The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-20
SEATTLE, SUNDAY. WOW. 20


WOMAN IN RELIGION.
1t is not surprising that woman
should have held a high place at all
times in the symbolism of religion.
Even among the races which held wo-
men In subsection and assigned them 10
an inferior position to man, not only on
earth but in the regions OF the blest,
under whatever form they were ideal
lied, the sex has been elevated TO high
place. In the mythology OF the Greeks
this Is less n matter of surprise, because
in the order Of nature the sexes were
regarded as essential to all of her
achievements. Hence the earth Is
syrnboiized as a woman who responds
TO the love of the sun. which is the
poetic representation OF the inspiration
OF life.
Amid all the mysteries OF early re-
ligion is 10 be found the exaltation OF
woman aad always as the mother. All
the graces Of girlhood are but the buds
and blossoms which are to become the
mother of the fruit.
Throughout China are everywhere to
be found splendid temples In honor OF
Ma-tsoo-poo. the queen of heaven. In
India for ages one OF the chief deities
has been Devil. Maha-Devi, 1.-THE One
Great Goddess" Maya. the mother OF
Buddha. and Devaki. the mother OF
Crishaa. were worshIped and the beau
~ of the idea Is expressed in the legend
that Maya was tho incarnation OF pur-
ity. 1t is indicative Of the tendency of
human nature TO express its ideas of
beauty in the forms best known to 1t.
that not only Devaki of the Cymnoso-
phsts Of India, but Isis OF the Egyp-
black.
The ancient Chaldeans believed In a
celestial woman described "a having
purity of body. loveiiness Of person and
tenderness OF affection. and who was
one Ito whom the erring sinner could
appeal with more chance OF success
Assyrians and Babylonians worshiped
mother under the name Mylista. and
the Etsuscans had her counterpart In
Nu;ria. most representations portray
Ing them as holding child In their
arms
The Jews knew OF these symbols. and
as late az So Il. c. jeremiah thu. Proph-
et rebuked them for their worship Of
the Queen of Heaven. to which they re-
piled:
AS for she word thou hast spoken unto
Us. In the name Of the Lord we Will rot
hearkea unto thee. But We VIII do what
Sewer thing goetA forth cut of our own
mouth. 10 burn Incense unto the Queen OF
Heaven aud To pour cut drink offerings
unto her. We have done. and our fathers
cur kings ard orr princes. I'm the city Of
Judah. and In the streets az Jerusalem
for then We had plenty Of victaals and
were well and saw no eva. But since va
left or 10 burn Incense 10 the Queen OF
Heaven We have wanted all these things
and have been consumed by famine -
The Idea of purity and plenty .ug-
gests the origin Of the symbolism. and
the Jews 70 doubt got their idea from
the Egyptians. 10 whom the Nile was
typifled IN Isis. tho fiowlnes or tho river
always bringing an abundant harvest.
The ancient Mexicans also had god
dess known as Chlmaiinan. whose plct-
urc WAS painted or engraved IN cruds
way upon pieces CT leather which We
men carried about with them as pro-
tectors The Germans had 4 goddess
named HeFtha or Cstara. TIE Scanaf-
navians had Disa and Trigga. and the
anelent Duids undoubtedly worshiped
female deity whose name has been
lost.
MoAammedanisrn Is tho only known
religion IN which woman has not been an
integral part. bas Mohamned paid his
wife the compliment. after twenty-four
years os married life. of snshringnr her
meaory among those of ''ths four PER
feet women The others were sne Sis
ter II Moses the mother Of Jesus and
Fa'.ma. tha hest beloved ot Mahomets
daughters most homogeneous arsre-
gat.an, o. whose number only one ha
survived IN modern religion His IRA
son fer the exaltas{ou ~ his wife has
been preserved, and although II Is higA-