Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-22
A SERMON ON WOMAN
HER EMANCIPATION DISCUSSED IN
AN INTERESTING DISCOURSE.
Rabbi Calisch Talks of Woman's
Mission in Life md Her Works
Function.
Function.

n
Rabbi Il. N. Calisch preached at Beth
Ahaba Synagogue yesterday morning on
the Emancipation of Woman" taking
for his text the thirty-frst chapter OF
Proverbs. where so beautiful tribute Is
paid to woman. He began by speaking
OF the many ways In which women were
to-day engaged, and said they were be-
coming bread-winners In avenues OF ac-
tivlty, In which fifteen years ago no
woman would have dared to tread. He
spoke also OF the numerous women's or
ganizations and clubs and club-houses,
and of the woman bachelor. who has be-
come decided feature OF these latter
days. He then touched upon the Ma
tional Council of Jewish Women. whose
first convention had been held In New
York city during the past week. The
organization is the first Of its kind In
Jewish circles, the first extensive or
ganization made up exclusively Of wo-
men. and for other than practical phil
ahthropic purposes. The secular jour
nails had written, some expressing Tell
citations that the Jewish women had fol-
lowed their Christian sisters In the on
ward march and development or the
sex. and others wonder that such an
institution was possible in the synagogue.
The thought implied here, as IT had
been elsewhere openly expressed, Is that
the position OF woman in the synagogue
is inferior to that which she occupies
in the Church, and that woman owes her
emancipation TO the institution of the
Christian religion; that herein had the
newer dispensation supplanted the older
faith.
But. said the speaker, II is not so.
Christianity is no more responsible Tor
the emancipation of woman than II IS
for the invention of printing or the dis
covery OF the circulation of the blood.
Indeed. one Christian writer. Mr.. Ebert
Hubbard. in his study on the book
"Songs of Songs" says page S2) that
"the Haunting boast that woman owes
her freedom TO the Christian religion
is only advanced by ignorant and over
jealous people. Honest schoiarship
knows otherwise"
IN BIBLICAL DAYS.
II we compare their sources we viii
find that there are far more generous
provisions made for woman In the Old
Testament than In the New; far more
consideration shown her. 1t were unne-
cessary to mention the names of indi-
vidual cases of womanly leadership
ranging from Sarah, through Miriam, De-
borah. the two Hannahs, Esther judith
the wife of Rabbi Meir; Queen Alexah-
dra Salome. the learned granddaughters
of Rashl down TO Emma Lazarus and
Grace Aguilar. of our own day, for they
are but mile-stones in the pathway OF her
achievements But incidents and laws
are the best evidences of the position
which woman held; and this is found
to be very high. even in biblical days
Here the speaker cited many portions
from the Scriptures showing the con
siderate provisions that had been mace
for women in the OLD Testament. he
then quoted from the New Testament .Ie
passage from the Epistle 10 the CORN
thians where Paul had laid the heaNy
hand of muteness upon woman, ana coih-
manded her to obedience.
"Rut" said the speaker. while deny
ing the emancipation OF woman 10 Chrls-
tianity. ! do not claim 1t as the irull
NJ Judaism. Woman has been WIN man
in All things. and has shared his burden
&, owl and in good days. Woman ulu
not owe her position in the past 10 an!
single institution, nor does she tO-uaS.
Her destiny does not depend upon ais
one nation or religion. AZ man mas
o,,,arcinated himself, so 20 herself, ana
herself alone. does woman owe her tree
dom from the CALLING letters OF III
ferioritv. When mans knowledge broad
ened with the process OF the suns the
mental power of woman waNeo WIN
aouai mace. When man freed himself
fron the yoke Of his errors woman
three off the burden with him. her
position 200 years ago was due 10 ,he
snirit of the times; her position to-day
is the fruit Of the genius Of the nihe-
teenth century.
EQUAL, BUT DIFFERENT.
"Rut is were. folly to suppose that
evervwhere that man will CO. woman
w.u follow him. There are some thliss
10 her denied. When God created H I1,n
and woman. He created them IN ms
divine image. both alike and equal-equai
In nositicn. but differing in junction.
Man conouers with force and Violence
woman with gentleness and sweet
,oss Mans armor is his suehslh'
u,oman's her weakness. And IN the on
,'.orS march of the forces OF CIVILIZATION
toth have employed their weapons III
,bo behalf of the human race ana Wheh
the pulse OF the nineteenth century -
c,,ickened. II is fed from the heart VI
10Th man and woman. The Paullhe mn
hilton is removed. the burden Oh olIei'a 20
ism is thrown OIL INV 49, ca
activitv may she enter, and may uou
speed her on her way -, uo.or,,o
"Rut in all things let her preserVe
not IN the German, is so aptiy terhe"'
49, ev,iqe weibliche'-her everiastihs
- 10 dignitv. There Is one place wo-
W.. IN never forsake, for there can
, me- talFe her place. and that is as queen
~ - household. Every home IS 10 De
~ .aode q sanctuary, every hearthstone an
me- az which she shall be priestess ana
.'I,r,is+erine angel, leading the way 10
the hottest action and most uNihe Pc
'1Tbere Is one custom in Israel TOT wo,
non that is symbolic OF her exaiteu
me- and that is on Friday evening"
~ sreeds her husband TO the mouse
GO liver and welcomes him on MS re-
-. ot Che lights the Sabbath light anu
eu' ,,a Glow suffuses the room, there
aS,,,as mat unutterable peace, whlch y
I'm. IN Va'ocomnaniment of the Sabbath-day
ntsoryed And this Is token oil wo,
.'ois destiny and power. To prayer anu
neace and purity. to hght anu NV ha
holiness she leads man. anu thousn -, -.
,,, Load I'm many other things ne HnuSl
ToIiovv her In these. Shrinea III our
Its nedestaled high on our reverend
nIo,,,oipg our love and our feal.y, re
o"i,,,,,e, our homage and Devotion let ne.
,,.orl, os she will. toll as she WILL Du' '''
nor always remain-womah'
NJ shaclsIeford's Success.