Duties--The State has been benefited at the Risk of her Life through all
Ages--Assertions confuted--Modern Churches have departed from Primitive
Usages--The Friends--Women as Philanthropists, Public Speakers, Artists,
Physicians--Educated Women during the Late War--The Universities

CHAPTER VIII.

FAMOUS WOMEN OF ANTIQUITY.

Dido, Queen of Carthage--Cleopatra--Lucretia--Zenobia--Hypatia--Other
Famous Names

CHAPTER IX.

EMINENT WOMEN OF MODERN TIMES.

The Countess of Montfort--Anna Askew--Esther Inglis--Lady
Pakington--Mrs. Mary Washington--Mrs. Wesley--Mrs. Fletcher--Miss
Crosby--Ann Hasseltine--Sarah H.B. Judson--The Misses Chandler--Other
Eminent Characters of Modern Times

INTRODUCTION.

Christianity is the special friend of woman. Christian civilization has
exalted her almost infinitely above the position to which either
paganism or Mohammedanism assigned her. This elevation is the natural
outgrowth of the example and teaching of Jesus of Nazareth. Unlike other
ancient great instructors, he did not repel women from discipleship, but
cordially welcomed her presence wherever he taught. His lessons of
wisdom, and his precious promises of life everlasting, were in all their
fullness addressed to her as freely as to the most honored of men. His
illustrations of sweeping the house to find the lost piece of silver,
and of the leaven hid in three measures of meal, were drawn from her
employments, and were probably suggested by her presence. To the cry of
the poor Syro-Phenician woman, no less than to that of the centurion or
nobleman, did he give his attention and sympathy, and with equal speed
did he answer the agonizing prayer. Rising far above the trammels of
Jewish prejudice, while he sat weary at the mouth of Jacob's well, he
taught the beauty of spiritual worship to the astonished woman of
Samaria. She became his first missionary to the people of her city, to
whom she told the story of his wonderful wisdom, and said, "Is not this
the Christ?" How kind must have been his spirit, how tender his words,
to the sisters at Bethany, to cause the exclamation, "If thou hadst been
here, my brother had not died!" How consoling must have been his
accents, which drew the fair penitent to his feet, and which led her, in
loving adoration, to wash them with her tears and to wipe them with the
hairs of her head! How wonderful the manifestation of that Divine
condescension and love which elicited that gratitude w