Read Part One HERE
In this post I continue to focus on a woman named Catherine Mumford Booth. She lived from 1829 - 1890.
Catherine did not intend to change women's domestic roles, but she objected to their alleged intellectual and moral inferiority.In 1858, she began to assist her husband in his pastoral work at Gateshead, Durham. Initially, William was reluctant to female preaching, but gradually he changed his mind. In 1857-1858, at Brighouse, where he held his Methodist New Connexion pastorate, he encouraged his wife to take "a class of female members" and to teach Sunday School.
In 1860, Catherine began to preach herself with the full approval of her husband, although many people were initially bewildered, because Victorian women were traditionally expected to devote themselves to domestic work and avoid the public sphere. However, Catherine was strongly convinced that women were not intellectually inferior to men and had the right to preach.
She soon proved to be an exceptional orator and contributed significantly to moral and social reform. She preached in around the dockland of Rotherhithe in South London and Bermondsey. During her husband's evangelistic tours, Catherine shared his pastoral work. Her ministry was very popular, everywhere attracting crowded audiences, which often included members of the middle class who wanted to contribute to the evangelisation of destitute slum dwellers.
In 1865, William founded the East London Mission, but he did not earn any money at that time. Catherine became the sole bread winner for the family. She preached in West London and also sold her pamphlets. In her writings and public speeches, she advocated the employment of women evangelists.
P.S. I will continue my story on Catherine Mumford Booth in my next post.
Read Part Sixteen HERE
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