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. ...

(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 ...

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 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 ...

. 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: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

, 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, 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, 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. 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 in the United States, temperance movement. After being drawn into the work of the Woman's Foreign M ...

* Martia L. Davis Berry * 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, Singapore, Methodist Girls' School in Singapore. She was the first woman miss ...

* Ariel Serena Hedges Bowen * 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 * Lucilla Green Cheney *

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 *

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 ...

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 *

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 * Caroline Elizabeth Merrick * Mary A. Miller * Nancie Monelle *

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 * Esther Pak * Anna Campbell Palmer * Rebecca Parrish * Alice E. Heckler Peters * Mary Q. Porter * 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 * Liang May Seen * Cora E. Simpson * Susan J. Swift Steele *

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 ...

* Clara Swain *

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 ...

* Isabella Thoburn * Mary Sparkes Wheeler * Charlotte Frances Wilder * 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. Clara Swain 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, Mary Clarke Nind File:Miss sigourney trask.jpg, Sigourney Trask File:Nancie Monelle Mansell.png, Nancie Monelle Mansell 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