Mary and religion

[Donna McCreary]

I am scrolling through the old threads looking for information about Mary and her faith. Here, I find that in 2012, I was just beginning to search for information. Here I am eleven years later, still searching for answers.

In addition to a discussion about spiritualism, I am interested in finding how her Presbyterian faith influenced her personality. In an email written to Dr. Cornelius back in 2020, I included this thought: "The Presbyterian Church is a Reformed church, and Mary's childhood was shaped by that theology. I believe Mary clung to her Presbyterian roots throughout her life. Her letters often are scrutinized for their tidbits of spiritualism, but I also see sprinklings of Reformed theology in her words."

The Presbyterian Church has always been one of peace and justice. They championed equality (to a degree) for women. The women of this faith were the first ones to establish a formal, organized, women's group which supported missions for women and children. During the early 19th century, ministers stood in the pulpits and told the men in their congregations to educate their daughters in the same manner they educated their sons.

I have to wonder if Robert Smith Todd educated all of his daughters because he heard it from the pulpit. Did Mary's mother, or step-mother, or grandmother, participate in the women's groups in Lexington? We know Mary was part of a sewing circle in Springfield and she supported charities in Washington DC. I would like to think that her involvement stemmed from a faith-based belief and not from a need for political notoriety.