Spiritual Gifts by D. T. Bourdeau

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 2, 1862

Spiritual Gifts.

By D. T. Bourdeau

We have reason to be encouraged as we see the brethren and sisters in different parts of the field uniting on the subject of the gifts, as well as on other portions of present truth. The subject of the gifts is so plain that it is not necessary to get up a labored argument to explain it to the satisfaction of the honest and unprejudiced.

We see the gifts of the Spirit in full exercise this side of the cross; and as God is no respecter of persons, we may safely conclude that it was his will that the gifts should remain in the church, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, for the unity and perfection of the saints, till that which is perfect is come—till the last saint is prepared to receive his reward. See 1 Cor. xii, xiii; Eph. iv.

If we believe that we belong to the remnant church, we must acknowledge that we belong to a people that are connected with the gifts. For the remnant church is represented by the prophet as having the testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy; Rev. xii, 17; xix, 10; and when the testimony of Christ is confirmed in them, they will come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. i, 6, 7.

But there are objections urged by some against the gift of prophecy that is now in exercise among us, which I will here notice.

Obj. 1. Some parts of the visions are hard to be understood. If the visions were of the Lord, they would be so plain that all could understand them.

Ans. This objection can be urged with equal force against the Bible. For who claims to understand the whole Bible? In regard to Paul's epistles, Peter says, "In which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable, wrest, as they do also other scriptures, unto their own destruction." 2 Pet. iii, 16. The Bible contains the "deep things of God," "which none of the princes of this world knew," and which Paul spoke to them that were perfect. But must we for this reason reject the Bible? We must if the above objection is valid. It is a true saying that men abuse reason when they decide against doctrines because they are too deep for their comprehension.

Obj. 2. The Bible says that young men shall see visions; but it says nothing about women having visions.

Ans. The Bible truly says that young men shall see visions; but it also says, "I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy." Acts ii, 17. Here is a plain declaration that the daughters shall prophesy as well as the sons. But how does the Lord communicate to those who prophesy? Let him answer: "If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream." Num. xii, 6.

Obj. 3. The visions teach that it is the duty of women to speak in public; but Paul says, "Let your women keep silence in the churches." "I suffer not a woman to teach." 1 Cor. xiv, 34; 1 Tim. ii, 12.

Ans. If the injunction, "Let your women keep silence in the churches," admits of no qualification, then women should not even sing or pray in religious meetings. But if our sisters refrained from singing in the assemblies of the saints, they would deprive themselves of a privilege which holy women of old enjoyed, and which the gospel grants to the Christian church. Moses' sister and other women sung to the Lord, because he had delivered the Israelites from Pharaoh and his host. Ex. xiv. "And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. And all those were under the hands of their father for song in the house of the Lord." 1 Chron. xxv, 5, 6. "And in the days of Ezra there were among the servants and maids of the congregation, two hundred singing men and singing women." Ezra ii, 10. See also Neh. vii, 67.

Again, Paul says to the church of Colosse, which was composed of men and women, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Col. iii, 16. It is very evident that those in whom the word of Christ dwells richly in all wisdom, will not forbid the sisters to sing in the church. To do this would be placing upon them a yoke which the Lord never required them to bear.

We understand that Paul's injunction in regard to women is qualified, or limited in its sense, by the scope of declarations in which it is used. In 1 Cor. xiv, Paul dwells on the nature and exercise of the gift of prophecy, and the gift of tongues; and in the latter part of the chapter he thus speaks in regard to prophets: "Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If anything be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion (Greek, tumult or unquietness) but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." Verses 29-33.

In these verses the principles of order and submission are brought to view. Then follows our text, in which the same principles are carried out: "Let your women keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted for them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law."

It is no more lawful for women to manifest a lack of subjection to those who speak according to the dictates of the Spirit and the teachings of God's word, than it is for men. In fact, they have an additional reason why they should be submissive. They are commanded to be under obedience, or in subjection, as also saith the law, "Women should be subject to their husbands and to their brethren in Christ, as Christ is subject to God the Father. For the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." 1 Cor. xi, 3. Read also Eph. v, 21-24.

These remarks of the apostle are a standing rebuke against those unquiet and self-sufficient women who are unwilling to submit to their husbands in the Lord, and have a disposition to take the lead in meetings, in the presence of brethren who are qualified to rule the church. It is a shame for women to thus lead out. "If they would learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home."

But in the same chapter we have an instance in which men should keep silence in the church. This is when they speak in an unknown tongue, and there is no interpreter. Verses 27, 28. But who will say that they may not sing and pray and exhort in their own tongue? Just so in the case before us. Women are commanded to keep silence in the churches; and who will take the position that they should never say a word in religious meetings?

Kindred to the text under consideration is 1 Tim. ii, 9-13, which reads, "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety. . . . . . Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve."

Here again we have the idea of subjection. Paul does not suffer a woman to teach, or to usurp authority over the man; and we do not learn from the Scriptures that women were ever ordained apostles, evangelists, or elders; neither do we believe that they should teach as such. Yet they may act an important part in speaking the truth to others. That we are correct we think will appear from the following texts:

"Help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow-laborers, whose names are in the book of life." Phil. iv, 3. "Greet Priscilla (a woman) and Aquila (her husband) my helpers in Christ Jesus." Rom. xvi, 3. "And he (Apollos) began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly." Acts xviii, 2, 26. "The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness (or holy women margin), . . . . teachers of good things." Titus ii, 3. "But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered, dishonoreth her head." 1 Cor. xi, 5. It is clear that this praying and prophesying is before others. The very nature of the subject, and the connection, prove this. See verses 16-18, and chap. xiv, 23-31.

Philip, the evangelist, had four daughters which did prophesy. Acts xxi, 8, 9. Now the work of a prophet may properly be called a public work. For a prophet is called upon to receive messages from the Lord, and deliver them vocally to the people. Please look at the history of the ancient prophets. "He that prophesieth," says Paul, "speaketh unto men (plural) to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. . . . . . He that prophesieth, edifieth the church." 1 Cor. xiv, 3, 4.

But we have more testimony: Anna, a prophetess, served God with fastings and prayers night and day, and spoke of the Lord in the temple to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. Luke ii. And Paul thus speaks to those who should see the day of Christ approaching: "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some be, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as ye see the day approaching." Heb. x, 25.

Thus we see that it is lawful for women to speak in meetings, and that our position in regard to the gift of prophecy that is among us, is not invalidated. Like the Sabbath, it survives all the attacks of those who would destroy it.

Many have written in favor of our position, and scores of Sabbath-keepers are prepared to use their pens in defense of the visions, and show that they are in harmony with the Bible. These productions have been a source of encouragement and consolation to thousands of Sabbath-keeping brethren and sisters, and have, in several instances, led unbelievers to embrace the truths of the Bible. The most pious and consecrated among us testify that they have been blessed under their influence; that the same influence that attended the word that converted them, attended the visions, and that their confidence in the visions is proportionate to the confidence they have in the Bible.

We have these productions which we consider as sacred, and before we consent to reject them, our opponents will have to present palpable proofs that they are spurious.