Marcus & Narcissa Whitman, missionaries to Walla Walla:
Did not spend a long time courting. When Dr. Whitman had volunteered to the mission work, he was single. He heard that Narcissa had volunteered as well, but was not approved as there was no use for single women on that field. Whitman knew the family, was acquainted with Narcissa, heard of her willingness to go to the field, so he proposed.
Timetable:
· Marcus appointed January 7, 1835
· Writes Narcissa for permission to stop by on his way to survey trip in the west.
· Visits the weekend of Feb 22 and they are engaged.
· Leaves the morning of Feb 23 for the west.
· Returns about Dec 10, they have a few days together, he goes out searching for associates to volunteer for the field.
· Finally gets Henry Spalding and wife to agree to come along, writes Narcissa on Feb 15 to plan for a wedding.
· Since her father was to be ordained as a Presbyterian elder in a service on February 18, Narcissa chose that day.
“After her marriage in February 1836, Narcissa explained . `We had to make love [get engaged] somewhat abruptly and must do our courtship now we are married.'” (Drury, p. 111)
Order of service:
· Narcissa’s father is ordained.
· A letter of dismissal is issued “to our sister Narcissa Prentiss who is destined to the Mission beyond the Rocky Mountains.”
· Communion is served. Possibly Judge Prentiss would have served Narcissa and Marcus.
· The marriage vows are said.
· A sermon is preached. (Narcissa commented in a letter several years after that it was much appreciated.)
· Congregation is led in this song, one often sung at the departure of missionaries:
Yes, my native land! I love thee;
All thy scenes I love them well;
Friends, connections, happy country,
Can I bid you all farewell?
Can I leave thee, can I leave thee,
Far in heathen lands to dwell?
Home! – thy joys are passing lovely –
Joys no stranger-heart can tell;
Happy home! – `tis sure I love thee!
Can I – can I say – Farewell?
Can I leave thee, can I leave thee,
Far in heathen lands to dwell?
“One by one members of the choir and congregation found their throats constricted with emotion and their cheeks dampened with tears. Only a few, including Narcissa sang the next stanza:
Yes! I hasten gladly,
From the scenes I love so well;
Far away, ye billows! bear me;
Lovely native land! – farewell!
Pleased I leave thee, pleased I leave thee,
Far in heathen lands to dwell.
“Muffled sobs could be heard by the time the last stanza was reached. The sentiment was too overpowering. Narcissa in her clear soprano voice . sang the last stanza as a solo – a dramatic event which all present that evening never forgot.
In the deserts let me labor,
On the mountains let me tell,
How he died – the blessed Saviour –
To redeem a world from hell!
Let me hasten, let me hasten,
Far in heathen lands to dwell. (Drury, pp. 161-162)
Narcissa Whitman left her home the next day and never saw her parents again.
What do you hold onto that keeps you from the mission to tell others what Christ has done for you?