Woman's Foreign Missionary Society
Denomination	Methodist Episcopal Church
Organized	1869
Founders	Clementina Butler, Lois Stiles, Mrs. Lewis Flanders, Mrs. Thomas A. Rich, Mrs. Thomas Kingsbury, Mrs. William B. Merrill, Mrs. H. J. Stoddard, and Mrs. O. T. Taylor
First Missionaries	Isabella Thoburn Clara Swain

Dr. William Butler, former missionary to India, delivered a sermon about his missionary experiences on March 14, 1869 at his church, Saint John's Methodist Episcopal Church, Boston. Mrs. Lewis Flanders heard the sermon and was deeply moved by the account of the plight of women in India. Following the service Mrs. Flanders called at the parsonage to discuss the issue of women's status in India with Mrs. Butler. Mrs. Lois Parker, the wife of another former missionary in India was visiting Mrs. Butler at the time, and the stories they shared from their experiences as missionary wives in India convinced Mrs. Flanders the women of the Methodist Episcopal Church could be doing more to reach out to the women of India. Mrs. Butler asked for her assistance in organizing a women's missionary society in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mrs. Flanders agreed to bring the matter up at the next Ladies Benevolent Society at her church. In spite of a lukewarm response from the members of that organization Mrs. Flanders persevered and called a general meeting for all the Methodist Episcopal women in the city of Boston. Because of inclement weather the meeting was poorly attended but out of that meeting grew the organization that would become the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. - Laura Bartels Felleman