EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN THE SECOND HALF OF 1800; ELLEN ARNOLD /84

 

In this post I will continue to share the story of a woman named Ellen Arnold. She lived from 1858 - 1931. Ellen purchased land in Comilla and began building a mission house in 1889, before moving there in 1890. She spent her life preaching, establishing schools and dispensing medicine. She became fluent in Bangali and helped establish the East Bengal Baptist Union. 

Ellen later moved to Pubna where there were tensions with other missionaries, particularly as the men, who had arrived later, controlled the finances and movements of the women. In 1912 she was instructed by the Australian society to "stop interfering in the Pubna men's department or come home."

From 1913, Ellen lived in a thatched, mud-floored village hut among the local people rather than in the typical British Raj style properties of her colleagues.

Ellen returned to Australia in 1930, with the East Bengal Baptist Union taking over her work,but returned to India as a voluntary worker and died in Ataikola on 9 July 1931 after refusing surgery for a malignant growth.

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN THE SECOND HALF OF 1800; ELLEN ARNOLD P/83

 

Today I will continue my series on Evangelical women who lived in the second half of 1800 and felt called to ministry despite the opposition of men, this time sharing the story of a woman named Ellen Arnold. She lived from 1858 - 1931. Ellen was born in Aston, Warwickshire, England. Her parents were Alfred Arnold and Ellen Jane Seager. The family migrated to Adelaide, Australia in 1879 where they became members of Flinders Street Baptist Church. She became a teacher after being in the first intake of the Adelaide Teacher's College.

Ellen was influenced by her pastor, Silas Mead, who had founded the Autralian Baptist Missionary Society in 1864. After some medical training, she and Marie Gilbert went to Furreedpore in October 1882, the first missionaries sent by the newly formed society, undertaking "zenana work."

Ellen returned to Australia in 1884 suffering illness and undertook a tour of the colonies and New Zealand which became known as "the crusade of Ellen Arnold." This led to the establishment of  the Queensland and New Zealand Baptist Missionary Societies. Four other young women decided to join her (becoming known as the "Five Barley Loaves") in East Bengal, which then became the primary mission field for Australian Baptists.

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN THE SECOND HALF OF 1800; ANN SULLIVAN P/82

                                                                                                                                                                           

In this story will continue to focus on a woman named Ann Sullivan. She lived from 1866 - 1936.With the help of the school's director, Helen Keller became a public symbol for the Perkins school, helping it to increase its funding and donations and making it the most famous and sought-after school for the blind in the country. 

Ann remained a close companion to Helen and continued to assist her in her education, which ultimately included a degree from Radcliffe College (now part of Harvard University). 

In 1916, Ann and Helen went on a lecture tour under the auspices of the Y.W.C.A. In 1932, Ann and Helen were each awarded honorary fellowships from the Educational Institute of Scotland. They were also awarded honorary degrees from Temple University. 

Ann had been seriously visually impaired for almost all of her life, but in 1935, she became completely blind. On October 15, 1936, she had a coronary thrombosis, fell into a coma, and died five days later.

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN THE SECOND HALF OF 1800; ANN SULLIVAN P/81

                                                                                                                                                                               

In this post I will continue to focus on a woman named Ann Sullivan. She lived from 1866 - 1936. The summer after Ann graduated, Arthur Keller contacted Perkins School for the Blind to ask if they could recommend someone to teach his and blind and deaf daughter. 

Ann was recommended for the position and she moved into the home of Helen Keller as her teacher. Over time Ann evolved from teacher to governess and finally to companion and friend. Their relationship lasted 49 years.

Anne began teaching Helen by spelling out each word into her palm. Within six months this method proved to be working since Helen had learned 575 words, some multiplication tables and the Braille system.

Ann strongly encouraged Helen's parents to send her to the Perkins School, where she could have an appropriate education. Once they had agreed, Ann took Helen to Boston in 1888 and stayed with her there. Ann continued to teach her protege. who soon became famous for her remarkable progress. 

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN THE SECOND HALF OF 1800; ANNE SULLIVAN P/80

 

In this post I will continue my story of Anne Sullivan. She lived from 1866 - 1936. In 1877, Anne was sent to the Soeurs de la Charite hospital in Lowell, Massachusettes, where she had another unsuccessful operation. While there, she helped the nuns in the wards and went on errands in the community until July of that year, when she went to the city infirmary, where she had one more unsuccessful operation. She was then transferred back to Tewksbury under duress.

In 1880, Anne asked to be admitted to the Perkins School for the Blind, in Watertown, Massachusetts. Within months her plea was granted. In October of that year, Anne began her studies at the Perkins School. 

While there, Anne befriended Laura Bridgman, who taught Anne the manual alphabet. During her time there, she had a series of eye operations that significantly improved her vision. In June, 1886, at age 20, she graduated as the valedictorian of her class.

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN THE SECOND HALF OF 1800; ANNE SULLIVAN P/79

                                                                                                                                                                         

In this story I will focus on a woman named Anne Sullivan. She lived from 1866 - 1936. Anne was born in Feeding Hills, Massachusetts, USA. Her father was Thomas Sullivan and her mother was Alice Cloesy Sullivan.

When Alice was five years old, she contracted the bacterial eye disease trachoma, which caused many painful infections and over time made her nearly blind.

When Anne was eight years old, her mother died from tuberculosis and her father abandened her and her siblings two years later for fear that he could not raise them on his own. She was sent to the run-down and overcrowded almshouse Tewksbury.

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN THE SECOND HALF OF 1800; LOUISA WOOSLEY P/78

 

In this story I will continue to focus on a woman named Louise Woosley. She lived from 1862 - 1952. In 1891, Louisa published her own book, "Shall women preach?" which explained and justified her position.

Louisa, with the aid of various Kentucky presbyteries sympathetic to her cause, outlasted the synodic objection to her ordination. In 1906, the partial reunion of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church with the Presbyterian Church USA removed some of the most vocal opposition to the ordination of women. Although the official position of the denomination remained unchanged, clergy women were able to participate in all levels of policy without a great deal of opposition.

In 1920, the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination ruled that the word "man" as used in its constitution was to be considered as a gender neutral reference to a human being. More recently gender inclusive language came into broader use in the denomination.

Louisa was eventually recognised as a legitimate member of the Cumberland Presbyterian clergy and served in a variety of church offices for over fifty years.