The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-06-08
The Women Preachers.

EDITORS REGISTER. - An article APP
pcarcd in the Register, April Is, on this
subject, over the signature of Avco. The
propositions therein contained arc so
avcrse to the ideas have bccn accus-
toned TO entertain, that beg leave to
show the other side. In our connexion
II is well known that no one receives
any hire for preaching, because we
read, "Frccly yc have received, freely
give. Matt. l0:S." Conscientiouslv,
therefore, we refuse to pay ANYTHING for
the support of the ministry
Who are preachers? Whoever is
deemed to have the mind of the Spirit,
and has the proper mental qualifications,
may preach the gospel without disiinc-
ton Of sex. "Thcrc is neither male nor
femalc,-all are one in Christi Gal.
1928. This liberty, we understand, was
designed TO be the peculiar mark of the
gospel d!spcnsation, as foretold by the
prophet Joel 1928, 29, and is noticed by
the apostle Peter, Acts 2:l7, IS. at
shall come to pass in the last days, saith
God, ] will pour out OF my spirit upon
all flesh: and your sons and YOUR
daughters shall prophesy, and on my
servants and on my handmaidens. I
will pour out in those days ofmy spirit /:
and they shall prophecy To observe
how this prophecy was fulfilled. we no.
tice that both sexes became preachers,
and the instances in the New Testament
are so numerous that particular refer
cnce to them is scarcely necdful. We
will refer to but a few of them.
When Christ was risen from the dead, ,
Mary, not Peter nor John, was the first
sent to publish it. After the dispersion
of the disciples, we read that Philip had
four daughters who prophcsied. Paul
tells us of Priscilla and Aquila who
were his helpers in Christ. Phcbc, the
servant of the church i'll Cenchrea, and
Mary and Junia, Tryphcna and Try
phosa, Persis and Julia, all are men
toned by name in the sixteenth chapter
of Romans, as women who had done
honor to themselves and the cause of
Christ. Reference is also made to 9TH
ers who labored much in the Lord, but
whose names are not given. Why arc
definite instances given az to the man.
ner in which women were to deport
themselves, while exercising their min
isterial gifts before the assembled
church, as Cor. ll5, il they were not
permitted TO preach.
Aveo has unwittingly given IL, good
reasons why women should preach in
the cases he has cited. No objection is
made TO Miss Oliver on the ground OF
qualification. She was invited TO preach
by the Bishop presume because she
has an admirable talent, fine pulpit
address, sufficient to preach before an
assembly of clergymen. Objection was
made, only because it was thought in.
expedient to recognize the ministry OF
women. Mrs. Hannaford has talent
sufficient to draw and hold large au.
dience, to increase tho numerical
strength Of the church, or if need be
to draw off a division and organize q
new church. Not evory sman has the
power to do that. The objection to her
also, is that she is woman. The ref
erence to the teacher of the Troy Con.
ference Academy, as understand it
is designed to give her an advertise.
ment. A very fine character certainly
is accorded to her, as lady, teacher
a scholar, and as public speaker. Car
more be said of any man? Yet after al
this, Avco is careful to say that she il
not preacher or lecturer, etc. know
not therefore that she cares to preach
If she does, l sincerely think that nC
organization OF men should be at liber
ty to restrain her, for in no respect Is
she represented as being inferior. Yet
o vet