The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1907-09-26

whole field OF religious enterprise.
Lydia. the merchant, whose zeal led
to the conversion of all her trade
people; Phoebe, deacon OF the
church of Cenchrea, and it's financial
and missionary agent Ugnatius OF An
tioch tells us that these deacons We're
not ministers of meats and drinks, but
ministers of the church of Cod; Pris.
cilla, a lady of distinguished learn
ing, who became the theological in.
structor of one of the most eloquent
of the apostles; Philips four daugh-
tiers, who with their father We're itin-
Grant evangelists, and a vast number
of other devout women. stand as
perpetual refutation to those who seek
by scriptural authority to fimit the
field of wonan's ministry in the
modern church.
From preapostolic times to the pres
ent there has never been period OF
great religious awakening when wom-
en- and men have not stood together
in the forefront of the struggle.
Ecclesiastical history will forever as
sociate the names of Helen and Con-
stantine, Monica and Augustine. Eu-
sebia with the Gregory of Nissa,
Marcella with Athanasius and Paula
with Jerome.
That many women were not only
accorded positions of trust and honor
but We're ordained and set apart for
tho Uorl. IF %J,o r,in}ctrx, &c chowu nv
the writings of both sacred and pro-
fame historians. When. in the second
century. Pliny the younger was sent
by the Emperor Trajan to investigate
the doings of the Christians he re.
ported officially that he found women
in the ministry of the church. From
the apostolic constitution has come to
us the following formula for the or
dination of apostolic women: "Eter.
nal God, Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Creator of men and women.
Thou who didst fill with Thy spirit
Miriam. Deborah, Hannah. and Hilda,
look down Thou also upon this Thy
handmade and bestow on her the Holy
Ghost. that she may worthily perform
the work committed to her to Thy
honor and the glory of Christ"
The simplicity of the democratic
ideal of the unity of the human race,
with it's equality of honor. rights,
duties and privileges, taught by Jesus,
was not understood by even His i'm
mediate disciples. What wonder,
then, that when these simple lessons
were carried out by men of lesser
spiritual insight, and narrower SYM
pathies the ethical teachings, with
their deep spiritual Significance. were
gradually lost in dogma; that arro-
sance began to manifest itself in
claims of superior wisdom and au-
thoEity. and the simple service of low
ing ministry. which revealed itself In
honor preferring one another was
supplanted by burdensome cere-
monial and sybaritic and powerful
hierarchy:
1t is well-established fact that in
times of great religious awakening
and persecution. where there are no
honors Of Office or pecuniary compen.
sati0n for service, women are &C.
corded greater power and recognition
than in periods of the church's pros
perity. Therefore, when the hierarchy
was established, when the position of
minister became prize to be con-
borne, when the Office Of deacon, pres
byter or bishop was a sinecure eag-
erly sought by men who employed
every possible device or intrigue to
reduce the number of classes eligible
10 these positions. women were natur-
ally the first to be prescribed.
This reaction against women was
begun in the third century by Tertul-
liam. Influenced by his mighty ambi-
ton upon his conversion to the new
religion, he Immediately began to re-
construct the simple life of Christian
ity. lmbued by the pagan contempt
for women. he waged unrelenting war
against them. declaring Woman!
thou oughtest always to walk in
mourning and rags. thine eyes filled
with tears OF repentance to make men
forget that thou hast been the de-
struction Of the race. Woman! thou
art the gate OF hell"
Many of his disciples were in ac-
cord with these sentiments and fol-
lowed his example with untiagging
zeal. They diligently preached OF the
beauty of self-etfacement, of the love.
, illness OF self-sacrifice and modesty,
of the admirable qualities of womanly
obedience and subsection, emphasiz-
ing the immodesty OF her preaching
and teaching.
! While the church denounced wom-
| an as the source of all evil. in in.
stituting the worship of the Virgin it
deified her 1t was not the woman
with her human desires. hopes and
aspirations that it exalted. but the
saint. secluded from life's interests.
struggles and temptations.
II was bu, natural that during the
reactionary period of the church life,
while the attitude OF it's foremost
teachers and writer's was that of AFRO
"anl cOntcmur for women in all of