female suffrage-第8章

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feeling　is　now　leading　many　minds；　unconsciously；　perhaps；　to　shrink
from　opposing　the　present　movement　in　favor　of　womanhood
suffrage。　They　bow　the　knee　to　the　common　idol。　They　dare　not
believe　it　possible　for　the　suffrage　to　be　carried　too　far。　For
ourselves　we　have　no　sympathies　whatever　with　idolatry。　We
fearlessly　declare　our　opinion；　therefore；　that　no　political　institutions
whatever；　neither　despotic；　nor　monarchical；　nor　aristocratic；　nor　yet
the　most　free；　are　capable；　in　themselves；　of　achieving　moral
education　for　a　people。　Neither　do　we　believe　it　more　possible　for
abstract　intellectual　culture　to　gain　this　most　important　of　all　ends。
Institutions　wisely　free　are　a　very　great　blessing。　Let　us　be　fervently
thankful　for　them。　Intellectual　education　is　equally　important　and
desirable。　These　are　both　noble　and　admirable　means　to　work　with；
provided　we　still　look　above　and　beyond　them　for　a　further
development　of　the　racefor　fullness　of　MORAL　CIVILIZATION。　In
fact；　if　we　wish　for　a　vigorous；　healthful；　lasting　development　of
republican　institutions；　we　must　necessarily　unite　with　these　not
only　intellectual　teaching；　but　also　a　sound　MORAL　EDUCATION。　This
is　a　fact　to　which　men；　in　the　whirl　of　their　political　or　commercial
struggles；　too　often　willfully　shut　their　eyes。　They　are　quite　ready　to
acknowledge　the　truth　of　the　assertion　in　a　general　way；　but　they
choose　to　forget　its　vast　importance　in　political　or　commercial
practice。　They　recklessly　lower　the　moral　standard　themselves；
whenever　that　standard　is　at　a　height　inconvenient　for　the　attaining
of　some　particular　object　toward　which　they　are　aiming。　They　are
lacking　in　faith。　Unlike　women；　who　carry　faith　with　them　in　private
life；　men　act　as　if　faith　were　not　needed　in　everyday　public　life。　At
least　the　great　majority　of　men；　nominal　Christians；　fail　to　carry
Christian　principle　with　them　into　common　business　or　politics。　Faith；
in　the　heart　of　women；　is　connected　with　love；　consequently　it　is
less　easily　stifled。　They　more　frequently　carry　this　principle　with
them　in　daily　practicenot　to　the　extent　that　they　should　do；　but　far
more　so　than　most　men　do。　And　here；　Christian　women；　is　your　great
advantage。　It　is　the　Lord's　work　to　which　we　would　urge　you。　The
work　of　true　faith；　however　lowly；　is　sure　of　a　blessing。　With　faith
unfeigned　in　your　hearts；　giving　purity　to　your　lives；　you　have　it　in
your　power　to　render　most　effectual　service　to　the　nation　in　your　own
natural　sphere；　far　beyond　what　you　could　possibly　accomplish　by　the
path　of　common　politics。　You　have　never；　as　yet；　done　full　justice　to
the　advantages　of　your　own　actual　position　in　this　respect。　You　have
overlooked　the　great　work　immediately　before　you。　We　have　no
magic　talisman　to　offer　you　in　carrying　out　that　work。　We　shall　not
flatter　you　with　the　promise　of　unlimited　success；　we　shall　not
attempt　to　gratify　any　personal　ambition　of　public　honors。　We　have
no　novel　theories　or　brilliant　illusions　with　which　to　dazzle　your
imagination。

FIDELITY　TO　PLAIN　MORAL　DUTIESTHIS　IS　THE　ONE　GREAT
PRINCIPLE　TO　WHICH　WE　WOULD　MOST　EARNESTLY　CALL　YOUR　ATTENTION。
There　is　absolutely　no　principle　so　sorely　needed　in　the　civilized
world　to…day　as　this。　We　live　in　an　age　of　false　and　inflated　ambitions。
Simple　moral　truths　fare　badly　in　our　time。　Imposing　theories；
brilliant　novelties；　subtle　sophistries；　exaggerated　development；
arrogant　pretensionsthese　too　often　crowd　simple　moral　truths　out
of　sight；　out　of　mind。　And　yet；　without　that　class　of　duties　in
healthful　action；　corruption　more　or　less　general　is　inevitable。

Truth　of　word；　honesty　of　action；　integrity　of　character；　temperance；
chastity；　moderation；　sincerity；　subordination　to　just　authority；
conjugal　fidelity；　filial　love　and　honorthese　duties；　and　others
closely　connected　with　them；　bear　old　and　homely　names。　But；
Christian　women；　you　can　not　ask　for　a　task　more　noble；　more　truly
elevating；　for　yourselves　and　your　country；　than　to　uphold　these
plain　moral　principles；　first　by　your　own　personal　example；　and　then
by　all　pure　influences　in　your　homes　and　in　the　society　to　which　you
belong。　In　no　other　mode　can　you　so　well　forward　the　great　work　of
Christian　civilization　as　by　devoting　yourselves　to　the　daily　personal
practice；　and　to　the　social　cultivation；　by　example　and　influence；　of
these　plain　moral　duties。　Your　present　domestic　position　is
especially　favorable　to　this　task。　You　have　more　time　for　thought　on
these　subjects；　you　have　more　frequent　opportunities　for　influence
over　the　young　nearest　to　you；　you　have　more　leisure　for　prayer；　for
invoking　a　blessing　on　your　efforts；　however　humble　they　may　he。　It
is　not　enough　to　set　a　decent　example　yourselves。　You　must　go　to
the　very　root　of　the　matter。　You　must　carry　about　with　you　hearts
and　minds　very　deeply　impressed　with　the　incalculable　importance　of
a　sound　morality；　you　must　be　clearly　convinced　of　the　misery；　the
shame；　the　perils　of　all　immorality。

In　this　nineteenth　century　the　civilization　of　a　country　must
necessarily　prove　either　heathen　or　Christian　in　its　spirit。　There　is　no
neutral　ground　lying　between　these　boundaries。　Faith　or　infidelity；
such　is　the　choice　we　must　all　make；　whether　as　individuals　or　as
nations。　Thanks　be　to　God　we　are　not　only　in　name；　but　also　partially
in　character；　a　Christian　nation。　Faith　is　not　entirely　wanting。　We　all
in　a　measure　feel　its　good　effects。　Even　the　avowed　infidel　living　in
our　midst　is　far　more　under　its　influences；　though　indirectly　so；　than
he　is　aware　of。　And　where　there　is　life；　there　we　have　hope　of
growth；　of　higher　development。　To　cherish　that　growth；　to　further
that　higher　development　by　all　gracious　and　loving　and　generous
influences；　is　a　work　for　which　women　are　especially　adapted。　They
work　from　within　outwardly。　Men　work　chiefly　by　mental　and　physical
pressure　from　without。　Men　work　by　external　authority；　women　work
by　influences。　Men　seek　to　control　the　head。　Women　always　aim　at
touching　the　heart。　And　we　have　the　highest　of　all　authority　for
believing　that　this　last　is　the　most　efficient　mode　of　working。

〃Out　of　the　heart　are　the　issues　of　life。〃　This；　therefore；　Christian
women；　is　your　especial　　task。　Use　all　the　happy　womanly　influences
in　your　power　to　forward　the　moral　education；　the　Christian
civilization；　of　the　country　to　which　you　belong。　Be　watchful；　with　the
unfeigned　humility　of　the　Christian；　over　your　own　personal　course；
and　the　example　connected　with　it。　Aim　at　keeping　up；　on　all
occasions；　a　high　practical　standard　of　sound　morality　at　all　points。
Cultivate　every　germ　of　true　moral　principle　in　your　own　homes；　and
in　the　social　circle　about　you。　Let　the　holy　light　of　truth；　honor；
fidelity；　honesty；　purity；　piety；　and　love　brighten　the　atmosphere　of
your　homes。

What　heathen　civilization　means　we　know　from　many　sources；　more
especially　from　the　records　of　Rome　under　the　empire；　in　the　days　of
St。　Paul；　when　it　had　reached　its　highest　development。

What　Christian　civilization　means　we　learn　from　the　Apostle：　〃Let
him　that　nameth　the　name　of　Christ　depart　from　iniquity。〃
〃Whatsoever　things　are　true；　whatsoever　things　are　honest；
whatsoever　things　are　just；　whatsoever　things　are　pure；　whatsoever
things　are　lovely；　whatsoever　things　are　of　good　reportthink　on
these　things。〃







End