The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1872-07-11

Peter who declared the plan of
grace, said:
"TheY are not drunken as you
suppose, seeing that it is but the
third hour of the day, but this is it
which was of by the prophet Joel.
And 1t shall come to pass in the last
days, sayeth God, will pour out
my spirit upon all flesh; and your
sons and your daughters shall proph-
esq, and your young men shall
see visions, and your old men shall
dream dreams; and on my servants
and on my hDndneaideVs l will pour
out IN those days of my Spirit. And
they shall prophecy" Joel TX: g.
%. Acts q Is.
"Prophesy," says DR.. Clarke,
"means shall peach, exhort, pray,
and instruct SO as to benefit the
church."
The Holy Spirit was poured out
upon the "handmaidens" for other
purposes than personal edifcation /:
it qualified them to prophesy-to
preach.
Phillip did have four daughters
who did prophesy. Acts 2l: 8.
They were public religious teach
ers.
Says DR.. Alexander: "These gifts
were to servants of both sexes, and
to daughters as we'll as sons"
Paul gives direction how women
shall pray and prophesy-with their
heads covered. / Cor. H.: 5.
This recognizes their right, but the
method should be comely, and with
due regard to the customs of the
country.
1t appears that, the views of the
sentiments of the Greeks in regard
to women, that under some circum-
stances they might pray and proph-
esy with proper care as TO manner;
and that under other circumstances,
in certain places, or on public occa-
sions, it was improper for them to
speak at all.
Such seems to be the application
of the following passages from Paul's
Epistles.
Cor. IA: A 80. "Let your wo-
men keep silence in the churches, for
it is not permitted unto them to
speak, but they are commanded to be
under obedience, as also saith the
law.
"And if they learn anything, let
them ask their husbands at home, for
it is shame for a woman TO speak
in the church."
Timothy II-12. "Let the women
learn in silence with all subsection :
but suffer not a woman TO teach nor
to usurp authority over the man, but
to be in silence"
Not in the Gospels, nor in the
Acts of the Apostles, do we find any
limitation of the religious rights and
privileges of women, but only in the
Epistles of Paul to the Greek church,
eS.
Why here and not elsewhere
Are these limitations universal, OF
are they confined to these churches
and their times?
The customs of country neces'
sarily modify the external methods
of gospel propagation.
Paul ciroumcised Timothy because
of Jewish ideas, which he, no doubt
would not have done were they t.
have labored exclusively among thu
the Gentiles. ...
In externals, he became all thing
to all men, that he might save some
When among Romans he did as Ro
mans did.
So in publishing the gospel among
the Greeks, their manners and Gus
toms in regard to women in society
made it necessary to limit there, the
rights and privileges of women il
the churches.
The Greek idea of the rights o
women, was, that she should not ris,
above the domestic sphere. She wa
not allowed to meet her husband a
the door lest she should be seen.
She must not 20 out upon thu
street without being yelled.
For woman to sit with unveiled
face, or uncovered head in a public
place, was to destroy her reputation
for virtue. .....
All education in music and poetry
in art and philosophy was denied thu
virtuous, and to possess such cultur,
was for one to be counted withou
character.
Women were degraded almost tt
the level of beasts of burden. Sh,
had few rights which men felt bount
to respect. .......
This state of things is largely tn,
case in oriental countries to this day
where christianity has not leaveneG
society.
On this subject Henry Ware
Beecher has we'll said '....... +.
"Such being the position of WON
en-, such being the popular feeling
ard custom in regard to them, wha
would have been the effect, if, whel
the christian assemblies had beer
gathered together, and the heather
Greeks had been round about, look
ing IN upon the worship, a woman
had risen up in meeting, and, wit
open face, and uncovered head, ha
begun to pour out her heart?
"That is christianity, is it? VIII
then, the Church is nothing but
vast house of orgies and the gos
pei sets people free from decency.
| He would have gone home say
ing:
81 understand your new religion
1t teaches our wives that they nus
forsake their virtue, and 60 out int
public exposure, and do as eourte
sans do"
Therefore it was, that Paul sal,
to Greek christians:
"You shall not violate the custom
of your country. .
a You shall not bring into discredi
the religion of the Lord Jesus Chris
by doing that which can be interpre
ted but in one direction by every ma
who sees it. #@aas.& #las
/ forbid your women to teach
Greece. ... a.es lsEg...n
Would that he had put that in (!
Ifhe had only known how stupi'
people were going to be in our day
he would have done it. s..;
Christianity has renovated societ,
in christian countries, and woman il
disenthralled a H
She stands forth the peer will
man in all moral and religious rights
Her mind may be stored with use
full knowledge. and her whole being
resplendent with the highest culture
She may sit with unveiled fac