Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-18

into the realms OF WORSHIP ana soclal
service has enriched Christianity and en-
nohled womanhood.
When religion was more creed than
the hurried supply of need, women had
small part and inconspicuous place in the
life of the church. In those days. and
that In a time not very remote, men quar-
relied about doSnlaS while women We're
loving and loving the world and the
church alike into goodness that loved and
love that served.
Now we all see what Christ sought to
teach and persuade men to do eighteen
hundred years ago-tlIat worship and So
cial service are supplementary. that one
is s religious as the other. and that the
highest type Of religion intermingles the
worship of God and the service of hu-
mainly in one undivided devotion; and
so it has come to pass. slowly but hap
PLY. that the devotion characteristic of
womanhood in all centuries has perme
ated the church, and thus brought into its
consciousness ChriSt'S own conception of
life and religion-doing good.
We men are duller than women in the
things Of the spirit-the things that make
up the realm of the ideal, the realm
which Jesus called the kingdom of God"
Duller. but we do not need, and are not
benefited by, scolding. censure disparage
ment and belittling comparisons. We do
not yield to cOmpulSiOn, but readily yield
to impulsion. And it is among the rights
of good woman. and not the least of her
powers. to attract us into domestcity, i'm
pei us to single-hearted devotion. and in
spire us to seek and do the best things.
We honor the pioneers. the heroes and
the martyrs of religion, especially of
those whose feet have touched alien
shores in Christ's service. There would
have been few pioneers, fewer heroes and
still fewer martyrs in Christian history.
domestic and foreign Christian work and
conquests for the kingdom but for the
goodness, gentleness and graciousness of
Christian womanhood.
"WomanS rights conventions usually
confine their discussions to one particular
phase of very broad question. and oc-
casionally grow hysterical in a demand
for the ballot for woman. She has that
right in six states of our country; in a
few years she will have that right in
other states; but when every state shall
recognize it the best womanhood will
still esteem her political right as less
than the least of all her divine dowry.
There ought to be universal recognition
of her right to the ballot-not the ballot
which merely permits her to vote for
some petty or national official. but the
richer and weightier ballot which per-
mits and enables her to exert unhindered
a comma ndng influence for godliness and
happiness from sunrise to sunset from
east to west
She has right to vote that her life
shall be fine expression of fine ideals;
she has a right to vote that her home
shall be happy, giving her room and at
mosphere for the development of her
highest capabilities for the broadcast and
completest service: she has a right to
vote that she shall be an honored wife
the only woman in her husbands heart;
she has right to vote that her children
shall be we'll born and happily born, free
from moral faint, transmitted by un-
worthy fatherhood: she has a right to
vote that her life shall be free from
petty social domination and fractions
domestic tyranny; she has right to vote
that she shall be free to love God and
serve His Son. that religion shall have a
place In her life and that her welfare
shall be safegnarded SO long as she full
fills her high calling in the home, in the
church and in the community: she. has
the right to vote that the saloon shall go,
that marriage shall be honored. that re-
lision shall be maintained and that the
kingdom of God shall come.
She has these high and noble rights
until she fo,feits them by base betrayal
of her higher self, disloyalty to her
high position, and sale Of herself and
her influence for lower values.
These are matters within the domain
of Christianity. and these are things COM
pared to which a mere ballot for civic
or national functonary is not worth men,
ton. though she ought to have that right.
too: if she wants it and will use it wisely
and we'll.
The threefold cause of domestic integ-
rity, national religion and the worlds
evangelization are within the scope of
IltI liCuSHl. Iiei pOWeTS duu
her service. If Christian womanhood
would lift up its eyes and see the signs
of the breaking day. and then would
labor according to that vision. the king
kingdom of our God and of His Christ
in far less time than will be required if
men alone look. watch and labor.
The greatest concern of religion is now
the greatest concern of sociology-the
welfare of the child: and this was one
of the objects closest the heart of
Christ. and Is one of the fundamental du-
ties of His church. And is not the
chiid-the child in her own home. the
child In America, the child in the world,
more within the custody of womanhood
than of men? The success Of Christian
ity everywhere. at home and abroad. Is
dependent upon. and Is to be measured
by, what is done for the child. Compare
lively little can be done for the mature
man woman: there is no measure to
be found that can estimate what may be
done for with and through the new gen
eration-the children that are growing mp
in this. the strangest, busiest and in some
respects the greatest age the word has
ever known. Why not make it the great
est age of all time by making 1t the
golden age of childhood?
But need not underyalue what may
he done for womanhood. at home and
abroad. Less than seventy-five years
ago widows We're burned on the funeral
pyres of their husbands In India: Chris
tldlf iIISSlOlS nave duoiSIIeu tIdl - oSi
custom, giving the widow chance to
live and marry again. right of which
widow should be robbed. It has not
been more than twice that long since the
missionary was occasionally the princi-
pal dish at b cannibal banquet, but
Christianity kept on sending men VINO
were willing, II must be, to die and be
eaten. that ultimately cannibalism might
be- as it has been. abolished.
Back of all our missionary heroism
and service has been good womanhood,
names of Carey. Judson. Livingstone.
Gordon and others. who as missionaries
of the Christ were pioneers OF Christian
civilization, is to suggest the good wom-
en- who fashioned their lives and inspired
their undertakings.
Let it be repeated. then, that good
womanhood has the right to cast her
ballot and employ her powers for the
highest and best things. the purest ideals
and the noblest civilization, and to labor.
according to her powers and
zeal, her sympathies and her opportuni-
ties, in Outstanding humanity. Shall
not our maids and matrons eXultingly
share the religious enthusiasm of the
maid of Bethlehem in giving to the world
q divine Redeemer and in imparting to
human nifty the benign influence of the
Christ? No right could be nobler no
JOY could be superior. and no service
could be worthier nor more In keeping
with the spiritual nature and gracious
service makes womanhood worthy to sit
beside Christ's mother whose life COM
bined in full measure the privilege and
ministry sorrow and gladnesS of fem
mime goodness.