[Footnote 117:  Acts, Chap. 1.]

That women preached afterwards, or in times subsequent to the day of pentecost, they collect from the same Evangelist. [118]For he mentions Philip, who had four daughters, all of whom prophesied at Caesarea.  Now by prophesying, if we accept [119]St. Paul’s interpretation of it, is meant a speaking to edification, and exhortation, and comfort, under the influence of the Holy Spirit.  It was also a speaking to the church:  it was also the speaking of one person to the church, while the others remained silent.

[Footnote 118:  Acts 21.9.]

[Footnote 119:  1 Cor. 14.]

That women also preached or prophesied in the church of Corinth, the Quakers show from the testimony of St. Paul:  for he states the manner in which they did it, or that [120]they prayed and prophesied with their heads uncovered.

[Footnote 120:  1 Cor. 11. 5.]

That women also were ministers of the Gospel in other places; and that they were highly serviceable to the church, St. Paul confesses with great satisfaction, in his Epistle to the Romans, in which he sends his salutation to different persons, for whom he professed an affection or an esteem:  [121]thus—­“I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church, which is at Cenchrea.”  Upon this passage the Quakers usually make two observations.  The first is, that the [122]Greek word, which is translated servant, should have been rendered minister.  It is translated minister, when applied by St. Paul to [123]Timothy, to denote his office.  It is also translated minister, when applied to [124]St. Paul and Apollos.  And there is no reason why a change should have been made in its meaning in the present case.  The second is, that History has handed down Phoebe as a woman eminent for her Gospel labours.  “She was celebrated, says [125]Theodoret, throughout the world; for not only the Greeks and the Romans, but the Barbarians, knew her likewise.”

[Footnote 121:  Romans 16.1.]

[Footnote 122:  [Greek:  Diokogos.]]

[Footnote 123:  1 Thess. 3. 2.]

[Footnote 124:  1 Cor. 3. 5.]

[Footnote 125:  In Universa Terra celebris facta est; nec eam soli Romani, &c,]

St. Paul also greets Priscilla and Aquila.  He greets them under the title of fellow-helpers or fellow-labourers in Jesus Christ.  But this is the same title which he bestows upon Timothy, to denote his usefulness in the church.  Add to which, that Priscilla and Aquila were the persons of whom St. Luke [126]says, “that they assisted Apollos in expounding to him the way of God more perfectly.”

[Footnote 126:  Acts 18. 24. 26.]

In the same epistle he recognizes also other women, as having been useful to him in Gospel-labours.  Thus—­“Salute Tryphena, and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord.”  “Salute the beloved Persis, who laboured much in the Lord.”

From these, and from other observations, which might be made upon this subject, the Quakers are of opinion that the ministry of the women was as acceptable, in the time of the Apostles, as the ministry of the men.  And as there is no prohibition against the preaching of women in the New Testament, they see no reason why they should not be equally admissible and equally useful as ministers at the present day.