The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-10-02
The Woman's Mission.

IN this nineteenth century of cOrrup-
tion, rejecting mind would almost
conclude that there was no true mission
for woman as all was art and artifice.
| But there Is, and her mission Is pecu-
liar and sublime. There is work to be
done in the material world. The Wild
ness of nature is to be subdued, its bar
rcnness and deformity are to be con-
verted into fertility and beauty. Ma
ture is to be brought more fully in sub
lection to the purpose of man. There
arc new channels to open, new lines of
intercoinmunicationt to establish, manu-
facturies to be established, great enter
prises to be undertaken of every kind,
and political institutions to be cleansed
of their filth. But the peculiar mission
of woman is not here. To all this she
is rs the soul is to the body. Woman is
essentially and emphatically an educa-
tor. She operates on mind, she takes
it in the first dawn of intelligence and
reason, and imparts its first knowledge
of objects, and its first impressions Of
beauty. She moulds its ideas of fitness,
truth, and obligation. She gives it its
character by the coloring she imparts to
the fountain of intelligence. She de-
velops and trains the mind, and ava
kens and exercises those esusceptibilities,
on which all after emotions depend.
She takes him like the unpublished block,
and ceases not in her care, until he is
E,n ial, aI n aaf,,I fNhnra
is ut first no appearance of rude rock
to attract the eye, but when it is polish
ed and carved by a skillful architect, it
is fit to grace the palace of Kings. So
when we look at humanity,in its incip.
iency, there is little in the dull exterior
to attract our attention and give vent to
our hopes. But there is Gem that will
glitter in the ranks of intelligence, and
reflect its light on the perfection and
glory of the Greater. This is part of
woman's mission. Woman is also re-
former. Her influence on society is con-
trolling. She wields in society moral
influence, which man can never COM
mand. Her power makes itself felt
for good or evil in all the walks of life.
/ 1t is not Wiclded on tie battlefield,
or in the legislative hall, ah, no; but 1t
steals into the qualifications of life, and
occupies all the recesses of the heart.
Woman is the destroyer or the pro-
moter Of the best interests, and bright
est happiness of social life. She is the
star of the East to mans happiness, and
| tho tot IN if hn fall A A1rnittin,r all
these to be facts, what an awful respo1.Sr,
bic position woman occupies. If i.tb,
exorted for good, what great accom-.
piiohmeht, ii 1t be exerted for evil
present aspect of society, and see the
amazing moral power of true woman.
The spirit of reform, like the breath of
God, is beginning to move on the slug
gish waters, over which the night of
ages has reposed. Mind is awakening
from its slumbers. Thought is aroused
| to a living and fearful intensity. HUI
, manity is coming up from the tomb, to
which despOtism and ignorance have
, confined it. In all this work, woman
is to say conservative, she must bt
seen and felt in all those movements,
not indeed in strife and debate, but in
those soft and gentle yet controlling in
fuences, which so Imposes on man. II
is hers to allay the suffering of man
cheer the dropping heart, to restrain in
passion and mould the heart of man
with mildness of charity, while she for
: titles it with power of principles.
Let her throw aroudd him bands o
love which never are broken and eXert
! her mighty influence with truth ant
= sincerity.
G our next subject will be "SOcial In
: huPnCc. .n-NeC Era.