Female mission initiatives : black and white women in three Witwatersrand churches, 1903-1939
This thesis is a historical study of the religious initiatives taken by two groups of women - white missionaries and African Christians - in the Anglican, Methodist and American Board Mission Churches on the Witwatersrand, South Africa, before the Second World War. It begins by setting the women in context. The nineteenth century background of women and the church is considered first. Then the recruitment of the female missionaries who worked in Johannesburg is examined and the effects of their social origins and training are explored, In the broad characterisation of the African women of Johannesburg which follows, particular stress is laid on the three main spheres of employment open to them, namely domestic service, beer-brewing and laundry work. The second part of the thesis looks at the important prayer unions founded and run by black women, sometimes with missionary help. In all three missions, African women showed great enthusiasm for public prayer and revivalist preaching. Members were also anxious to preserve the premarital chastity of their daughters. Other common concerns were the wearing of uniforms, fund-raising and campaigning for total abstinence from liquor. The individual history of each church
Gaitskell, Deborah Lyndall
History
Female mission initiatives : black and white women in three Witwatersrand churches, 1903-1939. This thesis is a historical study of the religious initiatives taken by two groups of women - white missionaries and African Christians - in the Anglican, Methodist and American Board Mission Churches on the Witwatersrand, South Africa, before the Second World War. It begins by setting the women in context. The nineteenth century background of women and the church is considered first. Then the recruitment of the female missionaries who worked in Johannesburg is examined and the effects of their social origins and training are explored, In the broad characterisation of the African women of Johannesburg which follows, particular stress is laid on the three main spheres of employment open to them, namely domestic service, beer-brewing and laundry work. The second part of the thesis looks at the important prayer unions founded and run by black women, sometimes with missionary help. In all three missions, African women showed great enthusiasm for public prayer and revivalist preaching. Members were also anxious to preserve the premarital chastity of their daughters. Other common concerns were the wearing of uniforms, fund-raising and campaigning for total abstinence from liquor. The individual history of each church
female mission initiative black white_woman church historical_study religious initiative take two_group woman white missionary african christians anglican methodist american board mission churches south_africa second_world_war begin set woman context background woman church consider first recruitment female missionary_work examine_effect social origin train explore broad characterisation african woman follow particular stress lay three_main sphere employment open namely domestic_service beer work second_part look important prayer union found run black woman sometimes missionary help mission african woman show great enthusiasm public prayer revivalist preaching members also anxious preserve daughter common concern wear uniform fund_raising total individual history church