IVi/lOflEBEUf WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE MM/vliY WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE A LECTURE DELIVERED IN 'I'll I' u; 4P|]t!i of RT. REV. J. P. MACHEBEUF, VFCAR APOS. OF COLORADO. FEBRUARY 6, 1877.* DENVER: KIl!t:N'H STEAM PRINTING HOl'SH. T8 77 . m /f A few weeks ago, I closed a sermon on DUTIES OF HUSBANDS AND WIVES, by a few remarks on Woman' 's Suffrage. A request was made by fifty-seven Members of the Legislature to repeat the lecture. I cheerfully complied with the request on Sunday, Feb. 4. // is now offered to an impartial public for consideration, before the question of granting the privilege of suffrage to women is pre- sented to the voters of the State. * Jos. P. MACHEBEUF, Vicar Apos. of Colorado. DKNVKR, February 6, 1877. LECTURE. " I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is the man and the head of Christ ia God ; * * * the woman is the glory of the man, for the man was not created for the woman but the woman for the man." (1st Cor. xi, 13). Beloved brethren, so much has been said of late, here in Denver, about woman's rights, so many meetings held, so many speeches made by women in churches, I could find no more appropriate occa- sion to consider if the proceedings which have been going on for the last few weeks, the extravagant claims madeby them be consistent with the teaching of the Bible. There is a class of LIBERAL CHRISTIANS Who talk very loudly about the Bible, and pretend to follow the Bible, but during those long meetings, in those great speeches, did the friends of woman's rights- follow the Bible? Did they consult it? Did they quote any portion of it in defense of their claims ? lam afraid not ; if they did not, I will. Those strong minded women who are not satisfied with the dispo- sition of Providence, and who wish to go beyond the condition of their sex, profess, no doubt, to be Christians. It would not be a good pol- icy, in addressing the fair, gentle and pious sex to deny the authority of the Bible. As Christians then, they must admit the obligation to obey the law of God. What are the duties imposed upon women by the divine law ? " Let women be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the woman as Christ is the head of the church. Therefore, as the church is subject to Christ, so also let women be to their husbands in all things." (St. PaultoEph. v.22). "I will therefore, that men pray in every place * * * In like manner the women also, in decent apparel, adorning themselves with modesty and sobriety, not with plaited hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly attire, but as it becometh women professing Godliness with good works. Let the women learn in silence, with all subjection, but I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to use authority over man, but to be in silence, (not an easy task) for Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not seduced, but the woman being Beduoed, was in the transgression ; yet she shall be saved through ehild bearing, if she continue in faith and love and sanotifi cation in sobriety." (I. Tim. ii. 8). "But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God. ****** The woman is the glory of the man ; for the man was not created for the woman, but the woman for the man." (Cor. 1st, xi 3). " Let the women keep silence in the churches, for it' is not per- mitted them to speak, but to be subject, as the law saith. But, it they would learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is a shame for a woman to speak in the church." (Cor. 1st, xiii 34). With such sacred authority, how can Christian women be justified in endeavoring to destroy the order established by Providence ? After God had created man in his own image, he said : " It is not good for man to be alone ; let us make him a help like unto himself." .Had God intended to create a companion capable of following the same pursuits, able to undertake the same labors, which evidently are the destiny of man, he would have created another man. But, no ; He made a woman, and, after the fall of that woman, He said to her : " I will multiply thy sorrows and thy conceptions ; iri sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and thou shalt be under thy husband's power, and he shall rule over thee.*" God was angry because Adam hearkened to the voice of his wife. Then God in his wrath called Adam and Eve, conscience-stricken and trembling with fear before him ; words f menace issued from his mouth, a curse that involved the whole world in the sin of man ; "acciarsed be the earth in thy work!" He had nothing to tell but to pronounce a fearful .sentence of punishment and of death; "dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return." A body, a brow bathed in daily sweat, a heart bruised with daily afflic- tion ; nor was the woman, the weaker vessel, spared in that day of wrath, as she was the first to sin, she was alsp the first to be punished. In pain and writhing and groaning, should she bring forth the fruit of her womb. Terrible punishment, no doubt, but let us consider the divine precept transgressed ; the honor, dignity, glory, omnipotence of God involved in the observance of the precept, and violated in its trans- gression. Now I would ask those strong minded women who have the temerity, the presumption to interfere with the just dispensation of an omnipotent God. Since that dreadful sentence has been pro- nounced, had not the millions who have lived from the beginning of the world to this day to submit to its frightful consequences ? Is there any power on earth which can dispense man from the hard labor which brings the sweat on his brow? Is there any authoritv in this world which can relieve woman from sorrows and groaning in her child-bearing ? In this nineteenth century, called the age of progress, of great inventions, hav^e any of those proud scientific men discovered any process to escape that condemnation to death? The sad exper- ience of every day proves that the justice of that offended God is still in full force, and shall continue until time shall be no more. But if is still compelled to eat his bread in the sweat of his brow ; if woman has still to suffer the same sorrows; if all mankind, woman a* well as man, have still to suffer that same penalty of death, how- could woman, who has brought sin, misery and death into the world, pretend to rebel against the just sentence of that same God she has offended ? No, beloved brethren, that terrible condemnation must have its accomplishment for all, to the end of time. "Thou shalt be under thy husband's power, he shall rule over thee." In order to shake off this weight of sacred authority, the vain attempt is made to insinuate that the important and salutary instruc- tions of St. Paul to the married couple, on their respective and es- sential duties, were not universal, but only of partial and temporary applicacation. Is it not astonishing, even outrageous, that in this professedly Christian country, the oialy mention made of the sacred word of God by the friends of women's rights, in defense of their weak and extravagant cause, is only to deny its divine authority ! What a convenient and (allow me the expression) elastic kind of doctrine! How liberal! By following this principle, we might as well say, too, that the ten commandments given in the old law to Moses, and promulgated to the people of God, although confirmed in the new law and brought to their perfection by our blessed Saviour, were not universal, but only partial and of a temporary application. Of course, in this age of progress, the people are now so intelligent that they must have discovered anew and easier way to go to heaven than by believing and keeping the commandments. As every city has its Broadway, they suppose, no doubt, that there must be one also to go to heaven. I wonder if there are any comfortable street cars on that Broadway to heaven ! But, unfortunately, our Divine Master who came down from heaven, and wh must know the safest way to it, tells us : " Enter ye at the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat. * * * * How narrow is the gate and straight is the way that leadeth to life, and few there are that find it !" (Math, vii, 13-14.) They are no doubt of the same loose and liberal opinion, those who are guilty of so many frauds and robberies nowadays in the high, as well as in the low ranks of society, and the higher the rank the bigger the frauds. A moment's reflection will convince any sincere inquirer after truth that THta MORAL LESSONS TATJ&RT To the married couple are only a consequence of that decision of the great, impartial and omnipotent Judge before whom all will have to appear and give account of th 1 ) use of their reason and other faculties. 44 He that shall believe and be baptized shall be saved ; he that shall not believe, shall be condemned." 4i If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Here is the only safe way. Another vain effort is made to justify the presumptuous and sacri- legious intrusion of the female sex into the sanctuary, and their bold attempt to preach without a shadow of authority and faculty. 44 Faith cometh by hearing," saith St. Paul, not by reading, as the defenders 6 of private judgment assume, unless they fall back on that easy way of rejecting every authority of the Holy Scripture. That rule they say is not universal, it is only partial and of temporary application. " How shall they hear without a preacher, and how shall they preach unless they be sent?" (Rom. x. 15-17.) Hear now how the order established by St. Paul for the decency of divine service is destroyed by a strange mode of explaining away his salutary instructions: " Let women keep silence in churches, com- mands the sacred writer, for H is a shame for women to speak in the church." In answer to it, a great display of erudition is made to tell us, with much solemnity, that the meaning of these words is that women should not speak nonsense in the church. Although the subject is of the greatest importance, we cannot restrain a smile of pity for such a silly and absurd interpretation or rather profanation of the wisdom O f God. Does it require the inspiration of the Holy Ghost to tell us that women should not speak nonsense, in the church ? A child would tell us that neither women nor men should speak or write nonsense, not only in the church but in any place, or at any tin.e. What a poor compliment is paid to you, ladies, by this strange explanation of the Holy Scripture? It would suppose that the ladies are in need of such advice, or at least that some of them are inclined to speak nonsense. (Now ladies, be not angry with me for repeating these words.) They are not mine, they have been used as an argu- ment in favor of woman's rights. How true it is that it requires a skilful lawyer to defend a bad cause! and any one who has looked over the report of those speeches by ladies in a church, would wish that another Paul would come to Denver to repeat the advice. It might be very useful to some. But before we warn you against the dreadful effects which would sarely result from this strange movement, let us examine WHAT CLASS OF WOMEN Are the leaders of those pretended woman's rights, I will not say in Colorado, but in the large cities of the East; I said, in my first lec- ture: "Some old maids, disappointed in love," but ladies, better informed, answer for me : Batallions of old maids, disappointed in getting husbands of any sort ; women separated from their husbands, or divorced by men of sacred obligations imposed by God himself; "what God has joined together let no man put assunder." (Mattb. xix 6.) Women who, although married, are discontented and wish to improve their condition by holding the reins of the family gov- ernment, for, it is remarked, that there never was a woman happy in her home, who wished for female suffrage." "Just notice what I say," replies another lady; "the leaders in the beginning were unmarried or divorced women, many of them spiritualists and free- lovers." How respectable ! Women without any family, who scorn to be tied down to the sacred duty of what they call the drudgery of mothers; women who, too often, manage, (God knows by what means, by what unnatural crimes,) to be relieved from the cares of a family. Such women desire the world to think that they pos- seas masculine power. If so, are they willing and able to till the land, work in the mines, build railroads, work as laborers? Are they willing and able to enlist as volunteers in time of war, form regiments of Amazons, shoulder the musket, camp in the field, and fight the battles of their country ? WOMEN AND THE POLLS. How absurd and repugnant to the feeling of respect we all have for the gentle sex, to think of a woman leaving: her household duties to go to the polls, to attend long and animated political meetings, women's conventions, to sit as a jury woman ! How can we suppose even, without blushing, that a woman could be elected for the office of police magistrate, constable, or sheriff? Who will take charge of those young children, (if they consent to have any), whilst that lady doctor is attending her patients, that lady surgeon is opera- ting indiscriminately upon the unfortunate victins of our weekly, almost daily, terrible disasters on railroads, on steamers, or in the mines? Who will watch over Ihe more advanced children, chiefly that young daughter, whilst that female lawyer is defending a crimi- nal case, that female judge is sitting on the bench, obliged, perhaps, bv justice, to pronounce a sentence of condemnation ? The husband, of course, must attend to these family duties, the merchant must leave his store, the lawyer his office, the mechanic his shop, the farmer his plough, to go home and nurse the baby ! How absurd and con- trary to nature ! But we are told that women have settled this question very prac- tically. Yes, the question is solved by going around it, not by answer- ing it, just like a boy who has said or done anything wrong, when he sees his father coming to him with a nice little rod in his hand, he is not very anxious to discuss the question ; the only way to settle it, is to go round the stove or the table, until he finds a door opened to run away. So the question is solved practically. They say : "When we want to go to chnrch we leave our baby with another woman for an hour or two, and when we go to the polls we intend to do the same." But the question is not about going to church : no great difficulty on this point. Surely, no kind husband could refuse on the Lord's day, when every class of business is stopped, and he is at home, to assist his beloved wife as far as he can, in the little family duties, even in nursing the baby, when he is old enough to be taken from the mother's breast, so as to give her an opportunity of attending to one of the services of the church, reserving for him- self to go to some other service. It is even a consolation for him to spend a short time with his dear little children, from whom he is separated all 'the week, except at meal time or at night when, being tired, after his day's work, he cannot enjoy the same comfort and sat- isfaction, but on Sunday, having all the day to himself, he feels happy to play with the little ones, to embrace and caress them at leisure, to teach those that are old enough to receive any instruc- tion; but even then, as it is not his natural duty, he will soon be tired Of it, will perhaps get impatient waiting for the mother, chiefly when the baby ia crying ; and if the sermon is too long, the poor wife may be exposed to get a little scolding, although it is not her fault. So you see, to each one their respective duties : to the husband, the outside and material work, to the wife, the household and family duties. The friends of woman's rights will tell me, perhaps, women do not intend to undertake those heavy duties that are above their strength, but only such as they will be able to fulfil, and that are compatible with their delicate nature. But my good friends, you must be consistent with yourselves ; woman cannot have the advant- age of both sexes at one time. Now, men regard women as placed, as it were, under their protection, or the safeguard of their honor; her weakness makes her strong. Yourselves" say every day : " Who will go and fight with a woman ?" There are in Italy two very small republics, which have existed for ages, San Marino on the Adriatic Sea, twenty-two square miles, with a population of about 8,000, and established in the fourth century, nearly 1,500 years ago ; also Monaco, on the Mediteranean Sea, extent 689 miles, population 3,127, which has existed for 800 years. Their weakness made their strength. During so many wars and revolutions, they have always been respected, but had they given any sign of fight, they would have been crushed at once. Those of you who lived in Denver in early days, will remember that a certain woman who assumed masculine airs, received at the election some votes for sheriff. A report of the election was given the next day and the votes of the lady for sheriff counted in, but the poor editor had to pay dear enough for it; the lady candidate was after him with a rawhide ; he didn't wish to fight "with a woman, but ran, to the great amusement of the crowd. But when woman insists that the distinction shall be disregarded, and tells us that she asks no favors, that she is competent to take care of herself, to compete with men, she must be ready to do all kinds of work men are doing. But then she win soon miss that defer- ence and respect now shown her, and which she has been used to claim as her right, and will be treated with the indifference men show to one another. When she forgets that she is a woman and insists on being treated as a man, men also will foiget that she is a woman; she will lose all her influence as a woman, and be treated as a man. Women are not needed as men ; they are needed as women, not to do what men can do, but to do what men cannot. Woman was created to be a wife and a mother ; that is her destiny, to that destiny all her instincts are directed and for it nature has specially qualified her. Her sphere is home, her proper function is the care of the household, to manage a family, to take care ef child- ren and attend to their early training. As -long as she remains in her element and attends to the duties of her calling, she will always receive the respect and consideration she deserves. THE PROBABLE EFFECT. The adoption of woman's suffrage would probably result, after all, in a very slight change in our political and social liie, either by reason of the fact, that ver j few women would make any practical uee of their new right, or because they would use it under the influence and guidance of men ; and the slight results to be obtained, are not worth the risk we run of encountering great political dangers and of suffering great social calamities. The fact that very few of the most worthy and respectable women would use their new right, as contrary to their nature and feelings, is clearly proved by the experience we have under our eyes. There are a few offices or duties to which even now women can be elected or appointed, such as clerks, bookkeepers, school teachers, and servants ; but although those different occupations may b e opened to them for many years, they do not adopt them with the intention of keeping them for their life-time, but only as a tempo- rary means of support, until they reach what they regard as the nat- ural end of their existence marriage. Not so with men. When tkey undertake any such occupations, they make it a businesa for life, because they were intended for it by Providence. And were it left to the choice of the sound and most respectable class of women, I am confident that the immense majority of them would vote against it. Why then should men impose it upon them, when women reject it as a burden ? At any rate, by what right could women claim suffrage and eligibility t office ? Not surely from any divine right, as has already been clearly proved from the weight of authority of the inspired writings, nor from their aptitude to those difficult civil and political duties, nor the impulses and inclinations of their own nature, which are in evident contradiction with it. If it cannot be derived from the law of God, or from the nature of their constitution, it can only be claimed by civil and political rights, granted to them as trusts, to which they have not the least shadow of natural right. It is for civil and political society to determine the wisdom and expediency of such a dangerous experiment. Let us then examine the natural and necessary effect of such a privilege on the family and society. THE RESULT IN THE FAMILY CIRCLE. We do not hesitate to pronounce that woman's suffrage would weaken and finally break up and destroy the Christian family. The social unit is the family, not the individual. "The head of the woman is the man," says the law of God, and the Creator had already decreed that they should be " two in one flesh," and in the ordinary way of speaking you do not consider woman as a complete being, but only as a half, although the better half. The greatest danger to Ameri- can society is that we are rapidly becoming a nation of isolated indi- viduals, without any family ties or affections. A large number have broken away from the old homestead, and live away from home in hotels and boarding houses ; they are daily losing the habits, virtues and manners of home, without which the family cannot be sustained, and if the family is destroyed, the society, the nation is carried away in its fall. God made the family the type and basis of society ; such is the family, such will be society. Extend to women suffrage and 10 eligibility, give them the political right to vote and to be voted for, and whatever remains of family union and affection will soon be dissolved. The wife may be of one political party, and the husband of another, and it may happen that the husband and wife may be rival candidates for the same office, and one or the oiher doomed to the humiliation of defeat. Will the husband like to see his wife triumph over him, be elected to any office which wouid give her any authority over him, in direct contradiction with that decree of the justice of God, pronounced as a punishment of her first violation of his divine precept? "He shall rule over thee." Will the wife, tired with political ambition for place or power, submit cheerfully to her humiliating defeat? Will not political rivalry and passion destroy entirely whatever is left of the mutual affection of husband and wife for each other? Will it not carry into the family all the strife, discord, anger and division of the political canvass ? Then, when the wife is carried away by political excitement, or is discharging the duties of the office to which she has been elected, as judge, sheriff, representative to Congress, what is to become of the family ? The mother will have little leisure and less inclination to attend to her children. A stranger, or even the father, cannot supply her place. Children need a mother's care nobody can supply the place of a mother. Children, then, must be neglected, almost abandoned they will be in the way, and looked upon as an incumbrance* Mothers will repress their maternal instincts, and the horrible orime of infanticide before birth, now so fearfully prevailing, will become more prevalent still, and the human race be threatened with destruc- tion, in open violation and contempt of the command and blessing ot the Creator, " Increase and multiply." Already the terrible effect of this unnatural and destructive crime is felt in the most alarming degree. Where are the descendants of those Puritans who almost exclusively occupied the Eastern States ? They are fast disappearing, and if this exterminating angel ot infanticide is left to continue its terrible ravages a few years longer, New England will be mostly settled by Irish or German Yankees. But if this unwise excitement of woman suffrage is every day destroying the family, will not SOCIETY, THE STATE AND THE NATION, Which are only an agglomeration and union of families, suffer its consequences? There is nothing which causes more the wise and the good to tremble for the future of this country, than the growing neg- lect and laxity of family discipline, than the insubordination and corruption of Young America. No more respect or obedience for parents. The devoted father is only known as " the old man ;" the beloved, the tender mother as " the old woman." No other authority is recpgnized in the family than the caprice, the stubborn will of the children, who must have their own way in everything, wrong or right; and whose fault is it? It is chiefly the Jault of the mothers, who fail to maintain their auihority and bring up their children in the fear of God and under Christian discipline. There are, no doubt, 11 many exceptions, but as a general rule, how can a mother enforce her authority upon her children and gain their affection, when she gives them the bad example of insubordination against her husband? when, by political excitement and ambition for office, she has HO care f and takes no interest in the proper training of her family. Wives and -mothers, by neglecting their domestic duties and the proper family discipline, are sapping the very foundations of society. Social and political life is poisoned in its source. By taking away the wife and mother from the bosom of her family, to flatter her pride and vanity and to gratify her ambition, you destroy the very es&enee of every good government discipline, subordination and order. Con- cede now woman suffrage and eligibility, throw them into the whirl- pool of politics, excite their ambition for office, and you aggravate the evil a hundred fold. Children, if suffered to be born, will be still more neglected, family discipline still more relaxed ; daughters brought up without any proper training to be wives and mothers : sons still more destitute of those habits of reverence, obedience, love of order and industry, which alone can make them sober, prudent and worthy heads of families and honest citizens. Do not imagine however, brethren, that by warning you against the disastrous consequences, which would result from this unwise experiment of woman suffrage, we lose any of our esteem and res- pect for the gentle and pious sex. We are animated with the purest motives, and have at heart the greatest benefit of the family and society. As, when a skillful doctor prescribes a special diet, or a bitter, although beneficent and perhaps essential remedy, he is act- ing as the very best friend of the patient, although neither his inten- tion, nor the efficacy of the remedy is appreciated ; so I am acting as a spiritual doctor, with the same good intention, but prescribing a remedy far safer than those prepared by the hand of man. I cheer- fully admit that woman is equal to man intellectually, and morally his superior, but being certainly his infeiior physically, she cannot perform the duties of both man and woman at the same time, which makes it impossible for a woman to be a faithful wife and mother, attend to her household duties, and hold a public office which seems to be the main object of the friends of woman's rights. But it seems that I hear somebody making that terrible objection, the only one that Uas any specious appearance of strength : Is not TAXATION WITHOUT KKPBESENTATION A tyranny? A drowning man, in despair, will catch at a straw. What a play of words ! What an ambiguous expression ! Is suffrage equivalent in meaning to representation, and is suffrage in the United States based on taxation? In other word^, has a man the right to vote simply because he pays taxes ? We have only to recall what we see around us every day, to know that such is not the case. If a man goes to the polls in Denver, the judge of election will examine the registry to know if his name be there, and may ask him in what, ward he resides, and how long he has lived there, but no one will 12 think of asking him if he pays taxes. These two questions are entirely distinct from eaeh other. Besides, are not women's rights represented thiough the husband by the fact, that the interests of the husband and wife are identical? Again, millions worth of property are owned by infants, and if taxation required representation, then all the little boys and girls ought to have the right of suffrage, according to that pretended argument. As infants are represented by their guardians, so is the wife represented by her husband. But have women no rights at all ? Are they like slaves, left en- tirely k o the caprice of men in their civil rights? Yes, beloved breth- ren, women have the right to claim justice from any one and on all occasions ; and their civil rights have even been extended by the stat- utes ol Colorado. She can hold property in her own name, she can sell it without the consent of her husband, she can transact any kind of business she thinks proper. In case of death of her husband, she has now the choice, either to take one-half of the real estate and per- sonal property, or to take under his will, whereas, formerly she had only a dower. What right then have widows and unmarried women ? Widows are represented by their sons ; and single women, living mostly under the protection of some relatives or friends, are repre- sented by them. In fact, man, who has been appointed by Provi- dence her natural protector, has secured all her rights. What else can she justly claim? You know, beloved brethren, what some of those discontented women want; they want to shake off the authority of man, they want to turn upside down the order established by a just God, they want to rule over man. But they have ANOTHER CLASS OF BIGHTS Which they do not appreciate, and which they refuse to enjoy ; they have a right to the loye, affection, assistance and protection of a devoted husband ; they have a right to the respect and obedience of their beloved children ; they have a right to command as queens in their own kingdom home. They have a right to keep order, decency in their own house ; to dispose everything according to their superior taste and neatness in the parlor and othet apartments of the house. They have, above all, a right to the respect, esteem and veneration of an impartial public, as loug as they deserve it, by their modesty, self- respect and dignity. When T undertook to explain the sacred duties of a true woman, and to point out to all of you the vain and extravagant pretensions of those discontented women who wish to intrude into the sphere and duties of man, I knew well that in, touching that delicate ques- tion, I would raise a storm over my head, but I knew also that I would have, in compensation, the approbation, the thanks of every true, modest and dignified woman. As long as woman will respect herself, and fulfil the special duty of her calling, she will always command respect.; but what respect can that class of vain, bold women inspire who wish to criticise, even control, the duties of men? I remember the appropriate answer is given, many years ago, by a pious and modest young priest to one of those women who wish to intrude into the affairs of others. They were traveling in the coach ; (there were no railroads in those days; it was in 1842 or 1843, when I was living in Ohio). The young priest was very quiet in his corner, and the lady, after having asked many questions of other passengers, turned towards him. "You are a priest, I see." "Yes, madam." "You keep house?" "Yes, I do." "You are married, I suppose?" "No, madam." "What is the reason that such a nice young man did not get.married?" "I have been looking for a wife for these five years, but have not found any to suit me." "You are very hard to please, it seems." "I am looking for a young woman who knows how to mind her business, and Idid not find any so far." From that moment the lady com- menced to mind her business asked no more questions. From this lesson, let every young woman learn how to be modest and retiring. How mistaken are those foolish young persons who, in their anxiety to find a husband, never fail to attend every ball or theater, always ready for a walk or a ride, how sadly disap- pointed some of them will be! Do you know the answer I received, here in Denver, from a young man who had kept company for a long time with a young girl, but no sign of marriage. "Why don't you get married at once, instead of keeping company so lorg with that girl?'' I asked him. "She has crossed too many bridges for me,"- he answered, meaning that she was too forward, although virtuous. When a sensible young man wishes to get a good and faithful wife, he does not select any of those vain and foolish young women who are so free and forward, but he applies to a modest and retiring person who can be found at home, attending to her special duties. She is good enough for keeping company, flirt- ing, or going to a party, but not for a wife. A wise dry goods merchant does not display outside of his store the most precious velvet and silk goods, exposed to be faded by the sun, the rain, the wind, but keeps them carefully folded up on his shelves. When a customer comes to buy some goods, she does not buy those that have been put for a sign, but selects those that are kept in the store. So those persons who put the sign, by attending to every public amusement, may also be left a little longer for a sign. But I must not abuse your kind attention ; and shall close this lecture, already too long, by repeating to you the last words of my first lecture: The most majestic kingdom for a woman to reign in is home. A woman nowhere looks more truly great, more beautiful, than when in her own Kouse, surrounded by her children. It is not in the court room, in the pulpit, on the rostrum, but in her own family that woman's influence can reign supreme. A true, dignified and Christian woman can never follow her own destiny and show her talent and wisdom better than by cheerfully accepting and faithfully complying with the sacred duties which the Creator has imposed upon her, that is of woman, wife and mother ! All honor to women, thy soften and leaven The cares of the world with roses of Heaven; The ravishing fetters or love they entwine, Their charms from the world's eye modestly veiling . They foster and nourish with care, never failing, The fire eternal of feelings divine. After the first lecture was delivered and printed, the friends of woman's true rights requested me to give a second one. I did so. klrst to rectify in a general way, the many false statements and wrong insinuations made in dif- erent replies to it. Second to explain in a more explicit manner, the duties and rights of women. It was delivered on Sunday night, Feb. 18, and la now offered to the intelligent voters of the State, for further consideration. * JOSEPH P. MACHEBEUF, Vicar Apos. of Colorado. DENVER, FEB. 23, 1877. SECOND LECTURE. "The woman who fears the Lord shall be praised. -JVov. 30, 31. Beloved Brethren : If, for the general good, I condescend to answer some of the contradictory and conflicting replies, made to the first lecture, delivered two weeks ago, it is not because the most of them deserve any notice, being mostly dictated by prejudice, party feelings and want of sincerity. My only motive is to warn the weak and simple-minded ones against that amount of sophistry, mis- quotations and wrong inferences which might lead them astray into a false step. One of the friends of woman's rights heads his remarks by candidly telling us that he feels disappointed at not seeing a full and satisfactory reply to the argu- ments given in the lecture. So are we astonished, that, in so many pretended replies, not one of the writers of those articles, has ventured to attack the main arguments, brought against the two prin- cipal subjects of the lecture first, the presumptuous intrusion of woman iiatrt the -sanctuary, by attempt- ing to preach, and, second, the social and political evils, which would result from the dangerous experiment of woman suffrage. When a lawyer has a bad cause to defend, he does not expose the case in plain and clear language ; he would only weaken it and give strength to. his opponent; his only chance of snc- oess, is to entangle and mix up the fact and its circumstances, in a pile of techni- calities and formalities of the law ; to confuse the mind of the jury, by this labyrinth of quibbles,in such a way,as to make them lose sight of the main fact. So, in the present case, as it was not safe, for the defense of their cause, to consider the fact itself, with its consequences, or to answer the few questions asked, in solution of the difficulties presented ; they resort to all kinds of insinuations, misrepresentations, attacks AGAINST OUR FAITH, state of life and when short of spe- cious reasons, they invariably wind up, by appealing to the bitter prejudice of the people ; by repeating over and again the same old and so often refuted accu- sations of ignorance, resistance to pro- gress, to civilization, to enlightened gov- ernment. But how do these vain charges compare with an impartial history and the experience of every age and country? Who was at the head of instruction, education and progress in those ages of wars, revolutions and political troubles, now called the dark ages ? The Catholic church. Who took the pains, before the invention of printing in the fifteenth century, to copj% not only the whole Bible, (which labor required almost the lifetime of a man) but also the great works of the sacred and profane writers? those lazy monks, as they are called to- day, who devoted their whole time to this tedious task. Wherever there was a church, there also was the parish school, the college, the academy. Who has es- tablished the great universities of Oxford, Cambridge and other cities in England and in every part of the civilized world ? That church, which is now accused of making opposition to science and civiliza- tion. Hear, on this subject, the account given by a celebrated Scotch traveller, Mr. Kay, a bachelor of Cambridge and a proiestant; he was an impartial man, above falsehood. What did he see in Rome, the center of catholicity ? He saw, that in every street of Rome, there was a primary school ; that, for a population of 150,000, there were twice as many schools as in Berlin, with a population of nearly 400,000. He saw in the Roman provinces, under the government of the Pope, for a population less than 3,000,000, seven uni- versities; whilst in Prussia, with 14,000,- 000 of people, there were only seven uni- versities. Here is another comparison, made between England and Spain, also from Protestant authority, "Statesman's Year Book." In 1863, England had 5,227 public schools, with an average attend- ance of 846,805 children, for a population of 21,000,000, and Spain had 10,261 public schools, with an attendance of 615,129, with a population of only 16,000,000, a difference of 5,000,000. In addition to these 10,261 schools, Spain had 7,399 mixed schools, in which elementary and superior education was given. He found besides, ten universities in Spain, with 6,184 students, and only four universities in England, wiLh 5,000 students. But, why should we cross the Atlantic to prove, that, far from being opposed to science and education, the Catholic church is doing and SPENDING MORE FOB INSTRUCTION, than any other denomination. We have only to open the Catholic Directory for 1877 and count the number of parish and select schools, colleges, academies and theological seminaries, and we find: Parish schools 1,587 Belec' schools and academies 544 Colleges and uuivereities 62 Theological semi oaries 34 Total of Catholic institutions 2,227 In 1875 half a million of Catholic chil- dren were educated in Catholic schools ; one-third of a million in Catholic free schools. Please remark, that all these institution* ar supported by voluntary contribu- tions; besides the payment of a he*ry common school tax, from which they derive no benefit. Here is an official report of the com- missioner of education, recently pub- lished in the government printing office of Washington, of the Theological seminaries in the United States: No. Roman Catholic 18 Presbyterian _ 16 Baptist 15 Protestaht Episcopal 15 i.utherna 14 Nineteen other sects 45 Professors. 124 43 231 Students. 1.319 656 733 311 443 1,77* Total 123 615 5,234 You can see, by this official report, that the Catholic church has the largest num- ber of seminaries, of professors and twice as many students, as any other denomina- tion of the United States, and yet you are told erery day, that (he Catholics are op- posed to education, science and progress. How consistent and honorable! "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." But, beloved brethren, wisdom will dictate to every reflecting man, that, be- fore rushing ahead blindly and rashly, he should know what will be the end of this progress, so much spoken of. Hence the common saying, "be sure that you are right, then go ahead." The unfortunate victims of the late Ashtabula disaster were also progressing, according to the spirit of the^age, but, alas, that progress led them to their ruin and destruction. What a sad illustration of the dangerous progress of the day! It is true that all the talent, genius, energy and resources of man, being now directed towards the ridhes and pleasures of this mortal life, to the neglect of an eternal one, there is surely great progress in the physical world progress in arts and sciences, in the different modes of applying steam, electricity, in fact, all the elements to the comfort, enjoyment and gratification of | man. But you must also admit with me that there is ANOTHER KIND OF PROGRESS, in this nineteenth century ; progress in infidelity and rationalism ; progress iu corruption and frauds; progress in in- subordination against the authority of Ood and man. It is to this last progress that the church is opposed, but not to progress in sciences, education and re- finement, which she has always encour- aged. After this digression on the sup- posed opposition of the church to progress, let us continue to BECTIFY SOME OTHER WBONG STATE- MENTS, made on other subjects. I see that, in- stead of answering the two main ques- tions, they keep at a respectable distance from them. All efforts seem to be di- rected against the text of St. Paul, quoted in the lecture. But before we proceed, let us admire the infinite wisdom of God, who has inspired to St. Peter the salutary rule, which ought to guide every sincere Christian, in reading the sacred word of God. "Understand ing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is made by private interpretation," (2 ep. St. Peter, ch. I X 20,) for the very reason that in the epistles of St. Paul "there are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures to their own destruction." Hence the necessity of a sacred tribunal, which our Beloved Savior has not failed to establish, to de- cide in case of doubts or difficulties, and thus maintain unity of faith, uniformity and decency in the service of God and the discipline of the church. But our Greek scholar, full of confi- dence in his own wisdom and judgment, insists, or insinuates, that the apostle did not forbid the women to preach in the church, because, he says, the Greek word lalein means only to babble or talk non- I regret exceedingly to lose any more time on this strange question, but any of you can settle it himself; he has only to take notice, that St. Paul has used this same word lalein twenty-four times in the same chapterFirst Corinthians fourteenth chapter. Can it be possible that, in addressing the citizens of Corinth, he should have used twenty-four times the word babble, r talk nonsense ! What strange meaning he would give to the text! For instance, in verse 18 of the same chapter, if you substitute the j word babble for speak, you make St. Paul say: " I thank God I babble with all your tongues." Again, if, in verse 21, you make the same change, you have the prophet Isaias, speaking for the Lord, saying: "In other tongues and other lips I will babble to this people," which is an absurdity. Besides, this same word is translated in the Latin vulgate by the word loqui, to speak ; but let us drop this play of words. There is, it seems, a general, but very I wrong impression, that in quotiag those texts of St. Paul I had intended to apply every word of them to every Christian woman, for all cases and circumstances that no woman was allowed to sing in the church, to pray, to teach in Sunday sshools, seminaries, to write, study, or even to speak hence that complaint of my want of cour- tesy, liberality * * '^ How true are the words of the same apostle, " the latter killeth, but the spirit giveth lile." (12 Cor., 3, 6.) These words were given in the beginning of the lecture, as a general text, to express in a general way the du- ties and relations of woman towards man, and the modesty and reserve she ought to keep in the house of God. But the appli- cation of this geueral principle may vary, according to circumstances of times and places, always subject to the decision of the spiritual judges of that sacred tribu- nal, to whom our Savior had given mis- sion to that effect: "Go arid teach," * * " he that hears you hears me." * * But besides the general lessons con- tained in the text in question, we were careful to give another testimony of the same apostle, which could not be, in any way, misunderstood, and precisely because it was so clear and convincing, no attempt was made to answer it; but some vain and foolish objections raised against the general rules it contained, or caused by wrong application and infer- enoes. "Faith oometh by hearing, hear- ing by the word of Christ, and how shall they hear without a preacher, and how shall they preach unless they be sent ?" (St. P. to Rom. xx. 14 and 15) Did any one venture to answer this question? Ne, they cannot, because the doctrine of St. Paul is only a consequence of the in- 'Go and teach all na- stitution of Christ, tions." (St. Math. 28 20.) He did say go and write, but go and teach. He did not commend his disciples to read, were established only for the life time of Washington, and of the brave men who fought the battles of their country ? You would, either suppose that the man had lost his reason, or that he was a rebel. So, the church was not established only for the life time of the apostles, but was to last till "the consummation of the world," and as the change of President not j or of members of Congress does not de- stroy the general government, neither is the church destroyed or affected by the but to hear and the obligation to hear the church, is so strict, that they will be looked upon as "heathens and publi- cans," if they do not. St. Matt. 18. 17. Please mark well here, that this mis- sion of teaching and preaching was given by our Savior, only to the apostles who succession of bishops or priests. The apostles, being men, had to die like other men, but the church remains, to continue her divine mission, until time shall be no more. But here comes now a doctor of divin- ity, although a very poor logician, for he were the first bishops, not to the priests ] has forgotten, that in order to draw acon- and disciples; and in the ordination j c i us i on from an argument, the antece- of a priest, no special mission or j d en ts or premises must be so related to faculty to preach is given to him, but only each other, that the conclusion will neces- to the Bishops, who csn delegate their j sarily f o n ow f rom them. What relation faculty to priests and even deacons, j can be find between the injunction of St. Now, if to Bishops alone the mission to Paul to WO men to love and obey their preach was given by our Lord, did I ex- husbands, to be modest, keep silence in aggerate when I called the preaching of women, a presumptuous and sacrilegious the church (subject of my first proposi- tion), and the social and political intrusion of the female sex into the sane- calamities, which would result , from tuary ? But it has been remarked by some one that, whatever mission or faculty our Saviour may have given, in the institu- tion of His church, it was granted only Apostles personally. What a mode of explaining away any to the strange kind of authority, order or disci- pline! Had not our blessed Savi- our previously announced to his apostles the permanent institution of His church ? " The gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (St. Matthew 10.) Did He not make to them that infallible promise, "Behold, I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world?" (St. Matthew 28:20.) What would they answer, it following the same prin- ciple, any one wan to deny the authority of the government of the United States and of the constitution, and say that they j woman suffrage? (Second proposition.) These are two questions entirely distinct, and proved by different arguments. The scriptural texts were not to be used indif- ferently as a proof, for either of these prop- ositions, but to be applied, with judgment, according to the relation they had with the question. A doctor may have the purest, the safest remedies in his medicine case, but will he take out, at random, any of them which may be under his hand, to cure any kind of disease? Surely not, but he will be careful to select such, as are intended to cure each special disease; oth- erwise, instead of curing his patient, he would kill him. Still it is exactly what the writers of those replies have done with me ; they have applied to woman suffrage the texts and arguments, intended and given against the preaching of women in the church, and vice versa, and after- s, they complain that they cannot draw any reasonable conclusion. How could they? There was no relation or connection between the two subjects. This reminds me of the answer given, in Cincinnati, by a quick witted Irish- man,who was asked the address of a cer- tain person. He did not know it himself, but still he would not be taken short,and answered at once: "He lives between Main street and 12 o'clock * * * * " With such information, how could the man miss the house? * * * * kindness and winning manners, either for the glory of God, the good of the church, or the benefit of the poor. But if a few minutes ago you have been frightened by the cry of alarm, I have now good news to communicate to you. It is THE GLORY OF THE NINETEENTH CEN- TUBY. the triumph ol science over revelation ; the great discovery of this age of progress! To my question, whether any new pro- cess had been found out, to escape that I would like, beloved bretnern, to close j condemnation to death, which had been this tedious review, but I hear a cry of | pronounced against our first parents and alarm ; we must go to the rescue : * To carry out these prohibitions literally would break up the church." Break up the church ! And out of the 1400 or 1500 different religions sects, of every shade and color, will they please tell us which is the church, so frail and so weak, as to need to be propped up by the preaching of women? If it cannot be kept together without it, it is not built OH the rock ; it is not the Church of Christ, for when He established His own church, He made that divine promise : of hell shall not prevail But, however, I know of "The gates agamst it." one church which has stood for over 1800 years; which has resisted the fury of 300 years of pagan persecution ; which has been exposed to the insults, frauds, plunders of her enemies; still she never allowed her women to preach, ex- cept by their good example^ piety, mod- esty and good works ; but if they are forbidden to preach, they are not only allowed, but even invited to unite their sweet voices with the prayers, pious hymns and several parts of the service of the church* They are even allowed to assist the priest in teaching, not as ones having authority, but in a whispering voice, the children of the Sunday school class. (We have here every Sunday a good number of pious and zealous ladies, who are rendering good service. ) So you see that, after all, we are not such slaves of the letter, as you had imagined, and that we allow ladies to use their talents, their posterity, I have received a most glorious answer. I have read distinctly that consoling word : Yes. What a relief! Now the men of the world can say, in all security, with the rich man of the Gospel to his soul: "Thou "hast much goods laid up for many years, take thy rest, eat, drink, make good cheer," (St. Luke xii, 20.) without being deterred any longer by the fear of death ; but alas, what disappointment! By reading on, I find a terrible word, which destroys all my hopes, "to some extent," only to some extent? And to what extent? of a few days, of a few months, perhaps of a few years; but alas, poor mortal man! he may take as many doses of Chicona bark, as he pleases, that terrible sentence hangs yet over his head : **Dust thou art, and into dust thou shalt return." Gen. iii. 13. "It is appointed for men once to die."-Heb. 9-27. And then comes the great Judge, with that terrible summon : "Thou fool, this night, do they require thy soul of thee." St. Luke 12-20. S the justice of God still continues to have its course. His eternal decrees can neither be revoked or its sentence avoided; let us then submit with resignation to His divine will, and remain contented in what- ever sphere and condition, we may have been placed by Divine Providence. Re- membering, that this world is not our permanent home, but only a land of exile and of trial. Let us direct our thoughts and affections towards the only true home, for wnioh we have been created Heaven. The woman question, being now so vigorously agitated and causing such a great excitement, it is our sacred duty as pastor of the flock, to watch, with all so- licitude, for its safety. We have already Woman was treated by them as a beast of burden, as an instrument of lust and passion, as property, or prer-ious kind of chattel, and consequently there was no protection of their honor and virtue. Dur- proved to you that woman suffrage, if ing my ten years of residence in NewMex- granted, instead of being of any special benefit to the sex, would only in the end, turn to her injury and degradation, would be the ruin of the family and the ico, having to visit oftentimes the eight or ten American forts on the frontier of the territory, and go through the Indian country, many a time I had an opportu- destruction of society ; my intention, to- nity of remarking this fact, so humiliating night, is to show you that the church has to women. Whilst the savage and pagan always recognized and granted to woman | Indian was lying on the grass or walking all the rights that God has intended for her, and that to the church she is indebted for all the respect, veneration and liberty she enjoys now in society. about, his squaw had to herd the horses and sheep, and saddle his pony, go for wood, water, and do every kind of hard I work like a mere slave. So, more or God, in his infinite wisdom, has given I less ' ^as woman treated among other a special mission to every rational being, | pagan and His divine providence has furnished I How different were the Israelites, to each one the means to fulfill it. After | taught and guided by the law of God ! He had created man, He said: "Let us make him a help like unto himself." The words, indeed, are short and simple, yet in them lies the whole relation of woman to man. She is to be a help, and no restriction being made, she may be a help to man, intellectually, religiously, morally, as well as domestically but They protected with the greatest care the chastity of their women and pun- ished most severely any violation thereof. We see the sons of Jacob mak- ing war upon the Sichemites to revenge the insult done to their sister Dina. In- stead of a marriage that was nothing but a bargain, as was the use among hea- although no precise relation, in which then nations, the union of Isaac and she stands towards man is defined, Rebecca was a most solemn ceremony, her ordinary and natural mission { and the consent of the maiden formally is to be a wife, mother, daughter and j asked. The child Moses was rescued sister in the family circle, but she may j and educated by a woman, and his sister be a help, as a consecrated virgin, as an Mary was a great prophetess. Esther, by adviser, and as intercessor in the relig- t her modesty and simplicity, gained the ious order ; she may be a help as queen, empress, in the political order, and she may be a help as a friend and confidante in the social order ; and in whatever ca- pacity she has been a help to man, she has always received from nations blessed with faith in the true God, that respect and attention due to her weak and deli- cate nature. If we look back at the infant Church on the shores of the lake of Galilee, we affection of Assuerus, became a great queen and saved her people from the destruction to which they were doomed. Turning to the New Testament, we find woman in an equally prominent po- sition, honored by the special notice of the God. Man himself, and materially assisting in the establishment of His church. Not to speak, at present, of His blessed mother, whose influence on the fate of woman has find woman already in an honorable po- been paramount ; and leaving aside sition. It is a remarkable fact that no [ the fact of His voluntary submission to her, as well as that of her intercession being the immediate occasion of Hii first nation of antiquity, save the Israelites, had any respect for the temale sex. 9 mblic miracle at Caiia, of Galilee ; the place of woman iii the gospel history is one that may justly be the pride of her sex. The greater part of our Lord's mir- acles were worked in favor of women, often on their own persons, at other times Apollo "the way of the Lord more dili- gently." (Acts 18.) Again, Lydia, "one that worshipped God, offered hospitality to St. Paul, and "constrained" him to dwell in her house. TAct 16.) From these bright examples of wo- man's zeal and charity, the friends on persons who were dear to them. Of| f women's rights may take occasion the first, witness the cure of the mother- 1 to of Golgotha, is offered to all of us for our im- itation. "Look and do according to the pattern which was shown thee on the Mount." [Exod. 25, 40.] But, beloved brethren, whatever may have been the mercj and conde- scension of God towards man, already so worthy of our love and gratitude, it was impossible to destroy entirely that im- mense distance, which separates poor mortal man from A God of infinite perfections. For this reason, His sanctity has manifested itself under the exterior form of those quali- ties which we call virtue ; but in re- ality that sanctity which has practiced them in Christ, is divine. Hence ,the acknowledgment of the infidel, J. J. Rousseau, which the sublimity of the virtue of our Lord has compelled him to make: "If the life and death of Socrates is that of a wise man, the life and death of Jeans is that of a God." How, then, could men ever reach such 12 perfection ? But God, in His mercy, has prepared, between the infinite sanctity of His Divine Son and our frail nature a model of created sanctity more accessible to us, which being more perfect than that of other creatures, may be a model worthy of our imitation. It is that won- der which He has wrought in Mary, His holy mother. Before God she is a mere creature, infinitely below His Divine na- ture, but she has been selected to form a special hierarchy by herself, above that of men and angels, to serve as an imme- diate step, by which we may rise to the imitation ot Christ, as she, by imitating her divine son, is raised to God. But there is another reason to justify the office of Mary as a model. Al- though humanity is common to both sexes, still by taking human nature Under the form of a man, our beloved Savior could not offer to woman a mod- el of sanctity appropriate to her sex; hence Mary, his beloved mother, is of- fered to her as a type and a model. Wo- man is almost all-powerful for good or evil. Ancient and modern, sacred and profane history is full of the most strik- ing examples of this fact. "Her house is the way to hell, reaching even to the in- ner chambers of death," said the wise man inspired by the spirit of God. [Prov. vii, 27.] "Who shall find a valiant wo- man ? Far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her." [ib. xxx, 10.]. The type of woman in pagan antiquity was "Venus ; she was not represented as a wife, mother or daughter ; neither as a model of anything good and honest; but merely as a woman, with all the darts of lust. How victorious she was over gods and men, the horrors and crimes com- mitted as her special worship at Samos, Corinth, etc., area proof; as well as of the powerful influence of woman for evil. But let us hasten to ihrow a veil over such a sad spectacle, and direct rather our thoughts and admiration towards the virgin mother, selected to be the type of the true Christ- an woman. This type was prepared by the Holy Ghost himself,as the most perfect image of Jesus Christ ; ( "The Holy Ghost shall overshadow thee.") [St.Luke, c, 2], the most glorious to God, because noth- ing could be more worthy of his infinite holiness and sancity than the chastity, the purity, the virginity of Mary. Chastity is a noble virtue,which subjects the body to the soul, strengthens the spirit against the temptations of the flesh, gives to woman true liberty and dignity. It is, in a word, the virtue of angels, which raises her soul above the earth and gives her a heavenly power to command respect and veneration. Let me relate to you a most beautiful instance of the pow- er of modesty. Many years ago, ^an of- ficer of the French cavalry, a man of the world and dissipated, found some pretext to be introduced to a young lady, whose ruin he sought. But the officer, who had fought bravely on many battle fields, was defeated by a young woman of eighteen or twenty. He was so much struck and overpowered by her great modesty, that he could hardly speak a word to her, scarcely would he dare to look at her, so strong was the impression made upon him. The interview was short, but the salutary effect made npon him, by the young lady's innocence and modesty, lasted as long as he lived, God rewarded him for this act of self-control; he re- formed his life, resigned his commission, lived a moral and religious life, and died a holy death. In his latter years I knew him personally ; and this incident of his life was related by himself. Woman is all purity. Take away pu- rity and modesty and nothing is left to her worthy of God or man. God, being infinite in merey, will for- give her, if sincerely penitent, give her His grace, even invite her as a prodigal daughter to the sacred banquet of the holy communion. But if ever man forgives, he never forgets * * * When a woman has once been defiled, she cannot expect to be ever restored to the same degree of respect, paid to her before her fall. It is, no doubt, that contempt, or at least that indifference sh finds in a cold -13 world, that brings her to the door of the asylum, where she finds protection from all dangers. It is the bitter deception she has suffered from her seducers, that makes her feel so happy, under the maternal care of those devoted sisters of the Good Shep- herd, who receive her with open arms j those spiritual mothers who, stooping I down from their high state of purity, stretch a charitable hand to the fallen one, and restore to her the clean garment of innocence. Purity, being so precious, and at the | same time so delicate a flower, how can a | dignified woman, who knows how to ap- j preciate it, afford to expose it, to be faded j in the midst of the corrupt atmosphere of j a political meeting, in contact with all classes of society ? * * Remember what has been said on a former occasion if a woman assume masculine airs and forget that she is 'a woman, she will soon miss that deference and respect she now re- ceives, and be treated with that same in- difference men have for each other. Last week, we had here in Denver a most striking instance of what would surely happen, on every occasion, should modest and virtuous women be led astray by those persons who, for the mere shadow of imaginary rights, are willing to exchange the true rights they j now enjoy to the respect and veneration j of the world. A young lady stepped into a crowded street car, and met there a young gentleman of her acquaintance, who had a comfortable seat. "Well, Miss," said he to her, "are you in favor of woman's rights?" "Yes, sir," an- swered s t he. "Then you can stand like a man," and he kept his seat, to the confu- sion of the lady and the amusement of the company. Although purity is the brightest orna- ment of woman in every condition of life, as a virgin, spouse, mother and daughter; still virginity offered to God with free will, consecrated by a solemn vow, kept with scrupulous fidelity, is the most high degree of angelic integrity. But al- though St. Paul recommends so much the state of virginity (1st Cor. c. vii., 5, 7) as being the most perfect state, and giving woman a greater facility and liberty to serve God, still, he leaves her free to follow her inclinations : "Every one has his proper gift from God, one after this manner and another after that." For this reason, the model offered to woman should be adapted to every condition of woman's life. The infinite wisdom of God has resolved the difficulty by uniting virginity and fecundity in His virgin-mother, and thus qualified her to be the worthy model of woman in every state of life. Maternity has been honored by her virginity and virginity by her fecundity, and thus every Christian woman has been blessed in Her who was "blessed among all wo- men." [St. Luke 2.] But not only was every Christian woman blessed in Mary, but she was also raised to the participa- tion of the glorious privilege of virginal maternity. For Christian maternity has the character of moral virginity, and Christian virginity that of moral fecundi- ty. Christian maternity, sanctified by the grace of the sacrament of marriage, is no less virginal, because, in becoming a mother, woman has not lost her moral integrity. Do not imagine, either, that by conse- 3rating herself to God, the Christian vir- gin is deprived of moral fecundity. Are they not really spiritual mothers, those holy, women who devote all their life to the care of the sick, the poor, the widows, the orphans? Have they not in their hearts a true maternal love, those devoted sisters, who expose their own life in time of war, pestilence and famine, to nurse their patients with the tenderness of rnothors? Do they not carry mater- nal charity to heroism, spending days and nights, months and years, their whole life, in hospitals, on the battlefield, even when those who were dear to each other, have fled from the pestilence. How often did you not hear, that in time of cholera.yellow fever, the husband had left his dying wile, the wite, terror strick- 14- en kad run away, the children had left their parents, parents abandoned their children; all had gone save the Sister of Charity, faithful till death to her task of love. So the spirtual maternity of the spouse of Christ oftentimes inspires her with more courage than does natural maternity. There is no want, no misery, no affliction of this life, in which the con- secrated virgin is not most usefully em- ployed, to which she is not willing to de- vote cheerfully all her talents, energy and strength. See how the church un- derstands the duties of women and rec- ognizes her rights to the respect and at- tention she deserves. Compare the humility, purity, charity and spirit of sacrifice of the Christian woman with the clamorous appeal of the leaders of woman's rights. * * * * Not only does the gentle sister attend to the wants of the body, but she also provides for the consolation, the salva- tion of the soul of the poor patient, the dying soldier ; she gives him charitable advice, reminds him of his duty to God, of the preparation for death, of the ac- count he will give to the Supreme Judge. During the last civil war, a poor infidel soldier was on the point of death, but had never thought, that in a few hours, perhaps, he would appear before the sacred tribunal of God to hear a sentence that would decide his eternal damn ^ tion or salvation. The chaplain attend- ing the hospital, endeavored to prepare him for that terrible account, by inspir- ing him with some feelings of repen- tance, teaching him the principal mys- teries of religion, the salutary means es- tablished by our Blessed Savior for his reconciliation with God. But he rebuked him, and would not even listen to him . "I cannot believe that; I don't believe in confession," said he: "I am sure the sisters don't believe in all that." "Yes, they do," said the chaplain. He then sent for one of those ministering angels upon earth. "Sister do you believe in the Trini- ty?" asked the soldier. "Yes, my dear, 1 believe it, and you must believe it to be j saved." "Well, I believe it. if you do." I "Do you believe in confession, in forgive- | ness of sins?" "Yes I do, and go to con- | fession every week." "Well, I will iro i if you do." So he believed, made a sin- i cere confession, received the sacraments ! and died in sentiments of great piety and (repentance. Such is the confidence in- j spired by charity. I doubt whether his I own mother could have had such ki I fluence over him. We have already reminded you of the ! special mission of a woman, to attend j to household duties, to take charge of a I family, to instil into the minds and I hearts of her young children the fear of j God, the foundation of true self-respect. I In all biographies of eminent men we find i that they attribute their success in life ! to maternal solicitude. The mother | makes the man. This was the ease with I the illustrious Bishop of Hippo, Saint I Augustine, who was converted by the j prayers and constant admonitions of ! Saint Monica, his mother ; with Saint Louis, king of France, to whom his i pious mother, Queen Blanche, had so often i said: "My son, you know that I love i you with all my heart, but I would rather i see you dead at my feet than guilty of a | grievous sin," and whatever of good, I moral and religious disposition was i found in the great Napoleon was in- | spired by a good mother. But few mothers have time to spare from ! the care of a large family, or are qualified ; to fulfill this sacred task of teaching their i children, and if they have to trust to ! strangers that young daughter, who can i inspire them with more confidence, who ! could be more worthy to take 'the place j of the natural mother than those spiritual I mothers who have renounced the world j with all its riches, pleasures and vani- | ties to devote their whole life to the in- struction and education of girls, and pre- pare them for every rank and condition of society? They are the most fit substitutes f the mother. They develop iii their pu- pils a cheerful and healthy disposition, a high sense of duty, give them a solid social 15 and Christian education, cultivate their moral and religious affections, refine their manners, purify their tastes.and re- turn them to their beloved parents already trained, by the rule of a kind and gentle discipline, to obey and respect them, to be a consolation to them and an ornament to society. Of late years the High Church party of the Anglican sect, of which there is a weak branch in this country, has been trying a poor imitation of religious life. It has built convents and organized what it pleased to call sisterhoods. But nearly all of them have proved failures, and the few that continue to live are drawing every day nearer to their grave. The fact is, as the non-Catholic world is ready to acknowledge, nothing but Cath- olic doctrine, Catholic charity and Cath- olic discipline can fulfill the duties of supernatural life. The Catholic Church alone has the divine strength, the divine wisdom to institute and regulate relig- ious life. Human enthusiasm and phi- lanthropy are poor substitutes for Chris- tian charity and the spirit flf sacrifice it inspires. It has, above all, the real pres- ence of our dear Lord on its altars, from which the hidden support of religious life is derived ; the great center of attraction which keeps united in love, all the mem- bers of this blessed family. It has been foolishly said that sisters, nuns, etc., are like slaves, prisoners, kept in a dungeon. I admit there is some truth in the state- ment; but these slaves are bound by the golden chains of charity. They are pris- oners, yes, but prisoners of love for their Heavenly spouse, who has selected them out of thousands to bring and keep them united under His Divine protection. Should at any time their thoughts or af- fections wander away from the sanctuary and tTring them back in imagination to that world they had left so cheerfully, a short visit is made at the foot of the Blessed Sacrament, in that holy chapel where they meet so often, to commence upon earth the office of the blessed in heaven, and immediately their beloved j spouse consoles them, reminds them of I the happy day when they made, by their | holy vows, the consecration to God of all their being, soul and body; sweet tears flow once more from their eyes and they rise with new courage and vigor, ready to live and die for Him who lived and died for them. "Behold how good and how pleasant it iS for brethren to dwell together in unity, for there the Lord hath commanded blessing and life for evermore." 132 ps. 1:3 v. In conclusion, let me entreat you not to be misled by those who would persuade you, that the church is an enemy to the elevation and advancement of woman. The virtue, the freedom of woman has always been protected and defended by the church. During the ages of faith", the foundation of female liberty and equality was laid by her authority so deep in the soil, that it can never be overturned. It defies oppression and infidelity. No power that sophistry or despotism can use, will ever destroy the freedom and dignity of the sex unless by her own im- prudent step, (I would almost say moral suicide) she surrenders it for a mere fancy and to gratify her pride and ambi- tion. Beware, before it is too late, for the ex- perience of the past, with regard to the practical workings of "female suffrage" has been such, as to condemn it in the judgment of the most intelligent and pru- dent people. I heard from two respecta- ble authorities, that for many years the State of New Jersey had tried the ex- periment, but so corrupting and per- nicious were its results, that all the best citizens of that State, both men and women, irrespective of party, creed or nationality, rose up and demanded the repeal of the nuisance. There, as in Wy- oming, a certain class of women soon be- came the most ardent partisans, and used all tbe seductions, arts and intrigues of their sex, for the accomplishment of the most corrupt and wicked purposes. In- stead of its becoming " a purifying pow- 16 er," as it is called, and as some are weak enough to imagine, it would prove, as it is now proving to the north of us, to be the avenue for the introduction of the most corrupting of all influences into our public and civil affairs. Please remark that when women have entered the public arena with men, they will stick at nothing to carry their points, they will go lengths that men will not, and when unable to carry them by ap- peals to the strength of the other sex, they will appeal to its weakness. * * In time of public excitement or revolution, women are more fierce than men. What frightful examples of this sad truth were given during the days of terror of the French revolution of 1793, brought on by infidelity ! The most horrid crimes and massacres were committed at the insti- gation of women's clubs, and the same horrors of 1793 were repeated in 1871, dur- ing the short days of the Commune. lu the cruel execution of the hostages, women were more conspicuous than men in exciting the infuriate mob ; no religious or human consideration could restrain them in their madness. Victims from every state and rank of society were to be immolated before peace could be restored. If the people of Colorado have at heart the success and prosperity of their new State, they will not be foolish enough to try this fatal experiment over again. After carefully noting the disgraceful conduct of some of her own sex, in a recent elec- tion, a lady of Cheyenne said : "I have come fully to the conclusion that female su ffrage will never purify politics or the ballot box." She further added, "I con- fess that when I came here, I was in- clined to favor it, but since I have seen and heard what I have here on the ground, I have been astonished that any respect- able person can be in favor of it." The question is, then, whether the people of the Centennial State will learn and take warning from the experience of others, or whether they will be led captive by this silly and fatal delusion.