Rankin began teaching at age fourteen.
Kentucky and Mississippi In 1840, a call was made for missionary teachers to go to the
Mississippi Valley. European immigration brought great numbers of
Roman Catholics into that portion of the country, and
American Protestantism made appeals for counteracting influences. To this call, Rankin responded, and went as far as
Kentucky, where she remained for two years, establishing schools, then pushed her way on to
Mississippi. she opened a school, Rio Grande Female Institute, for Mexican girls, This prospered beyond her expectations. To carry
Bibles into Mexico was a direct violation of the laws of the country, yet she maintained that no one had a right to withhold it from the people, and so she devoted her energies to getting the Spanish-language Bible across the river. She found opportunities for sending hundreds of Bibles and 20,000 pages of tracts, furnished her by the
American Bible and Tract Societies. Mexicans came to her house earnestly soliciting a copy of the book. Orders came to her from
Monterrey and places in the interior for dozens of Bibles, and with money to pay for them. A Protestant portrait painter carried great quantities of books for her into the country.
The Mexicans take your books to turn them over to the priests to be burned," said a friend to her; but in several instances she was told that they hid their books, and only read them at night when the priests were not about." She wrote home for help, but was told that a Christian
colporteur, speaking the
Spanish language could not be found; so, getting assistance for her school, she started out as the agent of the American and Foreign Christian Union, and the work received a new impulse. In 1857, she moved to Matamoras. Religious liberty came slowly. While she was watching the struggle, severe domestic troubles came upon her. From 1855, her sister taught at Rankin's school, but died three years later, of
yellow fever. Though Rankin herself was stricken with yellow fever in 1859, a Mexican woman cared for her, and Rankin recovered.
American Civil War When the
American Civil War began, Rankin was driven from her Brownsville school because she was not in sympathy with the
Confederacy. She did not, however, relinquish her hold readily, but waited until three peremptory orders were sent, the last with the intimation that force would be used if she did not vacate at once. Confiscation of all her property was urged, but the receiver, a Roman Catholic, would not allow it. Rankin found shelter in Matamoras, and here she commenced her direct missionary labors for Mexicans on Mexican soil. But difficulties presented themselves, and often she would spend whole nights in prayer. She made a decision to go to Monterrey, which on account of its commercial interest, was one of the most important cities, with a population of about 40,000, and was the center of strong
Romish influences and power. In this place, this lone woman, after three months of careful consideration, decided to establish the first Protestant mission in Mexico. She rented house after house, each of which she had to abandon as soon as the priests found out what she was doing. Feeling the need of a chapel and school buildings for successfully carrying on this work, she visited her home in the U.S. and secured several thousand dollars, with which she bought land and erected the necessary buildings in Mexico. In the meantime, converts were multiplying, and some of them were selected by Rankin to go to the adjoining towns and villages within a circle of . She returned to Brownsville in 1864, but was again forced to leave because of Confederate forces, removing to
New Orleans, where she worked in the soldier's hospitals, until 1865.
Back to Mexico Then
Zacatecas, away, was selected as another center, and in two years, a church was erected by the Mexicans. But there were more disturbances in 1871, and upon every available spot of her house was written in large letters, "Death to the Protestants." The mission followers were in constant apprehension of assault. Bloody battles were fought not far from Monterrey, and mounted soldiers entered the town and came to her home demanding "her money or her life." She said to these desperadoes: "I am alone and unprotected. You will not harm a helpless lady." She gave them food to appease their hunger, and they left, robbing, destroying other property, and shooting down people on the street. After a time order was restored, and the mission work which had been checked was continued. But all these responsibilities hampered Rankin's health. In 1872, with 170 members, the Zacatecas center was made over to and occupied by the Presbyterian Board. The work spread on all sides. Mexicans themselves, after obtaining some knowledge of the Bible, would organize "societies" for the purpose of mutual instruction. She had developed the work until it assumed proportions which required ordained ministers. This fact and failing health were indications that her work in Mexico was done. Missionaries of Protestant denominations came forward. In 1872, she returned home and handed over her work to the American Board. ==Later life and death==