The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-03-22
The Woman Preacher.
THE VIEWS OF REV. uESEY WARD nEEcH

From the New York .Stn of February
18th we copy this:
There was quite a stir in Plymouth
Church last evening, as the Rev. II. w.
Beecher read for his text the 34th and
35th verses of the l4th chapter of First
Corinthians:
"Let your women keep silence in the
! churches; for il is not permitted them TO
speak; but they are commanded to be
under obedience, as also saith the law.
"And if they will learn anything, let
them ask their husbands at homei for II
is shame for women to speak in the
church,
"Recent events" said Mr.. Beecher,
Gin church in this city, have interested
/ the whole community. A woman-a
] regularly ordained preacher-was asked
to speak in Presbyterian Church, and
she was in every way qualified to do so.
For permitting this woman 10 preach,
an esteemed and honored pastor was
/ brought before a special meeting OF the
/ Presbytery, and his conduct passed upon.
! He was directed not to do so any more.
/ The simple question before us is whether
in the New Testament
WOMEN ARE FORBIDDEN TO PREACH
And teach. He said he proposed to
speak of the particular command laid
down by the Word of God on women
teaching and preaching publicly. There
are those who regard this utterance rs
/ final and conclusive, and there are Others
who admit the binding obligation of
/ Scripture, but regard this command as
local, national and transient. 1t was in
force only in particular place, for
/ particular time and purpose. The mod
ern church is totally different from that
of the first ages. The family does not
stand as it did two thousand years ago.
/ Women were far more equal to men
among the Hebrew than any other
ancient nation. They were not then
excluded from public functions. He
spoke of the patriotic glory of women
who had stood up in those times to hold
the scepteT, and eulogized their wise adj
ministratiOns.
"Women were forbidden to teach i'm
/ the synagogue. Technical education
women were not admitted TO, and conse-
quently they could not know the work
/ imposed by the Church. 1t was emf
nently proper that they should speak
out latter a pausel and i'm the meet
ing too. [Applause.l There is nothing
in the Gospel that limits the
RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF WOMEN
In this regard, excepting Corinthians:
Paurs letter to Corinth, and when he
wrote to Timothy. In both instances
/ they We're not directed to Jews, but to
the Greeks. He commented on the
characteristics of the two nations-the
slavery and ignorance of the Greek
women, and the freedom and eultiva-
| tion of the Hebrews. A yirtuOus wom-
an in Greece was, he said, domestic
drudge, while woman of education was
.f
The Greeks would have derided the
spectacle of a woman with uncovered
face speaking in n public place. There
fore it was that Paul forbade them to
teach i'm the Church-in Greece. Mr.
Beecher smiled rs he added, Would
that he had put that in.'l If he had
only known how stupid people are in our
day he would have done so. Laughter
Mr.. Beeeher spoke of the noble pursuits
of the women of the present time, and
asked if they
SHOULD BE REGGARED
And placed in the same catalogue with
the women of ancient Greece. / do not
say that | scorn or cOntemn those who
look at the subject differently from my
view, but | marvel at the circumstances
which could make wise man so foolish.
Laughter. / honor Brother Cuyler
because he had the courage to invite Miss
Smiley to his Church.
Speaking Of the many commands laid
down in the New Testament, he said:
You are commanded to honor the King
Do you honor him? No, you have
thrown him overheard. Paul says: i
will, therefore, that men pray every
where, lifting up holy hands, without
wrath and doubling. In like manner,
oil fhof ahnrft tharanea in
modest apparel laughter, in which Mr.
Beecher joinedl, with shamefacedness
and sobriety continued laughterl; not
with brOidered hair or gold, or pearls, or
costly array. Another burst of laugh
ter; the parson calculating 'Oh, oh, OH ]
Why are not the women who break
these commands arraigned? Oh, Brother
Cuyler,
LET THESE WOMEN BE TRIED.
''Do you suppose it was wrong for
women to braid their hair or wear Jew
elTy. / inveigh against extravaganza,
/ but all creation could not keep an orli-
nary woman from following the fashion.
/ Women have risen from the degrada-
l tion of the past; we are not barbarians
now. AS a mother, wife, citizen, she
has multiplied functions, and noble
work to perform. Are you going to put
I Beilh AllG AAlsAl-lO luIll Tit llut VI
Zation? If women are called to the
pulpit, and show themselves fitted for
the work, they have right to speak
/ Where can we find more noble examples
of woman's cultivation and goodness
than among the Society of Friends ?
Mrs. Smiley has extraordinary ability"
He mathematical the rituals or doc
trines that forbade the women TO speak
IN the Church. In Christ there is
neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither
bond nor free, there is neither male nor
| female; for We are all one. "When We
ask me-" Mr.. Beecher said, "if woman
shall speak in the meeting, answer no
unless she has something to say. We
have trumpet enough now, let us have
the flute. Women, God bless you, and
angels love you, if you properly bring
up the boys and girls God has given
you"