The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1920-07-16
GAYS WOMEN PREACHERS
HAVE COME TO STAY
Mics Annie Agnes Smith, Holding Revival Here
This Week, Says The Pulpit Offers Splen-
did Field For Women
ov w. o, SAUNDERS

Tho L |
,.-ad in Elizabeth City by wo-
,n.n is getting under way this
ssk , in Pearl St. Methodist
%,,.~cr7 The preaeher> is Miss
,,,,;e Agnes Smith, and she is
-. second woman licensed to
~.oc1, in America since the recent
Pts,'Nr91 Conference Of the M. E.
~r.,,r,,l, ruled that women should
H. % licensed.
Smith is a native of Canada, iv-
number of years in New York.
,,. resident of Norfolk, Va. and
travelled everywhere. She has traT-
a.,n,.3 miles in her evangehstlc
r1i, year and may travel as many
NOR, before the year is out. one OF
c-.r. ij.i- wear was held in far off
n,,o Nevada. This is her vacation
,'~,;,r ar,l she is supposed to be rest
+,o,r her work: but Elizabeth City
- ,.ar her home and the ehurch here !
:,, ,oor and in need Off help. Miss
Sir; decided t. give her vacation pc |
r;o+ 70 Pearl st. Church. She really |
t,f,,r, to bigger fields and would feel
,rorp At home in union revival of all
tie churches. >,
Can Size preach? I'll say she can!
irf being a woman she can talk just
tvice a> fast as a man, saying all she
Ia, ~ SAY before the benches harden
-, 1,,dcr one. And her methods are
,5- rlp methods of professional buck
.-.,re1,St>. This woman has a mes
>ac,. aid not Il lot of oratory to denver.
III. r.a>r women. she loves Jesus pas
,:.-a-e,s and Jehovah is but secon--
lar- consideration. She isn't much
CONCERNED with the devil either; good
tv.,..i. seldom are. l heard her preach
-r4 other night and she never referred
r. r.a devil or any of his works IN ali
f,. r->.r,lr<t. I told her that most folk
dow Lere expected an evangelist TO give
rE".. :. lot of hell and rub 1t IN; the
-.,-. lpll fire and birthstone. the more
c~o-,~ from the amen corner and the
nor. fevor generally. She looked at
1T in tat startled way that woman
ron 'loo1, at a fellow and said: why
I 2ay 1,roached for weeks at a time
v-s-1-,-,- :, mention Of he1f''9S L believe IL;
this woman i sincerely interested IN
winning hearts to the kind and gentle
CLriSt and never had an idea of scar
inc sinners into the fold with a Darb-
tailed devil and red hot pitchfork'
May her tribe increase.
Miss Smith says she feels perfectly
a.
Son why women generally should mol
enter the ministry, especially since
There i :, dearth of men for the work
Men are deserving the ministerial calling
for the same reason that they have de-
serted the schools, because preaehlne
doesn't pay. and if women don't tnt the
depIeted ranks there will be more ant
more empty pulpits in the country, Mis-:
Smith believes that a great field OF use
fulnesS awaits the woman preacher, es
peciallv in rural churches. A woman
would be minister as well as preach
er rendering in a genuine whole hearted
way so many forms of~social service
that a mere man would perform in
perfunctory manner, or aItogethe
Spurn.
Miss Smith commented on the recen
legislation of the general conference o
the general conference at Des Moine
which granted license to women as "reg
ular' preachers.
1t was more of an official recognl
ton Of the work women are already do
Ing in the ministry, than the grantln
of any extra privileges" she. said.
have been preaching the gospel since
was seventeen years old and this neWl
acquired license pronouncing the bene
diction, the privilege of becoming II
Staller as regular pastor to some part
cular church and the legal right to pei
1orI the marriage ceremony.
Since my recent stay of month
Reno, Nevada" however, she added wit
smile. Il am not so enthusiastic ovt
this last privilege as one might natural
imagnc''
Discussing woman's place in tt
church, particularly as regards preacl
ing to men. Miss Smith went on.
/ never think of myself as w
mar talking to men-not even when
mold ny special service for men onl
In an Individual delivering messa
10 humanity. / talk to souls and VIII
ther the poSSessors are male or fema
oid or Young it matters not.
But | will say that my sermons
men only have been crowned with wo
u'f1ul success. I have preached to mo
than 1000 men at one service and h
1'''' conversions. Moreover, the te
grams and messages of congratulate
received upon becoming regularly
'eh>"d were mostly from the men ps
'olS with whom I have associated in
'all'I~ churches in which I conduct
''ah2".leal meetings.''
Miss Smith is not an ameteur pul
te"'. She has been preaching since S
was Ii years old. How long that
Oo'h | don't know, never having lea
'u now to get at woman's age; and {
A"Si begun to show her age yet.