Birth: 22-04-1800
Home calling : 29-03-1868
Native Place: Lausanne
Country: Switzerland
Place of Vision: Grande-Ligne, Lower Canada
Henrietta Odin Feller is known as the founder of the Grande Ligne Mission. Her father was the director of the Cantonal Hospital at Lausanne. At the age of fourteen, she started visiting the hospital and diligently rendered her services to the patients. That experience helped her in her future ministry. As she grew, the desire to become a true Christian also grew in her. Sadly, she could receive guidance for outward religiousness but not for true spirituality. But God is faithful to satisfy the thirst of a soul.
Pondering upon God’s promises to save the heathen, Henrietta always had her heart inclined towards missionary work. By the influence of Mrs. Henri Olivier, a missionary to Lower Canada, an interest arose in Henrietta for Canadian missions. She prayed earnestly for God’s guidance and to know His will. Finally, along with another missionary Louis Roussy she left for Canada in August 1835.
The two missionaries settled in Montreal and began their work. The Catholic clergy made the situation very tough for them. The doors were closed against them, they were ill-treated and their schools were denounced. They left Montreal and went to St. Johns city just to experience the same.
They moved to Grande-Ligne in September 1836 where the influence of Catholic clergy was less. There was no school or doctor, which opened a way for them to reach out to the people. Henrietta started a free school and conducted meetings in the evenings. She patiently answered the innumerable questions of the people. Gospel light started to penetrate into that place.
Henrietta succeeded in establishing the first French Canadian Protestant Church in the province of Quebec. During the Rebellion of 1837, the two missionaries and their converts were persecuted for being Protestants and forced to flee to the United States. After returning, Henrietta continued her work. Attack of pneumonia in 1855 and paralysis in 1865 made her bed-ridden. Nevertheless, till her death, she directed the mission from her room. 32 years of her missionary work bore much fruit and inspired many others.
