ORGAN OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH IN AMERICA.
Volume XXII.
Charlotte. N. C., Thursday, August 18, 1898.
-
Number 35.
WOMAN
ORDINATION
An Onward Movement Always
Meets With Fierce Attack:;.
BY BISHOP J. B. SMALL, A. M., D. D.
[CONTINUED FROM LAST IS^SU.S.]
Forbidding woman tp hare a
reasonable hand in laboring to re
deem the world in which she was
a prime factor in its fallen cjndi
tion, is not a new Question, save
to those who rush without cmsid
. - 5
eration. >
The gYeat Presbyterian Church
laid hold with a
PauPs declaration
vengeance on
-“I suffer not
a woman td teach, nor to
#*»
ff
isurp
authority over the man, but to be
in silence.” Probably they did
not notice that this is a declara-*
tion—not an injunction; so did not
inquire into Paul’s reason, and
seek to see if they had similar real
sons; but “Suffer not a woman to
speak;” so she kept silence.
The noble and far-seeing Dr,
Clark seemed to have had a dreami,
and awaking announced it 41 Chris
tian Endeavor.” He plac3d the
Bible in the woman’s hands, even
jfti the Presbyterian Churci, and
we do not know that he said to
her preach, but sing, pray and
talk all you can about Christ and
His salvation; and strange to say
the Presbyterian Church never
murmured. Woman, who was
not even allowed to pray in pub
lic, much jess speak, is star ding in
the presence of large congrega
tions and preaching to them Christ
and Him crucified; and is success
ful in bringing souls to the cross.
They are taking the message to
the Peters and the brethren, and
no one seems to doubt their author
ity. The age and the salvation of
souls call woman to the front, Bi
ble in hand, to use her powerful
persuasion to bring sinners to
Christ,.
We confess we were nat in fa
vor of women preachers years
gone by, and it was only when a
woman was brought to be received
into the New England Conference,
we thought seriously over the mat
ter. Notwithstanding she was not
our preference we did no b rush to
the paper to speak of aer as a
“petticoat ministry”—we had
more politeness, if net better
sense. We felt, God is God, and
He sends by whom He will: the in
dividual who questions Him does
not help his case.
When this sister was brought to
the New England Conference for
reception, the thought came to us:
Suppose God has a work for this
sister to do which some of us men
cannot or will not do, and we at
tempt to get into her way; what
will be the consequence? Then
we thought we were not too tall
nor too large for God to carry her
over our heads. We gare her our
vote, and left the call w ith the sis
ter and her God. We were igno
rant of the mind of God in that
direction, as many others are; we
simply got out of the way, and
then we went to search the Scrip
ture—not to express our know
ing views, but to ascertain as far
as possible, God’s will in that di
rection: we think we discovered
the truth. We are glad we took
the stand we did.
There may be persons who have
greater reverence for God’s word
than we, but we know from our
heart we have more reverence for
the word of God, than Ave have for
anything dead or alive—not ex
cepting our life; and we make
strong efforts to be in accord with
it—it is life and peace and health;
so we are very careful to try not
to falsify it. There are those who
attempt to crush others with the
word of God—and the way some
men talk of women, we are sorry
for their mothers, and pity their
wives.
[continued in next issue.]
ON THE WING.
BY REV. J. B. COLBERT.
CHATTANOOGA, TENN.
Zion has only one church in this
historic and scenic city; it is pas
tored by Rev. B. J. Jones, who
seems to be meeting with splendid
success. He has succeeded • in
paying the church out of debt,
and cleared th^‘debt on that splen
did lot on which they commenced
to erect a church some time ago.
These people ought to build on
this desirable property as soon as
possible;’they deserve to be in a
more wholesome and desirable lo
cality. It is highly probable that
Rev. Jones will have them to sell
where they are at present and
build at once on the lot which they
own and have laid the foundation
for a large and commodious edifice.
Through the courtesy of Brother
Jones we had the privilege of vis
iting the historic Chicamauga Park
where more than 40,000 soldiers
are mobilized preparatory to em
barking for Cuba to entertain Spain
a while.
ST. ELMO, TEMN.
Rev. W. H. Tucker is pastor
here. A C. E. once existed at
this point but for some cause it
became inactive. We organized
them; they seem delighted and we
were much pleased with the ap
pearance of things. All indica
tions pointed to a successful V. C.
E. in the future. This church is
composed of an intelligent class of
people and we will be very much
disappointed if they fail to have a
fine and useful V. C. E. Through
the courtesy of Brother Tucker
we enjoyed a visit to the historic
and famous Lookout Mountain.
The church is situated at the foot
of this mountain. Of eourse they
ordered the entire V. C. E. outfit.
LOUDON, TENN.
Rev. G. W. Christmas is the
Eastor here and is greatly aided in
is work by his efficient wife. We
had a good audience and re-organ
ized this Society and started them
off with bright prospect for a fu
ture outlook. W e appointed Sis
ter Christmas General Superin
tendent of the V. C. E. in the Ath
ens district.
A BRILLIANT DIVINE.
Rev. T. A. Weathington, D. D.,
For General Steward.
BY JOSEPH H. ARRINGTON.
The intellectual -countenance
represented by the cut will be at
once recognized by the readers as
the face of that great man and
speaker, Rev. T. A. M^thington,
D. D., presiding elder of the
Montgomery and highly beneficial
to all classes of his people, the fi
nancial, social, .moral and spiritual
He is noted for his energy, perse
verance, sound judgment and fidel
ity.
He is of commanding presence,
firm as a rock, gentle as a lamb,
and stands high, in the estimation
of Alabamians for his self-sacri
fice, honesty and zeal. His fer
vent and eloquent sermons have
Greenville ^strict o| the Central
Alabama Conference.
He was born in 1855 at Talla
hassee, Florida, and was favored
with having Christian parents,
whose instructions and examples
impressed him with those princi
ples of piety and integrity which
now form so prominent a feature
of his noble manhood.
At the General Conference in
’92 and ’96 he became very popu
lar. Bishop C. C. jPettey said he
was one of Zion’s most promising
young men. As a worker for his
race, he stands second to none in
Alabama. As a preacher, pastor
and builder, he stands to-day
among the first of his Church. He
has a wide range of information
on almost every subject pertaining
to our people. Hi$ powerful pul
pit efforts have won for him the
highest esteem wherever he has
travelled. No interest or trust
committed to his hand has suf
fered, and he is worthy of any
honor that the Church might be
stow upon him. J
I have been a close observer of
his life and labor, having resided
near him and in the midst of the
people among whom he has la
bored. He is thoroughly convers
ant with the Bifcle. His knowl
edge of that Book is not speculat
ive or theoretical but practical, in
fluencing his own life and the lives
of those around him. His labors
for the advancement of his breth
ren have been most successful in
been highly praised by profes
sional and business men wherever
he has been heard. He deliv
ered an address not long since
at Montgomery to a grand session
of a Lodge of this State which
would have done honor to the
Governor of this or any State. He
works for the elevation and salva
tion of his race.
He is the present steward of the
Central Alabama Conference. For
faithfulness and honesty, I would
suggest that we elect him General
Steward in L900 and Dr. J. W.
Alstork to the bishopric. This is
the desire of the Alabamians, and
it would greatly strengthen Zion
down here.
Montgomery, Ala.
The New York Sunday-school con
[ vention and the Y. C. E. Society will
meet in Westtury, L- I., August 30, 31
and September 1. Trains leave Long.
City for Westbury at 8:30, 10 and 11 a.
m. Benjami u Judd, Conference Supt
The Kentucky Conference will meet
the first Wednesday in September at
Earlington, Ky; Missouri Conference
second Wednesday in September at St.
Louis, Mo.; Blue Ridge Conference first
Wednesday in October at Abingdon,
Va; the Ter.nessee Conference the2nd
Wednesday in Oct. at Athens; the Cal
ifornia Conference in Los Angeles the
third Wednesday in September; and the
West Tennessee and Mississippi Confer
ence in Webb, Miss., the third Wednes
day in November. All Bishops and
General Officers have a cordial invita
tion. G. W. Clinton, Bishop of
7th Episcopal District.
FEW LESSON LIGHTS.
There Is No Conflict Between
Laity And Jlinistry.
BY REV. E. D. W. JONES, A. M.
Pharaoh was pleased to exalt
Joseph, put a ring on his hand,
and make him to ride in his sec
ond chariot, -because Joseph, hav
ing in him the Spirit of God,
made himself indispensable to the
prosperity and happiness of the
kingdom.
He was not elevated because he
had been in prison, or because he
was one of the common people,
but because he displayed a power
that Pharaoh knew would be bene
ficial to his throne. If Joseph in
the jail had stirred the baker to
rebel against the ruling of his
king, and sown discord among
others who were being liberated,
he never would have worn that
ring nor been accorded a seat in
that chariot.
All have not the spirit of Jo
seph, and a few who think that
because they are now hindered in
satisfying the wild stretch of their
ambition, who are locked in the
narrow cells of their own conceit
and selfishness, who beat their
Luuiiis uui a.gam»i unyeuuiQg DarS
to scatter pernicious seeds among
God’s people, will never be re
membered when the toiling sons
of men shall be gathered from
the fields of hardships and labor
to legislate and reward for noble
service done.
There is no conflict betvreen the
laity and min^ry, o|, Zion, QJburch,
because the representative laymen
and laywomen of our Church have
always received at the hands of
the same the positions of trust
and honor for which they were
fitted. The Church is not an of
fice-dealing machine either for the
ministry or laity, and therefore
no man is honest in his preten
sions of loyalty to the principles
of Zion Methodism who follows
her, who nags at her hesels, sim
ply for the loaves and fishes.
All laymen are not representa
tive because they are laymen, all
are not qualified to receive like
honors. Because a man is simply
a layman does not reasonably argue
that he is to be a General Officer,
and the same is true of the clergy—
therefore all are not holding elec
tive positions; but every man is
fitted in his place according to his
ability; and that place, if humble
in the sight of men, is honorable
and lofty in the eyes of God.
Because one or two laymen are
howling and grumbling, since in
the judgment of the general
Church their conceited aspiration
overbalances their ability and
common sense, none need be ap
prehensive that the grand body of
the laity are the least stirred or
the least concerned over these con
tinual bleatings; for the laywom
en on the one hand know that
every possible chance is seized to
thrust them forward even upon
the heels of the episcopacy; and
on the other the men know that
Zion is . doing as much, if not more,
than any other Church for its
earnest, sincere workers.
[to be continued.]
Louisville, Ky. r