Methodist founder John Wesley ( 1703 1791 ) and Methodist theologian Adam Clarke ( 1762 1832 ) both upheld male headship, but allowed that spiritual Christian women could publicly speak in church meetings if they " are under an extraordinary impulse of the Spirit " ( Wesley ), and that such were to obey that influence, and that " the apostle lays down directions in chap . 11 for regulating her personal appearance when thus employed . ( Clarke ) Puritan theologian Matthew Poole ( 1624 1679 ) concurred with Wesley, adding, " But setting aside that extraordinary case of a special afflatus, [ strong Divine influence ] it was, doubtless, unlawful for a woman to speak in the church ."
