WOMEN MINISTERS.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20181, 9 March 1931, Page 16

WOMEN MINISTERS.

Correspondents who. do not comply -with our rules set: out- in the . last column of oua leader page ■will excuse us from noticing their letters. .

TO THS Mgfoa' of Mai; KKMB; 1 ! .Sir,—Will you kindlytllow me to' reply to the letter by"ILGKM/' onthe above subject. 'lt is >much to> express; an opinion than topro.veitto be ' the trutfc. Your? correspondent writes; as follows: "With regard 46 the ministry of women we;m)ißt remember that the prominence' of such women W Miriam, Deborah, etc.,was permitted by God to indicate the weakness of the' nation with regard to administrative government." ' Erom • whence does "H.C01." obtain this information! Was ever administrative ability more in evidenee than *in Miriam eo-leader and. brother, Moses,, the mighty" representa- 5 tive ' of' Divine government' on earth! And again "were there any greater prop*' hets in Israel than Isaiah; and miah'f Yet Huldah the prophetess was contemporary with,them. In neither*of the'' foregoing instances s was; such'" a l , change' required as "'suggested' by " H.G.M.'» It astonishes, me- to rfikd that scriptures in the' New Testament referring to the, natural aubjectiou/of woman to, man should be vxested frjjm, their setting and misapplied' to. a iiiin-: istry in which sex is not recognised, y or rather is not of importance. A man filled with the Holy Ghost is for God's use." Similarly a woman filled", with Holy Ghost is a vessel through which. God ministers., ■>. '.%,«■ Had "H.G.M." given closer attention to the teaching in 1 Cor,-and 11th Chapter, he could'not have failed to ; discern that provision to prophesy is made for women as well as for men. It is of no value 'against thia, teaching to- <J uote other avenues of service for women.-'The distinctive right -for the pnblicf ministry of women is demonstrable beyond/all reasonable controversy. Not only is it scriptural, but the names of won&n mighty in the Scriptures and filled with the Holy Ghost and'"power adorn. the : pages of the history-of the Christian Church when unhindered by the MBnscriptural dogmas of men. I need only' refer to Mrs Wesley, Mrs Fletcher, of Madeley, Mrs Haslam,- Mrs 1 Defining' (nee Hooper), arid the "wife of-, the late founder of the Salvation Army, who was ft choice teacher and preacher., Mrs Booth's daughters also, excelled,' particularly the Mareehale, /as "Sirs Clibborn Booth is universally and Affectionately knownl—Yours,* etc.,* ' i DAVID THOMAS SMITH; March 6th, J931. . v I r» * ."■»»£< , w i*,, ' i *■*•*» TO TEE EDITOR' Of ttHB BSS, ■" Sir, —I consider that in opening your columns for a- discussion on the -above subject you have, done a good work. The subject''is arousing the "'interest" of many •of the most gifted • leaders in Is* angelical circles . throughout .«the English-speaking world,, andbooks and articles are'being written .by-men, and women who have studied the Scriptures cJosely and have* observed the benefits* of the ministry of women as preachers • and'leaders. - 1 . l be recognised first of all< that the prevailing antipathy "orVift-I dififwence to 'this question, is ftpuin-T tentance. from "tlie 'Church .-.ofjftjlte Middle Aries. Theßefoymation, ft Witt be agreed, was not ..complete,, hut leftf many questions of both practice andbelief ,t°. be brought, to, perfection- fey,? the' *ettera*ioos"> £\of Kevivala - of inthe Churches sf flfrbtiwda Mid

it, ia .in ties© movementsYiiiat we4i**i .Able to trace- in an degree the development bf'vnUiifitiutar ibtry in. the Church by 1 women.- 33m I'urltau Itevival of the Seventeenth Century, thopgh truly Apostolic,:waa confronted with too msknv difficult problems of both Chturoh and-State to cidate the subject of this discussion, but in-the l iiuiler George Fox, founder'of:the-So-#ety k -«£ Friends (Quakers), which may be,, regards! as a complamentarv influence, and in -some respects a eaperioc ®ne. to Pnntaniam, provided * for .'the ministry of/ women in theircoag»efea< tional serines. .^i*»be^ Quakeress and a nrafrher to h^rfellow religiomfctg; rcwtuxy' Ve, ihave tie Methodist Revival; and-atony dt #e Sisters among the jtfethodbkTwn* permitted snd encouraged to preach To mention only one, there was Ami afterwards tlus-wife of? John JSj}stolier, TTcarof Madeley, and Wesley's ■' ? e ; among l the Mpthodists and ausastcd Iter husband and,after his.death tarried on the :|>evnral work in his parish, assist**} by curates. * ' • , During ihe Eighteenth 'Genton "there wu-e several great movements among the Churches which tncoiiraKod the Bisters to preach. The IfrangJSl sZ was xißterde^oiSioS IfloMght many enunj&rit; sent' ot&.Jt of women preacher- manv J of thorn ! ■ to'the darkest places- iiv BssTanS #!<d the Continent tasvtffer anctHrttowK i,™! . "U/' Thojl- there has" Tirnrrjliu"