History Of Methodist Reform, Volume I - Media Sabda Org

METHODIST REFORM
Edward J. Drinkhouse, M.D., D.D.
APPENDIX F
THE WOMAN'S FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY
The data and most of the language of this sketch were furnished by Mrs. Mary A. Miller, except
the first and last paragraphs.
The initial, though tentative, work in the direction indicated by the women of the Methodist
Protestant Church, so far as is known, was made in Baltimore, through the years 1872-78, under the
leadership of Mrs. J. T. Murray and Miss Jane R. Roberts. The effort has been sufficiently noticed
in the body of this History. For the lack of organization of our own they contributed their funds to
the Baltimore Society of the M. E. Church, as the women of Pittsburgh did, in 1879, through the
Woman's Union Home Missionary Society of New York for the same reason.
The Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Protestant Church was organized on
the fourteenth day of February, 1879. The inspiration which led to the movement was given by Miss
Elizabeth M. Guthrie, a missionary from Japan, who had been a teacher in the Woman's Union Home
in Yokohama, which Home is under the care of the Woman's Union Home Missionary Society of
New York. It was through this society that a few of the ladies of the Pittsburgh and Allegheny M.
P. churches did their first foreign missionary work; and it was through it that Rev. Dr. William
Collier, stationed then at Connellsville, Pa., sent the first money raised for a scholarship. Afterward
the Board of Missions also contributed money, which was sent to sustain scholarships in the Homes
of the society in India and Japan; and continued this until after the opening of its mission in
Yokohama, in 1880.
It was while money was being sent in this way to the Union Society, that the particular help given
by the Church was brought to the notice of Miss Guthrie. Money coming at an opportune time
enabled her to receive into the Home two little girls who otherwise would have been sold by their
parents. The circumstances so impressed Miss Guthrie that she determined, when she should return
to America, to find some of our churches to tell the people of the good being done by their help. The
opportunity came to her on this wise. While in attendance at the Woman's Christian Association in
Pittsburgh, she lingered at the close of the meeting to talk with some of the members, and was
introduced to Mrs. H. B. O'Neil by the President, who remarked, "This is one of our Methodist
Protestant sisters." Miss Guthrie was rejoiced to thus providentially meet with a member of the
Church which had been instrumental in aiding the Home in a time of great need; and she
immediately informed Mrs. O'Neil of the circumstances referred to above.
Her words fell into a heart already warm with zeal for foreign missions, and it was through Mrs.
O'Neil that Miss Guthrie was introduced to the preachers of Pittsburgh and vicinity at their Monday
meeting. The result of that interview was a notice read from the pulpits for a meeting of women to
consider the practicability of forming a woman's society. The outcome was the permanent
organization, on February 14, 1879, with the following officers: Mrs. John Scott, President; Mrs.
James F. Bennett, Mrs. F. H. Collier, and Mrs. William Wragg, Vice Presidents; Mrs. J. H. Clancy,