The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-07-03
THE REIMBURSEMENT OF HOME b HENRY s(lER

certain house, where the family consisted
OF nine daughters. ] was no sooner in
their midst than I perceived a cloud wast
overshadowlng the domestic horizon.
What vas til a death. a. disaster. q
money loss2 Il. I'll ~ ass; "A s,F
I did not walt long be fore learned that
the tribulation through which they wero
passing arose from the fact that tho
eldest Of ! the nine , lain damscls had an
nounced her desire 10 train for nurse
Ia a london hospital. When the news
was broken to me BY tho fearful mother
/ waited, wondering wha D was to follow
which could account for the tragic tones.
but T found there was nothing more to
relate, SO ! 5endeavorca TO 4 express my.
views as to the good sense the girl had
shown, but i say that ! Has trampllng
ruthlessly on her tenderest feelings.
People will think she was obliged to-
work. was the first objection. To this
terrible possibility could only feebly re-
ply that we were all intended to do some
work, and that after a.. 1t was not neces-S
saryto be bcggared OF this world g wealth
In order to fulfil our VII olesome destiny.
"ItIs 50 hard that she should dream OF
leaving U.s." said the poor lady. ven
tured on this to insnuate that there were
eight young women still left for parental
consolation, and that II she had been bid
ding her goodby In order to make her
own home. no objection would BIO raised.
'tAh, that was such a different matter
| that was woman's legitimate calling
| 1t was all useless The idea was firmly
rooted that a girl had no separate esis-
tence, save as she found her life IN
| mans. What wonder? It was the out
come OF the teaching handed on through
the years. JHe for Cod. she for God in
| him 1
But at last new conception OF her
| possibilities has opened out before the
eyes OF countless girls. who feel that
their life was not Intended to be value
less because they have not drawn the
lottery prize OF marriage; that there Is
no law which should sacrifice them ut
terly for their bro thers' advancement: in-5
deed, that his career can be bought too
dear, IL 1t Involves the principle that wo-
men were created mainly to minister to.
his wants. or 70 walt upon his wishes,
for such demand made upon his wishes,
h6Ht means tax levied bye and bye on
the wife also. t
exaggerated demands made nowadays by
women, and we fear for the safety and
sanctlty of home life. we hayo not to go
liar to hnd the cause.
The victims OF convention have been
many; they have inwardly revolted
against the Injustice which sacrificed the
less favored to the advancement OF the
| few,
THE unreality OF the code OF family life.
and the oppression and subservience that
| 1t engendered, have been silently rebelled
against in the past and have resulted IN 4
open revolution in our time.
| Little wonder therefore. that under
charged conditions, In tho glare Of a new
day, women are dazzled and LOSE thelr
hearings for while.
/, What is the remedy It rests largely,
think. with the church. Here Is the great
educating force which should always be
ready to adapt Its teachings to new de-
velopments. sHcial and moral, g
Let the great religious teachers race
the lnev!ta BILE, recognize that the old or
der which regulated family life has pass
ed; that the same mighty bonds OF at,
faction exist, hut that II the sanctlty OF
home is to be preserved they must be
differently adjusted, BY facing facts un-
ainchlnRly the real mischief Of the mod
ern position will be avoided. t 4
| Parents must understand that their re-
Iations to their children demands far
greater recognition of freedom, for both
boys and girls, when they have reached
years Of discretion, but In training them
| for freedom and for the exercise OF their
| gifts and powers, let them, from their
earliest years, instill the inyIolable sanct-a
Iity Of the marriage tie. for SO only can
| freedom be safe, either for the State or
the Individual SO only can the Eanctlty
Of family. life be maintained. and men
and women understand their true rela-
lions to each other and to the divine laws
which change chaos TO Cosmos,
II Ia impossible In these few words to
touch 80 mighty question, but ] shall
hope soon to be allowed to express my
opinions on ,this, the most important as
pect o. our changing social conditIo In
4, another brief article