The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-03-21

to the ofher i~nJunctIoas "nlcn surely
are just as important. A man will
allow his daughter to 60 to church
dressed in direct violation of all that
Paul here urges; but nothing is said
of it. IF, however, the same daughter
should arise to speak 10 a meeting, be
would be glib enough in saying ome
thing about the holy Bible being de-
spised and t%rampled upon:
Il permit not a woman to teach a
man" Looking at things as they now
are, and seeing the place to which
Christianity has elevated woman, a man
is almost compelled to ask, why did
the apostle make use of such an express
sion o. The answer readily presents
itself in the fact that the women Of that
day were not fitted to teach anybody.
Let us follow the injunction to its
legitimate ends, and see where it will
lead US. It will require us to expel the
women from the Sunday School 10 many
cases. Mrs. DR.. P%ritchard, late Of
Wilmington, had a Bible class of forty
young mon whom she taught every Sun
day: Mrs. Dr.. Hatcher, | believe,
does the same thing 10 Richmond. We
must expel her also from our cboirs, be-
cause ever in singing an effort is made
to impart spiritual instruction. We
must recall her from the mission fields,
because 10 many cases she is there
working at the side Of her husband
among the men from day to day. If
this is wrong, if we construe Paul to
mean for us what he meant for others,
We must hush a large part Of our female
workers.
In all these cases, We must remember
that Christianity had just come into the
world. By its leverage woman had not
yet been lifted up. To put her forward
too suddenly might have done harm in
some cases, where she was not prepared
for it. aud these words Of the apostle are
only the warning Of a wise and judi
cious teacher, and We must interpret
them in such a way as to honor his Wis
dom and discretion, but not SO as to
stultify ourselves nor him. Great aud
marvellous changes have taken place.
Women are o being admitted to our
colleges; .'she writes our books, and
we.read them With pleasure and profit.
She edits our papers, and sometimes
tries to teach US that she has no light
to teach-magui6cent, though, perhaps.
unconscious inconsistency. If you
would keep any one in su%bordination,
you must keep him ignorant aud help
less. The whole genius Of Christianity
is against the perpetuatiou Of Ignorance
and belplessness among women, or
forcing them to immortality, as was the
case in Greece, if they would obtain
culture or mingle with society"
Fulton
Now, once more-Weight those words
of Paul, ut is shameful for a woman
to speak in the church." Shameful
means injurious to character or reputa-
ton, disgraceful, dishonorable, scauda-
lous, Infamous. Is that a fact to-day,
no matter what it once was? If a
woman were to speak in this church,
would she be disgraced? Paul said she
would be at Corinth but would she be
at Sumter? No it would be a viola
ton of ouf established usage; many
would open their eyes in amazement for
a time; but the woman who speaks in
a proper way would lose neither caste
nor calling among her reasoning sisters.
Therefore [ insist that the conditions
have passed away which would make it
shameful for a woman to speak in a
church.
Besides, if it is wrong for a woman to
teach a mar in the church, it is equally
as shameful for her to teach him in a
public school. and We are forced to do
one Of Two things-limit the age Of boys
in the public schools, or expel the
fepale teachers. The fact is if We are
driven to consistency in this matter, we
shall strangle ourselves with our OVID
cord
Brethren, let US move on. There is
nothing in the way no lion confronts
us, but we are trembling and in despair
because we do not wish to remove an
ancient landmark. An issue has com
upon US that ~startles us, which, like all
new things, seems to be revolutionary
until We become accustomed to it. |
car see no reason why We should dis
trust the good sense of our women.
Her fealty and loyalty to all our customs
and institutions has kept her where she
is for many years when she has mans
consent take a step EDWARDS, her same
good sense and good taste will be her
safeguard and talisman. At the bare
mcntiou Of these things, some fly into
a sort of state of demeptia. and see
woman rushing ,nadly to the polls or
%haranguing a maddened multitude