And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being taken by the deceit hath become a transgressor. Notwithstanding she shall be saved through her child-bearing, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with sober-mindedness" (1 Tim. ii. 11-15).

The opinions advocated in this Article will be grouped under five different heads.

I. Some prominent views respecting woman's silence in the churches are inconsistent with Scripture facts.

1. Elaborate attempts have been made to show that the word translated to speak in 1 Cor. xiv. 34, 35 means, in that instance, simply to babble; and that the apostle did not intend to forbid woman's intelligent speech in promiscuous or mixed religious assemblies, but to forbid the disorderly and unprofitable speech of those Corinthian women, and of others like them, at that day.

We reply: (1) The usual meaning of the verb λaλeîv is not to babble, but to speak. In this same epistle it is used when one speaks the "wisdom of God” (1 Cor. ii. 7) and the wisdom of the Spirit (ii. 13; xii. 3); while in another epistle it is used for the speaking of God (Heb. i. 1, 2; ii. 3), and for that of angels (ii. 2). In the classics this word is sometimes used to express the inarticulate sounds of human beings, the natural cries of animals, and also their attempts to imitate speech. But Archbishop Trench says that all those contemptuous uses of Xaλeiv, as to talk at random or to chatter, are foreign to the New Testament. Neither do we find in the lexicographers Robinson, Bloomfield, Loch, Grimm, Harting, Schirlitz, Wahl, Wilke, any recognition of this bad sense of the word when it is used in the New Testament. Bretschneider, however, recognizes it in 1 Cor. xiii. 11 and 1 Tim. v. 13; yet in both those passages that shade of meaning lies not in the word, but in the context.

(2) If it were shown-which it is not—that the women at Corinth, and also those at Ephesus (where doubtless Timothy was when Paul addressed his first Epistle to him), 1 New Test. Syn., p. 275.

daughters giving to the world the memoirs of their mother in a set of very interesting volumes.

These facts in the life of Elizabeth Fry suggest some inquiries concerning the Pauline direction that women keep silence in the churches. Was that command binding on her? Was there anything indelicate in her appearing before men, as well as women, to speak and to teach? In so doing did she lack in proper subjection to her husband? Was hers a case of exception? If in these days we are not in all respects bound to the inspired letter of eighteen centuries ago, what relieves us, and how far does our wider privilege extend?

It is obvious that the leading questions on this subject are not yet settled. The two extreme views advocated are these: First, that silence at this day, and in all ages, is enjoined upon all women in all religious assemblies where men are present; second, that the command of silence was binding only upon Grecian women who had just been converted from idolatry, but not yet from all ignorance and its degradation. Is there not a golden mean between these two opinions which will reconcile all Scripture on this subject, and at the same time satisfy a conscientious regard for the divine word and all rational demands of the most active and also of the most cultivated modern society?

The two passages which enjoin the silence of women are from the inspired pen of the apostle Paul. As rendered by Alford, they stand thus:

"Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak, but to be in subjection, as the law also saith. And if they wish to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home: for it is a shame for a woman to speak in the church. What! did the word of God come forth from you? Or came it unto you alone?" (1 Cor. xiv. 34-36).

"Let the women learn in silence in all subjection. But I suffer not the woman to teach, nor yet to rule over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being taken by the deceit hath become a transgressor. Notwithstanding she shall be saved through her child-bearing, if they continue in faith and love and sanctification with sober-mindedness" (1 Tim. ii. 11-15).

The opinions advocated in this Article will be grouped under five different heads.

I. Some prominent views respecting woman's silence in the churches are inconsistent with Scripture facts.

1. Elaborate attempts have been made to show that the word translated to speak in 1 Cor. xiv. 34, 35 means, in that instance, simply to babble; and that the apostle did not intend to forbid woman's intelligent speech in promiscuous or mixed religious assemblies, but to forbid the disorderly and unprofitable speech of those Corinthian women, and of others like them, at that day.

We reply: (1) The usual meaning of the verb λaλeiv is not to babble, but to speak. In this same epistle it is used when one speaks the "wisdom of God" (1 Cor. ii. 7) and the wisdom of the Spirit (ii. 13; xii. 3); while in another epistle it is used for the speaking of God (Heb. i. 1, 2; ii. 3), and for that of angels (ii. 2). In the classics this word is sometimes used to express the inarticulate sounds of human beings, the natural cries of animals, and also their attempts to imitate speech. But Archbishop Trench says that all those contemptuous uses of λaλeiv, as to talk at random or to chatter, are foreign to the New Testament. Neither do we find in the lexicographers Robinson, Bloomfield, Loch, Grimm, Harting, Schirlitz, Wahl, Wilke, any recognition of this bad sense of the word when it is used in the New Testament. Bretschneider, however, recognizes it in 1 Cor. xiii. 11 and 1 Tim. v. 13; yet in both those passages that shade of meaning lies not in the word, but in the context.

(2) If it were shown-which it is not-that the women at Corinth, and also those at Ephesus (where doubtless Timothy was when Paul addressed his first Epistle to him), 1 New Test. Syn., p. 275.

were incompetent or disinclined to say anything rational or of profit in religious assemblies, then this claim that they only babbled would have weight. On the contrary, Strabo speaks of the strong influence exerted by the women of Western Asia in forming the religious opinions of the men. In this same country was Ephesus, where Paul also enjoined "silence" upon women. Why should it be different across the Archipelago in Corinth? Aristotle credits the Spartan women with great influence over the men. Such influence was not elsewhere unknown. The noted Phoebe, 66 of many," lived in Cenchrea, the port of Corinth, and must have had a leading influence over her Christian sisters in that city. Priscilla for a time worshipped with the church in Corinth, and also must have exerted a social power over its women. "The good service which women contributed towards the early progress of Christianity is abundantly known, both from the Acts and the Epistles."2 It must be that there were women in the Corinthian church who were far above babbling.

succorer

(3) The Pauline direction in some places is general, and not specific, applying to all women, and not to those only of Corinth and Ephesus. In Timothy (1 Tim. ii. 11, 12) it is not "your women," but "the woman," who is charged to learn in silence. In Corinthians (1 Cor. xiv. 35) the direction is first to "your women," but afterwards to "women," or, as the earlier manuscripts read, "a woman." This change from the definite to the indefinite shows that the command was binding on women in general at that time, and not merely on those of two or more particular cities.

(4) The reason assigned by the apostle for silence is applicable to all in Christian communities at that day, and not alone to the women of Corinth and Ephesus. That reason is, that there should be due honor to husbands and men. In First Corinthians the apostle writes, "As the law also saith." That law is, "Thy desire shall be to thy hus1 Grote's Hist. of Greece, Vol. ii. p. 383. 2 Conybeare and Howson, Vol. i. p. 181.

band, and he shall rule over thee" (Gen. iii. 16). In First Timothy the apostle makes specific reference to Adam's being formed first, and not being first deceived, as the reason why authority was given to man. And from this he infers the duty of silence on the part of woman. Hence to limit the injunction of silence to the women of Corinth and Ephesus must be wrong.

(5) In 1 Cor. xiv. 27, 28 a man speaking in an unknown tongue is directed to "keep silence in the church," unless there be an interpreter present. Unintelligible address is forbidden in men, with the implication that they may speak in church if they have something to say that can be understood. But if babbling-senseless talk-were the only thing prohibited in women, why was there not the implication that they too might speak if they would utter sensible thoughts? Why was not exception made for such women as Priscilla, Phoebe, Lydia? They would have spoken better than some men. Such permission is not given, but silence is enjoined upon them, on account of their sex.

2. Professor Calvin E. Stowe has argued1 that the apostle's injunction of silence was laid upon women in the churches of Greece and Asia Minor, because of peculiar customs there requiring reticence and retirement; and that in Rome and other parts westward from Greece, more freedom being allowed to woman, no such silence was enjoined. Such exception is not made or intimated in Scripture, and the inference is that it did not exist. At that time the condition of woman was nearly the same in all pagan nations. Earlier it was better, especially in Rome, and women still had a few more legal rights there than in Greece. They could give evidence in courts of law, and could accompany their husbands to public banquets. Professor Stowe cites Cornelius Nepos to show the superiority of the condition of Roman over that of Grecian women. But this author lived nearly a century earlier than the date of Paul's Epistles; and all he claims is that a Roman was not ashamed to take his wife to

1 Hearth and Home, Vol. i. pp. 600, 601.