The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1872-07-11

hyuid thompson may DeSuue, WIFI
her lasclvious troupe, myriads OF
young men to ruin, as she, with base,
voluptuous motions, fires the blood
of inconsiderate youth. Charlotte
Cushman, Matilda Heron, Ellen
Tree, Fanny Kemble, all the good
or bad actresses of the stage, draw
hundreds of thousands to their fas-
cinations, and no voice objects to
them because they are women. Song
stresses OF fame, for century, have
led the opera, and alone, almost, have
made it attractive ; not one male
voice in ten female acquiring distinc.
ton in this sphere.
Ladies appear at last on the plat,
form, and all the world run after
them /; some uttering in graceful
words and mien, the most graceless
doctrines of devils, and scattering
fire brands of hell among the gun
powder sensibilities of society. 1t
time fire should fight fire.
The theatre, the opera, and the
platform are not the only sphere OF
women. The Church must seize and
sanctify this gift. 1t must not let the
devil have all the good female speak.
ers, any more than Charles Wesley
would allow him to have all the good
tunes. Turn this battery upon him,
is the true policy. Make woman
draw the young to cur churches, as
she now draws them to the theatre ;
let her lead them to Christ, as she
has led them to Satan !; let her save
and not destroy"
Eve desolated, let Mary build up.
Jezebel sought to destroy Elijah,
let Priscilla help Apollos.
Herodias took the life Of John the
Baptist, let Mary proclaim the resur,
rection of Christ the Messiah.
Mrs. Woodruff and others are lee.
turing for the devil, let Phoebe Pal
err, Maggie Van Colt, Sarah Smiley,
Elizabeth Comstock, and many 9TH
ers, preach the good news of Christ's
Kingdom.
3. We have sufficient evidence to
believe that God calls women to the
ministry of the gospel.
How are we tojudge that Goe calls
men to preach?
Perhaps this subject is treated by
no church more thoroughly than may
be found recorded in our Book OF
Discipline, page 63, towit:
"How shall we try those who pro
TESS to be moved by the Holy Ghost
to preach .
Let the following question be ask
ed:
1. Do they know God as a par
doning God? Have they the love Of
God abiding in them =? Do they de-
sire nothing but God {? Are they
holy in all manner of conversation
2 Have they gifts as well as
grace for the work ? Have they Gin
some tolerable degree) a clear, sound
understanding, right judgment in
the things of God, just conception
of salvation by faith I? Has God Civ
en- them any degree of utterance
Do they speak Justly, readily, clear
ly?
3. Have they fruit Are any
truly convinced of sin and converted
under their preaching?
AS long as these three marks con
cur in any one, we believe he is call
ed of God to preach"
If a man, having gifts, grace an(
usefulness, is deemed to be called o
God to the gospel ministry, why il
not aoonaan, having gifts, grace ant
usefulness, called of God also, to th'
same ministry
We find pleasant illustration o.
this in little discussion during the
anti-slavery agitation.
One full of prejudice and zeal, saiG
to an advocate ofemancipation
"The negroes ought not to be free
They have no souls and when !
come back this evening will PROF.
it,"
every WE'LL" replied the friend, &C.
shall be glad to listen to you, bu
there is one thing wish you to DE-
first /: want you to prove that yOa
have a soul"
Night came but no discussion
Morning came but he was silent. NJ
solicitation could induce him to un
dertake his boasted work. He could
plainly see, that if he should give
the evidence that he possessed
soul, the same could be adduced Il
prove that colored people had souls
So we may ask those men who
deny to woman a Divine call to thu
ministry, to produce such evidence
of their call as are not possessed by
women who feel called to this work
Let US take one case among many
Mrs. Maggie Van Colt, of New Yorl
is regularly licensed preacher il
the Methodist Episcopal church
The record of one years labor, ant
that not the most fruitful, is as fol
lows: .... ..s ..
| Sermons preached .......................... 80
Class meetings attended ........ ........... y
Practitioners United with M E. church.. 50
| Miles OF travel ...........o'N
No man, having his gifts and grac
thus attested, would have many mis-
givings about his call to the minis
try. Nor should we doubt whe
such results are connected with tn
gospel works of a devoted woman
LET US NOW CONSIDER THE sUBJEC
IN THE LIGHT OF REVELATION.
The Old Testament contains tn
following: .#..--
Miriam, sister of NJ oses and Aaron
lead the children of Israel in a son,
of triumph on the banks of the Re-
Sea. .. .. @. ""--
There is no intimation that she ha,
stepped out of her "appropriat
sphere"
She was more than lead,r O
song; she was prophecies.
Deborah was prophecies, am
more-a Judge in Israel. She wa
supreme both in church and in state
| Huldah was also prophecies
She dwelt in the College of Jerusa
lem. 1t seems that she had charg
of the theological instruction of tn
young prophets.
Jeremiah was then a prophet il
Israel, Hilkiah was higher priest
aud Shapan was scribe and yet Coz
employed woman as medium o
communication between himself AM
his people Israel. The people rec
ognized her as divinely authorizes
oracle. Even the King, desiring in
formation on matters of great mo
ment, communed wi h her; and 60,
| rauaalad To her a nronhasu onnnorn