Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-01-14
EVENING STAR.
A LETTER FROM THE BLooMER.
WASHINGTON, Jan. IL, IS

Hon. John A. Bolles, in a recent le,ture
at Portland on Strong. Minded Women de-
| fined them as all who are led by whatever
| motiye-good or bad-in the execution Of
whatever design, noble or ignoble, to trans
| gress the boundaries Of that sphere which the
| laws of God or the customs of society have
marked out for woman. DR.. Sayer win please
| ask herself if she is inclined" "Ridikilis.
But then there amt none of us alike in no.
thing, Mrs. Partington says. And as ''self- pre-
| servatiOn is the first law of nature, I" suppose
| L must defile and refine, sustain and refrain,
present and relent, until all my stand-points
are perfectly presented for inspection before
the inquisitive tribunal of the "Press." Well,
| 80 be it; not having any position to sustain
that am ashamed to acknowledge before the
world, and Washington in the bargain, will
| crafty your curiosity, as you would not PRE-
sent a question ideafcd without hoping for
| solution.
DR.. Sayer thus arraigned before the august
many, and asked if guilty or not guilty,
| phatically, wherever those man-msde customs
interfere with the laws Of God, which they do
| in thousand points.
| Now, Mr.. Editor, are not you and the hon.
orable gentleman aware OF the fact th at the
claws Of God and the customs Of society,"
are two widely differing statutes? If you are
| not, L am. They are like the rain falling
l
| that which falls Oh one side feeds streams that
| 60 to swell the beautiful Ohio, while that
which falls on the other side is swallowed UP
| In Lake EIie--their course being diametrieal-
/ ly opposite as, L think, we will find the laws
| of God and many Of the customs of society to
| be. The laws of God bid US obey everything
| high, holy, pure, and true they elevate and
refine, beautify and ennoblc our hearts and
acts; they tell us TO 60 about doing all the
good in our pOwer-never faltering, never fail
ing; they enjoin upon US to bear patiently the
| Gross for the truths Sake-to render unto
| Caesar the things which are Cesars, and unto
| God the things which are His; to come out
from the world Of fashion and folly, separat-
| ing from its cOntaminations and pollution; to
sustain the weak and strengthen the faltering;
taking heed unto ourselves lest at any time
our hearts become surfeited with the customs
and cares Of the world. 1t denounces woes
upon those who clean the outside Of the plat
ter and whose inward part is full of ravening
| and wickedness. ItlOosens the bound. Abhors
| that which is evil cleaves to that which is
good; exhOrts to feryency in spirit; rejoicing
IN nope. ltcOmmands woman TO adOrn herself
| in modest apparel-not with broidered hair,
| or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but with
good 1cOrES-tO be useful and industrious not
| ldlers, ready 10 distribute and communicate
| her knowledge TO others; to keep and use
no6ly the talent committed TO her trust-they
| that have gifts administering to others not
| burying their talent, becoming busy bodies,
corrupting their minds and morals for lack of
| useful employment-becoming the toy and
plaything of man instead Of his companion
and equal. 1t blesses Dorcas full of good
works; (who knows but she was physician p
Aquila and Priscilla expounding the ways of
God unto preacher more perfectly than he
| understood them; and as be acknowledges
| them his helpers in the Gospel, there were
do hosh rlr- -
| those days the two were combined. Then we
had our prophecies and woman who stood
judges in Israel; ali blessed under the kaly
| and sanctioned under the Gospel.
But the customs of society crush all who
| strive In this direction; point at them the fn-
ger OF scoIn; cast them out accursed, as usur-
pers, saying we wish none such in our midst,
prying out our shortcomings and errors We
| wall obey the laws that are convenient yet so
| long as we float along with the current we will
not analyZe their worth or goodness in any
| way, lest they condemn our acts We will
not aim to reform error, though in its stygian
strength it engulphs US; lest we are thus made
conspicuous and mark for the vulgar t. aim
their poisonous arrows at; taking the Cross only
| when it is forced upon US We will only obey
| every fashion and folly lest we be considered
odd, a seeker for attention and marked OBJ
| servatiOn; we will, if possible, deceive by a
comely outside, though within is all manner
| of falseness, corruption, and deceit; we will
| firt, favn or frown, tatule or stare, belittle
ourselves IN thousand ways and means, and
the customs of society will sustain US in doing
So, if we smile upon her errors and falseness,
not attempting practically, to reform her.
But, you have not so learned Christ, who
tell US whatever thing we do, not to do it TO
the prejudice of self-arragned definitions of
| men who have the same right to their opinions
that you and l have and no more; butheartily
unto the Lord and in the cause Of truth.
The Hon. gentleman is evidently weak
| minded and lnsipid man--one whom with all
| his hOnOrS g strong minded woman, would
scorn TO honor with her esteem consequently
he knows not the SOUL the tone. the spirit life,
animating and flowing healthfully through the
| veins of a true and " strong minded woman"
| seeking the truth and psrfecting herself in
usefulness and knowledge. He has shown by
his remarks that they are as far above him as
the beauties and clearness Of day is above the
shaded glory of night; he can never know nor
appreciate them, for they are above his ken
he can never define them truly, for be knows
not their component parts.
Mr.. Editor, you have DR.. Sayer's answer.
And now having made q profession before
many witnesses, with Gods aid and watchful
| care, that strength may be hers to fight the
good fight of faith unfaltering, and triumph
ant in the end, though strong may be the for
tress of error, and valiant her warriors she
holds fast her faith unwavering True she finds
need of patience and forbearance yet claims
that ii is well to be tested, else the temper Of
her metal would not be known. For he or she
who floats smoothly down the current Of life,
never meeting a shoal or bar, or contending
wave, knows not their powers to oppose. By
works must we be justified; by works is faith
made perfect, aud without it, is dead.
l.. SAVER