The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-05-30


And pluck'd the ripen'd ears,
We fell out. my wife and |,
o. we fell out, know not why,
Aud kissed again with tears
And blessings the falling OUT
That all the more endears
When we fall out with those we love
And kiss again with tears.
For when came where lies the child
We lost In other years,
o, there above the little grave,
We kiss'd again in tears. -Tennyson.
: One of the newest devices for international
feminine discussion is book that is in prog
ress entitled 1.-The woman's Bible" Eliza
beth Cady Stanton is credited with the respon-
sibility for the volume. Frances Willard and
her chum, Lady Henry Somerset, have authori-
tatively denied that they are in any way
countabe for the statements of the book. The
book is said to hail from London. but Mrs. Stan
tons name only is identified with it. But to
the book itself. Miss Willard and Lady Henry
Somerset say that they consented to patronize
a volume which should be merely a statement
of woman's position from Biblical standpoint,
and they seem quite surprised to bear that the
publication is intended to be series Of CON-
about women from Eve down, and not emitting
the words of Saint Paul. According to one
sample that has found its way into the papers,
every comment goes to show what downtrod-
den wretch woman has always been. One quo
tation, taking Numbers, II: lie. after explain
ing the relations and ages of Moses, Aaron, and
Miriam the comments are:
1t is rather remarkable if Moses was as meek
as he Is represented in the third verse, that he
should have penned that strong assertion of his
own innate modesty. There are evidences at
this and several other points that Moses was
not the solo editor of the Pentateuch, if it can
be shown that he wrote any part Of it.
Speaking of the punishment of Miriam,
Clarke in his commentaries says it is proba-
bic that Miriam was chief in this mutiny;
hence she was punished while Aaron was
spared-a mere excuse for mans injustice.
Had he been woman he would have shared
the same fate. The real reason was that Aaron
was priest. Had he been smitten with lep-
rosy his sacred Office would have suffered and
the priesthood fallen into disrepute.
As women are supposed to have character
or sacred office, it is always safe to punish them
to the full extent of the law. So Miriam was
not only afl icted with lcprosy but also shut out
of the camp for seven days. One would think
that potential motherhood should make women,
as a class. as sacred as the priesthood. In COM
mon parlance we have much hne-spun theoriz-
ing OH the exalted Office of the mother, her i'm
mense influence in molding the character of
her sons; "the hand that rocks the cradle
moves the world." etc. But in creeds and
codes, in constitutions and scriptures, in prose
and verse, do not see these lofty pseans re-
corded or verified in living facts. As class,
women were treated among the Jews as an in
feriOr order OF beings, just as they are to-day
in all civilized nations. And now as then, men
claim to be guided by the will OF God.
In this narrative we see thus early woman's
desire to take some part in government, though
denied all share in its honor and dignity Mir
iam no doubt, saw the humliating distinctions
of sex in the Mosaic code and customs, and
longed for the power TO make tho needed
amendments. In critcising the discrepancies
in Noses character and government, Miriam
showed keen insight into the common prin-
ciples of equity and individual conduct, and
great self-rcspect and self-assertion in express
ing her opinions, qualities most lacking in ordi
nary women.
Evidently the same blood that made Moses
and Aaron what they were. as leaders OF men, |
flowed also in the veins of Miriam. As daugh- |
tiers are said to be more like their fathers aud |
SONS like their mothers Moses probably inher- |
tied his meekness and distrust Of himself from |
his mother, and Miriam her self-reliance and |
horoism from her father. Knowing these laws |
of heredty, Moses should have averted the |
punishment Of Miriam instead Of allowing the |
full force of Gods wrath to fall upon her alone. |
If Miriam had helped to plan the journey to |
Canaan it would no doubt have been accom- |
piished in 40 days, instead OF wandering round |
like gypsies for 40 years. With her counsel in |
the cabinet, the people might have enjoyed |
peace and prosperity, cultivating the arts and |
sciences and not always making war on other |
tribes, with burnt offerings to their gods. Mir
lam was called prophecies, as the Lord had. on |
some occasions, it is said, spoken through her, |
giving messages to the women. After their |
triumphant escape from Egypt Miriam led the |
women in their songs of victory. With tim
brols and dances. they chanted that grand cho-
rus that has been echoed and re-echoed for CEN
turies in all our cathedrals round the globe.
Catholic writers represent Miriam as a type |
OF the Virgin Mary, being legislatrix over the
Israelitsh women especially endowed with the |
spirit of prophecy"
Then came the children of Israel even the |
whole congregation, into the desert of lin in |
the first month and the people abode IN |
Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried |
there" Numbers. 20: /.
Eusebius says her tomb was to be seen at Ka-
dcsh, near the city of Petra, i'll his time, and |
that she aud her brothers all died in the same |
year. hope to reappear as equals in the resur- |
rectiOn.
One can hear all the suffragist war cries in
the paragraphs and it hardly seems digniied /
outburst, nor one that is likely to come from |
the pen of that excellent lady, Elizabeth Cady |
Stanton. The result is likely to be unproft- |
able. Campaign devices and Biblical interpre- |
tatioU do not seem well together.