(The reader should always turn to the Bible and read the passages referred to.)

QUES. 1.-In 1 Cor. 11:5 Paul speaks of women praying or prophesying. But in 14:34 he commands their silence in the assemblies. How do you explain these two verses? Also the statement, ''As the law also says" (New Trans.).

ANS.-The first scripture indicates that women may pray or prophesy, but does not mention where this may or may not be done. It gives, however, directions to women when so doing. The second scripture plainly says that such must not be in the assembly. Such activity on their part must then be outside of the assembly.

Titus 2:3,4 instructs elder women to be "teachers of good things," "of what is right" (New Trans.); and "that they may teach the younger women," or "admonish" (New Trans.), the word, in the original, meaning "to impart and enforce by will, counsel, and rebuke, rules of conduct," etc. The word here for "teachers" is the same as used for "teachers" and "teach" in relation to men (Eph.4:11; 1 Tim. 4:11; 6:2; 2 Tim. 2:2), indicating that the same kind of work is thought of in connection with women. However, the same word is used in 1 Tim. 2:12, "I suffer not a woman to teach." In explanation we may say that in Titus the woman is given the right to teach, and the sphere defined in which her work is to performed. In Timothy the right is denied her clearly as taking a place among men to teach, instead of learning in quietness. "Nor to exercise authority over the man" denies to her what taking such a place inevitably leads to. It is a question of her attitude and place in the presence of men to whom God has given the public place of teaching and authority. The silence or quietness enjoined is in the sense of not showing a rebellious attitude, or spirit of self-will, not being marked by altercation. For the use of this word, and its cognates, compare 2 Thess. 3:12, quietness; Acts 22:2, silence (quiet, New Trans.) ; 1 Pet. 3:4, quiet; 1 Tim. 2:2, peaceable (quiet, New Trans.) ; 1 Thess. 4:11, be quiet; Luke 23:56, rested (remained quiet, New Trans.) ; Luke 14:4; Acts 11:18; 21:14, silent. In 1 Cor. 14:34 a different word is used for silence, which is used throughout in connection with public utterance in the way of ministry to the assembly. Compare vers. 28 (keep silence), 30 (hold his peace). That this is the thought appears confirmed by the use of the word "speak" (vers. 34, 35), the original word having reference simply to the fact of utterance. Clearly the force of this scripture is to prohibit a woman from getting up in the assembly to pray or prophesy. Yet 1 Cor. 11:5,13 seems to intimate that she may do both. Tit. 2:3,4 would indicate the sphere for such service, but always as acknowledging that place which she is in according to God's order, and hence the instruction of 1 Cor. 11 as to the sign of this. Her manner of dress and attitude are also stated.

Sometimes question is raised as to sisters teaching in Sunday Schools. In the first place this is not in the assembly as referred to in 1 Cor. 14. Our Sunday Schools being in charge of brethren under whose direction such sisters serve, their work as teaching children or their own sex can hardly be construed as usurping or exercising authority over men as teachers, instead of keeping a quiet, subject place and attitude. The arbitrary refusal to permit such service by sisters within the sphere indicated cannot be sustained by isolating from its context the apostle's word, "I suffer not a woman to teach," for he is thinking of her taking a public place as a teacher, on an equality with or as set over men; and at no time is her attitude to be other than that signified by the word for silence, as already pointed out.

"As the law also says," refers to the woman being in subjection (New Trans.). It does not appear to point to any specific injunction of the law, but calls attention to the record it gives that godly women so conducted themselves. Does not Peter sum up the testimony thus given when he says, "For thus also the holy women who have hoped in God heretofore adorned themselves, being subject to their own husbands; as Sarah," etc. (ch. 3:5). Further the instructions given in Num. 30:3-13 show what the law required.

QUES. 2.-What is the teaching of the Bible about the covering of the woman's head?

ANS.-We learn from 1 Cor. 11:15 that God gave the woman long hair in lieu of a veil. Thus the order of nature as established by the Creator sets forth the relative place of man and the woman. The long hair is a sign indicating her place of subjection to man as the head of this creation. Yet while headship is to be owned, mutual dependence is also to be recognized in the relation of man and woman (vers. 11,12). But the long hair is not the covering of which the apostle speaks. It is something additional as vers. 5, 6 show. "If a woman be not covered, let her hair also be cut off. But if it be shameful to a woman to have her hair cut off or to be shaved, let her be covered." Without a covering she apes the man, and if she is going to thus leave her proper place let her hair be cut off. This, however, would be shameful. It was doing away with the Creator's own mark; then too among the Jews and other peoples a woman convicted of adultery had her hair shorn, and in any case the woman who appeared in public uncovered was given a bad reputation. It is evident that the apostle considered the custom of the woman's head being covered as both comely and according to godly order. He advances a further reason in ver. 10. The covering she wears is a symbol or sign of the power or authority under which she stands; in other words, it expresses subjection to her appointed head. "On account of the angels," that is, that they may witness in the Christian company that divine order maintained which gives a witness to God in the scene where sin and disorder prevail, or it may be because her place in relation to man is analogous to that of the angels to Christ-one of subordination, subjection.

QUES. 3.-Was Timothy ordained twice? See 1 Tim. 4:14 and 2 Tim. 1:6. What is the meaning of two laying on of hands?

ANS.-No, we do not think Timothy was twice ordained. In the first passage "by" is better "through prophecy" (New Trans.). It is the Greek preposition dia, signifying by means of, the instrument, by the medium of prophecy. Thus Timothy had been called or pointed out by the Holy Spirit for a special gift. In the second passage where the same preposition is used it would appear that Paul was directly used in so marking out Timothy and bestowing the gift. Now, reverting to the first passage, we find quite another preposition used in connection with the action of the elderhood. It is meta, "with," simply signifying identification, accompaniment, and so fellowship, but not having in it the idea conveyed by dia in the other two cases, where the thought is of efficient cause, or the manner through which anything takes place or is produced. This difference may indicate the reason for the two actions, mentioned in these passages. John Bloore