The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-07-29

Just TO plan my-my clothes and
things" Mary colored. land l simply
couldn't do i this morning. He made I'd,
even when I'm looking straight at him.
He's like brook: you get used to him.
And l had so much to plant!
Mary / exclaimed, aghast. mind
full of that. pretty air of devoutness
which felt must surely have emanated
from a strong religious sense. don't
':sometimes," admitted Mary. guilt
lily. But I do save that hour, feter,
for planning things"
wonder why most women so 10
church. I must ask mother.
WOMEN AND RELIGION.
Xxx.
Mother" said 1. tell me. do most
women have a strong religious sense?
Mother glanced up from her sewing.
why do you ask?'' she countered,
quietly.
Well" said I, bluntly. 'to tell the
truth. Mary saves up her church hour
to plan gowns and parties. and, al
though I'm not a prude. still / must
confess IL shocked me little. 1 al
ways gave women credit for having a
stronger religious sense than most
men"
"There. Peter" said mother. unex-
pectedljy, II think you're wrong"
But" I stammered, I've always
read that women are ever SO much more
religiously inclined than men,"
ITO the outward semblance. Peter"
put in mother quickly. Don't forget
that. Women can look devout enough
surely. and they talk religion a great
deal, and go to church-but isn't It. per-
haps. a little superficial with most Of
them2
81 hope not" said I. For one by one
in these early days of my marriage I
was losing my choicest illusions.
Peter" said mother thoughtfuIly, 'it
has been my experience that a woman
rarely brings a genuine depth Of feeling
into her religious life. She'll go unerr.
ingly to church, but the reason isn't al
ways religious. She may want to see a
friend. She may like the general rustic
and state Of the service-women are
ceremonial by nature. I think, and love
tity-and then again she may like the
singing.
Lots of women use church as q
sort of social clearing house to get the
currency Of calls and engagements set
tied UP for the week Women are care
iessly and passiveiy good. Peter. They're
good because it's woman's nature to
be good. When she isn't ! firmly be-
lieve it's a deviation from the normal
feminine. But she rarely feels the deep.
powerful, pulsing truths underlying the
ology. II she does, she Is the exception
and not the rule.
Women are more concerned with the
emotional mysticism of religion. Watch
the horde of fatuous women who follow
In the wake Of the occasional thrifty
Hindu who comes here to expound the
Yogi philosophy. The most mysticism
you can interlope into a religion, the
MOI women followers 1t will have, mys-
ticism and sentimentality.
Have you ever seen some of the re-
ligious books compiled for the consump-
ton Of old ladies' the country over?
They are an unwholesome mass of NOR
bid sentimentality and profane the great
stirring of true religion And the poorer
type OF sacred song panders. too. to that
Of those things are thu bIS elements
OF religion. son. They're the tawdry
Eew-gaws that attract a popular follow
ing. Isn't it ;rue?'
You're always right. mother" 1
said. IT sincerely believe that many
ward observances Of his creed has a
deep. abiding sense Of reference in his
heart. He may not look devout and
he may hate to go to church, but it's
fairly, you can't deny that women
hold the palm for morality"
Chastity" corrected mother quick
ly. ITO all women. Peter. the two are
synonymous"
You mean"
THAT in many other ways women
haven't such a deep sense of morality
as men. Chastity. I grant, is the great
plea upon which they base their claim
for greater morality-but women are
immoral too in their own way. Petty
lies-petty deceits-petty hypocrisies, to
which a man wouldn't stoop-fgure to
their daily lives. It's true. Peter. I've
watched II often enough to know"
And women love to smuggle"
limited.
Men," said mother, thoughtfully, rs
n creature of big weakness and big
virtues. Most women perhaps don't
strike the high spots either way"
Continued Tomorrow)