Graham guardian., 1902-06-27
FRIDAY JUNE 27, l9C 2.
WONAN'S SPHERE,

an address delivered recently at
Detroit, spoke about tho duties
and responsibilities Of women. He
quoted as follows
"Tbe women in our homes de.
eide how we shall build and furn.
ish our homes. They determine
what We shall eat, and wear, and.
read; they select our friends, and
even decide the impogi9nt ques-
tons Of religion. They put words
Of the native tongue into the
mouths of the children, and in.
auence them powerfully in their
growth 10 manhood and woman
hood. If tho women of the land
We're more large.minded, more
thoughtful, more intelligent, three
fOurths Of the depravity and sin
that curse present day life wouI[
disappear. The seat Of tho de.
yclopment OF the child is IN the
home. To her man must ',eoyc the
training Of the boys and Girls that
are 10 be tho fatbers and mothers
Of the future"
To the foregoi ng the Dsseref Ne,rs
adds.
"Ihls y, not, perhaps, popu
!ar way Of looking at this subject,
but y, it not nevertheless true, that
the duties and responsibilities rest
ing upon II woman who presides
over home, are Of vastly greater
importance than any other duties
she may be called upon to dis
charge? is there position in
society, or an Office in the state
that eau be compared to that Of
wife and mother? The foundation
Of communities and states is the
homes, aud it is therefore evident
that the conditions of public life
depends largely on what the home
is. Loosely constructed homes can
never form solid basis for a
country, From impure homes will
flow the polluted streams of public
vice. As from the heart spring
the sentiments and thoughts that
appear in individual evil.doing, so
those conditions that shape public
life can be traced to the home, as
their origin.
with some, the duties of home
are held in contempt, because they
are not exposed to public gaze.
People desire to be seen and heard
and admired, even if they know
that they do not deserve admira
ton. There is an unsuitable thirst
for applause, and the daily duties
of home do not often seem to furn.
ish this. The stage and the plat
form seem more desirable to the
thoughtless. And yet, the fact is,
that whatever there is in this
world of genius, ofvirtue, of nobil-
ity of character, of patriotism, is
largely due to the sterling quail
ties Of the mother-to the faithful
performance by woman of her
peculiar duties. There is no ex
aggeration in the statement, that
the work which the mother has to
do is of greater Importance, ulti-
mately to humanity, than the work
Of man.
"If the state has sinned against
woman, it is not in allotting to her
an inferior "sphere of influence"
to use term common in world
politics. But it is in not award
ing faithful work in that sphere,
as it deserves. The state will
heap upon leaders of armies,
wealth and titles and honors. Ex-
plorers, inventors, artists are all re
warded and honored, but seldom,
if ever, is notice taken of the
heroism Of a woman, through
whose sacrifices and daily efforts,
the world has been enriched with |
leaders in all that is necessary for
the progress Of mankind. There
is something wrong in this. But
it is always the case that the beau.
tiful flowers and the sweet Fruit
are admired, while the stems and |
roots Of the plants are hardly |
thought of. We say there is some |
thing wrong in this. Govern.