Episcopal Church Women: The First Hundred Years part 8
Episcopal Church Women: The First Hundred Years part 8
The United States entered World War II in December 1941, and the following May, the annual report began, “With our country at war and problems of tire and gasoline shortage confronting us . . . changes were found necessary . . .”—thus explaining why the midwinter meeting had been dropped and many deanery meetings postponed. Minnesota women, however, soon became accustomed to a life of ration books, draft cards, and Red Cross sewing and resumed deanery meetings. But—they did not forget their Blue Boxes; indeed, they sent more than $17,000 to the UTO Ingathering at Cleveland. Incidentally, it was no longer necessary for them to provide clothing for missionaries and their families as General Convention had increased salaries in 1943.
At the close of the war and for a year or so afterward, the Auxiliary experienced profound changes in structure and thought. First, on May 10, 1944, after a separation of fifty years, it reunited with the Auxiliary of Duluth. Second, on that same day, it adopted a new constitution and switched its method of financing from Budget and Dues to a 3% Apportionment system, based on local expense. Third, it became bigger and richer. At the beginning of the decade, the Auxiliary could count 101 local Auxiliaries and eight deaneries; after reunion, 157 locals and Deaneries. In 1943–1944, Budget and Dues amounted to $1,171.71, while in 1946–1947, Apportionment was $10,157.82. That latter year, money from Minnesota for the UTO Ingathering at the Triennial in Philadelphia increased to $31,400.00. Fourth, the Auxiliary, now, by common consent, had adopted several ideas, which, before the war, had gained only tentative acceptance, but which would remain part of Auxiliary thought for many years to come. The idea of Ecumenicalism, for instance, took hold. Formerly, there had been a little gingerly mixing of denominations, but now eight of them worked together. Then, the idea of studying about the roots of a problem rather than about aspects of a mission field was affirmed. Last, the idea of civic responsibility of religious organizations gained acceptance. (“Will you write your congressman . . .”) All of these generally derived from accent on social relations.
A word now about the Diocese of Duluth:
When the original Diocese of Minnesota was divided into the Diocese of Minnesota and the Missionary Diocese of Duluth (later, Diocese), the latter included a large number of scattered Auxiliary groups. Because they were remotely situated, it was, until automobiles became common, almost impossible for many women to attend meetings. For example, in 1898, only ten people from four different parishes were at the annual meeting in Duluth. One of them was the wife of the missionary at Gull Lake, who said that this was the first time in twenty-six years that she had worshipped in a “white church.”
Dispersed as they were, Auxiliary groups, however, seem to have attained a certain cohesion through sharing in the missionary triad of “work, study, prayer.” In fact, the pages of the Record (at one time, the voice of both Dioceses) make recurring reference to Box Work, Quiet Days, and courses of study in the North.
Because Diocesan officers and local Auxiliaries there were physically so far apart, it was necessary to develop good Diocesan machinery. This, Duluth did in two ways. First it developed the Apportionment system, and, second, it developed deaneries. Otherwise, its setup paralleled that of its neighbor to the south, with CPC, UTO, Supply, etc., and increasingly large cadres of officers.
Box Work was of prime importance in the Northern Diocese, just as it was in the Southern. In the early days, many parish groups had sent Boxes to missions (including those within their own boundaries), but, later, the Diocese undertook, as one gigantic project in common, to send a single, enormous, Supply Assignment. Even parishes which did not have an organized Auxiliary helped.
As transportation improved, so did attendance at meetings. In 1915, for instance, the Bishop noted in his diary, “Mrs. Morrison and I had a reception . . .”—the guests being delegates to the Auxiliary’s annual meeting.
The best year the Auxiliary of the Diocese ever had, according to its yearbook, was 1944. In that year, it prepared yet another huge Diocesan Box, plus a Christmas Box, and sent quantities of good, used clothing here and there. Its receipts through Apportionment amounted to $1,588.20 (the Auxiliary of the Diocese of Minnesota had collected very little more through Dues and Budget); its president had, by invitation, visited twenty-two groups; it sent a full five-member delegation to Triennial (with $2,126.38 for the UTO Ingathering); CPC sent over 5000 magazines to one hundred individuals and thirty institutions (hospitals, county jails, etc.), and the Auxiliary published a yearbook, a copy of which is bound with Journals of the Diocese of Duluth and stored in the vault at Lane House.
When the Auxiliary of the Diocese of Duluth rejoined the Auxiliary of the Diocese of Minnesota, it brought great interest and expertise in mission work and a group of very able leaders—as well as a treasury balance of $1,548.12.