WOMAN IN PULPIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20288, 22 June 1929, Page 14

WOMAN IN PULPIT.

EVANGELIST IN SYDNEY. GIFTS AS A SPEAKER. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. "| SYDNEY. June 13. While the full admission of women to the priesthood, that is, as parsons, with the prefix "Rev.," is not regarded at present as practicable, they are gradually coming into their own, even in the life and government of the Church. They arc now allowed by the Lambeth Conference, as far as the Anglican Church is concerned, 1 to do practically everything that the layman can do in the service of his Church. That the Methodist Church, in common with other denominations, is in line with tho Anglicans in this direction is recalled by the forthcoming visit to Sydney of a woman evangelist, only 23 years of age, who turned from -the stage to the pulpit, and who has come to Australia for three years at. the invitation of the Methodist Church: • Sister Ida Womb well, for that is her name, is likely to visit New Zealand before returning to England. As an evangelist Sister Ida is said to deprecate emotionalism and she has tho reputation of preaching ,with calmness, and with appealing logic. She was not actually on "the stage, but had studied for it, when her gifts as a speaker were recognised at Church functions with which she was associated, and she turned from the dramatic art to the teaching of the divine lessohs. She is likely to crowd tho Lyceum, the "cathedral" of the Methodist - Church in Sydney, and perhaps the only pulpit in the city which is undenominational in its big Sunday afternoon congregations.