New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-25

women Of Jerusalem enjoy a freedom
we do not understand in the West,
'Fcmnism.' suffrage these things
mean nothing 20 ;he women of the
Orient, yet for centuries, since the
days Of Deborah Of old, the women Of
Palestine have been leaders. 1t is as
simple as the very life Of the Orient.
A woman is a leader If she is recog-
nized as such, without election and
fuss. She simply rises above the 9TH
ers. She stands out. by very reason
of her superior qualifications, and her
position as a leader is undisputed.
Deborah was a judge and commander
in-chief of the Israelite army by COM
mon thought and consent, without the
fraud of elcctioneering. Just so do the
modern Deborahs exist to-day. 1t is all
simple and sincere-so simple and sin
cere that it is beyond the complex
comprehension of so-called civilized
countries"
Nine. Lydia Mamreotf Won Finkclstein
Mountford was born and brought up in
the Holy City of Jerusalem, and lived
there for the iirst twenty-five years Of
her life. Therefore her accounts Of
life in Bible lands are not mere hear
say, or the accounts Of tourists or tray
oilers or of various missionaries who
have resided in the land. Not only is
she an authority on life in the Holy
Land. but on the Bible rs we'll To her
the history Of the Bible was ever alive
and real, for the life around her fitted
and clucidated every Scripture text,
and each locality illustrated the his
tory of the past.
81 wandered over the same hills and
valleys as Christ and the Prophets; |
walked beside the waters of the Jor-
dan, wept in Gcthscmane, and prayed
on the Mount of Olives"
The whole existence Of the child
lydia was so wrapped up in the poetry
Ct the Bible, so indissoluby inter-
woven was the past with her present
life. that she determined when she
grew up to preach the truth about the
Bible. There is so much in the Bible
that is lost the imagery and pict-
urcsqueness. It is not an austere Book;
it is rich in wonderful color"
Accordingly she gowned herself in
the white robes of messenger, and set
forth out of the Holy Land to bring
he. message to the world. But she
brought with her another message
message of world-old civilization that
is founding TO the women of the
Wcs., who for years have been fighting
TO- what is rightfully theirs.
Women should take their rights, not
ask Tor them. Your Western civiliza.
ton has made Of you bondwomen,
slaves. serfs, and all three in one!
How then can bondwomen bring forth
free men and women? They, too, must
accessarily be in bondage Only free
women can bring forth free race"
That is why Nine. Mountford is
sufragist
you have the idea in the west that
the women Of the Orient are in bon
dage because they veil. 1t is fallscy
Women lead behind the veil. They
realize the strength and the power Of
the veil, and that is why they cling to
il. For instance, woman may appear
in court and give the judge square
piece of her mind behind the veil
She cannot be held for contempt, nor
can she be elected from the courtroom,
for a woman is sacred and cannot be
touched.
"The mere Garb of a woman insures
protection. She may go in absolute
safety through the worst quarters Of
the city alone. In fact, beggar or
poor man needs only to touch the point