The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-25
The Church and Its Dealings With Women

The Church ana Its Dealings WIN women.
70 THE EDITOR or THE SUN-Sir: There
Is an African proverb which has been trans
lated. DO not give up what you have seen for
what you have heard" and the present discuss
sion anent Woman and christianity" seems a
case in point.
Or. Shahan, in taking up the cudgels in be-
haIf o. Cardinal Gibbons and his creed. objects
TO Nj. Oakes's reference to one OF the Popes
and the woman caught in adultery Of the
Scriptures. In the first place. can due cree
,lence he placed in the story? 1t is not mem
toned Ia many Greek copies Of the Evangelist
81. John. and ~. Jerome observes that in his
time it was not found in many books "a
well in Greek as Latin. In the Greek
catena on IT. John, not one Of twenty
three commentators has explained it.
Malhonat found il in but one OF the Greek
copies consulted by him. Leontius on st.
John. whore It is marked with obellsks and
not alluded to by the commentator NM can
be consulted for other Greek manuscripts
wherein It is not TO hc found. Apparently.
Origen. 81. Chrysostom. NonnuS and Theophy-
lact we're not acquainted with it. and Euscbius
sim ply mentions the fact that it was contained
in the Hebrew copy Of ST. Matthew. as used by
the Nazarenes. Euthymius. in his comment,
states mat II ~ NV III " D'Nt HlinuH'IlpN",
those having it inserted varying from the end
Of 81. Johns Gospel. 81. Luke. chapter xxi.
the margin Of the eighth chapter of st, John TO
the signs denoting dubious authenticity in
others. Br2a. however, found that sixteen out
Of seventeen copies contained the story.
Tatian A. u. 1900 and Ammonius "A. D. 22Ol
pace it in their harmonies Of the gospel. while
Ambrose. ST. Austin. Athanasius. st Jerome
opb n,lar 7 attn fat hnrs made no sprupla nf rn-
cciying 1t.
The question Of sexual right is what we
have 10 consider in all religions. and there
in lies the key OF woman's sociological position.
As regards divorce. the Mosaic law did not for
bid the parties separated to marry again. and
the first Christian lmpcrors expressly allowed
u reSntry into the coAnubial state. No cxamp Pile
Of divorce Is found in the books of the Old
Testament written after the time OF Moses.
and in relation TO the Jewish law and O
woman's right to put AVA her husband.
JOSEF hus was Of the opinion that Salome,
sister of liorol the Great. was the first 10 as
sert her liberty in that respect, her leadership
being followed ~ three sisters OF Agrippa tof
Chalcis Brrnnirr. VIE Of lo,amo. Marianne,
wife OF Archelaus and Drusilia. wife of Azizus
Of Enuc-sa, some anno'ators consider
that divorces were in use among the Hebrews,
before the giving Of the law. in view Of Christ's
uttrrances In Matthew. xix, \ and Mark x. ,,
Undoubtedly at that time the Iagan woman,
especially the Roman, was ENJOYING a liberty
which brought about the strict laws enacted
by Augustu-, later taken advantage OF by the
Christian fathers The Iicentiousness OF his
daughter, Julia. aul her daughter and son
whom he banishci. the former after ~reprieye
from death. wruug rom the lips Of the great
Emperor that bitter saying. "Noull 10 heaven
had llynl without a wife. or died without
children " II is consoling 10 learn. however,
that he expired in the arms Of his beloved wife.
I..yia. and 30. seemingly, rardoncd tho errors
a. her sex.
The highways whereby Christianity was
spread East and west. can be easily traced by
the student. bar II must he remembered that
when war was the master passion the cause Of
woman %rcc"iyrI little attention from tne his
torian II is 81 IlcIcrt to learn that Theodore
lwho assume; the Roman purple 4. d. 403l.
elevated. through humanity. temperance and
prudence. above all other barbarian kings. rec
ommonded to his mobiles ~ his successor his
daughter AmalaNwinde and her son Athalanch,
q boy Of 10 years. He believed in family ALI.
ancest to strengthen his pow r. and having him
self married n sister Of Clovis. he sought TO
maintain public tranquility by having his sIs-
ter. niece and daughters wed the nrighboriug
kings who seemed most iE'mical to that state
But in the sixth century. through the con-
tinuous wars. there was little respect for rer-
sons. Belisarius put all the inhabitants OF
Naples to death. without reg ird to age. sex or