HER SPHERE & HER FIGHT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1770, 7 June 1913, Page 11

HER SPHERE & HER FIGHT.

OUTSPOKEN BOOK, WOMEN'S'ORDEAL DOWN THE AGES. [Bt Imogen.] Withii the last few years, a considerable nuuber of men and women writers nave bean devoting their energies to tho studjr of the feminist movement, and several interesting books have appeared dealing with its rise, growth, and effect upon our civilisation. One that has recently -reachcc tho colony is "Tho Advance of Womat," by Jane Johnstone Christie, who in tho course of some three thousand pages traces tho history of woman from tho earliest dawn of life to the present time, and though it is nec«S9arily much compressed—for many volumes could bo writton oi iipr fall and gradual rise, and the causes ihatT led to both—a comprehensive exposition of her evolution is given. Tli3 book furnishes no argument for woman's rights. It simply places before renders tie place occupied by woman in tho different ages of tho world's history, tqgether with analogies drawn from tho vegetable and animal world. It also deals with the status of woman, both in tho ancient classical world, and in the world of to-day. In her preface tho writer Bays: "It may seem to be unduly harsh to man, but it must be borno in mind that she was liot responsible for tho picture of history; nor for the laws placed upon the Statute Book." Women, Nature, and the Rocs. Starting from the conclusions arrived at ty scientists that all life in the beginning t was feminine (a comforting conclusion 'from the woman's point of view), and that the male did not arrive in tho scheme of existenco for quito a long period, a considerable amount of ground is covered by the writer in showing What importance Naturo attached to the wolfare of the female organism in tho whole scalo of life. It ,was only by selection—always on the part of the female —that the _ male finally, long after his first insignificant appearance, attained to

greater size and muscular strength. ' Of much interest nre tho chapters deVoted to tho matriarchate period of tho Vrorld's history, when woman was the dominant sex in the primitive hordes. ■ Mother right and mother rule prevailed, and all descent was traced in the female line, "tip till recent years," states tho writer, "man's belief in his primary place in tho scheme of life appeared to rest on a foundation as fixed as that of tho .eternal hills, hence all students had systematically minimised and under-rated anything that tended to givo woman tho foremost place, even though they could not dispose of it altogether. When descent finally changed to tho male line, there was no uncertain note expressed nor no minimising of its importance." Descent In the Female Line. In those far-off days, the children did not take the father's name, nor did they inherit anything from him, even for a long time after his relation to them was Tccognised. His heirs were his sisters and their children and his brothers. In the early patriarchal legends of the Biblo < descent was given in tho female line. Tho two chief causes that ultimately led to the change to the patriarchate system wore the realisation of tho father's rights in tho children and the accumulation of property in the hands of individuals, for under the gentile or family system property was. communal, and could not be alienated. from the gens. Having in the course of time bccome physically larger and stronger than woman (thanks to her), ho did not hesitate, being at that time jievoid of altruistic sentimont of any find, to uso his strength, and finally he yrested from woman her power. With the reins in his -hands war began, and became the rulo of life. When the matriarchato system existed, he had had to abide by woman's laws, which invariably, mode for peace. That became utterly changed wiUi the lntor system. In tho succeeding chapters vivid pictures are given of the position occupied by woman during tho patriarchy nnd early historical poriods of the world's history. It docs not make exhilarating reading from the point of view of woman, and, no doubt, a devout feeling of thankfulness would obtain possession of her at tho thought that such a period has passed, at least in very many countries to-day. St. Paul's Dicta on Women and the Gospel Teaching. Tho generally-accepted idea taught by men and the Church that woman owes nil sho has to Christianity is disputed by tlio writer who says that, had tho Church based its teachings more upon Christ and less on St. Paul, women would not have been crushed to the dust as she has been for long centuries. "Religion has been," sho says, "unsparingly used to debase and degrade woman. All creeds—pagan and Christian alike— denounce hor and decreed for her a position of total subjection, and nil alike denied or attempted to deny hor the possession of a soul. If the teaching.* of the Divine Alan Christ had never'been added to and subverted by St. Paul, if tho Gospels which alone contain Christ's ladtructions to mankind had been the sum total of tho now 'Testament, tho bloody pages of historv might not have had to be written, and tho enormities of our spccial code might never have existed, for lie declared woman's equality and her leavening influence would have made Itself fetl. Evan Her "Soul" Has Been Questioned. At the beginning, women had a welldefined and authoritative position in the Church. They wore ordained to tho ministry, officiated as deacons, administered the rite of baptism and tho Lord's supper, promnlgated tenets, interpreted doctrines and founded sects, to which even their names wsro given. "Whatever Christ might teach, however, man had no idea of recognising woman as an equal, and when power, position, and wealth were to be had from tho Church, he set to work to pot rid of her. It was even questioned "whether sho had a soul" (the Council of Macon), "whether sho ought to bo called a human being?" In tho end women beoamo so mentally.

dominated that sho saw only through men's eyes, and the real object that sno has now to fight is herself. The cry that lias delayed woman's progress beyond all others is the cry "unwomanly" and "unfeminine," and woman is timid by long ' inheritance and accustomed to look ot horself only through men's oyes. Tlio special work that lies before woman to-day 13 pointed out in tho last chapter. "Tho care of tlioraco," writes the authoress, "does not consist only in bringing into the world children, and nursing and clothing them till they can do it for themselves. Tho caro of the race means tho food, tho schools, tho clothes, the social system, tho political system, the laws. Tho care of tho race is the whole of life."