The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1890-05-15
MAY THE WOMEN PREACH I?
Various Views Of Ministers Of New
YOFk--DlHeFence Of Opinion.
the Pulpit, while Others
Oppose IG.

New York MdH aud Express: Should
women preach?
This Is the question which 274 women
in this country have answered in the
affirmative, and straightway gone to
preaching from the pulpit. A slanderer
Of the sex says that neither ordination
nor pulpit is necessary to constitute
some women preachers; 1t is natural for
them to exercise their rights in this direc-
tion upon many occasions.
The subject, however, under present
consideration is women in the ministry.
Have they any right there and in what
light do clerEymen, who may possibly
consider that their territory has been in
Vaded, regard the matter?
To gather some ideas upon this subject
for the benefit or entertainment Of the
reader started out armed with this
question, "Should women preach?" to
present II to representative ministers Of
many different denominations in the city.
These replies form the sum and substance
Of this article, together with those Of Grace
Greenwood, Margaret E. Sangster, Kate
Sanborn and other women well able to
express opinions upon the subject.
The first person 10 give an opinion re-
garding preaching as acreation for women
was the Rev. DR.. Charles H. Eaton, Of the
Church Of the Divine Paternity.
every person." he said, after some de-
liberation, "male or female, who feels
called to preach has q perfect right to do
so, provided he can get anybody to listen.
The decision as TO whether II Is desirable
to do so must be left to the individual.
would place no obstacles in the way Of
'woman's ministry On the other hand
would not specially encourageit. There
are certain physical reasons which render
It impossible or undesirable for women to
accept pastorates. Motherhood and priest
hood are incompatible. But II there are
women, as certainly there are, who by
nature, attainment and circumstances are
adapted to the work Of the ministry, tlIe
door to 1t should he open. lido not think,
however, that at any time or in any church
there will be q large force Of women
preachers, and there will be still fewer
women pastors"
The Rev. John Hall, Of the Fifth Ave
nue. Presbyterian church, was seen in his
study. He seemed to be somewhat
amused that anyone should refer the
question Of women preaching to him. II
am afraid must leave that for others TO
settle" he replied rather slowly as Il the
matter were weighty one, demanding
much time and deliberation, and then he
added, "the Presbyterian church does
not Ordain women as preachers, for It be-
lieves that there is work enough to do In
this field as Sunday school teachers, Bible
readers and missionaries. In regard TO
St. Paul's exhortation to the Corinthian
women, to keep silence In the churches,
we take a non-preaching view Of the text,
believing that he did not approve Of their
speaking in public assemblies"
The Rev. DR.. Macarthur vas just about
to address Q missionary meeting at his
new and beautiful church in west Fifty
seventh street, when the question Of women
In the pulpit was put to him. He. how
ever, bad something to say upon the sub
iect:
"'Ought women to preachT This
question at this moment is decidedly
practical one. In more than one denonii-
nation, women have been ordained and
thus set apart To the work Of the gospel
ministry. The subject Is, therefore, be-
fore US, and may properly claim the at
tentiOn Of the pulpit and the press. II
the word preach be used In broad sense,
we unhesitatinely answer this question
in the affirmative. All the Lords people
are to bein the sense Of prophets; all who
know the truth are to make the truth
known. The possession Of the truth is
itself q reason Of its declaration. Who
ever has q gospel Of any sort Is called by
the fact Of possession to the duty Of dec
laration. There are many passages Of
scripture which look in the direction Of
the recognition Of women as preachers In
this broad sense"
Kate Sanborn gave her opinion upon
the subject under consideration. She
said she was suffering from Q revised
edition Of Ia grippe" and was hardly in q
mood for thinking. II believe that
women should both preach and practice