female suffrage-第7章

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especially　her　own。　Man；　without　his　helpmeet；　can　do　but　little　here。
His　faculties　are　absorbed　by　other　tasks；　not　more　important；　but
more　engrossing　and　essentially　different。　The　finer　tact；　the　more
graceful　manner；　the　quicker　wit；　the　more　tender　conscience；　are　all
needed　here。　Every　woman　in　the　country　has　her　own　share　of　this
work　to　do。　Each　individual　woman　is　responsible　for　the　right　use　of
all　her　own　social　influences；　whether　for　good　or　for　evil。

To　keep　up　the　standard　of　female　purity　becomes　emphatically　one
of　the　most　stringent　duties　of　every　Christian　woman。　For　her　own
sake；　for　the　sake　of　all　she　loves；　for　the　sake　of　her　country；　for
the　service　of　Christ　and　His　Church；　she　is　bound　to　uphold　this
standard　at　a　high　pointa　point　entirely　above　suspicion。　This　task
is　of　importance　incalculable。　But；　owing　to　the　frivolity　of　some
women；　and　the　very　loose　ideas　of　many　men；　it　is　no　easy　task。
Undoubtedly；　the　very　great　majority　of　women　are　born　modest　at
heart。　Their　nature　is　by　many　degrees　less　coarse　than　that　of　man。
And　their　conscience　is　more　tender。　But　there　is　one　temptation　to
which　they　too　often　yield。　With　them　the　great　dangers　are　vanity
and　the　thirst　for　admiration；　which　often　become　a　sort　of　diseased
excitementwhat　drinking　or　gambling　is　to　men。　Here　is　the　weak
point。　Yielding　chiefly　to　this　temptation；　scores　of　women　are　falling
every　day。　Vanity　leads　them　to　wear　the　extravagant；　the　flashy；
the　immodest；　the　unhealthy　dress；　to　dance　the　immodest　dance；　to
adopt　the　alluring　manner；　to　carry　flirting　to　extremes。　Vanity　leads
them；　in　short；　to　forget　true　self…respect；　to　enjoy　the　very　doubtful
compliment　of　a　miserably　cheap　admiration。　They　become　impatient
of　the　least　appearance　of　neglect　or　indifference；　they　become
eager　in　pursuit　of　attention；　while　men　always　attribute　that　pursuit
to　motives　of　the　coarsest　kind。　It　is　generally　vanity　alone　which
leads　a　married　woman　to　receive　the　first　disgraceful　flattery　of
dissolute　men。　Probably　nine　out　of　ten　of　those　American　women
who　have　trifled　with　honor　and　reputation；　whose　names　are　spoken
with　the　sneer　of　contempt；　have　been　led　on；　step　by　step；　in　the
path　of　sin　by　vanity　as　the　chief　motive。　Where　one　woman　falls
from　low　and　coarse　passions；　a　hundred　fall　from　sheer　levity　and
the　love　of　admiration。

To　counteract　this　fatal　influence　young　women　must　be　taught　to
respect　themselves；　to　be　on　their　guard　against　vanity　and　its
enticements；　to　cherish　personal　modesty　in　every　way。　The　married
woman　who　is　quietly　working　by　example　or　by　precept　among　the
young　girls　nearest　to　her；　seeking　to　cherish　and　foster　among　them
this　vital　principle　of　pure　personal　modesty　in　dress；　in　language；　in
reading；　in　tone　of　voice；　in　countenance；　in　mannerthe　natural
outward　expression　of　true　modesty　of　heartis　doing　far　more　for
her　country　than　if　she　were　to　mount　the　rostrum　to…morrow　and
make　a　political　speech　eloquent　as　any　of　Webster's。

Sensible　women　may　always　have　a　good　measure　of　political
influence　of　the　right　sort；　if　they　choose。　And　it　is　in　one　sense　a
duty　on　their　part　to　claim　this　influence；　and　to　exert　it；　but　always
in　the　true　womanly　way。　The　influence　of　good　sense；　of　a　sound
judgment；　of　good　feeling　may　always　he　theirs。　Let　us　see　that　we
preserve　this　influence；　and　that　we　use　it　wisely。　But　let　us　cherish
our　happy　immunities　as　women　by　keeping　aloof　from　all　public
personal　action　in　the　political　field。　There　is　much　higher　work　for　us
to　do。　Our　time；　our　thoughts；　our　efforts　may　be　given　to　labors　far
more　important　than　any　mere　temporary　electing；　or　law…making；
passed　today；　annulled　to…morrow；　in　obedience　to　the　fickle　spirit　of
party　politics。

THAT　WORK　IS　TO　PROMOTE　BY　ALL　WORTHY　MEANS　THE　MORAL
CIVILIZATION　OF　THE　COUNTRY。

Toward　this　work　legislation；　the　mere　enacting　of　laws；　can　do　but
little。　We　have　all　heard　of　the　shrewd　mind　who　considered　the
songs　of　a　people　as　more　important　than　their　laws。　The　moral
condition　of　a　nation　is　subject　to　many　different　influencesof
these　the　statute　book　is　but　one；　and　that　not　the　most　important。
No　mere　skeleton　of　political　constitution　can；　of　itself；　produce
moral　health　and　strength。　It　is　the　living　heart　within　which　does
the　work。　And　over　that　heart　women　have　very　great　influence。　The
home　is　the　cradle　of　the　nation。　A　sound　home　education　is　the
most　important　of　all　moral　influences。　In　the　very　powerful
influences　which　affection　gives　them　over　the　home；　by　teaching
childhood；　by　guiding　youth；　over　the　men　of　their　family；　women
have　noble　means　for　working　good；　not　only　to　their　own
households；　not　only　to　the　social　circle　about　them；　but　to　the
nation　at　large。　All　these　influences　they　can　bring　into　action　far
more　effectually　by　adhering　closely　to　that　position　which　is　not
only　natural　to　them；　but　also　plainly　allotted　to　them　by　the
revealed　Word　of　God。　In　no　position　of　their　own　devising　can　they
do　that　work　half　so　well。

Political　and　social　corruption　are　clearly　the　great　evils　to　be
dreaded　for　our　country。　We　have　already　gone　far　enough　in　the
path　of　universal　manhood　suffrage　to　feel　convinced　that　no　mere
enlargement　of　the　suffrage　has　power　to　save　us　from　those　evils。
During　half　a　century　we　have　been　moving　nearer　and　nearer　to　a
suffrage　all　but　universal；　and　we　have；　during　the　same　period；
been　growing　more　corrupt。　The　undisguised　frauds　at　elections；　the
open　accusations　of　bribery　in　legislative　assemblies；　the
accusations　of　corruption　connected　with　still　higher　officesof　these
we　read　daily　in　the　public　prints。　And　these　accusations　are　not
disproved。　They　are　generally　believed。　It　is　clear；　therefore；　that
something　more　effectual　than　universal　manhood　suffrage　is　needed
to　stem　the　torrent。　And　it　is　simply　ridiculous　to　suppose　that
womanhood　suffrage　can　effect　the　same　task。　Who　can　believe　that
where　men；　in　their　own　natural　field；　have　partially　failed　to
preserve　a　healthful　political　atmosphere；　an　honest　political
practice；　that　women；　so　much　less　experienced；　physically　so　much
more　feeble；　so　excitable；　so　liable　to　be　misled　by　fancy；　by　feeling；
are　likely；　in　a　position　foreign　to　their　nature；　not　only　to　stand
upright　themselves；　but；　like　Atlas　of　old；　to　bear　the　weight　of　the
whole　political　world　on　their　shoulderslike　Hercules；　to　cleanse　the
Augean　stables　of　the　political　coursersto　do；　in　short；　all　that　man
has　failed　to　do？　No；　it　is；　alas！　only　too　clear　that　something　more
than　the　ballot…box；　whether　in　male　or　female　hands；　is　needed
here。　And　it　is　the　same　in　social　life。　The　public　prints；　under　a　free
press；　must　always　hold　up　a　tolerably　faithful　mirror　to　the　society
about　them。　The　picture　it　displays　is　no　better　in　social　life　than　in
political　life。　We　say　the　mirror　is　tolerably　faithful；　since　there　are
heights　of　virtue　and　depths　of　sin　alike　unreflected　by　the　daily
press。　The　very　purest　and　the　very　foulest　elements　of　earthly
existence　are　left　out　of　the　picture。　But　the　general　view　can
scarcely　fail　to　be　tolerably　correct。　Take；　then；　the　sketch　of　social
life　as　it　appears　in　some　half　dozen　of　the　most　popular　prints　from
week　to　week。　You　will　be　sure　to　find　the　better　features　grievously
blended　with　others　fearfully　distorted　by　evil。　There　are　blots　black
as　pitch　in　that　picture。　There　are　forms；　more　fiend…like　than　human；
photographed　on　those　sheets　of　paper。　Crimes　of　worse　than　brutal
violence；　savage　cruelty；　crimes　of　treachery　and　cowardly　cunning
and　conspiracy；　breach　of　trust；　tyrannical　extortion；　groveling
intemperance；　sensuality　gross　and　shamelessthe　heart　sickens　at
the　record　of　a　week's　crime！　It　is　a　record　from　which　the　Christian
woman　often　turns　aside　appalled。　Human　nature　can　read　no
lessons　of　humility　more　powerful　than　those　contained　in　the
newspapers　of　the　day。　They　preach　what　may　be　called　home　truths
with　most　tremendous　force。　From　this　record　of　daily　crime　it　is　only
too　clear　that　universal　suffrage　has　had　no　power　to　purify　the
society　in　which　we　live。　If　no　worse；　we　can　not　claim　to　be　better
than　other　nations；　under　a　different　political　rule。

This　admission　becomes　the　more　painful　when　we　reflect　that　in
America　this　full　freedom　of　fundamental　institutions；　this　relief　from
all　needless　shackles；　is　combined　with　a　well…developed　system　of
intellectual　education。　We　are　an　absolutely　free　nation。　We　are；　on
the　whole；　and　to　a　certain　point；　intellectually；　an　educated　nation。
Yet　vice　and　crime　exist　among　us　to　an　extent　that　is　utterly
disgraceful。　It　is　evident；　therefore；　that　universal　manhood　suffrage；
even　when　combined　with　general　education；　is　still　insufficient　for
the　task　of　purifying　either　social　or　political　life。　The　theoretical
infidel　philosopher　may　wonder　at　this　fact。　Not　so　the　Christian。
Great　intellectual　activity；　and　the　abuse　of　that　power　for　evil
purposes；　are　a　spectacle　only　too　common　in　this　world。　Look　at　the
present　condition　of　the　most　civilized　nations。　Of　all　generations
that　have　lived　on　earth；　our　own　is　assuredly　the　most　enlightened；
in　an　intellectual　sense；　mental　culture　has　never　been　so　generally
diffused　as　it　is　to…day；　nor　has　it　ever　achieved　so　many　conquests
as　within　the　last　half　century；　and　yet　mark　how　comparatively　little
has　this　wonderful　intellectual　progress　accomplished　in　the　noble
work　of　improving　the　moral　condition　of　the　most　enlightened
countries。　To　the　mind　humbled　by　Christian　doctrine；　living　in　the
light　of　a　holy　faith；　these　facts；　though　unspeakably　painful；　can　not
cause　surprise。　We　are　prepared　for　them。　We　have　already　learned
that　no　mere　legislative　enactment　and　no　mere　intellectual　training
can　suffice　to　purify　the　human　heart　thoroughly。　An　element　much
more　powerful　than　mental　culture　is　needed　for　that　great　work。　For
this　work　light　from　on　high　is　sent。　A　thorough　MORAL　EDUCATION
is　required；　and　the　highest　form　of　that　education　can　be　reached　in
one　way　onlyby　walking　in　the　plain　path　of　obedience　to　the　will　of
the　Creator；　as　revealed　in　Holy　Scripture。　We　must　turn；　not　to　Plato
and　Aristotle；　but　to　inspired　Prophet　and　Apostle。　We　must　open　our
hearts　to　the　spirit　of　the　Decalogue　and　the　Sermon　on　the　Mount。
We　must　go　to　Sinai　and　to　Calvary；　and　humbly；　on　bended　knee；
receive　the　sublime　lessons　to　be　learned　there。

We　should　never　have　expected　moral　progress　as　an　inevitable
consequence　of　free　institutions　and　mere　intellectual　education；　had
it　not　been　that；　like　other　nations；　we　indulge　in　idolatries；　and
among　our　〃gods　many〃　are　the　suffrage　and　mental　activity。　We　are
gravely　told　by　philosophers　that；　with　the　vote　in　the　hands　of
woman；　the　moral　elevation　of　the　race　is　secured　forever！　〃Great　is
Diana　of　the　Ephesians！〃　The　feeling　is　common　in　America　that　to
doubt　the　omnipotence　of　universal　suffrage　in　its　extreme
development　is　not　only　treason；　but　a　sort　of　blasphemy。　And　this
feeling　is　now　leading　many　minds；　unconsciously；　perhaps；　to　sh