In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

^ 113 ••••••••• 47 • Article by ECS [5 December 1896] The Woman’s Bible. The criticisms on this book are as varied as they are unreasonable. 1 Both friend and foe object to the title. When John Stuart Mill 2 wrote his “Subjection of Woman” there was a great howl against that title. He said that proved it to be a good one. The critics said: “It will suggest to women that they are in subjection, or make them rebellious.” “That,” said he, “is just the effect which I wish to produce.” Rider Haggard’s 3 “She” was denounced so universally that everyone read it to see who “She” was. Thus the title in both cases called attention to the book. The critics say that our title should have been “Commentaries on the Bible.” That would have been misleading, as it is simply a few comments on the passages referring to woman, which altogether make barely a tenth part of the Old and the New Testaments.Some say that it should have been “The Women of the Bible”; but several books with that title have already been published. The Rev. Mr. Talmage 4 said: “You might as well have a ‘Shoemakers’ Bible’; the Scriptures apply to women as well as to men.” As the Bible treats woman as a different class, inferior to man or in subjection to him, which is not the case with shoemakers, Mr. Talmage’s criticism has no significance. Another clergyman says of the authors: “It is the work of women, and the devil.” This is a grave mistake. His Satanic Majesty was not invited to join the Revising Committee, which consists of women alone. Moreover, he has been so busy of late years attending Synods, General Assemblies or Conferences, to prevent the recognition of women as delegates, that he has had no time to study the languages of “higher criticism.” Other critics say that Part I is not marked with a profound knowledge of Biblical history or of the Greek or the Hebrew languages. As the position of woman in all religions or languages is the same, it does not need a knowledge either of Hebrew or of the works of scholars to show that the position of woman in the Bible is degrading to the mothers of the race. 5 december 1896 114 & Furthermore, “The Woman’s Bible” is intended for readers who do not care for, and would not be convinced by, a learned, technical work of socalled “higher criticism.” The church in all ages has taught this doctrine, and acted on it; and it claims Divine authority in the Scriptures for such teaching and action. The Old Testament makes woman a mere afterthought in creation, the author of evil, cursed in her maternity, a subject in marriage, of all female life, animal or human, unclean. As Christ is the head of the church, so is man the head of woman. This idea of woman’s subordination is reiterated times without number, from Genesis to Revelation; and this is the basis of all church action. In plain English Part I states this, agreeing fully with Bible teaching and church action. And yet women meet in convention and denounce “The Woman’s Bible,” while clinging to the church and their Scriptures. The only difference between us is, that we say that these degrading ideas of woman emanated from the brain of man, while the church says that they came from God. Now, to my mind, the Woman’s Revising Committee in denying Divine inspiration for such demoralizing ideas, shows a more worshipful reverence for the great spirit of all good than does the church. We had made a fetich of the Bible long enough. The time has come to read it as we do all other books, accepting the good, and rejecting the evil, which it teaches. Andrew D. White, 5 formerly President of Cornell University, shows us in his great work, “A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom,” that the Bible, with its fables, allegories, and endless contradictions has been the great block in the way of civilization. All through the centuries scholars and scientists have been imprisoned, tortured, and burned alive,for some discovery which seemed to conflict with a petty text of scripture. Surely the immutable laws of the universe can teach more impressive and exalted lessons than the holy books of all the religions on earth. U Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Y Boston Investigator, 5 December 1896. 1. In...

Share