The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-10-16
WOMAN'S DUTIES AND wOMAN'S
RIGHTS


her sex and humanity, has kindly con-
sented to the publication of the follow
ing outline of her address, delivered at
the Presbyterian Church
In this stirring age when woman seeks
redress tor wrongs, and claims permits |
sion to act in the great drama of life and !
labor, she should learn to act wisely, |
and theoretically. Popularity |
should find no place among her motives
for so doing while standing upon the |
precipice, over which the floods of hu-
man intellects are plunging. Could L
describe what my own eyes have seen,
and my ears have heard during the pas
few months and could 1 place 1t upon
the canvas of your minds SO as to induce
you to renewed efforts in the work of re-
form, my ambition as a Inner would be
attained.
As a heavenly favor above the millions,
who have gone before US, God has given
us our being in an age when the cry is
heard Behold the Bridegroom cometh.
True, it is an age when extremes meet
when the brightest virtues and the gross
est immoralities are coliding. We are
surrounded by elements which press up
on our own existence, and often crowd
us into stratagens in order to escape
moral .contagion. Thus circumstanced,
it becomes our duty to pour the ONT
ment of our most sacred alabasters upon
the shrine of our blessed Lord.
The enlightened soul feels a void
which the most favorable of human sur
roundings can never fill, hence, we must
infer there awaits for it future SO sub
timely great, that, while housed in CLAY,
re
This being the case as intelligent Great
ures, how ought we to live ?-Row oc-
cupy this brief moment of time upon
which hangs such vast responsibilities :?
Can we conscientiously exhaust our lost
energies to perfect our personal dress
| and leave our higher natures to beg at
the hand of chance ?-Our present sys-
TEN of living is consuming all of our
God given time-means, and energies,
while the style, and opinions of society
| hang like the weight of a world upon
| the borders of our spiritual garments,
effectually preventing us from arising to
breathe the invigorating atmosphere be-
meath the honest sky, where the bright
aurora of an uprising day invites us out
to wonder and adore.
| Our expenditures deserve a passing
notice, at least. Our dimes seem too
insignificant to start moments hesita-
ton when considered in connection with
matters of taste or pleasure, and get
| these little surplus bits of currency which
are SO thoughtlessly spent for the toilet,
| the table and at the toy-shops-if cast
| into the treasury of human amel1Orat1on
would send radiance of glad light over
our entire world. AS stewards then, to
whom has been given one talent, or ten
| talents iGher in time, money or influence,
are we prepared to reckon for the proper
use of these gifts? The quality OF our
dress material, our ornaments and our
table cheer, assumes vast Importance
with such as live only for admiration
but these sink into iI1signifffcance with
the mind that has been cultivated to
walk and talk with infinity-to see beau
| ty in nothing only as it bears
some resemblance to the all creative
power-and can call nothing attractiye
that does not elevate the soul and make
it God-like.
The arena where immortal laureates
are to be won or lost, is open to us all
and life will be what we make it. High
aims make life grand and to live III
sympathy with God and nature makes 1t
truly glorious. The more we accuston
ourselves to keep our pulsations IN har-
mony with deity, the more certainly
shall we rise superior to lowering at
fractions, until We come to feel that, Were
the whole realm Of sublunary things oul
own, we should still groan under sense
of captivity, unless our souls might eX-
pand and go out after something beyond
the limits of earthly kingdoms.
This beautiful world was made for us
to enjoy in all its relations consistent
with our heirship to a state OF eternal
progressions In that beautiful forever,
which is ready to break upon our enrap-
tured vision, if indeed we have ordered
our lives in accordance with aims sc
high and holy. How then can we per
NIT the present adjoining OF our persons
to detract our attention from due con-
sideration of fitness for heavens attire
How torture our brains over recipes fol
concocting the most approved confec-
tions, for morbid appetltes? How en-
courage those demoraliziug customs
which may decoy some lamb from ou1
own fold, may lead our neighbors astray,
and will most assuredly prevent us from
enjoying au enlargement of mind and
freedom of thought, will forbid our
basking in the fruition of mental and
intellectual festivities.
The present condition of society de
mands reform. Out of Onr institutions
OF "Woman's Rights, evils are growing,
which must be restrained These evils
may not be chargeable to the system it.
self, for it is the fate of all good causes
| to meet with some weak minds, who
will run them into unwise extremes.
The barque of woman's promotion to
advantageous positions is fairly launch
ed upon prosperous seas. 1t is good
cause, and no human power will long
impede it's progress. Now her imperl-
GUS duty is to see that it is wisely pilot
ed, so that it may enter the harbor of
strong reliance with the least wrecks
possible to mark its pathway ; for wrecks
there will be quite enough to lower her
self-congratulation.
When IN one of the largest cities in
our union recently, trio of young
women were seen walking, by the light
of the sun, into common saloon, and
after the dram, pass out again, pulling
the polluting weed-thus causing us to
blush for their vaunted rights-and
when by the lighted gas, we saw them
prone where none but dI'unk'0i us lie, 1T
was over that PROSTATE form your speak
er resolved to work in her cause while
life lasts.
Will The young HAL Oh our lI1leS JOII1
the finger of scorn at this his deluded
sister Most assuredly he will, and
trample too upon her soiled garments
and her furnished name. But why
should he? He sips and smokes, and
passes almost without depreciation
and yet the one is guilty of nothing
more than seeking to quaff from the
same chalice from which the other pro-
fesses to have obtained pleasure, putting
forth her hand under the new admins
tration, to grasp that which, by exam
pie, he has taught her is a good, to be
desired. At no previous time in all my
varied travels have I ever met with SO
much open, unblushing intemperance as
during the present season.
There are many who pass for respecta-
bic people, who may use the cordial to
some extent and still retain their posi-
ton in society, but my sympathies are
with those who as victims to such ex
amples sink below the brute creation.
While we aim to live above the influence
of the fallen senses, we must put forth
helping hand to those who have not at
tanned such self-control.
If with all our superior advantages ace
have failed to comprehend the duties of
life and if by our example we have led
others to over estimate the Importance of