Smyrna times., 1872-05-29
.MISceIIU IL e D u s .
Women in the Church.

Women in the Church. v
We observe with pleasure that the Metho U
dist Conference in Brooklyn has proved itself !
as fully awake and able to grapple with the q
immediate problems of the time as we prophe a
sled it would be- Among the subjects set {
aside last week for special treatment during .
the coming year, are temperance, the proper
observance of Sunday, and work for women in
the Church. The same subjects occupied the
attention of the Protestant Episcopal Church
during its Convention last October, and that of
the Quakers some time later. There is no
more healthy sign of progress than the ac-
acknowledgement by these powerful denOmlna-
tiOnal bodies of the fact that the true work OF |
Christian teachers is to deal with the actual
needs of men and women in body and soul
from day to day, rather than to arbtrate about |
vague mystical truths. Whether we are saved
; by our good faith or good works is a matter
which God will decide, and which no argument
d of ours will affect one whit; but that there Is
i seething mass of ignorance, and vice, and
e poverty, without faith, outside of the Church,
IS and countless wealthy, idle, devOut men and
Fl women within it, without works. is ghastly
t fact which has Knocked at Christianity long
ar enough, and which is left for US to set right.
20 The appeals Of intelligent women for careers to
" be opened for them by which they may earn
T livelihood, and at the same time find scope and
ne thies seem siEply absurd to those who know
ny ny that the field for Christian work is as wide as
nk it was in His day, and know, too, how
cb enormous are the sums contributed yearly that
PfiTT this work may be done.
my To bring this work, these seekers for work,
the the and the means together, as three pieces ol
pom disioined puzzle, and put them into harmony
de- is the business of the Church, and we are
be heartily glad she has set about it. There are
gice several establishments in the United States
'e' under the control of the Lutheran Churcl
nee where this difficulty has been successfully met
Tizs They have sisterhood of Prusslan origin
I nf which has taken its especial work the care
he of hospitals and orphan asyums. Slmua
ses: orders exist in the Episcopal Church, and
,he was to their utility, and the sound commo
the sense and Christian spirit on which they al
.u based that the attention of that sect was calle
lrety by the late Baltimore Convention. There e.
y. lists among many Protestants preJudl'
eds ed s against any suspected imitation OF PopeJ
e net but without entering into any argument as
DTins whether the ancient orders OF nuns are sain
a..uaTg or sinners beyond other women, the prese
order question settles itself on its own merits Eve
church, almost every family, has its unel
Moved single woman, maid or widow, W
.,ob. would be glad to serve God and her brother
alton she knew how Combined, trained, and und
the protection OF a church, and with tnelr We
YES OF mapped out for them Systematically the
ndTed women become an efficient power; where
SS in alone their efforts must in most cases be oC
Is nt. and vague and narrowed.
n" ndlsF and The most direct and practical attempt
awt t i"r train and assist such women is that OF
try for Potter Memorial House in Philadelphia, wh
ibe a. was brought before the notice OF the ConV
quired ton last year We especially commend
establishment for its direct practical syst'
and the absence of all sentimentallsm or
he con- ionary experiments. Any woman with
near 81 without means desirous of working Tor
Master, is received into it, though as 1t IS
hat the tended as beginning germlnatlng mousse
ne @ G?n 81 to speak, for others, educated women are
hundred ferred. There are no vows OF celloacy'
50 as 70 conventual Dress no bars graings, rea
ized ct Tor spiritual The inmates are retained IN
he Mis- house at their own cost, or otherwise, q
on o6 and conveniently until they fitted for tai
GREATER charge of hospitals, children homes asylC
JesepR industrial or night schools or tor work an
Ways for either our own city poor or Indians. "A
a. main. have been sent abroad, but the charity IN
AID dsS SGs case has begun its thorough work most
ereof At and wisely at home. Some OF the ladies'
CO. owners @ out from the Memorial House have bee
hereafter work among the Indians with signal sue
the said They 20 out trained to act as physicians
anu '''' nurses, as well as teachers to the women
this !; children; to cvze well as ChrIstianlz
Il i,udnT G fact the motive underlying the whole sy
the right is to bring Christianity home to the Savaq
Railroad 70 the white man. as an actual practical
b c9%pahh aiah from brotherly love rather than tn
person or The modes by which this Is done are
fT%ls'sa fF0% ST. mirabIy simple Among them are for
rqS any work. Industrial schools Of all kinds TOR
ssGS% Ir%% dren the charge of jails or prisons ev
" assign meetings WneIo pun niO',. e
ridge cond .Sd sewing, talk or listen to reading and SO
company and then IN Lnelr DaITcu lN0s Sh
10 State OF q .oo;ol rlaosura with educated Chr
women; Bible classes for labOring men,
when taught by ladies of high culture an
}, Gnement have been singularly successful
.ativss Of very class of men who are suspicious OF
e shai! sons" giving prompt faith to woman
es shall be .ool,,css Tho women sent OIt b
eh may be anu goouusoo' 'hN \ l.. ~ =
day OF Mamorial House supported, out tnat
Gi GeG OT Il is not the design to add the slightest
ss s6p sRd nary motives to the higher ones which it