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One of the original incorporators of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society was a woman, the wife of the president thereof, and she insisted on editing The Watch Tower and, being resisted, led other women to take a wrongful course against the Lord's work. The Scriptural statement, "that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess," surely refers to certain female influence in the church exercised over leaders or men prominent therein.
Jesus is authority for the statement of truth that a man must love the Lord more than he loves his wife or any other creature, otherwise he is not worthy of the Lord's favor. (Luke 14:26; Matthew 19:27-29) When female influence, whether it be that of wife, sweetheart, mother, or sister, causes a man to deviate from faithfulness and whole-hearted service to the Lord, that influence not only is wrong but will lead to destruction. The Lord likens such unto the wrongful influence exercised by Jezebel over the king which led to her destruction and to his. This scripture could not have reference to Babylon, because surely God never gave the Devil's organization any 'time to repent'; but it does refer to an improper condition existing in the true church, and exercised by women, and that wrongfully, which is illustrated by Jezebel.
There are and always have been good women in the church performing duties which the Lord assigned to them. There have been and are others who attempt to do that which they are not authorized to do. The good women serve as witnesses to the Lord. The others attempt to dictate to the men what they should do.It is a fact well known by many that prior to the Lord's coming to his temple certain women in the
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true church exercised great influence over men who were leaders or elders, causing them to compromise with Satan's organization and to decline or refuse to take a bold and unequivocal stand for the Lord and his kingdom interests on the earth. Women also, by wrongfully exercising their influence, induced leaders or elders to refuse to 'hold the Head' and to become heady and to go contrary to God's arrangement. They were swayed by passion or influence extraneous to the word of God. Even to this day the same influence attempts to interfere with the Lord's work. The condition was especially marked, however, during the Elijah period of the church. In that time classes were organized by women, and women in the church prepared lessons, sermons or discourses for the elders and directed them what to say. Ambitious women in the church influenced their husbands or some of the weaker brethren to carry out their own wishes with reference to the organization or conduct of the ecclesia. Women in the church resorted to flattery of leaders and elders in order that they might influence them. Whether this was done knowingly or deliberately would make no difference, but it does show Satan's attempt to disrupt the Lord's organization, which the Lord foreknew and foretold. The Lord had pointed out that the woman has her place in the church, but her place is not to teach man nor attempt to influence man in his rightful performance of duty as a servant of the Lord. Women in the church have induced their husbands or others to compromise concerning God's work in order that they might gratify some selfish desire or ambition. The true rule is that where the Lord places a man in a position to serve Him he cannot please the Lord and deviate therefrom
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one jot or tittle by being influenced therein by another, and particularly by a female. Paul commended the faithful service of the women in the church, but warned against their improper course.
At least women are good for something.
