The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-06
SHALL WOMEN PREACH7
The PreSbytery Of Brooklyn Seriously
Discussing the Question.
n. cuyle, Defending Himself and Miss Smiley
Not This Man, but Barabbas"- Cuyler
hAocent, but His Church Guilty-"Bab-
hing Women" Condemned by st.
Paul, but Not Preaching Women.


Paul, but Not Preaching Women.
The staid Presbyterians of Brooklyn were stirred
yesterday as they never had been before by genu-
Inc sensation" They were shaken rom hats to
boots as by an earthquake. 1t was In q sense an
ecclesiastical earthquake, and IL was caused as
usual by woman. Every great movement, from
the creation and fall OF to bis restoration ana
exaltation, has had q woman some way mixed up
with it, and In this case Miss Sarah F. Smiley.
cody and good-looking Quakeress, is the Innocent
cause Of the trouble. 1t win be remembered by the
rea0ers OF the HERALD that short time ago this pious
lady preached sermon, acknowledged to be OF great
power and path0s, thoroughly scriptural and logical
70 the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian church. She
performed this SERVICE too by request OF the PASTOR
Rev. DIR. Cuyler, ana the session OF his church.
slssing OF twelve or more elders and officers. The
Revs. +. L. Patton and William Mcclellan, presby-
lers. and Messrs. Chamberlain and Woodruff,
elders. took exception-not to the doctrines pro-
nugated nor 70 the time and place OF the service,
but TO the fact that the truth was proclaimed by
woman "Our craft is in danger" said these good
Non. and straightway special session OF the Pres
sytery was called to inquire "what action, II any,
was necessary to be taken" In this CASE Yesterday
was the time appointed, and
THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
corner or Clinton ana Fulton Streets Brooklyn,
the place indicated. The facts had been pretty
widely circulated, and at the appointed hour ycster-
Gay morning the little chapel attached to the church
was Ihr0nged with curious and interested multi
tude, composed very largely Of ladies' to hear the
discussions and to witness the final decision OF
grave ministerial body upon TINS grave question.
The Rev. Joseph NJ Green acted as Moderator, and
Rev. Charles M. Pomeroy as clerk. The religious
n ialt
been concluded the call under which the Presbytery
had assembled was read, ana Mr.. Mcclellan, one Of
the compaInants. moved that DR.. Cuyler be re.
quested to make his statement or defense.
Rev. DR.. SPEAR most emphatlcally objected to
this mode of procedure. The prosecution should
nrst make out their case and then the defendant
could respond. Mr.. Mcclellan being called upon
then rooted the facts Of the preaching at certain
0aIe By Miss Smiley in the Lafayette Avenue Pres
byterlan church. The service was advertised aud
Dr. Cuyler had admitted 1t In the PASTORS meeting.
This was proof enough; but 1t was also proved
BY public n0torlety. The signers OF lie call did
not want to show bad feeling towards the Church or
Dr.. Cuyer. He believed that the Lafayette avenue
church had answered in the Affirmative that Pres
byterlans should aflliate with the Friends; also,
N the affirmative that llcensure and ordinations
should be dispensed with in inviting Quakers to
preach. The speaker also commended that the case
modified and changed the usage and custom OF the
CHURCH, and the Presbytery should take Immediate
ton of the movers to put Dr. Cuyler on trial They
had simply to deal with facts that are opposed to
church. and the merits OF the case he thought were
not under consideration now, though they might
come up hereafter.
Tho Rev. Dr. CUYLER was then invited to re-
spond TO the informal charges made oy these breth-
read traverslng the Scrlptural prohibition to women
preachers, the usage OF the Presbyterian Church.
subject, and the general principles involved IN this
special case. He mad been twenty-six years MN
e have lived and died without one. Though he
was not actually on trial, his action in admitting
the az was not to M
women voting and to loose love and easy
pressed by the Moderator). Dr. Cuyier contin.
ned to recite how in early lie he had been
Of Friends, and how he mad attended their meetings
N BrOOKlyn had met Miss Smiley there ana was
sennd sweet Convincing preacner HIS svson
10 Miss Smiley 70 preach for him was In return for
similar invitation from the Friends to him to preach
tor them. She took no text, but talked about the
vision OF Jacob. He recognized her as minister
70 ner own denomination and as richly endowed
WOWau -N-' =. 9'r -'%~~ =
- PRESBYTERIAN QUERIES.
He made this recognition c0nscentiOusly, and was
willing to take It up TO the Judgment seat. He
book OF Cnurcn government tic contended tnat 1t
neither permitted nor prohibited woman preach
against the Word OF God for woman to speak
N mixed assembly OF both sexesP The Doctor
stances recorded IN the Bible a Of women preaching
or prOphesyng, either under the Old or New Tesla
ment dspensatOn. He commended that Pauls pro-
hfbition TO women talking In church was a very
different thing and that It was next TO impossible
to uraw line IN the Bible about womans functions
IN the Church. He defended his action also as being
on par with that OF the Meth0dists and Baptlsts
and Others both IN Great Britain and IN Brooklyn, In
GLOWING the lady to preach an. th fn p%ps osi
why, ne asked, had the Holy Gnost blessed her
en0rtss He maintained that whether women
preaching was advisable or not depended on Cir
cumstances. He regarded 1t as nonessental mat
Ter and not subject 70 discipline. He admitted that
to take part in pubic worship. He was not In favor
Of q change or the usage, but there was no danger
warm eulogv on mis- church, which he referred to as
one that for nine years had filed Brooklyn with
sound UNCONVENTIONAL doctrine; as one that had
clustered at Its affairs more converts than any other
Presbyterian church mad gathered; as one whose
pulpit had preached loyalty tnat lasted longer than
the nag ron It's steeple, which the wind mad blown
10 tatters; as one hated by the dramshops OF this
CITY, which dramshops would rejoice II one word OF
Censure was passed before that society.
Elk Mayor LAMBERT, an elder OF DR.. Cuyler's
church, and cOdelegate to the Presbvtery defended
the action OF his pastor and church session, and
SAID he was not novice IN Presbyterianlsm. He
had been an officer ina the church before some Of
the sgners the call had learned their letters and
ne was more accustomed 10 go 10 the blDle LOT his
views than elsewhere. He wished the Presbytery
had heard MISS Smiley for themselves. lie cried
under her preaching.
THE CHURCH STOOD by DIR. CUYLER,
and did not want TO muZzle him In any way.
A discussion then took place between Drs. Butler,
Spear, Van Dyke and Mr.. Patton In regard 10 the
appointment OF y committee TO draft a minute
about The subject. DR.. Spear thought the matter
was too Insignificant to be dgnined by the appoint
mont OF committee or the drafting OF minute,
put his compecrs thought differently ana Rev. Drs.
Butter Duryea, Brown, Wells. Seaver, and Elders
Stebbns and Foster, were appointed such COM
mittee, and while they deliberating the Pres
bytery took recess until three +. Nd.
Afternoon Session.
Upon reassembling the MODERATOR called for the
report Of the committee, which was presented py
Rev. Dr. BUTLER. IL Is as fOlOws:-