The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-11

men. Women might preach and perform
religious rites equally with men; bias was
sunk out OF sight. When the male priests
gained little temporal power the old
spirit OF dominance sprung up in their
breasts, and they began to hold church
councils and issue canon laws TO suppress
women. Women were forbidden to preach,
10 enter the altar, to administer the sacra-
ment, to perform baptismal rites. We
have reason to believe Christian women
did not so quickly submit. During several
centuries church councils again and again
issued canon laws to silence women
preachers. During all these centuries the
male priests gave as the reason why
women should not preach the old
story THAT Ewes disobedience had brought
sin in the world; that hut for Eve
earth would be paradise; that Ewes
female descendants are unworthy to preach
the religion of Christ; because female de-
scendants are more prone to have dealings
with the devil than male. The charge of
Ewes disobedience in the matter OF the
apple is noticeable instance OF sex.bias,
and its distortion OF mems judgments.
The facts OF the case (if we take the Bible
accoun. as facts) show that Adam and not
Eve was the guilty party. The command
not to eat the apple was given to Adam
before Ewes creation; there is no evidence
in the Bible on which any Jury in Amer
lea could convict Eve OF the sin OF disobe-
dience, for there is no evidence that the
Creator ever forbade Eve 10 eat the apple.
Should any theologian assert that Adam
told Eve OF Gods command, we reply
there is no positive proof OF this. Any
woman acquainted with the natural for.
getfulness OF men will be slow TO believe
Adam thought to mention the matter TO
his wife; yet for 1000 years Eve has borne
the stigma OF that charge, and eloquent
preachers OF this day repeat it. Not long
ago Mr.. Talmage preached sermon on
Eve, and declared that she was the cause Of
all the sin and sorrow on this earth, declared
5 he was responsible for every battle ever
fought, every quarrel, every crime COM
mitted on earth. Sex-bias distorts Mr..
Talmage's judgment almost as much rs il
did these old bishops who held a council
in the sixth century in Macon, France, 10
discuss and determine whether women
have souls or not. This council was COM
posed OF forty-three bishops with sees and
iorty-six bishops without sees and fifteen
ENJOYS. One learned bishop learnedly
argued that as woman could not be called
Homo, man, II could not DO said she
possessed a soul. To this learned bishop
replied that ''as the Scripture said God
made man, male and female, and us Jesus
Christ is called the son OF man, when
IL Is well known that he was only the son
OF woman; he thought they were bound
TO admit that women have souls, though
OF quality very inferior 10 mans"
The judgments OF the learned bishop Of
the sixth century were no more strongly
distorted by sex-bias than the judgment
OF the learned biologist OF the nineteenth
century; place the arguments Of the two
side by side and mark the similarity.
The learned bishop as The learned biologist
scrtS asserts
Men have souls IL Il human 20 build.
Women are not men. Women do not build.
Therefore women have therefore women arr not
no souls human
In their efforts 10 reduce Christian wo.
men to subsection the old priests 50 per-
sistently decried and deprecated all wo-
manhood they poisoned the minds OF the
laity against them; IL was the warfare
which brought about the celibacy OF the
priesthood. The first Christian priests
were permitted TO marry. Saint Chrysos-
tom summed up the priestly estimate OF
womanhood in few tense lines
woman" said this worthy saint, "is a
necessary evil, natural temptation, de-
sirable calamity. domestic peril and n
deadly fascination"
ST. Jerome taught that II was hardly pos
sible for married priest TO enter heaven;
II, by the skin OF his teeth he managed to
get in, he could never take that high place
reserved for the unmarried. ST Jerome
said that marriage was chiefly valuable
because they furnish the race with house
builders, students OF biology thrown in.
II Mr.. Allen is not himself lineal de-
sccndant OF ST. Jerome, Il will not be de-
MED that his ideas OF women have come
down In straight line from that good old
saint These pricslly teachings In time
bore the bitterest fruit; sex luminosity
grew 80 intense Il eliminated In the most
awful persecution OF women the minds,
even Of devils, could conceive Of a perse-
cution which did not cease, until, rs his
torians estimate. 100000 innocent wo-
men were tortured 10 death by fire and
fagot. In one day, one hour, In the pub.
lie square OF Christian city In France, 400
Christian women, guilty Of no crime what.
ever, were burned 10 death at the stake.
The charges against the women were that
they had dealings with the devil. A tray.
cler through Scotland casually relates that
In one days journey he saw nino women
burning al the stake. Thousands OF Chris
lian women were burned 10 death on the
charge OF being married 10 the devil.
Every one Of these false and foolish
charges were based on the story that Eve
brought sin In the world. Every one OF
these 100000 murders OF innocent women
were caused by that same sex-bias and
distortion Of judgment which has come
down through the centuries and fallen so
literally on the mind Of Mr.. Grant Allen.
Only short while ago In Sunday-school,
tho lesson Of the creation was taught. A
boy Of twelve took II in gfcedily, and
next day being required by the public
school teacher 10 write a composition, he
selected woman" rs his theme and
wrote rs follows
"By woman wus Eden lost and man
cursL II you trust her give up all hope
OF heaven. Woman cannot love, because
she Is too selfish. She may have a fancy,
but II Is hccting; her smiles are deceit,
her VOWS are traced In sand. She Is a
thread OF candor, with web OF wics.
Her charity Is hypocrisy Complexion,
heart, tongue and all, oh, hate you, ye
cold composition Of art
This boy bids fair TO become a. learned
a biologist as Mr.. Allen.
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