Tag: Free Methodist

Pentecost BandsLeave a comment

Family Feuds and Fierce Faith: The Media Circus of the Pentecost Bands

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This article is from a larger, forthcoming chapter “On the Warpath for God: The Adventures of Pentecost Band Women 1885-1890“ in Spirited Sisters, a forthcoming collection from Pennsylvania State University Press about Holiness and Penecostal women. In the spring of 1889, in the small town of Camargo, Illinois, a local drama unfolded that would capture the attention of regional newspapers across the Midwest. The catalyst was faith. Nineteen-year-old Nettie Davis and her seventeen-year-old sister Lillian felt a strong call to join the Free Methodist Pentecost Bands, a dynamic, traveling evangelistic movement. They were inspired by the preaching of Sievert Ulness … Continue reading Family Feuds and Fierce Faith: The Media Circus of the Pentecost Bands

Free Methodist Women, Pentecost BandsLeave a comment

Michigan Pentecost Bands Cause Local Uproar in 1886

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Because the Pentecost Bands were essentially traveling revivalists, their members had the opportunity to influence countless individuals, It wasn’t unusual for a young adult to attend a band meeting, become saved, and then feel called to become a band member. However, the religious enthusiasm the bands fueled wasn’t without controversy. In this blog post, I’ll share some accounts of controversies surrounding their ministry in St. Joseph and Lawrence, Michigan in 1886. The Influence of the Bands When young adults felt called to join the bands, it didn’t always go over well in their local communities, particularly when young women felt … Continue reading Michigan Pentecost Bands Cause Local Uproar in 1886

Free Methodist Deaconess OrderLeave a comment

Covering the Body: Requiring a Deaconess Uniform

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While the Free Methodist Deaconess Order was geninunely supported by most delegates at the 1907 Free Methodist General Conference, there was one point of 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 distinguish their mission and affiliation. Free Methodist Discussion on the Uniform Before the 1907 General … Continue reading Covering the Body: Requiring a Deaconess Uniform

Clara Wetherald3 Comments

Clara Wetherald A Methodist, Then a Free Methodist and Finally a Congregationalist

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Clara Wetherald noted in her testimony at the 1890 Free Methodist General Conference that when she was younger she thought the only way a woman could preach was if she married a minister. So, that’s exactly what she did when, at seventeen, she married John Wetherald, an ordained elder in the Methodist Protestant Church.   Methodist Protestant Church Years Between 1866 and 1874, Clara and John Wetherald worked within the Michigan Methodist Protestant Church. John was an ordained elder and during their time in the denomination. Both Clara and John were appointed to churches, with Clara having separate appointments from John.  … Continue reading Clara Wetherald A Methodist, Then a Free Methodist and Finally a Congregationalist

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Clara Wetherald- Methodist Protestant, Free Methodist and Congregationalist

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Clara Wetherald noted in her testimony at the 1890 Free Methodist General Conference that when she was younger, she thought the only way a woman could preach was if she married a minister. So, that’s precisely what she did when, at seventeen, she married John Wetherald, an ordained elder in the Methodist Protestant Church.   Methodist Protestant Church Years Between 1866 and 1874, Clara and John Wetherald worked within the Michigan Methodist Protestant Church. John was an ordained elder during their time in the denomination. Clara and John were appointed to churches, with Clara having separate appointments from John. Clara first … Continue reading Clara Wetherald- Methodist Protestant, Free Methodist and Congregationalist

Free Methodist Deaconess Order1 Comment

The Free Methodist Deaconess Order Part Two

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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

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Christopher and Blanche Stamp: Free Methodist General Conference Evangelists

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Christopher Stamp became a General Conference evangelist around 1904, and the Stamps’ speaking engagements garnered media attention wherever they went. While Christopher was the official General Conference evangelist, Blanche often preached alongside him. The advertisement at the start of this article serves as a prime example of how the Stamps’ revival services were promoted. When the couple was preaching in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1910, the local Free Methodist Church published an outline of their revival services in The Lawrence Daily World. Although this particular engagement was part of the quarterly conference meeting, it still reflects a typical overview of their … Continue reading Christopher and Blanche Stamp: Free Methodist General Conference Evangelists

Free Methodist Deaconess OrderLeave a comment

The History of the Free Methodist Deaconess Order Part One

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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

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The History of the Free Methodist Deaconess Order

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. Still, it was approved by the 1907 General Conference. It was in place well into the late twentieth century (if anyone knows when the order ended I would love to hear from you). Motivation for Establishing the Order Established 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 nineteenth century to provide a … Continue reading The History of the Free Methodist Deaconess Order

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

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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