“And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another, committeth adultery against her.  And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.”  It is manifest that the design of God was, that there should be an equal fidelity on the part of both man and wife.

But, as ages rolled on, the depraved appetites of sinful mankind desired a different ordering of the affairs of life.  In the Jewish Commonwealth, the rabbis became less and less favorable to the just rights of women, especially after their people began to intermix more freely with their idolatrous neighbors; their precepts were assimilated more fully to those of the heathen; and for doctrines, the commandments of men were taught instead of the pure law of God.

History proves that woman sometimes took a very prominent part in the public affairs of the Jewish nation.  But, while not attempting to disprove the statements which are therein recorded, there are many who make light of any mention of the public labors of these women.  Sometimes, indeed, the talents and usefulness of these women, and of the earnest women of our own day, are admitted after a fashion; but it is done in such a way as, in reality, to belittle the sex as much as possible.  They are considered as occupying the same relation to men that the moon does to the sun, and all that is desired of them is to reflect a borrowed light.  If she be unable to reflect a light when there is none to borrow, what then?  Even in religious matters, she is judged to be incapable of taking any public part, though she may be ever so well informed and pious, and those of the opposite sex in her vicinity ever so deplorably ignorant and wicked.  A few distinguished writers will, however, allow her—­as a favor, it may be supposed—­to go out in public to collect money for charitable or Church purposes.  What a wonder the funds so collected are not defiled by passing through “female” fingers!  Some of the religious denominations who gladly accept of the fruit of women’s labor, either in collecting from others or in giving themselves, would yet not suffer a woman to pray or speak in public, though God has endowed her with more than ordinary talent.  She may not even give advice as to how the money she has collected or given is to be expended.  In the choir, women may sing of salvation; but it is fearful presumption for her to speak of it in the body of the Church, or let her voice be heard there imploring salvation for herself or others.  This might defile the sanctuary or tempt her to “usurp authority over the man.”  Occasionally there is to be found a denomination which will allow a woman to pray in public, or to relate her Christian experience; but even in some of these the practice does not receive a very large amount of encouragement, and her right to exhort or teach publicly is seriously questioned, most frequently denied.