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Farmer’s Wife Becomes Evangelist
After the second meeting at Ruth, a young woman came up to comment about the
“sermon” ; hearing that term applied to her presentation startled Minnie. People who
asked her to hold meetings called her the “woman preacher.” Being thus labeled
disturbed Mrs. Sype for she had developed, she discovered, prejudice against the idea of
“women preachers” herself.
This sent Minnie to her knees again. As she thought about the criticism and opposition she was bound to encounter, she cried in despair, “I can never do this!” However,
in her anguish she received an impression that she believed was from God: “My grace is
sufficient for you.” (2 Corinthians 12:9, RSV. )The young minister got up from her
knees determined to accept whatever work God might ask of her, leaving the results to
Him. As she had responded negatively toward women preachers, so other people might
act toward her. But she knew that her calling was from God.
Not long after she entered the ministry in Oklahoma, Mrs. Sype experienced prejudice against women in the ministry. A minister of the Christian Church started
attacking what Minnie was preaching. When she asked for an opportunity to respond,
the man replied that he would never talk in public with a woman. He emphasized the
point that a woman should never speak in public.(Sype, Life Sketches, 73-76.)
Minnie Sype arranged to use the school house the following night. When she arrived,
a large crowd had assembled. Minnie had prayed at length about this matter and had
sought counsel from church leadership. She asked the Christian minister, who was
present, to join her in the front of the hall, for she wanted nothing more than to make
peace with him.
Because of his attacks, she proceeded to defend herself. She asserted that she received
her commission from the Lord Jesus Himself—that after His resurrection He had
commissioned Mary to go tell the brethren that He was alive. Minnie claimed that she
was following in Mary’s footsteps, telling people that Jesus, who has risen, will be
coming again.(John 20:17.)
Mrs. Sype next mentioned Paul’s commendation of a number of women workers in
Romans, chapter 16, particularly Phebe, a minister in Corinth who had helped Paul, and
after going to Rome, was commended by Paul.(Romans 16:1, 2.) She pointed out that
Priscilla and Aquila labored with Paul in giving the gospel.(Romans 16:3, 4; Acts 18:18, 26.)
She referred to other women leaders of the Bible: Miriam, Moses’ sister, worked with
him in administration; Deborah ruled Israel as a judge; Anna and Philip’s four daughters
all prophesied.(Micah 6:4; Judges 4:4-9; Luke 2:36-38; Acts 21:8, 9.)
Yes, she agreed, women are told in 1 Corinthians 14 to keep silence to prevent confusion, but men are told in the same chapter to keep silence on certain occasions, also.(1
Corinthians 14:34, 28.)
She quoted Acts 2:17, 18, foretelling that sons and daughters will prophesy. She then
told her brother in ministry that he was behind the times—that modern civilizations
are beginning to accept woman as a helper qualified to labor with man in every good
work. In heathen countries, she pointed out, women are downtrodden and treated as

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