Mary Garard Andrews

'Mary Garard Andrews (1852-) was a Universalist minister.

Early life

She was born in Clarksburgh, Virginia on 3 March, 1852. She was of Pennsylvanian stock, in whom the Quaker and Baptist blood mingled. Her maiden name was Garard. She was "fondly proud" of the home of her adoption, Iowa. She was left motherless at the age of five and her father was killed in the service of his country a few years later. Left early to struggle with the adverse elements of human life, she developed a strong character and marked individuality, and overcame many difficulties in acquiring an education. In spite of ill health, the discouragement of friends and financial pressure, she maintained her independence and kept herself in school for eight years. She spent two years in the academy in Washington, Iowa, three years in the Iowa State Industrial College, and three years in Hillsdale College, Michigan.

Theological training and preaching

While in the last-named place she completed the English Theological course with several elective studies, having charge of one or two churches all the time and preaching twice every Sunday during the three years. She says: "I never spent much time over the oft controverted question, 'Shall woman preach?' I thought the most satisfactory solution of the problem would be for woman quietly, without ostentation or controversy, to assume her place and let her work speak for itself." After five years of faithful, fruitful service in the Free Baptist Church, convictions of truth and duty caused her to sever ties and cast her lot with another church. For eight years she was engaged in the regular pastoral work of the Universalist Church, during which time she was a close and thorough student, keeping well informed on the questions of the day. Never satisfied with present attainments, she pursued a more advanced theological and philosophical course, in which she passed an examination and received the degree of BD from Lombard University, Illinois. She was an enthusiastic temperance and Grand Army worker, and for two years was National Chaplain of the Woman's Relief Corps. In April, 1885, she was married to I. R. Andrews, a prosperous attorney of Omaha, Nebraska, where she lived.

See also

    References

    Public Domain This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Frances E. Willard and Mary A. Livermore (1893). Garard Andrews Mary Garard Andrews Check |url= value (help). A Woman of the Century. p. 28.

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