female suffrage-第8部分

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trials　of　life；　the　mother；　patiently；　painfully；　and　prayerfully
cultivating　every　higher　faculty　of　her　children　for　worthy　action
through　time　and　eternity？　Which　of　these　positions　has　the　most　of
true　elevation　connected　with　it？

And　then；　again；　let　as　look　at　the　present　position　of　American
women　in　society。　In　its　best　aspects　social　life　may　be　said　to　be
the　natural　outgrowth　of　the　Christian　home。　It　is　something　far
better　than　the　world；　than　Vanity　Fair；　than　the　Court　of　Mammon；
where　all　selfish　passions　meet　and　parade　in　deceptive
masquerade。　It　is　the　selfish　element　in　human　nature　which
pervades　what　we　call　the　world；　self…indulgence；　enjoyment；　the
lust　of　the　flesh；　the　lust　of　the　eye；　the　pride　of　life；　receive；　in　that
arena；　their　full　development。　Society；　on　the　contrary；　in　its　highest
meaning；　becomes　the　practical　development　of　the　second　great
commandment；　loving　and　serving　our　neighbor。　In　every　Christian
country　there　are　many　individuals；　especially　among　women；　to
whom　social　life　practically　bears　that　meaning。　Public　worship　itself
is　a　social　act；　the　highest　of　all；　blending　in　one　the　spirit　of　the
two　great　commandmentsthe　love　of　God　and　the　love　of　man。　And
whatever　of　social　action　or　social　enjoyment　is　not　inconsistent　with
those　two　great　commandments　becomes　the　Christian's　heritage；
makes　a　part；　more　or　less　important；　of　his　education；　enters　into
the　great　stream　of　the　better　civilization。　And　it　is　here　that　we
reach　what　may　be　called　the　more　public　duties　of　woman。　From　all
duties　entirely　public　she　is　now；　or　she　may　be　if　she　choose；
relieved　by　man。　These　more　public　duties　of　hers　are　still　but　the
outgrowth　of　her　home　life；　and　more　or　less　closely　interwoven　with
it。　They　are　very　important；　never　to　be　neglected　with　impunity。　The
really　unsocial　woman　is　in　great　danger　of　becoming　also　un…
christian。　Every　friend　crossing　the　threshold　brings　social　life　into
the　home。　The　genial　smile；　the　kindly　greeting；　the　cheering　word；
all　these　and　a　thousand　other　gracious　impulses；　are；　of　course；　but
the　first　instinctive　movements　of　the　social　feeling。　And　from　these
we　move　onward　over　a　vast　field　of　action；　to　the　very　farthest
point　reached　by　the　higher　charities　of　Christianity。　There　can　be　no
doubt　that　the　charm；　the　grace；　and　the　happy　cheerfulness　of
society　are　chiefly　due　to　women；　and　it　is　also　true　that　the　whole
unwritten　common…law　of　society　is；　in　a　great　measure；　under　their
control。　The　world　is　constantly　encroaching　here；　enervating　and
corrupting　social　life。　To　oppose　wisely；　skillfully；　and　effectually
these　treacherous　encroachments；　these　alluring　temptations；　is　one
of　the　most　difficult　tasks　possible。　To　contribute　her　full　share
toward　purifying　and　brightening　the　social　atmosphere　about　her；　in
accordance　with　the　spirit　of　true　Christian　civilization；　such　is　one
great　and　essential　part　of　woman's　work　in　life。　It　is　a　work　more
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；　p