Oh Lottie...

Anyone that has been around me during Christmas knows what a fan I am of Miss Lottie Moon. Those of you that did not grow up in a Southern Baptist Church perhaps don't know about her. Besides being the namesake of the International Mission Boards Christmas Offering she had quite a life.

I am intrigued my her because she was one of the first single female missionaries overseas. She used her gift of hospitality to reach the Chinese people by baking basic tea cookies for children and their mother's (I included her recipe below). I believe there were so many doors that were opened simply because of her bravery and her following God's call on her life. Lottie passed away on her way back to America on Christmas Eve in 1912. She had been very ill and was begged to come back home to Virginia. When she was put on a boat to come back home she was 72 years old and weighed only 50 lbs. It is documented that her final words were, "We are weak, but He is strong."

There are very few books on Lottie Moon; my favorite are:
The New Lottie Moon Story, by Catherine B. Allen
The Lottie Moon Cookbook, by Claude Rhea

There is a video from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary about Lottie:
Forum on the Life and Legacy of Lottie Moon

Rumor has it Southern also has Lottie's belongings that were on the boat on her way home. If I'm ever around Southern Seminary I might just have to drop by and see it!

Lottie's Plain Tea Cakes (exactly as Lottie wrote it):
3 teacups of dry sugar
1 teacup of butter
1 teacup of sour milk
4 pints of flour
3 eggs
Well beaten; half tsp of soda. Flavor to taste; roll thin, and bake in quick oven

Lottie's Plain Tea Cakes (adapted to modern measurements):
2 cups flour
1/2 cup butter
1 heaping cup of sugar
1 well beaten egg
1 tbsp cream
Cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg and mix well. Add the four and cream. Dust a board with flour. Roll the dough very thin. Cut cookies with a round cookie cutter. Place on a nonstick cookie sheet. Bake at 475 for 5 minutes.
Thank you, IMB for converting the recipe

I can say that I have made these cookies and they are super easy and pretty tasty too. If you ever get the opportunity to read about Lottie Moon do it!