Early Influence by M. W. H.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 9, 1862

Early Influence.

By M. W. H.

MANY years have passed with their record to eternity, since I spent several of the youthful months of my life with relatives in the city of B. ; or rather in one of the suburban cities adjacent. Within the time two noted evangelists were laboring in the city. One I had often heard ; for he had been invited to the church where I with my friends attended. And the sermons I heard him preach, and the vestry meetings he conducted, remain among the bright and sunny spots of my religious privileges.

One day myself and cousin, impelled by curiosity, perhaps, sallied forth and threaded our way to a distant street to hear the far-famed Baptist evangelist. When we reached the church it was during the interval of pulpit exercises. But the church was well filled, and as we passed in, half way up the middle aisle to a seat, there was in progress a social exercise, not unlike a Methodist love-feast, except the bread and water. A lady was speaking as we entered. Soon another arose, and my cousin, who had been educated in all the conservatism attributed to Paul when he wrote, "Let your women keep silence in the churches ; for it is not permitted unto them to speak," turned her wide-opened eyes upon me, with all the consternation she felt, depicted in her expressive countenance. And when another arose to speak, she laid her hand upon my lap with the whispered exclamation, "Why ! it is perfectly ridiculous ! I wonder they allow it ?" I simply answered, "It does not strike me so," and again turned my attention to the exercises ; for I had early imbibed the other Bible sentiment, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there are neither bond nor free, neither male nor female, but they are all one in Christ Jesus."

The bell soon rang out its call, and the church directly was packed with an attentive audience for the pulpit exercises. I expected that in our walk home we should have an earnest talk on what we had heard and seen. But my companion, whose sense of propriety had been so shocked, did not allude to it, and as I was several years her junior, and she a city-bred lady, and withal the wife of a minister who was as conservative as herself, I did not choose, uncalled for, to express more than I had done. How much more than most are aware this phase of conservatism acts as a restraint.

This friend of whom I have spoken was afterward urged till she wept, ere she could burst the bands of her early influences sufficiently to pray in a female prayer-meeting. And who has not witnessed, if not themselves felt, the almost petrifying influence of this wrong early training, in social religious meetings, where there should be instead, freedom in speaking of the abounding grace of God, and in exhorting and admonishing one another, and "so much the more as ye see the day approaching." M. W. H.

Malone, N. Y.