Woman's chronicle. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1888-1???, 1888-05-19
PREACHERS VS.. WOMEN.

listers OF the land seem to be in state or termen-
tation on the woman question. The office of min
lister of the gospel is such an exalted one that it
is rather surprising that they take SO much pre-
cious time to proclaim their disapprobation of the
proceedings of women. They seem to forget or
overlook all mention of women in the Bible, ex-
cept one remark of St. Paul, sLet your women
keep silence in the churches St. Paul was a
very good and great man, but like many great and
good men of to-day, he did not always wait for
commandment of the Lord but gave his own
judgment. Read for yourselves; he said just
that
Looking in the Old Testament, we read of one
Deborah prophecies, who judged Israel for a
time. One definition of prophecy is 'pubc in
depreciation of Scripture, preaching' prophesy,
''to instruct in religious doctrine, to preach;"
prophecies, Ga female prophet" Now, when the
Israelites were in trouble they came up to this
Deborah for judgment. She sent for Barak, whose
business it seems to have been to command the
army of Israel. She reminded him of Gods COM
mand and promise when he should 90 out to battle
with the enemy. But Barak (brave man) said,
eff thou wilt 60 with me, then will go; but if
thou wilt not go with me, then will not 60" 1t
does not say just here that Deborah went and
asked Lapidoth if she might go. 1t may be the
word "obey' was left out when they were mar
RED 1t must have been, for she promptly an
swered this soldierly Barak, 81 will surely 60 with
thee nevertheless, the journey thou takest shall
not be for thine honor, for the Lord shall sell
Sisera into the hand of a woman. (Read Judges
". and W We read, "Then sang Deborah and
Barak" He was ready enough to sing after the
nto To- 70 tC,,po
we Meroz said the angel of the Lord; curse ye
bitterly the inhabitants thereof because they came
not to the help of the Lord to the help of the
Lord against the mighty.'2 The last sentence in
this account of the reign of Deborah has peculiar
significance, "And the land had rest forty years."
Now, there is no lack of mighty evils for some
one to fight in this fair land of ours, and if the
men hesitate like Barak or stay back like the in
habitants of Meros, they can neither expect to
share the honors of the Deborahs or escape the
curse of the Merozites. The women are coming
to the help of the Lord against the mighty; not
with swords and chariots, as of old, but with the
Bible always. 1t takes grit and grace to come.
They have the grit, and the grace comes with their
prayers. They would be glad to have the Barak's
90 forward. But the work has to be done. And
as long as the Lord sees fit to bless the work of
women, there will be women ready to work. They
are not given to Sinking, and they could not if
they would.
That word 'obey'' in the marriage service has
a powerful effect on some of these doctors of di-
vinity. One goes so far as to say, "Any woman
who does not believe it is the law of God for her
to obey her husband, proves herself an atheist.
No exceptions allowed. ''1he law of the Lord is
perfect" therefore no two of them can conflict.
Some years since, a man in this state brought
to the bedside of his wife document of lies, COM
handing her to sign her name to it, She as a
Christian woman objected. He threatened her in
various ways at last saying if she did not sign it
he should take away her children-one child of
two years. the other an infant of few days-and
she should never see them again. She had read
the Bible for herself for more than thirty years +;
had been taught when child that it was wicked
to lie under any circumstances She believed