Daniel C. Eddy's Daughters of the Cross is a fascinating time capsule. Published in 1859, it's a series of biographical sketches, pulling from letters and mission society records to tell the stories of American women who served as foreign missionaries. This isn't a single narrative, but a collection of lives, each chapter focusing on a different woman and her field of work.

The Story

Eddy introduces us to women like Sarah Hall Boardman, who worked in Burma after losing her first husband, and Betsey Stockton, a formerly enslaved woman who became a missionary in Hawaii. We follow them from their calling in New England parlors to the shocking realities of the mission field. The 'plot' is the arc of their lives: the grueling voyages, the struggle to learn new languages, the founding of schools and churches, and the constant shadow of tropical diseases that claimed so many, including the missionaries themselves. We see their triumphs in small moments—a child learning to read, a community showing trust—and their profound loneliness and grief when colleagues or their own children die far from home.

Why You Should Read It

What grabbed me wasn't the religious doctrine, but the sheer human drama. These accounts are unflinching. You feel the mosquito bites, the fear of fever, the ache for familiar faces. It completely dismantles any romantic Victorian ideals about 'exotic' travel. Their faith is central, but Eddy also shows their doubt, their frustration, and their incredible resilience. Reading their own words from letters makes it feel immediate and personal. It's a powerful reminder of a chapter of history often overlooked: the role of women as actors, however complicated their context, in 19th-century global contact.

Final Verdict

This book is perfect for readers who love real-life stories of extraordinary ordinary people, and for anyone interested in women's history, 19th-century America, or the history of cross-cultural encounters. Be prepared: it's a product of its time, with perspectives that can feel dated or uncomfortable to a modern reader. But if you approach it as a primary source—a window into the minds and hearts of these pioneering women—it's absolutely captivating. It's less of a light read and more of an immersive, thought-provoking experience.