The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-03-03

customs and teach her to do as others
do, right or wrong, and still expect her
to develop by some absurd sort of "nat-
ural selection" strong sense of right,
and a power to resist temptation that
will carry her safely through this try
ing, tempting world. No, no; every soul
must stand or fall by its own deeds, not
anothers; and it is the cruelest mockery
to offer a poor mortal any other than
the wisest guidance, anything weaker
than the strongest help, anything less
than the strongest inspiration. But
that is what you do if you ask one to
use to use yO1r judgment, instead of
forming her own, if you place any finite
intelligence between her and the Su-
preme Mind. A vast majority of women
have always received their opinions
ready-made from men, and have really
thought no more about their truth and
wisdom than they do about the mech
anism of sewing machines and other
such things men kindly furnish them.
No wonder they are intellectually in
ferior. None can be otherwise, unless
they violate the old rules and think for
themselves. The wretched results of
this time-honored system of mental
idleness are everywhere to be seen; for
disuse means weakness, with mind as
with body. Nothing could be devised
more effectual to make women weak,
inefficient mothers Of degenerate race.
It is pitiful that old ideas are yet so
powerful that a woman who dares to
step out of the old paths-to learn, to
think, to express her opinions, to abide
by her convictiOns-is sneered at as be-
ing unlUomdnly. This state of things
has made possible the degrading idea
that to be gossiping, meddlesome tat
tier is what may be expected of
woman, though it is a disgrace to a man
to do the same dirty work. The fact is,
| it is a sin and shame for any human,
man, woman, or child, to talk about
/ any fellOw-being, so as to injure her or
him unnecessarily. To insinuate that
"Miss or Mrs. so and so is no better
than she should be if all were known"
| that "she isn't as perfect as she pretends
| to be-" and that "she'll bear Watching"
etc, etc., is doing work for the Evil One
as surely as it would be to go about
dropping strychnine into a cup of coffee
here, arsenic in the friendly tea yonder,
and whisky in the baby's cup. 1t is
we'll that all consider petty slander and
insinuations unwomanly, but it is just
as unwomanly because it is unjust,
mean, sneaking, cowardly, contempti-
/ bic.
A noble soul, whether it dwells in man
or woman, recoils from all that is base
or unkind, and loves all that is pure,
worthy, and true. l say that the main
essentials of a manly character must
therefore be found in a truly womanly
one, and Vice Uer8d. To be big, rough,
and coarse is not to be a man. as thous-
ands of tender, delicate women have
learned, who imagined they were mar
rying protectors, and found only brutal
masters. To be soft, clinging, and help
less, incapable of thought and action, is
not to be a woman, as thousands of men
have found who have married dolls, ex-
pecting to get helpmates.
1t is the highest ambition of the true
woman to be useful, but she must be
free to use her own judgment as to how
she can best serve her God and her race
and at the same time develop to their
utmost limits all her powers and facul,
ties, which is as much her duty as to ed
! ucate her own children. The nOblest
women who live in the present or in
history have been those who, with al
the charms of a lofty, spotless woman
hood, have had the unyielding firmnesS
of the granite under the bloom of the
rose. They have had the clear perception
and strong reason of manhood, with the
large heart, quick intuitiOns, and higf
spiritual nature of woman. Combining
the noble qualities of each, they have
eliminated the conspicuous faults anC
weaknesses of both. Would that W.
might all be like them. But though
that cannot be, it is better for us t.
have a high ideal than lower, more ac
cessible one.
While speaking of these representa-
tive women, 1 would say that the fines
specimens of manhood have, along will
2 great minds, great hearts. While thei
2 intellectual powers excite the admira
ton of the world, their moral and spir
itual natures fit them to understand ant
appreciate the most exalted women. Il
short, the purest, noblest, and best mel
and women have been most nearly alik
in heart and mind, and will always be
and the more natural and sensible th
e training of the young, the more the.
will supplement each others defects an
o form pure, noble, harmonious charac
0 ters.
< In the effort to emerge from the bond
: age in which women have always bee
f held by custom, many, doubtless, Civ
= offense by unpleasant roughness an
o harshness. This is inevitable. All re
s formers must necessarily have NOR
v frmness than gentleness, more combat
d iveness than amiability. Those VIII
v fight for their rights cannot alway