W.OMAN IN THE BIBLE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 86, 6 January 1919, Page 2

W.OMAN IN THE BIBLE

. We. havo a sidelight/ thrown. on. the status of /w.omaii. in/the. New. Testament not/Welt.understood.Hitherto. That noble old book,' ' the Bible, reveals a. higher station' to.'.womanhood.' in'. ; .the ..ancient Israelitisli days than in any other Oriental land; t\nd from"the beginning of the Old Testament, to .the end of it there is 110 limitation' of a woman's rights, her functions, and her position. She actually was public in the sense of honour and function;-.6he went with unveiled face if she pleased; she.-partook, of (religious services and led them; sho was a jadge,.sh'o was even a leader of armies; and you will r.ot find, either in the .Old -Testament- or. in- tho..-New, one- Wild; that limits, tho position/ of a woman till you come to the Apostie's writing about Grecian women; for only in Corinthians and in the-writings pf-Paul to Tim'othy,. who .was tho bishop of the Greek churches-in Asia Minor,--do. you, fiiid any .limitation made. Knowing full well-what the Greek public sentiment was.'d'aul said: "Suffer not a woman to teach it'i your assemblies, let your'„'women keep, silende;" 'Why? Because, all in that corrupt public sentiment . associated ■ -intelligence

and immorality, "and. it is not strange that, prudcntialiy and .temporarily, - women wero restrained. But that has all gone; Woman-has risen, not only in -iuielligeh'ce, .'biit as tlib universal teacher: hot"alone'-in the houiiehold, but in .the schools; not alone'in the common schools, but in every- grade, till she has attained professorships in universities', and even presidency in women's colleges. She is the .right hand of, ..the charities of the church; she walks unblusliingly.. where men-do walk; and she is not only permitted in the orthodox churches of New England to speak in hieetiii/, 'but when they send her abroad, ordained -to teach iho Gospel to the, h'e'allien,"there she is permitted to .preach; and when they come home women may still teach in n hall, but not in a cluirch; and dear old men there are .yet; so. conservative that they are Tending through"golden spectacles their Bibles, and saving: "I suffer not a woman to preach."—H .W..Beeeher.