WHAT TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY GIRLS CAN LEARN from ELSIE DINSMORE

RUNNER UP — 13-18 CATEGORY

Jennifer Schlaudt

FRUITFUL in EVERY GOOD WORK:
LESSONS from the LIFE of ELSIE DINSMORE

My journey with Elsie Dinsmore, spanning the centuries and seasons of her radiant life, began when mine was approaching its tenth year. A dear family friend and avid collector of worthwhile books loaned me an orange-bound copy of the first volume, recommending it highly. Never before had I read anything like it — bursting at the seams with spiritual truth, appealingly presented in the life of a girl with whom I could identify. Deep within me, God–instilled longings were aroused, grasped vaguely at most by my young mind. I only knew, in my admiration, that I wanted to be like her. Elsie Dinsmore became my role model quite naturally. The more I read, the more I desired to imitate, though I did not truly comprehend the mark for which I was striving.

Elsie’s influence lingers with me even now, when I am able to ponder it more deeply and discern its full meaning. My ponderings result in the conclusion that her life, represented by a great hardwood tree, can be characterized by a single word: selflessness. From her earliest appearances in Martha Finley’s original work, Elsie pours out her life comforting the afflicted, serving her loved ones, and honoring her Master in word and deed. This self-denial is comparable to the mighty trunk of the towering hardwood tree, from which other Christlike qualities branch to form the flourishing foliage. Each bough of Elsie’s selflessness tree brings forth luscious fruits which every godly woman should seek to emulate.

One significant offshoot of the trunk of selflessness is generosity. Throughout her lifetime, Elsie is incessantly searching for ways to benefit others through her abundant financial means. For her father’s homecoming Christmas, in childlike eagerness, Elsie purchases pleasing gifts for every family member and servant in the house. Many years later, for the birthdays of her young cousins Dick and Walter, she presents each with a pony, raining Biblical coals of fire upon their undeserving heads through her spirit of liberality. In the wake of destruction left by the Civil War, Elsie willingly finances the restoration of Roselands, the family home place, for her elderly grandfather. Nor does she hesitate to provide costly medical treatment and other basic necessities for the family of her embittered former governess, Miss Day. Such unstinted generosity can only proceed from a heart full of selflessness.

Gracious hospitality is another branch of Elsie’s self-denial. Its delectable fruit is relished by countless relatives and friends of the Dinsmore and Travilla families. Elsie and her husband Edward royally entertain guests such as ventriloquistic cousin Ronald Lilburn and whimsical aunt Wealthy Stanhope at plantation homes Ion and Viamede for weeks on end. In addition to this temporary hospitality, they also open their home permanently to loved ones in need, despite the personal sacrifices involved. Dick and Molly Percival, two of Elsie’s young cousins, come to live with her family when their mother suffers a debilitating accident. Violet, Elsie’s daughter, marries a widower, and his children — Max, Lulu, and Gracie – become part of the Travilla household due to their father’s long absences at sea. Elsie puts aside her personal desires for her family and embraces the opportunity to extend God’s love to these willful, wayward children. Such is genuine hospitality.

Yet another limb of the hardwood of unselfishness is merciful readiness to forgive past offenses. Numerous occasions to practice Christian forgiveness are granted to Elsie in her lifetime. Her malicious young uncle Arthur rains severe persecution upon her in their youth, repeatedly threatening and insulting her and ultimately conspiring with an evil fortune hunter who attempts to secure Elsie’s affections. Despite the great pain that Arthur cases her, Elsie steadily refuses to nurse a grudge against him, always treating him with genuine civility. She wholeheartedly forgives her father for the months of anguish and the nearly fatal illness brought upon her by his haughty demands for obedience to unscriptural commands. Forever after the happy conclusion of this traumatic battle of principles, she loves and honors him as though nothing has ever come between them. Perhaps the most difficult person to forgive is George Boyd, who engineers an assault by the Ku Klux Klan upon Elsie’s home with the intent to murder her husband. Through the grace of God, she pardons even this offender and is able to minister to him on his deathbed. Denying herself the anger and bitterness that the flesh craves, Elsie demonstrates true selflessness in loving forgiveness.

A meek and gentle spirit might be considered the most admirable and subtle branch of Elsie’s selflessness tree. The victories that she wins over man’s natural desires to be independent and to vent his every emotion are the priceless fruits of meekness and patience. The blissful marriage of Elsie and Edward Travilla finds its very definition in mutual deference. Elsie is as anxious to please her loving husband as he is to gratify her. She joyfully submits to his authority in all things. Questions regarding activities, finances, and countless other issues are referred to him, and his decisions are respected and heartily supported by his spouse. After the birth of their little Elsie, Mr. Travilla entreats his wife to abstain from lifting the baby until the recovery of her own health. Elsie does not consider this gesture of tenderness a restriction of her “freedom;” she sees it as an evidence of her husband’s affection and happily abides by his request. After Edward Travilla’s untimely death, Elsie again places herself and her household under the protective umbrella of her father’s authority, submitting to him as before her marriage. This attitude of selfless submission brings great joy for Elsie and blessings for her entire family. Responding to challenging situations with unfailing patience and kindness, Elsie manifests a spirit of sweetness to all with whom she comes in contact. Her children imitate their mother’s selfless gentleness and compassion, filling their home with harmonious love. Learning one day that her young son Herbert is in conflict with her father over a difficult Latin lesson, Elsie approaches Herbert to address the problem. She does not censure, antagonize, or humiliate him; instead, she gently reveals his fault, reminds him of his grandfather’s love, and encourages him to do his very best. The success of these tactics powerfully proves the superiority of appealing kindness and love over exasperated harshness or cold sternness. When her oldest son Edward unexpectedly introduces a wife to the family circle without any previous mention of having one, Elsie’s father makes hasty assumptions and prepares to deal harshly with his grandson. But Elsie herself patiently maintains maternal faith in her son, refusing to criticize his actions until she has heard his explanation. This compassion, together with a warm reception for her daughter-in-law, paves the way for lifelong ties of intimacy between Elsie and the young bride. Such selfless kindness in word and deed, together with cheerful deference to her husband and father’s wishes, reveals the true beauty of a godly woman.

If the life of Elsie Dinsmore is analogous to a tree with a central trunk of selflessness, bringing forth thriving branches and choice fruits, what may be likened to the root system of the hardwood? Every tree must have roots to anchor it in the soil and to act as the source of its very life. An examination of Elsie’s life reveals only one possible answer. The source of her life is Jesus Christ. Her relationship with Him is the basis of every aspect of her existence. His Word is her greatest treasure and His fellowship her greatest pleasure. Jesus is the Master of Elsie’s life; she is able to die to herself because she has been crucified with Him. Here is the heart – or the root, if you will – of her secret of selflessness. Here is the reason for her blissful marriage and her devoted family. Here is the lesson for twenty-first century girls to glean from Elsie Dinsmore’s life: Her home is a peerless model of domestic tranquility because it is rooted in Christ. Our lives can be just as beautiful, just as fruitful, just as inspirational as hers when we allow Him to empty us of ourselves and inundate us with His life. That is the one thing in life that makes for abundant living – nothing else can ever satisfy us.

Titus 2:3-5 says, “The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers...teachers of good things — that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.” This passage describes Elsie quite well, does it not? She is one of the “older women” in my life without a doubt. Never could I have known when I first read that orange-bound volume the impact the endearing heroine would have on me! My prayer is that I, too, may be filled with Jesus, “rooted and built up in Him” and “fruitful in every good work!”

ABOUT JENNIFER SCHLAUDT

I am eighteen years old and the oldest of six, soon to be seven, children in a close, loving family. We make our home on twenty-one wooded acres in the heart of East Texas. Reading, working, playing games, and visiting the Rocky Mountains together are some of our favorite family pastimes. A senior in high school, I have been home educated by my parents for the last ten years, as have all of my siblings. Our goal for my studies has been to lay a broad foundation for my adult life so that I may be prepared to pursue whatever calling the Lord places upon it. I enjoy the challenges of reading well-written books and articulating my beliefs in writing. My ambition for my writing can be seen in the words of Isaiah 26:8-9: “The desire of [my] soul is for Your name and for the remembrance of You ... for when Your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.” To this end my pen must be applied, for “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

Return to Elsie Essays