The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-06-29
THRICE Is he ARMED WHO HATH
HIS QUARREL JUST"

evidently submitted his manuscript to
those in authority, and embodied therein
detached paragraphs at their dictation,
before rashly hanging it upon the ''copy
hook" Forgetting what be cannot pos
sibly be ignorant of, that there are
hundreds who are enrolled under the
sacred and honored banners of Metho-
dism whose lives are living lie to the
teachings not only of the church, but of
common decency and morality, be at
temPts to fix the stigma of "free love-
ism" upon the woman movement,
merely because some of the advocates of
this abomination believe in equal
rights, .mistaking altogether the ques-
tion of right in it's holiest sense. His
comments upon this class embody the
most fiagrant and palpable error when
he states that in houses of prostitution
are found those who are adherents of
the woman movement. No, sir. Those
who practice, even while they abhor
''free lust" are domiciled there, patron
lied and debauched ten to one by men
who oppose woman's enfranchisement
and elevation, but search the houses of
ill-fame in this city through, and not
one advocate of Woman Suffrage will
be found, either among the resident
victims or the visiting libertines.
Mixed in with the long and contra
dictory article under consideration are
some grains of truth, which show that
our brother is struggling toward the
light even faster than he is willing to
acknowledge. Speaking of the advo-
Gates of woman's enfranchisement few
months ago, he classed them as women
who wished to escape the high and holy
duties Of motherhood; who chafed under
the obligations of wifehood, and ignored
the demands of home. In short, be de-
clared that they were women "who
quarreled with nature because they had
not been created men," This the good
church sisters who support him and his
paper would not tamely endure, and
supplies began to be cut off. Clearly
something must be done, or the AdUo-
cate must take a dreamless sleep. Sc
this is the testimony now:
A third class represents much of the brains
and the moral wealth of the female portion o.
the nation, and is largely supported by the
other sex. This class is not at war with the
home. 1t asks no release from male tyranny
It is in no sense an army of maddened slaves
raising an insurrectiOn, but is made up of the
best wives and mothers in the world, who be
Iieve the age opens the door of greater useful
ness to the sex, and are waiting to take part in
new duties which they accept as laid upon
them.
Courage, sisters; our brother will moi
probably go back on this declaration as
he did on the first one he made in favor
of Woman Suffrage in the Advocate-
from prudential reasons.
Brother Acton says "women have not
been crowded out" of the professions
which custom has given to men. Let
him seek information on the subject;
let him ask A. G. Walling, a printer oi
this city, if he has encountered any op-
position in his endeavor to get women
apprentices in his office; let him enquire
among the lawyers whether they will
welcome young women to their profess
sion; let him interview the NJ. Us, and
see what their opinion is in regard to
the practice of medicine by women; let
him rack his memory, or, in event OF
that being in total eclipse upon this
point, let him search among the back
numbers of the Advocate for his own
opposition to women ministers, and
then let him candidly tell his readers
whether women have been crowded
back from these professions, or have re-
mained out of them from their own
choice.
Now, however, he says, "a new era
dawns." Will he tell us what has
caused the light to appear? Is it not
the agitation and advocacy of the ques.
{ ton? The very persistence of women
in placing it before the public which he
condemns in such iDtemperate Language
is the power that has uubarrred the
gates of light. If not, what then has
. done it?
} The addresses to which he has lis
J tened, least and west" and which he
so strongly disapproves, have mayfair
been the means of arousing thought
, which, bat for their strong presentation
, of facts, would have slumbered on fol
aye, securely guarded by "custom."
} Ministers of the gospel who attempt
to pave the road to heaven with golden
flags, and place by the wayside spark.
; ling fountains of pleasure and downy
couches whereon to repose, are i'm.
mensely popular, but is it by this
process that souls are awakened anC
brought to reflection and salvation I
) So also ministers of the great gospel o.
) equal rights might gloss truths anC
, truckle to error by pandering to the
prejudices of men. But would theil
) oily words create ripple upon the ses
; Of thought, or make converts to theil
: doctrines, or in any way ameliorate The
r condition or tend to the elevation O.
, woman?
1t would be strange indeed if the ad
vocates of any great reform, meeting, a,