There were colored members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church before the "War between the States", but no such church organization as "Colored Cumberland Presbyterians" until some few years after the close of this war (1868).
The Cumberland Presbyterian had its origin as far back as 1819 very likely, the out-burst of a great revival in Dixon County, Tennessee (See McDonnald's History of C.P. Church).
While the colored Cumberlands are having a hard time building their denomination, it will be seen by reading McDonnald's History of the C.P. Church, that the white Cumberlands had a much harder time.
ORIGIN--The name Cumberland Church, comes from the stretch of country lying between Green River, in Kentucky, and Duck River, in Tennessee, called Cumberland Country; and therefore, when the Presbyterian Church divided, those who lived in the Cumberland Country were called Cumberland Presbyterians and every church of the Presbyterians, in that country, was called a Cumberland Church.
The colored Cumberland Presbyterians came from the white Cumberland Presbyterians, whom they had served as slaves for many years before the terrible war between the North and the South which resulted in the freedom of four million negroes.
The Presbyterian negro has always been blessed with the purest Gospel teaching that it was possible for his white brother to give. Before the war he had the same church, pastor and teacher that his master and white brother had.
In some cases the colored preacher was instructed by the white preacher or elder to sermonize, and occasionally allowed to preach to the white people who were moved to make open profession of religion. Living witnesses of these things can be found at this time (1905).
All negro denominations have not thus been blessed, for tradition tells us that some colored people before the war were taught that there was a secondary place in Heaven for the negro--the kitchen, one of the best assurance of his reaching that place was absolute obedience to his earthly mistress and master.
Such teaching from those high in authority has done much to corrupt our people. No such charge however has been commonly alleged to Presbyterian preachers at any time.
However un-scrupulous the "Cumberlands" may have been in other matters pertaining to the negro, in the Christian religion from their pulpits they have been very helpful to the negroes.
It is not generally known how the separation of the colored church from the white church came about; but it will be observed by reading the history of the C.P. church by McDonnald, that the separation idea was not openly advocated by the white church.
"It was the unsolicited desire and request of the leading colored brethren", made known to the white church in 1868, by the calling of a convention at Henderson, Kentucky, to consider the feasibility and advisability of a separate church for the colored members then in the white church.
This convention, strange to say was not largely attended, wherefore another convention was called to meet in Huntsville, Alabama, 1868. This convention met the same fate as that of the year before.
The General Assembly was to meet at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, May, 1870, and accordingly the Huntsville convention decided to defer all actions regarding the separation till the meeting of the Assembly.
From 1868 to 1870, it seems that the white church paid little or no attention to the separation movement proposed by the colored "brethren" who were members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church; however the "Banner of Peace" in 1870 began the agitation of the separation movement, and the colored separationists had a bright prospect for the achievement of their goal.
The good people of Murfreesboro influence by their liberal-hearted pastor, Dr. Chadick, entertained the convention of colored "brethren" without cost, and accordingly there was a large delegation present. Alabama had several ministers in this remarkable convention, namely: Rev. Hampton Jones, Rev. Alfred McCaulley and Rev. Alfred Barnett.
Rev. Hampton Jones, of Alabama, if not the prime mover of the separation movement for the whole church, was certainly the pronounced leader of it in Alabama. Tennessee had several ministers and elders in this convention, prominent among whom were: Rev. Lewis Neal, Elder (Prof.) Jno. F. Humphrey, of Fayetteville. Humphrey was the first Stated Clerk the colored Cumberlands ever had. He served as Stated clerk of the Colored General Assembly from its organization at Nashville, Tenn., in 1874, till his death, in 1900, in Huntsville, Alabama--a period of twenty-six years.
Rev. Moses T. Wier was used as "spokesman" for our fathers because of the supposed literary attainment which he possessed, but it would seem fair to say of him that he was not orthodox.
Rev. Wier's contention before the General Assembly at Murfreesboro in 1870, 'that it was impossible for colored men to learn self-reliance and independence in the same church courts with white men' does not hold good, it will not bear investigation.
He does not believe what he preachers, for the next year he appears before the Assembly seeking to be seated as a member with a bogus commission from Greenville Presbytery. The final action of the convention was expressed in Rev. Wier's own words: "It would not be for the advancement of the interest of the church among either the white or the colored people for the ministers of both races to meet together in the same judicatures."
Why Rev. Wier was seeking membership in the white Assembly after declaring that it was against the interest and advancement of both white and colored people for the ministers of both races to meet together in the same church courts, is a question, but that the white Assembly refused this "Judas" a seat in their court is a matter of public history.
We admit now that separation is best for the races, but in 1869 it was very inconvenient for the colored people, it was too early, but we have only our fathers to blame.
The date of separation was just four years after the emancipation of the negro from slavery. To have remained under the Christian superintendence and influence of the white people sixteen years longer could not have been very hurtful to them, but would have been very helpful to the colored people.
The condition of our church is aptly described in the following lines:
"Into the world he went alone,
Stumbling and struggling in paths unknown:
Is it strange that his future seemed dark and dim,
And dark to us as it was to him.
Certainly it was very dark to our people, for they had not a shingle's worth of property, generally no education, no homes, the sky was their covering and the world their cot, but Jesus was their friend, for by His grace they are what they are: fifty-seven thousand communicants, two hundred and fifty ordained ministers, with churches permanently planted and doing well in a dozen different states, besides Oklahoma and Indian Territories.
Mr. Wier made a bad blunder which cost our church considerable suffering, brushed the dust of Cumberland Presbyterianism from his feet, and sought other fields that knew less of his cunning devices.
Immediately after emancipation all colored people were unreasonably emotional in their religious worship. Some had experience more or less hard times as slaves. Fathers separated from children, husbands from wives, the memory of which could not be recalled without a tumultuous heart, and the fact that they had entered into an endless reign of freedom, stirred to overflowing alike the well springs of their hearts-young and old, men and women.
Whether the colored "Cumberlands" have made any progress since their separation from the white church, will be left to the unbiased public, when it ascertains what they have done and what they are still doing.
We have no authority for any definite number of colored Cumberland Presbyterians before the organization of our church in 1868 or 1869, but we feel safe in saying that they did not exceed three hundred, all told, throughout the whole country.
The denomination has ___ churches, ____ presbyteries, ____ synods and a General Assembly, consisting of sixty-thousand communicants in the following states and Territories: Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Mississippi and Texas. Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and Texas have schools and school property.
The publishing house is at Fayetteville, Tennessee, but not in the management of an accomplished printer and mostly for that reason the publishing enterprise of the denomination amounts to so little.
Some time after the organization of the General Assembly there was a movement begun among the colored Cumberland Presbyterians looking to the founding of a school, for the education of its ministers in particular, and its youth in general as a denomination.
Bowling Green, Kentucky, was chosen as the most commanding city for the beginning of the educational work, and accordingly the first school of the denomination was established there with Rev. H. A. Gibson, Pastor President.
Under the embarrassment of a considerable mortgage debt the school did fairly well for a few years, for the entire denomination to its shame, did not contribute as much perhaps as eight ($8,000) thousand dollars to the establishment and support of the struggling enterprise.
While the foundation of this school was plainly seen to shake under its financial weight, the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, White, at Covington, Ohio, 1887, lifted the burden of debt by paying two ($2,700) thousand and seven hundred dollars.
After this the brethren could not agree as to who was the most suitable man for principal or president, thus the wrangle continued until Rev. H. A. Gibson resigned.
Rev. ____________ succeeded Rev. Gibson, but was soon found not to be equal to the emergency, and the situation grew from bad to worse, till finally the school went down and was abandoned by Rev. ___________, the property was sold for about two thousand and four hundred dollars, said money left in the custody of the Board of Education of the White Cumberland Presbyterian Church. This was a general church school, but since its failure the denomination has not had another such school, notwithstanding, several attempts have been made to establish one, but all such attempts have proved fruitless of any good.
During all this school trouble between the "big men," the common preachers were losing no time in preaching and holding protracted meetings which very frequently resulted in great revivals of religion and accessions to the church.
The mass of the preachers knew little or nothing about singing [hymn] books, therefore they depended upon their own musical composers for songs. The following stanza will serve to illustrate the fervor with which they conducted or carried on their revivals:
"While my spirit was wandering around
My God sent a little angel down;
Plucked my feet from the miry clay,
Set them on the rock of eternal age;
God sent a written letter unto me,
The reading on the letter said: 'You are free;'
In the school of grace you'll read and learn,
You are plucked as brand from eternal burn.
Chorus. I've got religion yes, yes, and the world can do me no harm."
This chorus is repeated several times in a long mourn; the leader being a person of strong lungs and wherever he makes a pause the audience continues the tune, all join in the chorus keeping time with head, hands, feet and body. All this gave rise to screams of the wildest excitement upon which many professed faith in Christ.
These common preachers added members to the churches of the Huntsville Presbytery so rapidly, that it became necessary to form another Presbytery which was named Florence.
Three others followed, namely: South Alabama Presbytery, Pleasant Hill Presbytery and Tuscaloosa, making five Presbyteries in the State of Alabama, which composes the Alabama Synod.
Tennessee increased at a similar ratio; Kentucky made some progress along the same line. After which the work was pushed into the States of Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Texas, and ultimately into the Territories as stated in the beginning of this chapter.
During a period of _______ years the Colored Cumberland Presbyterians had no school anywhere, but about the year of 1889 the educational interest that had been slumbering from 18__ was aroused in the States of Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and Texas accordingly Alabama, in 1898 established a Presbyterial school under the principalship of Rev. Jno. F. Humphreys, but in 1899, at Pratt City, Alabama, it was changed to a Synodical school, (with Rev. Humphrey still principal), with the name Cumberland Presbyterian Institute,
In 1883 Rev. Humphrey resumed the pastorate of the C.P. Church at Huntsville, serving in that capacity seventeen (17) years seven years of this time he was also principal of the colored city school at Huntsville.
In 1898 he was defeated for the principalship of the city school and accordingly took the lead in establishing the C.P. Institute of which the denomination is proud.
He contracted for a lot on Church street for twelve ($1200) hundred dollars.
Rev. Humphrey's health began to fail in 1899 in vain he sought someone to fill his place. His poor health together with the seeming if not real opposition of the southern wing of the Synod, made this burden of debt more than he could withstand.
Finally he succumbed to the enemy of all the living.
Immediately after his death, all was lost, our counted lost, so far as the school was concerned. It was thought by some, that it would be best to abandon the school project, notwithstanding, about half of the debt had been paid.
In September (1900) the Presbytery convention at Elkmont, and was unanimous in recommending to the Synod or Board of Trustees of said Synod, Jno. J. Jenkins (Elder) for the principalship of the C.P. Institute.
This action of the Huntsville Presbytery wad heartily endorsed by the people, and accordingly two months later at Florence, Alabama the Board of trustees endorsed the action and elected Jno. J. Jenkins principal.
The position was as much un-sought by the Principal elect as it was a surprise; for he had not given the matter a thought, but after praying over it, and being urged by certain of his close friends, besides being assured that there was no debt against the school property, and that there was nothing to be done but build the cause Rev. Humphrey had so nobly advanced, he accepted.
Having been assured that there were three ($300) hundred dollars in the treasury for the payment of teachers, the school opened on the first Monday in October, with flattering prospects. More than two hundred pupils were enrolled during the term.
Two ladies were employed as assistant teachers--Mrs. Sarah J. Dawson, and Mrs. Laura M. Lacy, both graduates of the State Normal School, now A. & M. College, for negroes, at Normal, Ala.
The Principal, being a young man, was guided and advised for the most part in the selection and appointment of a Local Board of Trustees, but before the expiration of one month, after the appointment of said Board it was plain to see that the Board was not worth "picking up in the road." The vice-president of that Board, although an ordained minister, was doubtless a very bad old man, for he had the baseness to advise the teachers not to teach, that the "principal was getting the benefit of the money to their exclusion when he knew that there was not a cent in the treasury and had not been"--but it was he who had made the statement that at the death of the former principal there were three hundred dollars in treasury.
Seeing that he was about to be sacked in this matter, he began to find fault with the new principal, and advised the people not to give any more money: that the principal was too young for such a momentous undertaking, eight ($800) hundred dollars indebtedness against the school property.
Two years later this debt was canceled, and this same old man found fault with the principal in that he was too old and too popular with the women. This charge was due to the fact that the principal had in his article to the news-papers.
Rev. Barnett was born Aug. 30, 1832, professed religion, joined the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and entered the ministry in 1857. He was licensed by the Tennessee Presbytery, White.
Of the four colored men who applied to the white church for a separate church government, he is the only one living.
Although 71 years old, he still preaches with comparative vigor and marked earnestness. He learned to write at the age of sixty-five, notwithstanding his advanced age, he writes a legible hand.
He has built 18 churches, held many successful revivals, the first resulted in seventy-two conversions, and the last in one hundred and eleven.
He was born in Limestone County, Alabama, in 1867, near the little village, Elkmont. He is well acquainted with the farming business for his father was one of the most successful of the early '70's.
Rev. Dawson professed religion early in life, in 1883, and has risen steadily in the church till he is one of the foremost young preachers in the denomination.
He has held some of the most important or rather some of the most prominent charges in the denomination. At present he is pastoring at Dyersburg, Tenn.
Rev. Dawson has had rare educational advantages, in that he was brought up among his relatives who were among the best scholars and teachers of their day. He is an ex-student of the Trinity School at Athens, Alabama and also of the State Normal School, Huntsville, Alabama, now A. & M. College, Normal, Alabama.
REV. J. S. HAMILTON was born in Lincoln County, Tennessee in 1871, was raised an orphan boy from the age of eleven years, attended the public schools of his native County, under very discouraging circumstances.
He professed religion at the age of fifteen and joined the Cumberland Presbyterian Church under the pastorate of Rev. Lewis Burks. He served in the capacity of deacon for one year and elder two years.
In 1893 he left Fayetteville, Tennessee for Belton, Texas, where he remained three years without seeing a Cumberland Presbyterian notwithstanding he paid his church dues to the church left behind.
Leaving Belton he went to Crawford, Texas; there, being within twelve miles of a Cumberland Presbyterian Church, he at once applied for membership, this Church being in the Brazos River Presbytery, which licensed him to preach.
In 1897 he married Miss Lettie A. Clark, and moved to Hillsboro, Texas; being the first Cumberland Presbyterian to preach in this city, he has built a church, been ordained, and now pastors it.
This church property is deeded to the "Trustees of the Woman's Board of Missions at Fayetteville, Tenn."
Mrs. Lacy was born in Huntsville, Alabama, May 3, 1855. She professed religion at the age of eleven and joined the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, of which her mother was a member.
Trained in the church from her youth, she grew to be one of the leading "soprano singers" of the church, possessing a voice of rare melody and thrill.
She is a graduate of the State Normal and Industrial School, Class '91, now Agricultural and Mechanical College, at Normal, Ala. For several years she taught in the public schools of Madison and Limestone Counties, Alabama.
In 1899 she was married to Mr. Wm. Lacy, 1st Sergeant of the 10th U.S. Cavalry, who served at Manzanilla de Cuba.
In 1900 she was elected second assistant teacher in the Cumberland Presbyterian Institute, which position she resigned in May, 1901, to the regret of the faculty and patrons, to join her husband at Manzanilla, Cuba.
She has a beautiful home in Huntsville, situated on Lowe Avenue No. 9, presided over by her mother. Mrs. Lacy with her husband, at present, is living at Des Moines, Illinois.
Rev. J. M. W. DeShong was born in North Carolina, January 9, 1853. At the age of nine years, he, with his parents, was brought to Tennessee, and grew up in the wilds of West Tennessee.
He professed religion in 1870, joined the church and feeling impressed to preach the gospel, he joined the Hopewell Presbytery in 1871, and was licensed in 1872 at Huntingdon, Tennessee.
He rose rapidly as a preacher, and soon received his ordination. He has held some very important charges since his ordination, built eleven churches, and was editor of the Cumberland Presbyterian for twenty years.
Rev. DeShong has never been married but was always devoted to his mother, who died in 1903. He is Clerk of the Elk River Presbytery, Clerk of the Tennessee Synod and Financial Agent of the Colored Cumberland Presbyterian General Assembly.
Rev. DeShong is at the head of the Mission work of our denomination which is doing commendable work for our cause.
Although possessing a fair education, he makes no pretensions at scholarship; but as a bold and fearless preacher, he has no equal in the denomination. Like John the Baptist, he has no fear of attacking wickedness in high places.
The educational cause has a strong friend in Rev. DeShong.
The subject of this sketch is one of the foremost church workers in the denomination. She was reared by an uncompromising Cumberland Presbyterian mother; professed religion at an early age and was for sixteen years leader of the choir of the Huntsville Church.
No woman manifested a deeper interest in church affairs than she, and as a recognition of her splendid ability and worth to the church, she was elected President of the Woman's Board of Local Mission and Corresponding Secretary of the General Board of Mission whose Head Quarters in Fayetteville, Tennessee.
Her maiden name was Donegan, and in 1888 she was married to Mr. William M. Tate of Huntsville, to them were born two children, a son and a daughter, who constitute the life of the beautiful home of their parents, situated on Church Street, number 218. Mrs. Tate is an ex-student of the "State Normal," now A. & M. College, Normal, Alabama. The President of this college has said of her; "She was one of the most obedient and amiable girls I ever taught." Too much cannot be said in praise of this noble specimen of womanhood, she ever stands ready to make Cumberland Presbyterianism shine as the noonday sun when the sky is cloudless.
REV. C. L. DAVIS was born in __________ County, Alabama, in 18__. He is the youngest of __ children, has never had a father to care for him, hence his way has ever been hard. He was reared on the farm and is acquainted with manual labor. His education began late in life, about the age of eighteen, he boarded the car for the first time in life en-route to Huntsville, where he entered "the STATE NORMAL SCHOOL," under Principalship of Prof. W. H. COUNCILL, where he remained for several years and developed into a hard scholar.
He professed Christian religion at the age of fifteen, joined the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and made it known that he felt divinely called to preach the gospel.
He took private lessons in theology under a very able instructor who declared that he was one of the most apt students he had ever taught in that branch of study.
He has built several churches, the most prominent of which is the Pratt City Church, that he pastored for twelve (12) years, he resigned this church in the Spring of 1904, much to the regret of the membership, to take charge of the church at Huntsville, made vacant by the death of Rev. Jno. F. Humphrey.
Rev. Davis has grown steadily in the church until he is today one of the foremost generals in the army of the Lord: he is now planning to build a new church at Huntsville, at the cost of not less than five thousand dollars.
Rev. Davis is clerk of the Florence Presbytery, clerk of Alabama Synod, clerk of the General Assembly of our denomination, and a powerful preacher. No enterprise of the denomination is neglected by him; he is an uncompromising friend to the cause Education in general and particular so to the cause in our denomination.
He took an active part in the "Young Peoples' Educational Congress held at Atlanta, Georgia, notwithstanding the odds were against him in his own Church.
As Jeremiah was the "weeping prophet," so is Rev. Davis the weeping preacher.
Born 1852. Entered ministry 1869. Taught first school 1870. Ordained in the ministry 1871. Married 1873. Elected delegate to Pan-American Presbyterian Council at Belfast, Ireland, 1884. Received Diploma from C. S. & L. Circle; received degree of Doctor of Divinity, 1902.
Dr. Elijah Jordan Simpson first saw the light of day in Crittenden County, Kentucky, near what is now the village of Rodney, on October 2, 1852. The first plans of his education were laid by the young children of his master, also Mrs. M. A. Williams. His father, Moses Simpson being the property the Simpsons, and his mother Lucy Hughes, that of the Hughes, three substantial and noteworthy white families of that section of Crittenden county, but subject was the property of Miss Joan Hughes at the time of emancipation. In the year of 1869 Dr. Simpson began the work of a divinity student, and in 1871 was ordained as a minister of the gospel by Green River Presbytery at its session held in Greenville, Kentucky, and from that time, being then only nineteen years of age he has led an earnest, vigorous and tireless career in his efforts to assist in the life of his race, and to direct the minds of his people into channels of Christianity and Morality--the foundation stones of good citizenship being teacher in the common schools when he was in his teens teaching regularly and constantly holding the pastoral care of a sufficient number of churches to fully occupy his time. In 1870 he taught his first school and in 1874 he taught the first common school opened in Hopkins County, Kentucky, for the instruction of colored pupils. Dr. Simpsons first marriage occurred in November, 1873, with Miss Sallie Frances Hughes, who died August 1, 1901. To this union was born three children, Ida May, Lucy Jane and Urey-two daughters and a son. The youngest daughter, Lucy Jane, lacks one year of graduating from State Normal College at Frankfort, and the son, Urey, from Atchinson College, Madisonville, Kentucky. Dr. Simpson's second marriage occurred January 8, 1902, with Mrs. Ida M. Brooks who had been a student at Wilberforce, Wilberforce, Ohio, taking special courses in Literature and art, and afterward teaching in various institutions of learning throughout the country, including a year at Atchinson College, near Madisonville, Kentucky. Her art studies embrace various methods: oil, crayon, pastelle, water colors, etc., and she is the author of many pieces of rare beauty and artistic merit. Dr. Simpson has been actively engaged in the ministry since 1871 and has had the pastoral care of various churches during his ministerial work. He held the pastoral charge of the church at Providence, Kentucky, for nearly a quarter of a century, and that of the church at Fredonia, Kentucky for nearly as long. As an evidence of his faithful and devoted efforts the church at Providence increased in membership during the time from fifty to two hundred and twenty-five communicants, and the church at Fredonia from forth to one hundred and twenty-five. In January, 1901, he accepted a unanimous call to the pastorate of the College Street Cumberland Presbyterian Church at Bowling Green, Kentucky, continuing in regular charge until his resignation was rendered necessary on account of the long continued illness and death of his wife. At the session of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, held at Lewisburg, Tennessee, in 1903, he was elected corresponding delegate to the General Assembly of the White Cumberland Presbyterian Church, which met in Nashville, in May of the same year, before which great gathering he delivered a forcible address in support of theories promulgated and advanced by the colored church. He was also elected as a delegate to the Pan-American Presbyterian Council, which met in Belfast, Ireland, in 1884. In an effort to further advance and to hasten the education of his race, he, in company with Rev. W. L. Clark, established and edited the Banner of Light, a monthly periodical devoted to the interest of the colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church and also had editorial control of the Good Shepherd for two years. In 1892, Dr. Simpson completed a four years course in the Chataqua Scientific and Literary Circle and was granted a diploma and in 1902 the degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him by the Cadiz Normal and Theological College at Cadiz, Kentucky, which honor is well merited and honorably borne. Besides holding a first class teachers certificate in every county in which he has taught school. Dr. Simpson has but recently completed a term in a select school taking a special course in language and the sciences. At the age of thirty years he was elected Moderator of the General Assembly, the delegates to that body recognizing in him a man of broad views and conscientious practices. Although born a slave and with the most meager educational advantages and practically destitute of means, he grasped every opportunity and with the motto: "Do Right, Keep Cool and Press Forward" meekly emblazoned upon his banner, his ambition never lagged, and his every achievement has been used as a stepping stone to reach and employ other opportunities of acquiring knowledge, this better fitting him for the work he finds to do. Truly he is the architect of his own fortune, building wisely and well, thus erecting a monument to his race of a life of work well worthy of their emulation.
The subject was born and reared in Huntsville, Alabama, and is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of that city.
She is a very useful young woman, industrious and economical. She and two of her sisters, out of their meager earnings have paid for a home in the city of Huntsville.
Anyone who visits their beautiful home will doubtless be impressed by the artistic taste of this young woman, who believes in the doctrine: That every man should live by the toil of his hands and the sweat of his brow.
Miss McDonald is vice-president of the Woman's Board of Missions of the Huntsville Church, through which our denomination was enabled, in March, to purchase an acre of land for a church at Madison, Alabama, costing one ($120.00) hundred and twenty dollars. She is especially proud of this act of Board.
Alice B. Bishop was born March 24, 1866 in Marshall County Tennessee, near Lewisburg. Mrs. Bishop's maiden name was Hill.
She is next to the youngest of twelve children born to her parents, Peter and Emily Hill. She was married to Mr. William Bishop in 1884, and they made their home in Lewisburg, possessing a beautiful little home which was destroyed by fire in 1902.
She with her husband is living in Pulaski, Tennessee. Mrs. Bishop professed religion in 1884, and is now an ordained preacher of considerable reputation in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church; she received license in 1897, and ordination in 1899.
She is President of the Woman's Board of Missions and does regular pastoral work. She has built several churches and is popular as a preacher, this is demonstrated by the great crowd she carries wherever she goes to preach.