The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-06

ern slogan, ".VoteS for Women! Yet
like many another modern benefit, by
broad and liberal Interpretation, the
spirit of the Book, if1not the very let
ter, supports the claims of equal
rights Tor all. Accepting this well
established dictum OF the Book, the
friends Of the cause" may well call
upon the anti-sunragist to show
wherein equality should be denied to
the so-called weaker vessel" IT has
been quantity, but truly said, that God
in creating woman, indicated the posi-
ton relative to man she was to &C.
cupy. He did not take her from mans
head, that she might rule over him,
nor from his feet that she should DO
his slave; but from his side that to-
gether they might equally share LIES
SORROWS and multiply LIES Joys. No
student OF world history can fail to
see that woman has come more to
her highest position, and has attained
nearest her rlghtful place. under the
development Of the religion OF ancient
Israel and the unfolding OF Christian
ity. ase
Think for a moment Of the contrast
between women OF heather and non
Christian lands and those OF our own
Christianizcd America. In India she
was and is prisoner-the zenanas are
not places Of rule but Of enslavement.
In japan she was and Is not the mis-
tress Of house. but O housekeeper-
she holds the keys Of her hubsand, In
China she was and continues to be
subordinate to the masculine powers,
In the palmiest days Of ancient Rome
she was but possession Of the man.
In Greece she rose sometimes to dis
tinction, but not as mistress OF the
house, but as the favored courtesan.
But when we turn to the Bible and
to Bible lands we find the fundamental
principle underlying the teaching con-
corning the status of woman Is the
same as that which is sought for the
man, viz: the enfranchisement OF the
soul. This freedom" Is seen work
ing out in the brief Biblical narratives
concerning feminine characters as
Eve, the mother OF men, Sarah, Re-
bekah, Rachel, Miriam, Deborth, RUTH
Hannah, the Marys Of the New Tesla
ment, land those other women who
labor in the Gospel The emancipa-
ton and exaltation Of womanhood
which Is destined to bring to her all
benefits of the Saviors redemption, Is
TO be attributed to the fact that the
Messiah born Of human mother has
within himself both the type OF the
masculine and feminine nature. The
heroism OF the Son Of Man is the hero
ism of ideal womanhood as we'll as
ideal manhood. The so-called femi-
nine virtues. poverty Of spirit-the re-
straint of self will, meekness-the
subordlnation of temper purity-the
resistance Of temptation, mercy or
peace making, all were preached by
Jesus and magnified in His life. These
qualities which Christ blessed, and
which have wrapped up in them these
principles are even now gliding the
worlds mountain tops and sooner or
later full orbed equality will reach
the plain upon which we live.
Having in mind then the line OF
thought as outlined above and know
ing that soon or later the old fog
capped towers Of ignorance and pre1u-
dice must topple over, we may well
ask, in view Of the problem before us,
docs the Bible throw any light upon
this question:" Now there are those
seated high in the chairs of ethical
teaching who tell us that this suf-
frage problem is wholly a modern
ONE; that "the Bible throws no light
upon It," II, however, we are to reach
without prejudice the reality of his
tory, as set forth in that wonderful
library Of inspiration called the Bible,
we must drop all dogmatic PROPOSES
sions which have been born OF preju-
dice and emanate not from truth. What
is the meaning, what the lesson for
the future that Is set forth by the
high position accorded women among
the ancient Hebrews? During the
long ages we find the chosen people
changed their occupations, pastoral,
agricultural. commercial, yet ever
throughout all these centuries the
position Of women among them is far
above that of her degraded sister IN
the surrounding nations, What is the
book of Ruth but the Setting forth OF
the ideal union between the man and
the woman? Let It never be forgot
ten, the beginning Of this beautiful
romance was the determination on the
part of Boaz to obtain for Ruth her
unquestioned rights" 1t is DR.. Will
liam Elliott Griffis, D. d. who says
"the book5of Malachi is but a covert
retort against the. frenzled zeal OF
Ezra, who, in the name OF God and
conformity, forced a man to break
his marital VOWS; made to the wife OF
his youth" In a word, reading the
Old Testament in the light given us
by Jesus, its greatest and most au-
thoritiye interpreter, we find equality
to all" lnculcated as a duty and a priv
ilege, whilescertainly approved by God.
In the New Testament, behold how
Christ first reveals, at the we'll. his
Alessiahship to woman who Is not
in the church or nation, and how He
makes the parable Of the Good Samari-
tan Teaching the universally OF love,
irrespective Of race creed oc SEX the
very pivot and center Of Has whole
teaching. The book Of Acts opens
with picture and of pentecost, which,
in, itself. is, a virtual solvent OF the
equality problem, Some one has
beautifully said, that Jesus gathered
up all the unfolded and unfolding wiz
dom of revelations in all the ages.
and His rod Of wisdom budded in the
Lords prayer" To one who feels the
depth and power Of this matchless
prayer. there lis, no equality problem.