The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-07
WOMAN PREACHER
MRS. CAROLINE BARTLETT CRIME
M HER PEOPLES CHURCH.

An lnsiltution Mt Kalamazoo, Mich, That Has
Won the Praise OF the ORTHODOX and Col.
Bob Ingersoii Aiike-Hcr Career began with
Newspaper work-somo or Her ideas.
The Rev. Caroline Bartlett Crane Of Kalama-
zoo, Mich, has a church which not only com
PEELED a cordial compliment from Robert q. In
gersoll, but also has won recognition and respect
on the other side OF the line.
She is n woman of winning presence and
wido culture" says the Rev. Minot j. Savage.
Il" Her sermons are well worth listening to, and
there IL that in her voice and bearing that riv-
cts attention. She is still a young woman with
a long period Of years before her ere she attains
the meridian of life. With talent and cnthusi-
asm, there Is no limit TO what she may achieve
Mrs. Crane was a reporter and afterward city
editor Of a Wisconsin paper before she became a
minister. She Is u native Of Hudson, Wis, and
Is a graduate of Carthage College, Illinois.
From the time l was 10 years old" sho says.
81 had but one thought, and that was to become
the minister OF an independent church. My rel
ativcs opposed mo In the matter. They did not
approve Of It. l became a reporter on tho Min
noapolis Tribune. / worked faithfully and. in a
few months. I got to DO assistant city editor.
Then the Times OF Oshkosh. Wis, asked the
Tribune for n city editor. and ] got the place.
Oshkosh was thon only u lumber town. 1 was
thrown In with a rough, happy go-lucky element,
but | managed to get along, and later found u
bcttcr-paying place on q daily paper In Sioux
Falls, $. ID. 1t was while at Sioux Falls that l
became assistant pastor Of n Unitarian church,
whose regular pastor was a woman. II was just
the post and the work I had been longing for.
My experience there enabled mo to assume
charge at Kalamazoo Of what was the beginning
OF my Peoples Church. The society. Unitarian,
at Kalamazoo was then twcntyeight years old,
but was practically at a standstill; II was not
growing u bit. Year in and year out saw the same
membership list. induced the society to keep up
daily work along educational and humanitarian
lines, and Immediately outsiders got interested.
Things began to prosper. Then agitated the
subject OF a new church ediice. A member Of
tho society. Silas Hubbard. gave 100000 toward
It, and the church was built and furnished at a
cost Of $50 .0O0.
when everything was in order and complete
we had a house-warming, and every human soul
who had taken the smallest part in that church
building-who had laid the bricks either actual
ly or fguratively, had worked with Drawn and
muscle or contributed by money or b~rains-was
present at that ho~uso-warming. l don't believe
there was ever such a gathering anywhere.
That gathering Is typical OF the religion l am
trying to preach, trying 10 show forth In my
daily life, trying to carry home to the hearts OF
my people. Ours is n scven-day church. We
NOTh btNcu uh1b luSlttl vi Dlt uN1 tuNh Ntths
We have a free kindergarten with IA trained
director, seven assistants and AN enrolment OF
too pupils, NC ,cnCn nhe YOUNG MUmen oy nu.,
for intellectual development, baths, u good
kitchen, rooms for parties and concerts. A great
many travelling men stop over at kalamazoo TO
attend my services; tho idea OF a free church
seems to appeal TO them. My sermons are print
ed in neat form, and they buy them, and i think.
read them, or a part OF them. Onc,hird OF our
congregation is made up Of young men. The
| nile PraahkiRFiap- Low AUnnstls Atheist Mo-
hamuIedan. In fact to any one who Is striving 10
make the world a better place to live in.
a creed no two people believe alike. How much.
] ask, do bright and shining lights in the Baptist
cu,orsi DIR. Lyman Abbott and the adhcren,s
OF old Consregationalism The insistancc upon
subscription TO an antiquatedc creed is the cause
OF the detection OF thousands OF honest, earnest
men and women from the churches. IL Is my
talking like this, unfolding these views. that
makes Col. lngcrsoll, like me. l think him a
large-brained, large.hearted man, who right.
cousiy revolts from "a cruel theology. and makes
thai his utterances are sometimes tincturcd
with harshncss and ridiculc; but he is a brave,
honest man, and isd9ing a good work. lie told
me when we talked about the ideal free Church:
II all churches were like this, always open,
working every day to make people better. |
religion You see, our Church hopes to elevate
people first by d,s,yeloping, the brain and civiliz-
Ing the heart. We consider "A Church as "A char.
actcr builder. Ii needs to do something for tho
world. 10 help the poor. educate the ignorant,
ana do away Win crime.
have tried 10 come into actual touch with
the lower classes, in order 10 SEQ how / could
best help them. When was in London l allied
myself FOR a time with the Stun sisters OF the
salvation Army. did not wear "A regulation
army dress; that, l thought, wol d declare mo
and shaw, or coat, | could ind, and marched
along in the ranks beating II tanbourine. All
the knowledge / gained then has been good Tor
me-"
Although in public life herself. Mrs. Crane
contends stoutly for woman's adherence 10 the
-..w.l~ ..nta atNA. al a.. WltlA .NR. 80 Ntn.
that, in some cases. exceptional women may uo
most good outside OF the home.
III n woman Is alone in the world we must
grant her the right To dispose OF her life as $50
WILL she says, but II she be a wife and moth.
er-as let US De glad most women helpers are
she has other things to consider than the tO
constant attendance at womcn's clubs and out
side Issues. Nothing can warrant u woman
being tired and nervous at home, giving the flag
ends OF her strength and buoyunCy 10 those near
cot and dearest, because OF the energy devoted
to other peoples children. will promise better re-
sul!s than the attention she gives her own"
Mrs. Crane became a wife on the eve OF the
new year OF 1897, an event that was IA complete
surprise to most OF her congregation. She was
husband is a member OF her church; The pain
married themselves, as 1t were, they HAVING
planned and written The words by which thoii
original vows, which expressed the sense OF The
conventional. marriage service. and then The
Rev. Jcnkin Lloyd Jones pronounced them maj
and wife. On the Sunday morning previous
Miss Bartlett had announced from tho pulpit
that for "A number of receptions that had beer
rendered her she wished TO reciprocate by in
viting all present to a reunion in the churcl
purlors on New Years Eve. A u o'clock OF tn,
evening in question a musical programme wat
announced, and tho guests assembled In thu
auditorium OF tho church. During the render
ing OF this programme Miss Bartlett was hur
ricdly driven TO her apartments, whoro sh'
donnod her wedding gown. Directly after thu
ceremony the bride and bridegroom went {,
their new home. There was no wedding trip
Both continued their work without u days ia
tcrruptiOn.
Mrs. Crane Ia tall and graceful. Her feature
are good, but her face owes much vi its charm
TO that elusive quality that never can bc caugh
By the Photographic art, Her eyes arc a clea
blue-gray and her hair light brown In color. II
the pulpit or when presiding at marriage, chris
tcning, or funeral she wears a half'ftling rob
OF black corded silk, which gives her II certain
dlstinclivencss from the other women present
Her hair is dressed in the prevailing fashion.