New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1878-08-21
THE GIRL PREACHER.
Miss Anna OZive3. IN BfOOhclyn--Her EI,s-
cation and Plans.

Miss Anna Oliver in Brooklyn--Her Ed,s-
cation and Plans.
s New York Tribune.
Anna Oliver, called sometimes the girl
preacher, spoke yesterday afternoon at Lef-
fert's park, Brooklyn, to an audience of sew
eral hundred persons. The crowd over
flowed the seats that had been provided, and
he edge of the circle was fringed with q
dense, restless throng. To protect the seats
from the sun, a broad canvas canopy had
been spread over them, and near the centre
was small platform, slightly raised, and on
this desk draped with the national flag.
At the rear of the desk was covered stand
in which was choir which led the singing,
accompanied by piano.
Miss Oliver took as the theme Of her dis
course the subject Of salvation. She began
with description Of Union soldiers Lam
gushing in Rebel prisons, and of the mes
sage of salvation that the tidings of peace
brought to them and to their country. The
classes of prisoners to sin, and the greater
The need of personal effort was urged upon
her hearers. Illustration was drawn from
q hen with brood Of chickens, which at the
first note of alarm from the mother-hen run
to the shelter of her protecting wings. So
sinners must hasten to the salvation offered
by the religion of Christ. Miss Oliver
spoke for nearly 80 minutes, and
was listened to- with earnest
attention. She spoke rapidly and clearly,
and although a sheet of notes was pinned to
a page Of the open Bible which rested on the
desk before her, she apparently did net con-
suit them. Miss Oliver is slight woman,
somewhat above the medium hight, with
small but strongly marked features. Her
forehead is wide, and slightly higher than
required by classic laws of beauty; her eyes
are nearly black, and, although deep, are full
and bright, surmounted by heavy black
brows that nearly meet. Her nose is bold
and prominent, with decided rise at the tip,
but the nostrils are thin and sensitive. She
has wide mouth, with thin red lips, and
her chin is narrow and pointed. In general
her complexion is dark, and nearly sallow.
Miss Oliver wore yesterday dress made
of some thin black material that fell around
her in soft flowing lines. Around her neck
was white lace ruffle, and at the throat a
simple bow of white lace. Upon her head
she had dark straw hat, faced with dark
velvet and trimmed with ribbons. Her hair
was brushed carelessly back off the temples,
and under her hat fell down the neck in
short, loose curls. In speaking, Miss Oliver
has an earnest, nervous manner, somewhat
restrained, but full of power; her voice is
clear, and at times deep, and her utterances
rapid, but distinct. Miss Oliver is ap-
parently about 81 years old. She
is native of New York, having been
born on Lexington avenue near Thirtieth
street. She was graduated at the Rutgers
Female college on Fifth avenue, in this city,
and then entered the theological school of
the Boston university (Methodist), the first
female pupil ever admitted to the school.
She pursued the three years course, during
which she supported herself by working dur
5 aszt the vacations and was graduated in june
Soon after the conclusion of her theolog-
ical studies, Miss Oliver took charge of the
First Methodist church at Passaic, N. j.,
where she remained nearly year. Her first
audience at this church consisted of fifteen
persons, but before the end of the year the
church was crowded at all the services. Miss
Oliver is a licensed, but not ordained preach
er of the Methodist church. The period
of probation before she would be
entitled to ordination has not expired, but
ct its termination she will apply to the gen
eral conference to be ordained. The confer
ence of the Methodist church does not ad-
NIT female preachers, but Miss Oliver is con-
fdent in the belief that the exclusion will
not be permanent. She received recently a
call to take charge of a church in Boston.
but she felt that she needed longer rest
than she had then had, and she therefore de-
clined the invitation. She has now under
consideration invitations from other church
es, but has not made decision upon them.
She said yesterday that she preferred pastor
al to evangelist work, as she felt herself to
be well fitted for the care of q church.