The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-03-01
NUMBER 43.

chapter of Ephesians, and beginning
with the twenty-second verse, reading
to the end of the chapter, it will be
found that Paul in this chapter brings
forward the relations existing between
husbands and wives as the figure of a
perfect church, for he says in verse
thirty second: ''This is a great mystery:
but 1 speak concerning Christ and the |
church." The next verse begins thus :
''Nsvertheless let every one of you in |
particular so love his wife even as him !
self, and the wife see that she reverence |
her husband" The word nevertheless"
indicates with certainty in what light
Paul intends his readers to interpret the
entire latter portion of the chapter, and
1 feel very confident that if husbands so
loved their wives even as themselves
wives would find no difficulty in rever-
encing them. Were it not that men
roll this particular portion of Scripture
as sweet morsel under their tongues, |
to the exclusion of all Others, so that
even the words of the blessed Saviour, |
'Do unto others even as We would that |
others should do unto yOu," are passed |
unheeded by them in their haste to |
quote Paul, should expect that when
they do at last comprehend the entire |
freedom which wives will enjoy when
the civil law ceases to uphold the tyran-
nical mandates of husbands, they will
''chew the cud of bitter fancy" without
reserve. But admitting that the "civil
and religious institutions of all ages''
have placed the wife and the children,
equally, under the tutelage of the hus
band, does it necessarily follow that, in
an enlightened nation, whose laws are in
, tended to govern an entirely free people,
the laws cannot be so arranged that they
may be equally agreeable to the wife as
[ well as to the husband? 1t is certainly
= singular spectacle to witness in this
! country, renowned for its intelligent and
! progressive ideas, men, right in the light
: of truth and science, unblushingly advo-
!, cate oppression, toward those, too, for
s whom they profess TO entertain the ten
e derest regard. 1t truly is sight at
e which men and angels might with pro-
e priety weep. But if it is true that
d woman has been regarded by the ''eivi
n and religious institutions of all nations
|. and ages" rs under the control of theil
: husbands, thus rendering them politi-
e cally impotent, how is it that all nations
/, and ages have ever recognized the
s sovereign power of women as rulers
/ over empires and kingdoms, which they
n certainly have done, as far back at least
d as profane history gives information
r concerning governments. We shall not
n here ehumerate the wives and mothers
. who are described throughout the his
e tories of nations, as having successfully
e governed empires and Kingdoms, at the
It same time attending to their wifely and
e mOtherly duties as well, but come at
q once to cite one who in our own time
= has rendered her name illustious by
e the noble character she has manifested
n both in public and in private-Victoria
= of England. She was a devoted wife,
IS now a widow, always an affectiOnate
d mother, and has been throughout her
a entire womanhood and still is a success
: fm ruler of her country. We have the
y testimony of Mr.. D'Israeli that her pub
ID lie duties We're always and are now
Sc numerous and arduOus, but thoroughly
II performed. But there isan explanation
l. regarding the independence of woman
lr which il would seem our author has not
l. thought Of Has it never occurred tC
of him and others whose tongues and pens
lg have moved so freely on this question
ii within the last few years, that lCe, like
b. themselves, are free moral agents? L
rs it wise for men at the present time t.
es arrOgate to themselves power, of whicl
I'd Paul Judging from the persuasive char
ed aeter of his writings) never dreamed
e. that men with their creeds and bigOte,
'ir dogmas should inspire their fellow mel
lg with the idea that husbands, be the
n, ever so bestial and degraded in infamy
ch are placed here for the purpose of forcinj
their wives into heaven, where, becaus
IL of their own moral unfitness, they can
ur not enter? All, gentleman, you ar
IL entirely too kind Your dose may b
ed very sweet to you, but it proves yer
IS nauseating to those to whom you deligh
=" to administer it. Cannot you perceiv
gs that the Scriptures are offered to us o
of precisely the same terms that they an
les to you-namely, for our acceptance G
lr- rejection, the consequence of our decisio
"A to forever rest upon ourselves and nc
as upon you? Or are you willing to repre-
Ice sent us at the last great assize, as yo
raj insist upon doing now? If we sha
We, stand as our own representatives thel
NE so we may stand now.
he As our author in No. . endeavors
es, impress us with the fact that our Go7
en- ernment is based upon the principl,
US laid down in the Bible-which al
in founded upon justice-he .certainl
see ought to find no fault if we wish to a,
Ich upon that impression. But ask, is IL
.he Bible partial, giving one law for Il
ev- government of the husband and anoth
ain for the government of the wife-persua
1ut ion for the former, force for the lattel
ted trow not, if L shall be permitted to i
the terpret its precepts for myself. Is o.
ian author or any other person so utter
wn regardless of reason as to entertain Il
, as idea even for moment that Paul. VIII,