The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-18
The Improvement In the status of Woman
Made In spite of Christianity.

Maue In spite or thrlstlanlty.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sr: 1t has
been previously shown. on the evidence Of the
best authorities upon this sub. ect and by un-
deniable facts connected with the history OF the
Church. that the reforms in Roman Jurispru-
dence during the lmuerial Ter,olcould not have
been influenced by Christianity, 1t has been
shown also thai the annulling OF this ylr A.
prudence and the substitution therefor ~ a
system which condemned women 10 a state y
perpetual slavery through marriage wa iue
wholly to the canon law. Your correspondent.
Mr.. Shahan's. argument that IN non-Christiin
lands the condition ofwomen has Away he"n.
an yet Ia, inferior to her condition In Christian
countries. has he n so ably treated by Mr..
Cakes IA to require no common from me.
In a later letter Mr.. Shahan cites the conolu-
sions Of Bishop Lightloot In his essay on 81.
Paul and the Roman Seneca 'as TO the work
ings OF Christianity on the latter philosor her"
and asks how 1t IL II stoicism explains the
superior condition OF Roman women in the
Imperial period that this pagan "denounces SO
vigorously the whole female SEX"
Although your correspondent has himself
just referred to the workings Of Christianity"
on this philosopher, he suddenly. or az soon as
II suits his convenience. becomes Oblivious 20
the fact that Seneca was a renegade pagan that
he was far more Christian than Stole. Hence
that he denouncps the female sex and that his
language concerning women ia as violent us
that Of any Christian Father are mott In the least
surprising 1t would have. indeed. been remark
able-an unheard-ot circumstance II. after
having imbibed the new faith even in a
limited degree. he hai been found devils
ing plans for the liberation OF women.
1t was more in keeping with the principles Of
his ADOPTED faith that he should depounce
them. and that he should enleavor to annul
any influence tending toward their emancipa-
ton. So, when Seneca declares. as he did. that
man is born for government, woman FOR sub
lection" We are not surprised that, by Chris
tian writer's. he has been called "our" Seneca.
and that his book on marriage has been lnuded
by them. The reasoning Of your correspond
ent on the subject of Christian influence on the
advanced legislation Of the pagans during the
first and second centuries is. however. too abb
surd to receive serious attention.
He denies that n provincial council Of the
sixth century forbade women to receive the
eucharist in the naked hand "on account Of
their impurtty" Hs admits, however. that a
council in Gaul tjSJ \. D. did forbid women
10 receive the Host IN tho bare hands-in
accordance with an archaic practice Of
Christianity" AS an archaic practice OF the
Church was continually 10 taunt women with
their impurity. this denial counts FOR little. As
to the str ng Language Of tho Fathers concern
ing women. he thinks 1t should he interpreted
mildly a plea which Is somewhat amusing,
espec ally when we remember that a grotesque
portion Of the writings Of these men Is devoted
to invectives against the female sex,
No one doubts the unnatural immorolity o.
the Greek state, but that this peculiar i'm
morality was nOurishel by the class which |
have held up a. idea IL false. According to
these women, seif-control in man is his highest
virtue-it ia a virtue which 80 soon "a prac-
tised will forever settle the position Of women
as independent human beings. The class
known as the hetTra a'centuatei the idea
that women are destined for a nobier purpose
than that Of sexual Saves at the same time
that they actually carried their principles into
effect. As We have seen, these principles when
sown on fruitful soil produced the Roman Jur-
isprudencn which. for a time at lenst. freed
women from sexual bondage.
Mr.. Shahan says: THE Por,clean women
| may have been az highly cultivated as your
| correspondent could desire Why. then. did
Plato and Aristotle have such decided views
as to tho nature AMI functions OF women in
the Greek state? Why dill the former desire
to see them excluded from the government
| Of an 'Optlma raspuhlicu Plato did not wish
70 sea women oxc,uied from public affairs.
Ia his "Rppuhlic" the absolute equality Of the
seXe, j. maintained. Women should share
with men the duties and ry-pousihiltirs Of
governmrn mt. and not only this. but they should
he educated and trained the same as men to
the exercise Of government funrt' ons. The
gifted women Of Athens, Of whom mention
has been made. lived about ouo generation
prior to The birth u Plato. and this philoso-
piers ideas as expressed in the Republic"
are doubtless due t. their influence.
Regarding tho tragic death Of Hyrati,, It ia
TO be doubted II It's truth has ever been ques-
tioncl by any except those who arc lljndly
! devoted to the Church Draper, as well a,
other writer, gives an historical account Of the
manner an lu~c of her taking or. II Is I'M
fortunatrf so little Is known u the female
| Christian ...ilos1phcr Cntharine 10 whom
reference has been made.
Your correspondent quotes from Pelleton. an
author who says II woman under Christianity
that she could watch By the side of her grow
lug children without fearing at Zach moment
the d scrac- o. sudden rruuiiu'jnu." It's true
that "a the slave Ot their father sne could
watch be-id them auI wo'A for them she
had. however. no legal right n them. Indeed.
shr could claim them no more than she could
clam the control Of her own person.
Women are beginning 10 IN lnr-,and that
every advance which has been made in their
legal, social AMI religious status has been &C.