In 1829 she was again joined by her dear
husband in a visit to Ireland; after which she writes:—
10th Month, 1829. “We passed through many deep baptisms, many sinks both of body and mind, and in the course of three or four months, attended all the particular meetings; I think we did too much in the time to do it as well as we might; there was much exercise of faith, but patience had not its perfect work:—may my daily prayer be for patience, and the daily close exercise of my spirit to obtain it; for want of it, I get into many perplexities, that might be avoided; yet with all the omissions and commissions that I can look back upon with shame, I can number this journey among the many mercies of my life, being at times in it, introduced into a more soul-satisfying state than I had perhaps ever known before, and I was never more fully persuaded that we were commissioned to preach the gospel. The company of my dear husband was truly a comfort and support, as well as very endearing, and this journey has enlarged my heart in love to hundreds, and has written many epistles there, which I trust may never be blotted out.”
In 1830, she laid before her Monthly Meeting,
a prospect of going to America. This concern was cordially united with, and she and her husband were liberated for the service in that land. In reference to this very weighty engagement, she thus writes to her dear cousin, Elizabeth Fry:—
Darlington, 2nd Month, 4th, 1830.
“My dearest Betsy,
I believe some of thy tenderest sympathies will be aroused, on hearing of the momentous prospect now before us of visiting North America. I dare say many, many years ago, thy imagination sent me there,—call it by that name, or the more orthodox one of faith,—so has mine, but I saw it without baptism; now, I pass into it under baptism, which in depth far exceeds any thing I have known before; the severing work it is to the ties of nature, to my dear Father, Mother, and Children, breaks me all to pieces, but I have much, if not entirely, been spared from doubts; all I seem to have had to do was to submit; this is a great comfort, for which I desire to be thankful, and for that peace which in the midst of deep suffering has so far rested upon it.
Thy very affectionate
H. C. Backhouse.”
Her labours in America were very abundant, and there is reason to believe, blessed to very many. During the five years she spent on that Continent, she visited the greater part of the meetings of Friends, and in doing so, shrank from no hardship or privation consequent upon travelling in districts recently settled.
In 1833, Jonathan Backhouse thus writes of her labours—
“I do think my wife’s labours in these parts, have been of essential service;—helped some sunken ones out of a pit, strengthened some weak hands, and confirmed some wavering ones, as well as comforted the mourners. She has no cause to be discouraged about her labours, they have been blessed.”
Her husband thinking it desirable to return for a while to England, Hannah C. Backhouse was provided with a most faithful valuable companion in Eliza P. Kirkbride, and for her as well as for many other beloved friends to whom she had become closely united in America, she retained a warm interest and affection to the close of her life.