female suffrage-第9部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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　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　societ