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Samantha Among the Brethren, Complete
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Public-domain ebook sourced from Project Gutenberg #9450.
About this book
The work is a humorous, polemical pamphlet that frames a debate over women’s role in the Methodist “Meetin’ House” through a lively dialogue between a narrator and Josiah Allen. It opens with the narrator questioning the masculine metaphor for the church, insisting that the “Mother Church” should be spoken of as a she, and then launches into a spirited defense of women’s historic contributions to Christian ministry. The ensuing exchange moves from theological argument to a concrete dispute about a proposed buzz‑saw mill venture, with the narrator warning that the men’s commercial scheme will crowd out women’s religious labor. The text is peppered with colloquial spelling, dialectal speech, and vivid illustrations, giving a clear sense of its purpose as a satirical commentary on gender dynamics within late‑19th‑century Methodist circles.
Written in a vernacular style that mimics rural speech of the 1890s, the piece blends earnest religious sentiment with sharp wit. Its humor arises from exaggerated dialect, hyperbolic arguments, and the juxtaposition of sacred concerns with the mundane business of saw‑mills. Readers who enjoy period humor, especially the kind that lampoons church politics and gender roles, will find it engaging. It also appeals to those interested in women’s early advocacy within Protestant denominations, offering a glimpse into the cultural attitudes of a small New York community at the turn of the century.
Characters in Samantha Among the Brethren, Complete
- Josiah AllenLate‑19th‑century rural man, dark hair, beard, plain shirt, suspenders, straw hat
The opening · free to read
"A Meetin' House hadn't ort to be called she--it is a he."
And sez I, "How do you know?"
And he sez, "Because it stands to reason it is. And I'd like to know what you have got to say about him any way?"
Sez I, "That 'him' don't sound right, Josiah Allen. It sounds more right and nateral to call it 'she.' Why," sez I, "hain't we always hearn about the Mother Church, and don't the Bible tell about the Church bein' arrayed like a bride for her husband? I never in my life hearn it called a 'he' before."
"Oh, wall, there has always got to be a first time. And I say it sounds better. But what have you got to say about the Meetin' House, anyway?"
"I have got this to say, Josiah Allen. The Meetin' House hain't a-actin' right about wimmen. The Founder of the Church wuz born of woman. It wuz on a woman's heart that His head wuz pillowed first and last. While others slept she watched over His baby slumbers and His last sleep. A woman wuz His last thought and care. Before dawn she wuz at the door of the tomb, lookin' for His comin'. So she has stood ever sense--waitin', watchin', hopin', workin' for the comin' of Christ. Workin', waitin' for His comin' into the hearts of tempted wimmen and tempted men--fallen men and fallen wimmen--workin', waitin', toilin', nursin' the baby good in the hearts of a sinful world--weepin' pale-faced over its crucefixion--lookin' for its reserection. Oh how she has worked all through the ages!"
"Oh shaw!" sez Josiah, "some wimmen don't care about anythin' but crazy work and back combs."
I felt took down, for I had been riz up, quite considerble, but I sez, reasonable:
"Yes, there are such wimmen, Josiah, but think of the sweet and saintly souls that have given all their lives, and hopes, and thoughts to the Meetin' House--think of the throngs to-day that crowd the aisles of the Sanctuary--there are five wimmen to one man, I believe, in all the meetin' houses to-day a-workin' in His name. True Daughters of the King, no matter what their creed may be--Catholic or Protestant.
"And while wimmen have done all this work for the Meetin' House, the Meetin' House ort to be honorable and do well by her."
"Wall, hain't he?" sez Josiah.
"No, she hain't," sez I.
"Wall, what petickuler fault do you find? What has he done lately to rile you up?"
Sez I, "_She_ wuz in the wrong on't in not lettin' wimmen set on the Conference."
"Wall, I say he wuz right," sez Josiah. "_He_ knew, and I knew, that wimmen wuzn't strong enough to set."
"Why," sez I, "it don't take so much strength to set as it duz to stand up. And after workin' as hard as wimmen have for the Meetin' House, she ort to have the priveledge of settin'. And I am goin' to write out jest what I think about it."
"Wall," sez Josiah, as he started for the barn with the hen feed, "don't be too severe with the Meetin' House."
And then, after he went out, he opened the door agin and stuck his head in and sez:
"Don't be too hard on him"
And then he shet the door quick, before I could say a word. But good land! I didn't care. I knew I could say what I wanted to with my faithful pen--and I am bound to say it.
JOSIAH ALLEN'S WIFE, Bonny View, near Adams, New York, Oct. 14th, 1890.
CONTENTS.
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