Women’s Speaking, Justified

“It hath been an objection in the minds of many, and several times hath been objected by the clergy, or ministers and others, against women’s speaking in the church; and so consequently may be taken, that they are condemned for meddling in the things of God…

Mark this, you that despise and oppose the message of the Lord God that he sends by women; What had become of the redemption of the whole body of mankind, if they had not cause to believe the message that the Lord Jesus sent by these women, of and concerning his resurrection? And if these women had not thus, out of their tenderness, and bowels of love, who had received mercy, and grace, and forgiveness of sins, and virtue, and healing from him; which many men also had received the like, if their hearts had not been so united and knit unto him in love, that they could not depart as the men did; but sat watching, and waiting, and weeping about the sepulcher until the time of his resurrection, and so were ready to carry his message, as is manifested, else how should his disciples have known, who were not there?”

— Margaret Fell, 1666
Cofounder of the Religious Society of Friends