Grace Darling, Heroine of the Farne Islands

by Marianne Farningham

And there is not a girl who reads these pages, but can become that most valuable treasure—a good woman. It is possible to every one of them to attain to that degree of excellence to which Grace Darling reached. They may not, as has already been said, have the same opportunity of saving life by going out over the stormy waters to the rescue of the perishing; but they can be, if they cannot do, the same. And the world does not so much need a few heroines, as it needs a large number of good common-place women. There is not a home in the whole of our land but would be the brighter and better for any number of these women, as mothers, wives, daughters, aunts, cousins, or servants. The millennium will have come when all our women are virtuous, when they who are the very chief over the home-loving peoples are pure, modest, true-hearted, honourable, dignified, devoted, and, in a word, virtuous. But if any one is in doubt as to how these good qualities are to be obtained, let them know that God can give them to one as well as another. They come in answer to prayer; and those women who steal away sometimes to their chambers, and there pour out their souls in earnest entreaty to Him from whom every perfect gift must come, are the women who bring serene faces into the family circle, and pleasant smiles to dissipate the gloom. These are the women who will be patient among irritating circumstances, who will give the soft answer that turneth away wrath, who will never make man's care the greater, but who will hold weary heads to their bosoms, and prove what comforters and helpmates they can be. Such women may all who wish to claim sisterhood with Grace Darling, become.

"She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms." Among the many monitors which speak to the women of the present day, there is one to which it would be well that they should give heed, for it says to them, be strong. These are times when strength is needed. It has become a trite saying, that we live at a railroad pace; and it seems as if it is no use trying to slacken the speed, and there is nothing to do but to go forward, as all the world is doing. But there never were times that made such heavy demands upon physical and mental strength. There seems no room for the feeble. They are almost certain to be pushed and jostled out of the way. And women that are really weak have not only to suffer themselves, but they are the cause of suffering to other people also. Therefore it becomes our daughters to cultivate the strength which they will so surely need. And it is quite possible to do this. Grace Darling was not naturally strong, she was but a slender girl, whose life passed away soon; but she would not have been able to take an oar and propel the boat across the seething waves, if she had not had plenty of fresh bracing air, and out-of-door exercise. The times are past when there could be any other feeling than scorn for women who, not being really afflicted with disease, are useless. Let it be understood, as indeed it is beginning to be, that strong women are needed for the work of these days, and let all who would not be mere logs floating down the stream, listen to the injunction, and gird her loins with strength, and strengthen her arms.

"She stretcheth out her hands to the poor, yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy." Every one who knew Grace Darling knew that she had a most pitiful and compassionate heart. But that was not enough, though many women, it would seem, are satisfied with it. Some there are who weep tears over the imaginary sorrows of a heroine in the last sensational novel, who would not move away from their own firesides to respond to the cry of real misery. No good comes of such pity, and such compassion is a dishonour to the name. It is not enough to feel for sorrow with the heart, the hands must be stretched out in prompt readiness to help. It was so in the case of the daughter of the lighthouse-keeper, and it was in consequence of this that her short life was blessed. Nor is it enough to relieve the distress which comes to the door, and presents itself to the eye. It is said of Solomon's ideal woman, that she "stretcheth out" and "reacheth forth" her hands. Grace Darling did this. She went out to those who needed her succour, though it is possible that many of her sisters would have contented themselves with simply going down to the beach to welcome the poor wretches, if they should be fortunate enough to reach the shore. Grace felt otherwise; and those who would do good in the world must be willing to seek, as well as to save, those who are lost.

There is room in the world for the exercise of all Christian charity. The poor are here, and unless a woman deliberately shuts her eyes to their needs, and selfishly thinks only of her own people, and their sorrows, she cannot help being touched. And the luxury of doing good need not be confined to those of them whose purses are filled with gold. Poor women help the poor, even more than the rich do. Nothing is required, excepting the will, which will certainly find the way. Money is useful where poverty reigns; but so are the kindly attentions, the filled plate sent from a table, the half-worn-out garment left at the door, and even the sympathetic pressure of a faithful hand. Let the women of England consider the poor, and they will find that they have double rewards for all which they do. It is a great thing to earn the blessing of him that is ready to perish; and those who do that know most of its value. It is a pity it should not be oftener enjoyed, since it is within reach of us all. Those who are selfish and greedy, mean, and grasping, cannot know it; but those who are benevolent, kindly, sympathetic, and liberal, are the people to whom life gives of its very best.

"She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness." It is said of Grace Darling, that she was particularly gently and unassuming in manner and speech. She was not lifted up in any way by the sudden popularity which she gained; nor did it cause her to be other than what she had always been—a simple, modest maiden. She could be dignified in the presence of those who sought her out of idle curiosity, and were rude enough to bore her with prying questions. But ever to strangers, whom she felt she could trust, she was always pleasant and kind. Her words were sensible, wise, and good. She told the truth, as every good girl will do; and she never had bitter words of sarcasm and envy for anybody who came in contact with her.

May not our women learn from her to open their mouths with wisdom?

They have not yet crushed out the reproachful references to "women's tongues," which for so long has been made in their hearing. Indeed, if for every idle word which is spoken an account must be given at the last great day, then may women tremble at the reckoning which has to come. Alas! too many say little besides idle words. Wise speech is not the every-day language in which they indulge; and, perhaps, of all the mischief which they do, that which is done by their tongues is the greatest of all. How is it that so few women open their mouths with wisdom? Is it not because they are foolish, and not wise? Their thoughts are wrong, and so are the words that spring from them. Their feelings are angry, envious, and bitter, how can their words be healing and kind? They need first to get their heads and hearts right by watchfulness and prayer, and then, as a natural consequence, the sting and the folly will be taken out of their words.

It is a great acquisition to be able to talk well. The art of talking is one that should be cultivated and brought to perfection; but let it be remarked that the truest accomplishment is not the power to say fine or clever things, but to say kind things well. There are some people who seem wonderfully like wasps—they are clever at stinging, and they seldom open their mouths but somebody is made to smart. They ought to be labelled, "Dangerous," and to have as wide a berth given to them as used to be accorded to the lepers. But there are others, whose words are kind and wise, and coming from such tender hearts, are so "fitly spoken," that whoever hears is better for them. Will not those maidens, wives, and mothers, who admire Grace Darling, try to belong to this better class, that their power of speech may be put to good uses for the production of the highest blessings?

"She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness." Grace Darling was a working woman. She knew what it was to rise early in the morning, and assist her mother in all good household duties. She had quick, ready hands, that could perform whatever was required of them. She would have despised herself had she been idle. It was not hers to take upon herself the responsibilities of the mistress of a household, but, if it had been, no one doubts that she would have performed them nobly. But as it was, she found enough to employ her, and it may safely be said that she would have been ashamed to eat the bread of idleness.

And there is not a woman living but ought to be ashamed of it, too. Even if she be rich, and there is no need for her to labour in order to assist the bread-winner in his arduous duties, there is still plenty of work for all willing hands. No lady ought to be content to pass her life in cutting holes to mend them up again; in playing a little, reading novels, and visiting. There ought to be some real tangible good done. And there is need around every woman. There are poor children for whom warm garments may be cut and made, poor women who may be helped, and, indeed, a thousand ways in which a woman may, by diligence, benefit others. And she will certainly do it, if "she looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness."