Woman's chronicle. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1888-1???, 1889-09-21

senting to their vew.'
j. T. SUNDERLAND, in "The Liberal Christian
Ministry" gives the following reasons why women
should adorn the ministry:
First of all, think that woman is fitted by her
nature to be, as rule, better pastor than man.
Besides having more tact, and greater ease of
adaptation to circumstances, she understands
human nature BETTER and has a greater power of
sympathy. She can often 60 into a home where a
man cannot, and into sick-room where man
cannot, and put herself into sympathetic, helpful
relations with all classes of persons to degree
that man cannot. There seems to be somewhat of
tendency among many ministers today ministers
who are men) to let the pastoral office fall into
deeadence, because they find themselves not well
adapted to it. Thus there is great loss | think
nothing will do so much to correct this as woman's
presence in the ministry.
Again, [ think that in the ministry to children
and young persons woman has clear advantage.
She has more sympathy with and keener insight
into young life than has man. a these qualities
make her the natural teacher of childhood and
youth, so think they no less make her the natural
minister of the same.
Further, think woman is naturally more fluent
than man. l mean, think, as rule, she has
reader gift OF happy, graceful, winning speech.
| think the tendencies of her mind are some
what more of concrete or practical order; that
is, run naturally more to subjects of life, duty,
conservation, and less to subject of thought spec
ulation, doctrinal theory, criticism, scholarship.
Thus her preaching would naturally be somewhat
more to the conscience and heart, and less to the
cold intellect, which at least in liberal churches
would doubtless be an advantage
think she has more tender and sentitive ma
ture, which would make her better comforter of
the afflicted, and helper of the weak and tempted
than men generally are.
think she is generally more interested in char
tiles, philanthropies, and moral reforms than is
man. and thus, if she were in the pulpit would
make it more OF power than it ever has been
against drinking, gambling, war; and social i'm.
purity and in favor of those public movements
generally which look to the drying up of vice.
crime, and suffering.
Still further, think her moral ideals are verv
generally loftier, and her insight into spiritual
truth finer and DEEPER than mans. If this be so.
then would not only her preaching, but her whole
influence as a minister, be more noblv RELIGIOUS.
and more full of quickening, inspiring transform
ing power?
This brings me to the thought of the strange
one-sidedness of not only the ecclesiastical insti
buttons but of the prevailing theology of almost all
Christendom. Not only are all the great churches
olicered and controlled by men, but their religious
doctrlnal systems are man-made systems. Into
them no woman has been permitted to pour her
gentler and more loving spirit. Even among the
writers OF the Bible, no woman appears fact
we cannot but regret, when we remember that man
represents on y one-half of humanity, and to his
stronger soul woman's purer and finer must he
united before we can have perfect instrument for
the revelation of the divine in human nature. If
should be said in justice, however, that, while no
book OF our Sacred Scriptures is the product of a
woman pen, yet the ancient Jewish people held
woman in exceptionally high esteem and honor.
and her influence comes to us not SLIGHTLY in monv