The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-12-05
WHAT CAN WOMEN
DO TO BETTER THE
CONDITION OF MEN

The following was read at meet
ing in the colored Methodist church
by Mary E Woodward, and is pub
lished by request:
To be a woman in the true and
highest sense of the word, to better
the condition of our men, is to be
the best thing beneath the skies. 1t
should be the highest ambition of
every woman to possess a true wo-
manhood. A woman's worth is to
be estimated by the real goodness of
her heart and the greatness of her
soul and the purity and sweetness of
her character. Beauty is a danger
Gus gift that is sometimes bestowed
on woman; like wealth, it has ruined
most beautiful women of today are
| destitute of common sense and COM
mon humanity. No gift from heaven
! is so general and yet so widely abus-
ed as the gift of beauty. Beauty is
| lovely and ought to be innocently
/ possessed; it has its charms and
! ii rightly used would enhance the
condition of our men. 1t is a de-
lightful gift and ought to be received
with grace and meekness. Every wo-
man who has a beautiful form and
mind and heart.
| | believe that a woman by her con-
slant Christian example may extend
/ her influence over the condition of
our men, let us then be careful of
the influence v-c are daily exerting
over our men. There are three ele-
ments in the moral character of wo-
men that would tend to better the
condition Of our men that are wor-
thy Of cultivation. The first is pur-
ity. Not only purity of life is need
ed to make woman beautiful, but
purity in thought, feeling, emotion
and motive. All that is within us
that lies open TO the gaze Of God
should be pure. A woman should
IL
life. Her words should correspond
with her thoughts; the smiles Of her
face should be the smiles of her
heart; the light of her eyes should
be the light of her soul. Whatever
may be our mental attainments we
are nothing without purity. The
second element that / will speak of
to better the condition of our men, is
benevolence. A woman without be-
nevolence is not a woman-she is
only deformed personality of wo-
manhood. In no heart is benevolence
more beautiful than in the woman's;
the most benevolent soul lives near
est to God. How benevolent is wo-
man on errands Of mercy, how sooth-
ing her words TO the disconsolate
man, how soft her hand TO the sick.
The woman who does practical work
| of benevolence is educating her NOR
al powers in the school OF earnest
and glorious life. Her hand must
be taught 10 heed the pIeadings Of
her plying heart-what she feels,
she must do. what she prays for she
must strive TO attain.
] The last element / shall speak OF
10 better the condition of our men, is
piety. This may be regarded as the
crown Of all the moral elements; il
is that which sanctifies all the
rest Of the influences wrought in the
human soul. The work Of piety is
the most harmonizing and divine
We urge il as the best and highest
duty Of woman, a duty she owes to
herself and to God, a duty as full Of
joys as the heavens are full Of stars.
This divine grace of the soul should
be sought for by every woman and
/. cultivated with assiduous care, for
i without Il she is destitute Of the
] highest beauty and divinest charms
20 better the condition OF our men.
Let every woman seriously reflect
: on this subject. These girls and
young women before US are coming
: women OF this age. and progress OF