as the Church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own
husbands in every thing." (Eph. v, 22-24.)

From the verses preceding this quotation, and those following, it is
evident the apostle had reference to the marriage covenant, and not to
the inferiority of woman or superiority of man. Fidelity of wives to
their husbands was the thing being enjoined; hence the comparison
between the marriage state and the Church of Christ. As the Church was
to be pure from idolatry, acknowledging but one God, even the Father,
and Jesus Christ his Son, so the wife was to be pure, submitting herself
only to her husband. It is not surprising that, in planting the
Christian Church, such directions should be given to its members,
gathered in as they were from a dark, immoral pagan world, where the
marriage tie was so lightly regarded. The husband should be to his wife
the earthly "munition of rocks." It is in this sense that the man is the
head of the woman and the Savior of her body. The apostle continues: "So
ought men to love their wives as their own bodies." "Let every one of
you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see
that she reverence her husband." Not worship him; but treat him with
marked and becoming respect, making his interest her own, loving him
above every earthly object, and seeking his happiness in every possible
manner. It is in this mutual sense that a wife is to be subject to her
husband in every thing. Even the greatest sticklers for the absolute
subjection of women explain the latter clause of the text by adding the
word _lawful_. If a woman's husband is to be her irresponsible lord, to
whom she is to go for instruction, who is the qualified judge of what is
lawful? But the reasoning of the entire question as given in the
chapter, portions of which have been quoted, does not bear out the
assertion that the wife is mentally inferior to her husband, or that he
has any right to treat her as such. She is neither his servant nor his