The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-29
THE METHODIST PREACHERS.
Lady Applicant for Ordination-Mis'
Sprague's Declaration OF Princi ples-A
Rival of RlahOu Snow.

A Lady Applicant for Ordin ation-Miss
Sprague's Declaration OF Principles-A
Rival of Bishop snow.
While most of the pastors and regular members
of the Methodist Preashers' Association are absent
from the city the usual weekly meetings are kept
up by the stay-at-horaes; and sometimes these
have very interesting meetings. Yesterday they
gathered at sos Broadway, and sung and prayed
and told Of their hopes and joys and labors IN the
Gospel They had with them also blooming
maiden, who delighted In the name Of Sprague,
and who was very anxious to receive ordination
and appointment as pastor. She has been two
years preaching ION her own hook" and without
pay, and she now feels that the Church
ought to take her up, give her collegiate
and theological education and send her forth
full nedged Methodist minister. She has been
Presbyterian and Is now an Eplsoopalian butthese
denominations do not appreciate female talent as
the Methodlsts do, and Miss Sprague would be
quite willing to sacrifice her denominational pref
erences for the sake Of an Episcopal ordination.
John Wesley was an Epscopalian and never left
that Church !; and the Methodists hold to the Eps-
copal form Of church government with which the
fair ministerial candidate is In heartiest accord,
and as she
CLAIMS KINsHIP TO WESLEY
and the Methodists on these grounds she doubted
not they would readily acknowledge the relation
ship and grant her what she desired Not, indeed,
that she believed there any virtue in the la V
ing on OF hands that any more authority TO
preach would be impaired to her thereby, but then
1t would look more like business and the Church
would be bound to provide her a home and a con-
gregatiOn and some remuneration tor her labOrs.
The brethren questioned her and rather got her
into "a fix" One OF them especially missionary
from Water street, remembered MISS Sprague, and
recalled to her mind some incidents OF former
meeting which demonstrated that the good lady
was, to say the least, extremely unfit to teach or
to preach Jesus Christ. she was member OF
"Bishop" Shows band, but the ''Bishop" has no
confidence In her and refuses to recognize her.
She claims to be the
HEAD OF THE TRIBE OF JOSEPH,
while the "BishOp' Is the head OF the tribe Of
Judah--indeed, the lion OF that tribe and the mes
senger Of the covenant in whom the people are to
snd
heads and MISS sprague, having become disguised
with the war OF tribes Is 70
Church. The Water street missionary reminded
the fair dame that when she called upou him
year ago he tried to get her into the mission work
and send her out among her debased sisters OF
that noted locality to preach to them about Christ
and His salvation, but she absolutely refused to
60, and ntimated that society was falsely founded,
inasmuch as men have to work now three-fOurths
OF their time for others and only onefourth for
any but herself, and she did not think 1t would
be right or proper Tor her to go into the dens OF
ss to TO those Of
or key words, touching the Inauguration OF "the
new dispensatiOn." She prOlessed to be a dis
cerner OF spirits, and by her whole conversation
she demonstrates herself to be
A-GENERAL AND PARTICULAR HUMBUG.
brother suggested to her that the Unitarians
and UnversaIists ortialn women as ministers, and
her eyes sparkled she said she was not partcu-
lar what denomination she joined so long as she
could get ordination and appointment to the min
istry. The presumption Is, therefore, that Miss
Sprague "fst fair and thirty" will be next heard
from In some liberal church gathering
The preachers resolved by VOTE to hold q love
feast at the Mission Rooms next Monday morning,
to which they invited all Methodist ministers and
laymen in the city who can make 1t convenient to
attend