The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-10-28
THE TRUE SPHERE OF WO,
MAN.


's' ~ MAN.
~. Words From One Of the Sex.
Mrs. A. D. T. Whitney's Old World Letter
In the Christian Register.
A letter from home tells me of two
things. l had seen bits and hints of
them in the occasional papers, but
this word from a friend, who writes
straight to me from the midst of the
stir and sound, comes with quick force.
l feel, perhaps, even more at this dis
tance, the rush of movement which,
close by, might seem confusion, but
which far of, shows clear and swift
direction. making vivid and won-
derful track along the horizon, like
lightning along a cloud. / hear Of the
great moral tidal wave out West,
where the women have risen up, not
with tumult, but in the power Of the
Spirit, to stand between men and God,
imploring on either hand that great
plague and sin may be stayed. 1t
seems to me like coming of the king
dom; a working with the might that
presses into this outer world from the
heavenly. / think it is the grandest
thing ever learned Of; and l think
it bears great and significant relation
to the other movement OF the time to
which women are reused, and which,
in its fresh impulse, and the new. con-
tentiOns that have come of it, is the
other thing am told of to-day.
hear that in Massachusetts 'wo-
men are in the air. 1t is where they
should be. Not riding on broom
) sticks, nineteen century witches, not
raising in whirlwinds, but pervading
! life with vital power and influence.
| wish that the strongest, purest force
that woman can use were in every
breath that a man draws. 1t has SEEM
i ed to me, heretofore, that women were
making, for the most part, in their
great reform, misdirection of force;
that they were shifting and clashing
upon the surface, instead of putting a
great lever underneath the mass to be
moved and raised. Is it not all legis-
lation after all, but makeshift of q
half-ripe time? Is it not patching
and propping, guarding and circum-
venting of that which ought and some
times will stand by itself, and move so
straight and pure rs to wait for neith-
er help nor hindrance-human integ
rity? If men are so bad that they can
not be trusted to make far rules for
their mothers, sisters. daughters, as
we'll as themselves, is there not some
great radical work to be done which
it may be put into the hands of women
to do, other than this struggling with
these bad men for right to an equal
chance in the great free fight for self?
This thing that is doing now so mar
velously about temperance almost
comes as reply. 1t has taken hold
deeper down. Legislation has failed.
Men, with their aw-making rights,
can do nothing to help themselves.
Women come, with their love and
their prayers; they gather up sudden
ly all this great force of desire and
sorrow, pity and hope, that is in them,
and they leave everything else for a
time to 60 and try what can be done
with it between earth and heaven to
move the Lord and men toward the
one meeting. point where submission
to the right and Divine might make
salvation! 1t is a fit time and cause
for them to leave all, as men also leave
their private work when a great pub
lie need demands them. Such times
come for the women as they come for
the angels-as they came for the Lord
Himself; afterward they can 60 back
again into the peace that they have
made.
There are other works like this,
| also, to do; these times must come un.
til all righteousness is established.
There are other shames and sorrows
to abolish. There are dishonesties to
entreat the world away from, to utter
price of. Men, in their working world
are to be made better, purer, grander;
then the laws will take care Of them
selves. There is no man but "repre-
sents" woman; because there is nc
man born and living in a world oi
men.
Women ought not to have the prac.
tical burden of public affairs; it be.
longs-to men to care for these; but il
is given to the women first of all te
make the men Woman work is the
primary, interior one. Not shut w
or limited. IsGod's work limited be-
cause it begins with His spirit, NOV
ing to the Utmost, and tends outward
through all things, to the very bord
ers of whatever is made visible? Wo
men are put at the heart of the world
1t is their work to keep the pure life
in it.
All, but they must begin now will
cleansing themselves! This kind tha
has got into the world to day, ant
rends it. goes not out by prayer ant
fasting. They must give up their fal
sites, their frivolities. They mus
make the life-centers pure and simpl
again. They must let men see tn
kind of life they wish and will live
and would have men live with them
That which it was worth while tn
world, and all the glory of it, shoul,
have been made for. They must asl
true things of men-not shine an
show. They must scorn fine houses
and carriages, and dresses. bough
with money made in fever of un
righteous speculation They mus
say: We will have none Of it. /
Eve can cast away the apple, Adam
perhaps, will do we'll enough.
Let women try this first; then,
the need remains, they can doubles
make the laws also. There will be
very honest understanding by tina
time, between men and men-betwee
men and women.
What if you good apostles and mar
tyrs should pay your taxes littl
; longer, while you arc working at thes
things? What if this, and not you
cows, or their pastures, be the yer
sacrifice just now demanded of you
bearing the wrong that is in the worl
until you have set it on the track tina
shall lead to all truth and justice? /
good physician keeps a wound ope
sometimes, until he can heal it fror
the foundation.
But this very cry-"taxation with