The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-03-19
MISS ANNA OLIVER.

MISS ANNA OLIVER.
Miss ANNA OLIVER, the young lady
pastor of the Willoughby Avenue Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, in Brooklyn, is
much more successful in her ministry
than many young men of her age. and
her church has become one of the most
prosperous in it's vicinity. The church
she occupies was purchased under a
foreclosure sale by the Williamsburgh
Savings Bank to satisfy their first mort
gage of $500 Offers were made for
it TO turn it into livery stable and a
beer garden, but Miss Oliver purchased
it in her own name for 81, 200, and
gave a mortgage for $4,000. She
organized church in the spring of
1879 in accordance with the discipline
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but
without the official sanction of any of
the preachers of that Church, who, al
though sending word that they felt
pleasantly toward her enterprise, also
said that they could not recognize a fe-
male preacher. Miss Oliver was about
to deed the property she had bought to
the Church in the usual way, when she
concluded that if she did the Confer
ence might accept the property and turn
the worshippers out. Accordingly she
had legal document drawn, deciding
the church to certain persons for the
purposes of the Willoughby Avenue
Methodist Church.. but not subject TO
the direction of Conference. Miss Oil
ver's energy was unbounded, and when
she heard that neighboring church
members were saying that her enter
prise would not last year, she re-
doubled her exertions, and now, at
about the completion of her second
year. she has reason to be gratified at
the retrospect.
Miss Oliver is about 26 or q wears
old, with coal-black eyes, brunette com
plexion, and raven black hair, which
falls in glossy curls over her shoulders.
She brushes her hair smoothly back
from her forehead anu face, and in
other respects her toilet is in contrast
with the fashionable young lady of
Madison square" She dresses in black,
usually in alpaca, cut to neatly fit her
slender figure, and the somber costume
is relieved only by delicate bits of
WAieC L uSHc dt tuS tHIOdb dui 5l66NeS.
No jewelry, except black jet pin, is
worn by the girl pastor. Her manner
is that of an earnest religious devotee,
and her conversation seems unmixed
with cant. Her sincerity has won her
many friends. and many veteran Meth
odists who sit weekly under her teach
ings would not exchange her for
Bishop.
1--WE have put the church and chapel
buildings and the land in good condi-
tion," said Miss Oliver, in response to
a question about the temporal condition
of her church, land we pay as we 90.
The buildings cost $47, 800 to erect, but
their present value is hard to estimate.
The eight lots on which they stand are
valued at from $1,000 to $4,000 We
have new furniture for the church and
chapel, estimated to be worth 81, 600.
We settle all bills monthly, and each
months proportion of interest on the
mortgage of $4,000 is deposited III the
savings bank, SO that when the six
months payment becomes due, it is all
ON hand. We hold that no church can
be conducted more economically than
ours. Twenty-Five hundred and fifty
dollars a year meets our entire expenses,
pastors salary and all. We recently
had a gift of two buildings lots in New
York City, which we are trying to sell"
"Have you an income from pew
rentsP'
mot dollar. No pews are rented.
Our motto is: Have faith in God We
believe that if the Lord needs church,
nd ha nh hn I
He will just as surely give it the money
to meet its current expenses as He will
give it the Holy Spirit to lead its meet
ings. We do not believe in church
fairs. festivals, oyster suppers, necktie
sociables, leap-year entertainments,
charades, tableaux, cantatas, wax
works. or any other of the numerous
projects gotten up by other churches in
order to meet their expenses, which
turn the Lords sanctuary into play
house, an eating saloon, or a house of
merchandise. Our method of raising
money is to ask the people to give it in
return for the profit they derive from
the church services. Our only debt is
that $4,000, ana am asking the Lord
for the money. l believe He has the
money somewhere. and will, before
long, give it to u.s."
Miss Oliver has overcome obstacles
that would cause many young women
to sit down and have good CRY. Her
church was stripped of furniture some
time after she bought it by man who
had chattel mortgage upon it, given
by a former society. Miss Oliver at
once decided it was the best time to
clean the church, and organized a
scrubbing-brush COMMITTEES. with her.
self as chairman. She rolled up her
sleeves and went towork with soap and
water to clean the house.
A few weeks ago it was necessary to
comply with promise to some adver-
tisers in an annual publication made by
the church to print picture of the edi-
flee on the title page. 1t was discov-
cred that there was no engraving of the
church, and none could be obtained I'M
less drawing of the church was fur
nished. Miss Oliver turned artist and
mazda a Truthful toan-and-inl. ckatnh of