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Deaconesses
The plan to employ a deaconess in a Presbyterian congregation in New Zealand was evolved by Rutherford Waddell, minister of the St. Andrew’s Church in Dunedin. Waddell expressed need for a consecrated and trained woman, who could assist the poor, young and old alike, to his office-bearers, and was encouraged by the fact that the Trinity Methodist Church had already an Australian Deaconess, Sister Olive. Waddell wrote to the principle of the Presbyterian Deaconess Training Institute in Melbourne and requested that a suitable deaconess be placed at St. Andrew’s. Miss Christabel Duncan was elected.
In the proceedings of the General Assembly of 1901, which inaugurated the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, there was a cry from well-known church men that it should be taken ‘…into consideration and to initiate in our Church the Office of Deaconesses.’ A year later in 1902, Reverend W. Gray Dixon noted that an increasing number of congregations had, or were planning to get, deaconesses. Dixon stressed the need for training and regulation. The Assembly concluded that an Order of Deaconesses needed to be recognized by the Church. In 1903, a Training Home was recommended, which was already in existence in Dunedin, and the Training Institute Committee was formed. In 1904 the Assembly appointed the Training Institute Committee, located in Dunedin, to carry on the work of the Auckland Committee on Deaconesses and to draw up a service for the ordination of deaconesses.
Soon after the Deaconesses were an established part of the Church, their services were in much need. The first major event was World War One, and following on in 1918 was the influenza epidemic where deaconesses were on call day and night, working both in hospitals and home visits. Economic Depression hit New Zealand in the thirties, which put pressure on Church and Community organisations to provide support and aid. Often it was more acceptable to accept aid from a deaconess as opposed to a government welfare organisation. The Welfare State was initiated by the Labour Government in 1935, which lightened the workload for the deaconesses, until 1939, when turmoil started again in the shape of World War Two until ending in 1945. During this time of unrest there were also changes in educational thought and teaching methods. Teaching Scripture in schools, not just Bible Classes and Sunday Schools, put pressure on the deaconesses as they tried to fulfil all their duties – new and old.
When the first deaconesses were arriving in New Zealand to carry out their duties in the early 1900s, there was no Social Security, no medical aid, no children’s allowances or financial help. It was the deaconess who tried tirelessly to support as much as she could – providing clothes for children in need, providing women access to Bible groups during the weekdays, and passing on wisdom, skills and humour wherever they could. The deaconesses wore a navy uniform with a white bonnet, and it allowed them unrestricted access into hospitals and homes. Their mode of transport was either on foot or bicycle, though bicycles became a hazard in unpleasant weather.
Deaconesses were a vital component in missionary work. Often women are ‘forgotten’ for their missionary work, and it is their male counterparts who receive most of the attention. Much of the drive for missionary outreach from the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand has come from women. Women served in New Hebrides (Vanuatu), dealing with diseases, unpredictable weather and inconsistent food supplies, as well as serving in Canton and Punjab. Most of the women missionaries who were faithful servants, spent time at the Deaconesses College, either before going to the mission fields, or during their furlough.
The deaconesses also worked tirelessly throughout New Zealand, in attempts to aid the Maori population. Most of the deaconesses held schools and classes, as well as providing medical care, and support when Maori were experiencing hardship. The roads they travelled were treacherous with walking, cycling and horseback as the common mode of transport.
The deaconesses were key supporters of maintaining the youth. Sister Lylie Buchanan (Mrs. D. N. Pryor) was the first deaconess in 1930 to be appointed travelling secretary for the Young Women’s Bible Class Work. She received unique training at the Training Institute and at the Otago School of Religious Tradition and offered wise leadership and devotion to the Young Women’s Movement until her marriage in 1933. In addition to traditional methods of teaching, some deaconesses tried more modern approaches, such as the use of drama and broadcasts.
In tough times, such as the depression, the deaconesses played an important role of providing comfort and reassurance in an unsettling time. The Otago Presbyterian Social Service Association (P.S.S.A) was formed on 24th July 1906 to assist the lack of supervision for children. On 10 July 1907, the Clyde Street Orphanage was opened, and later in 1913 as support for social service work increased, a children’s home, known as Glendining Home, was erected in Anderson’s Bay. From this expanded the nation-wide social service work of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. Up until 1913, the P.S.S.A had primary interest in children, but it also turned to the support and aid of the elderly. It was proposed that a home be found where the elderly could have their own rooms and which would be self-supporting.
In 1909 there began discussions in the Training Institute Committee on the proposal of a residential hostel for the women students, in the same way that the Theological Hall joined Knox College. In the 1910 General Assembly the Committee reported their current plans for the amalgamation of the Institute with a proposed Residential College, that the Presbytery of Dunedin had set up a Committee to deal with the matter and that the Synod of Otago and Southland looked approvingly on it. Despite all this positive feedback, finding a location to situate the proposed buildings was increasingly challenging. In 1913 St. Margaret’s Residential College was founded. The College covered two courses, a General Course and an Advanced Course, and students would graduate with a B.D.
While the Order of Deaconesses was recognised in the Church in 1903, it was not until March 1920 that the first Deaconesses Association came into being. Until this point, the Deaconesses worked together in congregations or under General Assembly but had no official link with each other. It was in Dunedin where the first Association of Deaconesses was formed, with Sister Christabel (Christabel Waddell, nee Duncan) as President. The deaconesses had a badge that features the emblem of the Presbyterian Church – the St. Andrew’s Cross, the Burning Bush and the Stars of the Church of the Southern Hemisphere, with the motto ‘Amore Servite’ meaning ‘by love serve.’ This badge was designed by Anna Kirkwood and Iris Wilson, and first used in 1939. The badge declares that the one who wears it has finished their training at the Deaconesses College.
References
Salmond, J. D. By Love Serve: The Story of the Order of Deaconesses of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. Christchurch: J. W. Bty, LTD, 1962.
<a href=https://unescomow.nz/inscription/pcanz-deaconess-collection><img src="https://pcanzarchives.recollect.co.nz/assets/pic/114588" width="175" height="100"/></a>
In the proceedings of the General Assembly of 1901, which inaugurated the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, there was a cry from well-known church men that it should be taken ‘…into consideration and to initiate in our Church the Office of Deaconesses.’ A year later in 1902, Reverend W. Gray Dixon noted that an increasing number of congregations had, or were planning to get, deaconesses. Dixon stressed the need for training and regulation. The Assembly concluded that an Order of Deaconesses needed to be recognized by the Church. In 1903, a Training Home was recommended, which was already in existence in Dunedin, and the Training Institute Committee was formed. In 1904 the Assembly appointed the Training Institute Committee, located in Dunedin, to carry on the work of the Auckland Committee on Deaconesses and to draw up a service for the ordination of deaconesses.
Soon after the Deaconesses were an established part of the Church, their services were in much need. The first major event was World War One, and following on in 1918 was the influenza epidemic where deaconesses were on call day and night, working both in hospitals and home visits. Economic Depression hit New Zealand in the thirties, which put pressure on Church and Community organisations to provide support and aid. Often it was more acceptable to accept aid from a deaconess as opposed to a government welfare organisation. The Welfare State was initiated by the Labour Government in 1935, which lightened the workload for the deaconesses, until 1939, when turmoil started again in the shape of World War Two until ending in 1945. During this time of unrest there were also changes in educational thought and teaching methods. Teaching Scripture in schools, not just Bible Classes and Sunday Schools, put pressure on the deaconesses as they tried to fulfil all their duties – new and old.
When the first deaconesses were arriving in New Zealand to carry out their duties in the early 1900s, there was no Social Security, no medical aid, no children’s allowances or financial help. It was the deaconess who tried tirelessly to support as much as she could – providing clothes for children in need, providing women access to Bible groups during the weekdays, and passing on wisdom, skills and humour wherever they could. The deaconesses wore a navy uniform with a white bonnet, and it allowed them unrestricted access into hospitals and homes. Their mode of transport was either on foot or bicycle, though bicycles became a hazard in unpleasant weather.
Deaconesses were a vital component in missionary work. Often women are ‘forgotten’ for their missionary work, and it is their male counterparts who receive most of the attention. Much of the drive for missionary outreach from the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand has come from women. Women served in New Hebrides (Vanuatu), dealing with diseases, unpredictable weather and inconsistent food supplies, as well as serving in Canton and Punjab. Most of the women missionaries who were faithful servants, spent time at the Deaconesses College, either before going to the mission fields, or during their furlough.
The deaconesses also worked tirelessly throughout New Zealand, in attempts to aid the Maori population. Most of the deaconesses held schools and classes, as well as providing medical care, and support when Maori were experiencing hardship. The roads they travelled were treacherous with walking, cycling and horseback as the common mode of transport.
The deaconesses were key supporters of maintaining the youth. Sister Lylie Buchanan (Mrs. D. N. Pryor) was the first deaconess in 1930 to be appointed travelling secretary for the Young Women’s Bible Class Work. She received unique training at the Training Institute and at the Otago School of Religious Tradition and offered wise leadership and devotion to the Young Women’s Movement until her marriage in 1933. In addition to traditional methods of teaching, some deaconesses tried more modern approaches, such as the use of drama and broadcasts.
In tough times, such as the depression, the deaconesses played an important role of providing comfort and reassurance in an unsettling time. The Otago Presbyterian Social Service Association (P.S.S.A) was formed on 24th July 1906 to assist the lack of supervision for children. On 10 July 1907, the Clyde Street Orphanage was opened, and later in 1913 as support for social service work increased, a children’s home, known as Glendining Home, was erected in Anderson’s Bay. From this expanded the nation-wide social service work of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. Up until 1913, the P.S.S.A had primary interest in children, but it also turned to the support and aid of the elderly. It was proposed that a home be found where the elderly could have their own rooms and which would be self-supporting.
In 1909 there began discussions in the Training Institute Committee on the proposal of a residential hostel for the women students, in the same way that the Theological Hall joined Knox College. In the 1910 General Assembly the Committee reported their current plans for the amalgamation of the Institute with a proposed Residential College, that the Presbytery of Dunedin had set up a Committee to deal with the matter and that the Synod of Otago and Southland looked approvingly on it. Despite all this positive feedback, finding a location to situate the proposed buildings was increasingly challenging. In 1913 St. Margaret’s Residential College was founded. The College covered two courses, a General Course and an Advanced Course, and students would graduate with a B.D.
While the Order of Deaconesses was recognised in the Church in 1903, it was not until March 1920 that the first Deaconesses Association came into being. Until this point, the Deaconesses worked together in congregations or under General Assembly but had no official link with each other. It was in Dunedin where the first Association of Deaconesses was formed, with Sister Christabel (Christabel Waddell, nee Duncan) as President. The deaconesses had a badge that features the emblem of the Presbyterian Church – the St. Andrew’s Cross, the Burning Bush and the Stars of the Church of the Southern Hemisphere, with the motto ‘Amore Servite’ meaning ‘by love serve.’ This badge was designed by Anna Kirkwood and Iris Wilson, and first used in 1939. The badge declares that the one who wears it has finished their training at the Deaconesses College.
References
Salmond, J. D. By Love Serve: The Story of the Order of Deaconesses of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. Christchurch: J. W. Bty, LTD, 1962.
<a href=https://unescomow.nz/inscription/pcanz-deaconess-collection><img src="https://pcanzarchives.recollect.co.nz/assets/pic/114588" width="175" height="100"/></a>
Deaconesses . Presbyterian Research Centre, accessed 11/12/2024, https://pcanzarchives.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/112522
