"A study of sexual politics in 19th century New England through the life of one woman"-- Provided by publisher.

Martha Parker was a gifted young New England woman, aspiring to become an educator and a foreign missionary. Late in 1825 she accepted a proposal from a schoolmaster, Thomas Tenney, only to reject him several weeks later for a rival suitor: Elnathan Gridley, a clergyman headed for the mission field. Tenney's male friends, deeply resentful of the new prominence of women in academies, benevolent and reform associations, and the mission field, decided to retaliate on Tenney's behalf by sending an anonymous letter to the head of the foreign missions board impugning Martha's character. Tenney further threatened Martha with revealing even more about their relationship, thereby ruining her future prospects as a missionary. The resulting investigation created a scandal that ruined Martha Parker's hopes, provoked a resistance within evangelical ranks, and ultimately threatened to destroy the foreign missions enterprise. -- adapted from Amazon info