Classical Early 20th Century Mission Story James E. McEldowney represents the classical missionary story of the early twentieth century. At a student volunteer meeting in Detroit in 1927, he pledged to be a missionary. Stories of the needs of the people inspired him. He continued his education, thinking that he might be going to China...
Missionary, Mission Board Staff, and Mission Advocate From her early years of growing up in a parsonage to her years as a professional person, and later a lay woman active in church affairs, Kathryne Bieri Sears was devoted to mission. At age twenty-four, she was the first single woman appointed by the Methodist Episcopal Board...
Raised Funds for Mission Through Her Disability From her home, in Casey, Illinois, Lizzie Johnson raised over $120,000 for missions. A back injury at age thirteen steadily worsened until, at age twenty-seven, she was unable to raise her head from the pillow. She could move only her hands and forearms. Interested in mission work, she wanted...
Passionate spokesperson for mission Millicent Rench, fondly known to those who loved her as “Billie,” was a passionate spokesperson for mission in her local church and throughout United Methodism in eastern Michigan, an area known during her life as the Detroit Conference of the United Methodist Church. Rench was also passionate about her church family....
Bishop with a Passion for Mission United Methodist Bishop James K. Mathews had a lifelong passion for mission and evangelism across his long life of 97 years. The son-in-law of noted evangelist E. Stanley Jones, Mathews traveled the world as a Methodist missionary. He made more than 60 trips to India, 28 to Africa, 16...
“Bent toward the Love of God and Care of Others” She was many things across the decades of her 101-year life span. The plaque in her honor in the Metropolitan United Methodist Church, Washington, DC, reads: Eunice Jones Mathews, wife, mother, author and noble soul whose life was ceaselessly bent toward the love of God...
Teacher, nurse, & administrator who spent more than 50 years ministering to lepers in India Mary Reed was born in 1854 in Lowell, Ohio, to Wesley W. Reed and Sarah Ann (Henderson) Reed. After graduation from Ohio Central Normal School in Worthington, Ohio, she began a teaching career. When she was 30, she applied to join...
![Templin, Ralph T[odd]. (1896-1984)](https://methodistmission200.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Templin-1-300x300.jpg "Templin, Ralph T[odd]. (1896-1984)")
Missionary, Peacemaker, Activist Although exempt from military duty because of his pastoral duties in Vinton, Kansas, Ralph Templin waived that right and became a “Preacher-Soldier” in the 4th U.S. Navy Aero Squadron in 1917. After his return from World War I, Templin entered Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas. In 1920 he graduated and married Lila...
American Methodist educational missionary in China and India Welthy Honsinger was born in Rome, New York, and grew up hoping to be an opera singer. But upon hearing a missionary speaker, Honsinger discarded her plan, completed her education as a teacher, and sailed to China in 1906. As headmistress of the Bao Lin school in...
![Smith, Amanda [Berry] (1837-1915)](https://methodistmission200.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Smith-300x300.jpg "Smith, Amanda [Berry] (1837-1915)")
African American Holiness Evangelist and Missionary Amanda Berry was born into slavery at Long Green, Maryland. She was married in 1854 to Calvin M. Devine and her conversion followed two years later. After her husband died in the Civil War, she moved to Philadelphia and married James Smith, and ordained deacon at Mother Bethel African...
