The Preaching of Women.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 216, 18 September 1901, Page 1

The Preaching of Women.

(To tho Editor of the Times.)

Silt,- —As “ Vox ” objects to my definition of his meaning, I will take his own and consider the point at issue from the view of “ what is mere human opinion expressed in merely humanly-seleeted words.” Nearly 1900 years ago it was prophesied that the end of the world was then approaching. St. Matthew reports Jesus to have said :—“ For the Son of Man shall come in the Glory of His Father with His Angels ; ami then Ho shall reward overy man according to His works. Verily I say unto you, thero be some standing here which shall not tasto of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom.” It is certain that all standing there did tasto death without seeing tho Son of Man coming with His Angels. The conclusion is irresistible, that either Jesus was mistaken in speaking these words, or else St. Matthew was mistaken in supposing that He spoke them. St. Paul predicts the same event in still more definite terms. He says “ For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of tho Lord shall not prevent them which are asloep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God ; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.”

Here is the most distinct prediction possible, both of the event which was to happen and of the limit of time within which it was to take place. The time is ( distinctly stated to be in the lifetime of some of the then existing generation, including St. Paul himself, who was to be one of the “we which are alive.” By no possibility can this be construed to mean a coming at some indefinite future time. St. Paul doubtless meant what ho said, and firmly believed that he was uttering an inspired prophesy which would certainly be fulfilled. But it is certain that it was not fulfilled. St. Paul and all his contemporaries have been dead for nearly ISOO years, and the shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God, have never been heard. What is this but an absolutely irresistible demonstration that St. Paul, at times, held “mere human opinion, expressed in merely humanly-seleeted words " ? And if it can be proved in such a case is it not more likely that St. Paul on the minor subject of the preaching of women might be capable of a “ more human opinion expressed in merely humanly-selected words ”? If, by the term inspiration, “ Vox ” docs not mean “ Thus far God spake and no further,” does he mean that God is infinite and manifests Himself and His divine principles throughout the universe at all times and in all ages ? “ Vox ” can only see profanity in making holy things common ; there is equally as much profanity in trying to make common things holy. It is a common thing for the narrowminded to limit- God to their own narrow conception of Him. If “lox ’ admits that he cannot bring a full comprehension of infinity within his finite capacity why does he not carry that principle to a logical conclusion, and admit that the inspiration of the infinite cannot by “ mere human opinion” be confined to one age and one race of men, but is world-wide ; yes,spreads throughout the universe, for ever working in and through all things, and recognise his duty as an earnest seeker after truth i to obey St. Paul’s injunction, “ Provo all things”? — 1 am, etc., ’ {iormm.