Woman's Sphere in the Church (1875)

This is not limited to the duties of the family or household, since she is often by nature and grace pre-eminently adapted for a wider service. Hence women were employed as prophets, that is, in the sense of public religious teachers, including the higher ministerial duties, as appears from the rank next after apostles . I Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11. Compare Acts 2:17-18; 21:9; Rom. 16:1-2. So in the Old Testament. Exod. 15:20; Judg. 4:4; II Kings 22:14; Num. 11:29.          

Compare also Ps. 68:11, where the true rendering is, of the women preachers there was a great host; which accords with the wish of Moses, Num. 11:29, and of Paul, I Cor. 14:5.

Some have understood Paul as prohibiting women teaching. I Cor. 14:34-35; 1 Tim. 2: 11-12. But he evidently refers to such only as prayed and prophesied unveiled, as appears 1 Cor. 11:5-13. Paul in this had respect simply to the usage of society, as was his custom in matters of indifference. I Cor. 9:19-23. To say that his prohibition applies alike to all times and conditions of society, is to say that the prudential regulations of a degraded heathen people, eighteen hundred years ago, are universally binding, and that Christianity in this respect has wrought no change in the world it came to reform. Paul surely had a different estimate of woman service. Rom. 16:1-7, 12-15. His first public discourse in Europe was at a meeting of women, and his first convert and host was a woman. Acts 16:9-15. 
        

There is indisputable scriptural and historical proof that subordinate official position was accorded to women in the apostolic Church:-            

1. The correct translation of Rom. 16:1-2, shows that Phebe was a deacon of the Church and a patron of many-the original of patron being radically the same as is rendered, he that ruleth, in chap. 12:8. (182. What is said of his estimate of women? Was official position accorded to her? What is said of Phebe? What exposition of Rom. 16:1-2?) of Deacons not only minister to the sick and needy, but from Phil. 1:1, and I Tim. 3:2, 8, we infer that they preached and discharged other spiritual functions subordinate to the elders or bishops, who correspond to the pastors of modern times.           

2. The rules of conduct laid down for women in I Tim. 3:11, and Titus 2:3, have been referred to the deaconesses by a series of eminent commentators from Chrysostom to Alford.           

3. Dr. Schaff and other scholars interpret the words, "let not a widow be taken into the number," I Tim.5:9. Let not a widow be elected and ordained under threescore years old.           

4. From Titus 2:3-4, we learn that women were employed as teachers in the direct personal application of Christian truth.           

5. Pliny, a few years later, speaks of the order of deaconesses as exercising, in relation to their own sex, functions analogous to those of the deacons.           

The history of the early Christian Church confirms this statement, and adds, also, that women baptized. Signal honors are recorded of woman's devotion to Christ and his cause. Matt. 26:6-13; Mark 12:41-44; Luke 10:38-42. She was first to preach the actual advent of the promised Messiah, both to the Jews and to the Samaritans. Luke 2:36-38; John 4:28, etc.; and first to preach the risen Savior to his doubting apostles. Matt. 28:7-9, 17.

"Not she, with traitorous kiss, her Savior stung; — Luke 22:47-48.

Not she denied him with unholy tongue; — Matt. 26:69-75.

She, while apostles shrank, could danger brave: —Matt. 26:56

Last at the cross, and earliest at his grave." — Matt. 27:55-56 28:1.

— From: Amos Binney & Daniel Steele, Binney's Theological Compend Improved (1875).

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ADDENDUM: And, for those who would like to see a list of women who were leaders in the Wesleyan movements prior to 1900, see this: Kevin Jackson: Women Leaders in the Wesleyan Movements.

Scriptures About Women and Ministry

QUESTION: Explain:

(a) 1 Corinthians 11:1-16:

 1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.  2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.  3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.  4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.  5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.  6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.  7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.  8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.  9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.  10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.  11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.  12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.  13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?  14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?  15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.  16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God." (KJV)

(b) 1 Corinthians 14:35, 36:

35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. 36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? (KJV)

(c) 1 Timothy 2:11, 12:

11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

ANSWER: (a) This indirectly permits a woman to pray and to prophesy or preach by prescribing the manner. (b) Having thus permitted her praying and speaking in public, it is not like Paul to absolutely forbid her in the same letter. What he does prohibit is the interruption of the preacher by asking questions. Our missionaries in the Orient are thus often interrupted when preaching to women. (c) This teaches that there can be two captains on one deck and designates the man as captain and the woman as mate. In Rom. 16:1 Paul calls Phoebe a deacon (that is Greek) of the church at Cenchrea. In I Tim. 2:3-11 the qualities of women deacons are indicated, and deacons in addition to caring for the poor and sick, preached the Gospel, as did Stephen. In Rom. 16. Paul sends greetings to seven women, most of them by name, as fellow laborers "in the Lord." If women are not to use their gift of speech for Christ, who has broken their galling and heavy yoke, what a mistake God made when he endowed Frances E. Willard and other women with extraordinary persuasive address!

— from Steele's Answers p. 46.