Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-08
woSIAN's SPHERE.


woMAN's SPHERE.
1t is clear from the recent discussions on
female suffrage that there is a good deal
of uncertainty and difference of opinion
at the present day as to woman's sphere
in the world The movement which led
to the improvement in women's education
is still so young that its results can scarcely
yet be tested We have no sufficient ma
terial to enable US to decide whether, and
if SO in what direction, the female intellect
differs from the male. We have no ade-
quate means of judging whether those
special womanly qualities which are uni
versally valued and admired are inherent
in woman's nature or are due, in part at
least, to the circumstances of her past life,
sheltered as it has been from much of the
struggle and competition of life. 1t must
still be considered uncertain whether the
particular direction taken by the higher
education for women is the ideally right
one. The advance has been so rapid that
we have hardly had time to breathe, still
less to ponder and judge. But the cry is
for further advance, or, rather, for more
change, for new openings, for fresh devel-
opments.
1t might be wiser, seeing that we have
done so much, to be content for the pres
ent TO move a little slower, and take
time to the work that has been already
done. There seems something selfish in
our haste. We wish that the changes
should, at any rate, come in our day, that
we may have the merit and the benefit of
them.
A little more caution is certainly needed
before we take steps that it would be i'm
possible for us to retrace. Is it too much
to ask that those who wish for more
changes should at least take time to for
mulate what is their conception of womsn's
share in the work of society? | have been
told that the only way to decide this is to
open everything to woman for which ma
ture has not obviously untitled her. This
suggestion, for Christians at least, has one
9 aided objection. There is nothing in
nature of women to unfit them for
holy orders, but we cannot imagine that
any Christian, however advanced an adyo-
cate of women's rights she may be, would
wish to see women as priests. Nature
does not, therefore, seem to be an alto
gether safe guide in this tangled question.
l should like to ask my fellow Christians
whether revelation has not something to
say to US on this subject.
The old story of the creation of woman
tells US that she was made as a helpmeet
for man. | doubt whether modern claims
have advanced her to a nobler place. st.
PauPs views about women are well known,
but they are, as a rule, dismissed with
som1 remarks about the nature of the
times or a statement that st. Paul did not
appreciate women-was a misogynist in
fact. Yet even he had valued women
friends Priscilla, Phoebe, Lois, Eunice.
st. Peter was a married man, and lived
with women around him, and he had
found out that the ornament of women was
81 meek and quiet spirit" The political
platform of the nineteenth century does
not, however, seem akin to the meek and
quiet spirit.
| fancy that l have seen in America
among the best women better ideal of
woman's sphere than is often to be found
elsewhere. | have noticed some glimmer
ing of an idea that woman should regard
it duty to bring sweetness and light, in
tellectual as well as moral, into the lives
of their male relatives and friends, and
that with that object each woman should
aim at making herself as complete a char
acter as she could. If we women would
only take the trouble to be something to
have a character, to have interests, to have
ideals, to have true religion, who would
say where our power would stop? But
no, we want our rights, we want to make
noise, we want to be of consequence, we
are afraid that our opinions are not suffi-
GENTLY valued, we clamor for an apprecia-
BILE test of our influence.
The Gospel teaches us different lesson.
1t would be well if we should content our
selves for a time with bringing the fruits
of our improved education, Of our enlarged
opportunities, to bear upon the duties i'm
posed upon us within our old sphere and
those others which are intimately con-
nected with it. Meanwhile we might well
study with little more care than we have
hitherto done what are the peculiar char
acteristics of the female intellect. Too
much time has been wasted with the de-
sire to prove that it is the same or equal
to that of man. If We believe that the fact
that the world is peopled with beings Of
different sexes is not due to chance, but to
the will of the Creator, we are bound to
believe that He has appointed work OF
different kinds for each sex. We cannot
believe that in the relaxation He has given
us He has left US without guidance in the
perplexing task Of how this work is to be
apportioned.
THE LITTLE FOLKS
Are full of practical theology, and the idea
of God gets into their heads in a very real
istic manner. A four-year-old was being
bothered by her brother, when suddenly
she rushed to the window, and looking
skyward, called out ''God, he's naughty
bow Then turning to the offender; she
said 'There God II give it to you"
BERNHARDTs TOMB.
A curious fact about Sara Bernhardt is
that she has caused a most sumpt1ous
tomb to be prepared in Pere la Chaise for
her own obsequies. 1t is all in white mar
BILE, with the one word, "Bernhardt," IN
scribed above the portal. Within there Is
space for single coffin only. The great
actress desires to be alone after death, as
she has been Vnapproachable in her genius
during her life. Every year on her birth
day she visits his tomb and lays upon it
W ath of i'm nortelles. Some one asked
her why she did so. Because" she said,
81 would like 20 have my grave decorated
with flowers alter my death, and perhaps
If l accuston people to see it so adorned
they viii follow my example and keep up
the custom when am no more" Is there
not something piteous in this clinging of
the most famous actress of her generation
10 the. .seeting memories Of those she will
leave behind hsr?
KEEP WARM.
If you want TO be happy, keep warm.
Now that tie cold weather has come moth
;rg Is more conducive to health than
proper flannel garments. The body should
be enveloped IN soft, clean flannel, and in
oh sg6t Co