Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-01-08
LESSON TEACHES Of
1ST GREAT FEMINIST.
Deborah, Leader of Women's
Movements, a Prophecies
aud Emancipation
LED HER PEOPLE FOR YEARS
Devised and Executed Master
Stroke That Won Judges
Liberty
The International Sunday School Les
son For January 10 Is Deborah
and Barak Deliver Israeli
-Judg. 4:4-23; 5:1-22
LED HER PEOPLE FOR YEARS
BY William t. Ellis

If leaders in the modern women's
movement knew their Bibles better
We should hear oftener of the first
feminist in history, Deborah tn pro-
pheteSs and emancipator. 1t Is true
that Miriam. the sister of Moses,
broke forth into song upon one trium-
phant occasion, but the next emil
nent woman who figures in the Bible
story, Deborah, really led and inspir-
ed her people over a course or years,
during the troubled period OF the
judges. The master stroke that won
them liberty was of her devising and
execution, and il was she who com
posed the wonderful pean of rejoic-
ing which celebrated the event.
The husband might as we'll be call
ed Mr.. Deborah. for Lippidoth Is
merely mentioned as being the hus-
band of the prophecies. Was II a hard
role that he had to play in being
merely the helpmate of a public wo-
man? Perhaps our own times viii
evolve a code for the man placed in
this now common position.
Deborah was greater than her hus-
band. The work to which she was
called was one which could not be
done through him; for not even the
wisest wife can impart force OF char
acter, vision and the qualities of lea
dership to a man. So Deborah dared,
in a period when usage prescribed Sc
questration and secondary place for
her sex, to translate into action her
great ideals for her people.
The Woman Who Lead
Britain had her Boadicea, France
her Joan of Arc. Germany her Queen
Louise. America her Lucretia Mott,
Susan &. Anthony and Frances Will
ard. All down the highway OF his
tory we see shining occasional wo-
men who, when mems hearts failed
or their eyes were dimmed, rose 10
the role of leaders and deliVerers. In
the great emergencies of Americas
pioneer days, and of the war between
The States, women by the hundreds
proved themselves heritors of the
highest traditions of womanly hero
ism.
What is the most characteristic
quality Of womanhood, If it is not in
sight, vision. idealism and highloy-
atty? Who feels a nations wrongs so
keenly as its women? Who are the
flaming pioneers of all social reforms
but women? Why are they foremost
in the missionary and temperance en-
terprise?
Soul-sensitiveness eplains 1t. That
quality made Deborah a seer and
propagandist. She had greatness and
fineness of spirit. Justice and patriot
ism were really master passions with
her. Every wrong done to her op-
pressed COunlTEinen DN the pIOuu sAuu
cruel Canaanites entered her heart as
n sword. Her loyalty to Jehovah, and
her zeal for him, made her great. In
dark day when the ordained eccles-
iastical leaders proved futile, she led
her people back TO God.
So Deborah moved from the land Of
Isaachar south to that of Benjamin,
where she would be free to counsel and
confer. Thish suggests word about the
geography of the story: and present
world events are newly teaching peo-
pie the importance of geography. The
scene of the battle lies back of Mt
Carmel, that long mountain of
thousand valleys" by the sea, where
the modern city of Haifa, with its
German colony, its harbor and its
terminus of the Damascus Railway is
now situated. The scene of the de-
feat of Sisera is about the same as
that of the slaughter of the priests Of
on Mt. Carmel. To the eastward, al
most in a line with the Lake of Cali
lee, rose symmetrical Mt. Tabor. which
figures in the story As the resort of
Barak's army. Issachar. Deborah's
home. lay directly south, but she
went still further southwark, almost
TO Jerusalem, to q spot between Bethel
and Ramah to establish herself as a
proph hetess to whom the people could
resort for counsel and inspiration.
There. under the palm tree by the
door of her tent, Deborah sat and re-
ceived her people. The picture is
suggestive. \ proud woman, of finely
chiselled features, with the reserved
demeanor OF = greatly burdened soul,
she sat day oy day and received depu
tations in ever-increaSing numbers,
as her reputation grew. Family strife
and village quarrel were adjudicated
by her. The stream of victims of
Canaanitish oppression brought their
woes to her. The perplexed heads of
communities driven desperate by in