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Through the Front Doors: Methodist Women's Journey Toward Ordination

Case 1: 1700 – 1830

Doughty, W.L. Prayers of Susanna Wesley (New York: Philosophical Library, 1956)
Contains prayers and poems written by Susanna Wesley.

Taft, Z. Holy Women (London: Kershaw, 1825)
Biographical sketches of early Methodist women.  Page 24 records Wesley’s response to Mary Fletcher regarding objections to women preachers.  Wesley says she has “an extraordinary call” and is to continue in her preaching/teaching.

Case 2: 1830 – 1850

Fletcher, Mary. Account of Sarah Lawrance (London: Thomas Cordeux, 1820)
Sarah Lawrance was the adopted daughter of John and Mary Fletcher.  This book tells of her experiences leading revivals as a teenager.

Harvest and the Reaper: Reminiscences of Revival Work of Mrs. Maggie N. Van Cott, the first lady licensed to preach in the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States (New York: N. Tibbals and Sons, 1876)
Biography of M. Van Cott, revivalist preacher.  The hymnal she compiled for her revivals is listed below.
Moore, Henry. Life of Mrs. Mary Fletcher: consort and relict of Rev. John Fletcher (London: James Nichols, 1817)
Biography of Mary Fletcher compiled by Henry Moore from her journal and other documents.

Mrs. Van Cott’s Praise Book used at her Gospel Meetings (Boston: Ditson and Co., 1877)
VanCott was a revivalist preacher who fought for women’s ordination.  This is a hymn book she compiled and used at her revival meetings.  She wrote the first hymn and the preface.

Case 3: 1850 – 1880

“Exciting Methodist Questions,” New York Times May 18, 1880, page 1
Front page article, the day after Anna Oliver’s ordination was refused at the General Conference.  Mentions the tract she distributed entitled, “Test Case on Women’s Ordination.”  Article also mentions Frances Willard’s attempts to address the Conference on behalf of the Women Temperance Society.

“Methodist Preachers’ Meeting,” New York Times Feb. 27, 1877, page 8.
Anna Oliver was invited to preach in April.  This article records Mr. Buckley’s opposition to her preaching and the rescinding of her invitation.

Oliver, Anna. Test Case on the Ordination of Women Appealed from the New England General Conference to General Conference (New York: W.N. Jennings, 1880)
Pamphlet written by Anna Oliver to appeal her rejected ordination.  She placed a pamphlet on each seat at the conference.  In the pamphlet she examines each objection to her ordination and argues against it.

Shaw, Anna Howard. Story of a Pioneer (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1915)
Autobiography tells story of her journey to and struggle with ordination.

Case 4: 1880 – 1900

Proceedings of the Twentieth General Conference of the United Brethren in Christ, 1889
This 1889 record of the proceedings of the United Brethren in Christ General Conference contains an explicit approval of the licensing of women as preachers.

General Conference Journal vol. IX, 1880, p. 353-354
The ordination of Anna Oliver is rejected, then licensing of women as preachers was revoked.

Case 5: 1900 – 1920

Lee, Elizabeth Meredith. As Among the Methodists: Deaconesses Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow. NY: Women’s Division, 1963.
MacDonell, R.W. Belle Harris Bennett (Nashville: Cokesbury, 1928)

Biography of Belle Harris Bennett, founder, president of Women’s Home Missionary Society

Record of the Woman’s Home Mission Society (Nashville: 1902?)
Founded 1886, Belle Harris Bennett, president.  This is the record of their activities at the turn of the century.

Report of the Sixth Deaconess Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church held at Cincinnati, Ohio, February, 24-27 1893. [Oak Park, ILL : The Message and Deaconess World Press, 1893]
Though the Board of the Deaconess Conference was dominated by male clergy, Lucy Rider Meyer served on the executive committee and as corresponding secretary.  The Deaconess Conference reported on administration of the various homes and hospitals as well as course of study in training institutes.  The address to candidates for consecration begins, “We rejoice with you that in the good providence of God and open door of usefulness has been found for you in the service of the Church of Christ.”

Rider Meyer, Lucy.  Deaconesses : Who They Are, and What They Do (New York : Hunt & Eaton; Cincinnati : Cranston & Curts, [18--?])
This pamphlet describes deaconesses as women who are “so set free from the ordinary employments and responsibilities of a woman’s life that they are at liberty to devote their whole time and strength to Christian work.” 

Rider Meyer, Lucy. Everybody's Gospel Songs (Chicago : Distributed by the Chicago Training School of Missions,     [1910?])
Lucy Rider Meyer wrote several of the songs in this collection.  Proceeds went to the training of missionaries and deaconesses

Case 6: 1920 – 1956

Willard, Frances. Coming Brotherhood and Dress and Vice (Chicago: Woman’s Temperance Publication Association 18?)
Pamphlets published for temperance movement.

Willard, Frances. Glimpses of Fifty Years (Chicago: Women’s Temperance Publication Association, 1889)
Willard’s autobiography.  She writes about women being denied ordination once again in 1888

General Conference Journal vol. XX 1924, p. 1697-1698
Women denied full ordination rights, but recognize their work in certain home and missionary societies.

Discipline of the Methodist Church, 1956, Paragraph 303
Women are included in all provisions of the Discipline referring to the ministry.

Doctrines and Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South 1938, paragraph 722
Women Not Recognized as Preachers “Our Church does not recognize women as preachers, with authority to occupy the pulpit, to read the Holy Scriptures, and to preach, as ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ; nor does it authorize a preacher in charge to invite a woman claiming to be a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ to occupy our pulpits…”

Cases 7-8: 1956 – 2006

Candler School of Theology Publications
This collection of materials contains photo directories, student publications and handbooks from Candler’s history.  The photo directory featured in the exhibit includes the following images: Dale Owen, first woman ordained in the Mississippi Conference; Barbara Longyear Franks, first woman received into full connection in the Kentucky Conference; Marcia Jane Cochran and Allison Rhodes Morgan, the first two women received into full connection in the South Georgia Conference; Lynne Cheney, one of the first three women received into full connection in the former Southern New Jersey Conference; Susan Henry Crowe, first woman received into full connection in the South Carolina Conference; Carolyn Stapleton, first woman received into full connection in the Southwest Texas Conference.

Craig, Judith. Leading Women: Stories of the First Women Bishops of the United Methodist Church (Nashville: Abingdon, 2004)
Compilation of life stories of the first women bishops of the United Methodist Church.

Journey: United Methodist Women in North Georgia 1878-1983  (Atlanta: N. Georgia United Methodist Women, 1984)
This book documents the attempts of Methodist women to carve out meaningful ministry in the church in response to national and global issues, and to empower women within the restrictive structures of the church.  Part one of a two-volume series.  Part two entitled Story Not Yet Over

North Georgia Conference Minutes, 1995
Contains a memorial of Ruther Elizabeth Rogers, first woman ordained in the North Georgia Conference.

Rogers, Ruth Elizabeth. Conceptual Faith in the Aging Process  (Doctoral Dissertation, Emory University, 1979).
Rogers’ dissertation.  She was the first woman ordained bishop in the North Georgia Conference. 

Thompson, Patricia. Courageous Past Bold Future: the journey toward full clergy rights for women in the United Methodist Church (Nashville: General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, 2006)
Provides historical overview of women’s journey to ordination in first two chapters, and then highlights women in each conference with mini-biographies of “firsts.”

"Women called and ordained: the Journey Continues" The Circuit Rider  May/June 2006
The May/June edition of this periodical commemorates the 50th year anniversary of women’s ordination in the United Methodist church

"Women clergy battle ‘stained-glass ceiling’" Atlanta Journal-Constitution August 27, 2006, by Neela Banerjee.
Features Elaine Puckett of the North Georgia Conference in a discussion of women clergy’s continued struggle in the Methodist Church and beyond.