Return to the temperate climate promptly brought relief and
restored her health. Her demonstrated success in the industrial
school had enlarged her hopes and clarified her vision of the
possibilities of female education; while the rapid modernisation
of Siam under the young King Chulalongkorn quickened her sense of
necessity to place that education upon a broader and more permanent
foundation. Both success and the opportunity impelled her to lay
the burden of responsibility upon the women of the Presbyterian
Church in America. This year in America we find her accepting
invitations to speak in Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Albany,
Troy and other places, telling her story and pleading for the
womanhood of Siam.
Just here it is both interesting and amusing to look back to the
attitude of mind towards women speaking in the Church. The doctor
writes to his brother counseling concerning his wife’s deportment
in this matter:
“Keep her if possible out of the pulpit—where I understand
the zeal of some returned missionary ladies carries them in
these days of women’s movement in mission work.”
This would almost be interpreted as a bit of jocular admonition to
a brother’s responsibility, were it not that we find these cautions
direct to the wife:
“Don’t step out of your sphere into the pulpit. If you
unsex yourself, I am not sure you will be welcome back as
warmly.... O don’t let anything tempt you to go beyond your
proper sphere as a woman; you cannot count upon a blessing
there and you will certainly grieve many that you love.”
Nor is the doctor quite as sanguine as his wife over this project
for a general advance in work for women even in Siam where he knows
the situation intimately:
“I sympathise with you heartily in your wish to accomplish
much for Siam before our stay here ... is over. And it may
be that the privilege will be given you of working more for
the women of the land. But there are great difficulties
in the way of this and there will be great trials and
disappointments awaiting you. I fear your distance from
Siam lends ‘enchantment to the view,’ and makes you forget
what the people are—heathen in heart and custom of life.
You ought to know that not a few here are opposed to the
principle of female industrial schools.... It is a very
serious question you propose with reference to bringing a
young lady out with you to reside in your family.”