Category: Free Methodist Deaconess Order

Free Methodist Deaconess Order1 Comment

The Free Methodist Deaconess Order Part Two

freemethodistfeminist

The 1907 Free Methodist General Conference was largely supportive of establishing a deaconess order, and unlike women’s ordination, the idea was met with little backlash from the more conservative leaders of the denomination. However, there was one point contention– should the Free Methodist deaconess have a required uniform? Some Free Methodists worried a uniform would be perceived by the public as a pro-Catholic endorsement and seen as too similar to the habit worn by nuns.[i] Yet, supporters of a uniform argued that by requiring deaconesses to wear a specific outfit or certain colors, the public would be able to easily … Continue reading The Free Methodist Deaconess Order Part Two

Free Methodist Deaconess OrderLeave a comment

The History of the Free Methodist Deaconess Order Part One

freemethodistfeminist

One of the most under-researched areas of Free Methodist women’s history is the Free Methodist Deaconess Order. I have not been able to confirm an end date for the order, but it was approved by the 1907 General Conference and was in place well into the late twentieth-century (if anyone knows when the order ended I would love to hear from you). Established as a way to counter what was seen as a rising Catholic threat, the Free Methodist Church and other Protestant denominations began deaconess orders in the mid to late ninteenth century to provide a range of social … Continue reading The History of the Free Methodist Deaconess Order Part One

Free Methodism, Free Methodist Deaconess Order, Free Methodist General Conferences, Free Methodist WomenLeave a comment

Shifting Narratives on Gender Part Three: The 1907 Free Methodist General Conference

freemethodistfeminist

When the resolution to approve a deaconess order came to the floor at the 1907 General Conference, the idea was met with enthusiastic support, passing through committee with thirty-five in favor and only seven opposed before coming to the floor for a conference vote.[i] Very few concerns were raised, but among the topics discussed were governance, mission, and uniforms for the order. Speaking in favor of the order, Free Methodist editor Charles Ebey reminded delegates there were already churches with such orders, and the need for a Free Methodist order was great. Reflecting on his personal experiences with deaconesses, Ebey … Continue reading Shifting Narratives on Gender Part Three: The 1907 Free Methodist General Conference

Free Methodism, Free Methodist Deaconess Order, Free Methodist General ConferencesLeave a comment

The Shifting Rhetorical Narrative of Gender: 1894-1911 Part One

freemethodistfeminist

I’ve written a lot on this blog about the 1890 and 1894 Free Methodist General Conference debates on women’s ordination. (I even have transcripts here if you would like to read the debates). However, the discussion did not end in 1894. Despite the 1894 General Conference choosing not to ordain women as elders or even deacons, more women, not less, became evangelists over the next decade. In 1894 there were 48 licensed women evangelists in the Free Methodist Church, and by 1904 there were 307. However, the number of women evangelists appointed to a circuit did not significantly increase. In … Continue reading The Shifting Rhetorical Narrative of Gender: 1894-1911 Part One