VI. FUTURE PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED AS RE- VEALED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, . BY PROF. HENRY COWLES, D.D., OBERLIN, OHIO. IX. NOTICES OF RECENT PUBLICATIONS, . Mehring, The Philosophico-Critical Principles of Self- Completion, or Philosophy of History, Flügel, The Problems of Philosophy and their Solutions, historico-critically exhibited, Harms, Philosophy in its History-I. Psychology, Meyer, Philosophical Questions of the Time,. Fournié, Essai de Psychologie, II. THE CONCEPT OF GOD AS THE GROUND OF VII. THE CONTROVERSY AMONG THE PROTESTANT MISSIONARIES ON THE PROPER TRANSLA- THE BIBLIOTHECA SACRA. ARTICLE I. WOMEN KEEPING SILENCE IN CHURCHES. BY REV. WILLIAM DE LOSS LOVE, D.D., ANDOVER, MASS. ON Sunday, Oct. 13, 1845, died Mrs. Elizabeth Gurney Fry, in the sixty-sixth year of her age. Her excellent natural endowments were remarkably graced with culture and refinement. She became an earnest Christian in early womanhood, and soon entered upon a career of philanthropy unusual for that period, continuing in it thirty-five years, to the end of her life. She became a preacher of the Society of Friends, and as such had a lengthened experience in addressing public audiences. She travelled much on the British Isles and through continental Europe, and was often admitted to kings' palaces. Much interest centred about her prison-reforms, of which she often spoke in public; but her most effective discourses were upon the spiritual truths of the gospel. Often addressing women alone, she still did not scruple to speak in the presence of men when she thought herself constrained to do so by the Holy Spirit. Her larger audiences are reported as numbering fifteen hundred, and sometimes three thousand, persons. Kings, courtiers, and their families, with many of the most intelligent and refined men and women of cities and realms, assembled to hear her. Yet was she the mother of eleven children, whose training and development she by no means neglected; two of her VOL. XXXV. No. 137. - JANUARY, 1878. 1 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. |