e tyranny of custom and prejudice.

I will ask the American question "will it pay" to enfranchise the
women of this nation--I will not say republic? The world has
never been blessed with a republic. Those who think this is a
narrow struggle for woman's rights have never conceived the
height, length and breadth of this momentous question.

The purpose of divinity is enunciated in that it is said He would
create humanity in His image. The purpose of the Creator is that
the two are to have dominion; woman is included in the original
grant. Free she must be before you yourselves will be free. The
highest form of development is to govern one's self. No man
governs himself who practices injustice to another....

We have passed through one Gethsemane because of our refusal to
co-operate with the Deity in His purpose to establish justice and
liberty on this continent. It took a hundred years and a Civil
War to evolve the principle in our nation that all men were
created free and equal. Will it require another century and
another Civil War before there is secured to humanity the
God-given inalienable right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness?" The most superficial observer can see elements at
work, a confusion of forces, that can only be wiped out in blood,
unless some new, unifying power is brought into Government. No
class was ever known to extend a right or share the application
of a just principle as long as it could safely retain these
exclusively for itself.

We have no quarrel with men. They are grand and just and noble in
exact proportion as their spiritual nature is exalted. As sure
as you live down low to the animal that is in you, will the
animal dominate your nature. Woman is the first to recognize the
Divine. When God was incarnated in humanity, when the Word was
made flesh and born of a woman, the arsenal of Heaven was
exhausted to redeem the race....

Woman is your last resource, and she will not fail you. I have
faith that humanity is to be perfected. Examine the record for
yourselves. I do not agree with the view of some of our divines.
We find the Creator taking a survey, and man is the only creation
he finds imperfect. Therefore a helpmeet is created for him.
According to accepted theology the first thing that he