The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-03-08

The model held up to Christian
women is not the Amazon, glorying in |
her martian deeds and prowess; il is |
not the Spartan woman. who made fe-
male perfection consist in tho devel- |
opment OF physical strength at the ex-
pensc of feminine iecorum and mod
esty; it is not the goddess of pagan
love. like Venus, whose votaries re-
2arded beauty of form and personal
charms as the highest type of fcluale
excellence: nor Is 1t an i,nperious Juno,
No: the model held up to womun from
the very dawn Of Christianity is thu
peerless Mother Of our Blessed RE-
deemer. She is the pattern OF virtue
alike to maiden, wife and mother. She
exhibits the virsinal modesty becoming
the maid, the contugal fidelity and 10y
atty of the spouse, and the untiring de-
votion of the mother.
Tho Sexes Equal Now and Hereafter.
Woman's origin and destiny are the
same as mans; SO is her dignity equal
In every way. AS both were redeemed
by the same Lord and as both aspire
to the same heavenly Inheritance, so
should they be regarded as OF equal
rank on earth: as they are partakers of
the same spiritual gifts, so should they
share alike the blessings and prcroga-
tives Of domestic life.
In the mind of the Catholic Church,
however, equal rights do not imply
that both sexes should engage promis-
cuously in the same pursuits. but rath-
or that each sex should discharge those
, duties which are adapted to its physi-
cal constitution and sanctioned by the
canons of society.
To some among the gcntlcr sex the
words. equal rights" have been, it is
to be feared. Synonymous with Sim
liar rights"
Suffrage, or the right TO vote. and
the right to hold office. ore ambitions
which some women have, that are
really rights of similarity and not of
equality. Seeking these so-called
rights ALLEVIATE the feminine spirit
from its foreordaincd and guarded
haven-the home. To del,ar woman
from such pursuits as suffrage, or
from doing mans work, or from
Wenring masculine attire. is not to de-
grade her. To restrict her field OF &C
tion to the gcntlcr avocations of life
is not to fetter her aspirations after
the higher and The better.
Woman's Supereminent Right.
1t is, on the contrary. to secure to
her not equal rights, so-callcd, but
those superemncnt rights that cannot
fail to cndow her with Il sacred inf1u-
encc in her own proper sphere: for as
soon as woman trenches on the domain
of man. she must not be surprised to
find that the reverence once accorded
to her has been. in part. or wholly,
withdrawn
The homc-whether that home is a
|
sway in the government of the land or
the uplifting of the people than our
houses OF Congress and State legisla-
turcs. Our President, our statesmen
and our judiciary hold the high offices
/ of framing or interpreting or cxecut-
ing the laws. But our Christian wom-
tSrr,.
! place. for they mould the character of
] our statesmen and jurists in their
! childhood and instill virtue in their
hearts. Our greatest statesmen have
loudly and unanimously proclaimed
their Indebtedness TO their mothers.
! Motherhood Provides tho Nobiest
Work.
The noblest work given to woman is
i to take care OF her children. The most
i important part of her apostlcshlp
i should consist in instructing them in
i, the ways Of God. The education of the
young should begin at the mothers
knee. Tho mind of a child, like soft
encd wax, receives with ease the first
impressions, which arc always the
deepest and most enduring. a child is
susceptible of instruction much earli-
er in life than parents generally i'm
aginc. Mothers should watch with a
jealous eye the first unfolding Of the
infant mind, and pour into it the seed
or heavenly knowledge
Irish Emigration Decreasing.