The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1889-02-16
|Hopap'sG. G.T.G. Goldimy
The Monthly Gospel Temper
ance Meeting will take place at
Union Church tomorrow evening
with varied programme.
wonAH III MORAL REFORM,

WOMAN III MORAL RHFORN.
The notion prevails that the first
Declaration of Woman's Rights y
in the republic of the West sprang
from the heated enthusiasm OF
youthful visionaries, dreaming OF
unattainable Ell Dorados of hope
and chasing cloud-castles of theory.
But when contrasted with the sub
stantial facts, no conception could
be more false. The primary asser-
ton of woman's Equivalence" with
man, to use Frances Power Cobb's
fine phrase, was a moral one. And
the claim was uttered by heroic
Christian anti-slavery advocates,
whose hearts were all aflame to
plead the cause of their degraded
sisters, in the prison dens and auc-
ton marts Of the Southern slave
States.
The first of these prophetesses-
and what heart-thrilling and COM
manding orator she was they only
who listened to her inspired out
pourings when she first stood be-
fore crowded assemblies, angry
mobs, and earnestly-attentive legis-
lative committees, can estimate
was Angelina Grimke, of South
Carolina. She was born and bred
amid the refinements of wealthy
home, but began her career by ris-
ing in the stiffness of night when
yet a little girl, and creeping to the
slave quarters, with sweet-oil and
soothing herbs to comfort the suf-
ferers from the overseers' cruel
scourge, and, as a Sunday-school
teacher, by instructing negro chill
dren of her own age. Early in
womanhood, disheartened, disgust
ed and despairing Of converting her
own family and fellow Christians,
and impelled by the spirit speaking
in her soul, she, with her elder sis
ter, Sarah, sacrificed home, sun
dered the most tender ties of social
life, went forth throughout the Nor
thern Free States, to demand uni
versal emancipation.
Hers was the eloquence of a
broken heart. AS she gave way to
the deep yearning of affection for
all most closely bound to her by
kindred and neighborhood she felt
the desolation of a soul disappointed
in its dearest earthly hopes and
loves. But she heard within a
mightier voice than any earthly af-
fection. While, therefore, she
pleaded with pathos which melted
and subdued all who heard her, she
rose also into a loftier strain and
spoke with the mingled love and
sternness of a messenger Of God.
And this was Angelina Grimke's
law of "woman's duty"-her ideal
of "woman's sphere"
Whatever it is morally right for
man to do, it is morally right for a
woman to do. recognize no rights
but human rights. / know nothing
of mems rights and women's rights ;
for in Christ Jesus there is neither
male nor female. Sure | am that
woman is not to be, as she has been,
a mere secondhand agent in the
regeneration of a fallen world, but
the acknowledged co-equal and CO.
worker with man in this glorious
work.
A second of these heralds OF
equity, impartial kindness and mu-
tual mercy, was the blessed Lucre-
tia Mott Philadelphia }, who upheld
William Lloyd Garrison from the
moment he first proclaimed his
message of immediate emanci-
PATTON" and spoke her wise, i'm
pressive, animating words in the
first Convention of the American
Antislavery Society, held in Phil
adelphia, in December, 1888. Once,
in reply to lecture wherein the
demand of American Women for
civil and political rights, and for q
large sphere of action, had been
ridiculed and condemned, Mrs.
Mott delivered an address on the
"Bible View of Woman's Position
as Mans Equal,' and took his high
ground as child of God in the
Fathers family.
The examples of these great
hearted Christian gentlewomen IL
lustrate the style of conduct adopt
ed deliberately, by large class Of
anti-slavery women throughout the
northern, middle and western States
in that solemn crisis. It was stern
sense of moral responsibility that
commanded them to exercise their
Heaven-given right of declaring
from public platforms, as well ~ oy
their own fresides. their convlc'
tions as to the crimes of q profess
edly free republic, and the wrongs
perpetrated against their fellow-oe'
ings and feliow-Christians, who
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