Richard Ballantyne's Miraculous Deliverance and Safe Passage to Madras
Published October 20, 2026 at 12:06 AM
Contributed by
Young Woman's Journal Research
In 1853, Elder Richard Ballantyne and missionary companions—including Nathaniel V. Jones and Robert Skelton, identified in Ballantyne's journal as mission leaders—sought passage from Calcutta to Madras. Ship captains repeatedly refused them because they were Mormons; Captain Thomas Scott of the brig John Bordman reportedly refused five times, citing the missionaries' reputation and his lady passengers. After fasting and prayer, Ballantyne felt inspired to ask again in the name of the Lord, and the missionaries secured passage. The voyage took place between June 20 and July 24, during monsoon season. In a dangerous channel near quicksands, their ship faced a near-collision with a large vessel. As the crew and Captain Scott feared disaster, Ballantyne remained calm and assured the captain they would be safe. The ship cleared the other vessel and obstacle by a narrow margin—reported as three feet—and arrived safely at Madras. The accounts also mention an unnamed Parsee merchant and two unnamed English ladies.
In Their Own Words
“The next morning, Elder Ballantyne awakened from his slumber as with a sudden inspiration, and said to his companion: ‘Let us go down and ask the captain once more, and let us do it in the name of the Lord.’ After arising they engaged in earnest prayer, and then for the sixth time approached the vessel... ‘Captain Scott, we are very desirous of going on your boat to Madras. We have but little money. From that little we need ten rupees to purchase articles for the voyage, the balance we will give to you, and will promise you in the name of the Lord that if you will take us with you, you shall have a safe voyage.’ ... ‘Impossible, we are already sinking,’ cried the captain. ‘No, captain, we are not sinking, neither will we be,’ calmly replied Elder Ballantyne. At this time the vessel was within a hundred feet of the other, but no sooner had the words of calm assurance been spoken than the big ship eased off and passed them within three feet. — The Young Woman's Journal 23:8”
Sources & References
The Young Woman's Journal, vol. 26 no. 10 (October 1915). L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University digital collections. https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/YWJ/id/18684 (account extracted verbatim from the collection's page-level OCR; research confidence: high) The Young Woman's Journal, vol. 23 no. 8 (August 1912). L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University digital collections. https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/YWJ/id/16318 (account extracted verbatim from the collection's page-level OCR; research confidence: high) Additional sources (periodical research): David J. Whittaker, “Richard Ballantyne and…”
Every published account is vetted against its sources — read our editorial standards.
Filed under
Related Miracles
Similar miracle types and stories from the 1850s.
Questions about this account
Who was involved in this account?
When did this account take place?
Where did this account take place?
What kind of miracle is this?
Where does this account come from?
Miracle of the Week
One remarkable, documented account in your inbox every Monday, drawn from the full archive.