The history of the Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union in Mississippi and its work

71 Pages·03.504 MB·English

by  Dickerson, Ruth

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THE HISTORY OF THE BAPTIST WOMAN’S MISSIONARY UNION
IN MISSISSIPPI AND ITS WORK
A Thesis
SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE COUNCIL
Of
THE NEW ORLEANS BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
Of
MASTER OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
In
THE DEPARTMENT OF MISSIONS
by
Ruth Dickerson
A. B., M ississippi College, 194$
May, 1950
L I B R A R Y
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UMI Number: EP10739
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REPORT OF THESIS EXAMINATION
Candidate: Ruth Dickerson
Major Field: Religious Education majoring in Missions
Degree: Master of Religious Education.
I Problem for Research: The History of the Baptist Woman’s Missionary
Union in M ississippi and its Work
APPROVED:
XI J J / 3-cJL /
j jl
CHAIRMAN OF DIVISION OF STUDIES
AND/OR
CHAIRMAN OF GRADUATE COUNCIL f
EXAMINING COMMITTEE
DATE OF EXAMINATION
XJUii jjm
/<r
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PREFACE
Having been born and reared in M ississippi, I have
seen some of the important work of the Woman’s Missionary
Union of that state. I became interested in this subject
•-/.''4I as a resu lt of my in terest in missions. There has been no
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complete history of the work of the women w ritten, therefore
I thought it a worthy subject for investigation.
| This thesis is not an exhaustive treatment of the
| work of the Woman’s Missionary Union of M ississippi, but a
| brief survey of the efforts and accomplishments of the women
f from the year 1&37 when the firs t ’’Female Missionary Society”
was organized to 1949. This treatise is w ritten in an
| h isto rical narrative. The main sources of m aterials used
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I were: Minutes of the Woman’s Missionary Union of M ississippi,
$
The Baptist Record, and A Popular History of the Baptists in
M ississippi by Rev. Jesse L. Boyd.
$
$
I I am deeply indebted to the following for their
if valuable suggestions and information supplied in th is thesis:
I '
I Miss Edwina Robinson, Miss N ettie Ree Traylor, Miss Nell
j
Taylor, Miss Helen F alls, Miss Nelle Davidson, Mr. Robert
I JL.ee,
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•
| Dr. Roy Beaman, Mrs. Charles Ray, the ty p ist, and many others
| who have worked in the Woman’s Missionary Union of M ississippi
!
I through the years.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE n• •
CHAPTER PAGE
I. PIONEER EFFORTS (1S32-1S7S) .............................. 1
Early societies in individual churches 1
♦ •
Decline after in itia l sta rt and period
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of s il e n c e ..................................................... 3
Early societies in colleges .................................... 5
F irst missionary support 6
II. INAUGURATION OF STATE ORGANIZATIONS (1S7S-1S35) 9
Opposition overcome ..................................................... 9
A
Central Committee appointed ............................... • 10
I Rewards o b ta in e d ........................................................... 13
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| III. DEVELOPMENT IN PROGRAM (1SS5-1900)............................ 16
| Tear of readjustment—1 S S 5 ................................... 16
i Organization of Sunbeams—1SS6 ............................ 17
I A ffiliation with Southwide WomanTs
| Missionary Union—lSSS ........................................ IS
3
Mission activ ities ..................................................... 20
IV. TWENTIETH CENTURY PROGRESS (1900-1903) . . . . 23
Development of State Week of Prayer .................. 23
Organization of auxiliaries—1907-1913 • • . 25
Growth of Royal Ambassadors—190S ...................... 27
Changes in constitution—1904-1930 • . . . • 2S
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CHAPTER PAGE
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Further expansion in program ............................... 30
Celebration of Ruby Anniversary—1928 . . • 34
I ?. THE NEW ERA( 1930-1949)............................................... 37
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Years of d e p re ssio n ............................................ . 37
| Honoring Margaret Lackey............................. . . . 40
Week of Prayer—Special O bjectives.................. 41
Woman’s Missionary Union Scholarship
Fund—1937 .............................................................. 42
Young People’s Camp—1940 43
Royal Ambassador Field Work—1943 . . . . 45
Negro Field Work—1944 ........................................ 46
Indian and Negro Youth Work—1946 . . . . 48
VI. THE CHALLENGING PRESENT AND THE FORWARD LOOK . 51
BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................... 58
VITA...................................................................................................... 60
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