Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the

Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself on a national basis. In ...

(WFMS of the MEC) was one of three

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

organizations in the United States focused on women's foreign missionary services, the others being the WFMS of the

Free Methodist Church of North America The Free Methodist Church (FMC) is a Methodist Christian denomination within the holiness movement, based in the United States. It is evangelical in nature and is Wesleyan–Arminian in theology. The Free Methodist Church has members in over 1 ...

and the WFMS of the

Methodist Protestant Church The Methodist Protestant Church (MPC) is a regional Methodist Christian denomination in the United States. It was formed in 1828 by former members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, remaining Wesleyan in doctrine and worship, but adopting c ...

. The WFMS of the MEC was founded in the

Tremont Street Methodist Episcopal Church The Tremont Street Methodist Episcopal Church, located at 740 Tremont Street in Boston, Massachusetts, was built in 1862 from a design by architect Hammatt Billings.King's handbook of Boston. 1881; p.162. In the late 1960s it became the New Hope B ...

, in

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Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, March 1869, and incorporated under the laws of the

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in 1884. Its fields of operation included:

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(Bulgaria, Italy, France);

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(Mexico);

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(Argentine Republic, Peru, Uruguay);

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(British Malaysia, China, Chosen/Korea, India, Japan);

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(Algeria, Angola, Portuguese East Africa, Rhodesia, Tunis); and

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(Phillippine Islands).

History

The WMFS was organized in the Tremont Street MEC, Boston, in March 1869 by eight women who responded to a call sent to thirty churches. The eight founders were, Mrs. Lewis Flanders; Mrs. Thomas Kingsbury; Mrs. William B. Merrill; Lois Lee Parker; Mrs. Thomas A. Rich; Mrs. H.J. Stoddard; Mrs. William Butler (

Clementina Rowe Butler Clementina Rowe Butler (, Rowe; also known as, Mother of Missions, Mother Butler, and Mrs. William Butler; July 30, 1820 – September 12, 1913) was an Irish-born American Christian missionary. She co-founded the Woman's Foreign Missionary Socie ...

); and Mrs. P.T. Taylor. A window in the Tremont Street Church commemorates the event and preserves their names. The first public meeting of the society was held in the Bromfield Street MEC, May 26, 1869. The discussion was quickly followed by decisive action. At a business meeting held by the women at the close of the public occasion, it was voted to raise money to send as a missionary to India,

Isabella Thoburn Isabella Thoburn (March 29, 1840 – Sept. 1, 1901) was an American Christian missionary of the Methodist Episcopal Church best known for her establishment of educational institutions and missionary work in North India, subsequent to the East I ...

, sister of Bishop

James Mills Thoburn James Mills Thoburn (March 7, 1836 – November 28, 1922) was an American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church as well as an author. He did missionary work in India. Thoburn was born on March 7, 1836 in St. Clairsville, Ohio and graduated fr ...

. An appeal for a medical woman soon followed. As a result of prompt and efficient measures to procure funds, the services of Isabella Thoburn and of

Clara Swain Clara A. Swain (18 July 1834 - 25 December 1910) was an American physician and Christian missionary of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She has been called the "pioneer woman physician in India," and as well as the "first fully accredited woman phy ...

, M.D., were secured. These two women sailed from

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for India, via England, on November 3, 1869, reaching their destination early in January, 1870. They were cordially received, and soon entered upon their work, Thoburn organizing schools and superintending the work of Bible readers, and Swain's medical ability gaining for her admission to many places that were closed to others. This society sent to India, China, Korea, and Japan the first woman medical missionary ever received in those countries. By 1903, its 34th year, it had 265 missionaries carrying on its work in India, China, Japan, Korea, Africa, Bulgaria, Italy, South America, Mexico, and the Philippines, by means of women's colleges, high schools, seminaries, hospitals, dispensaries, day schools, and "settlement work". Its receipts during the first year were , and in the year 1903, , with a total from the beginning of . Six branches were organized the first year. By 1903, there were eleven, the first being the New England, and the eleventh being the Columbia River Branch.

Publications

The first number of the society's first periodical, ''

The Heathen Woman's Friend ''The Heathen Woman's Friend'' (1869-1896; renamed ''Woman's Missionary Friend'', 1896–1940) was a Christian women's monthly newspaper. Established in May 1869, it was published by the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal ...

'', appeared in June, 1869, with

Harriet Merrick Warren Harriet Merrick Warren (September 15, 1843 – January 7, 1893) was an American editor. She was also an untiring worker in the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, its first recording secretary, and for years, president of the New England Branch. ...

as its editor for 24 years. Other publications were established later on.

WFMS of other Methodist denominations

Other Methodist denominations developed their own women's foreign missionary organizations. The WFMS of the Methodist Protestant Church was established in 1879. Its office was in

Catonsville, Maryland Catonsville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 41,567 at the 2010 census. The community lies to the west of Baltimore along the city's border. Catonsville contains the majority of th ...

. Its focused on Asia, especially China and Japan. It issued the periodical, ''The Woman's Missionary Record''. Notable people included Mrs. E. C. Chandler, Mrs. Henry Hupfield, Mrs. D. S. Stephens, Mrs. L. K. East, and Mrs. J. F. McCulloch. The WFMS of the Free Methodist Church of North America was established in 1882. Its office was in

Oneida, New York Oneida (, one, kanaˀalóhaleˀ) is a city in Madison County located west of Oneida Castle (in Oneida County) and east of Wampsville, New York, United States. The population was 11,390 at the 2010 census. The city, like both Oneida County an ...

. It issued the periodical, ''Missionary Tidings''. Notable people included Mary L. Coleman, Mrs. C. T. Bolles, and Lillian C. Jensen.

Notable people

Mary Osburn Adkinson Mary Osburn Adkinson (July 28, 1843 – 1918) was an American social reformer active in the temperance movement. She took a leading part in the organization of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Madison, ...

* Esther E. Baldwin *

Annie Maria Barnes Annie Maria Barnes (pen name, Cousin Annie; May 28, 1857 – unknown) was a 19th-century American journalist, editor, and author from South Carolina. At the age of eleven, she wrote an article for the ''Atlanta Constitution'', and at the age of f ...

Susan Hammond Barney Susan Hammond Barney (, Hammond; November 24, 1834 – April 29, 1922) was an American social activist and evangelist. She was the founder of the Prisoners' Aid Society of Rhode Island, and due to her efforts, police matrons were secured for the s ...

Anna Fisher Beiler Anna Fisher Beiler (February 25, 1848 – April 1, 1904) was a British-born American Christian missionary and newspaper editor, who engaged in temperance, missionary, and philanthropic work. Associated with the Methodist Episcopal Church, she serv ...

Anna Smeed Benjamin Anna Smeed Benjamin (, Smeed; November 28, 1834 – June 1, 1924) was an American social reformer and activist involved in the temperance movement. After being drawn into the work of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcop ...

Martia L. Davis Berry Martia L. Davis Berry (, Davis; January 22, 1844 – January 13, 1894) was a 19th-century American social reformer. From her childhood, she took for her life motto and work, "God and home and native land" in whatever opportunities might be availabl ...

* Jennie M. Bingham *

Sophia Blackmore Sophia Blackmore (18 October 1857 – 3 July 1945) was an Australian Christian missionary. She founded the Fairfield Methodist Schools, and also Methodist Girls' School in Singapore. She was the first woman missionary sent by the Woman's Foreign M ...

Ariel Serena Hedges Bowen Ariel Serena Hedges Bowen (March 3, 1863 – July 7, 1904) was an African-American writer, temperance activist, and professor of music at Clark University in Atlanta in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ''Twentieth Century Negro Literature'' ...

* Maria Kane Brown *

Adda Burch Adda Burch (January 6, 1869 – February 18, 1929) was an American missionary-teacher in Latin America. She was also a Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) leader, serving in various positions in the U.S. as well as president of the World WCTU ...

Louise L. Chase Louise L. Chase ( Bond; September 2, 1840 – September 19, 1906) was an American social reformer. She was elected president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (W.C.T.U.) of Middletown, Rhode Island, and elected president of the Woman's Fore ...

Lucilla Green Cheney Lucilla Green Cheney, M.D. (July 15, 1853 – September 30, 1878) was an American physician and Christian missionary. Beginning in 1876, she served a medical mission in Bareilly, British India under the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Me ...

Lucinda L. Combs Lucinda L. Combs-Stritmatter (October 10, 1849April 23, 1919) was an American physician who was the first female Medical missions, medical missionary to provide medical care in China. She is credited with establishing the first women's hospital i ...

Mary Helen Peck Crane Mary Helen Peck Crane (, Peck; April 10, 1827 – December 7, 1891) was a 19th-century American church and temperance activist, as well as a writer. She was the mother of the writer, Stephen Crane. She died in 1891. Early life and education Mary ...

Allie Luse Dick Allie Luse Dick (, Luse; June 2, 1859 - June 10, 1933) was an American music educator who identified with various religious, social, philanthropic and educational activities. Among the positions she held, Dick served as director of music at Heddin ...

Hü King Eng Hü King Eng (, Foochow Romanized: Hṳ̄ Gĭnghŏng) was a physician, and the second ethnic Chinese woman to attend university in the United States, after King You Mé. (Contrast:-Dr King You Me ameiwas adopted and brought up by an American m ...

Mary Porter Gamewell Mary Porter Gamewell (née, Mary Porter; missionary pseudonym until marriage, Mary Q. Porter; October 20, 1848 – November 27, 1906) was an American missionary, teacher, speaker, and writer who founded a school for girls in Beijing, China. She w ...

* Jennie Margaret Gheer *

Annie Ryder Gracey Annie Ryder Gracey (, Ryder; pen name, Mrs. J. T. Gracey; November 4, 1836 - February 17, 1908) was an American author and missionary of the long nineteenth century. She wrote two books based on her travels, ''Eminent Missionary Women'' and ''Woma ...

Lucinda Barbour Helm Lucinda Barbour Helm (pen name, Lucile; December 23, 1839 – November 15, 1897) was a 19th-century American author, editor, and women's religious activist from Kentucky. She wrote sketches, short stories, and religious leaflets. Helm published o ...

Louise Manning Hodgkins Louise Manning Hodgkins (August 5, 1846 – November 28, 1935) was an American educator, author, and editor from Massachusetts. After completing her studies at Pennington Seminary and Wilbraham Wesleyan Academy, she became a teacher and preceptres ...

* Caroline Elizabeth Merrick *

Mary A. Miller Mary A. Miller (, Davis; pen name, various; September 18, 1837 – September 23, 1925) was an American editor and publisher of missionary periodicals. She was also the author of ''History of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist ...

Nancie Monelle Nancie Monelle Mansell (, Monelle; 1841–1903) was an American physician. She was the second physician sent out by the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the first woman doctor who went out alone as a missi ...

Cornelia Moore Chillson Moots Cornelia Moore Chillson Moots (nickname, “Mother Moots”; October 14, 1843 – 1929) was an American missionary and temperance evangelist. She was one of four pioneer missionaries of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episco ...

Mary Clarke Nind Mary Clarke Nind (16 August 1825 – 1 January 1905), known as "Our Little Bishop", was a British philanthropist and worker for social justice. It was during her time living in Minnesota that she fulfilled her calling into missionary work through ...

Esther Pak Esther Pak (, born Kim Jeom-dong ; March 16, 1876 or 1877 — April 13, 1910) was a Korean physician; she was the first Korean woman to practice Western medicine in the country. Early life Kim, Jeom-dong was born on March 16, 1876 (or, accordi ...

Anna Campbell Palmer Anna Campbell Palmer (, Campbell; pen names, Mrs. George Archibald and Mrs. George Archibald Palmer; February 3, 1854 – June 18, 1928) was an American author and editor. Disliking publicity, she wrote constantly under a great number of ''nom d ...

* Rebecca Parrish *

Alice E. Heckler Peters Alice E. Heckler Peters (March 13, 1845 - April 11, 1921) was an American social reformer, educator, writer, and poet. She was involved in several women's religious, reform and social organizations of her era including the Woman's Christian Temper ...

Mary Q. Porter Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...

* Mary Reed *

Jane Bancroft Robinson Jane Marie Bancroft Robinson (December 24, 1847 - May 29, 1932) was an author and educator. Early life and education Jane Marie Bancroft was born in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, on December 24, 1847. She descended on her mother's side, Caroli ...

* Elizabeth Russell *

Mary F. Scranton Mary Fletcher Benton Scranton (December 9, 1832 – October 8, 1909) was an American Methodist Episcopal Church missionary. She was the first Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church representative to Korea and the ...

* Liang May Seen *

Cora E. Simpson Cora Eliza Simpson (February 13, 1880 – May 14, 1960) was an American nurse and nursing educator. She was a missionary in China from 1907 to 1945, and founded and ran the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing in Fuzhou. She was also a founder ...

Susan J. Swift Steele Susan J. Swift Steele (December 25, 1822 – September 4, 1895) was an American social reformer. She was affiliated with the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), and the N ...

Ōyama Sutematsu Princess , born , was a prominent figure in the Meiji era, and the first Japanese woman to receive a college degree. She was born into a traditional samurai household which supported the Tokugawa shogunate during the Boshin War. As a child, she ...

Lucy Robbins Messer Switzer Lucy Switzer (, Robbins; after first marriage, Messer; after second marriage, Switzer; March 28, 1844 - May 24, 1922) was an American temperance and suffrage activist. She wrote many articles for '' Pacific Christian Advocate'' and the ''Christian ...

Mary Sparkes Wheeler Mary Sparkes Wheeler (, Sparkes; 21 June 1835 – 21 January 1919) was a British-born American author, poet, and lecturer. She wrote the lyrics to several hymns, including two well-known soldiers' decoration hymns. Her poems were set to music by ...

Charlotte Frances Wilder Charlotte Frances Wilder (December 12, 1839 - December 3, 1916) was an American writer. She was one of the most widely known writers of Kansas, and the author of many religious books, including for juvenile audiences, and a contributor to church p ...

* Zara A. Wilson *

Annie Turner Wittenmyer Sarah "Annie" Turner Wittenmyer (August 26, 1827 – February 2, 1900) was an American social reformer, relief worker Humanitarian aid is material and logistic assistance to people who need help. It is usually short-term help until the long-t ...

Gallery

File:A glimpse of India - being a collection of extracts from the letters Dr. Clara A. Swain, first medical missionary to India of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church (14743527986).jpg, Dr.

File:Mary Clarke Nind and her work - her childhood, girlhood, married life, religious experience and activity, together with the story of her labors in behalf of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of (14781075991).jpg,

File:Miss sigourney trask.jpg, Sigourney Trask File:Nancie Monelle Mansell.png,

Nancie Monelle Mansell Nancie Monelle Mansell (, Monelle; 1841–1903) was an American physician. She was the second physician sent out by the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the first woman doctor who went out alone as a missi ...

File:Anna Fisher Beiler (1895).png,

File:Clementina Rowe Butler.png,

References

Attribution

* * * * * {{authority control Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church Christian women's organizations 1869 establishments in Massachusetts Religious organizations based in Boston History of Methodism in the United States Women's organizations based in the United States