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After a few years of administration, Boniface again felt Friesland calling him, a land "he had once deserted in body but never, indeed, in his heart," according to Willibald. In his late seventies, he resigned his post to head north once again. Once again, he and his followers roamed the countryside destroying shrines, building churches, and baptizing thousands.

One group of these new converts was due to arrive at Dorkum on the River Borne. But while Boniface and his 52 companions awaited the neophytes, a gang of pagan predators arrived on the shore seeking loot. Though he had earlier traveled under the armed protection of the Frankish ruler, he was now far beyond its reach. Boniface, at his first synod, had ensured that clergy would not carry arms, so all he had to defend himself was the book in his arms, which he used as a shield.

The new Christians, who had fled upon seeing the raiders, returned to find Boniface and his companions slaughtered. Next to their bishop lay a copy of Ambrose's writings on The Advantage of Death, with two deep slashes in it. The book is still on display in Fulda, Germany.

Actually, Boniface spent a small percentage of his life as a missionary. His historical significance is found more in his strong advocacy of Roman order in the church, his reform of the Frankish churches, his uniting churches in southern and central Germany, and his revitalizing nominal Christians in northern Europe. But he thought of himself mainly as a missionary, as did countless others. From the eighth century to the eleventh, he became one of missionaries' top role models.

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