n who have never been
blessed with husbands? Are they to go down to death in heathenish
darkness, because the genial light of a husband's countenance has ceased
to shine upon them, or, perhaps, has never done so? Must unmarried
women forever continue in ignorance of the glorious Gospel of Christ,
because they have no husbands to teach them? As girls, according to such
a rendering, they ought not to have learned any thing; for a father's
teaching--if it were proper for him to give it--and a husband's might
differ widely. Besides, what is to be done for those women who are
blessed with husbands incapable of teaching them; or, as is notoriously
so frequently the case, who choose rather to spend their time in places
of disreputable character than at their homes with their families!

Such a rendering of these texts as is frequently given, and the homilies
derived therefrom, are an outrage upon common sense. They are at
variance with the direct teachings of St. Paul, and contrary to what the
Scriptures prove to have been his practice. Surely, none will dare to
accuse the apostle of inconsistency; and yet we have his own testimony
that Phoebe was a "servant of the Church at Cenchrea;" that is, she was
a deaconess, having a charge at Cenchrea. Priscilla, quite as much as
Aquila, was Paul's helper in "Christ Jesus," acknowledged by him as
such. Priscilla was associated with Aquila in "expounding the way of God
more perfectly to Apollos." (Acts xvii, 62.) Strange that the great
Apollos should receive religious instruction from a woman; stranger
still, if it were contrary to the will of God, that she was permitted to
give it! Why was she not severely rebuked for her presumption, and put
in her place, and taught to keep silence, as becometh a woman? On the
contrary, creditable mention is made of the fact that she did instruct
him, and that through that instruction he was made useful to the world;
and all this upon the authority of inspiration, without one word of
censure as to her unwomanliness. Over and over again, Paul names her in
his salutations.

In Philippians iv, 3, he entreats help for certain women, counting them
as fellow-laborers. "Help," says he, "those women which labored with me
in the Gospel." Honorable mention, too, is made by name of Tryphena,
Tryphosa, and of the beloved Persis, who "labored much in the Lord."
Philip had four daughters which "did prophesy" (Acts xxi, 19); and we
nowhere hear of their being forbid