The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1892-07-16
WOMAN AS 4 RELIGIOUS FACTOR,


bound aud fetlered woman, aud
still binds and fetters her Influence,
there, humanity is reaching ont
towards nobler goal, aud in order
10 reach completeness in moral IN
tellectual and religious circles,
woman. the natural teacher OF the
human race, is unshackled and
unletttred and brooght out from
harems and from cloisters, and Is
recognized as u teacher.
Prejudice lifts itself very slowly
from the human mind, and un
fortunately keeps up It's eumity
against the best things 10 the
very last; thus woman is permitted
to appear upon the stage and
lyceum, is hailed as an able aud
ready teach n / academies ID u
day schools, aud is every where
recognized as cousummate teach
er III Sabbath schools, provided
she will neither make prayer nor
stand up when she teaches. In this,
togy Ioligionists are much inclined
to initiate to example OF a noted
old backw0ods church, that per
mitted its members the widest
liberties, provided they would noi
dance. Ga certain occasion they
disciplined sister who had been
ont on a floor at a public dance.
The fact was proven clearly, bur
the lady insisted that although she
had been on the tlocr, that she had
made no step which required the
crossing of her feet. This apology
was deemed sufficient and she was
forburne. So a woman can teach A
day school, can read Sabbath
school essay, deliver a public
defamation or do any other moral
thing publicly, provided she does
not offer a public petition to her
Master openly, or confess her
lord before the pnblc. Although
all Christians are commanded to
confess their Lord, stll woman
must remain silent w0rshipper
who IN sing as loud and as often
as she p'eases in pub ic, hul
whenever She essays to te cN, pray
or talk publicly, then the old spirit
Of fogyism asserts its fanatcismi
aud demands her retirement.
1t is very noiceble + ct that
in communities where h pupula
influence is Dimical TO woman
praying in public, that the tone u
pitty never mounts very high. Mel
who have or are mounting up III
the interior life are ever found
willing and ready to hear woman.
voice flowing forth in song anu
prayer.
The man who desires to pray II
public aud then denies that righl
to his wife, who perhaps is ltrgelS
his religious superior viii soon fl q
prayer a great task and burden 4
him, and the church whose paste
teaches strict letter worship
cllnging OH TO one or two isolatct
scripture texts ard opposlnl
woman's public praying or teach
ing, will never find its peopl'
making many advances along th'
great religious highw4y, but lhe'
viii find spiritual coi'Iness an'
religious decay asserting them
sci, es in all their pews
We must quit investing womal
with attributes that God neve
gave her. We must learn to ragart
her as the lesser man, and luol
upon ler +, ligiously as God does
i. e., as a poor fallen human bel
by nature, susceptible OF beini
saved by grace aud not as
chattel, or toy as she ls sti
held in Oriental countries.
We must regard her as we d
man, capable of being saved b
TIE blood of Jesus and then pei
nit her to expr,s IS her Joy an
gratitude to the Savior for thi
great blessing. We must prrmi
her 10 worship in til, newness o
tile spirit and not in the oldness q
the letter.
Where woman is given free sop
and br athing place to assam
active attitudes in p aver an
exhortatons; we find that MAJ
also moves along on grander re
ligious lines. He finds his weai
religion energized by that Of hi
softer partner. He commits hlnl
self to Il greater religious wor
and both improve,
"Thus hand in hand they wander on,
In confidence allied
And bright reli gion soon becomes
Their glory ana their pride.
She takes from him statelier pace,
To match his moral stride,
White he, assumes softer grace
To wander by her side.D
A gr, alter confidence in religio
thus springs up. People who prA
together will soon talk together {
PRAYER, and thus u holier a
inosphere grows around tn
family and community, and th
seductive influences Of sin ar
weake ied where both the pOsifiY
and negative elements of maj
kind blead together in hal
monious worship bet,re God.
Tue two great supports of r.
ligion are love and testimony. In
T,sss,t fh4. f.rt.Q Z