The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-09-30

Women Speaking in Church.


The Northwestern has the following On the
Isubjcct of women in Church.
We will answer our correspondent briefly.
We do not thinl, It seemly OF sanctioned by
|ancient custom or the word OF God that wo-
men should become professional preachers Of
religion. There are thousand reasons
against it. Yet we believe that women may
speak in meetings for religious conversation,
and lead in social prayer without indeicacy,
aud that God he's at countless times aot the
seal Of approval upon the custom. rs 70 the
prohibition oi ST. Paul, we do not believe bat
it refers 10 social worship. but to public qoes-
tjoning and dispnting in the assembly. DR..
Adar Clarke has o1poundod the passages
thus;
Verse 81. Let gour 1romsn hsep sj'enco
IN the c4urcAes. This vas Jewish ordp-
ance; women were act permitted 10 teach
in tie assemblies, Or even to ask question:
The yab5ips taught that 8" o woman should
know nothing but th9 use Of her G.9ta1. -
Aud the sayings Of Rabbi iliazer, as deliver
ed, Nammll5ar H@bba sec. 9, fol. 204, ere
both worthy Of remark and Of exacraton
they are these: yisrophu dibrey torah veal
yimsaru lonashim, " Let the words Of the
law be burned, rather than that they should
be delivered to women
This was their condition till the time of the
gospel, when, according TO the prediction Of
Joel, the Spirit of God was to be poured cut
on the women as wei! as the racn, that they
might prophcsy, !. e., teach. And that they
did prophcsy or teach is evident from what
the apostle says, chap. xi. 5, where he lays
down rules to regulate this part Of their con-
duct while ministering in the church.
But does not what the apostle says here
contradict that statement, and show that the
words in chap. xi. should be understood in
another sense ? For, here it is expressly said
that they shoald keep silence in the church
for it vas not permitted to women to speak.
Both places seem perfectly consistent. 1t is
evident from the context that the apostle re-
fers here 10 asking quosticus, and what VIC
cali dictating in the assemblies. 1t was per-
mitted to any man to ask questions, to o0-
iect, altorcatc, attempt 10 rotutc, otc., III the
synagogue. But this liberty WAS not allowed
to any woman. St. Paul confirms this in re-
ference also to the Christian church; he Or
dcrs them to keep silence ; and, if they wish
70 Ieam any ching, let them inquire Of their
husbands at home because it was perfectly
ibdccorous for women to be coutending with
men IN public assemblies, on points Of doc
trinc, cases Of conscience, etc. But this by
10 means intimated that when q woman re.
ceivcd any particular influence from God 70
enable her to teach, that she was not to obey
that influence; On the contrary, she was to
obey it, and the apostle lays down directions
in chap. x. for regulating her personal ap-
pearanco when thus employed. All that the
apostle opposes here is their questioning,
finding fault, disputing, etc, in the Christian
church, as the Jewish men were permitted to
DO in their synagoeucs; together with the at
tempts to urp any authority over the nam,
by setting L their judgment in opposition to
them tor ,ao apostle has in view, especial
ly, acts Of disobedicnce, arrogance, etc, Of
which no woman would be guilty who was un-
der the influence OF the Spirit Of God.
But to be under oJcdience as also saith
the laac. This is Il reference to Gen iii. is
Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he
shall rule over thee. From this it is evident
that it was the disorderly and djsobcdient
that the apostle had in view and not any OF
those on whom God had poured out his spirit.
Verse 35. For 1t is q shame for aoonaen
to speak IN the churca. The Jews would
not suffer woman to read in the synagogue;
though servant or even child, had this per-
mission; but the apostle refers 10 irregular
conduct, as proved that they were not under
obedience, yer. "a.
So much for the Pauline argument. Now
if the argument be that woman should keep
silence in social worship because it is indeco
rous for her to speak in the presence OF men,
then we must close her lips in all mixed social
gatherings. There arc fifty persons in the
Drayer-mccting. " indiana will inss. upon
it that docorum requires silence absolute and
UNQUALIFIED upon the parC Of the twenty-five
women present Very well. Tomorrow
night there will be gathering of fifty per-
sons in the parlors Of Indiana The same
proportion Of whom will be females. Let
him be sure to apply his rule Of docorum. -
Let him not suffer u woman to speak"
Let him keep them still if he can. For if
indecorous for q woman to speak on the SUBJ
ject OF religion before fifty persons, 1T is as
indecorous to speak about the weather, tho
fashions, the war, etc.
Will Indiana" also insist that female
teachers shall be driven out oil Sunday
schools? There they speak aloud, aud sys-