Thesevisitors，comingstraightfromforeignlandstothelittleMainevillage，broughtwiththemanamelessenchantmenttothechildren，andespeciallytoRebecca，whoseimaginationalwayskindledeasily。Theromanceofthatvisithadneverdiedinherheart，andamongthemanycareersthatdazzledheryouthfulvisionwasthatofconvertingsuchSyrianheathenasmightcontinueinidolworshipaftertheBurches’effortsintheirbehalfhadceased。ShethoughtattheageofeighteenshemightbesuitablyequippedforstormingsomeminorcitadelofMohammedanism；andMrs。Burchhadencouragedherintheidea，not，itistobefeared，becauseRebeccashowedanysurplusofvirtueorChristiangrace，butbecausehergiftoflanguage，hertactandsympathy，andhermusicaltalentseemedtofitherforthework。
ItchancedthatthequarterlymeetingoftheMaineMissionarySocietyhadbeenappointedjustatthetimewhenaletterfromMrs。BurchtoMissJaneSawyersuggestedthatRebeccashouldformachildren’sbranchinRiverboro。Mrs。Burch’srealideawasthattheyoungpeopleshouldsavetheirpenniesanddivertagentlestreamoffinancialaidintotheparentfund，thuslearningearlyinlifetobeusefulinsuchwork，eitherathomeorabroad。
Thegirlsthemselves，however，readintoherletternosuchmodestparticipationintheconversionoftheworld，andwishingtoeffectanorganizationwithoutdelay，theychoseanafternoonwheneveryhouseinthevillagewasvacant，andseizedupontheRobinsons’barnchamberastheplaceofmeeting。
Rebecca，AliceRobinson，EmmaJanePerkins，CandaceMilliken，andPersisWatson，eachwithherhymnbook，hadclimbedtheladderleadingtothehaymowahalfhourbeforeAbijahFlagghadheardthestrainsof\"DaughtersofZion\"floatingouttotheroad。
Rebecca，beinganexecutiveperson，hadcarried，besidesherhymnbook，asilvercall-bellandpencilandpaper。Ananimateddiscussionregardingoneoftwonamesforthesociety，TheJuniorHeraldsorTheDaughtersofZion，hadresultedinaunanimousvoteforthelatter，andRebeccahadbeenelectedpresidentatanearlystageofthemeeting。ShehadmodestlysuggestedthatAliceRobinson，asthegranddaughterofamissionarytoChina，wouldbemuchmoreeligible。