The New York herald., 1870-07-24
The Woman Question and the yIetlsodis
Ministry.

From the Independent, July 21.l
The Methodist Church mas always accorded to its
seas ss,9s ~ I'm ranr ~ st Nv ~ W pa IN ~
lagc churches, carefully trained them believe it
duty to participate by speech and vocal prayer in
the meetings OF the church. IL would be u nice
question TO settle in how far the superiority OF the
Methodist social meetings IL due TO the part taken
by women. We certainly know that any other
'socap' gathering would be dull enough II the wo.
men present were required to SIT In silence, like
medilarive ancnorites. But result of this state
OF things IN the Method Church Il that IL is among
the first TO iee the wave OF the profound eaenJ
going on In all civilized lands Ia behalf ol women.
The Methodist Church has put the ballot into the
hands OF women, and III one case at least lt has
licensed q woman TO preach.
Tact worthy OF remark Is that but two Of all the
Methodist papers, far as We know, have been
found TO utter protest against the woInans move-
ment The only article against women preaching
That we have seen recently appeared In the Western
Christian Advocate, oil Cincinnati The article bases
ITSELF OF course, on the popular misapprenension
that takes the local, the temporary the prudential
regulation or the early Oriental churches 10 be uni.
vsrsa ana binding on the churches Ia tile nineteenth
century and III this widely different State OF society.
The same modes OF Thought which rendered II poss-
bic 20 Law the Bible In the path OF the anti-slavery
reformation makes 1t possible to use IL obstruc-
tion TO every oUner benecent measure. 1t IL history
repeating ITSELF Men nave always used the letter as
cudge with which to fight against the spirit OF the
Bible.
But Methodsm would have to flght against her
own history Ii she refused 10 allow the women OF tn
Church, like the four virgta daughters Of Philip, to
prophesy. Methotlism originated in the preaching
of woman. Not John Wesley, but his mother was
the real founder OF Wesieyanlsm When her good,
impractical poetic High Church husband was Off In
London, she read sermons, conducted service and
held religious conversations with the people, and
soon had larger audiences than tile rector had ever
been able DO gabier in the church ITSELF In fact she
preached. When her husbands stupid and jealous
surate called "coavcntice, aud the rector wrote
her advising her to desist, she yet defended her
course by pointing to the marked Improvement in
the lives Of the people, And that Is the true test Of
= wOnan's as OF a man 's work.
Next to Susannah Wesley. the chief female saint Of
Methodisin Is Miss Bosanquet, aiterward Mrs.
Fletcher. Like Mrs. Wesley, she was a woman OF
rank and Ia saintiness she never had q superior,
unless 1t In her husband, tho good vlcar' OF the
wicked mining and manufacturing town OF Madeey.
She was preacher OF the choicest and rarest sort.
Wesley could not wholly Tree himself from the lite
raiisn OF his day. but he dare not oppose beauti
full and 80 blessed ministry as that OF Mrs. Mary
Fletcher, and so he excused her and other Methodist
women preachers, on the ground tnat they were ex.
ceptionally called to the work. But he excused his
lay preachers on the s;lme score, and made his
exception wide enough to drive a coach and four
through 1t. In fact, his noble common sense always
got the better or his High Church preJudces
and OF the liberalism OF his age, which applied TO all
time regulations that were local and temporary III
their very nature.