The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-31
"The Despotism Of the Needle,
or a Discourse on WO-
mans Wages"
The Oppressed and the Oppressers in
the Worlds Broad Field OF
Battle.
Idleness Is UnwhoIesome and Industry Is
Healthrul, bat Bondage Makes
Life ~ Most Heavy
Burden.

BROOKLYN, " Y. May "a DIR. Talmage
presced in the Brooklyn Tabernacle this
morning on the subject, ''The Despotism of
the Needle, or Discourse on Woman's
Wsges." Bsfore the sermon DR.. Talmage
explsined me Epistle OF James where it ssys,
BE not many masters which he said was
reproof for those who are disposed to be
bosey in their disposition. The opening
hymn was:
Mid scenes OF confusion and creature COM
plants,
How sweet to my soul is communion of saints!
The text was from Eclesiastes, iv. l.
"Ireturned and considered all the expressions
tears OF such as were oppressed, and they had no
comforter; and and on the side OF their opppress-
ori there was power.
Following is the sermon in full:
Very long ago the needle was busy. 1t
was considered honorable for women to toll
in olden times. Alexander the Great stood
in his palace, showing garments made by his
own mother. The finest tapestries Of Bayeux
were made by the Qusen of William the
Cor queTor. Augustus, the Emperor would
not wear any garmants except those that
were fashioned by some member of his royal
family. So let the toiler everywhere be re-
spectedl The needle has claim more than the
sword. When the sewing machine was IN
vented some thought that invention would
alleviate woman's toll and put an end to the
despotism of the needle. Bat no while the
sewing machine has been s great blessing TO
well-to-do families In many cases. it has
added TO the stab OF the needle the cru 10 o
the wheel. and mulutudes of women, not
withstanding the reinforcement of the sew
ing machine, can only make, work hard as
they will, between two and three dollars
FER week.
TIE GREATEST BLESSING
that could have happened to our first pa.
rents was being turned out of Eden after
they had done wrong. Adam and Eve, in
their perfect state, might have got along
without work, or only such slight employ
ment as perfect garden with no weeds in
it demanded. Bat as soon ss they had sinnsd,
the best thing for them was to be turned out
where they would have to work. We know
what a whitening thing 1t is for man to
have nothing to do. Ola Ashbel Green, at
tours score years, when asked why he kept on
working, said: i do SO TO keep out OF mis-.
chief" We see that man who hes large
amount Of money to start with has no
chance. OF the thousand prosperous and
honorable men that you know. nine hun
6rtd ana ninetv-nine had 10 work vigor-
oUsl at the beginning But | am now 10
tell you that industry is Just important
for a womans safety and happiness. TIE
most Unhappy women in our com munities to.
day those who have no engagements TO
call them up IN the morning; who once hav-
ing risen and breakfasted, lounge through
the dull forenoon in slippers down at the
heel and with disheve.ed nair, reading Oai
das last novel. and who, having dragged
through q wretchsd forenoon and taken their
afternoon sleep and having passed an hour
al half at their toilet, pick up their card
case and 60 out TO make calls, and who pass
their evenings waiting for somebody to come
in and break Cp the monotony. Arsbella
stuart never was imprisoned in so dark
dungeon as that.
THERE IS 40 HAPPINESS IN AN IDLE WOMAN.
1t may be with hand, it may be with brain,
il may be with both; but work she must or
be wretched forever. Tbs little girls OF our
families must be started with that idea. The
curse OF our American society ia that
young women are taught that the first. Sec
ond, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh,
tenth, fftieth, thousandth thing in their life
Is to get somebody 10 take care OF them. In
stead OF that the frat lesson should be how,
under God, they may take care of themselves.
The simple fact is, that majority of them
do have 10 take care of themselves aud that,
too, after having, through the falle notions
of their parents, wasted the years in which
they ought TO have learned how successfully
10 maintain themselves. We now ana here
de clare the inhumanity, cruelty and outrage
OF that father and mother who pass their
daughters into womanhood, having given
them no facility for earning their livelihood.
Madame de Stael said: 1t is not these
writings that am proud OF, but the fact that
| have facility in len occupations, in any
che of which / could make livelihood"
You say you have fortune 10 leave them.
o man add woman, have you no. learned
That like vultures, ike hawks, like esgles,
riches have wings aud fly away? Though you
should be successful IN leaving a competency
behind you the trickery of executors may
swsmp it in night, or some officials IN our
churches may get up mining company and
induce your orohans to put their money
into hole in Colorado; and IT, By the mott
skillful machinery, the sunken money can
not be brought up again, prove to them that
il was eternslly decreed that that was the
way they were to lose it. and that Il went In
q most orthodox a1d heavenly style. Ga,
the damnable schemes that protested Chris
ans will engage in-until God puts His
fingers into the collar OF the hypocElts's robe
and rips 1t clear down to the bottom you have
no right because you "a we'll off 70 conclude
hat your children a-e going 70 be as well oa
a man died leaving q large fortune. His
old comrades came in aud said as they bsnt
over his corpse: What is the matter with
YOU, Boggsey?' The surgeon standing over
him said: Hush mp de is dead" oh he
Is dead" they sad. Came, boys. lets
20 I'd take q drink il memory OF poor
Boggsey."
HAVE YOU NOTHING BETTER THAN MONEY
/, lesve your children? II you have not but
send your daughters in 60 the world with
mpty brain and unskilled hands, you are
o1ilty of asst snnaiion. homicide. regicide,
ilisnticide. There are women toiling in our
Cite for two and three dollars per week who