faith that has been delivered unto you, which is the mother of us all."

Thus do the writings of the early fathers contain within themselves an antidote sufficient, if used aright, to counteract the venom of those gradually developing false principles which at length overspread the church, and furnish an appropriate illustration of the sentiments we aim to uphold; which are briefly these :-Faith, founded on the simple promise and word of God, is something beyond the reach of man's fallen and unbelieving nature, and is both begotten and nourished by the continual operation of God. All the creeds and articles in the world cannot give Christian faith, nor retain spiritual life or sound belief in a body calling itself a church. A Christian is God's workmanship, his " new creation;" and the life of faith which he leads is one which the vulture's eye hath not seen, and which the natural man fails to comprehend. But, "let the most illiterate Christian study the Scriptures, without any other commentary or exposition than what the different parts of the sacred volume mutually furnish; and let him never cease to pray for the illumination of that Spirit by which these books were dictated; and the whole compass of abstruse philosophy and recondite history shall furnish no argument with which the perverse will of man shall be able to shake this learned Christian's faith." -Bishop Horsley.

ERRATUM.-P. 80, 1. 10, for leoneum read leonem.

THOUGHTS ON THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN. AMONG the various subjects which THE INQUIRER has brought under the notice of its readers, the accounts of the proceedings in the chapel newly opened by the seceding Friends in Manchester, have doubtless been regarded with lively interest. To that infant congregation, now assuming the character of a Christian church, many eyes and many hearts must be turning, with keen observation and affectionate sympathy. The "great harmony and spiritual refreshment” they are represented as enjoying may, I trust, be considered as indications that the badge of true discipleship has been conferred, and right means of sustaining the spiritual life adopted.

But, in the accounts of these transactions, there is another circumstance, which, although of a negative character, is calculated to awaken serious consideration. It can hardly have escaped notice, that, on occasions so peculiarly interesting as the first opening of the chapel, and the first public baptism that took place within its walls, the minis

In ven

terial office appears to have been sustained entirely by men. It is certainly very possible that this was accidental: but may not the silence of the female part of the congregation quite as probably have arisen from feelings which are likely, before long, to be unequivocally acknowledged? I cannot help believing, that as Scripture is confessed to be THE RULE, and long venerated opinions and practices come to be fairly tried by that standard, a different construction will be put on those passages which the Early Friends and their descendants have regarded as authorising the public ministrations of women. turing thus to express an opinion which will doubtless be unpalatable to many, I can truly say, that it is not founded on a contemptuous undervaluing of the sex, as if they were incapable of the clear apprehension, of religious truth, or of feeling equal love and zeal in the service of the great Master; but on a firm conviction that Divine wisdom has assigned to women a different sphere of usefulness, and has adapted their moral and physical qualities to the station appointed for them by his providence.

A distinguished advocate of Quaker " peculiarities" has said, in writing on this subject," We dare not say to the modest and pious female, ‘Thou shalt not declare the word of the Lord,' when, from an infinitely higher authority, there is issued a directly opposite injunction,— Thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.'"*

After remarking, en passant, that this command was not addressed to a female, but to the prophet Jeremiah, it must be acknowledged that it would be a cause of deep regret, if a growing conviction that Friends have been under a mistake on this point should be accompanied by any necessity for issuing an authoritative prohibition: it would be far more desirable (and the proceedings at Manchester encourage such a hope) that the parties most deeply concerned in the question will examine it for themselves, with sincere desire for the influence of that wisdom which is promised in answer to the prayer of faith. Under this view of the subject, perhaps it will not appear presumptuous to refer to those passages of Scripture which have been adduced by the writer above quoted, as "examples of women who were impelled to speak to others on matters of religion, by the direct and immediate visitations of the Holy Ghost." Granting that those pious women were favoured to live, and on many occasions to act and speak, under Divine influence, let us consider whether "speaking to others on matters of religion," is strictly synonymous with the exercise of public

ministry. If it is not, such "speaking" does not help the argu

ment.

Miriam is the first person mentioned: but is leading a procession of females, with music and dancing, to join in triumphant chorus with the national anthem of praise and thanksgiving for miraculous deliverance, at all a case in point? If Deborah is to be cited as an example to Christian prophetesses, shall they also direct and accompany the march of the warrior, or occupy the judgment-seat? Hannah prayed silently in the temple, as "a woman of a sorrowful spirit,"-she prayed for a temporal blessing to herself; and when that prayer had been granted, in the fulness of her heart she poured forth her thanksgivings, apparently in the presence of her husband and of Eli; but what a forced construction it would be to call this an exercise of public ministry! The case of Huldah seems to belong to that period of the Jewish history when, on solemnly asking counsel of God in matters of public importance, an answer was returned by some appointed prophet. It seems evident from the text, that when Josiah directed such inquiry to be made, Hilkiah, the high priest, knowing that the Lord was not then to be inquired of, as in the Tabernacle,* by Urim and Thummim, and that Huldah was the person to whom he should apply, he went to her immediately, though Jeremiah and Zephaniah were both at that time prophets of the Lord. It is also worthy of remark, that Huldah did not prophesy until she was applied to in the appointed manner. Is this, then, a case which can fairly be considered as having any bearing upon the exercise of the Christian ministry?

We now come to examples from the New Testament. But was Elizabeth a preacher, because, in the privacy of her own house, she addressed her cousin in words spoken under the influence of the Holy Spirit? or Mary, when she answered in the language of joyful thanksgiving? And with regard to the four daughters of Philip, considering the various and dissimilar significations of the word " prophesied,” it does seem rather arbitrary to assume that it is, in this case, equivalent to " preached," and to enrol, on the evidence of one dubious fact, these females among" the early ministers of the Gospel dispensation." As for Priscilla, her exercise of the office," in a very eminent manner," is mentioned only as a probability; but on what part of her history the probability is founded it is difficult to discover. There are many ways of being "helpers "without preaching: for instance, when it was evident, notwithstanding the eloquence, fervour, and boldness of Apollos, that he was not fully acquainted with Christian doctrine,

* See Prideaux's Connec. i. 219.

Aquila and Priscilla appear to have taken him to their house, and given him the information he needed. In doing this, was she not "a fellow-labourer" with her husband and with Apollos? She also seems to have been eminently a "helper " to Paul-not in the way of preaching, but acting in conjunction with her husband, and probably under his advice and directions, when both of them "laid down their own necks," or exposed themselves to great personal danger, to preserve the life of Paul, and on that account were entitled not only to his thanks, but to "the thanks of all the churches." Yet, in these proceedings, where is the evidence of any public preaching or teaching on the part of Priscilla? Indeed, it may be greatly doubted whether any of these instances would have suggested the idea of women officiating as ministers in religious assemblies, unless that notion had been previously received, and a strong desire excited to find precedents for it in Scripture.

The views of Friends respecting the equal eligibility of women to this office, are stated, by the same writer, to be " a necessary consequence of their sentiments respecting the ministry."* This is an assertion which sends us directly to a closer examination of " those sentiments." But I feel it would be trespassing too much on these pages for me to pursue the subject; and earnestly hope that some one, better qualified to follow the advocate of "perceptible guidance" through all his turnings and windings, will undertake the task; and explain (if the thing be intelligible to common sense) how this apparent contradiction is to be reconciled:-" They [ministers] know that man has no right to interfere with their appointment, and they dare not look to him for their warrant and authority. It is their Lord and Redeemer who has invested them with their office, and to him alone are they responsible for its execution."+ Yet, notwithstanding this high assumption, we read immediately after, that "the minister is not to decide whether or not he is truly appointed to that office-it must, in great measure, devolve on their brethren to determine "-what? why, "whether their communications rest on no better foundations than their own will." "Nor is the office of judging respecting the ministry confined to the elders alone- the whole body of the church is concerned in the decision of that question." And this is said of a church in which birthright constitutes membership! The elders, too, are of human appointment, yet it is their office to watch over the inspired ministers -"to guard against the encroachments of unsound or unauthorised doctrine, to encourage the feeble and diffident, and to restrain the Ib., p. 181.

* P. 215.

forward and hasty among the Lord's servants." Now, suppose that these men-made elders, or this hereditary church, should fall into a state that "will not endure sound doctrine," (the apostle declared that such a time would come,) and then of what avail would be the inspiration of the ministers? Is it not plain, that when their doctrine pressed inconveniently, the elders, or the church, or both, would tell them that they were not acting under Divine authority? But would St. Paul have submitted to such trammels? Did he not forewarn Timothy? Yet the advocate of this incongruous system maintains, that “the views and practices of Friends, in these several particulars, are in precise accordance with a variety of declarations and examples recorded in Holy Writ."* It is a pity he did not subjoin a list of references.

A writer in the last Number, treating on "The Power of the Keys," explains it, I believe, correctly, as not only implying the power of admission into the Christian church, but also the power of binding and loosing, which is understood to include the power of condemning for sin, and absolving from sin, as well as the power of decreeing which parts of the law should be "bound," or forbidden, to Christians; and which should be "loosed," or continue in force. Now, since we cannot deny the right of Paul, who " was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles," to exercise this power, we should observe that he couples his injunction to women to "keep silence in the churches,” with a renewal of the command that they should" be under obedience, as also saith the law." Must we not therefore conclude, that Paul "loosed," i. e., left in free and full operation the supremacy of mana supremacy appointed by the Almighty himself immediately after the fall? appointed wisely as regards the peace of families, since "no man can serve two masters;" and justly, with respect to the motives which influenced each of the offenders. Nor was mercy less displayed than wisdom and justice in this arrangement, since it is clear that when the evil tendencies of fallen nature should be manifested, a greater degree of good, or happiness, must result from due subordination, and a nice adjustment of counterpoising qualities, than if the male and female mind had been cast in the same mould, intrusted with equal power, and then left to contend for mastery.

Yet, while acknowledging in whose hands the reins of government have been placed, it should be as freely admitted, that low thoughts of women are one of the surest signs of moral degradation in man. Subordination does not necessarily imply inferiority. This may seem a paradox; but I think it might be proved, were not this communication

* P. 189.