Southwest-sentinel., 1895-03-19
Mns. crlIA pAakaR wooLlrY.


n " onlnn Who H. Making n nruilnut and
Successful rrcachor.
Celia Parker Woollcy published her
first novel, Love nnd Theology, in
1887 IL WINS a clever, rosolutely rad
ical little story, aud tho critics at onco
classed it with tho African Farm, "
"John Ward" and tho renowned Rob
ert " It's author, however, has since
thon gono far ahead Of Mrs Doland,
Mra Ward and even Olivo schreincr
IN the demonstration Of her religious
convictions With "lovo" she had been
tOlerably convcrsaut since her marriage
in 1868, and by way Of proving her "a
miliarity with theology" sho accepted
tho pnstorato of n church In Geneva
Ills. Up 10 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 n minister has been, howover, emil
nently successful She has aroused a
fresh and widespread religious interest
throughout not only her immediate COM
munity, but in Chicago itself, an hour'a
railway ride distant, many persons GO
ing out from that city every Sunday to
attend service in Geneva. Mrs. Wool
ley's sermons during this as yet brief
pastorate have had a wide range, deal
ing with the most vital and pressing
problems Of our day, ns 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, "A Story Of Isben g Brand, ,"
and pilates Question, What Ia
TRUTH IL is interesting to also note
that Of the three trustees Of her church
two, Mrs Julia Plato Harvey and hrs.
Julia Q. Blacknan, are women. Mrs
Harvey is also well known TO the world
at large as the former first vice presi-
dent Of the General Federation Of Won
ems Clubs
Mrs. Woolley is by birth an Ohioan,
although removing to Coldwater, Mich,
at an early age. With the exception Of
n few years spent at the Lake Erie sem
inary-One of the Mary Lyons schools
---at Painesville o., she was educated
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 contributions in
prose and verse to journals both east
and west She was the Chicago CORE.
spOn6ent Of The Christian Register Of
Boston for eight years, and in 1890
became assistant editor Of tho Chicago
Unity, holding tho latter position for
nearly three years Her first essay in
fiction was a short story published in
Lippincott, which periodical has pab-
lished much other Of her work. The
title Of Love and Theology" has, in
later editions, been changed to "Rachcl
Armstrong" while two other novels
from her pom have also appeared, "a
Girl Graduate" and Roger Hunt. "
Mrs. Woolley has been and is q 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 responsibility.
Within the past few weeks the club has
appointed committee of 20 to organize
a political equality league, Mrs.
Woolley serving as chairman. AS leo
turer and parlor reader she is perhaps
better known in the west than in 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 for1ni.
dable societies. the Browning club and
the New ENGLAND Woman's club. Like
her books, her talks" are q mixture
Of literary interests with social prob
lems 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 "Tho
Worlds Religious Debt to America "
Altogether it is not as tho brilliant nov
elist that she is to be regarded, but as
the earnest md sincere thinker, eager
to receive the truth, strong in tho cour-
age of her convictions and successful in
a field where but few women have earn
ed distinction. New York Times.