The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-01-20
WOMAN AND RELIGION.
the International Sunday school
IessOn For January Is is Serving
Jcsus"-Luke 8:1-3; 9:57-S2; 10:
s8-49

Jo.us"-Luke s:i-s; s:57-ss; 10:
sS-Aa.
tBy William L. Ellis.)
The woman question" inescapa bly, |
!, one OF today's living issues. Every |
thoughtfui person is bound to face
Il sauarely. and to loOk into it deep
~. Whatever is merely superficial
or Incidental should be eliminated. |
Thus the suffrage issue Is not the
woman question" Even the So
allied feminist movement" which
,hatters the old conventions and finds
other spheres for woman than that
NJ wife. mother, and hOme-makef. is
not sufficiently inclusive. Considered
disp~assionateiy, the distinctive place,
the distinctive abilities. a distinct
iva mission of women must enter in
to any study OF "the woman Ques-
ton" This may appropriately be
lone IN connection with the present
Sunday school Lesson. For here we
Jod the attention OF millions Of per-
CONS the world around simultaneously
.oncentrated upon the New Tesla
mrnt stories that are sufficiently gen
nrai TO open up the who'll "wOm:-n
question: AS we walk with Mary
of Magdals, and Joanna, m Susan
"a, who followed Jesus and minis
tered to him Of their substance; and
ss we sit In the shadow Of the hOspi-
table Bethlehem home, where the
tired Teacher so loved to resort. we
MAY consider what light the Bible
beds upon his modern perplexity.
4 Frank Word About Women.
Whatever the future may hold,
whether woman is to rule by ballot
n BY battle axe. or by ministry and
Inspiration, there are certain truths
which may frankly be stated about
~oman's place in the past.
Always her first field has been the
nome and the children. n has
baen potent in affecting the most in
innate ana basic human conceptions.
Tiers has been the shaping influence
lpoa life Ut its springs. n has
made home" a sweet word. The pic
ture Of the Bethany home where Je-
sus delighted to visit is illuminative.
Always women haze been more re-
ligious than men. At all times and
under all creeds they have been the
defenders OF the faith and the at
tendants OF the altar fires Of spirit
uaiity. This continues during today
both in the Christian Church and in
pagan lands. IF man Is an incur
able religious animali" then the fe-
male OF the species Is more religious
than the male. No symptom on the
days horizon ia more alarming than
the modern increase In the number OF
women who give religion 40 place In
IVA w tkS aAAN IA I'LL
tertake to get along h its re
straints and its consultations.
Always woman has been an ideal
~. That the claims OF Jesus shoulC
be - swiftly and deeply understood
by women is significant. It is a rare
church indeed hat Is not ATTENDED
by more women thar men. This al
80 i true Of concerts, lectures. ar
exhibitions. and the higher classes Q
drama. and all literary and ethica
occasions. The idealism Of woman I
apparent on every hand.
Always woman has been tn
heartener OF men. Kipling make
one Of his characters say Their
are just two kinds OF women In tn
men and those who take it out o
-aen." The friendship OF Marth;
and Mary evidently meant much t
Jesus. This apparently indirect exer
else OF W"man'a power may not sat
isfy some persons; but the armorer'
part IA the battle is as real as tina
"f the warrior. Barrie's exquisit
sketch of Margaret Ogiivie" recite
aow his mother declared that sh
would De proud to be the mother @
Robert Louis Stevenson. as for him
self. Barrie vows that all he is or ha
lone he owes to his mother. tn
world can I'll afford co lose that kin
u NcIn1n.
n Real Emancipation.
Here We come to a profound his
tnrlcat fact. Jesus Christ has bee
tae real emaucipator or
Ia His disripleship she has gone
newunsS OF honor. TO newneSs or Sc
giCe. and newncss OF characte
Through all the centuries. since or
little group OF women We're first I
IA" ross and first at the grave
"o.aen have been the best friends
Jesus. even as tie has been the be
f"iend II W~omanhoo6.
\ new sense OF siSterly SOtidarli
haf developed in christianity. v
might call this; q noble sex col
'ciolsness. The passion OF Christie
woman FOR the welfare Of the woms
- th, world is not often discusst
y TG% newspapers. but il is Il
f':"aost3nd and most beautiful pha
'' re whole WOMAN question.
WOu,co'S ideal Man.