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Prison
chaplains and other missions friends surround
the portrait of Marjorie Bailey. Those present
included Jack Letien (at far left) who commissioned
the portrait; Laura McDaniel, executive
director of Virginia WMU; artist Marcella
Campbell |
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| "Remembering
our Marjorie" |
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Religious
Herald
News
Journal of the Baptist
General Association of Virginia |
| November
6, 2008 |
By
Fred Anderson, Executive Director,
Virginia
Baptist Historical Society
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Marjorie
Lee Bailey was uniquely equipped with God-given
gifts for one of the most challenging places of
ministry. In 1966 she began service as director
of religious activities and chaplain at the Virginia
women’s prison in Goochland. In 1977, in addition
to this ministry, she also became senior chaplain
at the men’s state prison, the ancient and
dreaded state penitentiary located at the time across
from the Oregon |
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Hill neighborhood in downtown Richmond. What a church field!
What a congregation! What a challenge!
Our Marjorie had become the first woman in America to serve
as a chaplain in a male maximum security prison. She had about
1,200 persons in her dual congregations at the men’s and
women’s prisons. No timid person need have applied for
such a position and Our Marjorie was anything but timid.
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Her
boss during her prison chaplaincy years was George Ricketts,
the former president of the Chaplain Service of the Churches
of Virginia, one of the ministries supported in part by Virginia
Baptists through the General Association. Actually, Ricketts
is quick to maintain that nobody ever pretended to be Our Marjorie’s
boss. “She worked with the poor, the brokenhearted, the
prisoners, the ill and the bruised,” said Ricketts. “Jesus
taught us to give high priority to caring for the poor and powerless,
and Marjorie reminded churches, [WMU] circles and classes that
ministering to those in prison was an essential part of the
Christian mission field.”
Ricketts also remembered Our Marjorie as a collector of stray
cats and strangers. She made friends with both species. “She
had a special place in her heart for the devilish ones,”
remembered Ricketts, referring to the cats. “She had several
beautiful cats but she was fondest of the rascals.” The
same may be said of many of the folks to whom she ministered.
The late Albert Kitchen, long-time lay leader in the Richmond
Association, once observed that Our Marjorie was without prejudice.
“Race, color, creed and sex were not barriers in her work.
She believed strongly in equal rights for women but also fought
for men’s rights.” One of the most notorious of
convicted murderers in the men’s prison was converted
and baptized by Our Marjorie and it made the Richmond newspapers.
Marjorie Bailey was born in Southwest Virginia, in Abingdon,
in 1923; but most of her life was spent in Richmond. She grew
up in Woodland Heights Baptist Church in South Richmond and
later joined First Baptist Church, Richmond. She had studied
at Blue Mountain College in Mississippi as well as at Southwestern
Seminary and VCU where she gained book knowledge of clinical
pastoral education. By working in the prisons, she could have
written a volume herself based upon practical experience.
She also had been a missionary with the SBC’s Home Mission
Board in the River Front mission in New Orleans. She returned
home to serve as a missionary of the Richmond Baptist Association
which always has been in the forefront of social ministry. In
the Fifties she worked in what used to be aptly called Good
Will Centers: South Richmond and Hillside Baptist centers in
Richmond. |
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In
1972 Our Marjorie sought ordination so that she could serve
in the varied roles of ministry, including the administration
of the ordinances of communion, baptism and marriage. When Bainbridge
Street Baptist Church in Richmond ordained her, she became the
first Virginia Baptist woman to be ordained by Virginia Baptists
and only the third in the SBC. The ordination did not go unnoticed
by those who opposed women’s ordination. One unsigned
letter simply typed the Scripture verse which called for women
to keep silent in churches. “If they will learn anything,”
continued the verse, “let them ask their husbands at home.”
Since Our Marjorie had no husband, she assumed that the admonition
was not meant for her! Remember that Our Marjorie was not a
timid soul!
Our Marjorie saved that unsigned letter but she also treasured
all of the notes of commendation. One read: “Miss Bailey,
may an old Catholic pray for a conscientious Baptist? No one
is more qualified or more sincere in their work than our Chaplain.
Wish I could tell [everyone] about you and all you have done
and are doing for the girls here at the [prison] farm. Anyway,
I am praying for you a Novena to St. Jude who has been of great
help to me.” A prisoner once told her: “I am a Jew.”
Her quick reply was: “So was Jesus.” It was the
beginning of a long and special relationship.
Our Marjorie died too soon. She died 20 years ago at the age
of 65. An entire generation has come which knows not Our Marjorie.
Jack Letien remembers her and he commissioned a portrait of
Marjorie Bailey, which was created by artist Marcella Campbell.
In late September, it was unveiled in a special chapel service
at the Virginia Baptist Resource Center. The portrait is to
be placed at the Virginia Baptist Historical Society.
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Among
the persons who spoke at the presentation was Hasan Zarif. He
said: “I met Chaplain Bailey at the state penitentiary
when she first came. At first, some of the men said: ‘Umph,
a woman chaplain! She’ll be gone soon!’
“She continued to minister to those men, love those men
and respect those men and those same men who said she would
not stay were those who helped refurbish the prison chapel.”
Zarif himself was influenced by the remarkable chaplain; and
as a prisoner, he served as her assistant. For the last 20 years,
he has served as an ordained minister and special projects coordinator
for Goodwill Industries and the Chaplain Service. He has been
active in the restoration of civil rights for former prisoners
when they have been released. Zarif’s very life is a remembrance
of the influence of Our Marjorie.
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Fred
Anderson is executive director of the Virginia Baptist Historical
Society and the Center for Baptist Heritage and Studies. He
may be contacted at fred.anderson@vbmb.org or at P.O. Box 34,
University of Richmond, VA 23173. |
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Click
link to view other articles about Chaplain Service |
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"Voting
Rights Restoration helps us All" The
Richmond Times Dispatch |
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"Prison
Chaplains Have Big Job" The
Richmond Times Dispatch |
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Many
Factors Behind Second Highest Toll - The State of the Death Penalty
in VA.
The
Richmond Times Dispatch
(Please be sure to view the two Acrobat PDF files
provided in this article at InRich.com) |
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"Pastors
with a Past" The
Richmond Times Dispatch |
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"Panel
Discusses Felons Who Want Right to Vote" The
Richmond Times Dispatch |
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"Tight
Budget Forces Chaplains to Regroup" The
Richmond Times Dispatch |
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"Virginia's
prison population forecast to rise"
The Richmond
Times Dispatch |
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"Keeping
the Faith in Prison"
The Richmond Times Dispatch |
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"Second
Chances at Life"
Christianity Today |
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"Chaplain
Service job seems made to order" The
Richmond Times Dispatch |
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"Prison
Chaplain Service Celebrates 85 Years" The
Richmond Times Dispatch |
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"Chaplains
On Call for Death - And Life" The
Richmond Times Dispatch |
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"The
Chaplain Service Remembers Those in Prison"
The Richmond
Times Dispatch |
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