The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-09-15
AUTOCRACY OF MAN
IN MINISTRY ENDS
So Declares M. Madeline Southland
Who Broke Rules Of Metho-
dist Conference

Chicago, Sept Is. ASSOCIATED
Press -Male autocracy that once rul-
ed in every part OF life is making it's
last stand in the ministry, Miss NJ.
Madeline Southland president OF the
International Association of Women
Preachers, told It's annual convention
here tonight
MISS Southland led the struggle in
the Methodist Episcopal general con.
ference last year that obtained license
for women to preach Her some is
in Winfield, Kan Women preachers
Of a number of churches. for the as.
sociation is non-denominational, heard
her address.
"Our good friends in this land who
oppose woman's admission to the MIN
istry seem to be serenely unconscious
that they are the spiritual descend.
ants of those who once held women
as chattels, who later SUIT the schools
in cir faces, denied them the ba lot
and refused them equal wages for
equal work despite the fact that thous
ands of them were the family bread
winners Miss Southland said She
then reviewed arguments against wo.
men preaching
The tine was when an appeal to
scripture settled the Whole thing, men
OF course doing the interpreting, she
said I'VE have gone far from that
now for every woman's voice heard IN
Christian Endeayor. Epwoith League
or Sunday school Is direct violation
Of the Keeping silence in the church.
while If women did no teaching both
public schools ana Sunday schools
would suffer considerable loss.
'Anoter once Overwhelming argu-
ment was that woman was not mental
ly capable Of presenting the weighty
themes that must be dealt With in the
pulpit. But since we have had a
single generation of educated women
We hear little more Of that.
Again il was once seriously claim
ed that woman was unequal physical.
" to the strain Of pastoral work and
at in the day when women had from
IL to Is children and did all the work
for them, We know of one woman
who in tho Rocky Mountains covered
circuit Of 80 miles and developed
several charges, which ! heard her
district superintendent declare, were
now able to support man as pastor
"One still hears occasionally that
the ordination OF women will feminine
the church. But that is impossible.
for man.monopoly of the pulpit oas
already accomplished it.
MANY of the arguments once used
against women's preaching have had
to be abandoned But the opponents
still cling to one. the pet argument OF
woman's sphere OF necessity many
women are not mothers and must
seek other vocations, while many
thousands Of mothers are forced into
the industrial world to support them.
selves and their children Indeed
many OF tNose who remain at home
give about nine.tenths of their time u
Industry and one.tenth Of their time
to children, A woman preacher
would have much more time for chill.
dren than many housewives.
ut has MT been proved that preach
ng is in any way inimical to mother
hood know a number Of preaching
mothers and will mt tAeir children
up against any o. the same number
that any group of families desire 70
bring forward.
/ Woman will bring no new Gospel
lust the womans vision of the old yet
ever new Gospel And there viii be
no rivally between her and her broth.
err. hut as in other feds so in this
each will reinforce and strengthen
the other For the man s mind and
the woman's mind are ever compile
mentary and only the blended wisdom
OF the two can give Wilderness and
symmetry. whether in home or state
or church"