EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN 1600; HESTER BIDDLE P/4

                                                                                  Read Part One HERE          

In this story I will continue to focus on Evangelical women born in 1600, this time focusing on a woman named Hester Biddle. She lived from 1629 - 1697. Hester was born in Oxford, England and brought up as an Anglican. Her conversion to the Quakers took place after hearing Edward Burrough and Francis Howgil preach in 1654.

Hester stated that she found "Peace of Conscience" in joining the Quakers. She began to write a number of pamphlets. However, it was stil illegal for a woman to deliver an address in public. Consequently Hester suffered a probable 14 arrests and imprisonments and in some cases was beaten as well. Nevertheless, she continued to write more pamphlets. Her 1662 pamphlet was written while she was actualy imprisoned in Newgate.

Hester travelled within Britain, as well as Ireland and Scotland. Moreover, she travelled abroad to Canada, the Netherlands, Barbados and Alexandria. Most famous of all was her visit to France in 1694 - 1695. Having previously visited Mary II of England, she obtained permission to address Louis XIV of France, during which - in line with her Quaker beliefs - she urged him to pursue policies of peace.

Hester died in 1710.

Read Part Five HERE

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN 1600; ANNE WALDEGRAVE DOCWRA P/3

                                                                                 Read Part One HERE

In this story I will continue to focus on Evangelical women born in 1600, this time focusing on a woman named Anne Waldegrave Dowcra. She lived from 1624 - 1710. Anne was born in Bures, Essex, England. Her father was William Waldegrave, who was a Justice of the Peace. Anne received a very good education, including, very unusally for women, the study of law.

Anne married James Dowcra, of an old landed family who by 1665 had become a supporter of the Quaker movement. After her husband died in 1672, Anne moved to Cambridge where she welcomed Quakers, local or travelling, into her home.

Quakers were teaching in Cambridge from as early as 1653, when two women were condemned to a public whipping after discussing their religious views with some students. George Fox, the founder, himself visited Cambridge in 1655 and was heckled and harrassed by students, but managed to hold a meeting with Friends.

Anne wrote several tracts on the subject of religious tolerance as from 1682. She also strongly upheld the role of women in the Friends, to be one of active support. As a final gift to the Quakers of Cambridge, she bequeathed her property in Jesus Lane on a thousand year lease with other property and money, to fund a graveyeard.

Anne died in 1710. 

Read Part Four HERE

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN 1600; BATHSUA REGINALD MAKIN P/2

                                                                                 Read Part One HERE

In this post I will continue to focus on Evangelical women born in 1600, this time focusing on a woman named Bathsua Reginald Makin. She lived from 1600 - ca 1675. Bathsua was the daughter of Henry Reginald, who was a schoolmaster of a school in Stepney, London. 

At the age of sixteen, Bathsua published a book with Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Spanish, French and German verses. She argued primarily for the equal rights of woman and girls to obtain an education in an environment or culture that viewed women as the weaker vessel, subordinated to men and uneducable. In 1621, Bathsua married Richard Makin, a courtier. The couple moved to Westminister, London.

By 1640, Bathsua was known as the most learned woman in England. She was tutor to the children of Charles I of England, and governess to his daughter Elizabeth Stuart. Bathsua was also tutor to Lady Elizabeth Langham, daughter of Ferdinando Hastings, 6th Early of Huntingdon, probably until Lady Elizabeth's marriage in 1652.

By 1673, Bathsua and Mark Lewis had established a school of gentlewomen in Tottenham, High Cross, then four miles out of London. The school at which Elizabeth was governess, taught music, song and dance, but also writing in English, keeping accounts, Latin and French. If students wished, they could also learn Greek, Hebrew, Italian and Spanish.

We have no further information on Bathsua but believe that she died ca 1675.

Read Part Three HERE

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN 1600: RACHEL SPEGHT P/1

 

In this post I will begin to take a break from Evangelical women in 1800. Instead I will begin to share some stories of Evangelical women born in 1600, whose stories I recently disovered, the first one being a story of a woman named Rachel Speght. She lived from 1597 - ca 1661. 

Rachel was born in London, England. Her father, James Speght, was an ordained doctor of divinity from Christ's College in Cambridge. He was the rector of two London churches, St Mary Magdalen, Milk Street and St Clement, Eastcheap.The identity of her mother is unknown, but she seems to have been a profound influence on her. 

Rachel was brought up in the heart of London's clerical and mercantile commnity. She married at age 24, in 1621, to a Calvinist minster named William Proctor and lived with her husband in Upminster, Essex until 1627, then in London at St. Giles, Cripplegate until 1634. After 1634, she lived in Stradishall, Suffolk.

Rachel wrote and published a number of works. In her writings she used Scripture to emphasize women's traditional virtues and to establish them as men's equals. She was careful not to confuse this spiritual equality with social or political equality. Her writings reveal that she was unusally well educated in rhetoric, logic, classical and Christian texts and Latin, and that she had a thorough knowledge of Christian scripture.

Her husband died in 1661, and it is likely that his wife predeceased him, as she is not mentioned in his will.

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN EARLY 1800; MARIA WOODWORTH ETTER P/175

                                                                 Read Part One HERE

In this post I will continue to focus on a woman named Maria Woodworth Etter. She lived from 1844 -1924. In 1912, Maria joined the Pentecostal Movement and preached widely in Pentecostal circles until her death in 1924. Meantime in 1918, she founded what what is today Lakeview Church (Temple) of Indianapolis.

 Of local interest in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the fact that Maria held tent revivals meetings in Dallas in 1912 and 1922.

In 1912, as many as 5,000 people attended the five months of meetings. In 1922, despite the severe cold and pneumonia that hampered Maria's speech, she continued to minister. One reporter wrote, "It is one of the most remarkable sights of a lifetime, to see this evangelist of great age, still pressing the battle for God, standing heroically for the great fundamentals with His approval in Signs and Wonders following."

When a critic said she should be home in bed, she remarked, "When I start to preach and He gives me a shock of power from His heavenly battery, I feel like I was sixteen years old - Glory" How can I go to bed? I have to tell people about Jesus."

From Dallas she went on to conduct a two-week campaign in Fort Worth. At this time, one observer noted that, "Although she is almost 78 years old, she is just as strong in faith, and God is using her mightily in the ministry of healing and preaching." In this meeting besides praying for the sick, she taught on spiritual gifts and then prayed for 50 Christan workers who sought her help. She always had time to counsel and pray with someone in need.

Maria died in 1924.

P.S. I will take a break on sharing stories on Evangelical women in early 1800. Instead I will do a brief series on Evangelical women who lived in 1600, whose stories I recently disovered. Afterwards, I will begin to share stories on Evangelical women in the second half 1800.

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN EARLY 1800: MARIA WOODWORTH ETTER P/174

                                                                  Read Part One HERE

In this post I will focus on a woman named Maria Woodworth Etter. She lived from 1844 - 1924. Maria was born in New Lisbon, Ohio, USA. When Maria was thirteen years old, she was born again. She immediately heard the call of God and dedicated her life to the Lord. She said, "I heard the voice of Jesus calling me to go out in the highways and byways and gather the lost sheep."

When Maria was nineteen years old, she married Philo Horace Woodworth, whom she divorced for infidelity in 1891. She had six children with Woodworth, five of whom died young. In 1902, she married Samuel Etter. He died twelve years later in 1914.

Maria had been part of a Disciples of Christ congregation, but when she chose to enter evangelistic ministry, she was prohibited from public preaching by that denomination because she was a woman.  However, she found support in a local Quaker meeting, and there she received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit while praying for "an anointing for service." After this experience, she began to preach. Hundreds were saved in these early campaigns and reporters came across the country to report what was happening.

Maria was a diligent Bible student. She soon came to believe that divine healing is an integral part of the Gospel, and she began preaching this in 1885. The sick were healed, many were slain in the Spirit and thousands were won to Christ. As her meetings grew she purchased an 8,000-seat tent in which to conduct her services.

Read Part One Hundred And Seventy-Five HERE

EVANGELICAL WOMAN IN EARLY 1800; JOSEPHINE ST PIERRE RUFFIN P/173

                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Read Part One HERE                  

In this post I will continue to focus on a woman named Josephine St Pierre Ruffin. She lived from 1842 - 1924.

In 1896, the National Organisation of Afro-American Women merged with the Coloured Women's League to form the National Association of Coloured Women's Clubs (NACWC). Mary Church Terrell was elected president and Josephine served as one of the organisation's vice-presidents. 

Just as the NACWC was forming, Josephine was integrating the New England's Woman's Club. When the General Federation of Women's Clubs met in Milwaukee in 1900, she planned to attend as a representative of three organisations: The Woman's Era Club, the New England Woman's Club and the New England Woman's Press Club.

 Southern women were in positions of power in the General Federation and, when the executive committee discovered that all of the New Era's Club members were black, they would not accept Josephine's credentials. Josephine was told that she could be seated at a representative of the two white clubs but not the black one. She refused on principle and was excluded from the proceedings. This event became known as the "Ruffin Incident" and was widely reported in newspapers around the country, most of whom supported Josephine. Afterwards the Woman's Era Club made an official statement that "coloured women should confine themselves to their clubs and the large field work open to them there." 

In 1910, Josephine helped form the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP). She was one of the charter members of the NAACP. 

Josephine died in 1924. 

Read Part One Hundred And Seventy-Four HERE

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN EARLY 1800; JOSEPHINE ST PIERRE RUFFIN P172

                                                    Read Part One HERE

In this post I will continue to focus on a woman named Josephine St Pierre Ruffin. She lived from 1842 - 1924. Josephine supported women's suffrage and in 1869, joined with Julia Ward Howe and Lucy Stone to form the American Woman Suffrage Association (ASWA) in Boston. Julia and Lucy also founded the New England Women's Club in 1868. Josephine became its first black member when she joined in the mid-1890's.

When Josephine's husband died in 1886, she used her financial security and organisational abilities to start the "Woman's Era," the first newspaper published by and for African American women. She served as the editor and publisher from 1890 - 1897. While promoting interracial activities. the "Woman's Era" called on black women to demand increased rights for people of their race.

In 1891, Josephine served as the first president of Boston Co-Worker's Club. And in 1894, she organised the Woman's Era Club, an advocacy group for black women.

In 1895, Josephine organised the National Federation of Afro-American Women with Julia O. Henson. She convened the First National Conference of the Coloured Women of America in Boston, which was attended by women from 42 black women's clubs from 14 states. 

Read Part One Hundred And Seventy-Three HERE

 

EVANGELICAL WOMEN IN EARLY 1800; JOSEPHINE ST PIERRE RUFFIN P/171

                                                    Read Part One HERE

In this post I will focus on a woman named Josephine St Pierre Ruffin. She lived from 1842 - 1924. Josephine was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Her parents were John St Pierre, of French and African descent from Martinique, and her mother was Elizabeth Matilda Menhenick from Cornwall, England. Her father was a successful taylor and founder of a Boston Zion Church. 

Josephine attended public school in Charlestown and Salem, and a private school in New York City because of her parents' objections to the segregated schools in Boston. She completed her studies at Bowdoin College, after segregation in Boston schools ended.

Josephine married George Lewis Ruffin when she was sixteen years old. The couple moved to Liverpool but returned to Boston soon afterwards and bought a house in the West End. Working with her husband, Josephine became active in the abolitionist movement. During the American Civil War, they helped recruit black soldiers for the Union Army. They also worked for the Sanitation Commission, which provided aid for the care of the soldiers in the field. After the war ended, Josephine turned her attention to organising for the Kansas Freedmen's Relief Association, collecting money and clothes to send to aid southern blacks resettling in Kansas, known as Exodusters. 

Read Part One Hundred And Seventy-Two HERE