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ABSTRACT
An assessment of Mary Slessor's life and activities in Africa demonstrates that she served as a transitional figure for the Calabar Mission. Standing on the precipice of two worlds, Slessor expanded traditional missionary women's tasks to include exploration of uncharted locations and evangelism, so exposing the interior to bigger missionary endeavors. The ladies who accompanied Slessor into the Calabar interior did the same, not only teaching in the schools but also holding Sabbath services and touring adjacent plantations to disseminate the Christian message. The younger generation of missionary women, many of whom had responded to her call for missionaries while on furlough, joined Slessor's jungle and worked alongside her, sometimes taking over a station and other times providing assistance for a few weeks or months as needed.1 Many of these ladies had favorable perceptions about Slessor and saw her as a role model. Mina Amess discovered in Slessor a "girlish spirit" with "a heart full of motherly affection," rather than the "masculine...commanding appearance" she expected. Amess clearly appreciated Slessor as she got to know her, not only for her kindness, but also for her stamina and tenacity, writing home that after hearing Slessor tell her experiences, she felt "inspired and encouraged to go bravely forward.
