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Called By God
inferiors; but the more enlightened the civilization, the better the treatment women
receive. While Minnie had ministered in Oklahoma only for the purpose of being a
blessing, yet she felt she had been treated as heathen women are treated.
The other minister was looking down by the end of Mrs. Sype’s defense. She wished
him well and expressed hope that they might be friends. Her appeal succeeded. The man
did not publicly oppose her work again, and he treated her as a friend.
During July 1902 the Oklahoma Conference president, Elder G. F. Haffner, visited
Gyp and Putnam. At Gyp he visited the first church the Sypes had established. Now, as a
result of hard work in cooperation with the Holy Spirit—Minnie’s preaching and visiting,
Logan’s singing and assisting—Elder Haffner welcomed seven converts by baptism and
several others by profession of faith, organizing them into a new church at Putnam.
While he was in Putnam, the conference president learned that several ministers previously had tried without success to raise up a church there. They had been defeated by
their listeners’ inattention and disorderly conduct. The woman min-ister proved to be the
first who was able to deal with the behavioral problems and hold the people’s attention.
The conference president departed with praise on his lips for the Lord’s womanservant. Elder Haffner expressed hope that God would raise up other faithful laborers on
the order of the Sypes, people who would commit themselves fully to the work, not
giving up until they saw results.(Taken from G. F. Haffner, “A Visit to Gip and Putnam,”
Southwestern Union Record, July 7, 1902.)
It was agreed that Minnie Sype would hold meetings next in Taloga while at the same
time nurturing the work at Putnam. It was while she was working in Putnam and
Taloga that Mrs. Sype encountered the challenge to debate that was reported at the first
of this chapter.
Assisted by her husband, Minnie Sype held three separate efforts in the Putnam area,
bringing 42 converts to rejoice in the Lord.
At the Oklahoma annual conference and camp meeting, which the Sypes reached by
covered wagon during September 1902, Minnie Sype was issued a ministerial license, as
were 18 male ministers. (The Oklahoma Conference at that time had only eight ordained
ministers, including the conference president. Therefore in this early period of denominational
development, a woman could be one with a majority of the male ministers in credentialing.) In
view of the success Mrs. Sype was having in raising up churches, the Conference
Committee moved to recognize her ministry by licensing her.
Minnie Sype performed most of the usual functions of a minister. On September 30,
1902, she officiated at a wedding, uniting in marriage W. L. Manfull, of Addington, Indian
Territory, and Miss Myrtle Day, of Gyp, Oklahoma Territory. The bride was the minister’s
sister. Mrs. Sype wrote in her article in the Record concerning the wedding that both the
bride and groom were formerly from Iowa, where Mr. Manfull had been “a good, faithful
worker” employed by the church. (Southwestern Union Record, October 13, 1902.)

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