THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.
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of savage men, evolving slowly and painfully one form after another of sexual relationship, until at last some form of marriage grew stable enough to determine relationship with at least one of the parents. That was the birthday of civilized society. From this time the family struggles up through the miasmatic regimes of polygamy and polyandry in their various forms until the ideal form of a monogamous marriage emerges, that ideal which is still so poorly realized among the most cultivated nations.
These considerations move us not only to gratitude for our heirship of the ages, but lead us also to ask whether the family relations, as we have them today, are not capable of further improvement at our hands and those of future generations. Some claim that the family as we know it is a fleeting form of human development, a passing lesson in the divine art of living together. Nobody can claim this unless he is able to forecast the future and declare what shall be. There is a wonderful reach in Christ’s teaching on this point when He challenges the claims of His family upon Him thus, “ Who is my mother and my brethren? For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother and sister and mother.” Did He mean to teach that spiritual relationships are the only real and enduring ones—that oneness of spirit and purpose is a stronger tie than that of blood? It is, however, beyond our purpose to speculate as to the future form of human society. The foundation of the family, as we know it today, is monogamous marriage, and home is the result of the long continued infancy and helplessness of the young of man. When childhood had come to extend over a period of a dozen years, a period more than doubled where several children were born in succession to the same parents, then the blessed relationship of the home grew up. “ A little child shall lead them.”
This is the historical foundation of the family. Has it an ethical foundation? Does it subserve the highest ends of society? Is it in line with progress, and is it capable of producing a higher type of man? It can not be doubted that a single affection and a life union of man and woman has borne thus far the best fruits of civilization, has given the highest and purest pleasure to mankind, and has afforded the best preparation of the young for life and for service to the race. How shall the coming generation actualize this ideal so as to make it yield greater blessings to humanity? I will indicate a few lines in which progress may be sought.
First. The recognition of the entire equality of man and woman as complementary parts of humanity—of one humanity. The complete dependence of man and woman, and their entire inter-dependence. This would mean equal opportunities for education on all lines to both sexes; the free use and development of all their powers; the sharing of by men and women in the great labor, in the results of which they have an equal interest, of framing, interpreting and executing the laws of society; equal advantages and protection under these laws, and equal representation in the government.
Second. The recognition of manhood and womanhood as more excellent than fatherhood and motherhood. How all chivalric souls of men leap to declare that these things are done. Done in them, perhaps, done ideally, sentimentally, but not actually. Not yet has the world at large acknowledged the woman’s right to a life as large as her talents, an education which shall take account of her natural bent, and a financial prosperity commensurate with her ability and her labors. Not ten years ago a learned theologian said: “God foreordained man for the field and woman for the hearth.” This is the free translation: “God has foreordained man to breathe oxygen and woman carbonic acid gas.” The man for the harvest field, the orchard and the vineyard, and woman for the laundry and the kitchen. From the opposite pole, the setter of this world’s fashions, the fiat went forth: “It must be every woman’s supreme aim to be beautiful.” Out of this low ambition have grown the tortures of the body for women in all ages and in all climes. Lord Bacon says that true friendship is only possible between equals. How much more true this is of the close friendship of marriage—of married companionship, intelligent, sympathetic companionship in all the varied interests of life, in the highest joy of existence; this companionship is only possible between equals in culture and opportunity.