The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-07-26

Niol w HUN8 MISS barton tOlu tnat her
services could be dispensed with. But
nobody seemed willing to tell her, and
there was great curiosity to hear her
preach.
There were a few courageous spirits
who openly avOweI that they saw no rea-
son why woman should not preach, and
were glad to have one for minister.
Many complained of Miss I}artOn's youth,
but acknowledged that they would not
have objected on that score to a young
man OF twenty or twenty seven, which
was her age.
There were some who thought she was
too handsome for n minister, and others
who thought that since she was going to
set herself up for everybody to look at, il
was pity that she was not handsomcr:
some ,whH thought women ought not to
preach at all, and others who Thought
some women might he allowed to. Sut
that Miss Barton was not OF the right
kind. -'e'A'
1t was tacitly agreed that she should
he given hearing, hut woman minister
lis stated supply was not what WAS
wanted.
But in two Sundays Miss Barton CON.
quercd Scragg End, except few of .he
most prcludiced, who would never own
themselves conquered. She was 30 sim
pie. so earnest, 50 sympathetic. There
were no long words, no ar-fetcbcd anal.
ogies, such as Mr.. Ericsson used: there
was no rattling of the dry bones Of the.
oIogy; she touched the chords that vi
hrated III their everyday life.
Ssh" comes right home to you, that's
fact" said Joshua King. "She's Scrip.
tooral, too, md she makes rs fcelin' n
prayer as ever | heard. don't like TO
see woman in tho pulpit. and amt a.
goIhg TO say do, but she's edifyin and
no mistake"
81 never went. to meetin' before when
| dldnt have terrible hard work to keen
from noddln, but somehow her talk is
KIND Of plain and sensible, and keeps me
awake, said Luke Pettingill. who was
Won't to disturb the congregation by audi.
bic breathing.
People hocked to Scragg End from
far and near to hear the new minister ot
lirst with much the same curiosity that
they would have shown to see white
elephant, but soon for the sake of the
preaching. Nobody could quite explain
Miss Barton's popularity. Perhaps old
Mrs. Simmons came rs near to the truth
as anybody when she said "she wasn't
any smarter than anybody else. but
someway she seemed Just like own folks.
And she knew just how folks felt without
being told"
Popkapawkct was sCaudalizcd. 1t was
disgrace to the whole town to have q
woman preacher holding forth every Sun
day, and drawing such crowds-drawing
half the congregation away from the
Ponkapawket church, too The deacons
requested Mr.. Ericsson 20 preach n ser
mon from the text: "Lct your women
keep silence in the churches"
Mr.. Ericsson was known to hold the
Woman s Rights movement in contempt; {;
but lie had been twice to hear Miss Bar
ton preach, when there were no services
III his own church, and he had also called
upon her several times, and when the
deacons conferred with him about preach
ing that sermon they found it impossible
tG OBTAIN any satisfaction; he was very
polite, and he did not sny that he would
not, but che smiling put the question
by
One day he surprised Miss Barton by
inviting her to an exchange Of pu,pits
for the following Sunday; hut that was
IN bnrvcst-time, and she had come to
ocragg End in June Even Ponkapaw-
ket had become accustomed to the idea
of n woman preacher, if il did not mp
prove of it,
He had found her sitting on the piazza
Non warm afternoon in iatc September.
She had n large baskctful of stockings
beside her. and was darning them dill
gently. Some were her own, some were
Adcniram Hewitt nd I,ysandcrs, for
Roxy had gOnc away on a visit, and Mrs.
Hcwltts hands were more than full. She
looked rs houscwifcly a. if she had never
aimed at any wider sphere.
The shadow of a smile nickcrcd about
Mr. Ericson's mouth as he observed her
employment. Although Miss Barton
looked up only as much a# politcnrss
required, she saw the smile, and il
brought flush to her check. Though
she looked SO strong and rcsoutc, il was
evident that Miss Barton was kccnly
sensitive.
He sat down beside her. and immcdi-
ntely proffcrcd his request, perhaps as
an antidotc to the smile.
"Your people would hr shocked. They
don't approve of me, snid Miss BiWton.
And shouldn't have the courage"
IL never suspected YOU Of any wg,nt Of
courage" said Mr.. Ericsson.
81 am a dreadful coward. I don't
think I fully realized it when began. If
I had been sent anywhere bIt to Srragg
End, / don't know what / should have
lone. Here they are humble minded
people, without strong prcjudicos, and I
do seem to have found the way to their
hearts. But / am afraid should never
lare to enter another pulpit-certainly
nof youra at pOnluOowkpt -