"A Gallant Little Band" : Bertha Wright and the Late Nineteenth Century Evangelical Women
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/article36636
- Author
- Cook, Sharon A. (Sharon Anne), 1947-
- Material Type
- Journal Article
- Journal
- Journal of the Canadian Church Historical Society
- Date
- 1995 April
- Material Type
- Journal Article
- Date
- 1995 April
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 1
- Page
- [3]-21
- Notes
- "From the 1870s, many middle class Canadian women, inspired by the demands of their evangelical faith, and the challenges of urbanization, materialism and intemperance, organized societies such as the Women's Christian Temperance Union. Typically, members of groups such as the WCTU had several objectives. First, they attested to their faith by bringing the spiritually fallen to Christ. Second, a logical outcome of the first, they sought to reform those elements in society which encouraged irresponsibility and dissolution. Third, they supported one another in spiritual growth and through personal travail in what today we would term a women's network. Groups such as the WCTU, and its sub-group for single women, the YWCTU [Young Women's Christian Temperance Union], provided spiritual succour for the needy through networking but also attempted to place themselves in positions of community leadership by defining acceptable standards of piety. .... In Ottawa the YWCTU and the Young Women's Christian Association [YWCA] also trying to reach the poor through Christian stewardship, were both led by the exceptional Bertha Wright" (p. 4-5). "This paper will concentrate primarily on her efforts to promote childhood evangelical and temperance education, public evangelization and maternal care through the YWCTU" (p. 6). "Through their extensive work with working-class children, the YWCTU developed some highly effective strategies for teaching a potentially hostile population" (p. 7-8). "A second area in which Bertha Wright, through the YWCTU, made a great impact on the community was in evangelical proselytizing" (p. 9). A series of attempts by the YWCTU to organize temperance meetings in Hull resulted in riots and much public and editorial debate. "The mission in Hull, an example of 'primitive methods of evangelism' to 'compel ... by earthly power' speaks eloquently to the courage, energy, blind conviction and unarticulated racism of the women of the YWCTU. It permits a close examination of the intersections of developing middle-class values, nineteenth-century racism, evangelical religiosity and gender" (p. 13). "As in the case of the YWCA a few years later, individual rescue work among confirmed sinners was seen to have a more limited return in the war against sinful behaviours than preventative social measures. The most ambitious project undertaken by the Ottawa YWCTU headed by Bertha Wright clearly demonstrates this gradual change in focus towards social reform, and away from moral rescue work, as the means to effect lasting lifestyle changes. The Home for Friendless Women was a 'mission to the masses', but with a difference" (p. 13). "Bertha Wright left behind an impressive legacy and, more important, symbolized an evangelical feminism that profoundly affected pre-war Canada. An accomplished and serious woman, Bertha exerted her leadership in social activism motivated by unwavering evangelical faith. Labouring with the Young Women's Christian Temperance Union in Ottawa, and across the province of Ontario, evangelical women like her were empowered by 'the transforming power of divine grace for ourselves and all for whom we work'" (p. 18).
- Subjects
- Carr-Harris, Bertha Hannah Wright, 1863-1949
- Evangelicalism - Anglican Church of Canada - History
- Evangelicalism - Canada - History
- Evangelicalism - Canada - 19th century
- Evangelistic work - Canada
- Canada - Social conditions - 1867-1918
- Women's Christian Temperance Union
- Young Women's Christian Temperance Union
- Temperance - Canada
- Temperance - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Church and social problems - Canada - History
- Church and social problems - Anglican Church of Canada - History
- Women church workers - Canada - History
- Location
- General Synod Archives