The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-07-06
WORK OF THE BAPTIST ASSOOIA-
TION.

of your many readers.
l have just returned from three |
days session of the "Willamette Bap-
tist Association" which met at Oregon
City, and few days previous to that to
a similar one of the Central" which
metatSouth Yamhill. Baptist Churches
are independent in their government;
each church is its own executive, ac
knowledging no judiciary power above
that of its own common membership.
History records that the trainers of the
Republican principles which underlie
this government borrowed them from
Roger Williams Baptist Church.
Associations are formed Ofthe churches
for cooperative purposes, each of which
has a separate constitution; but as
these associations are the property of
the churches, their constitutions must
not supersede, or in any way conflict,
with those of the churches.
For reasons of a local nature we have
in Oregon and the borders of Washing
ton Territory seven Baptist Associa-
tions whose government, like the Con-
stitution of the United States, is correct
in theory, yet has been woefully lame
in practice. As far as my knowledge
extends, only a single decade has passed
since the women of Baptist Churches
and Associations were but little more
than nOminals. All the business of
these bodies was done by men; all Off
ces filled and the duties performed ex-
clusively by men. The only use for
women at such meetings as L have just
attended was to cook and spread the
sumptuous dinners for the officiating
brotherhood.
l remember of questioning a number
of prominent Baptists shortly after my
coming to the State, concerning the in
consistency of the practice of Baptist
Churches. Some replied, 1--WE had not
thought of such a thing" Others,
"Your suggestion is in accordance with
our constitution, but we doubt the cape
diency of the practice"
But the great tidal wave of woman's
equality in all the departments of hu-
man life and labor has been beating
J upon society, and its power and influ-
ence is felt in no portion of society more
than in our ecclesiastic organizations.
Only six years ago l was one of the first
two women delegates that acted in Bap-
! tist Associations in this State. Miss
) Julia johnson, one of the lady students
of the medical school at Salem, had an
, appointment one year earlier, but was
not present. The following year three
churches were represented; the next,
seven. The one just closed at Oregon
) City, which, is admitted to be the largest
and most intelligent body of Baptists
ever convened in the State, was repre-.
! sented and conducted equally by mer
: and women. This is true of all the
seven Associations, except the "Cen'
/ trail" Some two years since two lady
delegates were sent to that body, tut
3 were not admitted to seats. This new
departure had the effect to stir up tha
I, Association (Which, by the way, il
) largely made up of nOn-progressive Mis-
Il sourians) to insert in their constitution
q the ever invidiOus word male. Tha
q disgraceful act, which has threatened
s general rupture of that body, was pickle,
: up by our locals and inserted in ou
}. State papers as the sentiment of tn
j Baptist denomination of Oregon, whicl
e mistake has not before been corrected.
At the recent meeting, 1 noticed in tn
u cOmmittee-room two men and one WON
u an in private session preparing a repor
e on education; in another part of th
u room two women and one man prepaI
It ing report on Sunday Schools, and an
: other on resolutions. Wives were sum
y moned from their pews and husband
IS sides to work for hours in the commit
If tee-room, which thing we most heartil
# endorsed and admired, yet all the Will
s wondering if many of these women wer
i placed in jury-box beside men, or shu
It up for few hours with men in a jury
% room to determine the fate of som
d wronged mother or daughter, would
e not be regarded as an outrage upon so
n ciety in general, and on their domesti
u relations in particular?
: The Rev. ]. E. Baker and wife, from
California, were in attendance; he t.
:. represent the Baptist Publication Soci
: ETY. and general Sunday School work 70
n the Pacific Coast, and she to represen
n the "Woman's Baptist Missionary So
# ciety for Heather Women" This so
e ciety is exclusively for the poor out
IS ragged and enslaved women of many ma
It tions where women are in position be
y low the domestic animals, where sucl
: is the rule of society that to be borl
;, feminine is to be sealed to a lifetime o
: slavery in its worst form-cooped up TO
It mans uses and abuses only. The Chris
VI tian women of America are alive to tn
: importance and duty of elevating tn
moral and social conditions of thes
s women. Mrs. Baker is an estimabl
Is Christian woman, possessed of a happ,
8, faculty for the work in which she is en-
/, gagged, and conducts her meetings in th
y most intelligent and interesting manner
l. She is the happy mother of seven chill
= drap tho uOunUaGt laSS than throa Woo p