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 Oliver--and 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.
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