[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.