The Detroit times., 1915-07-29
~ WILLIAM r. gLLis


One OF the stimulating Kipling
poems 10 called The Files," and II
narrates how you may ind al the
new things of today In the newspa.
per nles OF long ago. Just now the
world II agog over the new wo.
man. and. opportunity. the Sunday
school lesson introduces that force
full feminist. the Queen OF Sheba. In
quest OF the best.
Nearly 5000 years have passed
since this remarkable woman trav'
sled 1900 miles from her homo in
Arabia. BY slow camel pace. across
the desert sands. to take counsel
with wise King Solomon. Through
out all these ages she has been 4
pictorial figure In proverb and story.
and her single phrase, "The half
has never been told" II one OF the
commonest coins current In univer-
AL speech. Legend. among Mos
lens and Christians alike, has been
busy with this wonderful woman's
name: but these fancifnl stories In
tersst us less than her message To
our own times upon the woman cues
tion. which II this:
Problems. are not primarily prob.
lens of sex, but OF personality The
strong character makes It's way. re-
Rardiess Of limitations Of sex or con-
dition. The Queen OF Sheoa ranks
second only TO Solomon In the an
nails of their time. Even back In
the dark days OF woman's subjec-
tioo. there shine brilliant nance. like
Deborah and Abigail and Jezebsl and
Zenobia and Cleopatra. These WON.
en- were personalities. although not
oil were good women.
II would be o mistake to let the
girls Of today gain the impression
that any material change 10 to be
effected IN woman's sphere or for
tune apart from the development Of
individual character. There In now.
and there will continue to be. a. the
greatest desideratum In the social
ed "woman movement" the need for
preeminent personalities. women
who can BE- leaders In the world.
Some American Queens
Il 10 pertinent 10 recall that North
America has been singularly produc-
tive Of women OF force and enter.
prise. who yet held aeadtastly aloft
the torch Of idealism. These he
Yoines Of faith have some qualities
greater than their lons-aso sister OF
Sheba. One OF them, Victoria Muir
dock, OF wichita. was pictured.
shortly after her death. by her son.
ex.Congressman Victor Murdoch. In
a tribute Of singular appeal. I quote
from "rhe Literary Digest" those
passages which deal particularly
With the spiritual qualities OF this
woman OF affairs:
beautiful "a her whole life was.
beautiful ~ she Was. she was most
beautiful In her faith. II needed no
sustaining argument. II offered
nothing In rebuttal. II never weak
sned nor grew suddenly strong. 1t
amply was AZ strong. as enduring
A. unanswerable and immovable %
a rranite mountain. She made
courteous show of gentle patience
with the occasional or habifuai
doubters. but inwardly I IMAGINE
that abe held the doubling intellect
10 be meager or sappily immature.
"Her life was full Of change ana
incident, OF activity always. She
knew Joy In its full measure-and
sorrow: she had lost hve children
she had known hardship and ease,
ambition. realisation, disappoint'
ment. but her faith remained sim
gle. stable. hxed point. Nor was II
a silent faith to be cuddled out OF
harms way. II was . faith - sure
and final a Paul's. II put the Key
stone OF the Resurrection in the
arch. because Il knew the arch
would faIl without II. This Ii the
faith not only OF the gentle soul who
does not know why II should be so,
but II IL the work OF the strong soul
who knows"
A Queens Woman!way
In some degree. there exists IN
every woman's breast that quality
which led the Queen OF Sheba to
Jer,salem-the Unsuitable longing
for the best. Sometimes with les
ser women. this noble yesrnins
for highest good. takes the form OF
mere social emulation. Commonly,
n incites mothers to send forth their
sons 70 dare and do greatly. II 10
a,so revealed in the religious In
stinct. which makes woman the
chief supporter OF the church and
temple and shrine In all lands.
Every woman il naturally a priest.
e.s =, the altar OF idealism. God
pity the race. II wcmAnhood ever
loses this impulse.
This dominant motive expressed
nseif IN several ways in the case OF
the Queen OF sheba. She had curios-
ity. the desire to know. Also che
had 4 sense OF responsibility for her
once: she wanted to learn the best
vavs Of ruling her people. Amoi'
t,ous for a great court and great
re,en. she sought TO examine into
so,omoo's administration. Also. fem
mine fashion. she desired to hik
over her problems with wise coun-
-.ellor: the normal woman wants 70
d,scuss her problems. small or great
nth acme other person. and. prefer