Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-06-06


;ty's influence has not been felt some
sxeentions might be made, but they are
scarcely more in number and better in
character than to give emphasis TO what
has been said.
any should suspect that under the
mower Of sin, woman has been rendered
40 hateful in conduct and so contempt
HE in character as to furnish an excuse,
II not a justification, 10 the stronger
mart of the race for their oppression OF
her. let me add that the evidence to sup
port such q suspicion is wanting. Wo.
man has retained in all lands and under
all kinds OF treatment the pecu-
liar characteristics which ought
10 have rendered her an object
of respect, and OF kind and considerable
treatment. These characteristics as We
know them have been developed and
perfected under the refining influences
of christian civilization, but they exist
to-day in the women Of heather and
savage lands.
Ledyard the great traveller bears this
testimony to the character Of woman in
all land: wherever found they are
the same kind, civil, tender, humane
beings. They are ever inclined to be
CAV and cheerful, timorous and modest.
They do not hesitate to perform gen.
erous hospitsble action. They are not
naughty, nor arrogant, nor supercilious;
but full OF courtesy and fond OF society;
industrious, economical, ingenious,
more liable in general to err than man,
but in general also more virtuous and
performing more good actions than he.
inever addressed myself in the language
of decency and friendship to woman,
whether civilized or savage, without re-
ceiving decent and friendly a'swer
In wandering over the barren plains oil
inhospitable Denmark, through honest
Sweden, frozen Lspland, rude and
churlish Finland, uuprincipled Russia,
and the widespread regions OF wandering
Tartars, if hungry, dry, cold, wet or
sick, woman has ever been friendly
TO me and uniformly SO" 1t
will not, of course, be denied
that sin has corrupted the soul OF wo.
man, and turned her often into mon
ster of vice and cruelty, and the object
of what have said is to show that she
has not only to bear her cwn, but mans |;
and in consequence OF her universal
subsection, her sins have been increased,
her degradation deepened and her mis-
cries increased.
THE OTHER SIDE.
The minister then turned to a more
pleasant portion of the theme, and
showed how Christ honored and eleva-
ted woman, and how since then she has
been going steadily upward until now
she is the recognized equal OF man.
Christ always honored women. Whilst
the disciples wondered that Jesus should
talk with woman, it seems never to
have entered his mind that she was not
a social equal. She was esteemed by
him just as capable and just as
worthy of instruction as any man,
Pharisee or disciple. His longest
conversation with an individual was
held with a woman. His first avoWal
Of His Messahship was made to wo'
man. By a woman he broke down the
wall of exclusiveness that surrounded
Israel, and thereby extended the bless.
ings OF God to Abraham, to all nations
of the earth. His first convert outside
of Israel was a woman. His first mis-
sionary to any people OF the outside
world was woman. The friends in
whose society he sought relief after the
labors and trying contests with enemies
in Jerusalem were Mary and Martha.
1t was to woman he first exhibited
Himself after His resurrection, even
before ascending to His Father, and she
was made His first messenger OF the
glad tidings to His disciples. And the
first convert on the continent oil Eu-
rope, the spiritual mother OF European
Christianity, was Lydia. She was not
Paul's convert, but Christ's for the re-
cord is, "whose heart the Lord opened
that she attended unto the things that
were spoken OF Paul"
Dwelling upon this theme for some
time, Mr.. Motfat beautifully set forth
the divine honor conferred by the Savior
upon woman. She has enjoyed the full
benefit of all that Christianity has done
to deliver tbs world from slavery and
oppression, to infuse into society the
spirit OF humanity and love, to suppress
a multitude OF vices and Danish them
from public view and public approval.
WHAT WOMAN HAS DONE.
The establishment OF Christianity in
Britain, an event in which we have pro-
found interest, was not effected without
the agency OF two women. When the
Christian Princess Bertha married the
Pagan King Ethelbert OF Kent, she
made it part of the marriage contract
that she should take her priest with her
and observe in his Pagan court her
Christian rites. She became at least
the patron and helper Of Austin, whose
labors soon gave Christianity the as.
tendency in South Britain, north OF the
Humber remained pagan, but ahen
Edwin became King, be sought the
hand OF Ethelbert's daughter, who, like
her mother, exacted pledge OF protec-
ton for her religion, and through her
efforts and her priests, Pauiinn's, Chris
tianity prevailed in the north. How
much we owe to the fact that two
Christian women in the midst OF the
excitement of matrimonial alliances
with kings did not forget their obliga-
tons to King Jesus!
Woman's work in the mission was
fully enlarged upon and her equally
great efforts in philanthropy. The
noble work and examples OF Florence
Nightingale and Mrs. Fry and Octavia
Hill were paid deserved tribute and
their efforts in behalf OF suffering hui
manity were given the highest honor.
Mr.. Moffat then addressed himself
particularly
To THE GRADUATING CLASS.
Let US now talk with the young ladies'
OF the graduating class. Let US forget,
il we can, the presence OF others. Your
commencement is near, and You will
pass from girlhood into womanhood.
What shall your life be? In this criti'
cal moment Jesus would talk with you
He asks OF you your hearts and then
your lives. Has any one done for you
as much as He has done? When His
mission was to deliver You from the
awful degradation, vice and misery
which l have tried to depict To-
night, can you have no higher
mission in life than to become the
centre Of a social company, to exhibit
your fine clothes, TO give grand enter
tainments, 10 be brilliant in converse
ton, to dance with exquisite grace, to
turn Gods earth into play ground