She was not a unit, but a zero in the sum of civilization....
The status of a married woman was little better than that of a domestic
servant. By the English Common Law her husband was her lord and master.
He had the sole custody of her person and of her minor children. He
could punish her 'with a stick no bigger than his thumb' and she could
not complain against him.... The common law of the State [Massachusetts]
held man and wife to be one person, but that person was the husband. He
could by will deprive her of every part of his property, and also of
what had been her own before marriage. He was the owner of all her real
estate and earnings. The wife could make no contract and no will, nor,
without her husband's consent, dispose of the legal interest of her real
estate.... She did not own a rag of her clothing. She had no personal
rights and could hardly call her soul her own. Her husband could steal
her children, rob her of her clothing, neglect to support the family:
she had no legal redress. If a wife earned money by her own labor, the
husband could claim the pay as his share of the proceeds." With such a
contrast in mind, it is indeed difficult to see where the truth of the
assertion lies when it is stated that the status of woman was indeed
pitiful until Christianity exerted its influence for her betterment. And
it is again curious to note that after a period of nearly 2000 years of
Christian influence it was left for a sceptic such as Mrs. Stanton and
her sceptical co-workers to bring about an amelioration of the degrading
position of woman in Christian society.

The degrading picture of womankind as depicted in the Old Testament is
well known to anyone who has glanced through this storehouse of
mythology. It would be well for the multitude of devout female adherents
of all creeds to take the time, just a little of the time they give to
the plight of the poor, benighted heathen and read some of the passages
in the Old Testament dealing with their lot. The entire history of woman
under the administration of these "heaven-made" laws is a record of her
serviture and humility.

In the 24th chapter of Deuteronomy we find the right of divorce given to
the husband. "Let him write her a bill of divorcement and give it in her
hand and send her out of his house." The discarded wife must acquiesce
to "divine justice." But if the wife is displeased, is there any
justice? Under no clause of the Divorce Law could the wife hav