(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

I invite every troubled brother and sister here to cry for grace from God to be able to see God's hand in every trial, and then for grace, seeing God's hand, to submit at once to it, not only to submit, but to acquiesce, and to rejoice in it. "It is the Lord, let Him do what seemeth Him good." I think there is generally an end to troubles when we get to that, for when the Lord sees we are willing that He should do what He wills, then He takes back His hand, and says:"I need not chasten My child; he submits himself to Me. What would have been effected by My chastisement is effected already, and therefore, I will not chasten him."

There are two ways of getting help. The one is to go around to all your friends, and get disappointed, and then go to God at last. The other is to go to God at first. That is the shortest cut. God can make your friends help you afterwards. Seek first God and His righteousness. Out of all troubles the surest deliverance is from God's right hand. Therefore from all troubles the readiest way to escape is to draw near to God" in prayer. Go not to this friend or that, but pour out thy story before God.

"Were half the breath that's vainly spent, To heaven in supplication sent; Our cheerful song would oftener be, Hear what the Lord hath done for me." Human friends fail us. The strongest sinew in an arm of flesh will crack, and the most faithful heart will sometimes waver. But our God is eternal and omnipotent; who ever trusted in Him in vain? Where is the man that can say, I looked up to Him and hoped in Him, and I am ashamed of my hope?

The beauty of David's looking alone to God came out in this, quite calmly and quietly. He said to himself:"God will get me out of this;" therefore he was not angry with Shimei; he did not want his head to be cut off, or anything of the sort. "God will do it." If a man keep in that frame of mind, what can disturb him? Though the mountains were cast into the midst of the sea and the earth were moved, yet still would he in patience possess his soul, and still be calm, for of such a man I may say, "His soul shall dwell at ease, his seed shall inherit the earth." God hath given His angels charge concerning such a man to keep him in all His ways; for this is the man that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, and he shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. The Lord saith of him:"Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him. I will set him on high, because he hath known My name (Ps. 91:14). He hath proved it by trusting in Me, and Me alone; therefore will I never fail him." "Trust ye in the Lord forever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength" (Isa. 22:4). Gather up your confidences, make them into one confidence and fix them all on Him. Lean not here and there-thou wilt grow crooked in thyself, and the staff thou leanest on shall turn to a spear, and pierce thee. Lean wholly upon God, and as He is everywhere thou shalt stand upright in leaning upon Him. C. H. Spurgeon

(Concluded from p. 228.)

"Respect for the Reward"

But shall we work with reward in view? Is not this selfish? Is it not better to ignore this matter altogether and to work alone for Christ? These are questions often asked and not to be lightly turned aside.

Surely we would not have so many exhortations to see -. to it that we do not lose our reward if the Holy Spirit :;S did not intend that we should have the crowns in view.

Of Moses we read that,

"By faith he, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to .' suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he HAD RESPECT unto the RECOMPENSE of the REWARD" (Heb. 11:24-26).

He weighed what Egypt could offer over against what God by His Word had promised to His people, and all Egypt's glory seemed lighter than air in comparison with the praise of God. Nor was it selfishness that thus led him to have "respect unto the recompense of the reward." He knew that God is glorified, as His people learn to esteem His favors in the right light.

Years ago, after the present writer had been speaking along the lines of truth indicated in these papers, a modest Christian woman came up to him and asked, "Am I to understand that you are working for reward, that you are looking forward to receiving a crown?" "Yes," was the reply; "I should rejoice indeed to be crowned by Him whose servant I am, in that day." "Well," she . exclaimed, "I am disappointed in you! I hoped you labored unselfishly out of pure love for Christ, and not with any expectation of reward. For myself, I only desire to please Him, and I am not at all interested in the crowns." "But, Madam," she was asked, ''do you recall what we are to do with the crowns if we are so happy as to win them?" Instantly her face changed. "Oh," was the answer, "I had not thought of that! It does say somewhere-doesn't it?-that they cast their crowns at His feet!" "Yes, that is it! And how sad it would be to have no crown in that day. You see we do not-we shall not-take any credit to ourselves for work performed, for service rendered here on earth; for when we have done all, we can but say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do;' but we shall cast our crowns adoringly at His once-pierced feet as we join in the song of praise, ' 'Tis Thou who art worthy, Lord Jesus. Tis Thou!'" Her eyes filled with tears as she softly said, "I should indeed want a crown for that glorious occasion. I have been mistaken, I shall seek to labor for Him in view of the reward."

And surely every blood-bought one instructed out of the Word will echo her sentiment.

It is well to remember how, while on earth, He was in the habit of saying (as the tense actually implies), "It is more blessed to give than to receive." So it will add to His joy to be able to bestow upon His victorious saints the rewards which He has prepared afore hand for them. He would have each one to be numbered among those who keep the word of His patience and overcome the world, in order that, having suffered with Him, they may reign with Him in the glory of the coming displayed Kingdom.

When He comes forth to reckon with His servants, and "to see what each one hath gained by trading" with the talents or pounds entrusted to him, it will be His delight to recognize what His grace has wrought in them by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. In honoring them He is really glorifying the Father's name and His own name. Who in that day would be willing to miss His "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord?" And what satisfaction it will give to the one who has toiled on amid difficulty for Him in the day of His rejection when He says, "Thou hast been faithful in a few things; I will make thee ruler over many."

And yet it is not merely for crowns we labor, but that we may please Him who hath called us to be His soldiers. His approval will make up for all man's misunderstandings and persecutions. "Therefore we labor, that whether present or absent, we may be acceptable to Him."

But sometimes we fail to realize how appreciative He is of little things, of hidden devotion, of faithfulness in the daily round. We are too apt to think we must "do some great thing," serve in some public capacity, to earn the victor's wreath. But this is a mistake. He values all that is done out of love for Him whether it be seen of men or not.

I recall a burdened little mother who said to me once, "I cannot win a crown, for I have no opportunity to serve as I would like. In college I had dreams of a life devoted to Christ's work. I was a 'student volunteer' and expected to become a missionary, but about the time I graduated I met Charlie, and soon we were married. That ended my dreams of going out as a herald of the cross. In the years that have past, ill-health, the rearing of six children, and much ill-fortune financially have made it impossible for me to do anything for the Lord, and so I can never win a crown!" But I pointed out that the godly testimony of a devoted wife and mother, the rearing of a family for God, the example of a holy and consistent life-these were in the sight of God of great price, and for these there is sure reward. And so indeed it is. The busiest mother can run the Christian race and thus win the incorruptible crown. The feeblest invalid can help to show someone the way of peace and so obtain the crown of rejoicing. The most poverty-stricken saint can love His appearing and gain the crown of righteousness. The humblest sufferer can be so devoted to Christ as to earn a crown of life. And anyone who in any way ministers to the sheep or lambs of Christ's flock will surely receive the crown of glory when the Chief Shepherd shall appear.

What is needed is heart for Christ. He will use all who are willing to let Him have His way with them. He who has saved by grace will surely reward in that day for the least service done for His own.

And now in closing may I affectionately press upon the Christian reader the Lord's own solemn warning to the Philadelphian church:

"Behold, I come quickly:hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown" (Rev. 3:11).

Observe:no one can rob me of my salvation. Of this there is abundant evidence in Scripture. But another may take my crown if I prove faithless to the trust committed to me.

Each believer is a servant as well as a son. To each is given some special gift and some particular line of service. It may be of either a public or a private nature. But it is a stewardship committed to him of the Lord, and "it is required of stewards that a man be found faithful." If I do not exercise the ministry allotted to me, in humble dependence on the Holy Spirit that I may fulfil it faithfully, I may be set aside as a servant, and another be called to complete my work. And so I will lose my crown.

We have read of the tract distributor who, becoming discouraged because of apparent lack of appreciation, gave up his lowly service, and learned twenty years after of one saved through a tract given out on the last day in which he did that work, who had taken it up himself as a ministry to needy men and after that long lapse of time met his benefactor and presented him with a tract. As a result a conversation sprang up which showed how the convert had taken the other's place, and the older man exclaimed with regret, "I see:I have let you take my crown!"

Let us remember, God is going to carry on His work in some way and by some instrumentality. May it be ours not to shirk responsibility but to say (and do) with Isaiah,

"Here am I; send me." H. A. Ironside

"What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?" (Mark 9:33).

"What was it that ye questioned by the way?"
Thy first disciples, Lord, with shame were dumb.
Nor could they then, for shame, confess the sum
Of that for which they quarreled by the way-
Which of them should (in place) the greatest be

And this-while they had companied with Thee!
This, too, when Thou, their Saviour, Lord Divine,
Had shown them that Thy life of love, e'en Thine,
Should be delivered up to death, by men
Of wicked minds, and then be raised again!
Once more, O loving Lord, we hear Thee say:-
"What was it that ye questioned by the way?"
And we with shame are dumb, even as they,
For have not we "disputed," even we,
About the very life we owe to Thee!

Those emblems, Lord, of Thine outpoured life,
Have been the subject of unholy strife!
Thy Body broken, and Thy Blood outpoured,
Should surely save us from such sad discord;
Oh, how we have misrepresented Thee, our Lord!

Once more, O Lord, we see Thee take a child
And set him in our midst, all undefiled
By doubt, or sophistry, or skeptic kink,
But, simply trusting, take his food and drink;
May we as simply take soul food from Thee.

May we, through those "memorials" vision see-
Of Love, that suffered that we might go free,
Of Life, supplied from Thine exhaustless store,
Of Love that makes us love our brethren more,
And leads us still our Saviour to adore. -"A. Witness"
'MARK THE PERFECT MAN"

Denial of the eternal existence of our blessed Lord and Saviour is one of the many forms of unbelief that numerous passages of God's holy Word refute-a single scripture served the writer's purpose, when guided by the Spirit of Truth, to stop the mouth of a blatant caviler.

Entering a little wayside station in Ontario, Canada, a venerable Lutheran minister, a true child of God, was heard indignantly demanding of the station-master:"Do you mean to say my blessed Lord had no existence before He came into this world?" A sneering reply in the affirmative was given, and an argument followed, characterized by coldly-stated sophistry on the part of the station-master, while the dear aged Christian warmly resented every impious statement made as to his divine Master, but failed to silence the cunning assertions of his opponent.

Silently praying for guidance, the writer listened to the wordy warfare, and soon interrupted the speakers by asking the station-master the pointed question :"Mr. R–, do you believe the Bible?" To which he answered, "Yes." Then slowly repeating the dear words of 2 Cor. 8:9-"Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich," the writer asked a further question, "Now, Mr. R–, when was He rich?" The minister echoed loudly the query, "When was He rich?" and the station-master retired into the ticket-office, followed by the delighted, aged Christian, exclaiming repeatedly, "When was He rich?"

The approach of the train brought station-master, minister, and the writer to the platform; the dear old servant of the Lord Shouting exultantly, "When was He rich?" and then from the slowly moving train, above the din of- escaping steam and noise of the wheels, he flung back the unanswerable challenge, "When was He rich?" To the believer, in Jesus the Spirit of God presents the riches, then poverty, of our glorious Lord to stir the inmost soul by the powerful appeal of divine love, unstintingly lavished upon utterly unworthy objects:"was rich"-"became poor"-wonderful words, to sink deeply into the hearts of His own, touched with a sense of the mighty grace that expends itself on our behalf!

"For your sakes."

The riches of Christ exchanged for:outcast in the manger; nowhere to lay His head-; without a penny; denial of followers; rejected of men; the bitterness of Gethsemane; the woes of Calvary; guilt's heavy load; the borrowed grave.

See the sacrifice He made!
See the purchase price He paid!
As return, for grace divine,
Saviour, I am wholly Thine.

E. J. Checkley