The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-01
THE CAUSE OF WOMAN.

Lpscause he comes before ne 10 expected"
An example Of this unexpectedly rapid ad-
,anos OF equal rights for women was shown In
IN. International Congregational Council
,vhl,h has Just closed In Boston. For the nrst
t,me women were placed on the programme.
I,uua noteworthy gathering. About three
hundred delegates were ssembled. represent
ing England. Scotland. Ireland, WAles. Aus
trnlis. Tasmania. New Zealand. China. Africa.
India, Turkey. Micronesia, Mexico. Hawaii and
Japan, a. well as all parts OF the United states
and Canada.
On the afternoon devoted to addresses by the
women. In spite OF rain every seat In fremont
Gampls wns filled. even TO tho highest gallery.
A noticeable feature was the large proportion
OF men In the audience. 1t was signlhcanttha
the three women selected out OF all ConEreRa-
tionalIsm on account Of their wisdom worth
and piety, to be honored by that conservative
denomin alton at this great Council. were all OF
them believers In equal outrage 80 was the
Vsn,rnble DR.. Llewsllyp d. Bevan Of Mel
bourne leader OF the Australian delegation.
who prssided and the utterances that savored
most strongly OF equal rights sentiment were
warmly applsuded by the vast audience.
Dr. Bevan said, In his Introductory address:
~The CONGREGATIONAL Church has been about
tbe last to make use OF that trem endous treas
TRY OF spiritual power which lies in the hearts
and souls Of women. We have long excluded
them from our councils; we are now gradually
putting Thorn In their right place"
The three speakers OF the afternoon were
Miss Margaret J. Evans, A. NJ. professor OF
English literature and modern languages at
Carleton College. Northleld. Mimi, the first
and only woman member OF the American
Board Of Foreign Missions. president of the
Mime sofa State Federation OF Women's Clubs.
and chairman OF the Educational Committee
the General Federation; Mrs. Isabella Ar
p1ltage. wife OF Professor Elkanah Armitage
otIeeds. England. a lady prominent in Con-
tregatlona Church work in England; and DR..
Grace n. Kmbail, now assistant physician at
yassar College. but hest known for her organ
izatlon Of the industrial relief work at Van in
Turkey, after the Armenian massacres-a
work which saved thousands OF destitute
people from starvation by tho best OF all meth
eds. that OF helping them to help themselves.
These three women devoted their addresses
not TO q fulsome gloriflcation OF what women
have already done. but to q clear and vigorous
presentation OF what they ought to do. with
practical suggestions as to how their work can
be improved.
Professor Evans pointed out that the early
Christian Church worked chiefly for the evan
tslization OF the unsaved world. while tho
modern church works chiefly for the spiritual
nourishment and ediication OF its own mem
bers. and with but indifferent success. She
bail; ,,o.,
had most baneful results upon tho position and
work OF woman in the Church. Her place and
beoom som thine quite different. Even Judas
did not ask why the contents OF Mary's ala
sqp Sd to buy
ker rare purple lor, the Church which she be-
a t9 bn PS b na4 SsR sbo si
sn f r. and R"'Es ns Efio%sa
modern church, much Of the work Of women
has become trivial and undisnilied; it ex-
tlon /: it 10 often unhusinrssl,ke and watteful
Every participates in such work srmpathizess
emergency. to Try the Grdi ecakes for brenk-
fast After PREF labor, she came in with the
-. women Of he chH,gh Il }ransmuer;d, into
Dor, not in mere feeding, Is It worthy.
Some Of the labor winch custom and t!adi.
unworthy The most astdous Rough Rider
did pot disdain TO do even scavonger work fox
task. to heroism, But he did it that the, army
might advance to victory Woman work. too
often putI her among the suffers and camp:
followers. 1t is the motive which diRnines all
The revolt against tradition and custom
involved in radical change OF emphasis in
women's work must be an Individual revolt
from unsatisfactory activltie. to direct active
participation in the evangeZatiOn Of the
world The change will require more than one
day IT must be a growth. 1t vii be revolt
and her love OF approval against tradition. ex-
peetation and apparent necessity; and against
long custom. whose weight is indeed
Il avy as frcst and deep almost az life
An Indian rajah for whose new bride Mr..
KplIng. father Of the storyteler. had deco
rated palace asked the painter to select from
from the marvellous glowing gems. such ne
only 0rlenta! mI Eo own; was psgnin-
rajah shut the diamond again in the casket.
which he Rugged jeaIously to his breast. ex;;
What gems Of service are for woman. only
che may decide: viii she redeem her work.
whole qhnrcS, e beauty va and sioryf '''' u 'A'
Mrs Isabella ". Armitage Thought that the
SeSe OUGHT BE- Do like s the Ms ST.
Francis OF Assist on the Church. hlmanizing it
and Sringing it back 81 70 nature ra She said .ho
nineteenth century has bronsht has been the
entrance Of the disinherited classes into
measure at least Of Political power and 9 edT.
xids;1ins, tho sphsrs q women. both in the
way. i i the spread Of democracy, and espe.
eisy q Christian democracy. which s doing
oocratic idea should work out in the emancipa-
t tion o. women; They too, were a. last seen
to HIM MSre ana Voc
'rS wo, to state Of things d in which ii
ability. am not going to make any such m is
take as to attempt 70 say whore this rsvolu-
ton ought to atop. 1t is as inevitable as the
law OF evolution itself: and depend upon 1t
that nature contains within herself her own
safeguards for her own evolution.
This enlargement of the education and
sphere Of woman comes exactly at atime when
the problems OF the world and the Church de-
msnd all tn, wisdom and knowledge and sym
pathetic understanding that can be brought to
bear uron them, And it is largely because OF
the immensely OF these problems that women
are bang forced into the public service In
way that would have made our grandmothers
Ihuldcr"
Mrs. ArmitaRe and Miss Evans are tall wo-
nRu. ~ fine presence. Both were warmly
greeted. But when little DR.. Grace Kimball
can" forward. she received an, ovation the
audience rising en- m1sSe and giving the Chau-
taugua salute. DR.. kimbalI said in part:
J., In the constitution OF human society there
han Inherent and perpetual demand for the
pow"rs and activities Of women, as such. out
nd he home In tho Church, from Deborah
and lorcas to the present day. with an ever
Slt.ninE, scene. women have, worked at the
oehNst ~ Christ in ways in which they
9niy could ntly labor, Moreover, as ,society
~ tivIt nil inH nd