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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 very friendly toward me and my ordina…
tion； and he proved his friendship in a singularly
prompt and efficient fashion。 Late as it was； he
immediately called together the trustees of his
church； and they responded。 To them I made my
application for church membership； which they ac…
cepted within five minutes。 I was now a member
of the Church； but it was too late to obtain any
further action from the Conference。 The next day；
Sunday； all the men who had applied for ordination
were ordained； and I was left out。
On Monday morning； however； when the Con…
ference met in its final business session； my case was
reopened； and I was eventually called before the
members to answer questions。 Some of these were
extremely interesting； and several of the episodes
that occurred were very amusing。 One old gentle…
man I can see as I write。 He was greatly excited；
and he led the opposition by racing up and down
the aisles； quoting from the Scriptures to prove his
case against women ministers。 As he ran about he
had a trick of putting his arms under the back of
his coat； making his coat…tails stand out like wings
and incidentally revealing two long white tape…
strings belonging to a flannel undergarment。 Even
in the painful stress of those hours I observed with
interest how beautifully those tape…strings were
ironed！
I was there to answer any questions that were
asked of me； and the questions came like hail…
stones in a sudden summer storm。
‘‘Paul said； ‘Wives； obey your husbands；' '' shouted
my old man of the coat…tails。 ‘‘Suppose your hus…
band should refuse to allow you to preach？ What
then？''
‘‘In the first place；'' I answered； ‘‘Paul did not
say so； according to the Scriptures。 But even if he
did； it would not concern me； for I am a spinster。''
The old man looked me over。 ‘‘You might marry
some day；'' he predicted； cautiously。
‘‘Possibly；'' I admitted。 ‘‘Wiser women than I
am have married。 But it is equally possible that I
might marry a man who would command me to
preach； and in that case I want to be all ready to
obey him。''
At this another man； a bachelor； also began to
draw from the Scriptures。 ‘‘An elder；'' he quoted；
‘‘shall be the husband of one wife。'' And he de…
manded； triumphantly； ‘‘How is it possible for you
to be the husband of a wife？''
In response to that I quoted a bit myself。 ‘‘Paul
said； ‘Anathema unto him who addeth to or taketh
from the Scriptures；' '' I reminded this gentleman；
and added that a twisted interpretation of the
Scriptures was as bad as adding to or taking from
them； and that no one doubted that Paul was
warning the elders against polygamy。 Then I went
a bit further； for by this time the absurd character
of the questions was getting on my nerves。
‘‘Even if my good brother's interpretation is cor…
rect；'' I said； ‘‘he has overlooked two important
points。 Though he is an elder； he is also a bachelor；
so I am as much of a husband as he is！''
A good deal of that sort of thing went on。 The
most satisfactory episode of the session； to me； was
the downfall of three pert young men who in turn
tried to make it appear that as the duty of the Con…
ference was to provide churches for all its pastors；
I might become a burden to the Church if it proved
impossible to provide a pastorate for me。 At that；
one of my friends in the council rose to his feet。
‘‘I have had official occasion to examine into the
matter of Miss Shaw's parish and salary；'' he said；
‘‘and I know what salaries the last three speakers
are drawing。 It may interest the Conference to
know that Miss Shaw's present salary equals the
combined salaries of the three young men who are
so afraid she will be a burden to the Church。 If；
before being ordained； she can earn three times as
much as they now earn after being ordained； it seems
fairly clear that they will never have to support her。
We can only hope that she will never have to sup…
port them。''
The three young ministers subsided into their
seats with painful abruptness； and from that time
my opponents were more careful in their remarks。
Still； many unpleasant things were said； and too
much warmth was shown by both sides。 We
gained ground through the day； however； and at
the end of the session the Conference； by a large
majority； voted to ordain me。
The ordination service was fixed for the following
evening； and even the gentlemen who had most
vigorously opposed me were not averse to making
the occasion a profitable one。 The contention had
already enormously advertised the Conference； and
the members now helped the good work along by
sending forth widespread announcements of the
result。 They also decided that； as the attendance
at the service would be very large； they would take
up a collection for the support of superannuated
ministers。 The three young men who had feared I
would become a burden were especially active in
the matter of this collection； and； as they had no
sense of humor； it did not seem incongruous to them
to use my ordination as a means of raising money
for men who had already become burdens to the
Church。
When the great night came （on October 12； 1880）；
the expected crowd came also。 And to the credit
of my opponents I must add that； having lost their
fight； they took their defeat in good part and grace…
fully assisted in the services。 Sitting in one of the
front pews was Mrs。 Stiles； the wife of Dr。 Stiles；
who was superintendent of the Conference。 She
was a dear little old lady of seventy； with a big；
maternal heart； and when she saw me rise to walk
up the aisle alone； she immediately rose； too； came
to my side； offered me her arm； and led me to the
altar。
The ordination service was very impressive and
beautiful。 Its peace and dignity； following the
battl