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Friends United Meeting |
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March 2001
Early Women Pastoral Ministers in North Carolina Yearly Meeting
By Pat Thames
Following revival movements in the 1870s and 1880s, female Quaker ministers began accepting pastoral positions. Some were leaders in the temperance movement; others were prayer warriors. Several were former teachers who carried concern for education into their pastoral ministries. Many were glad to minister to other denominations when given the opportunity. Several were concerned about spiritual matters early in life, began their pastoral ministry early, and ministered for many years. Others served on pastoral teams with their husbands. Most served until failing health forced them into retirement, and then continued speaking whenever possible.
Ellen Minthorn Marshall, a birthright Quaker, was born in 1845 in Canada. Her family later moved to Iowa where Ellen completed school, began teaching, and was recorded as a minister. After moving to North Carolina, Ellen married Merlin Marshall in 1873 and they had ten children. In 1875, the couple moved to Iowa where Ellen was pastor for Ida Grove, did ministerial work in other denominations, and led in the temperance cause.
After returning to North Carolina in 1905, Ellen became pastor of White Plains. She was highly praised as a mother, a citizen, an educator, and a minister. Health reasons forced her to retire and she endured physical suffering with humility and patience, often repeating lines of hymns or portions of Scripture. Ellen died in 1917. She had been faithful and practical, teaching by example as well as by precept.
Rhodema Wright was born near South Fork Meeting in 1866. She was unusually bright and attractively built. As a young child, Rhodema had a serious illness which left her dwarfed and deformed. Her brilliant mind was untouched and her spirit remained beautiful and winning. While at school, Rhodema was a delightful companion to all with merry laughter and a joyous spirit. She was faithful to speak when led by the Spirit. Western Quarterly Meeting made Rhodema an elder at a young age and later recorded her as a minister.
Rhodema served as pastor of Centre Meeting. Swift of thought and fluent of speech, she spoke rapidly but never for long. An excellent prayer warrior, her prayers impressed all who heard them. In early 1913, while on her knees praying in the home of William and Martha Hockett, Rhodema was stricken and paralyzed. After being helped into a chair, she talked clearly before lapsing into a coma. Rhodema died in January 1913 at age forty-six.
Sarah Wilson Winslow was born in Indiana in 1834. She taught school for three years before moving to North Carolina. In April 1872 her membership was moved to Cane Creek Meeting and she was acknowledged as a minister. She married William Winslow in May 1876. Sarah served as pastor at Back Creek, Science Hill, and Holly Spring Meetings, held evangelistic meetings for other denominations, and gave time to temperance work. Her face was a familiar one in Quarterly and Yearly Meetings. Sarah gladly carried her Master's message wherever the way was open. Due to partial blindness and feeble health, Sarah was unable to attend meeting during her last years. She died in March 1925.
Alice Butner Spainhour was born in North Carolina in 1867. She married Julius Spainhour in 1887 and they had eight children. Religiously inclined as a child and converted early in her life, Alice joined Mount Pleasant Methodist Church. Later, feeling she would have greater opportunity for service with Friends, she transferred her membership to Union Cross Meeting and was recorded as a minister in April 1919. Although her education was limited, Alice's ministry was clear and inspiring. She preached in schoolhouses and homes in her county and the surrounding counties. She served as pastor of Union Cross and was well known as an untiring soul winner. Alice preached as long as her health permitted. She died at her home in 1929 at age sixty-one.
Lucy Robertson Vestal was born in Virginia in 1857 and was converted at age seventeen. After her marriage to Jarvis Vestal, she became associated with Quakers, moving her membership to Deep Creek Meeting when the couple moved to Yadkin County. Following her husband's death, Lucy felt a call to the ministry. Recorded around 1894 at Deep Creek Meeting, she preached in all meetings in her quarter and at many mission points. She served as pastor at Union Cross, Winthrop, Hunting Creek, Pilot View, Forbush, Mount Carmel, and Friends Union Meetings. LucyÕs love of humanity was evident in her everyday life and her ministry was effective among all people, not just Quakers. In later years she gave up pastoral work due to declining health, but continued to preach. When Lucy died in 1939, she was eighty-one years old.
Lottie Marshall Robertson was born in 1867 in North Carolina. Besides being a teacher and postmistress at White Plains, Lottie was a recorded minister and was the first woman minister in Surry County. Her contributions to the vocal ministry of White Plains Meeting were invaluable. She was their mainstay when they did not have a resident pastor, conducting services and funerals and providing leadership.
Lottie also helped to foster Ararat, Mount Airy, Pilot Mountain, Union Hill, Westfield, and Pine Hill Meetings, and assisted at the Blue Ridge Mission in Virginia.
In 1890 Lottie married Charles Robertson, a pioneer buggy manufacturer. Lottie's interest in education led her to help each of their seven children attend college.
In later life, Lottie's spirit remained strong even as her body was wracked with illness. When failing eyesight made it impossible for her to read, she drew from a rich storehouse of memorized quotations. There was great sorrow when Lottie died in 1955 but also a spirit of love and thanksgiving for one who had inspired and led the White Plains community for many years.
Elizabeth Lane White, a birthright Quaker, was born in 1866 in eastern North Carolina. She married Robert White in 1885 and they had two children. Elizabeth voiced her concerns about spiritual matters in meeting while still a teenager. After being recorded in 1905, Elizabeth attended marriages, ministered to those in sorrow, attended Quarterly and Yearly Meetings, and taught Sunday School. As pastor of Up River Meeting, she encouraged everyone to be faithful in speaking during worship services. Her messages were spoken freely, often delivered in prayers. She faithfully visited the membership, wrote to young people who were away from home, and was an inspiration to other ministers who visited in her Quarter. Since older Friends still disapproved of a hireling ministry, Elizabeth never received a salary.
Elizabeth died in 1956, a few days before her ninetieth birthday. During her fifty-two years as pastor at Up River Meeting, her testimony of Christ as a personal Savior had been clear and convincing.
Clara Cox was born in 1879 in New Garden community. During her years of education Clara decided to devote her life to serving others. Although her parents supplied her with lovely clothes, money and opportunities in society, she was only interested in using what she had to help the less fortunate.
In July 1918 both Springfield Friends Meeting and Archdale Friends Meeting hired Clara as pastor and she began a twenty-one year pastorate. Recorded in 1924, she was not a dynamic preacher but was a quiet teacher with clear, concise, and sincere messages. She was especially concerned with the poor, the welfare of the African-American population of her area, and youth. While most women were at home cooking, cleaning, and raising children, Clara was heading for Raleigh, Greensboro, the town hall, a political rally, a church meeting, or the home of someone in need. She was warm, intelligent, strong, respected, genuine and unassuming, practicing what she preached.
Early in 1940, Clara entered the hospital with pneumonia and two weeks later died. Clara passed on the principles and the power of Jesus by her words and her deeds. Her beautiful life and unselfish sacrificial service remain as a challenge to all.
Bertha Smith White was born in North Carolina in 1889. Early in life, she was convinced that she should enter the pastoral ministry. She studied one year each at Guilford College, Earlham College and Pendle Hill. Bertha attended all four World Conferences of Friends plus the All-American Friends Conference. As a result, her life and work had a wider vision and international influence that broadened her ministry and enlarged her contacts among Friends.
Bertha served as pastor to Oak Hill Friends Meeting beginning in 1916. When the male teachers entered the military at the start of World War I, Bertha became principal of Oak Hill School. Later, after a year's study at Earlham College, she worked in New England Yearly Meeting where she was recorded as a minister. Then she spent one year studying at Pendle Hill.
In 1933 Bertha returned to North Carolina to pastor Piney Woods Meeting. She was a willing worker whose Christian influence was felt in her work. Two years later, she resigned to marry Fernando White. Following Fernando's death, Bertha served in North Carolina, Ohio, and Illinois. In 1967 at age seventy-nine, Bertha entered Friends Homes in Greensboro where she was hostess for the Lyndon Hobbs Building. As a member of New Garden Meeting, she shared the richness of her life through her messages, her friendly interest, and her vitality. Bertha died in August 1980 after more than fifty years of service. She was remembered for the courage, strength, and dedication she had shown as a female Quaker minister.
Among other recorded female ministers who faithfully served as early pastors in NCYM are Louisa Bridgers, Ada Lee (Stanley), Sallie Foushee, and Isabella White. This list is not inclusive but seeks to give credit to the early female pastors in NCYM.
The first women pastoral ministers had to overcome great difficulty, yet each was willing to accept God's call. They were always conscious of being rejected since Quakers were not accustomed to pastors. Many, like Elizabeth White, received little or no pay. Pastors that were paid received less than their actual expenses. They lived simply, accepted hardship without complaint, and continued to be faithful. Their stories are told by the fruits of their labors. They leave a great legacy for twenty-first century female pastors.
Pat Thames, a recorded Friends Minister, is associate pastor of Plainfield Friends Meeting in Siler City, North Carolina. A candidate for a Master of Theology degree from Houston Graduate School of Theology in May 2001, the information in this article is taken from her thesis titled "Female Quaker Ministers in North Carolina Yearly Meeting." Pat and her husband, Ken, are the parents of four children and have two grandchildren.
Copyright (c) 2001 Friends United Meeting
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