Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-02-21
THE WOMAN'S PLACE.
Her POSITION IN THE CHRISTIAN
WORLD COMPARED WITH MANS.
The Problem Considered Under Four Grand
Hssds--woman Outstripped by Man
Even In Domestic Handiwork.
Written for the Dispatch-l

This IS now one OF tho nve ISSUES Oh
the day, and propose to consider it under
the four following heads-to wit: Ana
and Physiologically, Morally and
Mentally. Historically and ScripturalIy,
and
1. II will not require an Owen or a
Culver to point out tho remarkable differ
ence between the man and woman ana
Ironically and physiologically. Upon the
most casual inspection it IL apparent that
they we're made for different spheres. In
the woman the bones are small and smooth,
in the man big and rough; the muscles in
the latter are tied tightly to the bones, in
the woman less securely. The shoulder
blade IN the woman shows that she Is
not qualified 10 lift or throw the spear.
and her lower extremites that she
is not fit for the march. The man Is COM
pact. the woman less so In muscular power
as 81 to 1Si pounds, about one half The
longevity Of the two about the same,
though the woman arrives sooner NJ
maturity. This shows wonderful wisdom
and design. Her mission is specinc. IL
seems God designs her to live To the age
of 65 years. Though not designed for hard
work she sometimes is put IN this false po-
sition, not only by savages but by en-
lighted Europeans.
2. The moral and mental peculiarities
az the sexes are. if possible, more diverse.
To clearly diferentiate them is difficult.
And first of mans moral qualities: ihey
are scant, but his inmorslities are aDun-
dant and shocking. In my essay on In,
stinctin Animals and Intelligence in Man /"
/ called attention to PauPs summary OF
them. They are adultery. tornica-
ton. uncleanness. righteousness. idolatry'
witchcraft. hatred. yariances, emulations'
wrath. strife, seditions. heresies. en-,
wings. drunkenness, murder. ratings, ana
such like "-seventeen, and these not all !.
Fully one half of these belong almost ex-
clusively to man. and be is as guilty, per-
haps, as the woman OF the othe, nan.
Moreover. man leads woman into all Klnus
of sin, because of his influence over nci.
Left to herself she would close every jan,
penltentiarv, inebriate asylum. and den or
infamy, and most of the orphan asyiums
in the world. think can almost give IN
figures the difference between the mo;
rality or immortality OF men and
women. There are ten times more
men In prisons than women. 1 no.
ticed some years ago that fonr times
as many boys as girls were committed 1or
vagrancy in our large cities. and TINS does
no. fully express the difference. as many
bovs escape tho work-hOuse by heeing
by women. even with mans help. Women's
offence against morals are also OF Lighter
grade. She is sometimes guilty OF hatred;
variance. emulations. wrath, strife. ana
euyying.n These are with her generally
bloOdless offences. while IN man tney
often lead to murder.
CORRUPT MAN.
The evil tendencies in man are number
less. and most of them are innate. Mans
deprayity is seli-evident that he IS born
in sin" needs no argument. From the
crown of his head TO the soles OF his feet -"
he is corrupt. These facts are sufficient to
show the Immense superiority. or women
over men in morality. and but for her ex-
ample and influence he would be far more
vile than be is. Mans superiority men
tain" NAV be shown by his works. He IS
the author of all progress in mechanics, IN
government, in science. and art. lie has
Governed and mlsgoverned the world IN
all Its history. His enterprise and
proves are remarkable. lie - OBJ
servant, logical, and sometimes. Godlike
in genius and courage: bold and self-re-
liant. He levels lofty hills and sends the
nelled mountains. He seizes the light
ming, swifter than the winged wind, and
sends it Kissing beneath the I'M
fathomed seas to distant lands. His cum
ming fingers spin the spiders line and
stretches the mighty Atlantic cable.
Standing upon his splendid abode of
which God has made HIM master, he
throws his line across the heavens and
weighs and measures the mighty circling
spheres. He bounds their seas and
searches their mountains and valleys.
Wonderful worker, art thou. Truly thou
art one of the sons of God. Who dare
call thee mortal, thou son of the morn
ing? Thy lovely and loving handmade,
amazed at thy prowess, extols the great
ness and grandeur of her exalted son. In
philosophy. especially in metaphysic and
in the highest art of poetry. woman does
not approach him man - capable of the
loftiest patriotism and of the most inhexi-
BILE Justice. His mind can completely,
dominate his deepest feelings; rot so OF
woman. One of mans greatest sins Is
DEGRADATION of women, and this Is by rea-
son of his selfshness and superior will
power. In no nation of antiquity were
woman's real rights recognized except IN
Jewish and Christian countries. She Is often
made the occasion of great crimes, but
not the guilty causes. Men use and abuse
her. But for the mother-feeling, that
coronet of graces, he would make her
almost as bad as himself. 1t enforces
domesticity and seclusion from the world
and its temptations. One of the mans
greatest checks and safeguards is his desire
to please her. He greatly values her adml-
ration. lie would often die and has often
died to gain IT. This mysterious secret
power is of God. and is given tor her pro-
lection. and also as restraint upon mans
ungovernaole temper.
INvARIABLE STANDARD.
The higher this admiration the higher
the civilization: the lower, the deeper the
degradation. This Is an inyariable stand
ard among all nations. Show me a man
of the highest appreciation of woman and
/ will show you the highest type of gen.
tleman.
Modesty in woman is an instinct. II is
seen in the wild Indian. In her greatest
sorrow aud pain she seeks not the help of
man, but the seclusion of the forest. 1t Is
as manifest in the girl as in the woman.
This and other innate virtues can be and
have often been crushed out by men.
France furnishes similar example. Vir-
tue is at q sad discount there. and by many
supposed to be o myth. i know this from
personal observation. Of course there are
many individual exceptions.
When brought in direct competition
with man in any of the arts and sciences,
and even in domestic handiwork. woman IS
outstripped. A man can sew better than o
woman: ne can BAKE better Oreau ana
keep better hotel. The Chinaman can
excel her in washing. A woman tailor has
never risen to famed distinction. Werih
is the woman's mantuamaker of the world.
These facts show plainly mans superiority
in matters domestic, and can any one sup
pose that women make as good lawyers
and doctors as men,? These two profes-
sions certainly require the highest science
and learning. The wisest doctors, know
confess their incapacity. Shall woman en-
ter where man fears TO tread? Woman
never invents anything Not that she lack:
the incentive or the opportunity. Millions
OF women tor thousands of years had bent
over needle and thread had
"Worked, worked, worked,
From merry chino TO chime;
Worked, worked, worked,
AS prisons work for crime"
But not one had asked in her agony: Il
there no better way than this?" Tender.
hearted Hood heard her despairiDg crs
and sang the Song of the Shirt" that
stirred all England and the world. Our
countryman Howe blessed be his memo
~ y set to thinking, and soon We had the
sewing machine that turns one needle
into eight needles and makes one woman
equal TO eight women. II not only multi
Plies her powers, but saves her eyes
lungs. and Digestion" as | showed IN al
essay many wears ago.
A aoo, rNvvrrop