how was paul able to recruit so many enthusiastic women to christianity by preaching celibacy and abstinence even in marriage?

Men on average have a far greater desire to have sex than do women, in addition to deriving far greater pleasure and enjoyment from intercourse while women often experience pain and trouble reaching orgasm.

The Holy Ghost bears witness of truth to people, whether you like it or not.

Those men must have been horrible lovers.

Christians don't 'recruit' anybody. The Holy Spirit does that. The Holy Spirit wrote through Paul, (Paul specifically reveals when he breaks through with his own opinions), and it is Christ Who teaches us better ways to fully express our sexuality and deep intimacy without primitive sex acts through 'sublimation,' or to be married and use physical sex and procreation as the basis of family and community building, especially when fornication is widespread in society. 

Evan Thomas Jefferson knew that Saul of Tarsus was a complete fraud.

>>>by preaching celibacy and abstinence even in marriage?<<<

See this....

1 Corinthians 7:3-5 — The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

What you describe

never happened.