The San Francisco call., 1895-05-20
LATEST OAKLAND NEWS,
The Rev. Anna Howard Shaw
at the First COngrega-
tional Church.
STAND FAST IN THE FAITH"
The Blunder That Gave Rise to
What Promises to Be Thrill
ing Church Scandal.

The Rev Anna Howard Shaw, ND, of
Philadelphia, who is a guest of the Wo-
mans Congress to be held in San Fran
cisco this week. occupied the pulpit of the
First Congregational Church in Oakland
yesterday morning to the evident delight
OF a congregation that filed the church.
She was introduced by Rev. DR.. ]. K. Nc
Lean, pastor of the church, who said in
his Introductory remarks that he was glad
TO say that 1t was no longer an innovation
for women TO preach the gospel. 1t was
his pleasure to introduce a regularly or
dalned lady minister, graduate of a reg
ular Boston theological university who
had also taken degree in medicine. OF
late years, he said, she had been called out
OF the narrower into the wider congrega-
ton where she might preach with all the
world for congregation.
Then a short, stout gray-haired, kindly
faced woman Led in very plain black
gown arose and stood in the pulpit, Her
voice is soft, but strong and clear and has
in 1t the swing and cadence OF the regular
theological orator. She is forcible and
earnest, discourses but little of theology,
considered from pulpit point of view, and
~ most of humanity. She took for her text
Pauls advice to the Corinthians:
Watch thee; stand fast in the faith; quit ye
like men; be strong.
This was Pauls strongest sentence, she
said. Every reformer sees the victory of
his work before he buckles on his armor
for the fight. 1t must be so or no good
could, be accomplished BY them. fhey
stood strong in the faith. Paul's language
was addressed to the church and therefore
TO the men and the women alike. In the
past, when pain and suffering, duty and
faith were spoken of, the word men was
used TO include both sexes, but when Joy
and honor, dignity and power were meant
the word stood but for the one sex. She
wished the coming congress of women or
some other congress or body would invent
word that at all times should stand foI
and mean both sexes.
1--WE have had so much talk about hered.
ity and the belief that men are not re.
sponsible for their sins that it is time to
listen to Pauls advice to quit We like men
be strong. We have called sin disease
and crime misfortune and have forgotten
the gospel of John. l believe in the in.
tuences of heredity, and believe that the
strong man can throw them off. | believe
in the force of environment, but | believe
that the strength of God can raise mar
above his envlronment-can create new
environment. What is it that makes Z
man strong? Three things. The first ii
moral courage-what the world lacks mos
to-day. 1t is hard to stand alone and bt
Stunned by neighbors and friends for tht
truth, but it is braver deed to face sucf
scorn for truth than to save a natior
by force of arms while nations applaud
1t is the heroism of Christ on Calvary tha
We need.
Faith in God we need. Without faith
nothing can be accomplished. Only faith
in the ultimate triumph of truth can ac.
complish small or great reforms.
. UncoHpromising obedience to God we
~ need. Those who would lead must first
learn to obey. God still speaks, but we
must lead the life by which and through
which God communes to man. We must
learn the laws of the spiritual and the
physical being and obey them uncom-
promisingly if We would quit ourselve:
like men and 'be strong.