The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-06-21

'sThe nineteenth century and the wom-
en- are upon US"
AS Christianity and education have
spread their blessed influences abroad
over the earth, physical force has grad
ually been displaced by moral and in
telleetual power, and woman, so long
held in subjectiOn for lack OF physical
might, is taking her rightful place at
the side of her brother. England ana
America are not alone in their demands
that woman shall be educated ana made
fit to be the helpmeets of men. The
| Oriental nations, who, during the long,
dreary ages, have treated woman as but ;
! little above the brute creation, are yield
ing to the influence of the hour. India
has her womanis paper, and an educated
and talented lady lecturer.
Japan decides that her daughters also
must be educated, and sends them as
4 pupils to the United States. American
women, as missionary physicians, are
gaining entrance to those Pagan and
Mahommedan homes where the women,
viewed solely rs human animals, have
been kept in strict seelusiOn. Even in
COnstantinople, one of the sixteen daily
papers there Published is the especial
champion of wOman's rights.
France and Germany throw open the
{ doors of their famous medical colleges
: to the prosecuted daughters of our own
r land, and various schools are being es-
tablished for the more thorough train
: ing of girls. Italy, too, furnishes her
2 orators and writers among women.
: The British Isles, for so many years
J, the center of Christian civilization,
r seem destined to take the lead i'm this
grand movement of the age; not only
j by striving to secure equal educational
: advantages for women, but by placing
d them in important offices, and giving
7, those women who own property the suf-
# frage in municipal elections. The right
h to preach has for many years been
d granted them in some of their churches,
o and affairs now indicate that Parliament
: will soon pass laws granting suffrage to
y women on the same equality with men.
e In our own country we can see with
+; greater clearness the remarkable rapid
e ity of wOman's advancement. Fifty
!, years ago women were comparatively
: uneducated. If our revered grandmOth-
r ers and great-aunts could read, write, and
y cipher, their education was deemed COM
J, plete. To-day, our educated ladies are
n found in the physicians office, the ar
: lists and sculptor's studio, with the
+ mighty pen in their hands, upon the
lecturers platform, at the bOOkkeeper's
e desk, before the cOmpOsitOr's frame, and
n of this century women had scarcely any
e acknowledged rights in the Christian
/ churches; to-day many evangelical bod
a les give them equal privileges in the
& prayer and business meetings, and even
y license them to preach. In 1900, mar
s ried women had but few rights that
o "men were bound to respect" seventy
h two years later find very many improve
= ments in the laws and mems interpreta-
e tiOn of them. Had women ventured to
!, advocate the extension of the elective
e franchise to all the citizens of this cOun-
! try without regard to sex when WASH
If ington was candidate for the Presidency,
e they would probably have suffered mar
h tyrdom as witches; to-day no class of
o women in the land are welding such a
:. power i'm behalf of wOman's progression
o in all the relations of life as those who
h advocate her equal political rights.
e Even if some years elapse before these
if are attained, the agitation is arOusing
n the public mind and doing much good.
e New and more generous views spring
s up; the traditional inferiOrity of women
n is less urged by men of common sense,
d and broader fields of usefulness are year
5 ly opened for wOman's energetic effort
Y The opposition aroused by this success
IF only tends to increase the zeal of al
e true reformer's, and many who have
i striven by falsehood and defamation tC
It injure this cause will find their words
'e rebOunding to their own hurt. The ac-
rs tion of the PresbyteTy in the case of DR.
IS Cuyler will do more to furnish the pull
IS pits of the country with women preach
l. ers than years spent in urging theil
er Heaven-born right to labor for the sal
1t walton of souls.
"The nineteenth century and the
Dt women" Yes, brethren, even so; anC
Y, in your assumptions and denunciatiOn!
lt it would be we'll for you to pause anC
lg consider, ''lest haply you be found L
rs fight against God" These signs of the
n, times are no haphazard events, the
a hand of the Almighty guides and direct!
n them. The religion of Jesus is redeem
m ing woman from the thralldOm of ages
a and, looking back over the dark nigh
DO of her degradation and despair, my
he heart goes up with thankfulness for birtf
IN in a Christian land in the nineteenth
rs century, when woman's day is so glO
a. riOusly dawning.