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Farmer’s Wife Becomes Evangelist
Minnie, on the other hand, was typically working on her own, except for the help of her
spouse, which help of course all the other min-isterial teams had also.
After camp meeting in 1905, the Sypes moved from Enid to Carrier. The Adventist
message had been preached there under circumstances that left many people decided
against the truth and prejudiced. In this difficult situation the Sypes pitched their tent
and started their demanding program of visiting homes during the day and preaching in
the tent at night.
In some parts of town the residents were so antagonistic that they would hardly let
Adventists into their homes; if they did let them in, they would require that there be no
discussion of religion.
Besides the prejudice, the evangelist and her spouse had to compete with carnivals,
dances, and shows in Carrier. One show pitched its tent about 50 yards from the evangelistic tent and nightly told people that no meeting would be held at the preaching tent!
The Sypes went right ahead under these trying circumstances, and with God’s help
Minnie Sype preached in total control.
The opposition’s next tactic was more direct. Just as she was starting to preach one
night, Mrs. Sype and the startled congregation heard large rocks thumping the tent roof
right over their heads. Praying for wisdom, the preacher told the congregation not to be
frightened. She said that the rocks were aimed, not at the people attending, but at those
conducting the meeting. If anyone is hurt, it will be my husband and me, Mrs. Sype
remarked. Her listeners must have been impressed to hear her calmly continue right on
preaching. Eventually the bombardment stopped.
The next day Mr. and Mrs. Sype counted 35 rocks and chunks of coal that had been
thrown. No damage had been done except for a few holes in the tent. They always
looked back on that night as a time when it was particularly sweet to trust in Jesus.
Rather than being frightened out of town, the Sypes found their resolve to remain
str engthened. They continued the meetings until October 12 and then, according to
their plan, took down the tent.
Some good results came from the difficult effort in Carrier. One family who had not
even been Christians took their stand to obey all of God’s commandments and became
firm on all points of truth.
After taking down the tent, the Sypes moved the meetings to a school house five
miles out of Carrier. Here Mrs. Sype addressed repeatedly a full house of people interested in Biblical truths. She also enjoyed preaching, with the assistance of an interpreter,
to the German Adventists in the area.
For five years Minnie Sype worked diligently in the Oklahoma Territory, raising up
churches where none had been, enlarging and strengthening existing churches.
However, her health was not excellent. In many places the Oklahoma water had an
alkali content, called gyp (from gypsum, common in hard waters), that was very hard on
Mrs. Sype’s stomach. She suffered frequent, lengthy vomiting spells. Doctors recommended a change of climate.
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