Segment III of Centennial History Manual
In February, 1843, a group of young mothers met for the purpose of forming a Maternal Association. Their Constitution reads as follows:
"Deeply impressed with the sacred obligation resting upon parents to train up their children for God, and trusting in the promise to the faithful, and in the efficacy of prayer, we the subscribers agree to associate for the purpose of devising and adapting such measures as may be best calculated to assist in the right performance of their duty.
"The time allotted for our monthly meetings shall be spent in reading and conversation and prayers for the immediate conversion of our children that they may represent Christ in the midst of an ungodly world.
"Every member shall feel herself bound to govern her children in the fear and from the Word of God, thoroughly subduing their wills, and ever requiring their cheerful obedience. When called to correct them shall enter upon the duty with prayer, explain the command which they have broken and also that which makes it her duty to punish.
"Our children shall be considered members of the Association, and at suitable times shall convene with us when the exercises shall be of such a nature as best calculated by the aid of the Holy Spirit to affect the heart."
The Society continued to function for over 20 years.
From the last annual report in 1864, we quote,
"Some of the sisters who started with us have halted by the way, while others have been willing to sustain our meetings through evil as well as good report. Births, deaths, marriages and removals have made their marks upon our pages. Seven mothers and twenty-three children have entered eternity. Fourteen of our young men have answered to our country's call."
On April 8, 1869, the Women's Missionary Society of the Congregational Church came into being at the home of Nathan Wesson. Mrs. Luther Clapp was the first president and her daughter, Miss Emma Clapp (later Mrs. Watner and mother of Mrs. Grace Spalding), was the first secretary. This organization had the honor of being the first society in the state of Wisconsin. The first money voted went to the support of a Miss Pollock, who went to the Madura Mission in India. The first missionary boxes sent by the society contained a variety of articles ranging from underwear, tablecloths, stationery and comforters to soap, needles, sugar, coffee, tea and spices. The value of the two boxes was $26.00.
The Wauwatosa Missionary Society had in its early years a deep personal interest in missions because of Miss Sarah Clapp, daughter of Rev. Luther Clapp, who went to China as a missionary in 1879. Later she married Rev. Chauncey Goodrich and they continued the work in China together until her death in 1933.
W. A. Clapp says in 1882, at the time of the Semi-Centennial, "While doing work .these later years in a multitude of ways, at home, in the Sunday School, in prayer meetings, in temperance, in social gatherings, in raising money for the church and parsonage, still their most important work seems to be along the line of missions. They give of their substance. They study the different missionary fields, write sketches of the same and get acquainted with the individual missionaries. I do not believe there has ever been a time in the history of this church when the ladies were more active than now.
On March 9, 1919, the Missionary Society celebrated its Jubilee. During its 50 years of life, the Society had raised $10,194.69 for missions.
The Maternal Association seems to have also served as a Ladies' Aid during its twenty-two years of life. We read that "they held fairs for the church for a pall to be used at funerals; obtained subscriptions for the bells which have been ringing out the Gospel of Thanksgiving ever since they first began to ring on that memorable Thanksgiving Day of 1855." They planned the yearly donation supplies for the pastor's family. They took charge of the dinner at the Annual Meeting of the church on each New Year's Day. This much loved custom seems to have originated early in the church's history and it continued until the time of the first World War. Mrs. Thomas DeSwarte tells us that entire families gathered at the church at 10 A. M. Dinner was served at noon, followed by the Annual Church Meeting. The ladies usually met at the rear of the church auditorium after services on the Sunday before January 1st to decide what each family would contribute to the church dinner. The whole family attended the dinner and provision was made for the entertainment of the children during the meeting following.
We do not know just when or how the Ladies' Aid was organized as such, but it appears to have worked with the Missionary Society almost from the time of the organization of the latter. Mrs. William Hart was the president of the group for many years.
In 1907 the Ladies' Aid and the Missionary Society joined to form the Woman's League. The Missionary Society however, continued to hold separate meetings until April, 1941. Since then, the work of the women of the church in the missionary field has been carried on under the World Service Committee of the Woman's League.
On the Tenth Anniversary of the Woman's League, we find the annual report giving an average attendance at league meetings of 35, with receipts of $460.86 and disbursements of $292.52. This same year, the Women's Missionary Society had an average attendance of 51. The following year we read that "all activities of the Woman's League have been curtailed on account of war demands and the flu epidemic."
The League was for the first time divided into circles in 1921, there being five circles at this time. This also was the year that our church women joined the Milwaukee County Council of Church Women. This was a good year. Receipts were $2,397.41, in addition to $244 raised by the Missionary Society. In'1931, the League first made a definite pledge toward the church budget, the amount being $500.
During the winter of 1939 - 40, under the competent, energetic, and tactful leadership of Mrs. William Nethercut, great grand-daughter-in-law of founder Jonathan Warren, the society perfected a plan for a bi-enniel regrouping of the League membership into circles. By this time the membership had grown to almost 400, with an average attendance at the monthly luncheons and meetings of about 100. In addition to the Daughters of the Tabernacle, an evening group, and the World Fellowship Council or Missionary Society, there were ten circles. Of these, only four did not join in the new plan. The Daughters were unable to because of their evening meetings; circle eight, composed of young women with small children, and circle nine and ten, which were largely made up of older women who had met together for many years, preferred not to vary their membership. The method of distribution is simple and impartial. The members are divided into three groups, --- active, fairly active and partially active. The names are then put into three boxes and drawn in rotation by the several circle chairmen. Thus each League member finds herself working and meeting with a new group of fellow members each two years. Nothing could be more conducive to a spirit of general friendliness and fellowship among the women of the church. The League, in common with most of the other Protestant churches of Wauwatosa, meets the fourth Tuesday of each month. The circles meet the second Tuesday. The governing body of the League is a board of directors made up of the officers, the pastor's wife, the circle chairmen and the chairmen of committees, each circle having one committee chairman among its membership.
In addition to maintaining the upkeep of the parlor and kitchen, and certain expenses in connection with the parsonage, the League finances the Week Day Bible School, the Junior Choir and nursery care for young children during church services. It also gives a yearly gift to the Trustees for church maintenance.
Through the Hospitality Committee, it visits families of new attendants at Church School and Church, and those who are ill or who are shut-ins. It provides flowers for the pulpit at all services and sees to their distribution to the ill; it also sends flowers to bereaved families of church members. In its service to those outside of the church, it raises funds for home and foreign missions, the Children's Outing Fund, and War Service.
In addition to the above, the League women are hostesses in the social life of the church. Once or twice a year they hold large church suppers, planned for entire families with entertainment following. They serve meals when needed to the Men's Club, Father and Sons gatherings, the Congregational Club, the Church School teachers, the city-wide Week Day Bible School group, the Choir and others.
We close with the words of Mrs. William Hart, in the 75th Anniversary booklet, "We find life crowded with duties but there is a call, as always, for activity, capacity and determination, so we do not ask for tasks equal to our powers but for powers equal to our tasks.' The example of sober, unflinching loyalty to duty of the pioneer mother is a rich legacy to this church. In the words of the Master, I would say, 'She hath done what she could.' "