Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-11-03
WOMEN PREACHERS.
From the New York Herald.

Readers who have kept track of the
persistent efforts of certain godly and cul-
tured women to get into the ministry of
the evangelical churches, and of certain
godly and cultured men to keep them
out, will be glad, perhaps, to learn that
the persistence of the former has at last
been rewarded, and that, the way having
been opened now, other women may en-
ter and receive the supposed grace of
ordination. 1t will be remembered that
Miss Annie l., Shaw and Miss Anna
Oliver applied in the spring to the New
England Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church for ordination. They
are both college graduates and regularly
licensed preachers. Both minister to Or
ganized churches, the former in fishing
town in Massachusetts, the latter in the
godly city of Brooklyn. There application
was practically denied by the conference
named, though perhaps majority of the
members would have granted it, but the
presiding Bishop, Andrews, refused to
entertain motion for the election to Or
ders of these godly women. They took
an appeal to the General Conference,
which met in Cincinnati last May, and
there their claim was ably presented, but
the committee to whom the matter was
referred reported in favor of sustaining
the Bishops decision and against the
application of the two lady preachers.
Miss Oliver was heard in her own behalf,
but the sentiment of the church was too
strong yet to ordain women and give them
regular pastorates. The Universalists,
Unitarians, and Friends have woman
preachers the two former ordained by
the laying on of hands, and the latter,
who do not believe in it, without.
But no evangelical denomination has
yet granted ordination to women. Miss
Oliver returned from Cincinnati, having
lost both time and money, and quietly
resumed her work in Brooklyn. Miss
Shaw continued her labors in Massachu-
setts, where she has built up church
strong enough to pay her 81 ,05S year,
whereas, when she went to them they
could not pay her $400. She heard of
the annual meeting of the New York
Conference of the Methodist Protestant
Church in Tarrytown this week, and
came hither seeking that which was re-
fused her in the Methodist Episcopal
Church. After due examination, DIR.
Mark Staples, of New Jersey, and DIR. J.
J. White, of Williamsburg, pressed her
application, and the conference, by ma
jority of four votes, elected her to orders,
and last Tuesday she was duly ordained
by the conference in the Methodist Prot
estant Church of Tarrytown, where Mr..
Hacks ministers When the vote of
the conference was known, the President
(the Methodist Protestants have no Bis
hops, but elect Presidents from year to
Year,, Rev. A. G. Woodworth, left the
chair in high dudgeon, and refused to
have anything to do with the ordination
of woman. But the thing was done
without him, and the Rev. Miss Shaw
preached sermon of remarkable power
and clearness before the conference. She
returns to her parish "a Deacon in the
Church of God,' with the understanding
that her church is to unite itself with the
conference that ordained her, under whose
policy she may remain pastor there for
five years.