New Britain herald., 1919-07-26

illustrious leader, prophet, judge, military instructor, poet and sacred singer, all combined in one person, in the form of a modest woman, who de- Cines to act the Amazon.
 Deborah, the prophecies, "a mother in Israeli arose and went to war against the oppressors of her people On her return after a glorious victory she sings the most beautiful praises and thanksgiving to the Lord, taking no gOry for herself, she. returns to her seat under the palm tree to judge her people.
 Hannah, the real model of a good mother, is grieved, she is childless, she is not comforted by the kind words of her beloved husband Elkanah who assures her that he loves her more than Peninnah with her ten children.
 She cried and prayed to God for child, and when God gave her lovely child, the future judge and seer Sam uel she delivers him up to the service of God with a song of thanksgiving to the Lord.
 Ruth, the proselyte, and Noaml, the bereaved mother, how much love and devotion in their hearts It can not be OL the first: "Where you go, l will go; where you lodge, 1 will lodge; your people shall be- my people, and your God my God"
 Is it wonder that our Bible con- tains a Song of Songs devoted to love- a psalm that pictures in the form of an idyle the Hebrew family life like Chapter 12S, poem that describes the ideal woman in the most beautiful tinges as Chapter 31 in Proverbs.
 When Bileam beheld Israel dwelling tribe by tribe he said, How goodly are thy tents, Jacob, thy dwellings, Q Israel!'
 Women enjoyed considerable free dom among the Jews. They were not immured in harems but mingled free ly and openly with the other sex in the duties and amenities of ordinary life, their faces unveiled.
 Rebekah travelled on q camel with her face unveiled, until she came into the presence of her attiianced. Jacob saultcd Rachel With a kiss in the pres ence of the shepherds. Ruth ate to- gether with men. Women played no inconsidcrable part ill public celebra- tions; Miriam, the sister of the law giver, headed a band of women who
 
 the overthrow of the Egyptions; Jephithah's daughter gave her father a triumphal reception; the maidens of Shiloh danced publicly in the vine yards at the yearly feast; and the women feted Saul and David on their return from the defeat of the Philis- tines with singing and dancing.
 Women occasionally held public offices particularly that of prophecies or inspired teacher, as instanced in Miriam, Huldah, Noadiah, and above all Deborah, who also took charge of the administration of public affairs and was therefore entitled to be styled a judge" The odes of the lat ter and of Hannah exhibit a degree of intellectual cultivation which is in it. self a proof Of the position of the sex among the Jews in that period.
 Relation Between Sexes.
 The obligations of the husband and the duties of man and wife were in favor of the latter The husband is bound to support and maintain his wife as much as compOrts with his dignity and social standing. "She as- cends with him but does not descend with him." that is to say, she is en- titled to all the advantages of his sta tion in life without losing any of those which she enjoyed before marriage. He must give her pocket-mOney. He who loves his wife like himself hon ors her more than himself, and di- rects his sons and daughters in the right way, concerning him the Scrip ture says, And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace, and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin," is not only good maxim but a legal duty according to the rabbis. The husband shall not be imperious in his household. He shall not afflict her for God counts her tears. These and the following sayings of the Talmud are good evil denCe of the high esteem of the Jew ish rabbis for women. Whoever mar ries woman for money alone, will not have children according to his wishes" Every man who is without a wife is without joy, without blessing, without goodness, without a law, with