hrone of the Virgin Mary, that we may find grace to help us in
our time of need.' The Roman sees Heb. iv. 16 quoted, but cannot
verify it if he would, seeing the Bible is forbidden to him." Pius
IX., at the foot of the column of the Immaculate Conception, erected
to perpetuate the fact that he was permitted to decree the dogma, has
Moses, David, Isaiah, and Jeremiah casting crowns before the Virgin,
saying, "Thou art worthy; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to
God by thy blood." When it was announced that the French occupation of
Rome should cease, the Pope published a decree calling on all Rome
to go with him to the feet of Mary, if haply by cries and tears they
might prevail with her to avert from the throne of God's vicar the
dangers that threaten it; and in that act the Pope led the way.[A]

[Footnote A: Minister _versus_ Priest, page 7.]

For this worship of the Virgin Mary there is a reason. Satan could
not successfully lead astray so many millions of people, despite a
preached gospel and a printed Bible, unless there was some truth lying
at the root of this ineradicable Virgin worship. This root we shall
discover when we recall woman's position prior to the advent of
Christ, the place she was called upon to fill in the scheme of
redemption, and the influences set in motion by the life of Christ
upon the earth.

1. _Let us notice woman's position previous to the advent_. Before
Christ came, woman was regarded as inferior to man. She had lost
her equality. She was excluded from general intercourse, and her
confinement to her own home and apartments, without education,
without social recognition, left her without strength of character,
self-reliance, or resources with herself. "Woman's safety in society
lies in two elements: her own virtue and intelligence, and the
consequent respect for her which such a character inspires. Where
these two things are found, she may participate in general society,
mingling freely with men as their equals, and regarded, it may be,
even as their superiors. Here, it may be worthy of note, that no such
estimate or honor is ever put upon woman except when Christianity has
given her this elevation."

Before Christ appeared, the qualities honored as divine were
peculiarly the virtues of the man--courage, wisdom, truth, strength.
Womanly virtues were regarded as puerile and contemptible, and woman
herself was little better than a slave.

2. _Notice the place woman filled in th