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This article traces the transformation of gender within nineteenth century American Protestant missions, through comparing the life and post-humus memorializations of Sarah Lanman Smith, a missionary for the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in Ottoman Syria during 1830s. Through examining the ways that Sarah defined her own identity and gender in relation to different commemorations of her life and work, this article demonstrates that 'Sarah' was increasingly read through the lens of an narrowed binary of gender. This was done through selectively editing her history in a manner that focused upon the education of women and girls, thus affirming the emerging concept of 'women's work for women'. In so doing, this article re-introduces the life of Sarah Smith, deconstructs the way that she was remembered, and presents a new perspective on the dynamic and ever-changing culture that supported and defined nineteenth century Protestant missions.