Miss Gertrude Cass was born in Chesley, Ontario, receiving her education there and in Stratford. After teaching for five years she heard the call of the church and entered the Presbyterian Training School. She graduated in 1916 and was designated September 5, 1916 by the Presbytery of Bruce (Ontario) and appointed by the Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Society to Korea.

Her first two years were spent in Hoiryong studying the language, and from there she proceeded to Yongjung in Manchuria, where for 12 years she was Principal of the W.M.S. Mission School.

During – those years she also found time for Evangelistic work, holding Bible classes and doing Christian Education work in rural churches. During her last 9 years she did similar work in Sungjin.

Miss Cass tells the following story of Korea:

In 1918 my Korean was very limited but at least I could invite people to church. Special services were to be held in our church in our station in Manchuria. Ardent prayers were offered by the Christians in the town. Early morning prayer meetings were held before daylight in the cold of winter. Expectancy was high and old and young were taking a part. The visiting minister was to be the noted blind Evangelist from one of the Presbyterian churches in Pyeng Yang. Then Sunday came and the church was crowded. Several hundred persons were there; men and boys sitting on the floor on one side and the women and girls on the other side with the curtain in between.

In 1940, because of the war, Gertrude was recalled to Canada and completed her ministry with work in Canada.

This biography was produced by Erie Presbyterial in 1967, a centennial project to commemorate the women in ministry in their community.