The Portland daily press., 1897-07-07
NEW HAMPSHlRE's WOMAN CLERIC.
She is Creating Great Excitement and In
terest by Her Good Work.

New Hampshire is quite stirred up over
her first woman preacher. If the Apostle
Paul was a Theosophist, as the Theoso-
phists claim, and if his ego is reincarnated
in some New England farmer about the
town of Newfelds, near Exeter, he must
be astonishede to see a woman undertake
the task of attending to the moral and
spiritual welfare of the residents around
those parts. The woman who is doing
this is the Rev. Mrs. W. M. Smith, of
Medford, Mass, and she has just accepted
the pastorate of the Universalist church
at Newf1elds. The Oldest inhabitants
have dubbed her the ''Parsoness.
Mrs. Smith began her work in quiet
dignified way, and Immediately won the
respect and admiration of all who met
her, but her congregation and the MEM
bers of other congregations near by just
couldn't help getting little excited about
having woman dominic in their con-
sentative little town, SO they are still
talking about it. This surprises Mrs.
Smith, for she says when she entered the
ministry she had no notion that it would
create any comment, but now she sees
that people are bound to talk about it
until the newness wears off. The story
of how she came to be minister is in
teresting, and should encourage every
little girl who is in the habit of saying,
If were man l would be so-and-so.
When a little girl, like every other lit
tie girl who ever existed this reverend
woman used to remark in her thoughtful
moods: ''f l were man woulu be
preacher SO the Boston Globe says. She
was born in Provincetown. Her mothers
people were all staunch Universalists,
and founded the Universalist church in
that town years ago. She passed quiet
childhood there, entering Wellesley Col
lege in 1889. After taking two years OF
the regular course there she returned
home and taught school for three years.
In 1888 she was married to Fl. NJ. Smith,
of Provincetown, and continued to live
there until they moved to Medford, Mass,
in 1898. All this time the plucky little
woman had been studying hard, and
when she got settled in her new home
and found that she was living within
ten minutes walk of Tufts College, she
says she saw that at last the way was
opened for her, and she simply accepted
what seemed to be her appointed task.
She entered Tufts Divinity School in
1894, and pursued her studies there three
years, graduating fortnight ago.
In the class were two other women,
Miss Gertrude Earle, of Somerville,
Mass, and Miss Belle McDuff, of Clare
mont, N. H., and ten men. The three
women were the first who ever graduated
from the divinity school. Last SIP ring
Mrs. Smith went to Newfields twice to
preach, and in March was invited to ac-
cept the pastorate, accepting the call.
She will probably give both the conser-
vative and radical something to think
about, for she says that some people can
be easily led, while others have to be
threatened, and that she believes the cler
gymen who do the most good in this
world employ both methods. She has
not as yet laid out any definite plan of
action in her pastoral work, but she has
vague ideas as to what she wants to do
and of hopes and expectations which she
expects to carry out. 1t is matter of
installed or not, but this one prefers to
be, and the installation is set for this
month.
Her opinions as to women entering
business or professional career are pro-
nounced. She says:
81 believe that business won en- are
more thoroughly domestic and more de-
voted to their homes than any other class
of women.
"It seems to me it is the so-called soci-
ETY. women who are the ones who neglect
their homes, husbands and children for
whist parties, calling and spending their
time in keeping up with the latest
fashions in gowns and bonnets.
"Of course there are model housewives
who are not in business. But these same
good housewives are apt to make of them
selves slaves, and to spend their time and
strength on frivolous tasks, such as set
ing up bric-a-brac all over the house and
busting it.
IT don't think dust is the worst thing
in the world, and don't believe in pur-
chasing freedom from dust at the ex-
pense Of the SOUL"
Mrs. Smith is of medium size, and it
will be a number of years before she is
middle aged. She is graceful, cultured
and artistic, and does not neglect the
management of her home for any other
duties.