The herald., 1895-03-31

| N. j.. In those two months we went
through the entire Bible to find out what
proportion of it woman constituted. We
found we appeared in the King James
version in only one eleventh part. This
| proportion was somewhat surprise to me.
II had always hesitated because it
seemed such herculean task to attempt
to revise the entire Bible. But when we
found women filled but such small part
of the Bible l decided that the work
could be done. l did not intend to attack
any doctrines, creeds or belief, simply the
false position woman in the Bible had
| been left in through mans neglect.
Miss Lord and l then took up the
Pentateuch and commented upon it. To
carry out the plan of revision commit
| tee of English and American women was
then formed. Among them were many
famous names-Mrs. Mary Livermore,
ford and Sarah A. Underwood, who was
editor Of the Open Court, and with her
husband, editor of the Index. John
Bright's sister, who has since died. was
another famous woman who was to have
assisted. Frances Ellen Burr, now of the
, Hartford Times, and Helen Gardner were
others.
Miss Lord and l went through the
Pentateuch. and next year, while in Lon
| don, assisted by my daughter, Mrs.
Blatch, l continued with the same five
books, in which are many of the most
frequently quoted to establish the inferi-
| Ority of woman.
1.-The other members OF the committee,
it must be confessed, did not carry on
the work with much zest. There was
some feeling that women were not ready
then to bear the responsibility of the
movement. l was president of the Ma
tional Suffrage organization, and many
women dreaded the effects of my leading
such a work. Others urged that it was
necessary to gain the support of religious
denominations for the general cmancipa-
tion of women. while any serious attack
based on the revision of the Bible would
| interfere with many avenues then open
ing to her wherein she might earn her
living.
before the Legislature of New York to
urge the rights of women l have seen
that the greatest trouble was that women
believed themselves cursed of God, that
they are the origin of sin and that ma
ternity is condition of slavery. If they
could only be brought to see that instead
of that they were represented in the
Godhead at the creation. that woman
was consulted and woman was created
in the image of the moth erhead. then
they might regain their self-respect.
This, it seemed to me, could only be ac-
complished by revision of the Bible.
And while the work proceeded only
slowly the ultimate necessity for it never
left me.
when I read of the ferocious attack of
the Baptist clergymen on woman during
the recent convention in Atlanta it
seemed to me the time had come. Yes
! [ know well that men will say. And it
has come to this at last Not even the
Bible is to be left free from woman's in
fuence!
The assumption of revision COM
mittee alone is enough to be called pre-
| on of ar q m Si
years ago, that we formed the original
committee. many newspapers treated the
subject with respect and liberality. and
some even stated they could not see any
reason why women should be debarled
from revising the Bible any more than
men. | have never yet been able to see
why. l NAV look much further ahead
than other women do, but l believe firm
ly that before women can acquire equal
ity with men, which is to be the next
relative position of lhe sexes. the false
translations of the Bible concerning
women must be corrected.
After the attack of the Baptist clergy
men in Atlanta in January l decided 1T
was time to move. If others cannot stand
the possible controversy and stigma that
may be the result of the woman's Bible,
can. l am now so years old My people
live to the age of So or longer l figure
that in the natural course of events | may
expect to live to the same age. L am out
of all official connection with women's
organizations. | want nothing. | have
no sails to trim to c1tch the favor of men
or women. l have no offices to aspire to.
| am beyond all that now, and regard it
as the eliminating work of my life.
am not going to say things to shock peo-
pie. am only going to bring out what
is on the surface.
1.-The books of Genesis, Exodus Levitt
Gus, Numbers, Deuteronomy are ready
for publication. They will appear prob
ably at the rate of a chapter a week. and
the chapters have been made short. The
plan is now that the revision shall assume
a public form and later be shaped by He
brew and Greek scholars. No man will
have a hand in it.
while the general revision committee
appointed six years ago did not continue
with enthusiasm, some OF them have done
important work and l have their copy.
Both Frances Lord and my daughter,
Mrs. Harriet Stanton Blatch of England,
assisted me on the Pentateuch.
"It was arranged that the member of
the committee should select such portion
of the Bible as they preferred. The Rev.
Phoebe Hanaford has done part of the
Old Testament, which was her choice.
Frances Ellen Burr of Hartford, has also
done the section she choose, while others
who have assisted are Helen Gardner,
who took a part of the New Testament,
and also Mrs. Livermore.
Inc personnel Vi Tile committee mas
varied from time to time, and | am now
in communication with number of most
important women, some of whom are
| willing to assist in the further revision.
and others who from the offices they fill
in various organizations, do not dare to
appear in such a connection, although
they see the necessity of the work.
Mrs. Stanton expects that at the brief
est it will require two years for the COM
pleton and publication of the Woman s
| Bible. While this appears a very short
time in comparison with the years re-
quired for the revision of the New Testa-
ment last made by men, it is easily ex-
planned by comparison of the amount of
work to be done. There is no intention
OF tampering with anything which does
not concern woman directly. 1t is not
the women of the Bible, but woman in
the Bible. And in some cases the men
who married them have been brought in.
DDEcC DEEODr1