The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-08-29
MRs. 80 pARkER wooLLEY.
A Woman who Is Making Brilliant and
Successful F,reaeher.

Woman Who Is Making Brilliant and
Successful Preacher
Celia Parker Woolley published her
first novel, Love and Theology, in
1887 It was a clever, resOlutely rad
icaI little story. and the critics at once
classed it with the African Farm, =
ssJohn Ward and the renowned Rob
ert - It's author, however, has since
then gone far ahead of Mrs Deland,
Mrs. Ward and even Olive Schreiner
in the demonstration of her religious
convictions. With love she had been
tolerably conversant since her marriage
in 1868, and by way of proving her IA
miliarity with theology Ahe accepted
the pastorate Of a church in Geneva.
Ills Up to that time Mrs. Woolley had
had no intention Of entering the minis
try, although always attracted to the
pulpit and its opportunities. Her career
as a minister has been, however, emil
nently successful. She has aroused a
fresh and widespread religious interest
throughout not only her immediate COM
munity, but in Chicago itself, an hours
railway ride distant, many persons go
ing out from that city every Sunday to
attend service in Geneva. Mrs. Wool
1ey's sermons during this as yet brief
pastorate have had a wide range, deal
problems of our day, as may be judged
by the following topics, taken at random
from her past years calendar; Indus
trial Armies Versus Industrial Citizen
ship" Compensation, = Loved of
Country, ''s'' A Story of Isben' s Brand, -
and s'Pilate's Question, What Is
Truth?' . 1t is interesting to also note
that Of the three trustees Of her church
two, Mrs. Julia Plato Harvey and Mrs.
Julia c. Blackman, are women. Mrs.
Harvey is also we'll known to the world
at large as the former first vice presi-
dent of the General Federation Of Wom-
ems Clubs.
Mrs. Woolley is by birth an Ohioan,
although removing to COldwater, Mich,
at an early age. With the exception Of
a few years spent at the Lake Erie sem
inary-one of the Mary Lyons schools
at gainesville o., she was edu Gated
entirely in the town Of her adoption
She was graduated from the COldwater
seminary IN 1866 and two years later
was married to DR.. J. H. WoOlley. In
1875 they removed to Chicago, where she
busted herself with cOntri buttons in
prose and verse to journals both east
and west. She was the Chicago CORE
spondent of The Christian Register of
Boston for eight years, and in 1890
became assistant editor Of the Chicago
Unity, holding the latter position for
nearly three years. Her first essay in
fiction was q short story published in
Lippincott. which periodical has p1b-
lished much other of her work. The
title of 'sLove and Theology has. in
later editions, been changed to Rachel
Armstrong, while two other novels
from her pen have also appeared, "A
Mrs. WoOlley has been and is a con-
spicuous member Of that conspicuous
organization, the Chicago WOman's
club. For two years she was its presi-
dent, and she is the present leader of
its Browning classes, - her long expe-
rience as thinker and lecturer amply
qualifying her for such respOnsi bility.
Within the past few weeks the club has
appointed j committee Of 25 to organize
a political equality league, Mrs.
WoOlley serving as chairman. As a lee
turer and parlOr reader she is perhaps
better known in the west than III the
east, although she is always sure to win
appreciation, whatever the locality.
During a recent visit to Boston she was
the honored guest Of those two fOrmi-
dable societies, the Browning club and
the New England WOman's club. Like
ner DOCKS neI bdAAs are q mixture
Of literary interests with social prob
lens, Voltaire, Ihsen, Margaret Fuller,
George Eliot, Shakespeare and Tenny-
son each finding place IN her pro-
gramme- Mrs. Woolley was deeply in
terested in the worlds parliament of
religions which distinguished body she
had the honor to address upon 1.-The
Worlds Religious Debt to America. y
Altogether it is not as the brilliant nov
elist that she is to be regarded, but as
the earnest and sincere thinker, eager
to receive the truth, strong in the cour-
age Of her convictions and successful in
a field where but few women have earn
ed distinction-Ne York Times.
TO Keep sruslins crisp.