The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-23

anything else concerning Miss Elinor Stafford Mllar, the distinguished Austra- Han Bible reader, who Is the honored guest of Birmingham, having been brought here by the religious department of the Young Women's Christian association, and the Sunday School Graded union, is how doubly steep and difficult her task Is made by convention and prejudice, which Is always attendant upon any woman who feels the call" to some unusual mission.
 Whatever she attains she must win with twice the struggle man has to make as a rule.
 She has to make a battle, not only with the difficulties inherent in the new en- deavor, but at every turn of the road defend her womanhood itself against the poisoned arrows of calumny, shot from society's ranks.
 What I mean by a call to some un- usual field is this: We are not accus- toned to see a woman occupying the pulpit; we are not accustomed to hear ing a woman expound the Scriptures with the force, the insight and the deep spirit ualty that characterizes Miss Millar' g readings; we are not accustomed to see a woman give up her whole life and time to her fellow men, working in their be- half and going from one end of the world to another to deliver the beautiful mes sage of religion to the believer and the unbeliever alike.
 The condition is an unusual one, and yet. as Miss Millar stands in the pulpit, her intelligent face lighted with a divine light, and you come under the spell of her magnetic personality, you mentally picture her as gir--and her surroundings in her far away Australian home-where sne might have been The Butterfly on the Wheel" the woman of society, VI vacious and bright; or the artist or the actress.
 Her splendid height and strong, 1.-the body make her an imposing personality and there Is 8 charm about her that is indescribabe In another 1t might be called winsome-and it comes and goes with the smile in her deep blue eyes that remind one of deep blue English violets and then, as you hear her talk, SO earn estly, this impression gives way to a still
  which deals with problems, soul prob lems.
 Miss Milar has the power of looking things straight in the face with an intui- ton at once human well spiritual; ; the power of seeing the seriousness of things like a general and working her way through difficulties to a desired end for she sees the inner life in all it's com plexities, in these days of temptation and sin-and she sees from the inner convic- ton of the soul.
 l There is sucn universality of charac- ter in her pure, inspiring, God loving, man loving face. ever ready to forgive and never recognizing defeat-that 1t would be a very hardened heart that could sit under the spell of her words and not feel uplfted,
 | Just after one of Miss Millars splendid | Bible readings at the First Presbyterian 1 church this week I had the pleasure of a little talk with her
 There were some questions l wanted to ask her-mainly how she reconciled the matter of women preaching" with the Gospel, and she replied at once: 1 T think women should preach as well as men if they have the gift If they are
 called I think. however, that very few of them are'
 1 But St. Paul" l averred. You re- member what St. Paul said about women l keeping silence in the church?" ''Yes, but in the 18th chapter of Ro- mans and the first verse; said Miss Millar, "St. Paul also says; I commend unto you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the church which is at Cen chrea.' Then again, in the 12th verse he says Salute the beloved Persis. which i labored much in the Lord Then again. l in Luke, 2d chapter and S7th verse, we have mention of Anna, a prophecies, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Aser, 1 which departed not from the temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. So you see. there is a high regard expressed in the Bible for the work of certain women. No there is certainly no logical reason why women should not preach if they are called to the work"
 Have you known many successful women preachers?" I asked.
 Eva Booth l regard one of the Most successful" answered Miss Millar. "f also knew in Australia converted Jewess. Mrs. Raertz. who was one of the most wonderful women preachers ever heard. My work. which l re- gard as that of a Reader. rather than ' preacher. was actually Not of my
 wn selection. but 1t came to me
 rough force of spiritual circum-
 ces. l had lived from my girl-