d so labor in the morning light of the
church, we will transcribe an article written by Bro. Geo. Cole, and which
appeared in the Gospel Trumpet.

"I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church
which is at Cenchrea." The church at Cenchrea was a local congregation or
assembly. Phebe our sister--that this personage was a woman, no one
disputes, and she was a servant of the church. Servant-_diakonos_,
translated servant in the following texts: Mat. 23:11; Mark 9:35; John
12:26; Rom. 16:1. Translated deacon in Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:8, 12.
Translated minister: Mat. 20:26, 28; Mark 10:43, 45; Rom. 15:8; 1 Cor.
3:5; 2 Cor. 3:6; 6:4; 11:15, 23; Eph. 3:7; 6:21; Col. 1:7, 23, 25; 4:7; 1
Thes. 3:2; 1 Tim. 4:6; Rom. 12:7; 2 Cor. 8:4; Mat. 25:44; 2 Cor. 3:3; Heb.
6:10; 1:14; 1 Pet. 1:12; 4:10, 11.

The extensive use of this word _diakonos_ in the New Testament readily
determines its meaning. That Paul conferred upon Phebe the church title
"_diakonos_" is unquestionable, and as such it means minister or deacon.
Liddell and Scott's lexicon comments on _diakonos_ as used in the New
Testament as follows: A servant, waiting man or woman, minister, a
messenger, a minister of the church. Any one can see the above definition
covers all the ground of elder. I will offer a few proof texts. "He that
is greatest among you, shall be your servant [_diakonos_]." Mat. 23:11.
"Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister
[_diakonos_]." Mat. 20:26. "Ministers [_diakonos]_ by whom ye believed." 1
Cor. 3:5. "Who also hath made us able ministers [_diakonos_] of the New
Testament." 2 Cor. 3:6. "Thou shalt be a good minister [_diakonos_] of
Jesus Christ." 1 Tim. 4:6. "In all things approving ourselves as the
ministers [_diakonos_] of God." 2 Cor. 6:4. "Whereof I was made a minister
[_diakonos_]." Eph. 3:7.

Thus we might swell the testimony that _diakonos_ was the common term used
in the New Testament signifying the ministerial office of minister, elder,
preacher, etc. Therefore the evidences are in Phebe's favor that she was a
minister or elder rather than a deaconess. If we consider Paul's
commendation of her standing and the sending of his Roman epistle by her,
as having some weight, this certainly favors the above conclusion.

Prophecy.

_Propheteuo_--to prophesy publicly, to expound, to preach, etc. There were
certain prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch, as Barnabas,
Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, an