The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-11-26
ADVANCE OF PUBLIC SENTIMENT
IN FIFTY YEARS.

In 1925, when DIR. King proposed es-
tablishing a school for girls at Tyre, a
priest objected, saying: at is by no
means expedient to teach women to
read the word of God. 1t is far better
for them to remain in ignorance, than
to know how to read and write. They
are quite bad enough with what little
they now know. Teach them to read
and write, and there would be no living
with them"
"Educate girl ~ said a Tripoli mos
lem. "YOu might as well attempt to
educate cat ~
Dr. Jessup, in a recent work, says:
mot two months since, was convers-
ing with several Mohammedan aristo-
Gratis of Beirut. The subject of the edu-
cation of girls was introduced, and one
of them said: I'VE are beginning to
have our girls instructed in your Prot
estant schools, and would you believe
it? heard one of them read the other
day probably his own daughter1, and
she actually asked a question about the
construction of a noun preceded by a
proposition ! never heard the like of
it Il! The things do distinguish and un-
derstand what they read, after all y
The other replied: MashalIah Mash
allah ! The will of God be done y"
Thus in the East, after long, gloomy
night, has the day-star arisen, its rays
richly laden with glorious light to myr-
lads who have hitherto sat in darkness
so thick and impenetrable that thew
had no hope of dawn. But God, who is
ever better than our fears, looked in pity
on those Eastern women, and sent de-
liverance. Fifty years ago, a faint,
hickering light appeared in the firma-
ment for them, and men, affrighted,
hastened to erect vast canOpies of arro-
gance and arbitrary power which hid
for the time, but could not extinguisb
that light. Slowly, timidIy had it
arisen, as if in conscious weakness; but
once having taken its place among the
luminaries of the day, no power of men
or devils could quench its light, for God
was with it, and gave it strength to pen
citrate here and there the canopies which |
the elements were slowly wearing away,
and which must ere long fall into ruins,
destroyed by the burning heat of the
noon-day sun.
The school, established in the face of
so many obstacles, fifty years ago, has
been doing its work among the people, |
and to-day, women employed as teach
ers may be found in various localities,
who owe all they have and are to it;
and men, seeing their efficacy, are forced
to acknowledge that women have
brains; and, after having opposed their i
progress without avail, bow to the inev-
liable and eXclaim: "The will of God be
done"
A similar advancement is discernible
in almost every portion of the globe.
Slowly turns the wheel of progress, but
surely, and every revolution brings
nearer and nearer still that period when
women, the world over, shall be in
peaceable possession of their rightful
position among their brethren. The
die is cast. The fiat hath gone forth
from justice, and no human power can
stay its execution.
Among many tribes where women
fifty years ago were in the most abiect
bondage, they are now considered but
little inferior to the men. In nations
enjoying the highest civilization, the
progress of sentiment relative to woman
is no less marked. In England and
America, fifty years ago, women as a
class were not expected to receive any
educational advantages beyond reading
and writing. Long and earnestly have
they striven to gain admittance into our
institutions of learning with only partial
success; for, to-day, the doors of many of
our best colleges and schools stand fast
closed against them. But many, YIELD
ing to the clamor of these ambitious as
pirants, have opened their portals to
all, irrespective of sex. They have set
a noble example, worthy the emulation
of every educator who has the public
veal at heart; for never can nation
become truly great, nor can the people
thereof attain high standard of excel
lence, except it be through the mothers.
Thank God many of the people of
our land are fully aware of the truth of