Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-13
MISCELLANEOUS.
Woman---Beautiful Extract.

Created to be the companion of man. how
often has she been made his slave, the instru>
ment of his passions, the plaything of his idle
hours. This everywhere among the savage
tribes has been the case, and even among
nations which were civilized, if Pagan, woman
rarely had assigned to her her proper place.
This was but another phase of that fcrocity
that has cursed the earth by its cruelties in
war. Thestronger tramplng on the weak. But
there was this mighty difference, that whereas
a feeble tribe might by conquest be made
harmless, the influence of woman could not
be destroyed. There belongs to her in each
several relations as sister, wife, mother, n vast
social power for good or evil, of which she
cannot be deprived. IF crushed, down -trod-
den and despised by an uuchristian civilza-
ton, woman, alas, had her TOO ample revenge
in the baneful influences which, from mans
fault aud her own sad misfortune, went forth
from her as by law Of retributiOn to avengo
her on her tyrants--Her womanly nature
which would have shed its sweet aud soften
ing Influences on society could not be dried
up, but did, without her meaningit, give forth
the soured and bitter Influences which oppres-
sion, to its own just punishment, wrung out
from her. Never therefore, could there be
true civilization where woman was not assign
ed her proper place. But where this justice
is done to her, what rich reward she bestows
on man. 1t is her'sSthen to humanize him
by the gentlcr charities to engraft with her
delicate female touch, the softer graces upon
the under>growths of his nature, to distilI
around the deep roots of his being a secret
subtle balm of all purest passions which when
she has reused into their strength, she then
softeus without enervatinS them.
1t is woman's missions in the quiet privacies
of home, to feed the centre foun's of society
with those humanizing influences which dis
till as mutually from her as its balm from the
tree, or their odor from the flowers. But
why crush the extending branch or why
tread down the exhaling flower? The more
tcnderly they are nurtured the richer the
balm, the more fragrant the aroma will they
yield. And so woman, if herself the nurse
ling of tenderness, will the more tenderly
minister. Now in the Scripture woman has
assigned to her her proper place, tho ameni-
ties of her sex are vindicated, her mission is
defined. her ministratious are allowed and
acknowledged, she is placed at mans side his
companion, his friend, his equal, and help
meet for him. Weaker in physical frame,
she is admOnished to cling to him for support
of intellectual energies less vigorous than
his, she is taught to make him her counsellor.
But superior to man in tho finer and pure
delicate sentiments of their common nature,
he must seek toward her unless he would
become stern in his strength and in his virile
hardihood degenerate into harshness.
We know nothing finer in the whole range
of literature than are some of the exhibitions
of female character which are to be met with
in the Scripture histories. a loving wife
and devoted mother, she is seen shedding
a hallowed loveliness around the household.
The sires and sons of Israel, so noble, pa
triots, heroes of dauutless bravery, men of
action and of mettle in Israels best days,
went forth from homes where woman's work
was known and her power admitted 1t was
she as wife nr mother who made these sires
and sons of Israel the men they proved to be.
But not only in the privacy of home is the
Hebrew woman to be seen. She could step
forth without forgetting her womanly mod
esty, in those stirring times equal to deeds of
valor, that the veterans of the nation might
have envied. She too, was poetess, Priestess,
prophecies, but nobler still, she was ennobled
as the mother of the Saviour.