The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-04-23
Shall Women Preach?


ME-. EDiToR-According to pro-
mise [ forward you the following |
ing upon the subject Of Nv oman's
Preaching; moi tina; | desire to EN- |
ter the arena OF controversy, nor that |
| arrogate TO myself the sole and ex |
elusive right to correct errors now
taught FOR truths from Gods word. |
But when | see, n i did not long |
since. in your paper, IA non-professor
of religion contending for the faith |
once delivered To the saints, and a |
minister of a denomination which |
frequently boasts of Its numerical:
strength contending for the opposite
| / cannot, or will not remain sile 1t,
let the consequences be what they
may. And again, when / see the
State Organ Of this denomination
virtually silent upon this subject, and
| one Of its .aymen seriously alone,
and that in political newspaper, man.
fully battling for the truth, ! unhes-
itatingly seize my pen aud gladly
commend DIR. Il. b Kingsbury for
his gallant fgh. for, and upholding,
the trlth. God bless him and en-
lcourage him.
And when we read over the lists of
delegates to the various Woman's
Suffrage Conventions, and our eyes
rest upol the following: +: Rev. Alice
Dolittle and the Rev. See-saw Say
much, and Rev. Annie Longtongue,
clanorous ssfor the burial and Obliv-
ion, OF the memory OF that old bach
eIor crank Paul" / say when we
behold such is it not time that South
ern men at least should stop and
think? and when We see upon the
one hand W oman of seeming refine
ment, of apparent modest retire
ment, and professionally pious enter
the sacred desk of God and patheti-
cally appeal to men in Christ's name
!. until tears unbidden roll down the
cheeks of those unused to weep,
again is it not time that we should
enquire, are we right in throwing the
weie hit and power of our influence
against her, or at least not silence
her in the pulpit?
Mr.. Editor. these questions have
been hy me long since settled, and
hoping that the evidence which sat-
isfied me may be useful in correcting
the errors of others, is tie motive
which prompts the writing of hi i.
Now if 1st Timothy, I'd chapter,
18th and II, which says: "Let the
woman learn in silence with all SUBJ
. lection. But ] suffer not woman
to teach or usurp authority over the
9 man,sbut to he in silence" were the
, only evidences OF Gods word, bear
: ing upon Tn subject there might be
3 some grounds for contending that
Paul was speaking of what he him.
/ self allowed, and even then it would
l be assumption, there would be no
$ evidence of il.
, But when we tuin TO 1st Corinth-
a ians, 14th chapter and 34th: "Let
. your women keep silent in the
Z churches, for il is not permitted un-
TO them to speak but they are COM
manded TO be under obedience, as
;. also saith the law,n we conclude that
: if she is preaching she is not silent,
and if not permitted to speak then
she violates the command. Now is
there any escape from this?
r But it seems Il at the spirit antici-
l. psted through Paul the erroneous
a modern construction, which led him
it to be more emph itic in the 35th
k verse, which concludes thus: "FOl
, it is shame for woman TO speak in
:. the church."
). Now can this language mean any
/. thing else tran what ii says? If sc
q then I must confess that there car
4 be no reliance whatever placed in
language as Z; vehicle for the con.
. kyeyence of our thoughts and i
!. SEEM TO me that any man or woman
: who would try to make this Ian
IL guage mean anything else than what
it says, would unhesitatingly con
IL tend that white was black, or VIC
Dc versa, if the progress of his or he
u cause demanded it, Or even content
t that Gods denunciation of wratl
y were promises Of wrath Yea, tha
Dt His prohibition were absolute ii
s. cense.
.e But, SAYS ones ST ilea rd Rev. .Alic
l. Sayinuch preach anG size wasa piou:
N woman, and she says God has calies
g her to preach, now what are sou go
r ing 10 dc about that ?n
IN Why / would only refer you Il
$ the 37tll verse of the same chapter
10 which reads as follows: "Ifany mai
n Tor woman, say) THINK himsel
= to be prophet or spiritual, let hin
acknowledge that the things that
=, - write unto yeu are the command
- ments OF the Lord"
% Now If he for ehe) acknowled5
nc Pgul's writings TO be the command
ne nients of God, then does not Go
ae command her to keep silence in tn
rs church? Now, my adv Gates OF We
;, mans preaching, which do you thin
OF most liable to be mistaken or delr
ded, Paul, in his claim to inspirs
OF ton, or Rev. Alice Saymuch, in he
IS call 10 preach?
ed Now, will you array you-se
" against the inspiration OF God
1t word, or forsake your error? Hay
,ss the ca1dor and manhood TO do OF
n or the other, for in Verse 33 We al
he told that ssGod is moi the author I
he confusion but Of peace" therefor
III He would not inspire Paul TO pr
- hibit woman's preaching and the
-, call her TO do so. Nor can you b
- lieve He did. therefore somebod
= else's call. Now which is the mo
:. liable to do this, Paul or the W
man?
ul But, says another. ssshe has dol
lle so much good, and god seems to
" with her.
ne Now confess she hes said "Lor
We Lord =, and s'rrolhisied in his nan
ed and done many wonderful work
". by making many intelligent m
yit ard women believe Paul mistaken
IS rather than herself; but has shecs