The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-09-11

Rev !. Il. Sweet. pastor Of the SinD-
son Methodist Episcopal church, West
Scranton, who has been absent from
his pulpit more or less since the ses-
sions of the Wyoming Ministerial con-
ference meetings in Kingston last
spring owing to illness, has again re-
sumcd his active work in the pastor
ate. ana last evening began series of
sermons on Women Of the Old Tes-
lament" The discourscs will consume
much study, and every Sunday even
ing during September and October
Rev. Mr.. sweet will treat with some
of the most interesting characters in
the Bible.
The subject of last evenings dis
course was "Wonan, Mans Help
meet" and was delivered before a large
audience. Mi Sweet took his text
from Genesis. ii: is, "And the Lord
God said. 1T is not good that the man
should be alone. will make him an
hclpmect for him" He spoke as fol-
lows:
"In the beginning God created the
heavens and the earth TINS state
ment is the most lucid exposition OF
the reason for things ever recorden'
The details of creation which follow
this statement have never been reiuteu
as far as the order of creation is con-
corned, and the Scripture account OF IL
all is as much in evidence today as
when men first begun investigating IN
an endeavOr to make light, or naught'
of this stated order of things.
The creation OF man implies an en-
tire change in Gods method of proceed
ure; in material, and previous animal
life. He speaks and it's done. Now
He consults the Court of Heaven and
together the statement is made, Let
us make man" Man appears as the
product of Gods thought counsel and
skill, and when God looked upon the
product He said, 1T is very good"
PRODUCTS OF GODS THOUGHT.
Now as man is the product of the
God thought, Heavenly Council and
Divine skill, woman is no less crea-
ton from the laboratory of Infinite
skill, council and thought. Not of man,
but of God; a finer creation, of better
material. a result from experience. Man
was of the primitive dust, and woman
| was of the dust. it Is true, but dust
blessed and honored of God in the Gre
alton Of the Adam of the human race.
Man was Gods first experiment in
human-being building, the woman the
second experiment. that she was a sue
cess is evident in that no third creation
was attempted. The ne plus ultra was
the Eve for Adam, his helpmeet
Here she found rightful recognition
as far as place might be concerned. To
man. not a mental, or moral, or physi-
cal inferior, but an equal, as the fine,
delicate hair spring of the watch is
the equal of any part of the watch.
| So the woman, finer in construction,
delicate in sensibilities, is the equal of
| man in all parts counting for true life,
a helpmeet
RECOGNITION OF EQUALITY.
Now with this recognition of first
| equality. why the degradation of that
| which God made to be- and asserted
was, very good? Why should subse-
| quent history reveal as a fact that the
| helpmeet meant simply labor and bur-
! den-meet and that equality had neither
recognition nor place between man and
| woman? You tell me it was the fall
| the woman's yielding to Satanic en-
ticements. so bringing disaster upon
! themselves and the world, and so pun
| ishment was properly meted out in
ways Of constant degradation for spoil
| ing the life of poor Adam.
! Nonsense! Tell me it was and is the
| selfishness Of the man, and I believe il
| Tell me it was the haser element in
/ the character of the dust man, which
was unable to appreciate the finer SEN
| sibilitieS and elements of the second
| experiment and so determined by brute
force to crush out these things and ]
| Will believe that; but to tell me of the
| fall in which the man was as much tc
! blame and was great deal more of 2
! coward, and say woman deserves what
| she got because of that, and ! answer
| that there is a job for the young mer
who bore Ananias to his burial tc
! carry out few more who ought to die
| for the same reason.
WHAT IS A WOMAN?
Let us raise the question today
| What is a woman" Eastern despOts
say: "A toy, a plaything. a mental i'm.
| beetle and a moral nothing" Westerr
aboriginies say: "A beast of burden. z
menial to engage in the lowest con,
ceivable work while their lord ant
master wraps himself in blanket ant
| dirty dignity, asserting his superiority
with cruelty and blows"
Eastern and Western presumed civil
| izatiOn say of her; "She is the bearer
of children and keeper of the house
and limits her sphere to the walls o.
her, so-called, home"
Still further Western civilization ha!
advanced beyond the positive menial
ity of her past condition and said: ''N,
| open the doors of the house and yOl
| may pass into the street with uncov
cred fact and journey to the church O
your religious preference, you may con
stitute the congregation of that church
you may be its social and religious life
but we know best as to your soul,
need and will rule in your religion!
| worship as We govern i'm all other de
| tails of your life"
ct ffe,,, 70