The most devastating attack came from religious quarters: on July the Council of Congregationalist Ministers of Massachusetts issued a pastoral letter severely chastising them for engaging in activities which subverted women's divinely ordained role: The power of woman is her dependence, flowing from the consciousness of that weakness which God has given her for her protection According to the ministers, the Grimkes' actions had created 'dangers which at present threaten the female character with wide spread and permanent injury.'