Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-01-28
nApIISTS IN COUNCIL
Proceedings Of Lower District
Portsmouth Assoc iation.
Intcrrst.ng and Instructive Discuss
hIoms or 1.-Two ropic~-Oug Int women
10 Speak In Public Assemblies:
secret SncIetics-SnndnS schools

The Lower District Union OF the
Portsmouth baptist Association con-
vcned in its second days session. with
Sturgeon Memorial Baptist Church.
Brambleton Ward at 10 o'clock yestcr-
day morning. with Mr.. y. Il. Walker.
moderator. in the chair.
Among the visitors were Rev. Henry
Marley, of London, and MI. Scrgis
Naseph Hcsanna, OF Oroorniale, Per-
sia, IL member Of Calvary Baptist
church, Philadelphia. and u student of
lie made some interesting remarks be-
fore the association. lie Viii probably
give a descriptive lecture while in the
city on the political, Social and Keli-
gious Life of the People of Persia.
RIGHT OF WOMEN TO SPEAK.
The subject. Ought Women to
Speak in Public Assemblies" WAS an
nOunced for discussion. and REV. DR..
y. T.. owen opened With the negative
side of the qucs,io and read several
passages from ST. rduls writings and
said th4t as the Bible opposed 1t he
WAS opposed 10 IL. They should be 81
len hearers. The friends of the other
side of the question held Up aS an ar
suineut that women should speak III
The church because theY were tetchera
IA the sunday school. He doubted the
propriciy of this and said that women
ough, nos L. be teachers of a class OF
men in the Sunday school; 1t WJs not
their proper sphere. their real duty
was in the home. When Paul said ,hey
should be silent in the churches TINS
did not mean thIt tngy could not SINS
ana shout lie loved To hear ,hem SING
gospel songs ana shout tho praises OF
God. lie said that lac had a lady menu
Der in Portsmouth Who was great
shouter until She got rich. and she had
never shouted since. Tho Doctor then
took up the passage $ az scrip ure INA,
SISTER Phoebe quoted III suppai oi the
right of women to preach. and argued
tina, they failed To support her theory.
He said that Christ ilst sent out the
twelve apostles 10 preach. and after
wards the seventy disciples. but we
have no record of his having ever sent
out women for that purpose.
Rev. f.. Bombay Edwards followed
for the Affirmative, and quoted the
same passages that Or. owen had used.
lie said we could not take these pas
Sages in their literal sense. because If
we did women could not sing and
shout, as that would not be silence.
He then showed that women had been
prophets, and coiaborers with the
apostles He cited the passage of
Scripture. which says that when they
speak they should not speak with their
heads uncovered: ana said that Mary
Magdelenc preached one of the great
est sermons when she told the assem-
hlcd disciples and others what Jesus
had done for her.
Rev. DR.. ]. J. Hall was the next
speaker He said he was opposed To
womon being preachers ana having
think the passages quoted prohibited
them from speaking in the churches.
He asked: what would many of our
churches do If it We're not for the zeal
and energy of women in many fields
of Christian en,erprisc?" At this point,
in the Doctors remarks. it was dis
covered that the entire discussion was
foreign To the question, ought Women
to Speak in Public Assembies?' This
created much merrmcnt. and ended
he discussion.
The moderator announced the follow
ing Committee on Time. Place and
Preacher for the mex, meeting of the
association-R cvs. l.. Il. Christie. Sam
ue Saunders and O. l.. Nears.
CHURCH At VIRGINIA BEACH
Rev. DR.. Ham. chairman of the COM
mittee on the New Baptist Church, 10
be arec 81 On The lni al Nirayinin Beach
:
Beach and Southern railroad. to the
association. made a verbal report that
he deed for the lot had not been
drawn, and that he could not move fur
Their in the matter until this was done.
and recorded in court. which he
thought would be very soon. The de-
sign of the new church will be an at
tractive structure in colonial style. lie
said The church organization ut Nir-
ginia Beach had not been effected. and
asked tht the deed. when made be
made 10 the trustees of some church. 10
be held in trust by them, until the
church there is organized. The report
was received and the committee CON
tinued.
Rev. DR.. Owen offered a resolution
that the deed he made 10 the trustees
of The London Bridge Baptist Church.
To be held in trust by them untu Tho
new church is organized and trustees
appointed, and that it then be turned
over 10 them.
The association adjourned to ? p. m.
with prayer by Rev. DR.. j. j. HAIL
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The association met at p. m, with
the moderator in the chair.
Devotional exercises We're conducted
by Rev W. f. Fisher. of Fourth street
Baptist Church. Portsmouth.
The subject. Are Secret Orcaniza-
tons Helpful or Iluriful to Tho
Church," which was made the snacioI
order for the night session. was on
motion taken up.
The discussion was opened bv Rav
Mr.. Fisher in a wel-conceivcd ana in
ieres;ing speech in which he said that
he believed many secret organizations
would not be in existence mad the
churches lived ~ To their obligations.
what the secret organizations are do
ing toward beneticience ought to be
accomplished by the church.
lie was followed by DR.. owen.