the story of a pioneer-第24章

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cussion　my　resignation　put　a　different　aspect　on　the

matter；　it　also　led　to　the　satisfactory　ruling　that

I　could　exchange　pulpits　not　only　with　this　minister；

but　with　any　other　in　good　standing　in　his　own

church。



My　third　resignation　went　before　the　trustees　in

consequence　of　my　protest　from　the　pulpit　against

a　small　drinking　and　gambling　saloon　in　East　Dennis；

which　was　rapidly　demoralizing　our　boys。　　Theo…

retically；　only　‘‘soft　drinks''　were　sold；　but　the

gambling　was　open；　and　the　resort　was　constantly

filled　with　boys　of　all　ages。　　There　were　influences

back　of　this　place　which　tried　to　protect　it；　and　its

owner　was　very　popular　in　the　town。　　After　my　first

sermon　I　was　waited　upon　by　a　committee；　that

warmly　advised　me　to　‘‘let　East　Dennis　alone''　and

confine　my　criticisms　‘‘to　saloons　in　Boston　and

other　big　towns。''　　As　I　had　nothing　to　do　with

Boston；　and　much　to　do　with　East　Dennis；　I　preached

on　that　place　three　Sundays　in　succession；　and

feeling　became　so　intense　that　I　handed　in　my　resig…

nation　and　prepared　to　depart。　　Then　my　friends

rallied　and　the　resort　was　suppressed。



That　was　my　last　big　struggle。　　During　the　re…

maining　five　years　of　my　pastorate　on　Cape　Cod

the　relations　between　my　people　and　myself　were

wholly　harmonious　and　beautiful。　　If　I　have　seemed

to　dwell　too　much　on　these　small　victories；　it　must

be　remembered　that　I　find　in　them　such　comfort　as

I　can。　　I　have　not　yet　won　the　great　and　vital　fight

of　my　life；　to　which　I　have　given　myself；　heart　and

soul；　for　the　past　thirty　yearsthe　campaign　for

woman　suffrage。　　I　have　seen　victories　here　and

there；　and　shall　see　more。　　But　when　the　ultimate

triumph　comeswhen　American　women　in　every

state　cast　their　ballots　as　naturally　as　their　husbands

doI　may　not　be　in　this　world　to　rejoice　over　it。



It　is　interesting　to　remember　that　during　the

strenuous　period　of　the　first　few　months　in　East

Dennis；　and　notwithstanding　the　division　in　the

congregation；　we　women　of　the　church　got　together

and　repainted　and　refurnished　the　building；　raising

all　the　money　and　doing　much　of　the　work　ourselves；

as　the　expense　of　having　it　done　was　prohibitive。　　We

painted　the　church；　and　even　cut　down　and　mod…

ernized　the　pulpit。　　The　total　cost　of　material　and

furniture　was　not　half　so　great　as　the　original　esti…

mate　had　indicated；　and　we　had　learned　a　valuable

lesson。　　After　this　we　spent　very　little　money　for

labor；　but　did　our　own　cleaning；　carpet…laying；　and

the　like；　and　our　little　church；　if　I　may　be　allowed

to　say　so；　was　a　model　of　neatness　and　good　taste。



I　have　said　that　at　the　end　of　two　years　from　the

time　of　my　appointment　the　long…continued　war…

fare　in　the　church　was　ended。　　I　was　not　immediate…

ly　allowed；　however；　to　bask　in　an　atmosphere　of

harmony；　for　in　October；　1880；　the　celebrated　con…

test　over　my　ordination　took　place　at　the　Methodist

Protestant　Conference　in　Tarrytown；　New　York；

and　for　three　days　I　was　a　storm…center　around　which

a　large　number　of　truly　good　and　wholly　sincere

men　fought　the　fight　of　their　religious　lives。　　Many

of　them　strongly　believed　that　women　were　out　of

place　in　the　ministry。　　I　did　not　blame　them　for

this　conviction。　　But　I　was　in　the　ministry；　and　I

was　greatly　handicapped　by　the　fact　that；　although

I　was　a　licensed　preacher　and　a　graduate　of　the

Boston　Theological　School；　I　could　not；　until　I　had

been　regularly　ordained；　meet　all　the　functions　of

my　office。　　I　could　perform　the　marriage　service；

but　I　could　not　baptize。　　I　could　bury　the　dead；　but

I　could　not　take　members　into　my　church。　　That　had

to　be　done　by　the　presiding　elder　or　by　some　other

minister。　　I　could　not　administer　the　sacraments。　

So　at　the　New　England　Spring　Conference　of　the

Methodist　Episcopal　Church；　held　in　Boston　in

1880；　I　formally　applied　for　ordination。　　At　the　same

time　application　was　made　by　another　woman

Miss　Anna　Oliverand　as　a　preliminary　step　we

were　both　examined　by　the　Conference　board；　and

were　formally　reported　by　that　board　as　fitted　for

ordination。　　Our　names　were　therefore　presented　at

the　Conference；　over　which　Bishop　Andrews　pre…

sided；　and　he　immediately　refused　to　accept　them。　

Miss　Oliver　and　I　were　sitting　together　in　the　gal…

lery　of　the　church　when　the　bishop　announced　his

decision；　and；　while　it　staggered　us；　it　did　not　really

surprise　us。　　We　had　been　warned　of　this　gentle…

man's　deep…seated　prejudice　against　women　in　the

ministry。



After　the　services　were　over　Miss　Oliver　and　I

called　on　him　and　asked　him　what　we　should　do。　

He　told　us　calmly　that　there　was　nothing　for　us　to

do　but　to　get　out　of　the　Church。　　We　reminded　him

of　our　years　of　study　and　probation；　and　that　I　had

been　for　two　years　in　charge　of　two　churches。　　He

set　his　thin　lips　and　replied　that　there　was　no　place

for　women　in　the　ministry；　and；　as　he　then　evidently

considered　the　interview　ended；　we　left　him　with

heavy　hearts。　　While　we　were　walking　slowly　away；

Miss　Oliver　confided　to　me　that　she　did　not　intend

to　leave　the　Church。　　Instead；　she　told　me；　she

would　stay　in　and　fight　the　matter　of　her　ordination

to　a　finish。　　I；　however；　felt　differently。　　I　had　done

considerable　fighting　during　the　past　two　years；　and

my　heart　and　soul　were　weary。　　I　said：　　‘‘I　shall　get

out；　I　am　no　better　and　no　stronger　than　a　man；

and　it　is　all　a　man　can　do　to　fight　the　world；　the

flesh；　and　the　devil；　without　fighting　his　Church　as

well。　　I　do　not　intend　to　fight　my　Church。　　But　I

am　called　to　preach　the　gospel；　and　if　I　cannot

preach　it　in　my　own　Church；　I　will　certainly　preach

it　in　some　other　Church！''



As　if　in　response　to　this　outburst；　a　young　min…

ister　named　Mark　Trafton　soon　called　to　see　me。　

He　had　been　present　at　our　Conference；　he　had　seen

my　Church　refuse　to　ordain　me；　and　he　had　come　to

suggest　that　I　apply　for　ordination　in　his　Church

the　Methodist　Protestant。　　To　leave　my　Church；

even　though　urged　to　do　so　by　its　appointed　spokes…

man；　seemed　a　radical　step。　　Before　taking　this　I

appealed　from　the　decision　of　the　Conference　to　the

General　Conference　of　the　Methodist　Episcopal

Church；　which　held　its　session　that　year　in　Cin…

cinnati；　Ohio。　　Miss　Oliver　also　appealed；　and　again

we　were　both　refused　ordination；　the　General　Con…

ference　voting　to　sustain　Bishop　Andrews　in　his

decision。　　Not　content　with　this　achievement；　the

Conference　even　took　a　backward　step。　　It　deprived

us　of　the　right　to　be　licensed　as　local　preachers。　

After　this　blow　I　recalled　with　gratitude　the　Reverend

Mark　Trafton's　excellent　advice；　and　I　immediately

applied　for　ordination　in　the　Methodist　Protestant

Church。　　My　name　was　presented　at　the　Conference

held　in　Tarrytown　in　October；　1880；　and　the　fight

was　on。



During　these　Conferences　it　is　customary　for　each

candidate　to　retire　while　the　discussion　of　his　in…

dividual　fitness　for　ordination　is　in　progress。　　When

my　name　came　up　I　was　asked；　as　my　predecessors

had　been；　to　leave　the　room　for　a　few　moments。　　I

went　into　an　anteroom　and　waiteda　half…hour；　an

hour；　all　afternoon；　all　evening；　and　still　the　battle

raged。　　I　varied　the　monotony　of　sitting　in　the　ante…

room　by　strolls　around　Tarrytown；　and　I　think　I

learned　to　know　its　every　stone　and　turn。　　The　next

day　passed　in　the　same　way。　　At　last；　late　on　Saturday

night；　it　was　suddenly　announced　by　my　opponents

that　I　was　not　even　a　member　of　the　Church　in

which　I　had　applied　for　ordination。　　The　statement

created　consternation　among　my　friends。　　None　of

us　had　thought　of　that！　　The　bomb；　timed　to　ex…

plode　at　the　very　end　of　the　session；　threatened　to

destroy　all　my　hopes。　　Of　course；　my　opponents

had　reasoned；　it　would　be　too　late　for　me　to　do

anything；　and　my　name　would　be　dropped。



But　it　was　not　too　late。　　Dr。　Lyman　Davis；　the

pastor　of　the　Methodist　Protestant　Church　in　Tarry…

town；　was　ve