also have an election coming up, and while I do not advocate for promoting any candidate, it is important to take a few moments to focus on the motivations behind the choices we make before all the chaos of that election, and the upcoming holidays ensue. Sometimes it’s better to put our focus on something a little more heavenly than what the world brings.

While I have typically been highlighting the painful memories of certain songs or authors, today, I’d rather focus on the message left behind by the person. In truth, there is a bit of sadness to the story behind ‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus’. She struggled with health issues for most of her life. Despite failing to accomplish her goal of becoming a missionary to China, Louisa married William Stead and together they had a daughter named Lily. 

After tragedy struck, her husband died trying to save a young boy from drowning in the ocean. Louisa and Lily found themselves destitute, with only a prayer to guide them. However, faced with this loss, Louisa found the courage to pray and seek guidance. In the end, that prayer paid off and eventually, she became compelled to write the hymn we all know. While we all know and love the words of this classic hymn, that is not where the most impactful aspects of her legacy lie.

Rather, the most impactful aspects of her legacy come from the missionary she became after the tragedy struck. Less than a year after Stead penned the chorus of her song, she and Lily moved out of the country and became missionaries in Africa. While she was living there, Louisa married a gentleman named Robert Wodehouse. As they began to experience their life together, they both worked in various African countries. They were all about serving others and sharing a message of hope with those around them. Many came to believe through their ministry. 

Louisa’s health issues continued through all of this and eventually, she had to return to America. However, once the healing came, the missionary could not stay in one place. Instead, she returned to the missionary field in Rhodesia. This is where Louisa would spend the rest of her days ministering anywhere the road would take her. In time, Lily became interested in being a missionary like her mother and chose to pursue the same calling. 

So again, the legacy was not in the song “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.” It was about the courage Louisa showed through her dedication to serving as a missionary to so many in Africa. It was through this determination and dedication that her daughter Lily found her own path and several South African churches flourished. Louisa trusted that in all things, it was truly so sweet to trust in Jesus. Regardless of what she faced, Louisa continued to believe in the calling she felt she should embrace.  

As each day passes, we are confronted with many difficult trials and choices that require our attention. While overcoming the pain of those hard moments is not always easy, we can look at others as an example. Louisa trusted in something bigger than herself and things worked out for her. While she still endured pain and sickness throughout her life, she accomplished many things. We can do so as well. What are some ways we can pursue our own unexpected legacy? Share your thoughts in the comments below. I’ll be looking to reply to any comment I see.

 

See you in the pages and sooner than you think!!

Matt

PS (Next Time, The Unexpected Legacies Series, will be traveling back to ancient biblical times. It's going to be fun and I can't wait to go back there.)
PSS (I will be giving away a few copies of my newest book, The Cyprus Journal, at the Mid-Month Madness Takeover this month. Are you coming?)

~ Biography ~

Matthew James Elliott (M.J. Elliott) is a passionate writer who loves to encourage and inspire others. He has served in various ministry roles for over 15 years, which has given him a unique perspective on people and Biblical History. Matthew holds a degree in Biblical Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University, with a focus on Pastoral Care, Christian Education, and Worship.

Matthew is happily married to Traci, and they have three children named Leyla, Caleb, and Hannah, who bring them immense joy and inspiration. As a writer, Matthew's goal is to share love, equip others, and edify them for the greater good. He loves connecting any amount of scripture to his stories and uses his knowledge of Biblical History to do so often.

You can find Matthew's works on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, and His Website. He has written Devotionals, An Episodic Series, Novellas, and even Commentaries for The Gospel Daily.

~ Highlighted Release ~

A Paperback Exclusive, Finding Philemon, The Entire Limited Series!

A Former Slave. His Emotional Journey. Searching For The Way Home.

Are you ready to dive into a captivating series that delves into the journey of a young runaway slave who discovers God in his quest for redemption? Finding Philemon is exactly that kind of series. Come along on this unexpected journey as Onesimus faces the haunting demons of his past and witness his story unfold before your eyes in this first-hand account of someone many know little about.

A Book Giveaway and the History of the Florence Crittenton Missions

Charles Nelson Crittenton liked best to be referred to as “The Brother of Girls,” a title given to him by Frances Willard, renowned women’s suffragist, educator and temperance reformer of 19^th century America.

Crittenton was born in 1833 on a farm in Henderson, New York, to a large and happy family. However, he desired to go into retail and worked his way up to partner in a drug company in New York City. Eventually, he began his own wholesale druggist company and became quite wealthy.

Charles Nelson Crittenton {PD}

He was especially fond of the youngest of his three children, Florence, who died from scarlet fever when she was only four years old. Devastated by this loss, Charles turned to the Lord for comfort and had a deeply felt conversion experience. His work with street evangelist, Smith Allen, led to the opening of the Bleeker Street Night Mission in 1883. 

After the loss of his daughter, the stress of his wife's death, increasing business and mission responsibilities, Crittenton became ill. He rested and traveled at the instructions of his doctor, returning to concentrate on a preaching and teaching ministry. Out of this time of ministry and pondering, the National Florence Crittenton Mission came to be.  

In 1893, he met Dr. Kate Waller Barrett, a woman truly ahead of her time. Crittenton shared his vision of homes throughout the country taking in "lost and fallen" women, shelters for girls who were bearing children out of wedlock and for prostitutes. Here they would find hope and grace, be retrained in a skill and learn how to become good mothers. 

Dr. Kate Waller Barrett {PD}

Waller-Barrett willingly served as General superintendent of the National Mission while Crittenton traveled and evangelized. As he went from town-to-town, he offered to donate $500 to any community which would be willing to start a Florence Crittenton Home in their area. He continued his work until 1909 when he died from pneumonia, leaving a legacy in his daughter's name.

Kate Waller Barrett had been a champion of marginalized women for many years and continued the work, taking over as president of the National Florence Crittenton Mission and continuing with Crittenton's vision for the homes for several years. 

Later, the profession of social work grew and influenced the mission's work. Unfortunately, there are reports of coercing teenage girls to release their children to adoption during the 1950s and 60s. However, during the 1970s a movement emerged to make changes, and included rescuing girls from risky behaviors, such as drug use. Now called the National Crittenton Foundation, 27 loosely affiliated organizations around the country seek to support young women and their families to break destructive cycles of behavior, empowering at-risk girls and young mothers to make healthy changes in their lives. Most of the unwed mothers choose to keep their children today.

The hero of my novel, Rumors and Promises, Pastor Ian McCormick, visits a home for unwed mothers in Detroit, planning on beginning a similar ministry in Stone Creek, Michigan. I was elated to find in my research there was an actual mission, the Florence Crittenton Mission, which had opened in 1900, the year of my story that he could have visited. 

While the house on Brush Street and their previous accommodations, are long gone, I enjoyed learning about the Christ-centered roots of this home. It fit with Ian's heart for the girls on the margins of society. He had been deeply touched by a situation that took place earlier in his life, where he felt he'd failed. He feels compelled to reach unmarried mothers with the Gospel, a place of hope, sustenance, and shelter. 

From the roots of the real Florence Crittenton Mission in Detroit a medical center and hospital eventually emerged. Crittenton Hospital, a large and modern medical facility presently stands in Rochester Hills, Michigan. I wonder if Charles Nelson Crittenton ever imagined such a thing?

Please leave a comment for the chance to win a paper back or Kindle ebook version of my recently-released novel, Rumors and Promises, from Heritage Beacon Fiction, an imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. Winner's choice! 

Kathleen Rouser was so enthralled with books, she wanted to write stories before she could read them. A past homeschooling mom and mild-mannered dental assistant, Kathleen writes from her home in Michigan, where she lives with her husband of 34 years, who not only listens to her stories, but also cooks for her. And let’s not forget her resident muse is a sassy tail-less cat named Lilybits.

Her debut novel, Rumors and Promises, from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, has just been released. It's the story of an unwed mother, who is an heiress on the run with a child in tow, trying to start over in a town that doesn't like secrets! Connect with Kathleen at her website, Facebook author page, Twitter  and Pinterest.

Mother of the Salvation Army

Catherine Booth

By Marilyn Turk

No one would have believed the shy, serious girl would ever stand up in front of a group and speak. But Catherine Booth felt God pulling her to the podium where her husband William preached.

Raised with a strong Christian upbringing, Catherine Mumford had developed strong convictions at an early age. Before she was twelve years old, she had read the Bible through eight times.

Although health problems kept her at home during her teen years, her father’s demise into alcoholism stirred her to write articles for a temperance magazine. She became an avid supporter of the national temperance society.

Her acceptance of Methodist Reformers in 1850 resulted in her expulsion by the Wesleyans. Undeterred, she led a girls’ Sunday school class for the Reformers. 

In 1851, 22-year-old Catherine heard young itinerant preacher William Booth recite a temperance poem, exciting her with his shared views.

Shy Catherine did not speak to William, however. Instead, she sent letters expressing appreciation for his beliefs. Three years of letters passed between the two before the relationship developed into marriage.

Catherine and William Booth

Catherine joined her husband in the ministry, staying in the background as most wives did. However, inspired by revivalist Phoebe Palmer, a woman whose preaching caused a great uproar, Catherine wrote a pamphlet, Female Ministry: Woman’s Right to Preach the Gospel (1859). The pamphlet conveyed three major principles - that women are neither naturally nor morally inferior to men, that there is no scriptural reason to deny them a public ministry, and that what the Bible urged, the Holy Spirit had ordained and blessed and must be justified. She complained that the “unjustifiable application” of Paul’s advice, “Let your women keep silence in the Churches,” had resulted in loss to the Church, evil to the world, and dishonor to God.

And so it was that in January 1860, following the birth of their fourth child, Catherine asked her husband if she could say a word to his congregation, a word that God had given her. William gave his approval and support, announcing that his wife would speak that night.

Catherine’s first sermon launched her preaching career. For twenty years, she and William shared a ministry as traveling evangelists, their preaching not done in established churches. Catherine’s preaching gained popularity, even in a world where women had few civil rights.

In 1865, the couple began The Christian Mission in London's East End to reach out to the poor and destitute of the city. While William preached salvation to the poor, Catherine spoke to wealthy women, gaining their financial support for the ministry.

Leaders of the established church felt threatened by the radical teaching of William and Catherine and sought to undermine their ministry. As a result, William was arrested, but Catherine carried on their work by holding meetings, preaching, and distributing food and clothing to the poor.

Many left traditional churches to join the couple’ work by helping to hand out food and going out into the streets to invite people to the services at the mission. To get attention, they often played musical instruments or sang hymns. Catherine thought the mission’s workers needed uniforms and flags to carry, so she made them. Because they resembled a small military unit, they began to be called the Salvation Army. The label may have been meant as ridicule, but Catherine adopted it, declaring “Members of the Salvation Army will fight on, waging war on poverty and injustice wherever we find it.” William became known as the army’s General.

The cause gained more support when the press recognized the good they were doing. Newspapers carried stories of Catherine Booth’s Food for the Million shops where the poor could buy a cheap meal and at Christmas, hundreds of meals were distributed to the needy.

By 1880, the Salvation Army was one of the most respected Christian groups in London, and soon expended across the ocean where it was welcomed in the United States.

Catherine passed away in 1890 at the age of 61, her husband and eight children at her side. Her death was eulogized in the newspapers with quotes from some of her famous sermons.

We are made for larger ends than Earth can encompass. Oh, let us be true to our exalted destiny.

A multi-published author, Marilyn Turk writes historical fiction about the coastal South. Her fascination for lighthouses spawned her popular weekly lighthouse blog @pathwayheart.com, and inspired her upcoming Coastal Lights Legacy series and her Lighthouse Devotions. Her novel, A Gilded Curse, releases March 2016 from Heritage Beacon Fiction, an imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas.

Lighthouse Devotions is a book of 52 inspiring stories about lighthouses and how they relate to God's Word and our lives. Available at amazon.com.