WOMEN AS ELDERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19721, 22 August 1927, Page 12

WOMEN AS ELDERS.

Sir, —So the Rev. L. H. Hunt is retiring from the field of battle and allowing woman the last word ! One wonders if that last word of hers has something to do with his attitude toward woman and the Church. I agree with "L.M.L." that it is high time more attention was given to Our Lord's attitude to woman, and that many of Paul's ideas on her should be scrapped. That there is a difference m the two attitudes is undeniable in spite of Mr. Hunt's unsatisfactory explanation. I believe the functions of an elder are mainly confined to the spiritual side of church life and that all the business is in the hands of a management committee. Mr. Hunt acknowledges that with all her weaknesses, woman is' man's "spiritual equal." If that be so, why should she not hold office as an elder T It seem 3to me that the Church is suffering a grave loss until the present position is irir.edied. Woman has a distinct contribution to bring—a contribution which cannot be ■made until she has freedom. It is extremely unlikely that women will rushinto all the important positions:—few are so situated that they could do so—but there are women especially suited for many of those positions, and I repeat that the Church is the loser through shutting them out. Mr. Hun testates that men will not submit to guidance in spiritual matters by women. At least 50 per cent, of every congregation consists of women who have had to be content with the spiritual guidance of men. I would like to ask Mr. Hunt if he thinks women are satisfied by it ? One cannot help but feel that fear is at the back of the Presbytery's decision. It rather looks as if the men folk of our Church wauled tn .keep all the authority in their own hands and underlying is the deep feeling of superiority over women, however they may explain it awav That feeling is something which is quite contrary to the spirit of our common Lord. H.A.B. Sir, —If St. Paul had undertaken m his writings to answer all the posthumous calls to the office of referee he would have much to answer for. The fault, however, is not with the Apostle, but with those who make a "hard law out of - a modest example. St. Paul's admonition to the women of Corinth arose out of a situation which has no parallel in our day. The new gospel seemed to offer at once_ that heritage of liberty and equality which was to be theirs in time. St. Paul, in his distress at their unseemly haste to assert their equality with men, desired that they should keep within the bounds of womanly modesty. This does not justify Mr. Hunt's, desire to exclude the Christian women of our day from eldership in the Church. The argument from St. Paul's epistles, like others which Mr. Hunt.,? has employed, is inconclusive. C.G.M.