Impact of the Sanctified Sisters
“I had been sanctified, that is set apart for special service. I have set out to for a separatist group. I have always taken God’s leading as it came, as have my sisters. I have never set down in writing any sort of religious charter or rules by which to live. Townspeople have called me and my sisters collectively Sanctificationists or Sanctified Sisters, but we simply call ourselves Christians.”[i]
Martha McWhirter developed the Woman’s Commonwealth in Belton, Texas in late 1869. McWhirterclaimed that she had an experience that she later described as a spiritual baptism. She had heard the voice of God and was moved to carry his work out. After McWhirter’s spiritual baptism, she claimed to be sanctified and formed the group known as the Sanctified Sisters. The developments of the Sanctified Sisters disrupted families in Belton as a result of their core religious beliefs, and were not accepted by the majority of the population.Over time, however, the town accepted the sisters due to the commune’s fruitfulness in business operations.
McWhirter gave three clear points about what should be understood about the new Christian commune, “First, sanctification is from God. He sends this conviction only to the worthy, Finally, God speaks through dreams and visions.”[ii]McWhirter applied the three points to everyday living. The point of conviction is only given to the worthy is seen through the disruption in marriages. In an interview with McWhirter, she was asked about her belief in mixed religion marriages. McWhirter believed that if one of the partners was not a believer and the other one was, the unbeliever is allowed to leave if they do not agree upon the commune's religious views.[iii] Her response to the question on mixed religion marriages created controversy and tension among the townspeople of Belton.
McWhirter’s commune continued to disrupt marriages through the development of a common fund. The purpose of the fund helped the women in the group who had troubles with their household finances.[iv] The development of the fund caused several issues. The fund allowed women to become less dependent on the husband’s income. During the 1800s men were “accustomed to controlling women-folk through the purse.”[v] The idea McWhirter had when she had created the fund was for when the women were denied funds from the husbands that they would be able to reach into the commune’s fund to meet their needs. Friction in the household’s started to arise when women in the commune “began to assert their rights, as partners in the matrimonial firm to an equal share of the income… they wanted or to accept an allowance which was wholly adequate to their need…”[vi]Some women in the commune group received allowances from their husbands. Once the women in the commune received their allowances, they promptly put their allowance into the common fund. When the town learned of this common fund, husbands cut off their wives' allowances. The commune then developed ways of creating their own source of revenue. The women washed clothes for their earnings, and then began to produce milk and butter from cows bought with excess funds. The women also started a hotel that was frowned upon in its development. Tension grew within the household when the woman spent a majority of their time apart from their husbands. Husbands came to McWhirter’s property and began to demand that their wives come home.[vii] The fund led to broken homes and neglect of matrimonial responsibilities.
Disruption and disorder continued in Belton, when two men, known as the Dow brothers, traveled to Belton from Scotland to join the commune.The Dow Brothers were taken to Old Wace Road by the citizens who beat them.[viii] In spite of all of the disruption, the commune quietly continued their work in the 1880s. The commune developed a prosperous hotel which visitors commended on its great service, well kept rooms, and entertainment.[ix] The commune proved to be prosperous and brought more attention to the town of Belton. After the death of McWhirter’s husband and the success of the hotel, the town of Belton began to “admire the prosperity the commune had brought.”[x] The work that McWhirter and members of the commune had put into the development of their business proved to be acceptable over a period of time.
Endnotes
[i]Howard, Diane. "The Story of the Sanctified Sisters." Setting the Record Straight 1 (1999): p.4.
[ii]Ibid, p.3
[iii]Ramey, Neal. "The Conclusion of Our Interview with Mrs. Martha McWirter." Question and Answering 1 (1883): 1-2.
[iv]Howard, Diane. "The Story of the Sanctified Sisters." Setting the Record Straight 1 (1999): p.4.
[v]Ibid, p.4
[vi]Mattox, Captain A.H. "The Woman's Common Wealth." Social Service 3 (1901): p.1.
[vii]Howard, Diane. "The Story of the Sanctified Sisters." Setting the Record Straight 1 (1999): p.6
[viii]Ibid, p.6
[ix]Ibid, p. 7
[x]Ibid, p.7
Martha McWhirter developed the Woman’s Commonwealth in Belton, Texas in late 1869. McWhirterclaimed that she had an experience that she later described as a spiritual baptism. She had heard the voice of God and was moved to carry his work out. After McWhirter’s spiritual baptism, she claimed to be sanctified and formed the group known as the Sanctified Sisters. The developments of the Sanctified Sisters disrupted families in Belton as a result of their core religious beliefs, and were not accepted by the majority of the population.Over time, however, the town accepted the sisters due to the commune’s fruitfulness in business operations.
McWhirter gave three clear points about what should be understood about the new Christian commune, “First, sanctification is from God. He sends this conviction only to the worthy, Finally, God speaks through dreams and visions.”[ii]McWhirter applied the three points to everyday living. The point of conviction is only given to the worthy is seen through the disruption in marriages. In an interview with McWhirter, she was asked about her belief in mixed religion marriages. McWhirter believed that if one of the partners was not a believer and the other one was, the unbeliever is allowed to leave if they do not agree upon the commune's religious views.[iii] Her response to the question on mixed religion marriages created controversy and tension among the townspeople of Belton.
McWhirter’s commune continued to disrupt marriages through the development of a common fund. The purpose of the fund helped the women in the group who had troubles with their household finances.[iv] The development of the fund caused several issues. The fund allowed women to become less dependent on the husband’s income. During the 1800s men were “accustomed to controlling women-folk through the purse.”[v] The idea McWhirter had when she had created the fund was for when the women were denied funds from the husbands that they would be able to reach into the commune’s fund to meet their needs. Friction in the household’s started to arise when women in the commune “began to assert their rights, as partners in the matrimonial firm to an equal share of the income… they wanted or to accept an allowance which was wholly adequate to their need…”[vi]Some women in the commune group received allowances from their husbands. Once the women in the commune received their allowances, they promptly put their allowance into the common fund. When the town learned of this common fund, husbands cut off their wives' allowances. The commune then developed ways of creating their own source of revenue. The women washed clothes for their earnings, and then began to produce milk and butter from cows bought with excess funds. The women also started a hotel that was frowned upon in its development. Tension grew within the household when the woman spent a majority of their time apart from their husbands. Husbands came to McWhirter’s property and began to demand that their wives come home.[vii] The fund led to broken homes and neglect of matrimonial responsibilities.
Disruption and disorder continued in Belton, when two men, known as the Dow brothers, traveled to Belton from Scotland to join the commune.The Dow Brothers were taken to Old Wace Road by the citizens who beat them.[viii] In spite of all of the disruption, the commune quietly continued their work in the 1880s. The commune developed a prosperous hotel which visitors commended on its great service, well kept rooms, and entertainment.[ix] The commune proved to be prosperous and brought more attention to the town of Belton. After the death of McWhirter’s husband and the success of the hotel, the town of Belton began to “admire the prosperity the commune had brought.”[x] The work that McWhirter and members of the commune had put into the development of their business proved to be acceptable over a period of time.
Endnotes
[i]Howard, Diane. "The Story of the Sanctified Sisters." Setting the Record Straight 1 (1999): p.4.
[ii]Ibid, p.3
[iii]Ramey, Neal. "The Conclusion of Our Interview with Mrs. Martha McWirter." Question and Answering 1 (1883): 1-2.
[iv]Howard, Diane. "The Story of the Sanctified Sisters." Setting the Record Straight 1 (1999): p.4.
[v]Ibid, p.4
[vi]Mattox, Captain A.H. "The Woman's Common Wealth." Social Service 3 (1901): p.1.
[vii]Howard, Diane. "The Story of the Sanctified Sisters." Setting the Record Straight 1 (1999): p.6
[viii]Ibid, p.6
[ix]Ibid, p. 7
[x]Ibid, p.7