New-York daily tribune., 1858-10-18
TIE REV. LYDIA 4. JENKiNS' SERMON.
HFR REASONS FOR ENTERING THE MIN
I,TkY.


For several SUNDAYS pss the Univeysalists Of VIII
lansburgh lave been sitting under the ministratiouA
of the Rev Mrs. Lydia A. jenkins, young lady Of
Central New York whose irs, pub ic appearance in
the city, We believe was at the Womsn's Rights Con-
ven,ion lsst May, where She made very fasocable
impression. Since she ha, been speaking IN Williams
burgh the little Universst Church at the corner
of Fourth aud South Third streeis has been uuwont
cdly throrged and last evening many went away un-
able cveu to find s,andit g room.
Mr.. Jsrkns il woman of pleasant prescnce. She
speaks with quiet cae-tness that IL often sngulary
impressive aud very little gesture. She last night
gave her reasons !or entering the ministry
She selected her texts from the Prophets, the Gospels
and the Epistes, and commencef by commenting on
the degradation oi woman III the early ages. Ihs
d,eary and barren life Of the chd-we of Fhemisto-
cles sittrg ull the day over her embroidery frame
and r,ceyrc only at evening the cold kiss Of her hug
bard was alnost ss sai a. the dishonm witch ac-
conf aned the attempts "i the AspaSias 20 I'VE .
freer life. 1t not much better with jewish
women Nowhere in those days was woman more
than a favorite servant. But Christ changed It AL
He recognized woman Ms the equai OF man. 10
Christianity woman owed her rmanciP"tion nom
slavery Ard this respect it hsd not yet fulfilled
lis mission. In the unending progress f hu Asnity,
woman n net 60 on from hight TO hight, and evea -
mast man. She did Iot beievs in fate bat shc hsd
fe too many times guiding Provi fense 70 iAck tats
naturally averse to God. She felt W ,sn ohila that
,hc was mo-; 'nt she loved God aud that gas ns-
tursl for her to love him, and she ased to take hsr
bible into the fields and enjoy 1t there. when she
grew older she accepted this doctrine and jonea an
:. Evangelical" Church. More years brought doubts
again She was 90 miserable ia the fear that even II
she was saved from eternal punishment her brothsrs
and sisters might not bo; that her nature revolted
fro the coeirne Of ctcrna punishment while YET she
doubted ii Ia do were not to be an lnndel 10 time
size carried her skepcism so far as almost to doubt 4
religion were not n fiction Of cruel priests anf
Sic laid aside her Bible to forget her first Impressions
AItrr wears of dust had gathered upon IL, she took
up a. ain and found light along its pages To
s She added the reading ui the universalist and Unit
tartan fathers and rose at last into clear belief Of
the truths Of the Gospel II did not come suddenly
upon her il came slowly and gladly az the sun rises
She wished she could make her audience feel how
prandy grew upon her. until she felt that there was
Inst such God a. she had always wished to worship
She had long since found that she was not alone in her
conflict and her conclusions that many mother no ART
had been torn by the fear that her child might
be dnnmed to everlasting torment. She felt that u
was her duty to labor beat she could 10 give to a
tie same blessed assurance which she hersef had
found She remembered how the truest disciples OF the
Savior women last at the cross and hrst at tho
sepulcher; how they blessed with the first vis
ion of him after his resurrecton and that to them was
il commanded to go and tell that Christ had risen from
the dead that there resurrection for man. The
heart of Chrisientom tbrobbng tonight in s'is-
pen~e anxl0nsly questioning II man should live again
Whether God were really the Father OF al-Cfrist
really the Savior Of the World. IL even once Ia
year she could make souOwing sister
feel that there really 10 another world heaven
for ALL she felt tha.t her duty to labor toward
that. The theology Of Chrstendom was cold and IN
tellectun IL needed Is new infusion of the feminine
element TO bring it back to its original humanity.
When she felt this need, she could not refuse thu
labor. Universaism had done so much Tor her that
be coulJ po, refuse TO do all she could for it, In this
work every insrumentsIity should be Welcomed; for
as Christ Jesus was neither male nor female might
God give to a Wisdom well as zeal, and assist al
10 live for Christ and for humanity.
II is difficult to listen to the gentle but powerful per-
suasions of this talented woman without feeling that
the feminine soul, when soltened by suffering and
strengthened BY struggles, is peculiarly adapted to
the presentation Of Gospel Of love and loving k'ad'