The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-06-10

superior importance. Europe Ia
populated one continent, and hes para
mount influence over the others Thi
is due 10 the elements which Christiani
" has introduced into her civilization
But Christianity was inaugurated il
Europe by an Asiatic woman. Tht
history Of this quiet but importan
movement is given with simplicity ans
brevity in the sixteenth chapter of tn,
Acts of the Apostles.
Paul had been laboring in Asst
Minor to plant the gospel of Jesus
There came upon him a strange spiritua
restraint, 50 that he was forbidden o.
the Holy Ghost" to continue his worl
in that section. Then in a vision, mar
of Macedonia said unto Paul, "COme ovel
to Macedonia and help us9' He wen
at once, and by an unusually short
voyage, was landed at Neapolis, the
seaport Of Philippi, to which city ht
went Immediately. It was the most
important town in that section, and was
a Roman military station. There mus
have been few Jews there. There wa.
no synagogue, but there was a prayer
place by the river Thither Paul and
and his companion went There were
no other men present. Some few
deyout women came to pray. Paul
taught them.
One was converted. She was q
woman engaged in trade. She was q
seller Of purple from Thyatira tempor-
arily In this Italian colony in Greece.
God opened her heart and she opened
her house, and with a quiet like the
dawn Christianity took its place in
Europe. Perhaps she carried the gospel
truth with her 10 her own home, to
which a message was sent in the
Apocalypse, through "the angel of the
church at Thvatira.' At any rate, she
was the first convert in Europe, and she
was a working member of the renewed
church. When the Apostle was driven
from PhiIippi she nursed the infant
church, and of that church Paul speaks
more lovingly than any other he had
served, for it became his 10Y" and his
Grown"
cannot forbear saying that in
church service modern ministers in the
metropolis find that Paul discovered,
that their most active helpers are not 50
often "ladiesn OF wealth and leisure,
of whom so much ought to be expected,
as OF those women who make their daily
bread by their needles, by being sci
lers of purple" or Of fine linen, or toilers
in factories, whose large dividends 60 to
the stockholders rather than to the
operatives. On this tradeswoman Lydia
is set the crown of being the beginning
of the reign of Jesus in Europe.
The result of Paul's preaching IN
is stated thus: Certain men
clsve unto him, and believed; among
the which was Dionysius the Arepaglte,
and a woman named Damaris, and
others with them" Two persons among
the converts, in that center of intellec-
tual activity and culture, were such as
deserved a mention OF distinction, and
one of them was woman.
1t seems to me that this rapid review
points to two things, namely, the
adaptness of women to Christian work,
and the need Christianity must always
have for her service.
!. That men are to take the heavier
burdens of Christianity, that they are to
be the preachers, the heralds Of the
and claims of Jesus, would
seem to be very apparent, not only from
the constitution of their sex, butalso from
the teaching of the Holy Scripture and
the practice of Jesus and His Apostles.
The public church work naturally falls
to man, and the private to women.
There is a most important part of that
work which men cannot do and women
can.
Everywhere woman has shown a pc
culiar receptivity for the doctrines and
the spirit of the gospel, as, when He
was in the flesh, they manifested a pc
culiar appreciation of Jesus. Ordinarily,
there have been more female converts
to Christianity than males. There have
been men who were senseless enough to
allege this as an objection to Christiani-
ty, and some Christian men who have
been a little sensitive as to the state
ment Of the fact.
But, is not the best of every man that
which he has received from the mothers
side? Is not the female part of any
species the propagative side? Is not the
noblest face on a mans head that which
has the most delicate feminine lines
traced on the surface of most manly
Is not the best physique for
a man that which has the best compost
ton of female delicacy with masculine
yigor? Is not that the best genius
which has the most suppleness of femi-
nine grace and agility combined with
the greatest volume of masculine force.
1t has its suggestion in the profound
est physical and metaphysical knowl-
edge of human nature, that if Goo" Is
to be manifested in the flesh, " the in
carnation of the Divine should be
woman rather than through
man. 1t is not to be wondered that the
system of religion of that Man who had
a mother, but not a father, should find
the sex of our mothers more receptive
than the sex OF our fathers.
Woman has, also, greater plastic power
than man.
Each of us to-day stands before the
world brought to what he Is by the In
huence upon him of women more than
Of men. We have been shaped by our
mothers rather than by our fathers, by
our sisters rather than by our brothers,
by our sweethearts and wives more than
bv our chums and comrades, and even
by our daughters more than by our sons.
There is soft and persistent pressure
in woman which is formative of what
ever falls under her influence. God has
graciously and gracefully made her so.
When she has received the instrument
tality of Christianity with which to
work, her power as teacher becomes
greatly enhanced.
,. Her social position gives woman
great advantages for religious work.
1t always did. No matter whas man
has made of woman, he never could do
without her. When a person in any
position becomes necessary, that per-
son becomes influential. But Chris
by its quiet readjustment of
the social life, has placed woman where
her great receptive and plastic powers
have full play.
She is the first to go at man. lie Is
born into her arms, born in perfect
born so that man can do
little for him, and a woman Is necessary
to him, and that woman must be his
mother. She binds his heart to her
heart before he becomes conscious of
having an intellect. She is alone with
him. The father has gone a-hunting, Z
hunting game, like NImrod or fame,
like Cesar, or gold, like YOU. He may
have gone, as the nursery song has 1t,
.ro set rabbit skin 10 wrap the little baby in .
but while he was gone the mother sings
that lullaby to the baby. and the
mothers song does more TO make that
baby than all the rabbit skins or finest
furs in which he can be wrapped.
She is always nearest TO men when we
are most open TO be influenced; in our
quiet, off guard, gown and-slippers hours.
She could not do much with US when
We are trading, fuming about the mar
kets, rushing about the streets. girded
for war, roaring and swearing IN the
heat of battle, nor when we are amid
grave public duties-preaching from the
pulpit or administering justice from the
bench. In a panic the men In Wall
street would run over a woman as they